Here is what happened today — Thursday, October 8, 2026 — around the world, in Washington, and across the country.
INTERNATIONAL
Glide bomb hits Kramatorsk bus stop: at least 33 killed
A Russian glide bomb struck a crowded bus stop in Kramatorsk, in eastern Ukraine, on Thursday morning. Ukrainian authorities said at least 33 people were killed and 18 wounded — one of the largest single attacks this year. Two city buses were operating near the stop when the bomb hit, and the city suspended public transit. The governor of the Donetsk region said Russia deliberately targets civilians; Moscow had no immediate comment and denies targeting civilians. In separate Thursday morning drone strikes in Kyiv, three people were killed and 14 wounded, according to the city’s mayor.
Sources: New York Post; The Times (UK).
New torture charges for Maduro and his wife
U.S. prosecutors charged former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores with conspiracy to commit torture on Thursday, adding to the drug-trafficking case they already face. The new indictment says the couple oversaw a system of torture against nine people, including three American citizens — beatings, electric shock, asphyxiation, sexual assault. Both deny the charges. A federal judge also denied Flores’s request to be released from jail for health reasons before the trial, which is set for next year.
Sources: Reuters; CNN; U.S. Department of Justice.
France: more than 500 arrested as student protests turn violent again
Student protests in France turned violent again on Thursday. More than 500 people were arrested, nearly 50 police officers were injured, and clashes broke out in Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille. Students are demanding more money for schools — dilapidated buildings, overcrowded classrooms, missing teachers. The education minister promised 3,000 substitute teachers for the country’s 114 worst-off schools within days. In Bordeaux, protesters ransacked a school and set fire to a police station. About 71,500 people demonstrated across France, according to the Interior Ministry.
Sources: The Times (UK); The Sun.
POLITICS
Supreme Court sides with Republicans again on campaign ad prices
The Supreme Court sided with Republicans again in the fight over TV ad prices ahead of the midterms. Chief Justice John Roberts paused an appeals-court order that had given the FCC just two days to rule on Democrats’ challenge to cheaper ad rates for party committees. The 4th Circuit had accused the FCC of delaying on purpose; Roberts ordered the Democratic challengers — including Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff — to respond by Saturday. At issue: a March FCC policy that lets political parties pay the discounted “lowest unit” rates usually reserved for candidates.
Sources: USA Today; Reuters.
Administration probes nine universities over J-1 visa fraud
The Trump administration opened investigations into nine universities over alleged J-1 visa fraud. Vice President JD Vance named Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Brown, the University of Pittsburgh, UC Davis, Caltech, Arizona State and MIT, claiming 61% of researchers on federally funded projects at those schools hold J-1 visas — compared to a 38% national average. He did not explain how those figures were calculated. The Labor Department’s inspector general said subpoenas have already been sent to all nine schools and a visa-fraud strike team is being set up.
Sources: New York Post; Associated Press.
IMMIGRATION
ICE told to push arrests back to 3,000 a day
ICE leadership told agents on Tuesday to increase immigration arrests by 1,000 more people a day — returning to a goal of 3,000 daily arrests — according to two sources cited by CNN. Agents were also told to aim for 19,000 arrests per week. ICE recently averaged about 2,000 arrests a day; its best week, in late June, saw just over 12,500. A Homeland Security spokesperson said there are “NO quotas.” The agency has also solicited more holding space, citing “exceptionally high operational tempo.”
Sources: CNN; Reuters.
Study: nearly 15,000 deported from Southern California region
A new UCLA study found that nearly 15,000 people arrested by ICE in the Los Angeles region in 2025 and 2026 have been deported. Of those arrested between January 2025 and May 2026, 62% were deported within 60 days — and only 7% were released. At the height of the surge, in June and July 2025, 75% of those arrested were deported. The city of Los Angeles accounted for a third of all at-large arrests in the region.
Source: UCLA newsroom — single source (the university’s own Deportation Data Project).
CORPORATE WATCH
Microsoft suspended from green-card program over alleged fraud
The government suspended Microsoft from the program that lets companies apply for green cards for H-1B workers, accusing the tech giant of fraud. “For every worker that Microsoft laid off, they replaced that worker with one and a half foreign indentured servants,” Vice President Vance said. Also suspended: Cognizant, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, HCO, Capgemini and Adobe. A day earlier, the administration proposed a $70,000 fee that schools would pay for each international student seeking U.S. work authorization.
Sources: Associated Press; ZeroHedge.
Florida: Medicaid fraud crackdown cuts nearly $1 billion in projected costs
Florida says its Medicaid fraud crackdown cut the projected cost of autism-therapy services by nearly $1 billion — from $3.86 billion to $2.88 billion for fiscal year 2026-27. Investigators found providers billing for more than 24 hours of services in a single day and using stolen Medicaid IDs. The state terminated more than 220 providers for fraud, waste or abuse, restricted or suspended more than 260 others, and referred more than 150 cases to the attorney general.
Sources: Fox News; Fox 49.
MARKETS
Stocks mixed: Dow up, Nasdaq sinks as AI selloff hits tech
Wall Street closed mixed on Thursday. The Dow rose 52 points to 51,232 (+0.1%), the S&P 500 fell 0.47% to 7,765, and the Nasdaq dropped 1.25% to 27,193 as AI stocks sold off after the Financial Times reported OpenAI’s annualized revenue is $20 billion lower than previously signaled. Chip stocks fell about 4%; Nvidia lost nearly 3%. Oil surged: Brent topped $105 a barrel, and WTI closed at $91.49 (+3.6%) after an Iranian strike on a vessel near Qatar and Hurricane Isaias shut 25% of Gulf oil production. The 10-year Treasury yield eased to 5.23% after a strong 30-year bond auction. Winners included Chipotle, up 6% on reports that Starbucks explored a takeover. After hours, SpaceX said it will buy wireless spectrum — and Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile shares fell.
Sources: Wall Street Journal; Investopedia; MarketWatch.
BREAKING
Hurricane Isaias now Category 2, aiming at Pensacola early Saturday
Hurricane Isaias strengthened to Category 2 on Thursday with 100 mph winds, aiming at the northern Gulf Coast near Pensacola for early Saturday. It is the latest-forming first hurricane on record — the Atlantic needed 129 days for its first named storm this season. Florida declared emergencies in 25 counties, Georgia in all 159, and Alabama too. Escambia County ordered evacuations for Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key and opened shelters. Storm-surge warnings run from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Steinhatchee, Florida. Preparations “should be finished today,” the Weather Channel said.
Sources: New York Post; Savannah Now; Pensacola News Journal.
OTHER STATES
Georgia: all 159 counties under emergency
Governor Brian Kemp put all 159 Georgia counties under a state of emergency Thursday as Isaias pushes inland Friday night through Saturday. The state expects 2 to 4 inches of rain — locally 6 inches or more — with possible tornadoes and downed trees. AccuWeather says this won’t be another Helene.
Source: Savannah Now — single source.
Florida: 5-year-old dies when classroom video board falls
In Palm Bay, Florida, a 5-year-old boy died Wednesday when a large video display board mounted on a wall fell on him at Riviera Elementary School. First responders rushed to the school, but the boy was pronounced dead at the hospital. Brevard County Schools said it is inspecting similar boards across the district.
Source: New York Post, citing WFTV and the school district — single source.
Sources / Fuentes: New York Post; The Times (UK); The Sun; Reuters; CNN; U.S. Department of Justice; USA Today; Associated Press; ZeroHedge; Fox News; Fox 49; Wall Street Journal; Investopedia; MarketWatch; Savannah Now; Pensacola News Journal; UCLA newsroom.
Leave a Reply