Terror Plot Stopped, Sailors Head Home & IndyCar's D.C. Takeover - Friday, August 21, 2026

**Erica Mandy** (0:00)
Today is Friday, August 21st. We'll tell you what's next for the thousands of sailors who have already broken the record for the longest stretch at sea. Also how the FBI stopped what could have been a horrific terror attack and where millions of Americans are bracing for more severe storms. Plus what Neutrogena had to say about its treatment of Hayden Panettiere after backlash, how a highly anticipated movie and video game both got leaked, and why there could be some carnage after the first IndyCar race on the streets of the nation's capital. Those stories and more news to know coming up.
Welcome to The NewsWorthy, all the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this.
USS Abraham Lincoln is finally heading home. The aircraft carrier has been deployed for more than 270 days, supporting the US war with Iran, and it's gone more than 240 days without a port call, breaking the record for consecutive days at sea.
In other words, about 5,000 sailors on board have not had any days off to rest in about nine months. As we've told you, the crew has reported food and hygiene supply shortages, plumbing problems, and growing concerns about mental health. Though the Pentagon has said some of the reports are misrepresented. Now, they have a roughly 13,000-mile journey home, which could take four to five weeks. The USS George Washington is now taking over the Lincoln's role as the US continues its blockade of Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz. It arrived in the Arabian Sea this week, but it's not clear how long that deployment is expected to last. Meanwhile, the US military is making a big change to how it's preparing for the next war. The US Army is shutting down a specialized drone battalion that was created just last year. It was created in part to learn from the war in Ukraine. The unit has spent the past year in Europe building and testing drones and training for drone warfare. The timing is notable since drones are also playing a big part in the current war in Iran. But the decision to shut it down is apparently part of a broader shakeup at the Army after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ousted the service's top general in April. And the officers who pushed for the drone unit were closely associated with that former Army leadership. Now the Army says the 600 soldiers who have been assigned to this unit will finish two more exercises in Germany, then go back to their original jobs, fighting on the ground.
The FBI says it stopped a plan to bomb the New York state Capitol. Investigators say an Albany woman who pledged her allegiance to ISIS wanted to kill state lawmakers and cause as much damage to the Capitol as possible. They say she had been scoping out the building, taking photos and looking for a specific way to carry out the attack. She apparently bought materials that could be used to make a bomb. The whole time, the woman had been communicating with people she apparently believed were connected to ISIS, but they were actually FBI informants. Thankfully, no attack was carried out and no one was hurt. Authorities say there is no current threat to the public. The woman now faces up to 20 years in prison.
The FBI is now searching for evidence in the sexual misconduct case against former California Congressman Eric Swalwell. Reports now say federal agents seized Swalwell's electronic devices at San Francisco's International Airport last weekend. The next day, they searched his home in Washington, DC. Remember, Swalwell resigned from Congress and dropped his campaign for California governor back in April. After multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct, the allegations ranged from sexual assault to sending unsolicited, explicit images. Swalwell has denied the allegations and has said he plans to fight them. Well, now it's not clear what exactly the FBI is looking for or whether Swalwell is going to face criminal charges. But this search marks a significant escalation in the investigation. Meanwhile, California voters have finally chosen the person who will serve the remaining months of Swalwell's term in Congress. There was a special election earlier this week, and now we know progressive state Senator Aisha Wahab has won. She defeated fellow Democrat Melissa Hernandez. But the campaign isn't over. The same two candidates will face off in November in the race for the next full term in Congress. So stay tuned.
The US is expanding a controversial deportation strategy, sending immigrants to countries they've never called home. The latest example, Liberia. The US has now sent its first group of deportees to the West African country under a new deal. The first flight carried 20 people. Up to 1,200 others could be sent there over the next year. And Liberian officials say most will come from Latin American countries, including Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia.