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| Republicans, Syria, Geert Wilders: Your Wednesday Evening Briefing | Republicans, Syria, Geert Wilders: Your Wednesday Evening Briefing |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| (Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.) | (Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.) |
| Good evening. Here’s the latest. | Good evening. Here’s the latest. |
| 1. Two Russian intelligence agents directed a criminal conspiracy that broke into 500 million Yahoo accounts in 2014, the Justice Department said, in one of the largest known data breaches. | 1. Two Russian intelligence agents directed a criminal conspiracy that broke into 500 million Yahoo accounts in 2014, the Justice Department said, in one of the largest known data breaches. |
| The agents were supposed to be helping Americans hunt for hackers — but instead they were working against them. Prosecutors said the Russian government used the information to target foreign officials, business executives and journalists. | The agents were supposed to be helping Americans hunt for hackers — but instead they were working against them. Prosecutors said the Russian government used the information to target foreign officials, business executives and journalists. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 2. President Trump lashed out over the leak of part of his 2005 tax return, which showed that he paid $38 million in federal income taxes after huge write-offs. | 2. President Trump lashed out over the leak of part of his 2005 tax return, which showed that he paid $38 million in federal income taxes after huge write-offs. |
| The release comes as critics of the Republican health care bill point out that it gives large tax breaks to wealthy Americans like the president. | The release comes as critics of the Republican health care bill point out that it gives large tax breaks to wealthy Americans like the president. |
| On Capitol Hill, above, the Republican leader of the House Intelligence Committee cast doubt on Mr. Trump’s claim that he was wiretapped. | On Capitol Hill, above, the Republican leader of the House Intelligence Committee cast doubt on Mr. Trump’s claim that he was wiretapped. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 3. The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate, a move intended to curb inflation and stabilize growth. Officials said the domestic economy was expanding at a “moderate pace.” | 3. The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate, a move intended to curb inflation and stabilize growth. Officials said the domestic economy was expanding at a “moderate pace.” |
| Mr. Trump has vowed to speed up growth, and to cut regulations to stimulate job growth. He headed to Detroit to announce a rollback of fuel economy standards that he says hurt the U.S. auto industry. | Mr. Trump has vowed to speed up growth, and to cut regulations to stimulate job growth. He headed to Detroit to announce a rollback of fuel economy standards that he says hurt the U.S. auto industry. |
| The president’s first budget will be released Thursday. A blueprint to be released by the White House calls for deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department and popular domestic programs. | The president’s first budget will be released Thursday. A blueprint to be released by the White House calls for deep cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department and popular domestic programs. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 4. The Netherlands went to the polls to elect a 150-seat Parliament, in the first major electoral test for European populism since last year’s “Brexit” referendum. Turnout was the highest in decades. | |
| Geert Wilders’s anti-Islam party gained seats, but a big majority of Dutch voters rejected his views. | |
| Fears of hacking and outside interference were rife, so all vote tallying was done by hand. | |
| _____ | _____ |
| 5. In Damascus, a suicide bomber struck inside a historic judicial building, killing at least 30 people. | 5. In Damascus, a suicide bomber struck inside a historic judicial building, killing at least 30 people. |
| It was the second attack in five days in the heart of the Syrian capital, coinciding with the sixth anniversary of the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. | It was the second attack in five days in the heart of the Syrian capital, coinciding with the sixth anniversary of the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. |
| The war has now left more than 400,000 people dead and displaced about half of the country’s population. | The war has now left more than 400,000 people dead and displaced about half of the country’s population. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 6. A federal judge in Hawaii blocked Mr. Trump’s revised travel ban. | 6. A federal judge in Hawaii blocked Mr. Trump’s revised travel ban. |
| Hours before the second attempt to ban travel from parts of the Muslim world was to take effect, Judge Derrick K. Watson froze it nationwide. | Hours before the second attempt to ban travel from parts of the Muslim world was to take effect, Judge Derrick K. Watson froze it nationwide. |
| The decision deals a political blow to the White House and signals that proponents of the ban face a long and risky legal battle ahead. | The decision deals a political blow to the White House and signals that proponents of the ban face a long and risky legal battle ahead. |
