Today’s edition of quick hits.
* The war in Ukraine: “Russia has massed ‘tens of thousands of troops’ as part of a major effort to retake land in its Kursk region that was seized by Ukraine, according to the commander in chief of Kyiv’s armed forces.”
* On a related note: “The push to retake territory comes as the two sides exchanged an intense wave of drone attacks that Ukraine said killed eight people, and after President-elect Donald Trump’s election victory, which could upend the U.S. approach to the war. The Kremlin on Monday denied that Trump had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin.”
* Wildfires: “Firefighters from coast to coast are battling wildfires even as the country begins to prepare for the holiday season, with fires in New Jersey covering thousands of acres in tinderbox conditions created by a historic drought.”
* In Haiti: “A transitionary council created to reestablish democratic order in Haiti signed a decree Sunday firing interim Prime Minister Garry Conille and replacing him with Alix Didier Fils-Aimé, a businessman who was previously considered for the job.”
* Team Trump personnel moves, Part I: “President-elect Donald Trump is expected to name Stephen Miller as his deputy chief of staff for policy at the White House, a source with knowledge of the transition team’s plans said Monday. While Trump hasn’t made his choice public yet, Vice President-elect JD Vance appeared to confirm the news in a post on X as he reacted to CNN’s report about Miller being chosen for the role.”
* Team Trump personnel moves, Part II: “”President-elect Donald Trump on Monday selected former Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York to oversee the Environmental Protection Agency in his administration. In a statement announcing the appointment, Trump described the former four-term House Republican from Long Island as ‘a true fighter for America First policies.’”
* Of course this ruling was issued by a Trump-appointed judge: “A federal judge on Friday overturned Illinois’ ban on semiautomatic weapons, leaning on recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings that strictly interpret the Second Amendment right to keep and bear firearms.”
* A scary threat: “A ‘former felon’ was arrested with weapons and a ‘manifesto’ threatening Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) back in his home district in southeast Florida, the lawmaker disclosed late Friday.”
* Veterans Day: “President Biden urged Americans to take a moment to honor those who serve in the military and their families on Monday, using the backdrop of Arlington National Cemetery to observe Veterans Day one last time as the country’s commander in chief.”
See you tomorrow.