The Evening: It’s scorching hot out

Also, the judge in Trump's documents case rejected advice to step aside.

View in browser|nytimes.com June 20, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Thursday. Heat advisories for 99 million people A major tax case at the Supreme Court Plus, remembering Donald Sutherland Keeping cool today in Schenectady, N.Y. Cindy Schultz for The New York Times Nearly half the U.S. began the summer sweltering More than 99 million Americans spent today — the first day of summer — sweltering under excessive-heat advisories. In Phoenix, temperatures climbed to 112 degrees. But the conditions were even more worrying in areas of the Northeast that are not as accustomed to dangerous triple-digit heat. Large swaths of New York State and parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont were given the highest possible risk rating by the National Weather Service, indicating that there was danger from a rare level of heat. Of particular concern are the record warm overnight temperatures that the service said "will prevent natural cooling and allow the heat danger to build over time." For those in the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic, it was the fourth consecutive day of a smothering heat wave, caused by a heat dome, that could continue into next week. Here's how heat domes work. It is certain that 2024 will be among the five warmest years on record, and there is a 50 percent chance of it being the warmest ever on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This graphic shows how summers have gotten hotter since 1951. In New Mexico, wildfires that began under high temperatures have burned more than 23,000 acres, killing two people and prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents. Thunderstorms could help control the blazes, but at the risk of flash floods. In Mexico, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Alberto, made landfall today as a tropical storm, unleashing heavy rain, flooding and gusty winds across the middle of the country and into southern Texas. Forecasters predicted 17 to 25 named storms this year, several more than usual. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times The Supreme Court upheld a Trump-era tax provision The Supreme Court today rejected a challenge to a tax on foreign income that had helped finance the tax cuts that Donald Trump had imposed in 2017. The ruling, 7 to 2, avoided introducing what many economists warned could have been fiscal chaos if the tax system had been struck down. The justices' decision also previewed what could be its next major tax case: whether Congress can impose what is effectively a tax on Americans' wealth. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Biden appointee, laid out a defense for a wealth tax in a concurring opinion, while conservatives on the court argued that such a tax could violate the Constitution. What's next: The court still has 20 decisions remaining before its term ends in late June or early July. Perhaps a dozen have the potential to reshape American society. Here's what to watch for. The courthouse in Fort Pierce, Fla., where Donald Trump's documents case is being heard.  Saul Martinez for The New York Times Florida judge on Trump case rejected advice to step aside Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing Donald Trump's classified documents case in Florida, was encouraged by two colleagues with more experience than her to pass up the assignment, according to two people briefed on the conversations. She rejected their suggestions. The colleagues, including the chief judge in the Southern District of Florida, urged her to consider whether it would be better if another jurist took on the high-profile case. Cannon's initial assignment drew attention because she has scant trial experience and had previously shown unusual favor to Trump. Since then, she has made a number of decisions that have prompted second-guessing and criticism among legal scholars. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the spokesman for the Israeli military, escorting journalists. Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times Israel's military makes public its rift with the prime minister For months, news reports have swirled about divisions between Israel's military and prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, over the direction of the war in Gaza. This week, that rift spilled into the open. The military's spokesman publicly aired his frustration over Netanyahu's failure to advance a plan for governing postwar Gaza, and appeared to question Netanyahu's oft-repeated call for "absolute victory" over Hamas. The prime minister's office pushed back, saying that the military and the government were both committed to "the destruction of Hamas." West Bank: A quiet administrative move increased the formal authority of Bezalel Smotrich, a hard-line minister, over the territory. Analysts described it as a step toward expanding Israeli settlements there. More top news TikTok: The social media company released details about confidential meetings with federal officials to make a case against a U.S. ban. Politics: President Biden's lead with women has shrunk from 13 percentage points to eight points, according to a new poll, while Donald Trump's lead with men is in the double digits. Economy: Home building fell to its lowest rate in four years. These five charts explain the weird housing market. Nature: Researchers found that a quarrelsome group of macaques got along better after a hurricane, suggesting that they had adapted with behavioral changes. Politics: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. failed to qualify for CNN's presidential debate next week. Dinosaurs: A skull found in Montana may indicate a new species: Lokiceratops, a herbivore with spectacular brow horns. TIME TO UNWIND Donald Sutherland in 1970. Jack Robinson/Hulton Archive, via Getty Images Remembering Donald Sutherland Donald Sutherland's chameleonlike ability to both charm and unsettle was amply displayed in scores of diverse film roles, including as a laid-back battlefield surgeon in "M*A*S*H"; a ruthless Nazi spy in "Eye of the Needle"; a soulful father in "Ordinary People"; and a strutting fascist in "1900." He died today in Miami; he was 88. Read his full obituary. Sutherland was never anyone's idea of a heartthrob: He often recalled asking his mother if he was good-looking, only to be told, "No, but your face has a lot of character." And yet across six decades, he appeared in nearly 200 films and television shows. Some years he was in half a dozen movies. Elaine Deutsch volunteers as a docent at the Oakland Zoo. Jim Wilson/The New York Times What does retirement mean to you? Some see it as a state of stillness; a second childhood; a challenging chapter. Others see it as an opportunity to live life rather than to merely make a living. We asked readers to submit their experiences with retirement, and many responded. Within the accounts is lots of good advice about approaching life once you no longer need to clock in. "Growing old is a process of giving things up," one reader said. "The trick is to not dwell on what you have lost, but rather focus on what remains." Two clay jars known as Canaanite amphorae, dating to about 1400 B.C. Agence France-Presse, via Israeli Antiquities Authority Dinner table topics Bronze Age time capsule: Remains of the oldest shipwreck ever discovered in deep water were located in the Mediterranean Sea. Linda Thompson: The singer lost her vocals to a neurological disorder. Her solution? "Proxy music." Life on land: Indonesia's Bajo people once spent most of their lives on the open sea in boats or offshore huts. They're slowly adopting a hybrid approach. Dior, Chanel, Lagerfeld: Several new films have tried to humanize fashion's most famous names. Is that a good thing? WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Linda Xiao for The New York Times Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Heather Greene. Cook: This black lime salmon is as striking in flavor as it is in appearance. Watch: Tonight, HBO is airing a documentary about the playwright Jeremy O. Harris. Here's what else is on TV this week. Read: Anna Akbari's new memoir is a jaw-dropping tale of digital deception. Beautify: Here's how to give yourself a salon-like manicure at home. Stroll: Walking can be a powerful remedy for back pain. Hunt: What Rome apartment would you buy with a $950,000 budget? Compete: Take our quiz to see how well you know the New York City subway. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Victor J. Blue for The New York Times What's the song of the summer? Summer is here. The temperature is rising. And talk about the song of the summer is in full swing. This year's most obvious contender is "Espresso" by Sabrina Carpenter. But is another track more deserving? Or is the very concept of a song of the summer a thing of the past? My colleagues Wesley Morris and Melissa Kirsch took those questions head on in the latest episode of The Culture Desk podcast, while reminiscing about the memorable summer tunes of the past. Listen in. Have an upbeat evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Phil Pacheco was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Photo Editor: Brent Lewis Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018