Russian strikes hit humanitarian supplies in Ukraine as UN Security council hears about torture of POWs – August 10, 2026

Good evening. It's Monday, August 10th. I'm Scott Baba. President Donald Trump responds to Iran's demand for war reparations with one of his own. They ask for reparations, you might say, or they ask for money for the damage that we've done. And I said, that's a good idea. Well, we're going to ask for money for the damage they've done over a 50-year period. New research finds last July was the hottest month ever recorded for the contiguous United States, getting out the prior record set during the Dust Bowl disaster. If we're exceeding records from the Dust Bowl, that says that we're in deep trouble as far as, hey, this may be one of the coolest years we're going to experience for the rest of our lives. And California lawmakers and health care advocates take a moment today to praise the state's commitment to fund hospitals in the state, even as they say federal cuts, threaten the entire system. It is a huge priority that we must demand of this administration, of this legislature to prioritize the harmful cuts that we're seeing from the federal government and the Trump administration. These stories and more coming up. From the studios of KPFA and Berkeley, this is the Pacific Evening News. I'm Scott Baba.

President Trump today brushed off Iran's demand that the U.S. pay reparations for war damage, countering with his own compensation demands as hopes fade for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Eshmael Begay had said Tehran won't reopen the strait until the U.S. ends its blockade of Iranian ports, lifts sanctions, releases frozen assets, and pays for war damage. Speaking to reporters, Trump responded that Iran should compensate the U.S. and others. Those killed and wounded by Iran and Iran-backed militants over the decades. They asked for reparations, you might say, or they asked for... money for the damage that we've done. I said, that's a good idea. Well, we're going to ask for money for the damage they've done over a 50-year period. Whether you go SS Cole or whether you go all of the people that were so badly hurt, so badly wounded or killed, many thousands of people, and maybe damages for the 52,000 protesters over the last four months that were killed in Iran, we think their family should get damages for killing their person or their child or mother father. that were protesting. It's at least it was 52,000 a month and a half ago. So now what is it? So if there's damages to be paid, I think Iran should pay those damages. The 2000 USS coal attack has been blamed on al-Qaeda, not Iran. Trump also again dismissed the importance of reaching a deal with Iran, insisting the Strait of Hormuz is already open. It's open now. Look, the only one that has control of the Strait of Hormuz right now is the United States Navy. We have a blockade that's been infallible. It's a steel wall, and we let people in that we want to let in, and those people come in. They've been coming in and they're going out, so it's actually open now. We do not let them go into Iran. They're not admitted into the strait to go to Iran. But it's open for others. Now, a little bit complex because they will, on occasion, drop a mine, and we find the mines. You know, we've mine swept the entire strait, as you probably maybe heard, maybe it didn't hear, but. We control the straight 100%. Now, can they make trouble? Yeah, they can make trouble. But they're broke. They have no money. You know, Iran is broke, totally broke. And they're not paying their soldiers. They have inflation of 300%. As of last night, I heard 300, 309%. So we'll see what happens. Meanwhile, Iran said its talks with Oman on a shipping route through the strait were progressing. But any deal remains contingent on U.S. concessions Washington has so far rejected. Separately, Iran's president, Massoud Pajikian, said the country's supreme leader, Ayatolli Mojtaba Khomeini, is urging the people to come together amid economic strain, saying,

The meeting we had with our dear leader was a very good meeting. We were with him for approximately, perhaps, seven hours. We were able to discuss all of the country's issues together. Naturally, the main concerns raised there were people's livelihoods, the state of the market, employment, people's housing, and the problems that are now being created as a result of the sanctions. And naturally, how we stand firm. The people standing with us and unity and cohesion were among the issues that were discussed extensively over those seven or eight hours. Tehran has also named hardliner Mosaun Rzai, a former revolutionary guard commander to head its National Security Council. The United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve has dropped below 300 million barrels for the first time since the early 1980s, according to new Energy Department data showing only 298.7 million barrels as of last week. The decline follows the Trump administration's March announcement that it would release 172 million barrels from the reserve over 120 days in response to the war with Iran. which has choked off oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and pushed pump prices higher. The reserve was created in 1975 after an oil embargo triggered a supply shock, and it's authorized to hold up to 714 million barrels. It peaked at more than 726 million barrels in 2011, but has been drawn down repeatedly since. both to respond to crises and from 2017 to 2023 to help fund the federal budget. Patrick DeHan, lead petroleum analyst at GasBuddy, said the reserve's decline is, quote, likely for a few more weeks before the authorized release is complete. President Trump has said the released oil will be replaced with 200 million barrels over the coming year, though hurricane season could force further withdrawals before that refill happens. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday rejected President Trump's 15-point peace plan for Gaza, saying Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is completely disarmed. Benjamin Netanyahu told government ministers, quote, we are talking about genuine disarmament, not fictitious disarmament. The rejection comes just over a week after Trump announced his Board of Peace had reached a deal with Hamas to fully disarm, calling it a, quote, historic agreement on social media. Under the plan, Hamas and other militant groups would hand weapons to a vetted international policing force, but a senior Hamas official has said the group would only disarm if Israel withdrew from parts of Gaza first. The dispute follows in October 2025 ceasefire that halted major fighting and freed hostages in exchange for roughly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, but left disarmament and further Israeli withdrawal unresolved.

