Today’s edition of quick hits.
* Ukrainian efforts in Russia: “It’s been more than three weeks since foreign troops swept into Russia for the first time since World War II, yet there is little sign that Ukrainian forces are about to be driven back across the border. The Ukrainian advance may have stalled since the daring Aug. 6 assault, but Kyiv claims it controls nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory and has taken hundreds of prisoners of war.”
* In related news: “President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine dismissed the head of the country’s Air Force on Friday, days after the crash of an F-16 warplane in what may have been a friendly fire incident.”
* Inflation news: “An inflation measure closely tracked by the Federal Reserve remained low last month, extending a trend of cooling price increases that clears the way for the Fed to start cutting its key interest rate next month for the first time in 4 1/2 years. Prices rose just 0.2% from June to July, the Commerce Department said Friday, up a tick from the previous month’s 0.1% increase. Compared with a year earlier, inflation was unchanged at 2.5%.”
* Ruby Giuliani owes Ruby Freeman and Wandrea “Shaye” Moss: “The two Georgia election workers defamed by Rudy Giuliani are seeking to take possession of his multimillion-dollar homes in New York and Florida and some of his valuable personal property, including three Yankees World Series rings.”
* Putin’s policies come with important ripple effects: “Switzerland isn’t keen on getting involved in wars but likes making money. The clash between those values — plus worries that Russian President Vladimir Putin poses a risk to the whole of Europe — is prompting the country to rethink its defense stance. In a bombshell report released on Thursday, a group of experts recommend to the government that the country, which has been neutral since 1515, work on a ‘common defense capability’ with the EU and NATO.” * Someone seems awfully worried about sentencing: “Lawyers for Donald Trump argued for a second time Thursday that his criminal hush money case should be heard in federal rather than state court, a move that could end up delaying the former president’s sentencing date next month.” * A case worth watching: “Several large American publishers sued Florida education officials on Thursday over a state law that prohibits sexual content in school libraries. They argue that the law has ignited a wave of book removals in violation of the First Amendment.” Have a safe holiday weekend. See you Tuesday.
Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MS NOW political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."
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