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Episode Date: August 21, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Dave Mattingley. The FBI says it stopped a plot by a woman who was planning to set off a bomb at the New York State Capitol. Samuel King with the New York Public News Network says the suspect appeared in federal court yesterday, as prosecutors alleged she'd pledged allegiance to ISIS. Federal law enforcement agents say Jessica Bowie had a gun and a dummy explosive device with her Wednesday as she met with informants who she thought were helping her curiosity. her plan to destroy as much of the capital as possible and quote, kill all the senators. First assistant U.S. Attorney John Sarkone says the arrest should serve as a warning to other would-be terrorists. We are vigilant. We are prepared. And just as we stop this defendant, we will continue to disrupt plots and protect the American people.

The arrest comes just weeks before the anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The FBI says they've stopped more than 400 individuals from carrying out alleged attacks here at home. and abroad. For NPR news, I'm Samuel King in Albany. Iran's foreign minister is denouncing President Trump's push to crush Iran's economy and isolate the country, saying it will lead to further defeat for the U.S. On Wednesday, Trump announced plans to launch economic warfare against Iran without offering specifics and called on America's allies to join the effort. The president also warned countries that continue to do business with Iran would face economic penalties as well.

The Trump administration says dismantling Hezbollah is essential for achieving a credible path forward in Lebanon. The U.S. describes the group as an Iranian proxy that's dragged the country into two wars with Israel, as NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports. State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott says the Iranian regime has used Hezbollah to spread terror throughout the Middle East. That's why the U.S. is renewing its designation of the Lebanese group as an Iranian proxy. The Treasury Department is also adding 10 individuals to a sanctions list, accusing them of helping to transfer cash between Iran and Hezbollah. The State Department says couriers transfer cash on commercial flights and U.S. officials are working with Turkey to disrupt that. Israel invaded southern Lebanon earlier this year to counter Hezbollah rocket fire, and now the U.S. is trying to mediate an end to the conflict. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Washington.

President Trump is scheduled to be in South Carolina today to campaign for Republican Senator Darlene Graham. She and Congressman Ralph Norman will face off next Tuesday in the state's Republican Senate runoff. Trump will be speaking at Graham's rally in Myrtle Beach. The Federal Aviation Administration says all eight people aboard a charter plane have been killed in a crash in Western Alaska. The FAA says it went down at a remote military radar site. This is NPR News. The State Department is designating a U.S. citizen as being wrongfully detained in China. As Michael Sullivan reports, he's being held as a national security threat.

Myanmar scholar Min Zin was detained by Chinese authorities back in June after being invited to an academic conference in China's Yunnan province. He's been accused of endangering Chinese national security, charges the think tank he heads emphatically deny. The official designation comes roughly a month before President Trump is expected to host President Xi Jinping for an official visit following Trump's visit to Beijing in the spring. Minsin's Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar welcomed the State Department's designation and urged it to make his release a top priority ahead of President Xi's visit.

For NPR news, I'm Michael Solomon in Chang Rai, Thailand. Wall Street is coming off a down day for stocks after, Walmart issued a cautious outlook for the rest of the year. The nation's largest retailer reported slower sales growth in the latest quarter. The Dow lost 703 points yesterday or more than 1%. The S&P 500 also ended the day lower. The NASDAQ closed down 1%. The NFL's Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints have each been fined $500,000 as a result of fights that broke out at the team's joint practice in California this week. The league announced the fines after reviewing video of the brawls that erupted at the Cowboys Training Camp. I'm Dave Mattingley, NPR News,

in Washington.