Trump's new roadmap, published July 31st, envisioned those steps happening in phases rather than requiring full disarmament first. Now, the Board of Peace had already backed Benjamin Netanyahu's position days earlier. Benjamin Netanyahu's renewed demand comes less than three months before Israel's October 27th election, with polls showing his coalition at risk of losing its majority. Members of Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition had pushed him to reject the deal with Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's far-right national security minister, calling the deal unacceptable. Saying, quote, after the 7-10 massacre, the Prime Minister must clarify even to our best friends. The only solution in Gaza to which Israel is willing to be party to is encouraging emigration and destroying Hamas. Israel still controls roughly 70% of Gaza, according to Palestinian officials and aid agencies. Hamas said it remains committed to the roadmap and urged mediating countries to prevent violations that could derail it. In Gaza, residents who spoke to Al Jazeera expressed a mix of skepticism and despair. Displaced writer Nez Maharasin said she wasn't surprised by Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection, warning it could bring harsher Israeli operations and further displacement. Gaza City resident Medi Ahmed said any ceasefire would only be temporary without a shift in the balance of power, adding, quote, we have no one standing behind us to protect us. A powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake has struck Western Columbia, killing over 100 people in damaging hundreds of buildings. President Abolardo de la Esperia declared an emergency to expedite funding for recovery. The quake hit the remote Chaco region today and was felt as far away as Bogota. Local officials confirmed deaths across several regions, including Rezaalda and Val de la Calca. The quake is the most powerful in Colombia in the last decade. Authorities are concerned about aftershocks and flights have been suspended in several airports. International support and aid have been offered. A German far-right influencer whose posts have been amplified by Elon Musk has applied for a U.S. State Department funding to launch a political media network. reported today. The influencer, a self-described libertarian and supporter of the far-right alternative for Germany Party, or AFD, applied under a State Department program backing European organizations focused on free speech, national sovereignty, and migration issues. The decision is pending.

The 25-year-old plans to launch a Freedom Alliance of the West network, including a social media channel and partnerships with free speech lawyers, alternative media outlets, and polling firms. She rose to prominence as a climate change skeptic and later became one of the German commentators Elon Musk engaged with most on X. According to a report, she applied for political asylum in the United States last year. The State Department had no immediate comment. and the influencer did not respond to a request for comment. While Ukraine is having success with its series of attacks on military targets deep inside Russian territory, Russia is fighting back with devastating missile attacks on Ukrainian cities. Recent strikes have killed civilians and also destroyed humanitarian supplies in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council held a hearing today on Russia's treatment of prisoners of war and incarcerated civilians, as well as the Russian recruitment of foreign nationals to serve in its military. Christopher Martinez reports. With Ukraine, like the United States, short on expensive air defense systems capable of shooting down ballistic missiles, Russia has been ramping up its missile attacks on Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with devastating effects. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is reporting that Russian attacks across Ukraine have killed and injured numerous civilians, including children, over the past three days. Farhan Haq is a spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary General. An attack in the city of Denepro destroyed a World Health Organization warehouse containing medical supplies for frontline health facilities. No casualties were reported. The same day, a humanitarian evacuation vehicle was damaged, while a truck belonging to a local partner of the World Food Program, was struck while transporting food in the region of Kerson. Humanitarian organizations have been providing emergency assistance, including first aid, psychosocial support, and emergency supplies to people impacted by the latest attacks. The UN Security Council held a briefing Monday on international humanitarian law and the Russia-Ukraine war at the request of Latvia, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. This year alone, the Security Council has held no fewer than 11 briefings on Russia's invasion of Ukraine, looking at things like attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, targeting of humanitarians, and disruptions of food supplies. But this one was different, according to Sanita Pavluta de Land, Latvia's ambassador to the UN. And the theme of today's event is implementing international humanitarian law, prisoners of war, civilian detainees, and foreign fighters in the context of Russia's war against Ukraine.

She says details of those attacks have been thoroughly documented because Ukraine provides full access to the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross. But the purpose of today's area meeting is to focus on the people who should be protected by international humanitarian law and international human rights law, but whose rights Russia violates every day. The committee heard accounts of torture and sexual abuse in Russian detention facilities, with UN monitors reporting more than 90% of interviewed released civilian detainees, were systematically ill-treated. It also heard about predatory recruitment of foreign nationals by Russia. Liberia's ambassador to the UN, Lewis Brown, told the committee there are only two principled responses to such abuses, transparency and accountability. They're really. is no third option. We therefore call on the parties to Grand International Committee of the Red Cross full, regular and unimpeded access to all detention facilities. Access is the oxygen of protection. A prisoner unseen is, in truth, a prisoner unprotected. He added that a peace that forgets the humanity of captives of war is not peace. It is merely a postponement. International humanitarian law is not preserved in the comfort of diplomatic chambers like this. It is preserved in cell blocks, in transit camps, and at exchange points. or it is not preserved at all. Let us ensure that our resolve here gives light to those waiting in the dark and brings every missing soul back home. Reporting for Pacifica Radio News, KPFA, I'm Christopher Martinez. Meanwhile, humanitarian workers and civilians in Ukraine are increasingly being targeted by drone strikes in the war with Russia. Frieda Ross has more. According to a report from the International NGO Safety Organization, attacks on civilian targets have steadily increased since last year. Hakeem Klyman with nonviolent peace force is stationed in Ukraine and says now that drones are more accessible, more people are at risk. They're targeting old men and women walking to get pensions. They are targeting persons with disabilities who are walking towards evacuation collection points. And it's extremely clear that these are civilians that are engaging. And yet they're still. prioritizing civilian targets. Kleiman says the Russian drone operators are intentionally targeting emergency vehicles used by local and international humanitarian groups. He says NGOs are devising procedures to protect themselves, including using drone detectors to notify groups when one is nearby. To ensure the safety of workers, humanitarian vehicles inside war zones are clearly marked. But Kleiman says now those identifiers

