“Michael Franti, a Bay Area musician and former Stern Grove headliner, is ‘vehemently’ denying engaging in nonconsensual behavior toward a younger female musician. A forthcoming music cruise in Mexico that Franti was set to headline has been canceled. Franti did not name his accuser, but his message appears to be a response to statements made by Victoria Canal, a Spanish American singer-songwriter. Canal also did not name Franti but said last week on Instagram that she was groomed by an older musician she was touring with who touched her in nonconsensual ways and coerced her into not telling anyone else at the time. Franti is an alternative rock star known for his positive songs like ‘Say Hey (I Love You)’ that combine reggae, pop, soul and hip-hop influences.” (08/20/25)
“Gov. Ron DeSantis says Florida is suing two major textbook publishers for overcharging Florida school districts – and was quick to add they push ‘egregious’ content in their instructional materials. Attorney General James Uthmeier filed suit Aug. 19 against McGraw Hill and Savvas Learning Co., specifically accusing the two publishers of bilking Florida school districts for textbooks. DeSantis also noted concerns he’s had with the textbook materials as well, saying their content is not ‘aligned with our standards.’ … The 26-page complaint filed in Leon County alleges that the publishers are violating Florida law, which requires them to give each Florida school district the lowest price offered to any other district in the country.” [editor’s note: If the price or content is unsatisfactory, don’t buy the books. “Problem” solved – TLK] (08/19/25)
“President Donald Trump on Tuesday offered his assurances that U.S. troops would not be sent to help defend Ukraine against Russia after seeming to leave open the possibility the day before. Trump also said in a morning TV interview that Ukraine’s hopes of joining NATO and regaining the Crimean Peninsula from Russia are ‘impossible.’ … Putin, as part of any potential deal to pull his forces out of Ukraine, is looking for the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops from the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as recognition of Crimea as Russian territory. Trump on Monday said that he was arranging for direct talks between Putin and Zelenskyy.” (08/19/25)
“Family members of Israeli hostages demanding that the government make a deal to free them blocked a major freeway in Tel Aviv on Tuesday after Hamas signed onto a joint Egyptian-Qatari peace plan. Authorities broke up the women’s group demonstration on the Ayalon Highway after protestors, including some relatives of hostages who have been released or killed, blocked traffic and held up signs saying ‘Conquering Gaza = Sacrificing the hostages and soldiers’ and chanting ‘Their time is running out, a deal is on the table.’ The direct action came two days after a nationwide strike and demonstrations saw road blockages across the country in the largest protests so far demanding a cease-fire and a deal to release the 50 hostages still being held in Gaza, around 20 of whom are believed to be alive.” (08/19/25)
“India and China agreed on Tuesday to resume direct flights and step up trade and investment flows as the neighbours rebuild ties damaged by a 2020 border clash. The Asian giants are cautiously strengthening ties against the backdrop of U.S. President Donald Trump’s unpredictable foreign policy, staging a series of high-level bilateral visits. The latest statements came at the end of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi’s two-day visit to New Delhi for the 24th round of talks with Indian National Security (NSA) Advisor Ajit Doval to resolve their decades old border dispute.” (08/19/25)
“The United Kingdom will no longer force Apple to provide backdoor access to secure user data protected by the company’s iCloud encryption service, according to US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. … This announcement follows the UK issuing a secret order in January this year, demanding Apple provide it with backdoor access to encrypted files uploaded by users worldwide. In response, Apple pulled the ability for new users in the UK to sign up to its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) encrypted iCloud storage offering, and challenged the order, winning the right to publicly discuss the case in April. Earlier this year, US officials started examining whether the UK order had violated the bilateral CLOUD Act agreement, which bars the UK and US from issuing demands for each other’s data.” (08/19/25)
“Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro on Monday said he would deploy 4.5 million militia members in response to ‘outlandish threats’ by the United States after Washington raised the bounty for his arrest to $50 million and launched anti-drug operations in the Caribbean. ‘This week, I will activate a special plan with more than 4.5 million militiamen to ensure coverage of the entire national territory — militias that are prepared, activated and armed,’ Maduro announced on state television. Official figures say the Venezuelan militia, founded by Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez, contains about 5 million people — though the actual number is believed to be smaller. Venezuela’s total population is around 30 million. … Two sources briefed on the matter told the Reuters news agency that three U.S. destroyers will arrive off the coast of Venezuela soon.” (08/19/25)
“U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Tuesday accused India of profiteering from its sharply increased purchases of Russian oil during the war in Ukraine, saying Washington viewed the situation as unacceptable. Bessent told CNBC in an interview that Russian oil now accounted for 42% of India’s total oil purchases, up from under 1% before the war, and contrasted that with longtime buyer China, whose Russian oil purchases had increased to 16% from 13%. … ‘India is just profiteering. They are reselling,’ Bessent said. ‘What I would call Indian arbitrage — buying cheap Russian oil, reselling it as product has just sprung up during the war — which is unacceptable,- he said.” [editor’s note: “Unacceptable” to whom? What business is it of DC’s where India buys and sells its oil? Presumably a different US official will be picked to whine about it each day (yesterday it was Peter Navarro – TLK] (08/19/25)
“Google signed a deal to purchase electricity from a non-water-cooled nuclear reactor in Tennessee to power its data centers, marking the first commercial agreement for a new generation of nuclear technology that promises to eliminate meltdowns and slash construction costs. The agreement between Google, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and nuclear startup Kairos Power made TVA the first US utility to commit to purchasing electricity from a Generation IV reactor, a fundamentally different nuclear design that addresses safety and cost concerns that have plagued traditional nuclear power. … This design eliminated the risk of nuclear meltdown, the scenario that has driven public fear of nuclear power since accidents at Three Mile Island, Chernobyl, and Fukushima, according to the Kairos Power report.” (08/19/25)
“Chicago community leaders and longtime residents say the Obama Presidential Center risks washing away the neighborhood’s fabric, warning that proposed luxury developments tied to the project could price out families who have long called the South Side home, according to a report. They also say the sprawling 19.3-acre site in historic Jackson Park, with its 225-foot-tall concrete museum, has become an eyesore that disrupts the natural landscape and all locals are getting in return for the unsightly structure is soaring rents and higher tax bills. … The Obama Foundation secured a 99-year lease for the public parcel for $10 in 2018 and promised to revitalize the area.” (08/19/25)
