Morning Digest

Wednesday, August 19, 2026

35 stories from 9 sources, 63 more held back.

RT

Liberia joins Trump deportation drive with deal to take 1,200 migrants

Liberia has agreed to accept up to 1,200 third-country migrants deported from the US under a controversial agreement pushed by the Trump administration as part of its sweeping immigration crackdown. The transfers will take place over one year, with the first group of 20 due to arrive in the West African country on Thursday, Liberia’s Ministry of Information said in a statement on Tuesday.

RT 12:17 PM

Zimbabwe ferry death toll rises to 94 after Lake Kariba disaster

The death toll from last week’s ferry disaster on Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba has risen to 94, the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) said on Tuesday. Search teams remain deployed in the area and recovery operations will continue as the authorities seek to locate any people still missing.

RT 10:35 AM

Russia and Ukraine exchange 103 POWs – MOD

Russia and Ukraine have conducted another prisoner of war exchange, returning over a hundred servicemen to each side, the Defense Ministry in Moscow announced on Wednesday. In a statement published on social media, the ministry said that “103 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by the Kiev regime.

RT 9:38 AM

Meta HL Mount Etna eruption causes major flight disruptions in Sicily

Mount Etna eruption sparks worst aviation crisis for Sicily in 20 years (VIDEOS). Sicily is facing its worst aviation disruption in more than two decades as a prolonged eruption of Mount Etna forces hundreds of flight cancellations, stranding thousands during the peak summer holiday season.

RT 9:18 AM

ESPN

12 biggest WNBA games that will determine the playoff race

Every WNBA team has 10 or fewer games left in the 2026 regular season. But with the schedule break for the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup from Aug. 31 through Sept. 16, key games that could determine playoff position are spread out over the next five weeks. Three teams -- the Minnesota Lynx, Golden State Valkyries and Las Vegas Aces -- have clinched a playoff berth.

ESPN 8:26 AM

Women's boxing pound-for-pound rankings: Shields keeps top spot, Thorslund makes top 10

Claressa Shields solidified her No. 1 spot in the ESPN women's pound-for-pound rankings with another dominant performance Saturday night at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Shields, the undisputed women's heavyweight champion, moved down in weight and defeated Kaye Scott by sixth-round TKO to reclaim the WBC and WBA middleweight titles.

ESPN 7:56 AM

Why Rodri is key to Barcelona's quest for LaLiga three-peat, Champions League glory

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick did not know it at the time, but he could easily have been describing Rodri in April when he spoke about what his side needs to get even better. "We need players with leadership on the pitch," Flick, who has guided Barça to back-to-back LaLiga titles in his two years with the club, said. "This is important in the [key] moments.

ESPN 7:52 AM

Why Ben Johnson's Bears offense works and 2026 expectations

When the Bears hired Ben Johnson last offseason, we had a pretty clear idea of who he was. The young coach who had saved Jared Goff's career and lit the Lions' offense aflame by grafting much of the old Sean McVay offense into a new approach in Detroit. A ton of motion, play-action and intermediate in-breakers.

ESPN 7:46 AM

Cubs — MLB.com

Gausman exits after 4 1/3 innings with left hand cramp

CHICAGO – Kevin Gausman removed his glove and inspected his left hand, while Cubs manager Craig Counsell emerged from the dugout and made his way to the mound. It was the second time the veteran starter had to pause due to the issue and Counsell opted against pushing Gausman any further.

Cubs — MLB.com 2:21 AM

PCA, again! Cubs star follows up walk-off blast with another leadoff HR

CHICAGO – In the hours leading up to Tuesday night’s game, Pete Crow-Armstrong flipped his hat around backward and headed to the dugout wearing a vintage Cubs jersey and shorts. A group of kids from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago was waiting in the dugout. The Cubs star center fielder took a seat, chatted them up and had the group smiling and laughing as he answered an array of questions.

Cubs — MLB.com 1:12 AM

Three iconic baseball franchises getting the comic book treatment

Calling all comic lovers and baseball fanatics: All Baseball Comics is debuting a collection of three officially licensed books to expand your collection. Centered on the thesis that baseball is “the story of America,” the trio of issues features one spotlight on each of the Yankees, Dodgers and Cubs. They are available for preorder now on baseballcomics.com.

Cubs — MLB.com 2:25 PM

Cubs — Sun-Times

Alex Bregman gives Cubs another walk-off win over White Sox with ninth-inning base hit

Another night, another dramatic Crosstown finish at Wrigley Field. After center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong won the Cubs the series-opener with a walk-off homer in extra innings Monday, third baseman Alex Bregman delivered a two-out, walk-off single to give the Cubs a 4-3 win over the White Sox, the 13th walk-off win at the Friendly Confines this season.

Cubs — Sun-Times 11:38 PM

Dansby Swanson’s presence will be part of Cubs’ efforts to weather his absence: ‘He turns into another coach’

The Cubs will spend the next four weeks without their starting shortstop, no small thing in the middle of a playoff race. Dansby Swanson is a critical part of the Cubs’ championship puzzle, playing Gold Glove defense at one of the sport’s premier positions and, if at times quietly, providing ample offensive production. He came into Tuesday fourth on the roster with 18 home runs.

Cubs — Sun-Times 6:02 PM

Man charged with sucker-punching fan at Cubs-Sox game at Wrigley Field

The fight, which Chicago police say is not connected to an eighth-inning brawl in the stands captured in a widely shared video, happened outside a restroom as the game was wrapping up, according to court records. The 26-year-old victim told police that a man “sucker punched” him with his right fist, causing his nose to bleed, according to a police report.

Cubs — Sun-Times 3:09 PM

Raw America

Breaking: GOP Congressman Caught Committing Federal Felony on Camera

A far-right Florida congressman was just caught on video rifling through a voter’s mailbox, which is a textbook federal felony. A Republican congressman in South Carolina is turning on Donald Trump for endorsing his primary opponent, accusing the president of abandoning his MAGA base.

Raw America 11:03 PM

Breaking: Hegseth ‘On the Verge of Losing His Job’

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth could soon be out the door, as Donald Trump is in need of a scapegoat for the failed Iran war and desperate sailors on an aircraft carrier trying to jump overboard. Disney and ABC just filed a lawsuit against Trump’s FCC over what they say is a retaliation campaign against the network’s coverage of his administration.

Raw America 3:49 PM

Simon Willison

Mojo🔥 is now open source

Mojo🔥 is now open source (via) Mojo🔥 is now open source. The Mojo programming language has been promising an open source release since May 2023. Last week they shipped their 1.0 and today they have followed through on that original promise, releasing the compiler and toolchain under an Apache 2 license.

Simon Willison 9:39 PM

The Robot Report

IEEE Spectrum — Robotics

Spider-Like Drone Grips Steep Glaciers With Tiny Ice Spines

This article is part of our exclusive IEEE Journal Watch series in partnership with IEEE Xplore. Microspines are one of many ways to enable robots to latch onto surfaces like walls and ceilings. Now roboticists in Canada are using the mini spikes to get drones to land on a more challenging, remote surface: icebergs.

IEEE Spectrum — Robotics 1:00 PM

Manufacturing Dive

Raytheon gets $23B Navy contract to boost Tomahawk missile production

The seven-year contract follows a handful of agreements between Raytheon and DOD signed at the beginning of 2026, supporting the company’s yearly production rate of more than 1,000 Tomahawk missiles. In January, Raytheon was awarded an additional $380.8 million for an existing contract for recertifying and upgrading Tomahawk missiles.

Manufacturing Dive 12:25 PM

New materials are key to manufacturing innovation: Z Polymers

It's easier to develop new manufacturing processes and equipment than to develop new materials for manufacturing that have unique chemical and other properties, according to Z Polymers CEO Mike Zimmerman. However, innovative materials are what really drives product development, he said. “These things have typically taken a long time.

Manufacturing Dive 12:03 PM