are making the job more dangerous by showing that you're an international or a local humanitarian organization through agreements and principles of iHL international humanitarian law there's a level of assumption that you will not be directly targeted in ukraine we have completely lost that He says in order to solve the problem, humanitarian groups need to have clear guidelines on ways to mitigate the drone threat and the United Nations must hold countries accountable for war crimes. A narrative that exists is that international humanitarian law is not working. However, the thing that's not working is the accountability structures and the towing the line to make sure that if and when these war crimes happen, that there's levels of accountability at the state level. Nonviolent peace. Force is hosting a three-day workshop with frontline humanitarian workers, first responders, Ukrainian legal experts, and others to discuss ways to address the problem. I'm Frieda Ross, Texas News Service. Global sea surface temperatures reached their highest level ever recorded for July, scientists said today, as devastating heat gripped Western Europe. The EU's Copernicus Climate Service found record July highs on the Atlantic Coast and Western Mediterranean, with the global average sea surface temperatures outside polar regions surpassing the previous July record set in 2023. Western Europe just had its hottest June-2 July period on record, with two months running over two and a half degrees Celsius above normal, the hottest such stretch on record. Central Europe saw national heat records fall in Austria and Slovakia. Copernicus scientists Samantha Burgess said the extreme heat and worsening drought are feeding each other as dried out soil lose their cooling effect. The heat has fueled wildfires that have burned roughly 500,000 hectares across the EU this year. Water shortages forced two coal plants to shut in Poland and Hungary's only nuclear plant to close for the first time in 44 years. This comes as the contiguous United States had its hottest month on record in July, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, averaging 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit across the lower 48 and edging out the Dust Bowl's July 1936 by an eighth of a degree. Meteorologist Jeff Masters of Yale Climate Connections called it alarming to break Dust Bowl-era records. given the extreme conditions that precipitated that period's high temperatures. The hottest summer prior to this past July was in 1936, the Dust Bowl year. And that was a crazy sort of situation where...

You put tens of millions of people in motion. You had this great migration because of the drought and the heat that hit the center of the U.S. Just a cataclysmic event in U.S. history. If we're exceeding records from the Dust Bowl, that says that we're in deep trouble as far as, hey, this may be one of the coolest years we're going to experience for the rest of our lives. Every lower 48 state rate ran at least one degree above the 20th century average with the worst heat in the mountain west, southwest, northern plains, and southeast, according to the NOAA. Alaska was unusually cool. Masters said it was important to take man-made climate change seriously. We have two things we need to do to get Earth's fever under control. Number one is to stop burning so many fossil fuels. And we also need to be spending money to adapt to the new climate that we've put in place. We've got to get people away from the coast where sea levels are rising. We need to have less people building homes in the wildfire-prone areas of the U.S. that are burning down. And we just need to be smarter in general about adapting to climate change. The biggest driver of the record break was nighttime lows, which shattered the old record by 7 tenths of a degree. Masters said that's especially troubling because when it doesn't cool off at night, the body never recovers from the day's heat. Studies have shown that hotter nights have been linked to increased deaths and lost sleep. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, has dropped to its lowest water level since it was filled roughly 90 years ago. It's according to federal data, marking another warning sign for the strained Colorado River system. The reservoir fell to 140.4 feet above sea level last Friday, just below the previous record set in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Reclamations. J.B. Hamby, chairman of the Colorado River Board of California, said that it is, quote, extremely significant and extremely concerning, noting that roughly 30 million people depend on the reservoir. The decline follows the worst snowpack on record for the Colorado River Basin, adding pressure on farmers, wildlife, and the 40 million people who rely on the river across seven states, tribal nations, and Mexico. Both Lake Mead and Lake Jerome Powell are now at their lowest levels in nearly seven decades. Federal officials have proposed short-term water cuts for Arizona, California, and Nevada after the seven Bassin states failed to agree on a long-term plan. Officials say deeper cuts could follow in drier years. Modeling from July suggests Lake Mead's levels will keep falling through the rest of the year. The timber fire near Big Sur has grown to over 1,700 acres, according to the latest update from Cal Fire, jumping more than 50% since early this morning. Containment remains at just 5%. Three areas near 5%.

