PARIS, France, Aug. 20 [Category: Media] -- Reporters Without Borders issued the following news: * * * "No one wants to suffer the same fate as KazTAG": as legislative elections approach, Kazakhstan bans leaders of news agency from practising journalism for five years * Ahead of Kazakhstan's parliamentary elections this Sunday, 23 August, the conviction of Amir Kasenov, founder and editor-in-chief of the independent news agency KazTAG, and its director Aset Matayev, illustrates the mounting pressure on journalists in Kazakhstan. Reporters W more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 -- AARP issued the following news release on Aug. 20, 2026: * * * New AARP Michigan Poll: Older Voters Critical Demographic in Narrow Senate, Governor Races Voters over 50, who make up roughly half of Michigan's swing voters, have rising prices top of mind in the leadup to November's election - Today, AARP released new polling highlighting the decisive role that voters 50 and older will play in Michigan's tight gubernatorial and Senate races this fall - as well as the top issues that will be driving their vote. Older  more PR

RICHMOND, Virginia, Aug. 21 -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia issued the following news release: * * * Federal judge rules Virginia may no longer deny registration for hundreds of thousands of disenfranchised voters A federal judge issued a new order this week in King v. Youngkin, a class action lawsuit filed by ACLU of Virginia, Protect Democracy, and WilmerHale, explicitly ruling that Virginians with convictions for all but 11 specific felonies should be able to register to vote, paving the way for hundreds of thousands of  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 19 [Category: Political] -- Public Citizen issued the following news release: * * * Activist Scott Presler Violated Pennsylvania Election Law, New Complaint Alleges Public Citizen has filed a complaint against conservative social media influencer and activist Scott Presler and his political action committee, Early Vote Action (EVA), for failing to file and disclose the sources and expenditures of their campaign spending with the Pennsylvania Secretary of State. Over the course of the 2025 judicial election cycle, Presler and more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 -- The Council on American-Islamic Relations posted the following news release on Aug. 20, 2026: * * * CAIR, CAIR Action Identify 255 Muslim Elected Officials in New 2026 Directory Updated figures show historic Muslim representation in public office - The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation's largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, and CAIR Action today announced the release of the 2026 Directory of Elected Muslim Officials, identifying a record-breaking 255 Muslim elected officials  more PR

SACRAMENTO, California, Aug. 20 -- Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-California, issued the following news release: * * * Governor Newsom signs legislation 8.20.2026 Governor Gavin Newsom today announced that he has signed the following bills: * AB 2153 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park) -- Voter registration: residency confirmation. * AB 2323 by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) -- Publication: newspapers of general circulation. * SB 1429 by the Committee on Elections and Constitutional Amendments -- Elections. * SB 1430 by the Co more PR

DENVER, Colorado, Aug. 21 -- The Colorado Secretary of State issued the following news release on Aug. 20, 2026: * * * Proposed Initiative #232 Qualifies for General Election Ballot The Elections Division of the Colorado Secretary of State's Office announced today that proponents of Proposed Initiative #232, "Income Tax Rate Cap," have submitted the required number of signatures to appear on the November 3, 2026 General Election Ballot. Proposed Initiative #232 submitted 184,454 petition signatures. After reviewing a five-percent random sam more PR

DENVER, Colorado, Aug. 21 -- The Colorado Secretary of State issued the following news release on Aug. 20, 2026: * * * Proposed Initiative #302 Qualifies for General Election Ballot The Elections Division of the Colorado Secretary of State's Office announced today that proponents of Proposed Initiative #302 "Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish," have submitted the required number of signatures to appear on the November 3, 2026 General Election Ballot. Proposed Initiative #302 proposes to change the Colorado Constitution, and therefore sig more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary by Ryosuke Inoue, visiting fellow from Mitsubishi UFJ Research and Consulting Co. Ltd. with the Japan Chair: * * * Rice at a Crossroads: Rethinking Japan's Food Security A Shock at the Rice Counter Rice is Japan's staple food, and it reaches nearly every dinner table in the country. In early 2024, a five-kilogram bag of rice cost the average Japanese household about Yen2,000 ($13). A year later the price had nearly doubled, reaching its more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 -- The Democratic Governors Association posted the following news: * * * Kansas Carpetbagger Zach Lahn Wants to Be Governor of Iowa "For The Next Two Decades" New reporting from Heartland Signal reveals that Kansas carpetbagger and career political operative Zach Lahn floated the possibility of being governor "for the next two decades," despite backing term limits for other offices. Lahn has spent the campaign trying to deflect from his decades as a political insider and his Kansas residency, while wholeheartedly embracin more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 -- The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 20, 2026: * * * Republican Corruption Creates Major Midterm Liabilities for GOP Senate Candidates With less than three months until the midterm elections, new reporting highlights how Democratic candidates are taking on corruption, which is "shaping up to be a major campaign battlefront." Across the country, voters are expressing anger and concern about "the elite and the wealthy... and those close to power getting ahead or benefit more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 -- The Democratic National Committee posted the following news release on Aug. 20, 2026: * * * DNC Sues Trump Administration for Records on Ballot Seizures The Trump administration has refused to comply with the DNC's FOIA requests regarding ballot seizures during the upcoming election - Today, the DNC sued the Trump administration over its failure to respond to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests seeking records about any plans to seize ballots in the midterm elections. The DNC requested these records to defend  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 (TNSinfo) -- The Federal Communications Commission issued the following information collection: * * * As part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork burdens, and as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on the following information collection. Comments are requested concerning: Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the  more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSinfo) -- The Office of Personnel Management issued the following information collection: * * * Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the general public and other federal agencies the opportunity to comment on the reinstatement of an expired information collection request (ICR), Application for Death Benefits/Documentation and Elections in Support of Application for Death Benefits When Deceased Was an Employee at the Time of Death (CSRS). As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13) as amen more PR

