Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Wednesday.
Harris reveled in her debate reviewsEarly indications suggested that Kamala Harris prevailed in last night's debate: Viewers gave her the nod in a poll and many commentators, even Republicans, concluded that Harris had succeeded in getting Donald Trump to veer off message. Major Trump donors also expressed concern. One told The Times that it was "painful to watch." Debates are pivotal to fund-raising, and his performance could exacerbate the widening financial gap that he faces with Harris. The Harris campaign touted the positive reviews even though some undecided voters said they were disappointed that she repeatedly opted for sweeping statements rather than substance. The vice president's team asked for another debate, but Trump said he wasn't sure he wanted to. It is possible that Harris will see a uptick in upcoming polls. But in a race that continues to appear neck and neck, the winning candidate will probably be the one who has a better read on the American psyche. As Trump made clear in the debate, he is betting that voters are just as angry as he is — about a nation he argues is in decline, awash in marauding immigrants and devastated economically. Harris's bet, as my colleague Peter Baker explained, is that Americans are exhausted by the Trump era and ready to move on.
Inflation slowed to 2.5 percentInflation continued to cool in August, according to government data released today. The Consumer Price Index climbed 2.5 percent from a year earlier, a notably lower pace than in July, paving the way for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates for the first time since early 2020 at its meeting next week. Still, signs of stubbornness lingered under the surface, causing investors to ramp up their bets that central bankers will lower borrowing costs by a quarter point instead of a half point.
Hurricane Francine is pelting southern LouisianaWithin the next few hours, Hurricane Francine is expected to make landfall along a stretch of southern Louisiana that has been scarred by powerful storms in recent years. Already, Francine, a Category 1 storm, has lashed the state with heavy rain and winds, setting off tornado warnings. State officials warned that it was too late to evacuate. We are tracking the storm live. It is expected to pass between Lafayette and New Orleans, most likely near or over Baton Rouge, the state capital.
Russia's steady advance is threatening Ukraine's eastRussia is closing in on a key city in eastern Ukraine, making one of the fastest advances for its military since the early days of the war. If Russia captures the city, Pokrovsk, it would gain a big strategic advantage in seizing the rest of the Donbas region. We mapped out recent Russian advances. In related news, North Korea has continued to supply advanced short-range ballistic missiles to Russia in defiance of sanctions, a report found. More top news
A fight over video game authenticityAssassin's Creed Shadows, the latest entry of a popular video game franchise that prides itself on accurate historical recreations, will bring players into the world of feudal Japan. However, one of its main characters has caused significant backlash: Yasuke, a Black samurai. Fans have often looked for inaccuracies in past games, but the outcry over Yasuke's presence has been considerably louder. Game developers got personal attacks and death threats, and even Elon Musk weighed in, saying that diversity was killing art. But Yasuke is a real historical figure, unlike the mythological aliens and godlike weapons that are also series fixtures.
Questions to ask your partner at midlifeMiddle age can be weird. It's a time when many people are simultaneously caring for their children and their aging parents. It's a time when some people have identity crises, and others don't. And it's also a common inflection point in marriages, when couples can step back from the daily grind of building their careers and families to see where they're at. So we asked several relationship experts to offer big-picture questions for middle-aged couples to discuss to help them grow closer and decide what's next.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Smoky saganaki can inspire the feeling of a seaside vacation. Watch: My colleague recommended four true crime stories about fashion. Read: Paul Muldoon's poems are fun and rollicking. Listen: Readers wrote in with their favorite summer songs. Travel: Thinking about going on a cruise solo? Here's what to know. Let us know: What do you believe in? We want to hear from you. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here.
She was internet famous. She had no idea.Nearly five years ago, a social media user asked for help identifying faces on a piece of cloth. Several were easily recognizable celebrities, like the actor Orlando Bloom, but the identity of one woman remained a mystery. She was dubbed Celebrity Number Six, and thousands of internet sleuths formed a community devoted entirely to looking for her. It took years, but they finally found the mystery woman. Her name is Leticia Sarda. She's a 43-year-old former model, and she was shocked to learn that so many people had been trying to track her down. We talked to Sarda about grappling with sudden internet fame. Have a captivating evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.
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