Meta reaches $17B settlement. And, nuclear regulator to abandon radiation safety rule

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Meta has agreed to pay states up to  $17 billion in penalties as part of a settlement agreement for a landmark federal child safety lawsuit. California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey accused Meta of designing Facebook and Instagram to be addictive for children, claiming the company knew the risks but hid that information from the public. Meta denies these allegations. A portion of the proposed settlement is expected to be allocated to support youth mental health programs, after-school activities and crisis intervention services. Meta also agreed to make changes to its platforms, including a default daily time limit of two hours for users under 18, a default block on nighttime use and a ban on displaying the number of likes and reactions on posts.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks to reporters at a press conference after opening arguments took place in the Meta trial over a lawsuit brought by US states about social media addiction at the Ronald V. Dellums Federal Building and United States Courthouse in Oakland, California, on August 18, 2026. GODOFREDO A. VASQUEZ/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

A federal judge in Boston yesterday canceled her nationwide ruling that blocked the U.S. Postal Service from following President Trump's executive order limiting mail-in voting, giving the administration another temporary win in its legal battle ahead of the midterm election. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani's decision comes after the Supreme Court earlier this month ruled that a similar ruling by Talwani, which applied only to 23 mainly Democratic-led states and Washington, D.C., was made too early, before the USPS finalized plans based on Trump's directives. This latest development sets the stage for another potential Supreme Court review of the president's executive order. So far, the high court has addressed only procedural issues, without ruling on the legality of Trump's order.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is preparing to eliminate a 50-year-old rule designed to minimize radiation exposure. The update aligns with the Trump administration's expansive changes to nuclear oversight and efforts to promote nuclear energy to power data centers for artificial intelligence. The proposed rule would eliminate the standard known as "As Low As Reasonably Achievable" (ALARA), which requires the nuclear industry to reduce workers' radiation exposure to levels below the stated limits where possible. The new rule would also allow certain workers to receive higher radiation exposures under specific conditions. While some view the removal of ALARA as a long-overdue improvement, critics warn that it could lead to increased radiation exposure . The public comment period ends on Aug. 31, and the rule could take effect early next year.

Massive flash floods in Nepal and Tibet have killed at least 270 people. More than 1,500 people are confirmed missing , including at least 65 Americans, according to the Nepal Tourism Board. The floods began when a glacier collapsed into a valley, blocking a river and causing water levels to surge some 30 feet in just 30 minutes, burying people and communities in mud.

Black man appearing middle aged sitting at desk talking to Black woman and Black child in office setting, principal discussing school matters with parent and student DragonImages/iStockphoto via Getty Images hide caption

The U.S. Department of Education is investigating Fayetteville Public Schools in Arkansas for directing teachers to take students' racial identities into account when issuing discipline. The school system says this approach is part of an effort to bring about "restorative justice" to address "the disproportionality of discipline on students of color." The Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued new guidance warning school leaders that they shouldn't consider a student's race in disciplinary matters, and failure to comply could lead to an investigation. This move revives a civil rights debate over discipline in K-12 schools and what counts as discrimination. Here's a dive into school discipline data over the years: