Feds help arrest hundreds in silent, undercover operation in Memphis

“Operation Viper” was launched earlier this year in Memphis with the backing of the FBI, according to U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn.

wsmv.com

Crickets: Four fatal shootings by Memphis Task Force and little coverage from national news • Tennessee Lookout

Four men have been shot and killed in Memphis by agents with the Memphis Safe Task Force. Does anyone outside the city care?

tennesseelookout.com

NATO fighter jet scrambles increase 250% as Russia tests border with military planes, Alliance says

Aircraft scrambles along NATO's eastern border increased by 250% in July 2026 compared to July 2025, due to Russian military planes skirting Alliance airspace without flight plans.

kyivindependent.com

Todd Blanche Kept Trump’s Tax Audit Shield. It Could Erase a $100 Million IRS Bill

The tax audit immunity deal conferred on Trump has raised concerns from lawmakers and experts.

yahoo.com

Kyiv has right to seize Russian shadow fleet vessel transporting stolen grain, Swedish court affirms

The "landmark decision" marks the first time a foreign court has ordered the handover of a Russian ship tied to stolen Ukrainian grain.

kyivindependent.com

German authorities thwart Russian intelligence plot targeting drone supplier for Ukraine

German intelligence services have thwarted an alleged assassination attempt targeting Stefan Thumann, the head of Donaustahl-a defense company that supplies reconnaissance and combat drones to Ukraine. Authorities believe Russian intelligence agencies may have been behind the plot, according to German newspaper Die Zeit . Court documents reveal that in December 2025, a man named Sergey N. arrived in the town of Straßkirchen, Bavaria. He was seen photographing Thumann’s home and gathering information about the company executive. German security officials soon identified this activity as part of a potential assassination plan, sparking a series of closed-door meetings between law enforcement and government officials to discuss the threat. Investigators believe Thumann may not have been the sole target. Russian intelligence services reportedly showed interest in at least one other executive from another German defense firm, whose identity remains undisclosed. Details about the case have been classified. This isn’t the first time Russian operatives have been linked to surveillance of German defense leaders. In 2024, Russian intelligence agents were caught trailing Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall. German officials say such operations could not have been conducted without the Kremlin’s approval. Donaustahl has supplied drones to Ukraine’s defense forces since 2023. Thumann has been an outspoken supporter of Kyiv and a vocal critic of Russian aggression. The threat to Thumann was first uncovered by a foreign intelligence service, prompting German authorities to quickly detain the Russian agent conducting the surveillance. He was briefly held but soon released, and subsequent investigations confirmed his connections to Russian intelligence. However, by then, he had already escaped from Germany to Spain with his family. In the spring of 2026, Spanish authorities detained Sergey N., and in Germany, Romanian citizen Alla S. was also arrested under suspicion of surveilling Thumann. Both now face charges related to operating on behalf of a foreign intelligence agency. Following the discovery of the assassination plot, Thumann’s personal security was significantly increased. In a related incident, a truck was stopped at the Serbian-Hungarian border at the height of the investigation. Authorities discovered a hidden cache of explosives inside. Contact information for Russian intelligence was found on the detainees’ phones. The truck’s destination was Bavaria-the same region where Thumann lives and where several major German defense companies are based.

uawire.org

Abortion Foes Backed Ballot Measures in 2 Red States. Voters Said No.

Voters in Kansas rejected a proposal to start electing Supreme Court justices, while Missourians declined to make it harder to amend the State Constitution.

nytimes.com