The Sunday Subject – August 18, 2024

Ukrainian troops advanced into Russian territory.

The incursion by Ukrainian troops into Russia’s Kursk region the Kremlin by surprise. Ukraine’s most senior commander claimed his forces controlled 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of Kursk, while more than 200,000 Russian civilians were evacuated. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the operation was justified as the region was a launching point for Russian attacks on Ukraine. Zelensky’s statement is affirmed by international law, as troops, kit, and bases that enable unprovoked attacks are characterized as legitimate targets.

Kamala Harris unveiled economic plans to address higher costs of living.

Speaking in Raleigh, Harris promised to create an “opportunity economy” through a series of initiatives if elected, including a first-ever federal ban on grocery price gouging, a $25,000 subsidy for first-time home buyers to assist with down-payments, and expanding the child tax credit to provide families $6,000 in the first year of a child’s life. In contrast, her opponent, Donald Trump, has championed raising tariffs on America’s trade partners, extending the array of tax cuts he signed in 2017, and lowering the corporate tax rate.

The WHO declared an outbreak of mpox.

The disease has spread from Congo to neighboring countries, creating a “public health emergency of international concern.” More than 15,600 mpox cases and 537 deaths have been reported across Africa this year, though experts believe the real number is much higher.