Morning News Brief
Thursday, August 13, 2026, Prepared for Matt Gagnon
NATIONAL POLITICS AND NEWS
(Link) Karoline Leavitt stepping down as White House press secretary
Axios | Aug 12
➤  Karoline Leavitt Stepping Down As Press Secretary To Focus On Children (Forbes, Aug 12)
➤  So, Who Will Replace Karoline Leavitt? Here Are Some Names. (Townhall, Aug 13)
➤  Analysis: Why Karoline Leavitt might be impossible for Trump to replace (CNN, Aug 13)
(Link) Why Polls Got Wisconsin Governor's Race Wrong—After Socialist Francesca Hong Loses
Forbes | By Sara Dorn | Aug 12
➤  Wisconsin experts weigh in on why polls missed the mark in Dem primary (WMTV, Aug 12)
(Link) “Woke 1 was crazy”: AOC seeks do-over on 2020-era rhetoric
Axios | Aug 12
➤  AOC says Democrats have moved on from 'Woke 1.' Have they? (Deseret News, Aug 12)
Additional Stories
➤  Why House Dems may go easy on one of GOP's most vulnerable members (Axios, Aug 12)
➤  Habba, Boyle Emerge as Contenders to Replace Leavitt (Newsmax, Aug 12)
MAINE POLITICS AND NEWS
(Link) Troy Jackson punched a man and pushed his partner in 1988, police report says
Bangor Daily News | By Sawyer Loftus | Aug 12
➤  'Platner Vibes': Major Scandal Hits New Maine Dem Senate Nominee (RedState, Aug 12)
(Link) Portland nurse was detained by ICE during jetport security screening
Portland Press Herald | By Morgan Womack | Aug 12
➤  Group says ICE has arrested at least 5 people at Portland Jetport (Maine Public, Aug 12)
➤  Maine immigrant detentions follow national trends (Maine Morning Star, Aug 12)
(Link) Maine voters have strong feelings about Susan Collins, new poll finds
Bangor Daily News | By Ethan Andrews | Aug 12
➤  Does Susan Collins only vote with Democrats when it doesn't matter? (BDN, Aug 13)
(Link) ICE arrests 2 people outside of the Cumberland County courthouse
Portland Press Herald | By Emily Allen | Aug 12
(Link) Downtown Portland is gaining an unsavory reputation
Portland Press Herald | By Kelley Bouchard | Aug 13
Additional Stories
➤  Former firefighter faces arson charges in connection with 2 fires (Press Herald, Aug 12)
➤  Lewiston Teen Represents Maine at Trump-Backed Patriot Games Finale (Maine Wire, Aug 12)
➤  So, should Mainers be afraid of sharks or not? | Column (Press Herald, Aug 13)
Supreme Court, Law and Justice
(Link) Exclusive: Former employee at Southern Poverty Law Center arrested on fraud charges
CNN | Aug 12
➤  Ex-SPLC official indicted over payments to informants (Washington Post, Aug 12)
(Link) Epstein Victim Files Cleared for Release Over Maxwell's Protest
Bloomberg | Aug 12
➤  Ghislaine Maxwell's Bid to Hide Jeffrey Epstein Files Crushed by Judge (Yahoo News, Aug 12)
(Link) DOJ indicts 11 Chinese nationals in alleged marriage fraud scheme
Spectrum News | Aug 12
International News and Foreign Policy
(Link) Trump insists US controls Hormuz, Iran says it could 'prolong' war with US
CNN | Aug 12
➤  'Hormuz remains blocked': Iran disputes Trump claims as traffic sinks (CNBC, Aug 13)
➤  Strait of Hormuz Brief: 12 August 2026 (Lloyd's List, Aug 12)
(Link) Voters go to polls in Clacton by-election triggered by Farage
RTE | Aug 13
➤  Farage may win the town, but can he win the country? (Al Jazeera, Aug 12)
(Link) Colombia's new government and rescuers race against the clock to find survivors
NPR (AP) | Aug 12
News Media and Journalism
(Link) Paramount CEO David Ellison threatens to leave California
Washington Times | Aug 12
➤  Rob Bonta's Paramount crusade could make Hollywood exodus even worse (Reason, Aug 12)
(Link) SF city attorney tried to kill a domestic violence story at behest of tech CEO
SF Standard | Aug 12
Social Media
(Link) Hasan Piker says he's part of why Hong lost for Wisconsin governor
Washington Times | Aug 12
➤  Pure Gold: Hasan Piker Throws a Tantrum Over Hong's Loss in Wisconsin (RedState, Aug 12)
