Relief Arrives, Evergrande Sentencing, & Most Fun States

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Adam Rogers
August 21, 2026

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The USS George Washington arrived in the Middle East Wednesday and is expected to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose roughly 5,000 sailors have now spent more than 250 days at sea supporting U.S. operations against Iran without a significant port visit. The Navy has not announced when the Lincoln will return home.
The unusually long deployment has drawn scrutiny following reports from sailors' families of food and water shortages, plumbing problems, disrupted mail service, and deteriorating morale and mental health. The Navy says the ship currently has clean water, functioning air conditioning, and healthy meal options, while acknowledging that the war disrupted traditional supply hubs.
The Lincoln has effectively been doing work that would normally be shared between two carriers, according to a retired Navy captain, leaving little opportunity to rotate its crew out of the region. The captain, who served 26 years on U.S. and allied warships, said he never spent more than 90 consecutive days at sea during his own service.

Evergrande founder Hui Ka Yan was sentenced to life in prison Thursday after a Chinese court convicted the former property tycoon of large-scale financial fraud, misappropriating company assets, and concealing liabilities. Hui, once China's richest man, pleaded guilty in April following his detention by Chinese authorities.
Evergrande grew into one of China's largest developers during the country's housing boom before defaulting in 2021 with more than $300 billion in liabilities. Investigators found the company had overstated revenue by roughly $80 billion in 2019 and 2020, including by recording sales from apartments before they were completed and delivered.
Evergrande's collapse helped trigger a broader crisis across China's enormous property sector, where home prices have fallen 20% or more since 2021, and the downturn continues to weigh on the country's economy. More than 50 other people connected to Evergrande were also sentenced to prison terms ranging from 22 months to 18 years.

The U.S. national debt topped $40 trillion for the first time, reaching $40.05 trillion on Aug. 18, according to Treasury Department data. The total has more than doubled since 2017 as federal spending has continued to outpace revenue.
Rising interest costs are increasingly adding to the burden. The government spent nearly $1 trillion on interest in 2025, and debt-service costs now exceed federal spending on either national defense or Medicare. Without significant changes to spending or taxes, one estimate projects the debt could reach $50 trillion within six years.
The growing debt could eventually filter into household finances by putting upward pressure on interest rates for mortgages, auto loans, and other borrowing. Economists disagree over how serious the risk is, but rising interest payments could consume money that could otherwise fund federal programs or put pressure on lawmakers to raise taxes.

Boston, Denver and Philadelphia were named finalists to host the 2028 Democratic National Convention. (More)

FBI agents searched former Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell’s home and seized his electronic devices as part of a criminal investigation into sexual misconduct allegations that prompted his resignation from Congress. (More)

Federal authorities charged a 35-year-old Albany woman with attempting to support ISIS after she allegedly sought help making explosives for an attack on the New York State Capitol. (More)

Pirates hijacked a cargo ship off Somalia carrying Turkish weapons and communications equipment bound for a military training facility in Mogadishu. The vessel had 10 crew members aboard. (More)

Mexico’s navy rescued two fishermen who survived for days floating in a cooler in the Pacific Ocean after their boat disappeared. (More)

North Korea launched about 10 short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters Thursday, a day after dismissing a U.S. decision to scale back military exercises with South Korea. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Thursday (S&P -0.87%, Nasdaq -1.00%, Dow -1.32%). Government borrowing costs continued rising despite Treasury intervention, fueling concerns that persistently high interest rates could threaten the bull market. (More)

Walmart raised its annual outlook after quarterly revenue rose 5.9% and global e-commerce sales jumped 23%, but shares fell more than 8% as U.S. comparable sales missed expectations. (More)

Bitcoin jumped more than 5% to about $71,880 and ether surged over 9% after Trump urged Congress to pass legislation establishing clearer rules for the cryptocurrency industry. (More)

Texas Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom recorded his 2,000th career strikeout Thursday, reaching the milestone in the second-fewest games and innings pitched in Major League Baseball history. (More)

James Harden agreed to a three-year, $97 million deal to return to Cleveland, pushing his career earnings above $500 million and making him the fourth NBA player to reach that mark. (More)

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” became the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever with $1.35 billion worldwide, surpassing the record set by “Deadpool & Wolverine” in 2024. (More)

People who live past 100 have unusually high levels of rare immune cells that target viruses, inflammation, and potentially cancer, which researchers say may help explain their extreme longevity. (More)

Scientists discovered narwhal tusks contain two spirals twisting in opposite directions, a structure that helps the unusually long teeth remain strong, stiff, and straight. (More)

NASA canceled a mission to boost the Swift space telescope into a higher orbit after its rescue spacecraft developed technical problems. (More)

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