NEW YORK, Aug. 21 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch issued the following commentary by Hugh Williamson, director of the Europe and Central Asia Division: * * * Pro-Peace Politician Jailed in Russia Lev Shlosberg Sentenced to 11 Years for Criticizing Russia's War in Ukraine - A court in northwestern Russia, on August 17, sentenced opposition politician Lev Shlosberg to 11 years and one month in prison for repeatedly "discrediting" and spreading false information about the Russian army. Shlosberg is the deputy leader of the op more PR

NEW YORK, Aug. 19 [Category: International] -- Human Rights Watch issued the following news: * * * West Bank: Illegal E1 Settlement Tender Opens for Bids * (Beirut) - The Israeli government on August 18, 2026, opened a new tender for the construction of 1,234 housing units in the illegal E1 settlement project in the occupied West Bank, about a third of the 3,401 housing units approved for construction, Human Rights Watch said today. The government set a deadline for bids just days before Israel's October 27 elections. The E1 settlement wo more PR

LANSING, Michigan, Aug. 21 -- The Michigan Democratic Party issued the following news release on Aug. 20, 2026: * * * ICYMI: Mike Rogers Exposed for Serving Corporate Special Interests, Getting Rich on the Backs of Michiganders At a Wednesday press conference in Detroit, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed and Michigan leaders joined the Michigan Democratic Party to call out Mike Rogers for being "[one of] the most corrupt candidates for U.S. Senate in recent memory," after he passed through the revolving door and sold out Michiganders to get rich while advi more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 [Category: Union] -- The AFL-CIO American Federation of Government Employees issued the following news release: * * * Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Nebraska's Denise Powell for Congress * AFGE says Powell will fight for working families in Nebraska and nationwide BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of Denise Powell for election to the U.S. House representing Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District in the 2026 elections. She won the Democratic prim more PR

RALEIGH, North Carolina, Aug. 18 -- North Carolina State Auditor Dave Boliek issued the following statement: * * * Statement on Veto of House Bill 958 State Auditor Dave Boliek issued the following statement on the veto of House Bill 958: "Post-election audits are a commonsense, objective way to boost public confidence in our elections. These examinations of election systems and controls are an additional layer of accountability that should be welcomed. "The Governor incorrectly claims election administration has been politicized. Election more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSletter) -- Public Citizen, with 36 organizations issued the following letter to Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 11, 2026 Chairman Chuck Grassley Ranking Member Dick Durbin Senate Committee on the Judiciary - Chairman Rand Paul Ranking Member Gary Peters Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs - Close the Commercial Data Broker Loophole by Passing the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act Dear C more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 (TNSletter) -- Public Citizen issued the following letter with 36 organizations to the Senate Judiciary and Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee leadership: * * * Here is the text of the letter: August 11, 2026 Chairman Chuck Grassley Ranking Member Dick Durbin Senate Committee on the Judiciary - Chairman Rand Paul Ranking Member Gary Peters Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs - Close the Commercial Data Broker Loophole by Passing the Fourth Amendment Is Not For Sale Act Dear Chai more PR

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island, Aug. 20 -- Rhode Island Attorney General Peter F. Neronha issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Neronha, Secretary of State Amore remind voters of "Know Your Rights" resources Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and Secretary of State Gregg M. Amore are today, on the first day of early voting for the statewide primary, reminding Rhode Islanders of important resources as they exercise their right to vote. The Office of the Attorney General and the Rhode Island Department of State maintain a "Know Y more PR

WASHINGTON, Aug. 20 [Category: Political] -- The Human Rights Campaign posted the following news release: * * * Record Breaking: LGBTQ+ Adults Now 12% of Population; Greater than 10% in 40 of 50 States * HRC Foundation analysis of U.S. Census Bureau Data finds a record-high 25.6 million people now identify as LGBTQ+ Heading into the midterms, the LGBTQ+ community makes up a powerful voting bloc that is younger and more influential than ever before WASHINGTON -The Human Rights Campaign Foundation today released updated population estimate more PR

EDWARDSVILLE, Illinois, Aug. 19 -- Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus posted the following news: * * * SIUE Earns Highly Established Action Plan Seal for Nonpartisan Democratic Engagement Efforts * Southern Illinois University Edwardsville has earned the 2026 Highly Established Action Plan (HEAP) Seal from the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge for its comprehensive approach to nonpartisan civic learning, voter education and student electoral participation. SIUE's 2026 Nonpartisan Democratic Engagement Action Plan received 28  more PR