Politics & World Affairs — September 19, 2026

Russia begins wartime Duma vote. Russia began three days of tightly controlled parliamentary voting — its first wartime Duma election — including in Ukrainian regions Moscow illegally annexed.

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Pakistan bombing toll reaches 31. A suicide attack on a police headquarters near the Afghan border killed at least 31 people and injured more than 100, with clashes continuing into Saturday.

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Trump signs Russia sanctions bill. President Trump signed legislation Friday authorizing new sanctions on Russian officials, banks, and shadow tankers. The law, named for the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, grants him expanded tariff powers.

According to BBC World, the legislation goes beyond punitive measures, also authorizing aid provisions connected to Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine. The combination of sanctions authority, aid measures and broadened tariff powers places a range of Russia-related economic tools under the president’s discretion, though the provided material does not specify when or how the administration intends to apply them.

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