“Russian drones hit a border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova in the southern region of Odesa, killing two people, and attacked the country’s capital Kyiv overnight, Ukrainian authorities said on Wednesday. Two civilians near the Starokozache crossing were killed and three others injured in the attack, Governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram. Passengers and vehicle traffic was temporarily halted across the border after the attack, which caused a major fire, officials said. Russia also attacked Kyiv overnight, causing fires but no casualties, emergency services said in a Telegram post.” (09/09/26)
“Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday refused to restore Missouri’s new congressional map, which was poised to give Republicans a pickup opportunity this November, but the map’s fate remains unclear after a ruling in a separate lawsuit. Missouri Republicans hope to return to the new 7-1 House map favoring them after the Show Me State’s top court ruled officials must revert to their its existing GOP-leaning 6-2 House map for the midterm elections. Kavanaugh, an appointee of President Trump, handles emergency matters arising from Missouri by default. His one-sentence order declining to intervene contained no explanation. It appeared to be a setback for Republicans, who had hoped to dismantle and flip a Kansas City-area seat held by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D).” (09/08/26)
“Former senator John E Sununu triumphed on Tuesday in the New Hampshire Republican Senate primary [versus] Scott Brown, earning the GOP nod in what will likely be a must-win race if Democrats hope to seize the upper chamber. … Sununu will face congressman Chris Pappas, who beat back a progressive challenger in the Democratic primary, advancing as most observers expected to what will be a closely watched general election that is critical to Democratic hopes of flipping the upper chamber.” (09/08/26)
“Police arrested a suspect Tuesday in connection with a series of attacks on power distribution systems across Germany which had led to a massive, dayslong search. A 48-year-old man was arrested near a power plant in Weisweiler, in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The man … was in possession of explosives and offered no resistance at the time of his arrest, Cologne police said in a statement. … The incidents took place as the country was on high alert after the government blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport on Aug. 4 using a drone laden with explosives.” (09/8/260
“Russian President Vladimir Putin assured U.S. President Donald Trump in a phone call Tuesday that Moscow doesn’t harbor aggressive intentions toward Europe, a senior Kremlin official said, after European officials blamed Moscow for sabotage campaigns on their soil. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said meanwhile that U.S. envoys who visited Kyiv presented some ‘very good, worthwhile ideas’ for ending Russia’s 4 1/2-year-old war, adding that he hopes to meet with Trump within two weeks. But Russia remains determined to accomplish its military goals and it believes it is close to winning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Ukrainian and Western observers, however, believe that Moscow has been unable to make any significant progress on the front line. The war could yet drag on for years as Russia reconstitutes its forces and its defense industry, said U.S. Undersecretary of Defense Elbridge Colby. ‘We must be prepared for a protracted conflict and for Ukraine’s requirements to persist in the months and years ahead’, Colby told an online meeting of countries helping Ukraine.” (09/08/26)
“Tunisian journalists protested on Tuesday to demand the release of prominent journalist Mohamed Yousfi, whose arrest has become a new flashpoint amid accusations that President Kais Saied is cracking down on the country’s remaining independent voices. The protesters, who also included activists, gathered outside a court where a judge was questioning Yousfi over illicit enrichment and money laundering charges, which critics say were fabricated to punish him for his outspoken journalism. Yousfi, a fierce critic of Saied and the editor-in-chief of investigative news website Al-Qatiba, was arrested last Friday as he was preparing to enter Express FM Radio to take part in a radio programme. His arrest prompted widespread condemnation of Saied’s government, with rights groups saying the case was aimed at increasing a climate of fear among journalists.” (09/08/26)
“A new political action committee chaired by Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker plans to invest at least $20 million aimed at boosting Democratic House candidates for the midterms while also expanding his national political footprint ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run. The ‘Ready for the Fight’ PAC — evoking a phrase Pritzker uses to close his political speeches — will focus on what the governor says are overlooked races, as well as a few competitive contests, according to Pritzker’s team. The PAC plans to reserve air time against the embattled Rep. Max Miller in Ohio’s 7th Congressional District and Brandon Herrera, a Republican candidate in Texas’[s] 23rd Congressional District. Both are running in Republican-leaning districts, but Pritzker sees an opening, arguing they’re weak candidates facing a Democrat-friendly national climate.” (09/08/26)
“Hungary expelled 10 Russian diplomats on Tuesday, saying they had acted in ways incompatible with their diplomatic status, in a stark reminder that the pro-Russian years of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban are over. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said it would retaliate and its response would be painful for Hungary, Interfax news agency reported. … Those kicked out ‘were engaged in activities in Hungary that are unacceptable for diplomats under the Vienna Convention,’ Hungarian Foreign Minister Anita Orban, who is not related to the former prime minister, said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. ‘This decision … does not imply breaking off diplomatic relations with Russia. Hungary intends to continue the necessary dialogue,’ the statement added.” (09/08/26)
“Three paintings have been stolen from a museum dedicated to French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir in southern France in an early morning burglary. Two thieves broke into the museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer, near Nice, a little before 6am (0400 GMT) and took four paintings, Mayor Bryan Masson said in a post on social media on Tuesday. ‘Spotted thanks to the town’s video surveillance cameras, the two individuals fled, abandoning one of the stolen paintings as they ran,’ Masson said, adding his office estimated the value of the stolen works at 9 million euros ($10.5m). … The theft comes less than a year after eight items valued at about $100m were stolen during a daylight robbery from the famed Louvre Museum in Paris.” (09/08/26)
“A Pennsylvania priest is facing charges after prosecutors say he stole more than $740,000 from churches, church affiliates – and his own mother. Gregory Allen Madeya, 69, was arrested last month in Vero Beach, Florida and was later extradited back to Pennsylvania. Investigators say he is a former Ukrainian Catholic priest whose crimes started in 2018. He served at Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Derry Township, according to the Latrobe Bulletin. Madeya allegedly stole from various churches and the Knights of Columbus as well as ‘nearly $250,000 from his mother, who was of the age when she could not manage her own finances,’ the attorney general’s office said. Following a lengthy investigation, detectives uncovered that Madeya allegedly fraudulently misappropriated nearly $320,000 from churches and donors.” (09/08/26)
