Morning Digest

Sunday, August 9, 2026

25 stories from 4 sources, 154 more held back.

RT

White Brotherhood Cult: How a Communist Became a Self-Proclaimed Messiah

From Communist to ‘Messiah’: The bizarre story of how one woman led hundreds to Kiev to meet the apocalypse. All the residents of the post-Soviet space are familiar with the ‘90s phenomenon’. After the collapse of the USSR, the lives of hundreds of millions of people changed suddenly and irrevocably.

RT 5:10 PM

How the EU lost control of its southern border

The latest migration crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta offers a revealing glimpse into the European Union’s changing relationship with the world beyond its borders. At the same time, it shows just how different today’s politics are from the future many imagined only a generation ago.

RT 5:06 PM

Ukraine currently too corrupt to join the EU – FT

The EU cannot fast-track Ukraine’s membership bid as allowing such a large and corrupt country into the bloc would make a “mockery of the entire project,” a senior diplomat who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Financial Times for an article published on Friday.

RT 4:07 PM

German reporter asks Zelensky how Europe can help ‘kill more Russians’

A German journalist asked Vladimir Zelensky at a press conference in Belgrade how Europeans could help Kiev “kill more Russians,” prompting Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to raise his eyebrows in apparent disbelief. The provocative question came from Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung correspondent Michael Martens during a joint press conference following Zelensky’s talks with Vucic on Saturday.

RT 2:27 PM

Kim Dotcom warns AI could supercharge US surveillance

‘AI will know everything about everybody’ – Kim Dotcom. AI could eventually gain unprecedented insight into people’s lives, internet entrepreneur Kim Dotcom has warned. He said the technology could bring together vast amounts of personal information, allowing AI systems to build highly detailed profiles of individuals.

RT 2:19 PM

Raw America

Good News: Trump Loses 20 Voting Cases in a Row

Bryan Stevenson teaches America how to remember, and judges keep showing Trump who's boss. This week, Trump tried to rewrite history, but a man who builds museums fought back. And Trump lost his twentieth case after trying to steal your voting data.

Raw America 3:16 PM

Breaking: House Democrats Won't Try to Impeach Trump

Trump still menacing Greenland, Amazon plans most-polluting power plant in America, and Darline Graham is a flop. Democrats are quietly building the machinery to gut Trump: no impeachment circus, just subpoenas. Greenland told a Trump-linked oil outfit to stop their plan to drill, and enlisted Dr. Phil to twist the knife.

Raw America 4:00 PM

Breaking: GOP Congressman Under New Scrutiny Over Daughter's Bruises

Construction of Trump’s ballroom was just shut down by a federal court, and Trump is now demanding his far-right Supreme Court bail him out again. A Republican congressman facing horrific domestic violence allegations is now blaming his toddler daughter’s daycare for her bruises, while the daycare insists they never laid a hand on her.

Raw America 10:41 PM

How Centrist Democrats' War on Progressives Enables Trump

Third Way's multimillion-dollar offensive threatens Medicare for All, labor rights, climate action, and the progressive movement driving the party's energy…. Democratic strategist James Carville, who advised former President Bill Clinton’s 1992 campaign, speaking in New York City, on April 11, 2015. (Image: Eduardo Munoz for ICSS Livepic/via Reuters).

Raw America 6:45 PM

MAGA Congressman Pushing for 3rd Trump Term Loses GOP Primary

Donald Trump’s approval numbers have cratered to the lowest point of his political career, and even his own staffers say he’s ignoring it all to chase vanity projects.. A new study finds nearly half of young people aren’t going to church specifically because of evangelical leaders cozying up to Trump.

Raw America 3:50 PM

Revealed: Leaked Texts Detail GOP Lawmaker’s ‘Cruel’ Treatment of Toddler Daughter

MAGA activist Laura Loomer just lit into Fox News as “TV for stupid people” after the network killed her interview segment with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. A Guardian investigation reveals a 33-year-old defense contractor has become the top Republican fundraiser on the West Coast while his company is receiving billions of dollars in Pentagon contracts.

