Putin's partial military mobilization condemned by U.S., Europe … Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a “partial mobilization” of troops was condemned by United States and European officials as a dangerous escalation as the invasion in Ukraine falters.

Trump vs. DeSantis in 2024?  USA TODAY/Suffolk poll shows Florida Republicans prefer their governor  —  In a hypothetical 2024 presidential primary in the Sunshine State, DeSantis leads Trump 48%-40%.  That's a reversal from a poll of Florida in January, when Trump led DeSantis 47%-40%.

Special master to Trump's lawyers: 'You can't have your cake and eat it'  —  NEW YORK — The senior federal judge tasked with reviewing the materials seized by the FBI from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate sharply questioned the former president's attorneys Tuesday during their first hearing in his courtroom.

Man admits to killing teen after political dispute in Foster Co., court docs allege  —  MCHENRY, N.D. (Valley News Live) - A community is mourning the loss of an 18-year-old man from Grace City, North Dakota, as investigators look into what led up to a deadly crash.

Trump's legal payments soar in wake of Mar-a-Lago search, campaign finance filings show  —  Spending by Donald Trump's Save America PAC surged in August to more than $6.3 million — its highest monthly total of the year — as the former President waged court battles over the FBI's search of his waterfront Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Revealed: the ‘shocking’ levels of toxic lead in Chicago tap water  —  Tests performed for thousands of Chicago residents found lead, a neurotoxin, in amounts far exceeding the federal standards  —  Erin McCormick, Aliya Uteuova and Taylor Moore with photographs by Jamie Kelter Davis

‘Unchecked’ book excerpt: Inside McConnell's decision not to convict Trump  —  “Let's just ignore him,” the GOP Senate leader said at one point, underscoring his hands-off approach on whether to stand up to pro-Trump lawmakers after the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol

Liz Cheney's role in electoral count bill fuels GOP distrust  —  The House is set to vote Wednesday on a bill to reform how Congress certifies presidential elections, but the involvement of the Jan. 6 committee — and in particular Vice Chair Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) — has drawn GOP opposition.

Biden aims to rally world leaders behind Ukraine in U.N. remarks  —  WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will use his remarks at the United Nations General Assembly Wednesday to rally the world in support of Ukraine as part of a broader call for countries to protect the established international order.

Trump Endorsed QAnon Because He's Stuck  —  He's grasping at straws, not solidifying his political base.  —  About the author: Juliette Kayyem, a former assistant secretary for homeland security under President Barack Obama, is the faculty chair of the homeland-security program at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government.

Scoop: McConnell-aligned super PAC pulls out of Arizona  —  The Mitch McConnell-aligned Senate Leadership Fund is canceling $9.6 million in television ads for the Arizona Senate race, confident that other outside conservative groups will make up much of the difference for Republican nominee Blake Masters.

Meta: We're not-so-big tech now  —  As Meta shapes its antitrust defense, it has begun pointing out its plummeting stock price as a sign that competition is alive and well in its market. … It has lost ground to its surging rival TikTok, and its revenue has been curtailed by Apple's iOS privacy changes.

Personal and national factors collide in tight Georgia Senate race — CBS News Battleground Tracker poll  —  It's the personal vs. the partisan in Georgia's Senate race, where the candidates are close in support, but voters' rationales for supporting each of them are quite different.

Most Republicans Support Declaring the United States a Christian Nation  —  Christian nationalism, a belief that the United States was founded as a white, Christian nation and that there is no separation between church and state, is gaining steam on the right.

Trump to Face Sexual Battery Suit Under New ‘Survivors’ Law  —  Donald Trump has faced a defamation suit from journalist E. Jean Carroll over her allegations that Trump raped her.  Now she's escalating the suit.  —  E. Jean Carroll, the journalist who claims she was raped by Donald Trump decades ago …

The six types of races that will decide control of the House in 2022  —  Analysis: The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter rates 31 House races as toss-ups.  Control of the chamber will come down to a very narrow cross-section of the country.  —  Republicans need to pick up at least five seats …