Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Friday.
🇺🇸 2024 The presidential election is 81 days away. Here's the latest from the campaign trail.
Harris unveiled her economic agendaIn her first major policy speech since launching her campaign for president, Kamala Harris today explained the core of her economic agenda and argued that she would protect the middle class for generations. She promised to fight big corporations and bring down the costs of food, housing and raising children. A centerpiece of her economic pitch is a new federal ban on price gouging on groceries. Her newly unveiled economic plan mostly builds on policies embraced by President Biden, and wasn't super-detailed, outside of a few policies. The economy, and especially inflation, remain a top concern among voters, and polls suggest Donald Trump holds an edge on the issue. But Harris's speech demonstrated her ease at explaining policy matters, especially compared to President Biden. Harris delivered the speech in North Carolina, a state that Democrats believe she could potentially win, despite it not voting for a Democratic presidential candidate since 2008. Here's what else to know:
Russia closed in on a key city in eastern UkraineRussian troops are advancing toward the eastern Ukrainian town of Pokrovsk, according to combat footage and satellite images. The push brought Russia a step closer to its goal of seizing the entire Donetsk region. It also cast doubt on Ukraine's hopes that its incursion into Russian territory would prompt Moscow to scale back its attacks elsewhere on the battlefield. Ukraine's military push into Russia, which began 11 days ago, has continued. Its troops have advanced through Russian villages with little resistance, rattling Moscow. It's not clear whether the Ukrainians will push farther into Russia, dig in, or pull back and return to the front line. There are arguments for each option.
Mediators raced to bridge gaps between Israel and HamasHigh-level negotiations to halt the war in Gaza ended today without a breakthrough. But mediators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar said they would continue trying to resolve remaining disagreements between Israel and Hamas at talks next week in Cairo. U.S. officials hope that movement in the negotiations will blunt or prevent a widely anticipated Iranian-led retaliation against Israel for the killing of senior leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah. For now, Iran is expected to delay its reprisal to allow the cease-fire talks to continue.
The real estate industry is about to changeStarting tomorrow, real estate agents must adopt new practices that could radically lower the commissions they get from buyers and sellers during a home sale. The sweeping changes come five months after a landmark settlement with the National Association of Realtors. Some realtors are hoping to limit the disruption, but it's clear that the new rules will force agents to discuss their pay with buyers and sellers in new ways. If you are considering buying or selling a home, here's what to know. More top news
A surprisingly buzzy summer flick"It Ends With Us," a romantic drama based on a best-selling novel and starring Blake Lively, has exceeded expectations at the box office. It earned double its budget on its opening weekend and took in more than $100 million globally in its first week. The film has become an online sensation for a number of surprisingly varied controversies. They include a reported rift between Lively and Justin Baldoni, her co-star and director, and criticism of its marketing campaign for downplaying the issue of domestic violence, a central theme in the film. Here's what we know about the drama.
Life is more fun with close friendshipsTwo weeks ago, my colleague Jancee Dunn brought you tips on how to make friends and explored the health benefits of friendships. Today, she's back with a few inventive ways to deepen the relationships that you already have. One tip: Reconnect over a low-stakes competition — like who can have the longest streak on a foreign language app — so you can share your progress and eventually celebrate the winner.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Creamed spinach pasta is a nod to everyone's favorite steakhouse side. Watch: "Chimp Crazy" is a jaw-dropping look at people who have chimpanzees as pets. Read: A former intelligence official offered an insider's perspective on the Pentagon's U.F.O. hunt. Listen: Our chief pop music critic made a playlist with the latest tracks for the weekend. Drive: One-way R.V. rentals can be an affordable way to travel the country. Embrace: Here are the things on our readers' summer bucket lists. Compete: Take this week's news quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here.
A 'dose' of video gamesIn the video game EndeavorOTC, you're an intergalactic superhero who travels to distant planets to capture creatures for your zoo. The game, which trains users to pay attention for sustained periods, is also a medical device approved by the F.D.A. to help treat A.D.H.D. symptoms. That might sound too good to be true. So my colleague Thom Dunn at Wirecutter tested it out. He found that it helped improve some of his A.D.H.D. symptoms. But whether that translated into a demonstrable change in his life was a more complicated question. Have an experimental weekend. Thanks for reading. I'll be back on Monday. — Matthew Kirsten Luce was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.
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