Neonatologist sounds alarm over Massachusetts abortion law allowing procedures up to birth: ‘Very disturbing’

Dr Robin Pierucci warns prenatal screenings can leave parents making irreversible decisions without diagnostic certainty

August 18, 2026 6:00am EDT / Fox News

Doctor sounds alarm over misleading prenatal screenings as Massachusetts expands abortion access up to birth

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Robin Pierucci, a neonatologist and co-chair of ACPeds Pro-Life Council, warns that limited prenatal screening results could raise serious ethical concerns under a new state law.

NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles!

Massachusetts’ sweeping move to expand abortion rights up to birth is facing fierce criticism nationwide, with one neonatologist calling it “very disturbing” that life-and-death decisions are being made based on limited prenatal information.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Robin Pierucci, a co-chair of the American College of Pediatricians’ Pro-Life Council, said she could not “reconcile” the newly signed law, which she said is ironically named the Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act.

The bill, signed by Gov. Maura Healey last week, eliminates the state’s previous 24-week gestational limit on abortion, making the deep-blue state the 10th to permit the procedure up to birth. Scheduled to take effect in less than 90 days, the law will allow terminations to be performed based on a physician’s professional judgment.

DEM GOV MAURA HEALEY SIGNS SWEEPING MASSACHUSETTS BILL ALLOWING ABORTIONS UP TO BIRTH

Dr. Robin Pierucci argues doctors have an “obligation to care” even when a baby’s condition cannot be cured.(Fox News Digital)

As a doctor who cares for newborns facing serious health complications, Pierucci said that even when a baby’s condition cannot be cured, doctors still have an absolute “obligation to care” and should not simply turn to pregnancy termination.

“If it was really about healthcare, then it would be about protecting both the mom and the baby. And if we’re really about healthcare, it would also be about if there’s a problem that was identified — it will be about removing barriers for helping this baby live well,” she said.

“Voting one off the island because there was a suspected diagnosis is just inconsistent to do no harm.”

BOARD-CERTIFIED OBGYN WARNS NEW MASSACHUSETTS LATE-TERM ABORTION LAW EXPOSES MOTHERS TO DANGER

Pierucci cited several concerns with eliminating gestational limits, including potentially inaccurate prenatal screening results that can mislead parents into considering abortion, advances in medical technology that can help babies born as early as 22 weeks and the ethical dilemmas the law could create for medical professionals.

Parents are increasingly offered pregnancy termination based on prenatal screening tests that can produce misleading or inaccurate results, Pierucci said.

“There’s something called the spectrum of disease, meaning I can’t tell usually from just a picture how much or how little the patient’s going to be affected,” she said. “This thing is going on frequently. It’s very disturbing that we’re making life and death decisions with so little information.”

SURROGATE GIVES BIRTH IN TEXAS TO BABY WITH HEART DEFECT AFTER PARENTS REQUESTED ABORTION

Women smile and applaud as Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signs legislation allowing babies to be aborted up to birth.(@MassGovernor/X)

Pierucci warned that screening tests have become routine, but typically provide percentage-based probabilities rather than complete diagnostic certainty. As a result, parents may make irreversible decisions without fully understanding what the test actually indicates or how severely their child could be affected.

As a neonatologist who routinely cares for extremely premature babies born at the edge of viability, typically between 22 and 24 weeks, Pierucci warned that the measure creates an ethical contradiction for doctors who work to save premature babies born within that window.

A baby at 24 weeks’ gestation is just over halfway through a full-term pregnancy. Roughly the size of a hand, the baby would have fingernails, eyelashes and rapidly developing brain activity, marking a significant milestone in fetal viability.

For babies diagnosed with fatal or severe conditions, Pierucci advocates for perinatal palliative care, which surrounds families with medical and emotional support while focusing on helping the infant remain comfortable for whatever time they have.

She described perinatal palliative care as a compassionate and active form of clinical care, rejecting the idea that medical care is only useful if it can result in a complete cure.

HHS WARNS TEXAS HOSPITALS AGAINST DENYING LIFE-SAVING CARE TO NEWBORN WITH DISABILITY

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6403181893112

“Even if we don’t have the ability to fully heal something… I always have an obligation to care,” she said.

Because the law does not account for alternative approaches, practitioners with conscientious objections to abortion can face ethical conflicts, Pierucci said.

“When we have laws that fail to meet an ethical standard, we risk moral trauma to those who have a conscientious objection to this. This is not consistent with their value system.”

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Ultimately, Pierucci said she opposes abortion regardless of gestational age, arguing that the value of a baby’s life does not change based on how far along a pregnancy has progressed.

“I don’t give it different value at different points in gestation,” she said.

An early abortion does not make a mother hurt any less, she said, “It just meant her baby was dead sooner, which is heartbreaking to hear.”

