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Will Ukraine's Incursion Force Russia To Negotiate?

Will Ukraine's Incursion Force Russia To Negotiate?

Your unbiased daily news brief

James Kratch
August 13, 2024

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In Today’s Brief

California: Big earthquake
Israel: Iran attack imminent
Trump: Returns to X
FTC: New subscription rule
MTV: VMAs pushed back

... and more

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Top Tips

1) Digging in

Ukraine's surprise incursion into Russia may prove more significant than initially expected.

What happened: Ukraine said it captured close to 400 square miles of Russia's Kursk region. The country's top military commander said the advance will continue, but provided few other details. Russia denied it last lost control of that much territory, but President Vladimir Putin has acknowledged a "major provocation."
Key development: Analysts initially said Ukraine was likely aiming to divert Russian troops from the front lines with a brief operation. But Ukrainian troops are reportedly establishing trenches in the captured territory, which suggests they plan to occupy the land indefinitely and the incursion is more than a border raid.
Big picture: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the offensive was designed to neutralize Russian positions in Kursk used to attack Ukraine. But if the Ukrainians can hold the territory and add to their gains, it could force Putin into long-awaited negotiations to save face and give Ukraine more leverage to reclaim its lost territory.

2) Fatal press

Jury selection has begun in the trial of a former Nevada government official accused of murdering a heralded journalist.

The story: Robert Telles, who was Clark County's elected Public Administrator, is charged with stabbing Jeff German to death in September 2022. German was a veteran Las Vegas Review-Journal reporter known for a career of 40-plus years.
Alleged motive: German had published an investigation detailing a hostile work environment in Telles' office. Police said Telles blamed German's work for costing him re-election; German also reported the married Telles had an improper relationship with a staffer. Police say Telles then disguised himself and killed German at his home.
Big picture: Telles, who was arrested days after German was killed and has remained in jail without bail, maintains his innocence. But cops found his DNA on German's hands and fingernails, as well as a bloody hat and shoes in Telles' home that he appeared to try to destroy. Telles faces life in prison if convicted.

3) Tip for tat

Both presidential candidates and the sitting president agree on an idea that has economists shaking their heads.

Common ground: Vice President Kamala Harris said she would eliminate federal income tax on worker tips if elected, adopting a policy pledge made by former President Donald Trump weeks ago. President Joe Biden has since added he supports the proposal, which has already been turned into active legislation in the House and Senate.
That said ... Many economic and tax experts are against the idea. The change could disproportionately benefit workers in states that have lower minimum wages and make a greater percentage of income in tips. It would also be difficult to regulate when tips become wages. Projections suggest the change would cost the federal government hundreds of billions in tax revenue over 10 years.
Big picture: Even if it is not practical, the pitch is a political winner. And one both parties will make all the way to election day in a bid to secure votes, especially in the battleground state of Nevada, where the hospitality industry is critical.

Quick Tips

U.S. News

A 4.4 magnitude earthquake rattled Southern California, but did not cause significant damage. The quake hit about 2.5 miles southeast of Highland Park; it was evident during a live broadcast at ESPN's Los Angeles studio (More)
Teenagers' mental health has improved post-pandemic, according to the Centers for Disease Control. New data indicates levels of depression have dropped significantly among girls; a growing group of kids do not feel safe at work (More)
Puerto Rico is bracing for a tropical storm. The unnamed system is expected to strengthen in the coming days; it will also threaten other Caribbean islands in the region (More)

World News

Iran will likely attack Israel at some point this week. U.S. intelligence has corroborated the Israeli assessment; a new round of Gaza war ceasefire talks are planned for Thursday (More)
At least 24 people died after a landfill collapsed in Uganda. The rubbish heap is believed to have caved in due to heavy rains; at least four children were killed (More)
The U.S. will resume selling offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia. The Biden Administration established a prohibition in 2021 over concerns about human rights violations regarding the country's involvement in Yemen's war (More)

Campaign News

Former President Trump made his first posts on X in over a year. He did a live Spaces interview with billionaire donor Elon Musk on the platform last night (More)
The FBI is investigating the Trump campaign's claim it was hacked by an Iranian group. The Biden-Harris campaign may have also been targeted; internal Trump documents were sent to Politico by an anonymous email account (More)
Trump plans to file a $100M lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice. The former president will allege the FBI's 2022 raid of Mar-a-Lago tied to his federal classified documents case was “political persecution” (More)

Business & Markets

Major indexes closed mixed yesterday ahead of new inflation data. The markets are preparing for tomorrow's release of the July consumer price index report (Dow -0.36%, Nasdaq +0.21%, S&P 500 +0.00%).
The Federal Trade Commission has proposed rules that make subscription cancelations easier for consumers. The Federal Communications Commission will also be part of the effort, which would be rolled out on varying timelines (More)
SpaceX repeatedly violated Texas state environmental regulations, according to regulators. The Elon Musk-owned aerospace company released pollutants into or near bodies of water; the pollution also violated federal statutes (More)

Entertainment & Sports

MTV is pushing back its Video Music Awards to avoid a conflict with the Sept. 10 presidential debate. The event will now be a day later on Sept. 11; Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter are among the scheduled performers (More)
Great Britain plans to field a men's soccer team at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have traditionally struggled to cooperate forming a unified team (More)
A Creature From the Black Lagoon remake is in the works. Aquaman director James Wan will helm the project; past attempts to reboot the 1954 horror classic for modern audiences have stalled out (More)

Quick Hitters

Feel Good: A woman met an elderly veteran parting with jewelry at a New Hampshire pawn shop so he could pay his wife's medical bills. Her social media post went viral, leading to a GoFundMe that raised over $400K.
Go Deep: Everyone has been unable to remember a word at some point. The experience is called "lethologica." Here is an inside look at why it happens.
Be Safe: A new Instagram filter prevents people from getting too close to wildlife while snapping pictures. Selfie Control is designed to warn people if they are in dangerous proximity to animals in settings like national parks.
Take Note: It sounds counterintuitive, but being in a wedding party can end longtime friendships. The drama and emotions surrounding such a big event tend to reveal that relationships are not as strong as they appear.
Life Hack: Work out and then rinse up if you need to figure things out. Many people claim they do their best thinking while in the shower after a trip to the gym, and science backs this up.

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