Feffer Big Sur State Park are now under evacuation orders. The fire ignited yesterday morning southeast of Loma Vista in Monterey County and has spread rapidly through what officials describe as steep rugged terrain that's hampering firefighting efforts. Evacuated areas include parts of Highway 1, Julia Pfeffer Burn State Park, and the luxury Alila Ventana Big Sur Resort. Resort general manager Sebastian Gurevich said all guests and staff were evacuated to hotels in Carmel and Monterey. The Monterey County Sheriff's Office urged residents to leave now due to an immediate threat to life and property. No injuries or deaths have been reported from the fire, and the cause remains under investigation. The Los Padres National Forest is leading the response with help from Cal Fire. A heat dome over the southwest has brought hot dry conditions to central and southern California, fueling fire risk statewide. More than 4,300 wildfires have burned about 228,000 acres in California so far this year, with one death reported. Meanwhile, the man charged with starting the massive wildfire near Spokane, Washington, which has destroyed roughly 700 structures, told police he planned the arson for weeks. Jennifer King reports. Aaron Farinacci is being charged with first-degree arson for allegedly sparking the old trails fire in Spokane. County Detective Michael Drepos says Farinacci confessed to the crime and planned it for weeks, choosing August 1st because the forecast called for high winds. According to court documents, he looked up the work of a serial arsonist and purchased items to make an incendiary device. Police say Farinacci told them he knew it was going to get bad but claimed he didn't intend it to grow as much as it did. They were kind of bent over. and looked like they were doing something towards the tree line. Resident Paul Child is credited with leading police to the suspect after spotting a man standing by some railroad tracks and acting suspicious. 10, 15 minutes max, and then my daughter was sitting on the porch out there and she says there's a fire. I'm Jennifer King. People who want to make an easy buck will wager a bet on just about anything. Now, some hope to profit by placing bets on when the next wildfire will occur. And a group of lawmakers is alarmed. Ross Brown reports. Federal court wins by prediction platforms such as Polly Market and Kalshi allow new gambling options, including parles on wildfires, even as experts warned they could trigger arson. New Mexico Senator Martin Heinrich and five Democratic colleagues sent a letter last week to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission calling for a crackdown. University of New Mexico biology professor Matthew Hurtow has contributed to wildfire research. He thinks people who'd placed such bets have hit rock bottom.

just absolutely disgusting because of the loss that occurs from that. It seems to be sunk to a new low. Whether that wildfire intersects with a community or watershed or whatnot, there's big implications. Other lawmakers have raised alarms about traders making millions on prediction platforms by accurately wagering on unannounced U.S.-Iran military strikes and ceasefires. The state of New York filed a lawsuit last Friday against Kalshi, accusing the company of running an illegal gambling operation. Hurtow doesn't object to people betting on commodities such as gold or the futures market because he says such bets add liquidity to the economy. One person making a bet doesn't change the direction of a company's stock or the price of a commodity. Whereas in the case of betting on wildfires, one person could place a bet and then go light the wildfire. And I think that it should be banned. Humans cause the vast majority of wildfires and better warning systems allow most to escape. But long-term exposure to find particulate matter in wildfire smoke contributes to 24,000 premature deaths in the U.S. each year. More than 100 wildfires were burning across the country last week, including in New Mexico. This is Roz Brown. New Mexico News Connection. Human infestations from the flesh-eating New World Screwwormfly have topped 500 cases in Mexico since the parasite re-emerged in 2024, this according to health officials. A study in the CDC Journal Emerging Infectious Diseases examined more than 200 confirmed cases from April 2025 through March of 26 and found the outbreak accelerating from about three cases a week in 2025 to more than nine a week in early this year. Six deaths were reported among patients with infestation. One was directly blamed on the maggots. The fly lays eggs in wounds and open tissue, larvae hatch within a day and burrow into living flesh, sometime reaching muscle, cartilage, or bone. Most cases were in men with a mean patient age of 61. Legs and feet were most commonly affected, followed by the head and face. Mexico eradicated the screw arm in 2003 through releases of sterilized flies. A biological barrier at Panama's border with Colombia was breached in 2022, allowing the pests to spread north again. Animal cases in Mexico now exceed 36,000. The United States has reported dozens of animal cases in Texas, but no human infestations yet tied to the resurgence. Congressional Democrats say they are investigating the Trump administration's efforts to deport military service members and their families. The news follows an Associated Press investigation that found that more than 50 active duty troop spouses and parents have been detained by immigration authorities. Democrats sent a letter Sunday evening to the Department of Homeland Security, the Defense Department, and Department of Veterans Affairs.

They say they will investigate whether the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security are coordinating to deport military service members and their families. DHS and the Veterans Affairs and the Defense Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. I'm Scott Baba. You're listening to the Pacific Evening News. It's a one-hour broadcast that airs each weeknight. We'll be back with more right after this. At KPFA, we're not just reporting stories. We're feeling the heartbeat of independent media. Our reporters, our DJs, and our listeners, all moving together to a beat that's authentic and fearless. From hard-hitting news to underground beats, KPFA is always tuned to the pulse of truth. KPFA, where the beat beats on.