Healey’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Bonny Chu is a Breaking and Trending News Writer for Fox News Digital

Voters weigh a DeSantis successor and other key races to watch in Florida, Alaska and Wyoming

2026-08-18T08:00:29.393Z / CNN

Florida Republicans are set to choose their nominee in the race to replace term-limited Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday in a contest that has in some ways turned into a bitter intra-party feud — even though there is little drama about its likely outcome.

Naples-area Rep. Byron Donalds, who is endorsed by President Donald Trump, is the favorite in the GOP gubernatorial primary. DeSantis has not endorsed him in the race and, CNN reported last month, shared his concerns about Donalds privately with Trump. But DeSantis also hasn’t backed any other candidate in a field that includes his lieutenant governor.

It’s led to a vacuum that has left space for the emergence of James Fishback, a race-baiting 31-year-old who has called Donalds, who is Black, a “slave to his donors” and a “DEI Republican” who would “turn Florida into a Section 8 ghetto.”

Tuesday’s contests also mark the first time voters will head to the polls under a new congressional map, designed by DeSantis to help Republicans net an additional four seats, that set off a scramble in down-ballot races.

As Democrats settle a series of their own primaries in the redrawn districts, the races will also test whether democratic socialists can continue to make gains and where voters stand on issues related to Israel. Republican voters also have tough choices ahead of them, with several contentious House primaries featuring controversial candidates.

Florida is the headliner on a day of primaries that also includes Alaska and Wyoming. Voters in California, meanwhile, will fill a House vacancy in a special election runoff.

Here’s what to watch in Tuesday’s contests:

Despite DeSantis’ apparent concerns with Donalds, Republicans have won every governor’s race in Florida in the last 30 years. Whoever wins on Tuesday — likely Donalds — will emerge Wednesday morning as the clear favorite to win in November.

However, Democrats came close to winning the governor’s office in 2018 — the last time midterms were held with Trump in office. A relatively weak showing by Donalds on Tuesday could indicate Democrats could have an opening to make the governor’s race competitive.

In addition to Fishback, other candidates in the GOP primary are Lt. Gov. Jay Collins, who has framed his campaign around a pledge to protect the DeSantis legacy even though the governor has not endorsed his own No. 2, and former state House Speaker Paul Renner.

Democrats are expected to nominate party-switching former Rep. David Jolly in the race for governor. Jolly, a prominent critic of Trump, left the GOP in 2018 and last year officially became a Democrat.

When Trump posted a list of Florida Republicans with his endorsement on social media earlier this month ahead of the primary, there was a notable omission: 7th District Rep. Cory Mills – whom the president endorsed in February. And when DeSantis was asked whether he supports Mills last week, the governor said no.

The two-term congressman is being investigated by the House Ethics Committee for potential campaign finance violations, an accusation of a revenge porn threat and an assault allegation. Mills has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. He faces a primary challenge from former news anchor Ryan Elijah and two other candidates. Two other members of Florida’s House Republican delegation, Reps. Anna Paulina Luna and Mike Haridopolos, endorsed Elijah.

Mills is not the only Republican facing a challenge on Tuesday. 6th District Rep. Randy Fine, a strident supporter of Israel who has drawn criticism for his anti-Muslim rhetoric, faces social media personality Dan Bilzerian, who has called Fine a “fat disgusting Jew” and run an openly antisemitic campaign.

Meanwhile, the 19th District race to replace Donalds is among the wildest Florida primaries, with two former members of Congress from other states — North Carolina’s Madison Cawthorn and New York’s Chris Collins — both in the running, as well as a former Illinois state senator, Jim Oberweis. Trump has endorsed Catalina Lauf, a 33-year-old former Commerce Department staffer, in the race.

The governor’s race and a Senate contest this fall will give down-and-out Florida Democrats, who have watched their state’s former battleground status erode as it has shifted rapidly rightward over the last decade, a chance to show they can still compete in statewide races.

The primary to take on Republican Sen. Ashley Moody pits retired Army Lt. Col. Alex Vindman, a key witness in Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, against state Rep. Angie Nixon, a democratic socialist who has called for the United States to end its military support for Israel.

That nominee, as well as the winner of the gubernatorial primary, will attempt to reverse a rapid rightward shift in Florida. Among the factors contributing to that change: GOP gains with Hispanic voters, an influx of new conservative residents and a state Democratic Party that has been in disarray.

Early this century, Florida was perhaps the nation’s most critical swing state — decisive in the 2000 presidential election and a battleground through 2016. But Trump won the state on his way to losing the election in 2020, and then he cruised to a 13-point win there in 2024. Likewise, DeSantis, who won the governor’s office by less than half a percentage point in 2018, demolished his Democratic foe in 2022, winning by nearly 20 points.

Democrats are also settling intra-party squabbles in House primaries taking place in newly redrawn districts.

Among those races is the 25th District on South Florida’s east coast, where democratic socialists are looking to pick off another Democratic incumbent in Rep. Jared Moskowitz, who is backed by pro-Israel and artificial intelligence forces. Their candidate is Oliver Larkin, a 34-year-old activist and union organizer.

Another Democratic primary to watch comes in the 20th District, where longtime Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz is taking on former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who resigned from her seat in April to prevent an Ethics Committee vote on whether she should be forced out of Congress. The panel previously found her guilty of a slew of ethics violations, including accusations that she stole millions in pandemic relief funds and used it to bolster her 2021 campaign. Cherfilus-McCormick also faces separate criminal charges and has pleaded not guilty.

Wasserman Schultz, however, has faced allegations of carpetbagging in the primary, as she shifted over to run in the historically Black district, which has long had a Black representative in Congress, after her current seat was redrawn to be more Republican friendly.

California is holding its special election to replace former Rep. Eric Swalwell for the rest of this year on Tuesday, and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee has spent millions to try to steer voters away from state Sen. Aisha Wahab and toward its preferred candidate — Bay Area Rapid Transit Board President Melissa Hernandez.

Wahab, an outspoken critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, earned nearly 43% of the votes in the June 16 special primary — well ahead of Hernandez, who finished second with nearly 17% support in the crowded race. Both candidates vying to represent the East Bay’s 14th District are Democrats.

The candidates will also square off again in the fall as they vie for a full two-year term.

Because of California’s mid-decade redistricting, the voters within the 14th District in November will be slightly different. The special election is taking place under the current district boundaries, while the new ones will be in effect for the general election.

Democratic leadership believes former Rep. Mary Peltola can give her party a fighting chance at flipping the Alaska Senate seat held by Republican Dan Sullivan.

But in the state’s unusual primary system — in which the top four finishers, regardless of party, advance to the general election — the bigger question might be whether another Dan Sullivan makes the cut.

Republicans failed in their efforts to get a second Sullivan — a former teacher who shares the incumbent’s first and last name — booted from the ballot.

The senator appears on ballots as Dan S. Sullivan and is listed as a registered Republican and the incumbent. The other Sullivan is identified as Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., and he is not listed with a party affiliation, even though he filed to run as a Republican.

It’s a quirk that isn’t expected to seriously threaten the incumbent, at least not in Tuesday’s primary, but could make a difference in a razor-tight general election if even a small number of voters are confused.

Trump weighed in on Tuesday morning, urging voters to pick the “real” Dan Sullivan in the election and criticizing the rival candidate as an “imposter,” though he has said his campaign is legitimate.

Alaska voters are also selecting general election opponents to take on at-large Rep. Nick Begich III, as well as candidates to replace term-limited Gov. Mike Dunleavy. Both seats are expected to remain in Republican hands in November.

There’s little drama about which party will win in November in Wyoming, one of the nation’s most reliably Republican states.

But the state is set to see a major political shakeup, with open seats for governor, Senate and House this fall.

The primary to replace term-limited Gov. Mark Gordon will test Trump’s influence, as the candidate he endorsed — state Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder — takes on three other viable contenders: professional bull rider Curt Blake, state Sen. Eric Barlow and Brent Bien, a former Marine Corps colonel.

Degenfelder, 37, is an advocate for charter schools and vouchers who has broadly backed Trump’s education policies, including downsizing the Department of Education.

Sen. Cynthia Lummis is retiring, and Rep. Harriet Hageman, who won her seat by ousting former Rep. Liz Cheney in 2022, is backed by Trump and favored to emerge from a five-person field as the senator’s Republican heir apparent.

Nine candidates are vying for the House seat Hageman is vacating, though the president has not waded into that contest.

This story has been updated with additional information.

Florida, Alaska primaries offer early clues to battle for control of Congress

2026-08-18T10:05:52.411Z / Reuters

U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) speaks during Day 3 of the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., August 21, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Segar

• Summary
• Companies

• Florida’s new congressional map could cost Democrats up to four House seats
• Nonpartisan Alaska US Senate primary could give an indication of Democratic strength
• Two Dan Sullivans on the ballot could cause voter confusion

Aug 18 (Reuters) – Voters in Florida and Alaska go to the polls on Tuesday in primary contests that could provide clues about which party will emerge with control of the House of Representatives and the Senate in November’s midterm elections.

Alaska’s unusual Senate primary, in particular, could serve as a preview of the most competitive Senate races, as incumbent Republican Senator Dan S. Sullivan and Democratic challenger Mary Peltola will be on the same nonpartisan ballot. Democrats need to pick up at least four seats from Republicans to win control of the 100-seat chamber, and analysts view Alaska as one of their strongest opportunities.

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

Florida’s primary election, by contrast, is likely to bolster Republicans’ chances of maintaining control of the House, as it will be the first election since the state approved a new district map that is expected to net them up to four seats.

