The Evening: Inflation falls below 3%

Also, U.S. officials say Israel's military has achieved all it can in Gaza.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 14, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Wednesday. Cooling inflation Israel's military gains in Gaza Plus, the grandfather of reality TV Karl Russell Inflation fell below 3% for the first time in years Annual inflation cooled more than expected last month, to 2.9 percent, according to a Consumer Price Index report released today. It was the first time that the inflation gauge had dropped below 3 percent since 2021. "On a practical level, there's no meaningful distinction between 2.9 percent and 3 percent," our economics reporter, Ben Casselman, told me. "It's the difference between your $6 latte costing $6.17 next year or $6.18. But the larger decline in inflation is absolutely significant." Just two years ago, prices were rising at more than 9 percent per year, and prominent economists were arguing that it would take a recession to bring inflation under control. "Now, inflation is basically back to its historic range, albeit still above where the Fed would like," Ben said. "That's a pretty remarkable turnaround." Most economists now see a recession-free "soft landing" as the likeliest scenario, Ben said. But the economy still faces potential hazards: The unemployment rate is low, but it has risen steadily, and many people are falling behind on their credit card bills. Those factors, along with cooling inflation, have put the Federal Reserve firmly on track to cut interest rates at its meeting next month. The war in Gaza has gone on for more than 10 months with only a one-week pause in November. Eyad Baba/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Israel's military has achieved all it can in Gaza, U.S. says Israel's military response to the Oct. 7 attacks has done far more damage to Hamas than U.S. officials had first predicted. But a growing number of American national security officials told my colleagues that Israel would never be able to completely eliminate the group. Instead, current and former U.S. and Israeli officials said that Israel would only be able to secure the return of the hostages through negotiation. The continued bombings, senior American officials said, are only increasing risks to civilians. Tomorrow, cease-fire talks are set to take place in Doha, Qatar. Here's the latest. 🇺🇸 2024 The presidential election is 83 days away. Here's the latest from the campaign trail. Turning Point USA is among several super PACs with canvassing operations. Jon Cherry for The New York Times New rules remade Republican outreach efforts Under new federal rules, Donald Trump's campaign has decided to outsource its voter canvassing efforts to groups like super PACs. The move is likely to save the campaign money, but some senior Republican Party officials worry that it puts too much responsibility in the hands of inexperienced groups without oversight. Democrats, who rely on labor unions that can coordinate with campaigns, have not followed suit. Here's what else to know: New polls showed Kamala Harris slightly ahead of or tied with Trump in six of the seven battleground states. Christian conservatives are laying the groundwork for a fight against I.V.F. President Biden is upset with Nancy Pelosi, and the two have not spoken since she began her effort to push him out of the race. Your questions: We asked readers what they'd like to know about the election. For today's question, I turned to Ruth Igielnik, our polling editor. "Are there really any undecided voters? The two candidates are so different, it seems like everyone knows how they will vote." — Susan Stevens from Lakeside, Mich. Ruth: You're absolutely right that, in this highly polarized era, only a very small percentage of voters are actually undecided in this election. Depending on the state, it could be anywhere between 3 and 7 percent of voters. And in key swing states, that can be the entire margin of victory for a candidate. So, winning over a sizable chunk of the roughly 5 percent of voters in Michigan who are undecided may be the difference between losing and winning the election. You can send questions to us here. A scan of the brain of a 42-year-old patient in a coma. Zephyr/Science Source Unresponsive patients may have some awareness Hundreds of thousands of patients in the U.S. have been diagnosed as minimally conscious or in a vegetative state after suffering severe brain damage. Some survive for many years in that state, posing an agonizing mystery: Even if they can't communicate, might they still be aware? A large study published today offered evidence that about a quarter of them are. In other brain health news, implants in a patient with A.L.S. were able to recognize words he tried to speak. More top news Russia: The military moved some troops from Ukraine to fight Kyiv's incursion into the country's west. Health: The W.H.O. again designated an mpox epidemic, which this year has spread through 13 countries in Africa, as a global emergency. Trump: Justice Juan Merchan, who oversaw the trial that led to Donald Trump's conviction, declined for a third time to step aside from the case. Europe: German authorities issued an arrest warrant for a Ukrainian suspected of being involved in blowing up the Nord Stream pipeline. Sudan: As famine deepens, the U.S. is initiating new peace talks to end the catastrophic civil war. Technology: An A.I.-powered deepfake of Elon Musk has become the internet's biggest scammer. New Zealand: A charity accidentally gave away meth disguised as candy, each piece of which contained up to 300 doses. TIME TO UNWIND "The Challenge" premiered in 1998. OK McCausland for The New York Times 'The Challenge' made reality TV a career Before gossiping Real Housewives and yelling celebrity chefs captivated viewers, MTV's "The Challenge" laid the groundwork for what reality television would become. Now, with the show's 40th season premiering tonight, we took a look back at the legacy of the grandfather of reality-competition shows. It changed the industry by helping create a new type of semi-celebrity — someone who spends much of their life on one reality show or another, entertaining fans with harrowing stunts and back-stabbing betrayals. Simbarashe Cha/The New York Times Fashion week is different in Copenhagen It doesn't have the prestige of Paris Fashion Week, nor does it draw crowds like the shows in New York, London and Milan, but Copenhagen Fashion Week has its own charm. The event, which just wrapped up, is friendly, approachable and relaxed — reflecting Denmark's status as among the happiest countries in the world. On and off the runways, the clothes were lively and diverse. Check out our photos. Ryan Pfluger for The New York Times Dinner table topics Leading actress: Cailee Spaeny is still figuring out whether she wants to be a movie star. Old Timer: The world's oldest known humpback whale is at least 53 years old. How he's survived this long is a mystery. Improbable journey: A six-ton megalith at the heart of Stonehenge traveled more than 450 miles to get there. Travel plans?: Experts said it might be worth considering a mask. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Linda Xiao for The New York Times Cook: Everything-bagel croutons are the wonder ingredient your summer salad is missing. Read: Nathan Newman's novel follows an Englishman looking for a package in an endearing small town. Game: These are the summer's most talked-about video games. Listen: Here are nine great songs recorded at Electric Lady Studios. Cope: Our writer says vintage B-roll footage helps him get through anxiety. Clean: We tested 24 dishwasher detergents to find the best. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Rand Faaborg and his two sons, and their mushrooms.  Annick Sjobakken for The New York Times This family is betting the farm on a wild idea After decades of raising hogs in rural Iowa, Rand Faaborg was ready to leave the livestock business. But he didn't want to abandon a farm that the family had poured so much money and effort into. So, this summer, the Faaborgs embarked on a radical transformation: They traded their hogs for mushrooms. The person driving the changes is Faaborg's second-oldest son, Tanner, who wants to prove that industrial farmers can return land to nature, grow environmentally friendlier food and still make a profit. "I want to make rural America a place where people want to live and grow up in," Tanner said. Have a restorative evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Philip 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 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