More Legal Troubles for Trump

Donald Trump is expected take the stage tonight in Iowa at the state Republican Party’s biggest fund-raiser of the year. His presence is likely to overshadow his G.O.P. rivals there, all of whom he is currently trouncing in the polls.

But as became even more clear last night, Trump’s biggest challenges may lie elsewhere. Federal prosecutors yesterday added major accusations to an indictment charging him with mishandling classified documents, including an assertion that Trump sought to have security camera footage at Mar-a-Lago deleted. The prosecutors also added a charge accusing the former president of showing visitors a classified battle plan related to attacking Iran.

Meanwhile, Trump is also on the cusp of another federal indictment in connection with his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. He is also being scrutinized for possible election interference by the district attorney’s office in Fulton County, Ga.

For more details, my colleague Charlie Savage analyzed the updated indictment, annotating the most important sections.

Ukraine reclaimed a long-occupied southern village

President Volodymyr Zelensky declared today that his troops had retaken the southern village of Staromaiorske as part of a renewed push into Russian-occupied territory. The Russians had held the village since the early months of the war.

But the fierce effort required to retake Staromaiorske, effectively a ruin, offers a window into the brutal battles ahead. The Ukrainians still have several layers of Russian forces to push through before they reach the Sea of Azov — a key objective of the counteroffensive.

In Russia, officials said they had downed two Ukrainian missiles, including one that fell and exploded in the center of the Russian port city of Taganrog, injuring at least nine. The incidents appeared to be rare instances of Ukraine using missiles to attack targets inside Russia, a sign of their increasingly aggressive campaign.

Biden keeps up his electric-vehicle push

The Biden administration proposed new rules today that would require automakers to sharply improve the fuel economy of their cars and trucks. It is the second of a pair of proposals intended to accelerate the nation’s transition to all-electric passenger vehicles, which is one of President Biden’s signature climate goals.

Both today’s proposal as well as the previous one — which set strict limits on tailpipe emissions — are likely to face a wave of legal challenges. But if either or both measures remain in place, they would require nothing short of a revolution in the auto industry.

The World Cup is big in Australia. Just not on TV.

By most estimates, the Women’s World Cup is the biggest sporting event to take place in Australia in more than 20 years. Organizers have trumpeted record ticket sales and hailed the event as a celebration of the emerging popularity of women’s soccer. But for locals, it can be hard to follow.

That’s because FIFA sold the tournament’s nationwide broadcast rights to a cellphone company, which has placed the bulk of the matches on its paid television network. The decision has left many Australians, who are unwilling to sign up for another streaming subscription, missing out on games that are sometimes just a short drive away.

It’s a season worth celebrating

Many of us enjoy a good summer get-together, whether it’s a simple backyard barbecue or an extravagant soiree. But maybe the idea of hosting your own seems daunting.

My colleagues at T Magazine put together a guide to help you host a gathering to remember. They pulled together three recipes that look and taste impressive, but are deceptively easy to make. They also asked several artists to spice up our idea of a party hat.

But if you’re happy just being a guest, here are some gift ideas so you don’t show up empty-handed.

A tiny cabin with seals for neighbors

Off the coast of Maine lies a 550-square-foot cabin on a small remote island, with not even a single tree to block the 360-degree views of the ocean. There’s no running water or food nearby, and weather often makes it unreachable. Stephen King once said there was a “novel here, just waiting to be written.”

Charlotte Gale decided the trade-offs were worth it. She bought the entire island (including the cabin) for $339,000. She now often stays there during the summer, with her longest stint being four consecutive nights.

Have an audacious weekend.

Thanks for reading. I’ll be back on Monday. — Matthew

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