12 to KNOW Morning Brief for Thursday, August 20, 2026.

SOURCES:  CNBC — U.S. government debt passes $40 trillion, more than doubling in a decade  https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/19/us-government-debt-passes-40-trillion-mark-for-the-first-time.html  NPR — The U.S. debt tops a record-shattering $40 trillion. Yes, with a T  https://www.npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5937552/the-u-s-debt-tops-a-record-shattering-40-trillion-yes-with-a-t  Bloomberg — US Set to Halve Canada Steel, Aluminum Tariffs in Trade Deal  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-19/us-said-to-halve-tariffs-on-canada-steel-aluminum-in-trade-deal  Al Jazeera — US and Canada reach 'very fair' trade agreement, Trump says  https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2026/8/19/us-and-canada-reach-very-fair-trade-agreement-trump-says  CNN — Meta is back in the courtroom to face its biggest social media addiction trial yet  https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/18/tech/meta-attorneys-general-addiction-trial-opening-arguments  Yahoo Finance — Meta social media addiction trial opens  https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/articles/meta-social-media-addiction-trial-223947201.html  Indeed Hiring Lab — March 2026 Labor Market Update: How Women Have Closed the Other Workforce Gender Gap  https://hiringlab.indeed.com/2026/03/26/how-women-have-closed-the-workforce-gender-gap/  IBTimes UK — Rise of Stay-At-Home Men Accelerates as Women Claim Majority Share of US Workforce Jobs  https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/women-hold-more-jobs-men-us-2026-1812564  The National — Disarm by September 30 or face terrorism charges, Iraqi leadership warns Iran-backed militias  https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/08/06/disarm-by-september-30-or-face-terrorism-charges-iraqi-leadership-warns-iran-backed-militias/  Aawsat — Iraq Sets September 30 Deadline for Pro-Iran Groups to Disarm  https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5290060-iraq-sets-september-30-deadline-pro-iran-groups-disarm  The Art Newspaper — Four works by Renaissance master Antonello da Messina stolen from Sicily museum  https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/08/17/four-works-by-sicilian-renaissance-master-stolen-from-messina-museum  AP/NBC News — Thieves steal 4 Renaissance artworks in a Sicilian museum heist during an Italian holiday  https://www.nbcnews.com/world/italy/thieves-steal-4-renaissance-artworks-sicilian-museum-heis-rcna592796  NPR — 15 states have laws that allow corporal punishment in schools. Here's where, and why  https://www.npr.org/2026/08/19/nx-s1-5803505/school-corporal-punishment-policy-tracker  Quartz — Treasury doubles long-term bond buybacks to $4 billion  https://qz.com/treasury-long-term-bond-buybacks-liquidity-081926  CNBC — Treasury doubles debt buybacks as Bessent moves to steady bond market  https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/19/treasury-announces-upscaled-buyback-operation-for-longer-term-debt-sending-yields-lower.html  CNBC — Stock market news for Aug. 19, 2026  https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/18/stock-market-today-live-updates.html  Bloomberg — Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for August 19  https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-08-18/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-live-updates  ESPN — 2026 Little League World Series: Baseball and softball results, schedules and more  https://www.espn.com/llws/story/_/id/49490865/2026-little-league-world-series-baseball-softball-schedule-results-how-watch  Yahoo Sports — 2026 Little League World Series: Full schedule, how to watch games  https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/2026-little-league-world-series-100820439.html  Sunny Skyz — Man Rescued Alive After 15 Days Trapped in Underwater Cave in Complete Darkness  https://www.sunnyskyz.com/good-news— 12 to KNOW Automation