The United States announced on Friday that, since the beginning of 2026, it has shot down more than 300 drones launched by drug gangs along the Mexican border.
The US Army's Northern Command, US Northcom, which covers the United States and neighboring countries, linked these drones to drug trafficking, without naming a specific gang.
The command stated that it shot down 100 drones in the month of August alone, but did not clarify which side of the border they were shot down on.
The US military reported that these aircraft were used by criminal organizations “to support illegal cross-border activities, including smuggling operations and surveillance of law enforcement officers and soldiers.”
For his part, Mexican Defense Minister Ricardo Trivea claimed that these aircraft were mainly used by migrant smugglers to monitor locations along the border “devoid of any presence of authorities.”
However, drones have also been used in attacks launched by gangs against other rival gangs or against the authorities.
In October of last year, the public prosecutor's office in the Mexican city of Tijuana, near the US border, was attacked by a drone loaded with explosives. The attack caused material damage, but did not result in any human casualties.
US President Donald Trump on Friday reiterated his belief that his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, will not attack NATO countries, even though Germany this week held Moscow responsible for an attempted drone attack at Leipzig Airport.
Trump said in the Oval Office, in response to a question from Agence France-Presse about the German allegations: “I’m talking to him.” I know him well. “Putin does not seek to attack NATO territory.”
Trump added that his envoys, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff, would convey to Moscow and Kiev a plan to “end the war.”
A senior Ukrainian official announced to Agence France-Presse on Friday that Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, envoys of President Donald Trump, will visit Kiev for the first time on Sunday as part of diplomatic efforts to end the war between Ukraine and Russia.
The official, who requested to remain anonymous, said that the two officials, who have previously visited Moscow repeatedly and have been negotiating for months regarding their visit to Kiev, will head to the Ukrainian capital “Sunday.”
The process of voting by mail in the midterm elections has begun in the United States, as North Carolina became, on Friday, the first state to launch this type of ballot, in an entitlement that is expected to threaten the Republican Party’s control of Congress.
The elections scheduled for November 3 will determine the fate of all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, along with a third of the Senate seats, which will determine the margin of freedom available to President Donald Trump to continue implementing his agenda during the remaining two years of his term.
Democrats are considered the most likely to win seats in the House of Representatives, especially during recent months, according to Agence France-Presse.
New forecasts from Cornell University put the chance of the Democrats winning a majority at 80 percent, with them expected to win about 226 seats compared to 209 for the Republicans. Other forecasts also tip the balance in favor of the Democrats.
Republicans have a majority in the Senate with 53 to 47 seats, which means that Democrats have to win only four additional seats to achieve a majority.
But Decision Desk HQ expected a 50-50 split in the House, in a scenario that would push Republican Vice President Jay Dee Vance to participate in the vote to tip the balance.
Peter K., professor of government and policy at Cornell University, said: Ince: “These forecasts are not inevitable, there is some uncertainty.”
He added: “But given the amazing historical accuracy of our model, if Republicans retain the House, it will likely mean that everything has gone their way or that something unprecedented has happened.”
Republicans portray the midterm elections as a referendum on Trump's presidency; The party called on the president's supporters who voted for him in 2024 to go to the polls again.
The president's party is facing the usual headwinds during midterm elections, exacerbated by Trump's declining approval ratings and voters' concerns about prices and war with Iran.
The start of voting comes amid unrest over postal ballots. Trump had asked the Supreme Court to allow the US Postal Service to impose new verification requirements for voters wishing to vote by mail, but a federal judge suspended Trump’s request, in light of warnings that the hastily prepared new requirements could cause a disruption in the delivery of ballot papers.
North Carolina officials said mail-in voting in their state will continue as planned.
Other states begin distributing ballots throughout September, with all states required to send ballots to military personnel and voters overseas by the middle of the month.
