5 things to know for August 26: Mar-a-Lago, Ukraine, Floods, Cell service, Gas cars
By Alexandra Meeks, CNN
Scientists have long wondered about doppelgängers — people who look alike but have no actual family connection. Now, some researchers believe they can explain why unrelated people resemble each other. Plus, according to their study, there’s probably someone in the world who looks like you, and they may even share your same behavior traits.
Here’s what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
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1. Mar-a-Lago
The Justice Department has a deadline of noon today to release a redacted version of the Mar-a-Lago search warrant affidavit. That affidavit lays out why investigators believe there was probable cause that crimes had been committed. The warrant authorized the FBI to search Trump’s home and private club earlier this month and remove boxes of documents, prompting a flurry of criticism from the former President. This comes after Justice Department prosecutors emphasized that they need continued secrecy in order to not disrupt the ongoing criminal investigation. It remains unclear how blacked out the redacted version of the affidavit will be.
2. Ukraine
Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is occupied by Russian forces, was disconnected from the country’s power grid for the first time on Thursday. Increased shelling near the plant has recently triggered calls for international experts to visit the facility and ratcheted up fears of a potential nuclear accident. On Thursday, backup diesel generators were activated to avert a “radiation disaster,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said. “If the diesel generators hadn’t turned on, if the automation and our staff of the plant had not reacted after the blackout, then we would already be forced to overcome the consequences of the radiation accident,” Zelensky said. US State Department official Bonnie Jenkins also warned that Russia’s actions at the plant “could threaten not only the people and environment of Ukraine, but also affect neighboring countries and the entire international community.”
3. Floods
Record rainfall and flash floods in Mississippi have stranded residents, washed away roads, and derailed a train this week. The city of Jackson picked up more than five inches of rain Wednesday, setting a record as the wettest August day that the city has ever experienced. Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba has called for voluntary evacuations in areas that are at risk of flooding. Separately, at least 33 million people have been affected by deadly floods in Pakistan in what some of the country’s officials have called “the worst humanitarian disaster of this decade.” Since June, 937 people have died from rain and flooding across the South Asian country.
4. Cell service
SpaceX and T-Mobile want to beam cell service to “most places in the US,” including some of the most remote areas of the country that traditionally have not been touched by wireless connectivity. The idea is to use SpaceX’s satellite-based internet business to provide an “extra layer” of connectivity to certain cell phones where service is limited. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has billed it as a mission to “save lives,” as it could provide people with connectivity in emergency situations, such as when hiking in remote areas. The companies plan to roll out beta testing by the end of next year. It remains to be seen how effective the partnership will be and how many wireless customers will benefit.
5. Gas cars
California air regulators voted Thursday to ban new gas car sales by 2035. The measure to phase gasoline cars out of the state is a historic one in the US and would be one of the first such bans worldwide. The move has major implications for the US car market, as several states are expected to implement similar rules in the years to come, experts say. California’s new rules would also set interim quotas for zero-emission vehicles. Starting with 2026 models, 35% of new cars, SUVs and small pickups sold in the state would be required to be zero-emission vehicles. That quota would increase each year. The new rules would not impact used vehicles, allowing them to stay on the roads.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Pour your plants a martini
Researchers say giving alcohol to plants may protect them from dying in a drought. Here’s why plants benefit from a little liquid encourage-mint.
Oscar Mayer is now selling frozen wiener pops
Why stick to hot dogs on a bun… when you can enjoy cold dogs on a stick!
Restaurant features new dishes every month developed by refugee chefs
This restaurant is helping immigrants start new lives in the US — and introducing many Americans to new cultural cuisines.
The majesty of weather photography
A weather photography competition has revealed striking images of extreme climate events. See the stunning photos here.
Looking back on 50 years of the Hard Rock Cafe
Since the first Hard Rock Cafe opened its doors in 1971, branches have popped up everywhere from Tokyo to Egypt.
IN MEMORIAM
Joe E. Tata, who played Nat, the kindly owner of the Peach Pit on “Beverly Hills, 90210,” has died, according to his daughter, Kelly Tata. He was 85. A cause of death was not shared but her father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Tata played Nat for 10 seasons of “Beverly Hills, 90210,” from 1990 until 2000, and later reprised the role for a spin-off series of the show in 2008.
QUIZ TIME
Apple is expected to unveil a new generation of which popular product early next month?
A. MacBook
B. iPad
C. Apple Watch
D. iPhone
Take CNN’s weekly news quiz to see if you’re correct!
TODAY’S NUMBER
$24 billion
That’s about how much President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan could cost per year, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told CNN Thursday. Asked why the President waited so long to make his decision to cancel the debt, she said Biden “wanted to do it in a fiscally balanced way.” However, there remains no public estimate on the total price tag for the program.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“I will work with my lawyers to fully and truthfully expose my accusers’ scheme and defend myself in court. I don’t pick fights, but I don’t run away from them either.”
— Former heavyweight boxing champion George Foreman, denying allegations from two women who accused him of sexually abusing them when they were minors in the 1970s, according to lawsuits filed this week. One of the women is described as the daughter of an adviser and manager to Foreman while the second woman is the daughter of a boxer who trained with him, according to the documents.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY
The World’s Master Maze Maker
Meet the man behind some of the most striking mazes and labyrinths around the world. (Click here to view)
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