New York Times

1. Attempted Assassination of Slovakia’s Robert Fico Puts Europe on Edge

   Prime Minister Robert Fico of Slovakia, an ally of Vladimir V. Putin and Viktor Orban, was shot multiple times on Wednesday, stoking fears that Europe’s polarized politics were tipping into violence.

2. Who Is Robert Fico, the Prime Minister of Slovakia?

   Much of the discussion of Mr. Fico’s leadership has focused on his ties to President Vladimir Putin of Russia and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary.

3. Slovakia has largely charted its own course since the fall of the Soviet Union.

   has

4. Why Biden Wanted to Debate Trump Early, and Why Trump Said Yes

   President Biden, trailing in polls, is hoping to shake up the race and mitigate political risk. Donald Trump, already lowering expectations for his rival, is eager for onstage clashes.

5. CNN and ABC Snag the Presidential Debates

   In a matter of hours, two networks outmaneuvered their rivals and landed a coveted pair of Biden-Trump prime-time debates.