Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Tuesday.
Russia is suspected in the hack of a federal court systemInvestigators have uncovered evidence that Russia is at least in part responsible for a recent hack of the computer system that manages U.S. federal court documents. Some of the documents in the system are highly sensitive records that could reveal the sources behind evidence gathered in the prosecution of national security crimes. It is not yet clear what Russian entity might be responsible, or whether other countries were also involved. Officials familiar with the matter said there had been a yearslong effort to infiltrate the system, and former law enforcement officials described the breach as extremely serious. Federal officials are scrambling to determine the patterns of the breach and assess the damage. Administrators with the court system recently advised officials to quickly remove the most sensitive documents from the system. The disclosure comes as President Trump is expected to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, on Friday in Alaska to discuss plans to end the war in Ukraine. In related news, Russian forces have made swift advances in eastern Ukraine, in an effort to gain an upper hand on the battlefield ahead of Trump’s meeting with Putin.
New data indicated that tariffs are reaching U.S. consumersAn inflation report released today showed that price increases remained steady last month at a 2.7 percent annual rate, thanks in part to a sharp drop in energy costs. But a closely watched gauge of underlying prices — known as “core” inflation — rose in July at its fastest pace in five months, suggesting that businesses are passing along tariff-related costs to customers. Many businesses had held off on big price increases for months, but today’s report showed that more had reached a tipping point and opted to raise prices. The biggest impact has so far been concentrated in categories heavily exposed to tariff costs, such as furniture, appliances, recreation goods and footwear. For more: Today’s report was the first big release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics since the president fired its head this month. Last night, Trump nominated a new leader, raising concerns among economists about political influence over crucial data like job numbers.
Trump’s federal policing push is underway in Washington, D.C.The White House said today that 850 law enforcement officials had fanned out across the nation’s capital as part of the president’s push to federalize the city’s police force. Last night, they made 23 arrests and seized six handguns. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that hundreds of National Guard troops would soon arrive in the city, though they will not have the authority to make arrests. Local officials have responded with a diplomatic approach. Washington’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, met today with top Trump administration officials to discuss how they would work together. Bowser said her focus was on making sure the federal force “is being well used.” On the ground: One of our reporters covering the region, Campbell Robertson, explained in this video what to know about the takeover.
As Europe heats up, France debates air-conditioningIntense heat has settled in this week across much of Europe. It’s expected to be especially brutal in parts of Spain and France, where temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit have fueled wildfires that have left at least two people dead. The weather has entered the political fray in France, where the far-right leader Marine Le Pen declared that she would deploy a “major air-conditioning equipment plan” if her party came to power. Le Pen’s critics argue that air-conditioning is the wrong way to fight a warming climate. Read more on the debate. More top news
New music is on the way from the world’s biggest pop starTaylor Swift relishes announcing her albums in dramatic fashion. Today, she did it again. Twelve minutes into the 12th day of the month — as soon as the clock hit 12:12 — Swift announced her 12th studio album. It will be called “The Life of a Showgirl.” Swift, who has been largely quiet since her record-breaking world tour ended in December, did not disclose the release date of the album or any other information. But she will make a rare media appearance on the podcast “New Heights,” which is hosted by her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and his brother, Jason Kelce.
The opera star who won’t slow downFor Cecilia Bartoli, who was born and raised in Rome, the secret to opera and good ragù is the same: time. At 59, an age when many opera stars wind down their careers, Bartoli runs two opera houses, a festival and her own orchestra. And her voice still has the plush tone, control and coloratura that made her famous three decades ago. At the Salzburg Whitsun Festival in Austria this summer, she is both the artistic director and the biggest attraction: performer, audience member, party host and cheerleader.
Dinner table topics
Cook: The secret to perfecting homemade ice cream: cream cheese. Watch: The 1989 film “Road House” set the standard for “good-bad” movies. Read: “The Grand Paloma Resort” is a captivating thriller set at a ritzy hotel. Wear: Take inspiration from our fashion photographer’s look of the week. Exercise: Trainers swear by these four tests of fitness. Gaze: The peak night of the Perseids meteor shower is tonight. Here’s how to watch. Test yourself: Take our quiz to see how well you know these books adapted for TV. Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. |