This is KPFA, the station that needs sleep, but has news to share. 94.1, KPFA, 89.3, KPF in Berkeley, 88.1, KFCF in Presna, online, KPFA.org. President Donald Trump has extended a waiver allowing ships to transport oil fertilizers and other fossil fuel products between U.S. ports for another 90 days, taking effect August 17th. The Jay Jones Act is a 1920 law requiring goods shipped between U.S. ports to travel on ships that are American-built, American-owned, and crude largely by U.S. citizens. It was written after World War I to strengthen the domestic shipbuilding industry and ensure the U.S. would have a fleet of merchant ships available for national defense. Trump first waived the law on March 17th to ease fuel transportation and reduce price pressures after the war with Iran began. The latest extensions suggest the administration is bracing for continued price pressure, as the Strait of Hormuz remains effectively closed due to the conflict. Unlike earlier extensions, the Pentagon said it will now consult with the Maritime Administration to determine which voyages are exempt. The waiver applies only to energy sources and agriculture-related commodities like fertilizers and soybean oil. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said the extension ensures the military and key industries maintain uninterrupted access to critical resources, adding that the waiver has boosted domestic deliveries of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota is pressing the Department of Homeland Security after local police found an ICE agent sitting outside her town hall in Richfield, Minnesota, in a car with mismatched license plates. A practice the agency had reportedly agreed to stop. Police grew suspicious of a woman in a Ford Explorer monitoring the building and ran her plates, finding they did not match. She initially identified herself as security, then said she was a Homeland Security Investigations agent conducting an undercover drug operation nearby. She left after a call to her supervisor. In a letter to DHS official Michael McCarthy, Omar argued the agent's presence at the event parked in view of a sign advertising the town hall was poorly thought out, saying, quote, at best, your agent was unable to assess that the parking lot of a community center hosting a congressional event wasn't the best place to conduct a drug operation. At worst, it emphasizes many Americans growing concern

that the Trump administration uses ICE to surveil political opponents and may interfere with our democracy. Omar noted she'd raised similar complaints about mismatched plates in March and was told the practice had ended, writing, quote, it appears that this commitment was untrue. Michigan Democratic nominee Abdul El-Sayed pushed back Sunday against attacks from President Trump and Republicans, defending his support for Medicare for All and criticizing U.S. military aid abroad. Speaking to NBC's Kristen Welker, he responded to the Senate GOP's first general election attack at against him. Abdul Rahman Muhammad El-Sayyat, the most radical Senate candidate in America. El Sayyed pledged support for the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, a designated foreign terrorist group. Radical, dangerous. How do you respond? We always knew they were going to go here. I mean, notice how they chose to use my full name in echoes to exactly what they did against President Obama. At the end of the day, it's not radical to believe that people should be able to afford their groceries. It's not radical to believe that you should have health care in this country. It's not radical to believe that you don't think the president should be able to deny elections or make $2.2 billion off of his role in office. It's not radical to believe that all of us should be able to breathe clean air and drink clean water. Those are the things that I've been fighting for. I believe in an America where all of us can come together to build together, government of the people, by the people, and for the people now. They're going to try and paint me as a certain thing, given my name. But I also think it's important for us to recognize that America has a long history of embracing. America is a lot bigger than very small people like Donald Trump or JD Vance or Mike Rogers want to make it out to be. And so I'm grateful for all that America has given me, and I'm grateful for the opportunity now to put myself out there and ask my fellow Michigan. Ganders for their stake in our democracy to be able to build in America. That's more just. It's more equitable. That's more sustainable. That's more empowering. That's more American than the vision that Donald Trump, JD Vance, and Mike Rogers have for it. El Sayyad also rejected separate claims by President Trump that he, quote, hates Jewish people, saying he grew up in a community with a large Jewish population and reveres Judaism and Jewish people, but opposes conflating them with APAC or Israeli government policy. He said he supported redirecting foreign military aid towards domestic priorities like state and local health care and infrastructure. El-Sayed defeated Democratic Representative Haley Stevens in last week's primary, despite more than $60 million in outside spending against him, much of it from A-PAC-aligned groups. Meanwhile, Vermont's independent senator, Bernie Sanders, urged Democratic leaders to bars super PACs from involvement in party primaries, citing A-PAC spending against Abdul El-Sayed.

In a letter to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and DNC Chair Ken Martin, Bernie Sanders noted APAC backed Elsaid's primary opponent, Representative Haley Stevens, before reportedly shifting support to Republican nominee Mike Rogers after Stevens lost. In his letter, Bernie Sanders wrote, quote, it is absurd that they spend tens of millions of dollars. to try to determine who the Democratic nominee is. And if they fail, they proceed to support the Republican candidate in the general election. That is not democracy. Bernie Sanders, a longtime critic of the Supreme Court Citizens United ruling, called for repealing the decision and moving towards public campaign financing. Progressive candidates for governor in Wisconsin and U.S. Senate in Minnesota are making their final pushes ahead of tomorrow's election. Democratic incumbents in Connecticut are also trying to fend off progressive challengers. The primaries come a week after Abdul El-Sayed narrow defeated Stevens in Michigan's divisive and costly U.S. Senate primary. Where mainstream Democrats' worry progressive wins make it more difficult to defeat Republicans in November. Minnesota's primary election is tomorrow, and nonpartisan civic engagement leaders said they remain appalled by the influence of outside funds flowing into federal races there. The leaders see a future where state laws could tamp down on so-called dark money. Mike Mowen reports.

