Today's News

Published Wednesday, August 26 · 20 stories · last updated Aug 26, 7:37 AM
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Food (5)

‘Recession Meals’ Destigmatize Home Cooking on a Budget

A new trend is making budget cooking cool again, ditching the shame around frugal meals.

  • The movement challenges outdated stigma surrounding affordable home cooking practices.
  • Social media creators are popularizing recession meal content across platforms.
  • Budget cooking emphasizes resourcefulness and sustainability over expensive ingredients.
civileats.com
Cooking TechniquesCooking techniques and recipes

I Tried And Ranked 6 Waffle House Waffles From Worst To Hands-Down Best

A critic ranks all six Waffle House waffle varieties, from disappointing to absolutely delicious.

  • Waffle House serves over 300,000 waffles daily across more than 2,000 stores in 25 states.
  • The limited-edition Firework Waffle features red and blue candy clusters released in May 2026 for America's 250th birthday.
  • The pecan waffle has been a menu staple since 1955 and famously converted Anthony Bourdain into a fan.
The Takeout Aug 25
Meal Prep

The Best Taco Bell Breakfast Item, Hands Down

Taco Bell's breakfast menu deserves way more attention—we found the ultimate morning winner.

  • Grande Toasted Breakfast Burrito with Sausage ranked first for best flavor combo at best price.
  • Breakfast Crunchwrap with Sausage includes hash brown that stayed crispy after 10-minute transit home.
  • Taco Bell's exclusive yellow-packet breakfast salsa offers fresh tomato flavor with minimal spice.
The Takeout Aug 25
Meal Prep

Technomic Top 500: Take aways, trends, and surprises from ranking of biggest restaurant chainsTechnomic Top 500: Take aways, trends, and surprises from ranki...

Technomic's latest Top 500 ranking reveals warning signs in chain restaurant sales trends, surprising winners, and struggling categories.

  • Chili's and 7 Brew stand out as two of America's most impressive chains.
  • Pizza sales turned negative in 2025, signaling trouble for QSR pizza category.
  • Coffee, beverages, snacks, and chicken sectors thrived despite overall consumer dining slowdown.
https://www.nrn.com/
Restaurant news and openingstrends

47 Sensational Summer Squash Recipes

Drowning in summer squash? Here are 47 recipes to rescue your garden bounty.

  • Recipes include pasta, salads, pickles, dinners, zoodles, and squash blossom dishes.
  • Covers multiple squash varieties: crooknecks, yellow globes, pattypans, and zucchini.
  • Addresses the common problem of excessive zucchini bread consumption.
Epicurious.com
Cooking techniques and recipesRecipes
Good News (5)

What We’re Reading: A Wheelchair Rugged Enough for National Park Trails

Zion National Park now rents rugged all-terrain wheelchairs to make backcountry trails accessible to visitors with disabilities.

  • The 'Extreme Motus' wheelchair looks like a moon lander and handles most of the park's trails.
  • Zion's electric shuttle fleet launched in 2024, improving air quality in the canyon.
  • COO Chris Horton praised the design as 'very sturdy' for challenging terrain.
Reasons to be Cheerful Aug 26

Could Shellfish Farming Fix Florida’s Algal Bloom Problem?

Florida researchers explore whether oyster farming could be the unexpected solution to toxic algal blooms.

  • Ashley Smyth, a University of Florida coastal biogeochemist, compares algal blooms to guacamole in color and consistency.
  • Algal blooms produce a rotten egg smell and coat water with thick green sludge.
  • Shellfish farming is being investigated as a potential method to improve Florida's water quality.
Reasons to be Cheerful Aug 25
Innovation for goodScientific and medical breakthroughs

Right before they graduated, these service dogs reunited with the volunteers who raised them: 'They can be a puppy one last time'

Service dogs reunite with their volunteer trainers right before graduation in heartwarming viral video.

  • Canine Companions has operated since 1975, pairing service dogs with disabled adults, children, and veterans free.
  • The August 21 Instagram Reel garnered over 250,000 views and sparked emotional viewer responses.
  • Puppies are raised by volunteers for 8 weeks to 18 months before graduating to their handlers.
Good Good Good Aug 25
Acts of kindness and generosity

Rescue crew miraculously saves family dog who was swept out to sea: 'An emotional reunion'

Australian Shepherd swept 650 feet offshore in South Africa gets rescued by emergency responders in dramatic ocean recovery.

  • Bean broke free during an afternoon walk at Pollock Beach in Gqeberha, South Africa.
  • NSRI rescue swimmer secured Bean half a kilometer offshore and treated him for hypothermia.
  • Contact information on Bean's collar enabled rescuers to reunite him with his owners.
Good Good Good Aug 25
Acts of kindness and generosity

Woman Can See Again After World’s First Transplant of a Central Retina

Groundbreaking surgery restores sight to woman by transplanting her macula to her other eye for the first time ever.

