September 8, 2023

UKRAINE | Today is day 561 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian officials say at least one person was killed, 44 others were wounded, and ten buildings were damaged overnight when Russian missiles hit the central Ukraine city of Kryvyi Rih. [more]
• In response to the ongoing impasse over renewing the deal allowing shipment of Ukrainian grain from Black Sea ports, the U.K. announced today that it will host a global food summit in November to address the issue and that it will use its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities to monitor Russian activity in the Black Sea region to provide warnings of possible attacks on civilian shipping or infrastructure. [more]

TEXAS | The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that Texas’ floating barrier on a part of the Rio Grande River can remain in place while legal challenges to the buoys continue. The decision came one day after a lower court judge ordered the removal of the buoys, which were put in place as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s moves aimed at preventing illegal border crossings. [more]

CONTEMPT OF CONGRESS | Former Trump administration official Peter Navarro was convicted on two counts of contempt of Congress yesterday by a federal jury for his refusal to comply with a subpoena issued by the House committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, attacks on the U.S. Capitol. Navarro has indicated that he intends to appeal the conviction. [more]

TRUMP GEORGIA ELECTION TRIAL | Fulton County Superior Court Judge Robert McBurney, who is overseeing the trial of former U.S. President Donald Trump and 18 others on charges related to alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia, is expected to release the full report of the special grand jury that recommended indictments in the case later this morning. [more]

G-20 | World leaders begin arriving in New Delhi, India, today for this weekend’s summit of the Group of 20 leading world economies. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, food security, debt problems of vulnerable countries, and climate change are expected to be major topics of discussion at the summit. [more]

LEBANON | Following a period of relative calm that lasted for most of August, clashes between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement and Islamist groups in Lebanon’s Ein el-Hilweh refugee camp resumed last night, with at least 20 people having been wounded in the unrest, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. [more]

MALI | Reports cite Mali’s military government as saying that 49 civilians and 15 soldiers were killed yesterday in two attacks by al-Qaida-linked insurgents in the country’s northern region. [more]

GREECE | Greek officials issued evacuation orders for areas around the city of Larissa today due to risks from continued flooding that has killed at least six people and required more than 1,800 emergency rescues this week. [more]

HONG KONG | Authorities in Hong Kong say at least two people died, and hundreds were forced to evacuate, due to storms that dropped a quarter of the city’s average annual rainfall overnight, flooding streets and subway stations. [more]

NORTH KOREA | Citing government and military officials, North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency says the country’s newest submarine has the ability to launch tactical nuclear weapons from underwater. South Korean officials have expressed skepticism that the submarine is ready for operational duty. [more]

AFRICA | Following Wednesday’s conclusion of the first Africa Climate Summit, Kenyan President William Ruto said that a total of $23 billion had been pledged by governments, investors, development banks, and philanthropists at the summit for green projects, clean energy initiatives, and climate finance solutions. [more]

CUBA | According to Cuban interior ministry officials, 17 people have been arrested in the island nation on charges related to the human trafficking of young Cuban men to fight in Ukraine with the Russian military. [more]

TURKEY | Turkish officials say some 170 people, including international rescue teams, doctors, and paramedics are taking part in efforts to rescue American caver Mark Dickey, who became ill while exploring the Morca cave in southern Turkey’s Taurus Mountains and is currently trapped about 3,000 feet below the cave’s entrance. [more]

AUSTRALIA AND THE PHILIPPINES | In a move expected to strengthen military and security cooperation, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed a strategic partnership agreement between their two countries today in Manila. [more]

FOOTBALL | In last night's opening game of the National Football League season , the Detroit Lions defeated last season's champion Kansas City Chiefs, 21-20. [more]

MORE FOOTBALL | The Cincinnati Bengals have reportedly agreed to a five-year, $275 million contract extension with quarterback Joe Burrow, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history. [more]

TENNIS | Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff will face off in tomorrow’s women’s final at the U.S. Open tennis tournament after beating Madison Keys and Karolina Muchova, respectively, in the semifinals yesterday. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1429, French heroine Joan of Arc, a peasant girl who believed she was acting under divine guidance, attempted to oust the duke of Burgundy and take Paris for newly crowned King Charles VII. [more history]