The Evening: Murder charges in D.C. killing

Also, Trump officials blocked Harvard from enrolling foreign students.
The Evening
May 22, 2025

Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Thursday.

  • Murder charges in the D.C. shooting
  • Harvard's international students
  • Plus, great summer reads
Several men stand and others kneel on a sidewalk with caution tape.
Outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington today.  Caroline Gutman for The New York Times

Man charged with murder in killing of Israeli Embassy aides

The suspect in the shooting deaths of two Israeli Embassy employees outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., was charged today with first-degree murder and other crimes. He told police officers, "I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza," when he was taken into custody, according to court documents. Here's the latest.

The charges were announced hours after federal agents raided the Chicago home of the suspect, whom the police identified as Elias Rodriguez. A post on social media last night from an account that The Times verified as belonging to Rodriguez condemned the Israeli and American governments, as well as Israeli military actions against Palestinians. The F.B.I. director described the killings as targeted antisemitic attacks. Read the F.B.I. affidavit.

The victims were identified as Yaron Lischinsky, 30, who grew up in Israel and Germany, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, who was from Kansas. They were a couple, and Israel's ambassador to the U.S. said that Lischinsky had purchased an engagement ring this week and planned to propose to Milgrim in Jerusalem. They had plans to fly there on Sunday. Here's their story.

The shooting punctuated a moment of rising tension after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel's bombing campaign in Gaza. Around the world, offenses against Jewish people and property have doubled or even tripled.

The Supreme Court building in Washington.
Eric Lee/The New York Times

Justices rejected the nation's first religious charter school

The Supreme Court announced that it was split 4 to 4 over a plan that would allow Oklahoma to use government money to run the nation's first religious charter school. The deadlock means that an earlier rejection of the plan by the state's highest court will be allowed to stand.

The court's nine-member makeup is designed to avoid ties. But Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump appointee, recused herself from the case without providing reasoning. The lack of a majority means that the decision will not set a nationwide precedent on the larger question of whether the Constitution allows states to finance religious charter schools.

Related: The court also let President Trump temporarily remove the leaders of two independent agencies, setting up a possible challenge to many agencies long thought to be protected by Congress.

For more: Here are the other major cases the court is weighing this term.

A building on the Harvard University campus with students walking nearby.
Sophie Park for The New York Times

Trump officials blocked Harvard from enrolling foreign students

The Trump administration sent a letter to Harvard informing the university that it would no longer have the ability to enroll international students. Current international students, the university said, would be forced to transfer. The move, which could affect about a quarter of the school's student body, escalated the administration's pressure on the college to adhere to the president's agenda.

In other Trump administration news:

Speaker Mike Johnson at a lectern with a sign that reads
Speaker Mike Johnson after the House passed Trump's tax bill. Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Trump's domestic agenda squeaked through the House

The House narrowly passed a bill this morning to deliver Trump's domestic agenda. The bill now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to be substantially changed.

The version passed by the House would slash taxes, give newborns $1,000 in "MAGA" savings accounts and add strict Medicaid work requirements that would leave millions uninsured. It would also add significantly to federal deficits, which has spooked some bond investors.

More top news

TIME TO UNWIND

Scarlett Johansson stands in a white dress against white curtains.
Sam Hellmann for The New York Times

Scarlett Johansson wants to be a director again

Few movie stars today win over critics and convey Old Hollywood glamour as effortlessly as Scarlett Johansson does. But for her directorial debut, she drew inspiration from 1990s New York indie films.

At the Cannes Film Festival, which ends this weekend, Johansson presented her feature directing debut, "Eleanor the Great." She sat down with our chief film critic, Manohla Dargis, to talk about her film and how, despite a long career in front of the camera, she always thought she would end up behind it. Read their conversation.

Looking for a great summer read? We can help.

Gilbert Cruz, our Book Review editor, offered four recommendations that would pair perfectly with a beach towel and good weather this summer. See his picks below.

A gif of Gilbert Cruz talking about books.
The New York Times

For a broader selection, my other colleagues on the Books desk pulled together nearly 50 more selections. The nonfiction list is ripe with titles from prizewinning writers tackling subjects like how streetwear became high fashion and what a meal with King Tut might have smelled like. The list of novels to watch for includes space travel, pyramid schemes and much more.

A short video of a gecko on a twig.
Ann Hermes for The New York Times

Dinner table topics

WHAT TO DO TONIGHT

A bowl of chicken and rice in a sauce with herbs and chiles.
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Monica Pierini. Prop Stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas.

Cook: The gingery, sweet heat of chicken tinola rewards patience.

Watch: "Jane Austen Wrecked My Life" is a Times Critic's Pick.

Plan: We have tips for a weekend trip to Annapolis, Md.

Spritz: Banana might be this summer's freshest fragrance.

Consider: Do you put ketchup in the fridge? Here's an A-to-Z guide for storing condiments.

Hunt: Which Queens apartment would you buy with a $300,000 budget?

Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here.

ONE LAST THING

A rotating set of photo at the Silver Bow Drive-In in Butte, Mont.
Janie Osborne for The New York Times

Drive-ins haven't lost their charm

There's something about watching a film under the night's natural glow — with popcorn, lawn chairs, old speakers, pajama-clad kids, Frisbees and blankets — that makes it seem as if you've been transported to another time.

When the photographer Janie Osborne visited three drive-ins within a few hours of her hometown in Montana, it brought back memories from her childhood. But as her images convey, drive-ins are more than just a nostalgic way to watch a movie. They provide a moment of calm with a community of moviegoers who are just looking to enjoy their night.

Have an appealing evening.

Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew

Laurence Tan was our photo editor.

We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com.

Evening Briefing Newsletter Logo

Writer: Matthew Cullen

Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter

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