Despite perception, study indicates a moderation of both hot and cold temperatures in the U.S. over the past century.

Read Online | August 24, 2026 | E-Paper | 🎧 Listen

“It is time which imparts strength to all things and brings them to maturity.”

— Hippocrates, "The Law"

Cathy He

Politics Editor

Good morning, happy Monday! Here are today’s top stories.

A climatologist says a century of weather data contradicts claims of record heat. Despite perception, his study indicates a moderation of both hot and cold temperatures in the United States over the past century.
More than 1 million foreign nationals living in the United States with removal protections are now classified as illegal immigrants after a court recently ended temporary protected status for 13 nationalities. Here’s what we know about what this means and what’s next.
President Donald Trump made his first public comments since U.S.–Canada trade negotiations broke down, accusing Canada of wanting “the benefits of being a State, without being one,” and of imposing “massive amounts of tariffs” on American farmers for years.
Millions of K–12 students start the 2026–2027 academic year expecting to complete a personal finance course before high school graduation. All told, 30 states are phasing in the personal finance course requirement if they haven’t already done so, and nine states require the topic to be integrated into other courses.
🍵 Health: Lunges can build strength and balance at the same time, without needing specialized equipment. These 5 lunge exercises can get you strong and sure-footed.

TOP STORY

Climate scientist John Christy at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Ala., on Aug. 12, 2026. (JP Bond/The Epoch Times)

Climatologist Says a Century of Weather Data Contradicts Claims of Record Heat

American author Mark Twain famously stated: “It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”

Likewise, digging deeper into data sometimes reveals a different picture from what you saw at first glance. Combing through reports from more than 1,200 weather stations across the United States, former University of Alabama climatologist John Christy’s analysis challenges a commonly held belief that extreme high temperatures have become more prevalent.

According to his report, published this spring in the academic journal Theoretical and Applied Climatology, the data don’t show an increase in extreme temperatures; rather, they indicate that temperatures have become more moderate over the past century.

“We have the systematic measurements in the United States that show the extremes of the [19]20s, 30s and 50s in terms of heat were much greater than the ones currently,” Christy told The Epoch Times.

“Even when you include the western parts of the country that are having their ‘1930s’ today, the rest of the country is not following the script.

“On balance, you don’t have a countrywide extreme event.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) stated that average temperatures have risen by 2 degrees Fahrenheit since 1850 and that this increase has accelerated in recent decades.

According to NOAA, the year 2024 was the warmest year since global records began in 1850, and the 10 warmest years during this period all occurred during the decade from 2015 to 2024.

Regarding the cause, NOAA said that “Earth’s average surface temperature has been rising because human-produced greenhouse gases are causing Earth to absorb more energy than it radiates back to space.”

Christy’s study, however, indicates that, far from an increase in extreme weather, there has been an overall moderating of temperatures in the United States. In contrast to NOAA’s assessment, Christy’s analysis indicates fewer extreme high temperatures and extreme low temperatures since 1899. (More)

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LATEST NEWS

The second day of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington on Aug. 23, 2026. (Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times)

More than 100,000 spectators lined the streets to witness history as IndyCar drivers raced by national monuments on Sunday to cap off a summer filled with unprecedented events to celebrate 250 years of American independence.
Trump is asking a federal judge to reject the BBC’s attempt to subpoena three members of his family as part of discovery in his defamation lawsuit against the British broadcaster.
The Drug Enforcement Administration has confiscated more than 47 million fentanyl-laced counterfeit pills and almost 10,000 pounds of fentanyl powder in 2025.
$20,000 doesn’t buy what it used to in the used car market, according to a pair of recent reports. The used-car market that once offered relatively affordable options for first-time buyers and budget-conscious shoppers has fundamentally repriced itself, the studies suggested.
The United States and Iran are digging in on their positions during the Hormuz Strait stand-off. As Tehran banks on pressure from rising fuel costs to force concessions before the midterms, the Trump admin is set to tighten the long-game economic vise.

WORLD

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a press conference in Kyiv on April 22, 2025. (Tetiana Dzhafarova / AFP via Getty Images)

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said holding elections during the war with Russia would “destroy the country.” Zelenskyy was responding to former defense minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who called for elections last week.
The Chinese Communist Party is using its new “ethnic unity” law and the familial ties of the global Uyghur diaspora to escalate transnational repression, according to advocates and experts.

OPINION

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Attendees during the second day of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington on Aug. 23, 2026. (Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times)

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HEALTH

(Westend61/Getty Images)

Lunge Science: 5 Lunges to Maximize Leg and Core Strength

Among classic bodyweight exercises, the lunge has perhaps the most interesting backstory.

Our best understanding of the origins of the modern lunge movement comes from 17th-century sword-fighting manuals. Specific references appeared in works by Salvator Fabris and Ridolfo Capoferro in the very early 1600s, with a later, more specific reference from fencing master Nicholas Demeuse in the 1700s. These were all very, uh, sharp fellows.

The basic biomechanical aspect of the classic lunge movement is a step out of the base of support, the area beneath the body that provides stability, with one foot, while the other remains anchored in place. While classic squat movements involve a bilateral physiological movement that generally results in a change in elevation—from standing to squatting—lunge movements also change both elevation and horizontal position.

The intrinsic asymmetrical biomechanics of the lunge exercises increase the use of your postural stabilizers (the muscles that help keep you upright), thereby strengthening your core musculature and overall balance.

Lunges are a step toward better health. They are low-impact and can give your leg muscles a great workout. These exercises work well for my patients, and I think they may work well for you, too.

I do suggest that you speak with your medical provider first to ensure that these exercises are appropriate and safe for you.

Practice Tip: For a greater challenge in all of the following lunge exercises, feel free to hold weights, such as dumbbells, while performing them.

Classic Lunge—This is the classic sword fighter’s lunge, except you’re not trying to stab anyone. Also, instead of partially flexing your leading leg and trailing knee, fully flex your front knee to 90 degrees and touch the floor with your trailing knee. (More)

RECIPE

(Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Pasta With Sweet Corn and Zucchini Tastes Like Summer

Sweet corn purchased at a roadside farmers market is the star ingredient in Gretchen McKay’s creamy, super-seasonal pasta dish.

When pasta is added to the hot corn water after the cobs are removed, the noodles not only absorb the corn’s sweet, earthy flavor, but the starchy water also helps bind the sauce into something wonderfully silky.

READ MORE HERE →

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