FLORIDA’S NEW MAP

Florida’s new map, pushed through by the Republican-controlled legislature this spring, could leave the state with a House delegation of 24 Republicans and only four Democrats, in a state that Republican President Donald Trump won by 13 percentage points in 2024. States usually redraw their congressional maps only at the beginning of every decade, to reflect census results. But several have redistricted over the past year at Trump’s urging to shore up the Republican majority, prompting some Democratic-led states to redraw their own maps in response.

The reshuffle has forced some incumbent Democrats to scramble for new footing.

Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, first elected to Congress in 2004, is running for a new seat in Florida’s 20th congressional district, centered in Broward County, after her existing seat was redrawn to favor Republicans.

She has faced some criticism for running in the historically Black district from activists who are already worried about losing Black representation in Congress following a Supreme Court decision that weakened a landmark civil rights law.

She faces several Black candidates, including rapper Luther “Uncle Luke” Campbell, who found fame with the 1989 hit “Me So Horny,” and former Representative Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, who faces criminal charges of stealing $5 million in disaster relief funds. Cherfilus-McCormick, who has denied wrongdoing, resigned from Congress in April ahead of a possible expulsion.

Another incumbent Democrat, Representative Jared Moskowitz, has also been forced to run in a new seat. Oliver Larkin, a political activist endorsed by the left-wing Democratic Socialists of America, is also running for the party’s nomination for the 25th congressional district, which runs along the Atlantic Coast from Miami Beach to Delray Beach. The Republican primary contest features five candidates, including former Boca Raton Mayor Scott Singer.

Elsewhere in the state, seven Republicans, including entrepreneur Michael Carbonara and university executive Belinda Keiser, are running for their party’s nomination in the 22nd district, which has been redrawn to favor their party. Two candidates, Pia Dandiya and Kaysia Earley, are running for the Democratic nomination.

In the Tampa Bay area, eight Republican candidates are running for the right to take on Democratic Representative Kathy Castor, whose 14th district has likewise been redrawn with a Republican tilt.

Florida voters will also select candidates for governor and U.S. Senate.

Republican Representative Byron Donalds is widely considered the frontrunner for his party’s nomination for governor, while Republican-turned-Democrat David Jolly is likely to win his party’s nomination.

Republican Ashley Moody, who was appointed to the U.S. Senate to fill the seat vacated by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is expected to win her party’s nomination to fill out his term, which runs until January 2029.

Former U.S. Army officer Alex Vindman, who testified in Trump’s first impeachment, is favored to win the Democratic nomination.

Nonpartisan analysts say Democrats will have an uphill climb to win either race in November.

SHOWDOWN IN THE NORTH

In the Alaska Senate race, some opinion polls show Democratic candidate Peltola, a moderate who formerly held the state’s sole House seat, leading Sullivan — an unusual result for a state that typically backs Republican candidates.

Sullivan also must contend with another Republican candidate with the same name, who remains on the ballot despite attempts to dislodge him. The top four candidates in the nonpartisan primary advance to the November election, which could cause further headaches for Senator Dan S. Sullivan if challenger Dan J. Sullivan makes the cut. Peltola also stands to benefit from the state’s ranked-choice voting system, which could allow her to consolidate support among independents.

In the House of Representatives, incumbent Republican Representative Nick Begich III is facing a challenge from former school administrator Bill Hill, who is listed as an independent but has donated to Democratic candidates in the past. Thirteen other candidates are also on the ballot.

Reporting by Andy Sullivan in Washington; Editing by Michael Learmonth and Matthew Lewis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Andy covers politics and policy in Washington. His work has been cited in Supreme Court briefs, political attack ads and at least one Saturday Night Live skit.

以色列执政党竞选海报 把纽约市长与伊朗领导人并列

2026年8月18日 18:13 / 联合早报

以色列总理内坦亚胡所属利库德集团在竞选广告牌上，把伊朗最高领袖穆杰塔巴（左起）、纽约市长马姆达尼、土耳其总统埃尔多安与黎巴嫩真主党领导人卡西姆并列，称他们都想要内坦亚胡在来临10月的大选中落败。 （路透社）

（特拉维夫讯）以色列总理内坦亚胡所属政党利库德集团近日在竞选海报上，把美国纽约市长马姆达尼与伊朗和黎巴嫩真主党的领导人并列，罕见地把盟国官员与以色列的敌人相提并论。

这张海报出现在特拉维夫市中心一块广告牌上，上面印有马姆达尼、土耳其总统埃尔多安、伊朗最高领袖穆杰塔巴，以及真主党领导人卡西姆的头像，并写道：“他们希望内坦亚胡落败……别让他们得逞。”

以色列将于10月举行大选，内坦亚胡已进入竞选模式，力求保住他领导的极右翼联盟的政权。目前，执政联盟在民调中的支持率落后。

作为美国左翼政治人物，民主党籍的马姆达尼曾多次批评以色列对加沙地带发动的战争。上个月，他称内坦亚胡是战犯，应被送到海牙受审，两人的口水战进一步升级。

马姆达尼还呼吁，如果内坦亚胡出席9月在纽约市召开的联合国大会，美国当局应执行海牙国际刑事法院对他发出的逮捕令。内坦亚胡则反击称，马姆达尼煽动仇恨，挑拨纽约市不同宗教群体之间的关系。

内坦亚胡还说，他担心美国两党对以色列的政治支持，可能会因马姆达尼与他的进步派民主党盟友而削弱。

高市早苗就争议岛屿发表“反俄”言论 俄向日大使强烈抗议

2026年8月18日 18:19 / 联合早报

俄罗斯总统普京（右）上周首次走访千岛群岛（Kuril islands，日本称北方四岛），并问候当地居民。 （法新社）

俄罗斯指责日本首相高市早苗围绕争议岛屿发表“反俄”言论，向日本驻莫斯科大使提出强烈抗议。

路透社报道，俄罗斯外交部副部长加卢津（Mikhail Galuzin）星期二（8月18日）向日本大使武藤显转达莫斯科的抗议，称莫斯科反对高市早苗和外交部长茂木敏充发表“反俄”言论。

会后，俄罗斯外交部发表声明称：“俄罗斯对千岛群岛（Kuril Islands，日本称北方四岛）的主权和管辖权不容置疑。”

声明指出，这些岛屿在法律上属于俄罗斯。“日方任何直接或间接质疑这一显而易见的事实的企图，都是绝对不可接受且非法的。”

声明也说，鉴于日本支持乌克兰的立场，莫斯科将保留“采取适当反制措施”的权利。

延伸阅读

中国外交部点名批评高市早苗未提反省二战教训

高市调低食品消费税 仍无力挽回民意反引发市场担忧

克里姆林宫上周发布俄罗斯总统普京首次登岛的视频。高市早苗对此说，无论从历史上还是根据国际法，北方四岛都是日本固有领土。她称，普京此行“伤害了日本国民的感情，是绝对无法容忍的”，这也使日俄“在中长期内恢复关系变得更加困难”。

茂木敏充则召见俄罗斯驻日大使，提出“强烈抗议”。

二战期间，日本投降后的数日内，苏联占领这些岛屿。如今俄罗斯控制并管理这些岛屿，但日本仍声称拥有主权。这场持续80年的岛屿争端，使俄罗斯和日本一直无法签署正式和平条约，也阻碍两国进一步加强经济关系。

这是俄罗斯国家元首或政府首脑第六次访问千岛群岛，前总理梅德韦杰夫在2010年至2019年曾四次登岛，现任总理米舒斯京‌于2021年登岛。

千岛群岛在军事上具有极高的战略价值，是俄罗斯太平洋海岸线的前哨阵地。此外，千岛群岛海底拥有丰富的天然气、石油等矿产资源。

澳研究人员用干细胞培育出人类心脏瓣膜组织

2026年8月18日 18:27 / 联合早报

心脏瓣膜疾病影响全球约2800万人，可由发育异常、感染、与年龄相关的退化等因素引起。 （档案示意图）

澳大利亚研究人员日前利用干细胞在实验室培育出人类心脏瓣膜组织，可用于研究心脏瓣膜的发育和病变过程，并测试相关疾病的治疗方法。

新华社报道，澳大利亚默多克儿童研究所发布消息说，由该机构牵头的研究团队培育出的组织能够再现人类心脏瓣膜的分子特征和复杂结构。研究团队成员霍莉·福格斯说，这项成果解决了心脏瓣膜生物学研究中的一项重要难题。此次培育出的组织有助于研究心脏瓣膜如何发育、成熟并发生病变，也可用于在实验室中测试潜在治疗方法。

研究人员还用培育出的组织开展了炎症性瓣膜疾病相关测试。实验显示，当培育出的组织接触与风湿性心脏病相关的炎症蛋白后，组织变得僵硬，并出现与患病人类心脏瓣膜相符的生物标志物。

心脏瓣膜疾病影响全球约2800万人，可由发育异常、感染、与年龄相关的退化等因素引起。目前尚无能够逆转瓣膜损伤的治疗方法，许多患者需要接受心脏瓣膜置换手术。儿童患者可能一生中需要接受多次手术。

默多克儿童研究所教授恩佐·波雷洛说，这项技术未来有望用于开发利用干细胞培育的、能够随患者生长并适应身体变化的替代心脏瓣膜。

研究成果已发表在美国《细胞－干细胞》杂志上。

Florida voters choose in governor, Senate primaries and more races to watch today

August 18, 2026 / 6:37 AM EDT / CBS News

By

Caitlin Yilek Politics Reporter
Caitlin Yilek is a politics reporter at CBSNews.com, based in Washington, D.C. She previously worked for the Washington Examiner and The Hill, and was a member of the 2022 Paul Miller Washington Reporting Fellowship with the National Press Foundation.

