Your Thursday Briefing

Russia denounces West over drone strike on Moscow

A day after the first military strike to hit civilian areas in Moscow, Kremlin officials jumped on the refusal of Ukraine’s allies to condemn the attack as proof that Russia’s real war was with the West.

None of Ukraine’s allies went so far as to endorse the drone attack, but Britain’s foreign secretary said that Kyiv had “the right to project force beyond its borders.” The U.S. response also stopped short of criticizing the drone strike, which Ukrainian officials have said they were not “directly involved” in.

Dmitri Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia’s national security council and a former president, said Britain “de facto is leading an undeclared war against Russia” by providing Ukraine with military support. He argued that now any British official “can be considered as a legitimate military target.”

Context: Russia has repeatedly hit civilian areas of Ukraine during the war, though it has denied targeting nonmilitary sites. In recent weeks it has turned up the barrage of missiles and attack drones aimed at Kyiv, the capital. Thousands of Ukrainian civilians, including children, have been killed in Russian airstrikes and artillery bombardments, U.N. officials say.

In other news from the war:

Battery subsidies lure investors to the U.S.

The Biden administration is devoting hundreds of billions of dollars to fighting climate change, raising anxieties among European leaders that Washington’s approach will hurt U.S. allies by luring away many of the new investments in electric car and battery factories not already destined for China, South Korea and other Asian countries.

Competition between Europe and the U.S. has grown intense and, to some officials, counterproductive, as each tries to acquire the building blocks of electric vehicle manufacturing to avoid becoming dependent on China. The U.S. has offered significant incentives to companies in that sector, putting pressure on Europe to follow suit.

Biden officials have argued that U.S. and European policies are complementary. They have noted that the government and private money going into electric cars and batteries would reduce prices for car buyers and put more emission-free vehicles on the road.

Example: European leaders are offering one of Europe’s few homegrown battery companies, Northvolt, hundreds of millions of euros to build factories in Europe. The company has considered postponing building a factory near Hamburg, Germany, to invest in the U.S. instead.

U.S. House passes debt ceiling bill

In a 314-to-117 vote, House lawmakers overwhelmingly agreed last night to suspend the $31.4 trillion borrowing limit until January 2025, heading off an economically devastating default.

After a revolt by far-right Republicans threatened to scuttle consideration of the bill, which would cut federal spending by $1.5 trillion over a decade, a bipartisan coalition lined up to support the compromise negotiated by President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy. The vote came just days before the U.S. was projected to exhaust its borrowing power.

The compromise was intentionally structured with the aim of enticing votes from both parties, allowing Republicans to say that they had succeeded in reducing some federal spending — even as funding for the military and veterans’ programs would continue to grow — while allowing Democrats to say they had spared most domestic programs from significant cuts.

What’s next: The bill now heads to the Senate, where leaders in both parties have expressed their support.

THE LATEST NEWS

Around the World

Along Ireland’s coast, fishing has been a way of life for generations. But with changes to the industry — including a cut in quotas after Brexit and a government plan to scrap boats — it may disappear.

“We have fish, that’s our currency, that’s what we have here,” one skipper said. “So we’re between a rock and a hard place.”

SPORTS NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC

How a soccer team won a penalty shootout worth $211 million: The managers of Luton Town and Carlisle both worked for the English Football Association when a significant study was released. It helped define the finals for both recently promoted teams.

Barcelona says goodbye to the Camp Nou, for now: Barcelona played its final match at the Camp Nou on Sunday before the stadium was closed for renovations. When will the club return?

From The Times: Three days into the French Open, Novak Djokovic has put himself at the center of the mounting international crisis in the Balkans, where ethnic Serbs and Albanians have clashed in recent days.

ARTS AND IDEAS

Happy feet

Your feet say you more about your health than you might expect. Swollen feet may indicate high blood pressure, gout or kidney problems, while tingling and numbness can indicate diabetes. Podiatrists recommend inspecting your feet — tops, bottoms and between your toes — daily, and keeping an eye out for any changes. Here’s how to get your feet summer-ready, according to experts.

Rethink flip-flops. They offer little to no arch, heel or ankle support and can exacerbate foot conditions, such as arch pain and plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the tight band of connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. If you do wear flip-flops, don’t mow your lawn in them — unless you want to risk a visit to the emergency room.

Protect your feet from germs. Exposing our feet in summer makes them more prone to infection, especially in public swimming areas and locker rooms and on the beach. Now may be a good time to invest in waterproof shoes.

Don’t forget the sunscreen. Just like skin on the rest of our body, the tops of the feet and the soles are prone to sunburn and skin cancer. Opt for at least 30 SPF sunscreen and remember to reapply often when you’re out in the sun.