Raw America 10:46 PM

ER Physician Dr. Chris Ford on Trump's Cuts to Medicare

Raw America managing editor Carl Gibson recently interviewed Dr. Chris Ford — an emergency room physician practicing in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and contributor to the Paging America Substack — to talk about about the ongoing affordability crisis in American healthcare.

Raw America 10:02 PM

ESPN

Don Nelson, second-winningest coach in NBA history, dies at 86

"On Sunday morning our beloved husband, dad, grandfather and great-grandfather Don Nelson peacefully went to be with the Lord, surrounded by his loving family," Nelson's family said in a statement, according to NBA reporter Marc Stein. "Throughout his last week, friends and family encircled him with love, sharing the blessing of his friendship and revisiting treasured memories."

ESPN 2:44 PM

Braves' Chris Sale, still fuming after balk, ejected before game

As umpires took the field and walked by the Braves' dugout on the third-base side, Sale began barking. Merzel tossed him, and Sale said something to crew chief Dan Bellino as the two talked near the dugout rail. Sale was called for his third career balk by Merzel during the fifth inning of Saturday's 5-4 loss.

ESPN 2:44 PM

Teddy Bridgewater leaves Lions to retire again, coach says

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Detroit Lions veteran quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has decided to step away from the team amid training camp and was officially placed on the reserve/retired list ahead of Sunday's practice. Head coach Dan Campbell said he believes that this retirement could stick for Bridgewater, who had previously retired after the 2023 season only to return to the Lions the next season.

ESPN 1:27 PM

Saints' Dillon Radunz out for season because of torn ACL

Radunz limped off the field after one-on-one offensive and defensive line drills toward the beginning of Saturday's practice and did not return. Radunz, who signed with the Saints last year, has been a key reserve who started 10 games last season. Radunz is the second Saints player to tear an ACL in camp this year, as defensive tackle Bryan Bresee also tore his ACL at the start of camp.

ESPN 1:27 PM

Demi Vollering wins the Women's Tour de France for 2nd time

The 2023 champion raised her bike in the air moments after crossing the finish line in Nice comfortably ahead of Polish rider Katarzyna Niewiadoma-Phinney, the 2024 champion. Niewiadoma-Phinney started Sunday's stage eight seconds behind Vollering, who got a time bonus for winning the stage.

ESPN 1:27 PM

Jannik Sinner withdraws from Cincinnati Open with knee injury

"After consulting with my doctors and my team, I have to announce that I need to withdraw from the Masters 1000 tournament in Cincinnati," Sinner, who won the event in 2024, said in a statement released by the tournament. "My right knee has been bothering me and even though we have been working hard with my medical team, I have to accept that I'm not ready to compete yet.

ESPN 12:21 PM

Aces rest A'ja Wilson, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young at Liberty

The Aces lost 98-87 at Minnesota on Saturday in a nationally televised game and didn't arrive at their hotel in New York until nearly 10 p.m. after making the almost 1,200-mile trek from Minneapolis. "I mean, everybody has a brutal schedule at some point. I don't even think they do this in the NBA, though, where it's less than 24 hours," Aces coach Becky Hammon said.

ESPN 12:21 PM

Panthers sign Kyle Trask as QB3 after Haynes King injury

Trask gives the Panthers a third QB behind starter Bryce Young and backup Kenny Pickett. Trask has familiarity with Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, having spent the last three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He has limited game experience, with only 11 career pass attempts during his career.

ESPN 10:23 AM

The Rundown AI

AI designs viruses never seen in nature

Scientists just used AI to design viruses that don't exist in nature, then created them in the lab and watched them come to life and infect their targets. The viruses are harmless — they only attack bacteria, with the goal of fighting drug-resistant infections. The worry is what happens if the same tools get repurposed, the way we've seen in cybersecurity, to invent something dangerous.

The Rundown AI 12:00 AM