(Link) Why Milwaukee's election results took so long in the Wisconsin primary
Votebeat | Aug 12
➤  Voter Data Was Missing From 5 Milwaukee USB Sticks (RedState, Aug 12)
Economy and Markets
(Link) CPI inflation report July 2026: Prices rose 0.1%, annual rate 3.4%
CNBC | Aug 12
➤  Inflation eased in July as Middle East conflict resumed (Axios, Aug 12)
➤  Here's the inflation breakdown for July 2026 — in one chart (CNBC, Aug 12)
(Link) Cooler CPI inflation reading bolsters case for Fed to hold rates in September
Yahoo Finance | By Jennifer Schonberger | Aug 12
➤  July Inflation Data Lowers Odds of a Fed Hike in September Yet Again (Motley Fool, Aug 12)
(Link) S&P 500, Nasdaq End Higher As Fresh CPI Data Calms Rate Hike Fears
Yahoo Finance | By Shashank Nayar | Aug 12
➤  S&P 500 climbs following key inflation report (TheStreet, Aug 12)
(Link) Wendy's stock jumps on report of takeover bid from Nelson Peltz's Trian
CNBC | Aug 12
➤  Wendy's Stock Soars 12% As Nelson Peltz Reportedly Plots Take-Private Deal (Forbes, Aug 12)
Additional Stories
➤  PPI and jobless claims highlight economic data due Thursday (Investing.com, Aug 13)
➤  Mistakes in financial economics (Marginal Revolution, Aug 12)
Technology
(Link) Researchers observe first 'near-autonomous' AI attack on government target in Taiwan
CyberScoop | By Tim Starks | Aug 12
(Link) New York City probes Kalshi and Polymarket over social harms
Fortune | Aug 12
➤  NYC Council Announces Investigation of Prediction Market Platforms (NYC Council, Aug 12)
➤  CFTC Orders Kalshi to Continue Offering Prediction Markets in New York (CoinDesk, Aug 11)
(Link) Grok Bot is an all-new iPhone and Mac app from SpaceXAI and Cursor
9to5Mac | By Zac Hall | Aug 11
➤  SpaceXAI Unveils Grok Bot to Work Like a Team of AI Agents (Bloomberg, Aug 11)
(Link) AI Startup Cognition in New Funding Talks at $40 Billion Value
Bloomberg | By Rebecca Torrence | Aug 12
Healthcare
(Link) The WHO blasts Trump's new vaccine executive order
STAT News | Aug 12
(Link) Illinois will not change child vaccine guidelines after Trump executive order
Capitol News Illinois | By Ben Szalinski | Aug 12
➤  What Trump's Executive Order Could Mean for Childhood Vaccines (TIME, Aug 12)
(Link) Florida pediatricians rebuke Trump's vaccine order
WLRN | By Ana Goñi-Lessan | Aug 12
➤  Florida pediatricians call President Trump's vaccine order 'nonsense' (WFSU, Aug 12)
(Link) Trump Administration Ends Federal Medicaid Funding for Gender-Transition Procedures
The Maine Wire | By Jon Fetherston | Aug 12
Education
(Link) Unions sue Education Department over 'professional' degree rule
Higher Ed Dive | By Anna Merod | Aug 13
(Link) Columbia faces discrimination lawsuit from Palestinian employees and students
Higher Ed Dive | By Laura Spitalniak | Aug 12
➤  Palestinian Students and Staff Sue Columbia Alleging Discrimination (U.S. News, Aug 12)
(Link) Maine's education leader says test scores don't measure what matters. Do they?
Portland Press Herald | Aug 13
Additional Stories
➤  Antitrust suit against 32 colleges with early decision can proceed (Higher Ed Dive, Aug 11)
Sports
(Link) Red Sox Losing Streak Hits Five After Late Collapse Vs. Blue Jays
NESN | By Rodney Knuppel | Aug 13
➤  Blue Jays 6-4 Red Sox (Aug 12, 2026) Game Recap (ESPN, Aug 12)
(Link) Gray-New Gloucester/Raymond slams its way to Little League regional final
Portland Press Herald | By Steve Craig | Aug 12
(Link) Game Preview: Patriots vs. Colts | Preseason Week 1 (tonight, 7:10 p.m., Gillette)
Patriots.com | Aug 12
➤  Five Things We Learned From the Patriots Joint Practice Against the Colts (PatsFans, Aug 12)
General Interest
(Link) Powerball player in Illinois wins $1 billion jackpot
CNN Business | Aug 12
➤  Single ticket bought in Illinois wins $1 billion Powerball jackpot (NBC News, Aug 13)