US Congress Passes Sweeping Russia Sanctions Bill, Sends It To Trump

• The Trump administration filed a document with the Supreme Court regarding Postal Service rules for mail-in ballots. • The filing states that the current rules only impose modest requirements for envelope design and addressee information.

• President Trump banned CNN, MSNBC, and Politico from the White House while accusing the outlets of spreading fake news. • The president threatened that other media organizations would soon face the same punishment.

• In-person early voting for the U.S. midterm elections began on Friday in Virginia, Minnesota, and South Dakota. • Voters in these states can now cast absentee ballots in person before the general election date.

• The United Kingdom government announced sanctions connected to West Bank settlements on Sept. 9. • Prime Minister Andy Burnham took office in July to lead the current administration.

• KfW Research found that geopolitical tensions are increasingly weighing on German foreign trade, with exports being particularly exposed. • The analysis shows that the link between geopolitical alignment and trade flows has become considerably more pronounced since 2016.

• President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the creation of the "Carpathian Eight" (C8), a new international group comprising Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary. • The head of the Budget Committee of the Parliament of Pidlas reported that 39 billion UAH in costs, including winter energy preparations for September through November, were postponed.

• Several countries, including Australia and Denmark, are implementing new restrictions to limit children's access to social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. • Denmark announced it will ban social media for children under 15 starting in November 2025, though parents may grant access to some platforms for children as young as 13.

• Former President Trump attempted to restrict mail-in voting processes leading up to the midterm elections. • State election officials in Alabama, North Carolina, and Wisconsin had already begun mailing ballots before the Supreme Court ruled on the plan.

• A new study found that approximately 10% of Americans will vote in a different congressional district before the upcoming midterm elections. • Election administrators must now revise ballot combinations, polling arrangements, and voter information on compressed schedules to accommodate these map changes.

• Early midterm voting began on September 18, 2026, as voters started casting ballots ahead of the general election. • The Postal Service chief announced that work has stopped on a computer system intended to support Donald Trump's efforts to limit mail-in voting.

• India is facing a policy dilemma following a new US sanctions bill targeting Russia that threatens its oil import strategy. • Potential US tariffs on Indian exports could disrupt bilateral trade relations if New Delhi continues purchasing Russian energy.