Starting in 2027, Medicaid recipients will have to prove their working, volunteering, or undergoing job training for 80 hours a month. The new policy exempts some pregnant and postpartum women from work requirements, but advocates are concerned there may be problems. A new report from Georgetown University found the real test may be whether state Medicaid programs can easily identify who's pregnant. Mark Richardson reports. Elizabeth Wright-Barrack, a fellow at Georgetown Center for Children and Families and co-author of the research, says the rules could imperil thousands of women's benefits. The Medicaid expansion has been really important for maternal and infant health outcomes. It's allowed women to have coverage before, during, and after pregnancy for the first time in many states. The new work reporting rules from last year's One Big Beautiful Bill Act are aimed at adults covered under the Affordable Care Act expansion. Analysts say many states, may not be set up to readily identify pregnant clients. Barak says the concern is not what the law says, but what happens in practice. Some women are already enrolled in Medicaid expansion before they become pregnant, but they should be moved into a pregnancy category. If that information doesn't move through the system, a patient could still receive work reporting notices. or even be marked for termination. These work requirements are focused on the expansion population, and we do see a not insignificant share of pregnant enrollees in the expansions. Barack adds that states do have tools to reduce that risk. They can accept a person's own statement that they are pregnant, use claims data, or ask providers to notify them directly. She says notices should be simple and explicit. If you're pregnant or within 12 months after a pregnancy, the work reporting rules do not apply. For Commonwealth News Service, I'm Mark Richardson. Democratic Assembly member Patrick Ehrens joined health care advocates today in San Jose in highlighting the $250 million investment in public hospitals included in the recently enacted California state budget. He said it will help make up for some of the federal cuts to public hospitals in President Trump's Big Beautiful Tax and Spending Bill. Max Pringle reports. Assemblyman errands championed allocating a large investment in the state's budget to public hospitals. He said they perform vital services to vulnerable Californians. It is a huge priority that we must demand of this administration, of this legislature. to prioritize the harmful cuts that we're seeing from the federal government and the Trump administration. Public hospital officials say the $250 million can help public hospitals stabilize and avoid harmful service cuts and possible hospital closures. Katie Rodriguez is the interim president and CEO of the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. Our predicament is the inevitable result of a trillion dollars being cut from the nation's...

health care system over the next decade because of HR1. In California, the consequences will fall disproportionately on our most vulnerable communities, relying on Medi-Cal and the public hospital system serving them. Medi-Cal covers half of California's children, one in five working Californians, and millions of seniors and people with disabilities. California's 17 public hospital systems are just 8% of the state's hospitals or provide more than a third of all Medi-Cal and uninsured care. Rodriguez says that in all, the state's 17 public hospitals serve 3.7 million Californians annually. Assemblyman Patrick Arons said the timing of this infusion of state cash couldn't be more important. Without this necessary state investment to protect our public hospitals, we are at risk of a very dangerous future for California. With less critical, life-saving health care, more people will die, and it will be under our watch. Now is exactly the time for Californians to invest our money and our state budget for our public health care. According to the California Association of Public Hospitals, the state public health system faced an estimated $3 billion in annual operational losses, driven by federal policy impacts and the rollout of HR1, also known as the Big Beautiful Bill. Assemblyman Arons and public hospital advocates initially asked for a $500 million carve-out in this year's state budget for the public hospital system, but during budget negotiations, the $250 million investment was agreed to. For KPFA News, I'm Max Pringle. President Trump cited an executive order today calling for reducing the recommended childhood vaccine schedule to 11 shots while falsely claiming a link between vaccines and autism. A connection decades of scientific evidence has disproven. The order builds on efforts by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.., a longtime vaccine skeptic to reshape childhood immunization recommendations. Trump also called for splitting the combined measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine into three separate shots given at separate visits. You have the MMR. We want it in three separate vaccinations, given it separate times. Parents can still choose to give their children all of the vaccinations if they wish. It's up to the parents. We're making recommendations that are strong, but it's up to the parents if they wish and they will be covered by insurance. However, this updated recommendation finally aligns the United States with other advanced and developed nations around the world. More importantly, it aligns us.

