Trump and Putin meet in Anchorage on Aug. 15 to push the Russia-Ukraine war toward a close. It will be the first face-to-face since Trump’s term began and since the invasion. A NYT guest essay by two former NSC officials warns the military may not defend the constitutional order; critics call it a coup; the White House says the rhetoric is dangerous.

France endures a brutal heatwave, with 42.9°C in Montat, 42.6°C in Mirande, 42.3°C in Angoulême and 41.6°C in Bordeaux. Météo-France says 40°C is routine now, tied to climate change, with dozens of stations expected to top it in coming days.

NOAA says a quiet aurora could light eight northern states Thursday (KP 3): AK, NE WA, north ID, north MT, ND, MN, WI, Michigan’s UP. Best viewing 10 p.m.–2 a.m.; clear, dark skies help.

Reeves faces criticism as the Treasury weighs inheritance tax reform to fill a £50b gap; Griffith says it’s terrible and kills incentives. Gifting limits and higher capital gains tax are on the table; inheritance tax raises about £7b a year from roughly 4% of estates.

The Digest, 8/14/2025 @730PM, CDT

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