The Daily Brief
Today
Good morning. Florida executed William Silvia five days after the first triple execution day in the United States since 2010; ten more executions are scheduled before the end of the year — two in Florida, five in Texas, two in Tennessee, one in Alabama.
Israel is set to launch criminal investigations into Gaza killings after Washington urged Israel to investigate the death of five-year-old Hind Rajab, subject of an Oscar-nominated film; the Israeli military is opening criminal investigations into two high-profile killings by its troops in Gaza. Meanwhile the [United Arab Emirates, Iran's most important regional trading partner, announced a total embargo on transactions with Tehran on Tuesday](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/19/world/middleeast/iran-emirates-gulf-economic-ties.html).
The [Trump administration is trying to deport a self-described CIA spy who won permission to live in the U.S. by helping convict terrorists](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-detainee-spy-terrorism-blerim-skoro). [CounterSpin observes that the U.S. has for decades sent heaps of money to right-wing governments and atrocity-prone security forces in Colombia](https://fair.org/home/media-find-a-new-man-who-will-save-colombia-de-la-espriella-style).
Trump indicated a trade deal with Canada could involve a revival of the Keystone XL pipeline even as he paused his 50-percent tariffs on Canadian imports and trade officials said they are working to make a final deal; Federal Reserve minutes from the July meeting revealed the board splintered on whether to raise interest rates, with BlackRock's Karen Veraa-Perry weighing in. In Florida, [a democratic socialist's landslide upset in a red state primary rattled the party establishment and handed Republicans a fresh warning](https://www.rawstory.com/republicans-florida-primary) — [Angie Nixon, a former union organizer who has represented Jacksonville in the Florida House since 2020, won the Democratic Senate primary](https://www.rawstory.com/republicans-florida-primary) over a moderate favored by the party establishment. NBC News reports Democrats are in their post-resistance era; [The Progressive argues that when the gears of the ballot box have been tampered with, it's time for voters to write their own rules](https://progressive.org/magazine/playing-a-rigged-game-sullivan-20260819).