with common sense and knowledge. So we're reducing them, we're changing it to visits over a period of a year, a year and a half. So they get 20% of what they would have gotten in one big shot, a big shot like the size of a large glass of something. This announcement is a major victory for parents' rights, for religious and constitutional rights and for the gold standard science, and we will continue to do the research and update the recommendations as we learn more. And I think you're going to see some amazing results, breaking it up. Some health experts warn that splitting the shots could increase missed appointments and lower vaccination rates since it requires more doctor visits. Trump said the administration would, quote, work with families on increased costs but gave no details. The White House said insurance coverage for the vaccines would not change. The order also directs the Justice Department to investigate whether states are violating vaccine exemption rights, including religious, medical, and parental exemptions. The move comes as the U.S. experiences its worst year for measles cases in decades amid declining childhood vaccination rates since the pandemic. President Trump acknowledged over the weekend that there is no video or proof that Vandals damaged the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool after weeks of insisting the damage was deliberate sabotage. Trump conceded that there was, quote, some contractor error done by rushing the job for July 4th opening. But he still accused former Olympian David Hearn of intentional vandalism, even though prosecutors moved to drop felony charges against him after new evidence showed the damage section was already deteriorating before Hearn ever touched it. Hearn's attorney says they'll be reviewing all legal remedies, pointing out that the Justice Department motion in late July admitted the damage came from a, quote, botched installation and not vandalism. Trump has claimed since June that vandals used a knife to damage the pool, but has never produced evidence to back that up. The Justice Department moved to dismiss Hearn's case without prejudice, leaving him potentially exposed to future charges. A judge is still weighing whether to dismiss the case permanently. Trump also publicly criticized U.S. Attorney Janine Piro over her office's decision. to dismiss the case, saying, quote, I disagree 100% with Janine Piero. President Trump is continuing his push to attempt to remake Washington, D.C. in his own image, with a proposal to paint the granite exterior of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building White. The move has sparked a lawsuit from preservationists who say it would cause irreversible damage to the National Historic Landmark.

The White House unveiled the plan late last year, saying it would beautify the 19th century building. The site is part of the White House complex housing about 1,500 staffers. Trump administration officials say decades of neglect have left the granite stained and cracked, and that painting offers a repeatable maintenance fix. But cultural heritage partners in the D.C. Preservation League filed suit seeking emergency relief. arguing the project must comply with the National Historic Preservation Act and other federal laws. The National Trust for Historic Preservation-worn painting could trap moisture in the masonry and permanently obscure character-defining features of the French Second Empire structure on painted since it was built in 1888. Legal experts say the case raises bigger stakes than just the building's color. Attorney Greg Worshiker warned it could let presidents sidestep preservation laws by routing projects through the White House rather than agencies that are normally bound by them. The White House said it will follow required reviews to the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts. Trump had previously fired all members of both commissions and installed his own personal chosen appointees. Months ahead of the midterm elections, President Trump has been facing or perhaps creating a string of bad economic news from effects of his tariff wars to fall out from the war in Iran. Now, Trump is trying to create some positive news with announcements of massive investments in the mining industry. He spoke at an industry roundtable in Washington last week where he said he wants to, quote, make mining great again. Christopher Martinez has more. but american miners have never had a greater champion in the white house than president donald trump president donald trump spoke at an american mining industry roundtable at the state department friday where he announced what he calls a series of historic mining projects worth three billion dollars and today the united states is opening up new mines at the fastest pace since the 1950s, there's never, nobody's seen anything like it. And that goes for auto plants, too, and AI and so many other kinds of plants. The biggest share of the new money is a $1.4 billion loan from the Department of Defense to help CELA nanotechnologies build a new lithium battery plant. Other funding goes for production of powerful magnets that do not require rare earth elements. Magnets, you've got to go with magnets. That's a good one. Everybody should go for magnets, really badly needed. Other money goes for an aluminum smelter in Oklahoma and to build a scandium mine in Australia. There's also $180 million for schools that train miners. Trump framed the investment in terms of national security, independence, and dominance. Together we're reawakening the spirit of the gold rush, the prospectors, and the great pioneers of this country, people who built.

The United States of America. And very simply, we're making mining great again. There were other speakers at the event, though Trump noted a bit of a time pressure. We'll go, I didn't know I was going to have so many people. I'll be here all day. If you could go quickly, I would appreciate it, because we have a war to prosecute, okay? That's my excuse for getting out of here a little bit early. Among the speakers was Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, who called today a day of gratitude for a president that understands the importance of the mining industry. You've proven that we can drill baby grill. This group is here to prove that we can mine baby mine, and to supporting that, we're going to map baby map, and we're going to put American mining back on the map. Trump described the new spending as a creator of jobs and economic security. But many Americans are not feeling much security, with a recent dismal jobs report and rising gas and other costs triggered by that war Trump is prosecuting. But Trump and his administration continue to keep up a happy face. Reporting for Pacifica Radio News, KPFA, I'm Christopher Martinez. Federal lawmakers are trying to regulate the growing use of artificial intelligence in political campaigns, and as deceptive AI-generated content takes the campaign trail into uncharted territory, from San Francisco's congressional race to a Kentucky primary where it may have helped unseat a Trump critic. KBFA's Lauren Schmidt reports. Targeted and mean-spirited campaign ads are nothing new during an election season. But the growing use of artificial intelligence is. California Senator Adam Schiff and Silicon Valley Congressman Rocana recently reintroduced the AI Ads Act, which would prohibit deceptive AI-generated content that misrepresents political candidates, campaigns, or committees. But what happens when a campaign creates an AI chatbot impersonating its opponent? That's the controversy now playing out in San Francisco's congressional race, where State Senator Scott Weiner's campaign created a chat bot of his opponent, San Francisco supervisor Connie Chan. Weiner posted an image of an advertisement billboard on social media, reading quote, Let's do nothing together. Connie Chan.a.I. Paid for by Scott Weiner for Congress, close quote. The promotion, however, has seemingly backfired with several commenters, including some who said they had previously supported the state senator, described the chatbot as misogynistic and racist. Supervisor Chan would also respond on social media. Well, my opponent just launched an AI trapbot to mock me and make up stories about me. But here's the truth. AI companies are spending millions through Super PAC in this election. They're trying to buy influence in our government. They're also replacing our workers and harvesting our data. They call AI inevitable. I call it a choice. And Congress has a responsibility to make sure AI serves the public, not corporate profit.

Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, whose congressional seat, Chan and Weiner are seeking to fill, also criticize the chatbot. Nancy Pelosi wrote, quote, Women have spent generations fighting to have our own voices heard in the halls of power. We should not have to now fight against artificial intelligence, putting words in our mouths, close quote. The criticism was echoed by San Francisco supervisors Jackie Fielder and Cheyenne Chen, as well as the Harvey Milk, LGBTQ Democratic Club. KPFA News reached out to Weiner's campaign for comment, and his communications director responded by forwarding a press release that characterized Nancy Pelosi's criticism as baseless. It reads in part, quote, Connie Chan.AI, a clearly labeled parody site, effectively chronicles Connie Chan's horrific track record on housing, transit, education, and other issues, which is why they hate it, close quote. Weiner would accuse Chan supporters of fabricating, quote, bogus accusations to deflect from that fact. KPFA News visited the website and asked the chatbot how it felt about the site. It responded, quote, I'm afraid I don't have much to say on this particular topic, but I do have a whole range of other matters I'm quite knowledgeable about. Close quote. It offered eight suggested topics it called favorites, including, quote, blocking housing, being weak on crime, and failing education. I put the F in SFUSD, close quote. Wiener's campaign said it reviewed all 5,058 questions submitted to the chatbot during a 27-hour period, from the third to the fourth. And according to the campaign, 109 questions, roughly 2%, targeted Chan's accent, race, gender, appearance, or citizenship. The campaign says the chatbot rejected or deflected them. and alleges that many of the offensive prompts were submitted in, quote, coordinated bursts by Chan's supporters, close quote, which he said was an effort to produce a racist or otherwise inflammatory response. Weiner also pointed to his record of pursuing regulations on artificial intelligence companies and describe Nancy Pelosi's criticism as ironic, pointing to her track record on the issue. But Supervisor Chan says the responsibility lies with the campaign that created and published an AI impersonation of her. Scott Wunner built a chatbot with his AI donor. I built a plan that make AI work for the working people. Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Chan's campaign spokesperson Ian Crager said, quote, instead of apologizing or taking responsibility for his bigotry, Senator Scott Weiner is blaming everyone else. That's easier than explaining why someone who claims to be a leader on AI safety chose to use this technology as a political weapon of deception and misinformation, close quote.

In Kentucky, Republican Congressman Thomas Massie was targeted by an AI-generated attack ad during his unsuccessful primary campaign. He warned that older voters, in particular, may have difficulty recognizing or understanding AI-generated lies. The video in question used AI-generated images to depict Thomas Massie, holding hands, going on dates, and entering a hotel room with progressive Democratic Congresswomen, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Ilhan Omar. Thomas Massie caught in a thruple in Washington. The ad included a disclosure in small print, identifying the images as AI-generated. Speaking to Tucker Carlson, Thomas Massie said the depictions were hyper-realistic and convincing. Thomas Massie says some constituents later told him they voted against him because they believed the images were real. There's a disclaimer at the beginning in font that nobody over the age of 65 could possibly see on the TV. Thomas Massie was one of the few Republicans who opposed the war with Iran and pushed for the release of the Epstein files. For KPFA News, I'm Lauren Schmidt. Weiner has since said he's taking down the AI chatboard and billboards after facing days of criticism. In a statement announcing the reversal, Weiner said the tool had been meant to be a, quote, parity to draw attention to my opponent's record. But it clearly missed the mark. Wiener said he would take the bot down so the campaign could stay focused on the issues. Bay Area weather this evening, mostly clear before becoming partly cloudy, lows around 60. Partly cloudy tomorrow morning, then becoming sunny, highs in the 70s to mid-80s. In the Central Valley, mostly clear tonight with lows in the low 70s. Tomorrow, sunny and hot with the high a bit over 100. In Los Angeles tonight, patchy fog nearing midnight, otherwise mostly cloudy with lows in the high 60s. Cloudy with patchy fog through mid-morning, then gradually clearing with highs in the mid-80s. Near Imani, Kujajakalil. Transitions on Traditions, a soul sonic rhapsody of words, sound, and power, where yesterday meets today and reaches towards tomorrow. I'm Greg Bridges, your host every Monday night from 8 to 10. Join me as we explore all that comes under the umbrella called jazz. From Lester Young to Lester Bowie, from Coleman Hawkins to Ornett Coleman, from Langston Hughes to Nikki Giovanni and beyond, Transitions on Traditions. Monday's 8 to 10 p.m. on listener-sponsored radio, KPFA. You are listening to 94.1, KPFA, 89.3, KPFB in Berkeley, 88.1 KFCF in Fresno, and online at KPFA.org.