Today's Headlines: At a Russian Border Post, Scenes of Ruin After Ukraine’s Surprise Attack

Immigrants Are Becoming U.S. Citizens at Fastest Clip in Years

View in browser August 13, 2024, 4:00 a.m. Eastern time Top News At a Russian Border Post, Scenes of Ruin After Ukraine's Surprise Attack A week after the biggest foreign incursion into Russia since World War II, The New York Times visited one of the spots where Ukrainian forces stormed into Russia and surprised the defenders. Immigrants Are Becoming U.S. Citizens at Fastest Clip in Years The government has reduced a backlog of applications that built up during the Trump administration. New citizens say they are looking forward to voting in November. Harris Says Trump Will Repeal Obamacare. Trump Now Claims He'll Make It 'Better.' The popularity of the Affordable Care Act has changed the political strategy of Republicans, who are no longer campaigning to end the law. Editors' Picks A Nazi Villa So Tainted Berlin Can't Give It Away The former estate of Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda minister, is too expensive to keep and perilous to sell. No one knows quite what to do with it. Opinion | The Science That Put This Man on Death Row Has Been Debunked. He's Going to Be Executed Anyway. Charles Don Flores deserves a trial based on evidence, not on discredited science. Today's Videos Video | Wildfire Spreads Near Athens Firefighters were working around the clock to contain the fast-moving blaze. Video | Deadly Gas Explosion Destroys House in Maryland The blast killed the homeowner and a contractor who had been dispatched to investigate a purported leak. Late Night Tackles Trump's Obsession With Crowd Size "The fact that Kamala Harris is pulling such huge crowds is really getting under his, let's call it, skin," Stephen Colbert said of former President Donald Trump. World Netanyahu Clashes With Defense Minister on Gaza, Exposing Schisms Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Yoav Gallant of embracing an "anti-Israel narrative" in a disagreement over how to prosecute the war. Iranian Vice President Resigns, Signaling Deep Divisions as Cabinet Takes Shape Mohammad Javad Zarif's resignation shocked Iran's political circles and came as President Masoud Pezeshkian announced that his cabinet would include several conservatives and only one woman. Britain's Anti-Immigrant Riots Pose Critical Test for Starmer Even after restoring order, the new prime minister faces a bigger challenge: defusing the issues of fraying public services and a cost of living crisis that underlie the unrest. See more world news U.S. Former Pro-Trump County Clerk Is Found Guilty of Tampering With Voting Machines She could face multiple years in prison when she is sentenced in October. She's Fighting Big Oil in Texas. But Republicans Want to Make Her D.A. Looking to oust a Democratic district attorney in rural West Texas, Republicans have an unusual candidate: a Trump-hating lawyer who's spent years battling over oil wells. 4.4-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Near Los Angeles The quake was centered about five miles northeast of downtown, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no initial reports of serious damage. See more U.S. news Politics Despite Trump's Claims, Footage Shows Large Crowd at Harris's Detroit Rally Three New York Times reporters who attended the rally confirmed that the crowd numbered in the thousands. Worried About a Convention Clash, Democrats Woo Uncommitted Delegates A quiet diplomatic effort to ease tensions with uncommitted delegates and head off televised confrontations inside the Democratic convention hall next week has been underway for months. Trump Flew on Charter Jet Previously Owned by Jeffrey Epstein A Trump campaign official said that the aircraft was provided by a charter jet service after his own jet had a mechanical failure, and that the campaign had been unaware of the plane's previous ownership. See more political news Business It Was a Hot Real Estate Trade. Now Investors Are Worried. Drawn by the opportunity to invest with private equity firms, small investors rushed into real estate investment trusts. But the funds have lost some appeal as interest rates have climbed. U.S. Officials to Visit China for Economic Talks as Trade Tensions Rise The recently established U.S.-China Financial Working Group is set to meet for discussions about financial stability and curbing the flow of fentanyl. Spain Is Thirsty. Here's How It Gets Water. To supply water for a number of needs, from tourism to agriculture, the country and other dry nations are increasingly relying on desalination plants that convert seawater into fresh water. See more business news Technology F.B.I. Investigating Efforts to Infiltrate Presidential Campaigns, Possibly by Iran The bureau has repeatedly warned about foreign countries meddling in the upcoming election, including using artificial intelligence to spread misinformation. Trump Regales Elon Musk With Familiar Falsehoods Fact-checking Donald Trump's claims about immigration, Vice President Kamala Harris, President Biden and more. Piecing Together an Ancient Epic Was Slow Work. Until A.I. Got Involved. Scholars have struggled to