  • 67-year-old Elena lost vision in a car crash that severed her left eye's optic nerve.
  • Professor Michele Reibaldi led the 6-hour procedure at Turin's Molinette Hospital.
  • Elena immediately recognized her son and dog Joe after opening her eyes post-surgery.
Good News Network Aug 25
Super Local (4)

Dinosaur Quest at Tower Gallery

Explore prehistoric wonders at Tower Gallery's interactive dinosaur adventure experience.

  • Located at Tower Gallery in Grapevine, Texas
  • Features interactive dinosaur quest activities for visitors
  • Part of Grapevine's attractions and events lineup
Grapevine Texas USA
Live music and concerts

Enchanted Cottage - A Family Friendly Escape Adventure

Families can solve magical puzzles and uncover secrets at this enchanted escape adventure experience.

  • Located in Grapevine, Texas as part of official visitor attractions and events.
  • Designed specifically for family participation with age-appropriate puzzle challenges.
  • Tickets available through Grapevine's official attractions and events booking system.
Grapevine Texas USA

Splash Into Last-Minute Summer Savings at SEA LIFE Grapevine

SEA LIFE Grapevine is offering last-minute summer deals before the season ends.

  • Located in Grapevine, Texas at a major attractions destination.
  • Promotion targets end-of-summer timing for budget-conscious families.
  • Part of Grapevine's broader attractions and events ticketing platform.
Grapevine Texas USA

SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium

Dive into an underwater adventure at this Texas aquarium featuring thousands of sea creatures.

  • Located in Grapevine, Texas as a major visitor attraction
  • Offers tickets available for purchase through the Grapevine tourism website
  • Part of Grapevine's curated attractions and events for visitors
Grapevine Texas USA
Tech (5)

The world's busiest spaceport is about to get a lot quieter, at least for now

SpaceX's Florida spaceport is dramatically slowing launches as it prepares for Starship, shifting focus westward.

  • Launch rate dropping from 8-9 per month to roughly 2 per month at Florida spaceport
  • Kiko Dontchev, VP of Launch, confirmed all future Starlink missions from Florida will fly on Starship
  • A Falcon 9 booster achieved 37 flights Tuesday, setting a new SpaceX reusability record
Ars Technica Aug 25

World humanoid robot games show runners breaking records, bursting into flames

Humanoid robots smashed sprint records at Beijing games, but some crashed, fell, and caught fire.

  • Event held August 22–26 in Beijing; robots beat Usain Bolt's 100-meter record.
  • X-Humanoid robot won 400-meter race using unusual 'shy person' arm-swinging posture.
  • Robots lag behind humans in practical tasks like laundry washing and folding clothes.
Ars Technica Aug 25

Access our news highlights

AP highlights breakthrough journalism on foreign aid cuts, school coverage gaps, and ICE equipment plans.

  • Reporter Kristen Gelineau documented deaths from maternal and child health program cuts despite government denials.
  • Immigration reporter Ryan Foley exclusively revealed ICE plans to equip officers with electric shock gloves.
  • AP's Colombia earthquake coverage mobilized teams rapidly with live shots and visual reporting to hardest-hit areas.
https://www.ap.org/

Delivery vans bearing the logo sit during a protest staged as part of a countrywide National Day of Action Tuesday, July 28, 2026, outside...

USPS unveils new mail ballot rules just weeks before midterms, sparking legal battles over Trump's voting order.

  • North Carolina must send first military ballots by September 4, 2026.
  • Federal judge in Boston already suspended the rules in June; second ruling could block implementation.
  • Trump's order requires federal government to compile voter lists and limit mail ballots to approved recipients.
https://www.ap.org/

OpenAI loses a top data center exec as stream of high-profile departures continues

OpenAI's data center chief Chris Malone exits, marking another high-profile departure amid ongoing executive turnover.

  • Malone spent nearly 5 years at Meta and over a decade at Google before joining OpenAI in March 2025.
  • OpenAI is key partner in Trump administration's $500 million Stargate Project for U.S. data center development.
  • 13 executives have departed OpenAI in 2026, including former COO Brad Lightcap and chief revenue officer Denise Dresser.
TechCrunch Aug 25
Lifestyle (1)

10 Hacks Every iOS 27 User Should Know

Master iOS 27 with these essential tricks to customize your iPhone experience and unlock hidden features.

  • iOS 27 launches in September for iPhone 11 and newer models, including second-gen iPhone SE.
  • New Liquid Glass slider in Settings lets you reduce transparency effects for better readability.
  • Dual Capture feature streams front and rear cameras simultaneously during FaceTime calls.
Lifehacker Aug 25
Productivity and life hacks