Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a warning to Russia's invading forces Sunday after the Kremlin accused Kyiv of overnight drone attacks on Moscow.
What they're saying: "Today is the 522nd day of the so-called 'special military operation,' which the Russian leadership expected to last for a week or two," Zelensky said in a televised address, according to a transcript.
House members finally reached their August recess this weekend after a string of unusual, and at times contentious, incidents that clouded efforts to avoid a government shutdown — and signaled that they needed a timeout.
Why it matters: The House has had a long year, from January's marathon speaker election to May and June's close call on defaulting on the federal debt — not to mention conservatives' unprecedented tactics to grind the House floor to a halt.
A federal judge has dismissed former President Trump's $475 million defamation lawsuit against CNN, in which he accused the network of associating him with Hitler by describing his false 2020 election claims as "the big lie."
Driving the news: The former president's lawyers said when they filed the suit in October that this term was associated with Nazi propaganda that was used in the persecution of Jewish people, but the Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Raag Singhal ruled this was not defamatory.
Many of the GOP's leading Senate recruits are speaking out against U.S. support for Ukraine in its fight against Russia — sounding a downright isolationist note and breaking from the views of party leaders.
Why it matters: The emerging Republican rhetoric from up-and-coming candidates on Ukraine is a signal on where the party's foreign policy views are headed.
Eliminating legacy and donor-based admissions won't be enough to maintain diversity at colleges after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told Axios in an interview.
Driving the news: Cardona, who appeared at the NAACP Convention in Boston, said the Biden administration is looking to education leaders for input on legal workarounds after the affirmative action decision.
Former President Donald Trump's legal fees continue to mount up as he's potentially facing a historic third indictment, putting further strain on his 2024 campaign, according to multiple reports.
Driving the news: Trump's PAC, Save America, has reportedly paid over $40 million in legal fees so far in 2023; more than the campaign raised during the second quarter of the year.
You can see why most GOP presidential candidates are backing former President Trump in his legal fights, or taking a pass:
Former congressman Will Hurd of Texas, who announced his candidacy last month, said last night in Des Moines at one of the biggest "cattle call" events so far: "Donald Trump is running to stay out of prison."
Republican presidential candidates have started to notice that Sen. Tim Scott's non-combative style is resonating — and they’re zeroing in on him for more scrutiny.
Why it matters: Scott has largely stayed above the fray as many of his Republican rivals spar around him, but his recent momentum in polls is bringing him into the crossfire and will test his "happy warrior" strategy.
