Wednesday Briefing: Dozens killed in a Russian strike

Plus an unsealed complaint about Oct. 7.

View in browser|nytimes.com September 4, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering casualties from a Russian strike in Ukraine and an unsealed complaint about the massacre of Oct. 7. Plus: Celebrating and remixing Black dance. Missiles struck a military academy in Poltava, Ukraine. David Guttenfelder for The New York Times A Russian strike killed more than 50 in Ukraine Russian missiles yesterday struck a military academy and a neighboring hospital in Poltava, about 100 miles from the Russian border, killing more than 50 people, wounding some 200 others and underscoring Moscow's superior firepower. It was the latest in a string of deadly Russian strikes. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the strikes had been carried out with ballistic missiles, which can travel at supersonic speed and reach a target anywhere in Ukraine within minutes. Residents scrambled to reach shelters, with many saying that sirens sounded only shortly before the attacks. On the ground: The entire area was littered with shattered glass, with nearby buildings missing windows and doors. Rescue workers in Poltava described scenes of dismembered bodies being pulled from the rubble of the school. Read accounts from the scene. Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas. Mohammed Salem/Reuters U.S. charged Hamas leaders in Oct. 7 massacre Federal prosecutors charged Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, and five senior members of the group with planning and carrying out years of terrorist attacks in Israel, including the Oct. 7 massacre, according to a sweeping complaint unsealed yesterday and originally filed in February. Read the document. The criminal complaint implicated two other senior members of Hamas not previously thought to be directly involved in the attacks. The complaint said 43 Americans were believed to have died in the attack. Details: The other leaders named are Ismail Haniyeh, who oversaw Hamas's political office in Qatar; Muhammad Deif and Marwan Issa, the commander and deputy commander of the group's military wing; Ali Barakeh, a senior Hamas official based in Beirut; and Khaled Meshal, a former political leader of the group. Three of them have been killed since Oct. 7. In Gaza: The campaign to vaccinate 650,000 children under 10 for polio has been more successful than expected, according to the W.H.O. In Israel: Even as many Israelis push their government to prioritize the release of hostages above the immediate defeat of Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to change course. 🇺🇸 U.S. ELECTION 2024 The presidential election is less than 70 days away. This is what we're watching. Kamala Harris's operation is sending money to down-ballot Democrats. Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times The latest from the campaign trail Kamala Harris's fund-raising apparatus is planning to direct $24.5 million to organizations dedicated to electing state and local Democratic candidates, according to her campaign chair. The money transfer has been made possible by a surge of financial support for her candidacy after President Biden dropped his bid in July. The move also reflects the party's increased focus on down-ballot races. Democrats were hit hard in local contests during Barack Obama's presidency, which allowed Republicans to redraw legislative districts to their advantage. In other U.S. politics news: Jared and Ivanka Trump are facing accusations that land they hope to develop in Albania was improperly set aside for them. Allies of the Harris campaign began a campaign bus tour in Florida yesterday focused on reproductive rights — a top issue for Democrats in this election. Harris is planning to propose a new $50,000 tax break for start-ups. Trump's aides evacuated their offices after listening devices were found. It was later determined that the devices were likely to be part of a prank. Left-wing political misinformation has been swirling. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. Stay up to date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | "The Run-Up" podcast | On Politics newsletter MORE TOP NEWS Associated Press Congo: At least 129 people died in an attempted jailbreak from the dangerously overcrowded Makala Central Prison. Iraq: American and Iraqi commandos raided several Islamic State hide-outs in the west of the country last week, killing at least 14 ISIS fighters. Turkey: Two U.S. Marines were attacked by members of a nationalist youth group. U.S.: In an unusual trial, four members of the African People's Socialist Party face charges that they pushed Russian propaganda. Pope Francis: During a four-day visit to Indonesia, the Pope will confront the strained relations between the Muslim majority and Christian minority. Venezuela: With the nation's democracy in shambles, President Nicolás Maduro declared that Christmas begins in October this year. Diplomacy: John Podesta, President Biden's top climate diplomat, is expected to press Chinese leaders on greenhouse gas emissions during a three-day visit to Beijing. Titanic: New photos from an expedition to the wreckage site showed a bronze statue thought to have been lost forever, as well as some deterioration of the ship. X: Starlink, the satellite-internet service controlled by Elon Musk, said it would comply with the Brazilian government's orders to block the social network X in the country. Stories From Europe Germany: Almost nine years after Volkswagen admitted that it had rigged emissions testing on millions of cars, its former chief executive went on trial. France: A boat carrying migrants across the English Channel to Britain capsized, killing at least 12. U.K.: With the term of Britain's ambassador to the U.S. scheduled to end next year, the Labour government must now choose a successor. Speculation has already begun. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: The Premier League transfer window has closed, and $2.6 billion was spent. Who came out on top? U.S. Open: Taylor Fritz will play in his first Grand Slam semifinal after a four-set win over Alexander Zverev. Here are the latest updates. Athletics: Rebecca Cheptegei, an Ugandan long-distance runner, is in critical condition after a man poured gas on her and set her on fire, the police in Kenya said. MORNING READ Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. for The New York Times Ayodele Casel, LaTasha Barnes and Camille Brown are at the cutting edge of contemporary dance, but their movement evokes figures from the Harlem Renaissance a century ago. See videos of the three women who are celebrating — and remixing — Black dance. CONVERSATION STARTERS Symphony monthly: Classical music should adopt the membership models of streaming services and gyms, our critic writes. Pop's secret weapon: The songwriter behind some of Sabrina Carpenter's recent smashes is helping drive a strange new moment in Top 40 hits. Whale tale: Scores of people in Colombia gather every year for a special homecoming: the return of thousands of humpback whales to their breeding grounds. ARTS AND IDEAS Ana Galvañ Creating healthy brain habits What can you do to take good care of your brain and lower your risk for a neurological disease? A neurologist and his colleagues developed a short questionnaire with input from their patients. It's called the Brain Care Score, and the doctors say it can help predict people's risk for dementia, stroke and depression later in life. The Times has adapted the questionnaire for people at home. Take the quiz here. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Chris Simpson for The New York Times Cook: Oyakodon — a Japanese chicken and egg rice dish — is pure bliss. Tend: Here's how to take care of a tattoo. Learn: We asked experts for tips on becoming more resilient. Read: Mark the changing seasons with one of these works of poetry and fiction. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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