Americans agree their democracy is in crisis – yet the solution is as simple as it is elusive | National

• Luxembourg's 104,000 pupils are returning to school next week, including 58,000 in primary education and 45,000 in secondary education. • The return to school follows concerns regarding PISA, the international test that measures student performance in reading, math, and science.

• Luxembourg Prime Minister Luc Frieden expressed deep concern over the rise of extremists winning elections across Europe during a recent interview with France 24. • The discussion highlighted the "political earthquake" caused by the AfD's victory in the Saxony-Anhalt regional election in early September.

• The United Kingdom, France, and Canada banned trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank this week. • Israel responded to the sanctions by ordering the closure of the British consulate in Jerusalem.

• Kaja Kallas, the head of European Diplomacy, proposed granting the European Prosecutor's Office the authority to open legal cases against those circumventing sanctions on Russia. • The European Commission separately approved an additional €6.1 billion in funding for Ukraine to purchase drones, ammunition, and air and missile defense systems.

• The Constitutional Accountability Center filed legal briefs in several courts to promote text-and-history arguments regarding constitutional rights. • One specific filing in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit addresses whether a district court can investigate if the Trump administration defied orders concerning Venezuelan assets.

• EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas recently told The Irish Times that the European Union should treat Israeli settlements similarly to Russian-occupied Crimea. • Kallas argued that implementing an EU-wide trade ban on goods from these occupied territories would be a principled stand.

• A drone nearly struck Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's plane while he was traveling to a royal funeral in Norway. • The incident occurred shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin downplayed threats to Europe during a phone call with Donald Trump.

• Heavy fighting between the Houthis and the Presidential Leadership Council in Yemen has left hundreds of people dead. • American journalist and feminist activist Gloria Steinem died at the age of 92.

• President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance delivered closing remarks and a keynote speech on Thursday to conclude the GOP Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas. • The first-of-its-kind event spanned two days and featured speeches from Republican leaders, candidates, and American families.

• A court rejected a Trump-backed congressional map in Missouri, meaning the state will revert to its former districts. • This decision follows a pattern of unfulfilled promises, such as Trump's pledge to use tariff revenue and government efficiency savings to send payments of $2,000 or more to citizens.

• President Donald Trump delivered a speech on September 10, 2026, during the closing day of the GOP midterm convention in Dallas. • The event was organized specifically to highlight the president's influence over the Republican party.