More than 99 million Americans spent today — the first day of summer — sweltering under excessive-heat advisories. In Phoenix, temperatures climbed to 112 degrees. But the conditions were even more worrying in areas of the Northeast that are not as accustomed to dangerous triple-digit heat.
Large swaths of New York State and parts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont were given the highest possible risk rating by the National Weather Service, indicating that there was danger from a rare level of heat. Of particular concern are the record warm overnight temperatures that the service said “will prevent natural cooling and allow the heat danger to build over time.”
For those in the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic, it was the fourth consecutive day of a smothering heat wave, caused by a heat dome, that could continue into next week. Here’s how heat domes work.
It is certain that 2024 will be among the five warmest years on record, and there is a 50 percent chance of it being the warmest ever on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This graphic shows how summers have gotten hotter since 1951.
In New Mexico, wildfires that began under high temperatures have burned more than 23,000 acres, killing two people and prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents. Thunderstorms could help control the blazes, but at the risk of flash floods.
In Mexico, the first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, Alberto, made landfall today as a tropical storm, unleashing heavy rain, flooding and gusty winds across the middle of the country and into southern Texas. Forecasters predicted 17 to 25 named storms this year, several more than usual.
The Supreme Court upheld a Trump-era tax provision
The Supreme Court today rejected a challenge to a tax on foreign income that had helped finance the tax cuts that Donald Trump had imposed in 2017. The ruling, 7 to 2, avoided introducing what many economists warned could have been fiscal chaos if the tax system had been struck down.
The justices’ decision also previewed what could be its next major tax case: whether Congress can impose what is effectively a tax on Americans’ wealth.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, a Biden appointee, laid out a defense for a wealth tax in a concurring opinion, while conservatives on the court argued that such a tax could violate the Constitution.
What’s next: The court still has 20 decisions remaining before its term ends in late June or early July. Perhaps a dozen have the potential to reshape American society. Here’s what to watch for.
Florida judge on Trump case rejected advice to step aside
Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing Donald Trump’s classified documents case in Florida, was encouraged by two colleagues with more experience than her to pass up the assignment, according to two people briefed on the conversations. She rejected their suggestions.
The colleagues, including the chief judge in the Southern District of Florida, urged her to consider whether it would be better if another jurist took on the high-profile case. Cannon’s initial assignment drew attention because she has scant trial experience and had previously shown unusual favor to Trump. Since then, she has made a number of decisions that have prompted second-guessing and criticism among legal scholars.
The military’s spokesman publicly aired his frustration over Netanyahu’s failure to advance a plan for governing postwar Gaza, and appeared to question Netanyahu’s oft-repeated call for “absolute victory” over Hamas. The prime minister’s office pushed back, saying that the military and the government were both committed to “the destruction of Hamas.”
West Bank: A quiet administrative move increased the formal authority of Bezalel Smotrich, a hard-line minister, over the territory. Analysts described it as a step toward expanding Israeli settlements there.
More top news
Remembering Donald Sutherland
Donald Sutherland’s chameleonlike ability to both charm and unsettle was amply displayed in scores of diverse film roles, including as a laid-back battlefield surgeon in “M*A*S*H”; a ruthless Nazi spy in “Eye of the Needle”; a soulful father in “Ordinary People”; and a strutting fascist in “1900.” He died today in Miami; he was 88. Read his full obituary.
Sutherland was never anyone’s idea of a heartthrob: He often recalled asking his mother if he was good-looking, only to be told, “No, but your face has a lot of character.” And yet across six decades, he appeared in nearly 200 films and television shows. Some years he was in half a dozen movies.
What does retirement mean to you?
Some see it as a state of stillness; a second childhood; a challenging chapter. Others see it as an opportunity to live life rather than to merely make a living. We asked readers to submit their experiences with retirement, and many responded.
Within the accounts is lots of good advice about approaching life once you no longer need to clock in. “Growing old is a process of giving things up,” one reader said. “The trick is to not dwell on what you have lost, but rather focus on what remains.”
What’s the song of the summer?
Summer is here. The temperature is rising. And talk about the song of the summer is in full swing. This year’s most obvious contender is “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter. But is another track more deserving? Or is the very concept of a song of the summer a thing of the past?
My colleagues Wesley Morris and Melissa Kirsch took those questions head on in the latest episode of The Culture Desk podcast, while reminiscing about the memorable summer tunes of the past. Listen in.
Have an upbeat evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
Phil Pacheco was our photo editor today.
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