Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has fired a senior official amid a corruption investigation involving a deputy head of the presidential office. This development Wednesday follows the recent dismissal of the defense minister, who is calling for national elections in a direct challenge to Zelenskyy despite Russia's 4-year-old full-scale invasion. The graft investigation centers on money laundering linked to a major corruption case. Although Zelenskyy isn't implicated, the situation poses a political challenge. Ukraine has seen military successes in recent months but is struggling to counter Moscow's missile attacks. Amid the political tensions, U.S.-led peace efforts have been rebuffed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In surprising move, former longtime Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan has taken the stand at his own corruption trial. The trial of the longest-serving legislative leader in U.S. history has lasted three months with meticulous details on the Chicago Democrat’s many alleged schemes in both his public roles and private work as a tax attorney. That’s included hours of secretly-recorded videos and calls from a former city alderman turned FBI mole. But on Tuesday, Madigan, who is famously private and doesn’t own a cellphone or email address, got to control the narrative. He told stories about growing up in a tough household and living a life of public service.