Across:
8 Problems (ISSUES) for lots of children (ISSUES),
9 Criminals (CONS-) going through (through) State? (= homophone indicator) (‘through’ = ‘true’ = -TRUE) (CONSTRUE) Read what you want to into that! (CONSTRUE),
10 A Mass (amass = SAVE) for those arrested and picked up (= reversal indicator) by Brezhnev astonishingly (arrested by ‘brezhnEV AStonishingly’ = evas = SAVE),
11 Zealots (HARDLINERS) destroying (= anagram indicator) Ireland (Ireland = -ARDLINE-) in hours (hrs = H-RS) (HARDLINERS),
12 Pointless not including tip (‘pointless’ not including ‘tip’ = onless = LESSON) for students in class (LESSON),
14 Firm (CO-) at times (times/multiply = -X-) wins a (wins a) complicated (= anagram indicator) (wins a = -SWAIN) (COXSWAIN) job providing direction to a crew overseas (COXSWAIN),
15 Most of those in 8 across (most of ‘issues’ = ISSUE) start analysing (start ‘Analysing’ = A) announcement (STATEMENT) (ISSUE A STATEMENT) in talk to the press (ISSUE A STATEMENT),
18 Crude (raw) review (= reversal indicator) (raw = WAR) by fun partner (Fun and GAMES) (WAR GAMES) of trial runs for a major employer (WAR GAMES = trial runs for a major employer/army),
20 A measure of the newspaperman (LINAGE) produced by head barman (Attorney General = -AG-) in bar (LIN-E) (LINAGE),
22 The best three (MEDALLISTS) tips at sea (tips at sea = -LISTS) going after (= position indicator) Scott, for one (Scott MEDAL-) (MEDALLISTS),
24 Propose a toast in part (‘propoSE A Toast’ in part = SEAT) for The Bench (SEAT),
25 Flat (LIFELESS) lacks energy or vitality (LIFELESS),
26 Sailor (Able-Bodied seaman = AB-) is the type of person taking advantage (-USER) (ABUSER) of addict (ABUSER).
Down:
1 Flight (ESCAPE) showing off (= anagram indicator) space (space = ESCAP-) age at the foundation ('agE' at the foundation = -E) (ESCAPE),
2 Three-dimensional figure (CUBE) of Seabiscuit removed as it is (‘seabiscuit’ removed ‘as it is’ = ebcu = CUBE).
3 The Asian (the Asian) jockey (= anagram indicator) (the Asian = ASTHENIA) with abnormal physical weakness (ASTHENIA),
4 Endless (e) panic (scare) (‘scare’ without ‘e’ = SCAR) tends to leave a mark (SCAR),
5 Flood (INFLUX) from Training Centre (‘traINing’ centre = IN-) got type of sickness = -FLU-) at times (times/multiply = -X) (INFLUX),
6 One of those falling for a star (STUNT WOMAN) starts working out (starts ‘Working Out’ = WO-) after (= position indicator) attention grabbing feat (STUNT) with worker (-MAN) (STUNT WOMAN),
7 Policewoman (GUARD-) finds leads, in a (leads ‘in a’ = -IA-) sense, in the middle (‘seNse’ in the middle = -N) (GUARDIAN) of The Paper (GUARDIAN),
13 No good pressing them (SOUR GRAPES), as it’s what you’d expect from poor loser (SOUR GRAPES),
14 Alludes to (alludes/refers to = CITES) Washington and Lincoln, for instance (cities), not taking the fourth? (‘i’) (‘citIes’ without ‘i’ = CITES),
16 Wild (= anagram indicator) kale is no (kale is no = SNAKE OIL) good for those who want a silly panacea (SNAKE OIL),
17 Is (-IS-) in Malta (Malta = TAL-MA-) working (= anagram indicator) with top-notch (top ‘Notch’ = -N) (TALISMAN) lucky idol (TALISMAN),
19 Everyone (-ALL-) in Maine (ME = M-E-) getting time (-T) (MALLET) – it’ll be used to hammer others (MALLET),
21 You’ll see them in a bunch (GRAPES) closing 13 down (closing ‘sour grapes’ = GRAPES),
23 Nothing special (SO-SO) in clip (n) of one of those from Trinity? (one of those from Trinity of “Father, Son and Holy Spirit” = ‘soN’ without ‘n’ = SO-) Who cares! (-SO) (SO-SO),
24 Opens 13 down (opens ‘sour grapes’ = SOUR) for a drink (SOUR).