| Read the judge’s order here. Above, a protest against the ban in Washington. | Read the judge’s order here. Above, a protest against the ban in Washington. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 7. Hundreds of private clinics have sprung up in the U.S. and around the world offering stem-cell treatments for all manner of ailments, with little or no regulation because they fall into a legal gray zone. | 7. Hundreds of private clinics have sprung up in the U.S. and around the world offering stem-cell treatments for all manner of ailments, with little or no regulation because they fall into a legal gray zone. |
| A disastrous outcome at one Florida clinic illustrates the dangers. Three women who underwent stem-cell procedures to treat macular degeneration, which slowly causes blindness, lost much or all of their sight. | A disastrous outcome at one Florida clinic illustrates the dangers. Three women who underwent stem-cell procedures to treat macular degeneration, which slowly causes blindness, lost much or all of their sight. |
| The cases expose gaps in the ability of government agencies to protect consumers from unproven treatments offered by entrepreneurs. The clinic is still operating, although not on eyes. | The cases expose gaps in the ability of government agencies to protect consumers from unproven treatments offered by entrepreneurs. The clinic is still operating, although not on eyes. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 8. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s natural wonders. It’s so large that it can be seen from space, and so beautiful it can move visitors to tears. | 8. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s natural wonders. It’s so large that it can be seen from space, and so beautiful it can move visitors to tears. |
| And it is dying. Huge sections of its most pristine parts were killed last year by overheated seawater, and now more southerly sections are bleaching, which is a potential precursor to another die-off. | And it is dying. Huge sections of its most pristine parts were killed last year by overheated seawater, and now more southerly sections are bleaching, which is a potential precursor to another die-off. |
| Scientists, who said climate change was warming seawaters, did not expect this level of damage for another 30 years. | Scientists, who said climate change was warming seawaters, did not expect this level of damage for another 30 years. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 9. The live-action remake of Disney’s 1991 animated blockbuster “Beauty and the Beast” arrives in theaters this week. | 9. The live-action remake of Disney’s 1991 animated blockbuster “Beauty and the Beast” arrives in theaters this week. |
| But not in Malaysia, where the government demanded that Disney cut a brief scene that shows two men dancing together in a ballroom, saying it promotes homosexuality. (Bill Condon, who directed the film, has called it “an exclusively gay moment.”) | But not in Malaysia, where the government demanded that Disney cut a brief scene that shows two men dancing together in a ballroom, saying it promotes homosexuality. (Bill Condon, who directed the film, has called it “an exclusively gay moment.”) |
| The studio refused. | The studio refused. |
| Our critic gave the film a rave review, saying it “looks good, moves gracefully and leaves a clean and invigorating aftertaste.” | Our critic gave the film a rave review, saying it “looks good, moves gracefully and leaves a clean and invigorating aftertaste.” |
| _____ | _____ |
| 10. Finally, “This Is Us” is TV’s latest surprise hit. | 10. Finally, “This Is Us” is TV’s latest surprise hit. |
| The NBC family drama, which just wrapped up its first season, uses flashback-heavy, nonlinear storytelling. But it’s not a gimmick, our critic writes. | The NBC family drama, which just wrapped up its first season, uses flashback-heavy, nonlinear storytelling. But it’s not a gimmick, our critic writes. |
| “It represents the way we experience time with the people we love,” he says. “I couldn’t tell you why this family show became a hit where so many others haven’t. Maybe America just needs a good cry this year.” | “It represents the way we experience time with the people we love,” he says. “I couldn’t tell you why this family show became a hit where so many others haven’t. Maybe America just needs a good cry this year.” |
| And on the late-night shows, the comedian Seth Meyers took on Representative Steve King of Iowa for his remark about “somebody else’s babies.” | And on the late-night shows, the comedian Seth Meyers took on Representative Steve King of Iowa for his remark about “somebody else’s babies.” |
| “You know you’ve really accomplished something when the guy who wrote ‘Cujo’ is no longer the scariest Stephen King,” he quipped. | “You know you’ve really accomplished something when the guy who wrote ‘Cujo’ is no longer the scariest Stephen King,” he quipped. |
| Have a great night. | Have a great night. |
| _____ | _____ |
| Photographs may appear out of order for some readers. Viewing this version of the briefing should help. | Photographs may appear out of order for some readers. Viewing this version of the briefing should help. |
| Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern. | Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern. |
| And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing, posted weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern, and Your Weekend Briefing, posted at 6 a.m. Sundays. | And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing, posted weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern, and Your Weekend Briefing, posted at 6 a.m. Sundays. |
| Want to look back? Here’s last night’s briefing. | Want to look back? Here’s last night’s briefing. |
| What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com. | What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com. |