Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.
Court blocks Trump’s 10% tariffA panel of federal judges ruled today that President Trump’s 10 percent tariff on most U.S. imports is illegal. The decision appeared to place, for now, strict new limits on the president’s trade powers. In a split ruling, the Court of International Trade found that Trump had wrongly invoked a decades-old trade law when he applied across-the-board tariffs in February. The president had imposed the levies after his previous set of tariffs was struck down by the Supreme Court. The Trump administration is likely to appeal. In other Trump administration news:
U.S. and Iran exchange fire, testing the truceIran’s military said today that it had fired on American ships in the Strait of Hormuz, in retaliation for the U.S. targeting of an Iranian tanker. The U.S. military said it, in turn, struck Iranian military facilities and other targets. Iran accused the U.S. of violating the cease-fire. Follow here for the latest updates. Hours earlier, Iranian officials said that their country was discussing with the U.S. a one-page proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities for 30 days, while the two sides try to reach a comprehensive peace settlement. In other news from the region:
Tennessee approves a new map, testing the court’s new precedentTennessee’s Republican-led legislature gave final approval of a new congressional map that was designed to eliminate the state’s lone Democratic House seat. To accomplish that goal, the map slices up Memphis and relocates Black voters into neighboring districts. The map is the first to be crafted since the Supreme Court limited the reach of the Voting Rights Act last month, and is very likely to be challenged in court. Democrats argue that the new lines strip political power from Black voters, who until now represented a majority in the district around Memphis. Experts said the Tennessee map could serve as a crucial test of what the justices consider an illegal racial gerrymander following their ruling last month that the Voting Rights Act only prevents maps that intentionally limit the power of minority voters.
Dams are coming down across America, reconnecting riversMore than 100 U.S. dams were dismantled last year, reconnecting more miles of the country’s rivers than at any other time in history. The resulting free-flowing waterways appear to be healthier, cooler and less prone to algal blooms. There are tens of thousands of dams across the country. Many are critical for flood regulation, water storage or irrigation. But one engineer told us they’re outnumbered by “dinky little dams” that do more harm than good. More top news
The father of my colleague Ellen Barry went through dementia. In its final stages, a long-lost memory from childhood returned, perfectly formed: a canary escaping its cage when her father was 6 years old. What was going on in his brain? A neuroscientist helped her figure it out.
Fashion becomes the gateway to the MetThe art world has long debated whether fashion belongs alongside masterful paintings in great museums. For decades, the Metropolitan Museum of Art has showcased its clothing exhibits in the basement. But starting this weekend, the Met is relocating its fashion department to a sparkly new space that greets visitors as soon as they walk in. The space’s inaugural show is “Costume Art,” which was celebrated by the Met Gala on Monday. The show pairs some 200 garments or accessories with artworks to make the argument that fashion — or “the dressed body” — is the essential connective tissue of the museum. Read our critic’s review.
When A.I. search actually helpsI’ve written about the shortcomings of A.I.-powered search engines in this newsletter at least a few times. The tools still have a tendency to make things up or misrepresent information. But today, my colleague Brian Chen wanted to share with you all a handful of occasions where he found A.I. technology more helpful than a standard Google search. He writes that A.I. search is best when you guide it — like asking for grocery recommendations based on a particular cooking video or searching for flights with particular criteria. See all of Brian’s tips here.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Dig into this chard and ricotta pie. Watch “The Sheep Detectives.” Our critic raved about the way the film beautifully balanced humor, mystery and sentimentality. Read one of these three sizzling summer thrillers. See the cities where buying is an affordable alternative to renting. Hunt: Which of these Texas homes would you buy with a $600,000 budget? Play: Here are today’s Connections, Wordle and Mini Crossword. |
