Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Friday.
Trump visited survivors and rescuers in TexasPresident Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, traveled today to Central Texas to visit sites along the Guadalupe River where last week’s catastrophic flooding killed more than 120 people. The president met with survivors of the disaster and praised emergency workers for their rescue efforts. He has described the flooding as an unavoidable act of nature — “a hundred-year catastrophe” — and said that only a “very evil person” would question the federal government’s response. But local, state and national officials have faced intense scrutiny over preparedness. At the direction of Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, FEMA instituted a policy requiring all expenses over $100,000 — including the deployment of search-and-rescue teams — to be approved directly by Noem. Questions have been raised about whether Noem’s decision contributed to delays in emergency relief. By many accounts, the National Weather Service acted appropriately as it issued increasingly urgent warnings, but Trump’s weather-service cuts could complicate future forecasts. And my colleagues identified at least three occasions in recent years when officials in the hardest hit area had sought funding for a flood warning system but were rebuffed by the state. For more: Our reporters in Texas talked to survivors who were at an R.V. park that was devastated by the floods. Eric Steele, 32, received a call from his sister pleading for help when her camper was carried away by the water. There was nothing he could do.
The State Department told employees it is downsizingWorkers at the State Department received notice today that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s plan to shrink the department was underway. Several offices, focused on issues like human rights, democracy and refugees, will close. More than 1,000 Civil Service workers and 246 Foreign Service officers would lose their jobs, the notice said. Rubio, who called his department “bloated” and stifled by bureaucracy, said the changes would help root out pockets of “radical political ideology.” His plan, first announced in May, was able to proceed this week after the Supreme Court overturned a lower-court order blocking mass firings. In other Trump administration news:
NATO countries plan to buy U.S. weapons to give to UkraineOfficials in Europe and Washington held talks today to hammer out details of a novel plan to provide U.S. weapons to Ukraine. Under the plan, NATO allies would buy critical American weaponry from the Trump administration and give it to Ukraine. The approach, which was publicly endorsed this week by Trump, could be a financial windfall for the U.S. It would also shield the president, who has expressed skepticism about devoting U.S. military support to Ukraine, from accusations of direct involvement in the war.
Earth is spinning faster, for nowJuly is known for its long summer days. But in terms of true astronomical days — a full rotation of Earth — this week’s have been the shortest of the year. Tuesday, for example, was 1.34 milliseconds less than 24 hours. In the long run, however, days are getting longer. A Tyrannosaurus rex that lived 70 million years ago would have experienced an average daily rotation of about 23 and a half hours. Why? Our wobbly days are complicated, even for geophysicists. More top news
Swing is flourishing in KoreaSwing dancing was created by Black Americans in the 1920s and ’30s. But these days, the world’s largest and most vibrant swing dance scene is in Seoul. Korean dancers have even developed their own fresh approaches to the form, the prominent American dancer Caleb Teicher said: “When I go there to teach, I feel like I’m their student now.” This weekend, Teicher is hosting a mini-festival in New York, where a group of Korean swing dancers will perform a free show.
Some therapists bring their clients to the kitchenA small but growing network of mental health professionals have focused their practice on the therapeutic powers of cooking. Some therapists like to make salad while talking one on one about feelings. Others like to get a group together to cook something. There is little research on the efficacy of cooking therapy, but studies have found that cooking and eating good food have clear psychological benefits.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Celebrate the weekend by replicating Hellbender’s basically perfect masa pancakes. Watch: These are the movies that got our critics talking this week. Listen: A remix of “Shake It to the Max” has become a global smash. Plan: Here are 11 great Off Broadway shows to check out this month. Exercise: Breathing is important during workouts, but don’t overcomplicate it. Equip: Wirecutter tested 28 pocket knives. This is the top pick. Test yourself: Take this week’s news quiz. Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, |