Read Full Bio

Three states are holding primaries on Tuesday, with Florida deciding its nominees for both governor and for Senate. In Alaska, Sen. Dan Sullivan is facing several competitors — including one who shares his name — in the nonpartisan top-four primary.

Floridians will also be voting in primaries in new congressional districts after GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through new district boundaries to give Republicans an advantage in 24 of the state’s 28 districts.

Here are the major races to watch today:

Florida governor

Florida hasn’t elected a Democratic governor since 1994 and DeSantis is prevented from running again due to term limits. In 2018, DeSantis won by less than a single point. By 2022, he won by 20 points — transforming Florida from being seen as a swing state to being solidly Republican.

Rep. Byron Donalds, first elected in 2020 to represent Naples, Fort Myers and the surrounding area, is backed by President Trump and has long branded himself as a “Make America Great Again” member of the House. He is a prominent member of the House Freedom Caucus and in 2023, challenged Kevin McCarthy in the race to become speaker, forcing 15 rounds of voting. Donalds also put his name in the bid to replace McCarthy 10 months later when he was ousted from the speakership.

In addition to Mr. Trump’s backing, Donalds has amassed a significant war chest, having raised $90 million so far. He has also held a commanding lead in polls.

There are 10 other Republicans seeking the nomination, with Lt. Gov. Jay Collins and far-right activist James Fishback as the leading challengers to Donalds. While DeSantis has not endorsed in the race, Collins has branded himself as “DeSantis-appointed,” but it’s likely a race for second place given Donalds’ lead.

Collins tried earlier this summer to get Fishback booted from the ballot, alleging Fishback had not met the state’s seven-year minimum residency requirement. The case was ultimately thrown out by a judge.

Fishback, a 31-year-old Florida native, has gained momentum among young men in the inflammatory alt-right “groyper” movement online and has support of white nationalist Nick Fuentes as well as Tucker Carlson. Fishback has taunted Donalds with racist comments, calling him a “slave to donors,” a “token Black” in Congress and accusing him of wanting to turn Florida into a “Section 8 ghetto.”

As the well-funded front-runner, Donalds generally does not acknowledge Fishback’s comments. Fishback has raised little money and does not stand much of a chance of succeeding on Tuesday, but he has pushed white nationalism into the governor’s race and caused a splinter in the GOP.

Across the aisle, there are six Democrats seeking the nomination on Tuesday, with former Republican Rep. David Jolly as the front-runner. Jolly represented the St. Petersburg area from 2014 to 2016, and is the second prominent Republican-turned-Democrat to run for governor in Florida in two cycles. In 2022, former Gov. Charlie Crist — who served as a Republican as governor before becoming a Democrat and defeating Jolly in the 2016 election — lost to DeSantis by nearly 20 points. Crist is now running for St. Petersburg mayor.

Florida Senate race

When Marco Rubio became secretary of state, DeSantis appointed Ashley Moodyto his Senate seat, and she is now running to serve out the remainder of his term. Moody was elected the state’s attorney general twice, defeating her Democratic challenger in 2022 by more than 20 points.

Moody faces three Republican challengers on Tuesday, although she is expected to win the nomination.

Democrats Alex Vindman and Angie Nixon are duking it out for the Democratic nomination. Vindman, a retired lieutenant colonel, served on the National Security Council as an expert on Ukraine during Mr. Trump’s first term. He became a key witness in Mr. Trump’s first impeachment, testifying he heard Mr. Trump on a phone call pressure the Ukrainian president to investigate Joe Biden. Vindman was later forced out at the NSC. His brother, Eugene, who also reported the phone call as being improper, was elected to Congress in 2024 from Virginia.

Nixon, a state representative from Jacksonville, led the Democratic protest against DeSantis’ new congressional map. A labor organizer, she is touting her progressive support, including from unions and progressive Rep. Maxwell Frost, who represents the Orlando area.

Florida House

Earlier this year, DeSantis pushed through a new congressional map to favor Republicans in four more districts after the Supreme Court decision that narrowed the section of the Voting Rights Act that required the creation of majority Black voting districts in some states. Rep. Darren Soto’s district, which was protected by the Voting Rights Act, was redrawn to become more favorable to Republicans.

Soto is running unopposed for the Democratic nomination, and seven Republicans are running on Tuesday to take him on. Republican Thomas Chalifoux Jr., Soto’s challenger in 2024 who won more than 40% of the vote under the old lines, is running again, as is Marcus Carter, who ran in 2024 on the general election ballot as an NPA candidate. Republican Dan Green, who worked in the first Trump administration, is touting his ties to the president. He has been endorsed by seven members of Congress, although none from Florida.

Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz’s current district was also affected. She’s now running in the neighboring 20th District, which is still a majority Black district and has been represented by a Black representative since the 1980s. Wasserman Schultz was sharply criticized by Black community leaders and the other four candidates, who are all African American, for running in this district.

The seat is currently vacant after former Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick resigned earlier this year moments before the House Ethics Committee was set to determine whether she should be sanctioned for allegations of theft and other misconduct. But despite resigning less than six months ago, Cherfilus-McCormick is running again this year. There are three other candidates: Luther Campbell, Dale Holness and Elijah Manly.

Moderate Democratic Rep. Jared Moskowitz’s district was also redrawn to favor Republicans. Moskowitz faces a challenger to the left, Oliver Larkin, a democratic socialist. Younger and usually progressive challengers have pulled off upsets in New York, Colorado and Connecticut, and Larkin has cast Moskowitz as being pro-Israel and being tied to AIPAC. Florida’s 25th District has one of the heaviest concentrations of Jewish voters in the country.

Republican Rep. Cory Mills, who represents the 7th District in central Florida, has three GOP primary challengers. Millsfaces a House Ethics Committee probe for allegations related to federal contracting violations, stolen valor and assault. He has been accused of assault by a woman who filed a police report last year, and a former girlfriend filed a restraining order against him. He has not been charged and denies any wrongdoing.

Two Republicans in Florida’s House delegation have endorsed Mills’ challenger, Ryan Elijah, a former local television anchor. There have also been calls for him to be censured or even expelled by other members of Congress, especially in the wake of several high-profile accusations of misconduct in the House.

Alaska Senate race

Democrats have to flip four seats to take control of the Senate, in addition to holding all their current seats. Although Alaska hasn’t elected a Democratic senator since 2009, Democrats believe Alaska could be a long-shot target in the right political environment.

Former Rep. Mary Peltola has opted to take on incumbent two-term Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan. Alaska has nonpartisan primaries, so the top four finishers in Tuesday’s primary will be on the ballot in November.

Peltola won a surprise victory in a special election to represent Alaska’s at-large congressional district in 2022 and won a full term that November, but she lost to Republican Nick Begich in 2024. Mr. Trump won Alaska by 13 points in that election.

There are 13 candidates on the ballot on Tuesday, and there is another candidate named Daniel J. Sullivan, whom the Alaska Division of Elections attempted to take off the ballot earlier this summer. The Alaska Supreme Court determined that Daniel J. Sullivan can appear on the ballot, saying his candidacy appears to be in good faith. On Friday, Mr. Trump accused Democrats of trying to “trick” Alaska voters, since Daniel J. Sullivan is also on the ballot as a Republican.

The money raised in the race shows the front-runners: Peltola has raised more than $18 million so far, while the incumbent Sen. Sullivan has brought in more than $11 million. The other Daniel J. Sullivan has raised $18,000.

Despite the large sums already raised by Peltola, her campaign has raised some eyebrows in the past week. Former Vice President Kamala Harris sent around a fundraising email for Peltola, but her campaign told national media that they had not approved the fundraising pitch as she seeks to distinguish herself as an independent.

Wyoming

One-term Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis is not running for reelection, leaving open one of the safest GOP seats in the country. Mr. Trump has endorsed Harriet Hageman, whom he also backed to unseat former Rep. Liz Cheney in 2022 for the state’s at-large House seat.

Hageman is facing four other primary candidates. There are also two Democrats vying to take on the winner of the GOP race.

With Hageman vacating her seat, nine Republicans are vying for the GOP nomination and two Democrats are competing for their nomination.

Who is Trump’s close aide, Natalie Harp?

7:41 AM EDT, Tue August 18, 2026 / By Jillian Ward, CNN

Who is Trump’s close aide, Natalie Harp?

Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is up for reelection in November, took a swing at Natalie Harp, President Donald Trump’s executive assistant. CNN’s Betsy Klein explains who Harp is and how her relationship with the president has evolved over the years.

1:46 • Source: CNN

https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/18/politics/video/who-is-trumps-close-aide-natalie-harp-digvid

Trump endorses replacement GOP nominee Jennifer Balkcom after Chuck Edwards ends re-election bid

“It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Jennifer Balkcom … ” President Trump said on Truth Social

August 18, 2026 6:06am EDT / Fox News

By Alex Nitzberg

President Donald Trump has endorsed North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, the new Republican nominee for the state’s 11th Congressional District.

Balkcom was tapped to run this month after Trump-backed incumbent Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., dropped his re-election bid.

“It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Jennifer Balkcom, who is running to represent the wonderful people of North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District!” Trump declared in part of a Monday Truth Social post.

