Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Tuesday.
Senator Menendez was convicted of corruptionSenator Robert Menendez of New Jersey, once a powerful Democrat in the Senate, was convicted today of participating in a vast international bribery scheme, in which he was accused of accepting gold, cash and other payoffs in exchange for political favors. A jury of 12 New Yorkers found Menendez guilty on all of the 16 counts he faced, including bribery, conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion, obstruction of justice and acting as an agent for Egypt. Prosecutors accused him of orchestrating the scheme while he was the Democratic leader of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The verdict made Menendez the first senator to be found guilty of acting as an agent of a foreign power and the seventh to be convicted of a federal crime while in office. He was charged with corruption once before, but that unrelated prosecution ended in a mistrial in 2017. Menendez, who has maintained his innocence, vowed to appeal the decision. But his conviction will almost certainly deliver a final blow to his storied, four-decade political career. Several top Democrats, including Chuck Schumer, the Senate majority leader, called on Menendez to resign. If he declines, the Senate could move to expel him, though it is not yet clear if it would. Menendez, who is 70, faces the possibility of many years in prison. He is set to be sentenced on Oct. 29, and eight of the counts on which he was convicted carry potential 20-year sentences. For more: Here are the details at the core of the corruption case.
Biden pushes toward nomination, despite doubtsPresident Biden returned to the campaign trail today after a brief pause following the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Biden is looking to court Black and Latino voters in Nevada and refocus his campaign on issues like the economy, while leaders of the Democratic National Committee are rushing to confirm him as the party's nominee by the end of the month. Not all Democrats are eager to move past the public doubts about his acuity and candidacy. Adam Schiff, the California representative running for Senate, issued a warning during a private meeting with donors over the weekend. "We may very, very well lose the Senate and lose our chance to take back the House," Schiff said, according to people with knowledge of the remarks. Biden has rejected calls to step aside, relying on advice from a small group of loyalists that includes his son, Hunter; the first lady, Jill Biden; and Mike Donilon, a longtime friend. Related: Times reporters spoke with Latino voters, who have warmed to more punitive measures on illegal immigration, and disillusioned Black voters in Milwaukee.
Police were in the complex from which a gunman shot TrumpThree law enforcement snipers were inside the warehouse complex from which a gunman opened fire at Donald Trump during a rally over the weekend, according to both the director of the Secret Service and the local authorities, although they gave different accounts of the snipers' locations. The discrepancy is just one unsettled element of the investigation into the attempted assassination. The local police had radioed the Secret Service about reports of a suspicious person, and videos showed that Secret Service snipers in a separate team were orienting themselves toward the gunman less than two minutes before shots were fired. Here's the latest. In related news, U.S. intelligence agencies recently detected a potential Iranian plot to kill Trump that they said was unconnected to the rally shooting.
After Beryl, some Houston residents consider leavingHouston has been devastated by multiple major storms in two months. First, powerful spring thunderstorms caused flooding and power outages. Then, Hurricane Beryl ravaged nearly all of Houston's electrical infrastructure during a heat wave, compounding the damage that had yet to be repaired in many places. As of late Monday, a week after the hurricane hit, around 135,000 people were without power. Many residents told my colleague J. David Goodman that they were contemplating moving to someplace less affected by the weather. More top news
Our restaurant critic is leaving the tableAfter 12 years as the restaurant critic at The Times, Pete Wells realized that he was no longer hungry. He has reviewed about 500 restaurants, and for each review he would often try more than 30 dishes before writing a word, along with countless other meals to stay informed. Then a recent physical showed that he had developed health problems, like pre-diabetes and obesity, that can come with the job. So Pete decided that it was time for something new. Read his farewell note here, and check out some of his most memorable reviews.
Upgrade your kitchen without actually renovatingKitchen renovations are usually costly and time-consuming. And if you're a renter, they're often not worth it. But there are still plenty of ways to improve the look of your kitchen without ripping everything out. Designers we spoke to said that the best tool to quickly transform any kitchen was paint: It can bring a brand-new look to cabinets, walls, ceilings and even backsplashes. Here are their other tips.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Mango crumbles are simple, tangy and delicious. Watch: The show "Kite Man: Hell Yeah!" is a fun spinoff of "Harley Quinn." Read: Sex educators and counselors recommended eight books to help your sex life. Style: Crop tops are back. Here's how to make your own. Rest: For older adults, too much or too little sleep has been tied to cognitive issues. Save: Most Amazon Prime Day discounts stink. Wirecutter has found ones that are actually worth it. Compete: Take our quiz to see how well you know films based on Shakespeare's plays. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here.
NASA sent a Missy Elliott song to VenusLast week, NASA used giant radio towers to transmit Missy Elliott's 1997 hit "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" to her favorite planet, Venus. It took the song 14 minutes to travel 158 million miles at the speed of light. The project, which was designed to inspire people to consider their place in the cosmos, was the second time that NASA had beamed a song into space. The first, "Across the Universe" by the Beatles, was transmitted to the North Star, Polaris, in 2008. Have an out-of-this-world evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Emree Weaver was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.
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Tuesday, July 16, 2024
The Evening: Menendez found guilty
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