identify fragments of the epic of Gilgamesh — one of the world's oldest literary texts. Now A.I. has brought an "extreme acceleration" to the field. See more technology news Sports Here Are the Olympic Moments We Won't Forget It doesn't take a medal to make a lasting memory. The Surprise of the Olympics: Breakers' Delight Breaking, the dance form created more than 50 years ago in the Bronx, has made its Olympic debut. It's not a sport, but does that matter? Man Dies in Texas Lake During CrossFit Games Swimming Competition Search-and-rescue teams were called after a participant in the event had not been seen in the water for some time. See more sports news Arts For the Rescuer of an Ancient Shipwreck, Trouble Arrived in the Mail The packages were sent to a woman whose work had led to the heralded recovery of the Kyrenia, and to new insights into classical Greek seafaring. But their ancient contents were a problem. Calvin Royal III Creates a Ballet Festival With Intention and Care With "Unite," a festival he planned and curated at the Joyce Theater, Royal is "taking the time to do things right," he said. New Public Art Rides the Rails in Chicago, Timed to the Convention When the Democratic National Convention kicks off on Aug. 19, an array of art tied to the election season will greet visitors and Chicagoans alike. See more arts news New York Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Cannot Appear on New York Ballot, Judge Rules The ruling was a blow to Mr. Kennedy's independent campaign for president. The judge said that he had used a "sham" address to claim residency in New York. 2 Are Charged in Rape and Assault Under Coney Island Boardwalk One suspect had been released from jail in June after he pleaded guilty to sexual assault in an attack on a woman in a Brooklyn migrant shelter. These Are New York's Hottest Bus Stops. And Not in a Good Way. Bus stops without trees or shelter are leaving riders sweating as they wait — and wait — for buses that a transportation group says do not come fast enough. See more New York news Media & Advertising Elections Officials Battle a Deluge of Disinformation County clerks and secretaries of state are overwhelmed this year, as they stare down a "perpetual moving target" of new conspiracy theories, political pressure and threats. Brands Love Influencers (Until Politics Get Involved) Marketing firms are using artificial intelligence to help analyze influencers and predict whether they will opine about the election. The New York Times Will Stop Endorsing Candidates in New York Races The paper's editorial board will continue to endorse presidential candidates, as it has for more than 160 years. See more media & advertising news Science Heat Contributed to 47,000 Deaths in Europe Last Year, but Relief Programs Helped A new study shows how deadly warming can be, and how behavioral and social changes can reduce mortality. Salmon Farms in Patagonia Face Growing Opposition The Chilean industry's expansion has drawn repeated challenges from environmentalists and Indigenous people of the region, and prompted calls for a moratorium. Three Studies of MDMA Treatment Retracted by Scientific Journal The psychedelic treatment, for PTSD, was rejected last week by government regulators. See more science news Well Should You Get Another Covid Shot Now? The virus is spreading, but new vaccines coming this fall could offer better protection. We asked experts about the right time for a booster. Older Adults Do Not Benefit From Moderate Drinking, Large Study Finds Virtually any amount increased the risk for cancer, and there were no heart benefits, the researchers reported. I.V.F. Threats in Alabama Drive Clinics to Ship Out Embryos A court ruling that deemed frozen embryos "children" has motivated some patients and clinics to move embryos out of red states. See more on Well Obituaries Jacques Lewis, French Veteran of U.S. Landing on D-Day, Dies at 105 Believed to be the last surviving Frenchman to wade ashore with Americans, he was attached to an Army unit that stormed Utah Beach and helped drive Germans out of France. Bob Tischler, Who Helped Revive 'Saturday Night Live,' Dies at 78 A producer of "The National Lampoon Radio Hour" and albums by the Blues Brothers, he became S.N.L.'s head writer after a dismal season early in its history. See more Obituaries Opinion Paul Krugman Trump Calls Harris a 'Communist.' That Shows How Worried He Is. MAGA desperately turns to old-fashioned red-baiting. Michelle Goldberg Trump's Big Lie About Harris's Crowds The sinister logic behind the ex-president's latest conspiracy theory. Guest Essay The Harris-Walz Ticket Is Our Opportunity for Political Imagination The candidates are creating space for our most extravagant imaginings. Farah Stockman Harris Should Take Divisions Over Gaza Seriously It's not just a few hecklers. Michigan voters' concerns about Gaza cannot be dismissed. Guest Essay How to Make a Nation of Meat Eaters Crave the Humble Bean When it comes to food, pleasure is what changes the world. See more Opinion Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Today's Headlines from The New York Times. To stop receiving Today's Headlines, 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