A senior Justice Department official instructed federal prosecutors across the country to draft plans to investigate a group funded by George Soros, the billionaire Democratic donor who President Trump has demanded be thrown in jail.
The directive, a copy of which was viewed by The Times, listed possible charges that could be filed against Soros’s foundation, including arson and material support of terrorism. It suggested that department leaders were following orders from Trump to investigate and prosecute figures he considers his enemies — an extraordinary breach of decades-old prosecutorial protocols. Here’s why Trump is targeting Soros’s foundation.
At the same time, Lindsey Halligan, a federal prosecutor in Virginia who was handpicked for the job by the president, is racing to present a case against the former F.B.I. director, James Comey. Halligan, a former White House aide who had no experience as a prosecutor before this week, is facing intense pressure from the White House to indict Comey.
Separately, federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania are trying, but struggling, to put together a criminal case against John Brennan, the former C.I.A. director whom Trump has attacked.
In other Trump administration news:
In an unusual and unexplained directive, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned generals and admirals from around the world to meet on short notice next week.
The White House threatened mass layoffs if the government shuts down next week, which Democrats said would not prompt them to drop their demands. Here’s what to know.
The Social Security Administration is struggling to meet demand with a diminished work force.
The U.S. is offering a bailout for Argentina
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the Trump administration was prepared to extend a $20 billion lifeline to Argentina. The effort is intended to aid the country’s sputtering economy and help Javier Milei, Argentina’s embattled president, whom President Trump sees as a kindred political spirit.
But the politics of bailouts, which Republicans traditionally loathe, are precarious. Critics of the plan include not just Democrats but agricultural groups whose members have been hurt by Trump’s trade war with China and are anxiously waiting for economic support.
Abbas insists to the U.N. that ‘Palestine is ours’
In a remote address today to the U.N. General Assembly, Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, said that no matter how much suffering the Palestinians endured, they would remain in Gaza and rebuild their land: “It will not break our will to survive.”
During the speech, in which he denounced the Hamas-led attack on Israel and criticized Israel’s military response, Abbas said the Palestinian Authority was willing to take responsibility for Gaza and that Hamas would have no part in governing the enclave after the war.
Abbas delivered his speech by video from the West Bank after the U.S. denied him a visa to attend the meeting in New York City.
In related news, Trump assured leaders of Arab and Muslim-majority nations this week that he would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank.
How cities are dealing with a warming world
The Earth is hot, and it’s only getting hotter — making summers increasingly unbearable in many parts of the world. We looked at more than a dozen cities around the world to see what has worked to provide some relief from the heat.
In Vienna, asphalt was painted different colors. In Cologne, Germany, people are misted as they walk down the street. In Basel, Switzerland, some people commute to work by river. And in Dubai, malls added running paths. See the solutions in action.
More top news
Tech: Amazon agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle claims that it tricked customers into signing up for its Prime membership program and then made it hard to cancel.
Education: The Trump administration said it would withhold millions in grants from magnet schools in New York, Chicago and Fairfax, Va., over gender and D.E.I. policies.
France: Nicolas Sarkozy, the former president, was found guilty of plotting to finance his 2007 election bid with help from Libya’s authoritarian government.
Denmark: Authorities closed several airports after unexplained drone sightings, which one official called an effort to sow fear.
Epstein: Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, sent a list of questions to Jamie Dimon, the head of J.P. Morgan, about the bank’s financial relationships with Jeffrey Epstein.
Manufacturing: There were more than two million robots working in Chinese factories last year, according to a new report — more than in the rest of the world combined.
South Korea: For centuries, social stigma forced tattoo artists to work underground. But soon they could receive legal status.
Death penalty: When William Berry was 13, he spoke in favor of capital punishment at the trial of his mother’s killer. Now he’s trying to spare the man’s life.
California: A Los Angeles man set up a hotline to offer homeless people free one-way tickets home.
Italy: A town in the Tyrolean Alps is considering a dog tax for tourists.
TIME TO UNWIND
An early Oscar favorite arrives in theaters
The director Paul Thomas Anderson rarely lets up on the gas in his new movie, “One Battle After Another.” The film charts the misadventures of a glorious fool named Bob Ferguson — played by Leonardo DiCaprio — a revolutionary foot soldier turned hunted terrorist and doting single father.
Awards prognosticators like it. And so does our chief film critic, Manohla Dargis: “It’s brilliantly directed, but what makes it exhilarating is that it engages with its moment as few American fiction films do,” she writes. “It’s also snort-out funny.”
Jeff Tweedy’s new magnum opus
As the leader of the indie-rock band Wilco, Jeff Tweedy experimented with different formats and sounds. Then, on a four-hour drive with his two sons, he listened all the way through a triple album by the Clash — and decided to make his own.
The result is “Twilight Override,” a three-disc, 30-song album that comes out this week. Our music critic Jon Pareles writes that the album is worth every minute. “The arrangements often feel cozy and handmade, largely built around Tweedy’s acoustic guitar,” Jon said, noting that “the songs touch on memories, wishes, images and ruminations on art, love and time.”
Dinner table topics
Beauty in geometry: Barcelona is made of math. See for yourself.
Uncancellable? “South Park” keeps rolling in the Trump era. Here’s how.
On display in London: Kerry James Marshall’s blockbuster survey tackles Black history in all its complexity.
Clothing trends: Men’s button-ups are becoming brazenly shorter.
WHAT TO DO TONIGHT
Cook: Salsa macha delivers brightness and full-on flavor served atop salmon.
Watch: “Sharp Corner” is one of this month’s under-the-radar streaming picks.
Read: Dark romance books are having a moment. Here’s where to start.
Wear: Our critic has guidance for picking footwear for work.
Plan: These are the cosmetics that Wirecutter’s beauty experts take on vacation.
Hunt: Which Cleveland home would you buy with a $500,000 budget?
Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.
ONE LAST THING
At 58, he is pursuing his college football dream
Tom Cillo always wanted to play football. In the early 1980s, he signed up for his high school team, but at 15, he started drinking and quit. Now, after retiring from his career as a city worker, he has another chance.
At 58, Cillo has joined the Lycoming College football team as a freshman defensive lineman. He’s more than twice the age of his teammates and opponents, but he’s also been powerlifting since his 30s. If he plays a single snap, he will become the oldest player to appear in an N.C.A.A. game in more than 15 years.
Have a determined evening.
Thanks for reading. I’ll be back tomorrow. — Matthew
Philip Pacheco was our photo editor.
We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.