REPLACEMENT GOP NOMINEE NAMED AFTER REP CHUCK EDWARDS DROPS RE-ELECTION BID

North Carolina state Rep. Jennifer Balkcom.(North Carolina General Assembly website)

Balkcom thanked the president in a post on X.

“THANK YOU, President Trump! I’m incredibly grateful for your support, and I’m proud to stand and fight for the people of Western North Carolina. In Congress, I’ll work with you to continue rebuilding WNC after Helene, deliver real results for our communities, and fight to make life more affordable for hardworking families. I’m ready to get to work,” she wrote, adding an American flag emoji.

Trump had endorsed Edwards for re-election before the lawmaker decisively won the March 3 Republican primary in the state’s 11th Congressional District, but the congressman announced on Aug. 5 that he was ending his re-election run.

GOP REP CHUCK EDWARDS DROPS RE-ELECTION BID AFTER HOUSE ETHICS REPORT RECOMMENDS CENSURE

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to deliver remarks at the David S. Mack Center for Training and Intelligence on Aug. 14, 2026 in Garden City, N.Y.(Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

Edwards made the announcement in the wake of the House Committee on Ethics releasing a report about him recommending censure.

The report states that the committee found that the congressman “engaged in persistent unprofessional and inappropriate conduct towards two young female staffers.”

GOP LAWMAKER’S GIFTS, ‘EFFUSIVE AFFECTION’ TOWARD YOUNG STAFFERS DETAILED IN EXPLOSIVE ETHICS REPORT

Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C., leaves the Capitol Hill Club after a meeting of the House Republican Conference on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.(Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

“While Representative Edwards denied that any of his conduct was intended as a sexual or romantic advance, his pattern of behavior would lead a reasonable observer to interpret it as such, including providing the young women with lavish and recurrent gifts, making comments regarding their appearance and dress, inviting them to intimate dinners and vacations, sending notes regarding his effusive affection, and inviting them to other activities as a way to spend time together,” the report stated.

Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.

气候灾害损失激增 欧洲政府恐承担更多账单

2026年8月18日 18:32 / 联合早报

8月16日，消防直升机在希腊爱琴海斯基罗斯岛森林上空洒水灭火。希腊自7月底以来接连发生多起严重野火，异常强风加剧火势。 （法新社）

欧洲极端天气日益频繁，气候灾害造成的经济损失却大多没有保险覆盖，意味着越来越多重建成本最终可能由政府埋单。

分析指出，在欧洲各国本已面对国防开支增加、人口老龄化和财政赤字压力之际，气候损失正从偶发支出逐渐变成长期财政负担。

路透社报道，欧洲环境署数据显示，1980年至2024年，欧盟因天气和气候相关极端事件蒙受约8220亿欧元（约1.21万亿新元）经济损失，其中四分之一发生在最近四年。

今年欧洲西南部野火、2024年西班牙严重洪灾，以及2021年德国和邻国洪灾，都凸显这一风险。

惠誉西欧主权评级主管巴里加－萨拉萨尔说，问题在于这类灾害正变得越来越频繁。过去，各国政府通常把灾后开支视为一次性的财政冲击，但如果灾害反复发生，就可能迫使财政吃紧的政府在其他支出项目之间作出取舍。

西班牙2024年发生欧洲50年来最严重洪灾。惠誉估计，相关重建成本在2024年至2026年间相当于西班牙国内生产总值（GDP）的0.7个百分点。

更大的隐忧是保险覆盖不足。欧盟估计，目前只有约四分之一与气候灾害有关的损失获得保险赔偿，一些国家的覆盖率甚至低于5%。随着极端天气越来越频繁，市场人士担心保险公司可能进一步收紧承保条件，使政府承担更多风险。

智库布鲁盖尔指出，2021年洪灾发生后，比利时大部分损失由保险承担，但德国保险覆盖率较低，政府最终须动用约300亿欧元公共资金支付大部分灾后开支。

一些欧洲国家已开始寻找解决办法。希腊正研究扩大保险覆盖，并加强旅游热点地区的供水和能源基础设施；葡萄牙则在今年初发生严重洪灾后，宣布计划推行强制住宅保险，同时设立自然灾害和地震基金。

欧洲央行也建议建立欧盟层级的公私营再保险机制，由私人保险共同分担自然灾害风险，并配合欧盟公共灾害融资基金。

专家认为，与其不断在灾后拨出紧急资金，各国更应提前投资于防洪、耐热、基础设施等适应措施。否则，连续灾害可能推高政府债务，反过来压缩未来用于防灾的资金，形成恶性循环。

西班牙首相桑切斯曾指出，相当于GDP 0.1%的绿色投资，可避免规模高达八倍的经济损失。

欧盟委员会预计今年底前推出一揽子措施，缩小气候灾害保险缺口。随着欧洲气候持续变暖，如何在灾前投入更多资金，与灾后由公共财政承担更大损失之间作出选择，正成为各国政府越来越难回避的财政课题。