ABC News

Verified reports confirm Hayden Panettiere, 36, was found dead Sunday afternoon in a South Carolina apartment with Brian Hickerson present. An autopsy showed no trauma and police found no signs of foul play; Hickerson had prior domestic abuse convictions.

President Trump announced a three-day pause on proposed 50% tariffs on Canadian goods scheduled for early Wednesday, citing ongoing talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and a pending deal. The announcement referenced possible revival of the Keystone XL pipeline and followed threats to invoke Section 338 of the 1930 Tariff Act. Multiple outlets confirmed the pause details while economic impact figures remain unverified.

FBI agents executed search warrants at San Francisco International Airport and Eric Swalwell's Washington, D.C. residence, seizing electronic devices including at least one cell phone. The warrants relate to a criminal probe into allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault. Swalwell has denied an assault allegation while acknowledging mistakes in judgment.

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake occurred at 1 p.m. local time on Thursday in Peru's southern Andes, with the epicenter 38 kilometers northwest of Upahuacho in Ayacucho region. USGS data and multiple outlets confirm the event was felt in Ica and Arequipa, produced no tsunami threat, and yielded no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Peru's location in the Pacific Ring of Fire and the 2007 Ica earthquake precedent are noted across sources.

Russian authorities stated that Ukrainian forces launched hundreds of drones toward Moscow overnight, with air defenses intercepting most but some causing damage and injuries in the region. Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin reported at least 637 drones directed at the capital, while the Defense Ministry claimed 791 craft downed overall. Three civilians were injured, including a 10-year-old girl, and fires occurred at sites including a Wildberries warehouse.

The USS Abraham Lincoln completed a 272-day deployment and is returning home after leaving the Middle East, with the USS George Washington arriving as its replacement. The carrier departed San Diego on November 21 with roughly 5,000 crew members. U.S. officials confirmed the departure and noted the mission's extension amid operations involving Iran.

Florida voters go to the polls Tuesday for primaries that include the governor's race, a Senate seat, and House contests. The elections mark the first use of a congressional map passed earlier this year by the Republican-controlled legislature. Projections indicate the map may shift up to four seats toward Republicans in November.

President Trump ordered the Pentagon to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea, citing his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Verified reporting confirms the order and one stated rationale, while additional motivations and details remain unverified. Analyses from multiple perspectives examine the decision's implications for alliances and deterrence.

Frank Beard, drummer for ZZ Top for 56 years, died at age 77 in hospice care at his ranch in Richmond, Texas, with family present. The band's publicist announced the death Tuesday following Beard's temporary withdrawal from touring in March 2025 due to health issues. Multiple outlets reported the death, with some details on timing, cause, and tour impacts remaining unverified.

Hayden Panettiere died on Sunday at a residence in Greenville, South Carolina, at age 36. The Drug Enforcement Administration has joined the investigation into the death. Reports of prior events in Nashville remain unverified or internally disputed by their source.

Bill Rasmussen, who co-founded ESPN in 1979 with his son Scott, died at age 93 at his home in Land O’ Lakes, Florida, from the effects of Parkinson’s disease. He had been diagnosed in 2014 and disclosed the diagnosis publicly in 2019. Rasmussen was previously fired from a public relations role in the World Hockey Association before developing the concept for a 24-hour sports network.

Alaska conducted primary elections on Tuesday for U.S. Senate, U.S. House and governor races, with all candidates appearing on a single ballot and the top four advancing to a ranked-choice general election. The Senate primary included 16 candidates, among them Republican incumbent Sen. Dan S. Sullivan and Democrat Mary Peltola. A statewide initiative to reimpose campaign contribution limits also appeared on the ballot.

On Wednesday, the U.S. national debt surpassed $40 trillion while President Trump led a 40-minute press tour of White House South Lawn remodeling that included a new granite driveway, refurbished columns, and a helipad project. The helipad, announced in July and estimated at $5-6 million, is funded by Sikorsky (a Lockheed Martin subsidiary) with contributions directed to the National Park Service. Trump autographed a central stone slab during the tour.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee sent a memo to artificial intelligence companies operating in Ohio warning that a potential loss by Sen. Jon Husted could reduce support for data centers nationwide. The memo cites internal polling showing Husted in a dead heat with former Sen. Sherrod Brown and identifies data centers as a key vulnerability. Brown has run ads tying Husted to rising utility costs from such facilities.

President Trump stated that ongoing joint U.S.-South Korea military exercises constitute an insult to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and ordered them scaled back to conclude on Friday rather than Aug. 27. Trump also indicated he would meet Kim later this year and had been in contact with the North Korean leader. North Korea responded that the shortened drills remain provocative and change nothing in bilateral relations.

More than a dozen candidates are challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan in Alaska's nonpartisan top-four primary, including another Republican named Dan Sullivan who successfully sued to remain on the ballot after state officials flagged potential voter confusion. Former Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola is also running. Separate races in Florida and Wyoming involve redrawn districts, open seats, and a Trump endorsement.

Russian forces conducted a combined missile and drone strike on August 20, 2026, targeting the Kyiv region and damaging residential buildings, a children's hospital, and a school. At least 12 people were killed, with Ukrainian defenses intercepting most incoming munitions across 28 impact sites. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy described the assault on social media the following day.

Solicitor General John Sauer submitted a filing to the Supreme Court stating that delays in a White House construction project pose unacceptable security risks to the presidency. The National Trust for Historic Preservation challenged the project, arguing it overrides congressional authority. A photograph dated August 19, 2026, shows construction activity near the South Lawn helipad.

The Kennedy Center board voted 23-3 to close the facility for two years at a cost of roughly $285 million, funded in part by $256.7 million in congressional appropriations. An alternative four-year partial closure plan was rejected after a consultant cited higher costs and safety risks. The center plans to restore President Trump's name to the building after September 8, while a lawsuit by Rep. Joyce Beatty challenges the board's actions.