promoearn: Your wallet is 9% lighter

Wednesday, July 13

The Labor Department announced today that consumer inflation rose to an 8.6% annual rate in May, the highest level in more than four decades with increasing energy and food prices pushing prices higher.

Inflation hits another 40-year-high.

What's up? Inflation – again. Plus, the latest on President Joe Biden's trip to the Middle East. And thousands of beagles will be rescued from a sketchy breeding facility.

Before we dive into the news, we're launching something new here at USA TODAY. If things look a little different, don't worry! It's the same breaking and exclusive news, just easier to digest. Let me know what you think at laura@usatoday.com (or just reply to this email)!

👋 Now, back to what you came for: I'm Laura Davis, and this is Wednesday's news.

But first, come on, Jane Goodall Barbie, let's go party! ♻️ The trailblazing nature science icon now has her own Barbie doll made from recycled, ocean-bound plastic. We stan a conservationist queen. Check out the Barbie here.

The Short List is a snappy USA TODAY news roundup. Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

Inflation hits 40-year-high

Inflation is jumping, and Americans are feeling the squeeze. In June, inflation jumped again on a persistent climb in gas, food and rent costs, notching another 40-year high and likely solidifying the Federal Reserve's plans for another big rate hike this month. Prices increased 9.1% from a year earlier, up from an annual rate of 8.6% the previous month and the largest gain since November 1981, the Labor Department's Consumer Price Index showed Wednesday. "Ouch," Ian Shepherdson, chief economist of Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote in a research note of the latest surge in prices. He, along with other economists, noted June likely marked inflation's peak, though a similar pronouncement in the spring proved premature. What the experts are saying on inflation.

•	Will food prices go down in 2023? Breaking down June's CPI report.

Inflation jumped in June – a new 40-year high. Here's what you should know.

USA TODAY

Security is the top focus as Biden kicks off first visit to Middle East

President Joe Biden landed in Israel on Wednesday to kick off a four-day trip to the Middle East, his first to the region since taking office. The emphasis? Security. Biden opened the visit with a tour of Israel's "Iron Dome" and "Iron Beam" advanced missile defense systems, developed in partnership with the United States. The president offered anxious Israeli leaders strong reassurances of his determination to stop Iran's growing nuclear program, saying he'd be willing to use force "as a last resort." In addition, Biden continues to look for ways to expand defense cooperation in the region. Catch up on the latest from Biden's trip to the Middle East.

•	Biden faces skepticism from Palestinians after Trump policies.

President Joe Biden greets President Isaac Herzog, left, after arriving at Ben Gurion Airport, Wednesday, July 13, 2022, in Tel Aviv, as Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, center, looks on.

Evan Vucci, AP

What everyone's talking about

•	Quick: How many phone numbers can you remember?
•	K2, the brightest comet in our solar system, will swing by Earth this week. Here's when to see it.
•	Josh Hawley called transphobic by law professor for his pregnancy views in Senate hearing.
•	A man said his camper was set on fire over a Trump flag. Now, officials say he set the blaze himself.
•	Arrest made in rape of Ohio girl that led to Indiana abortion drawing international attention.

The Short List is free, but several stories we link to are subscriber-only. Consider supporting our journalism and become a USA TODAY digital subscriber today.

July supermoon, comin' in hot

Eyes to the sky! It's time for another supermoon. And for avid sky watchers who love space but hate cold weather, July typically provides the warmest and best time of the year to gaze at a full moon. The "buck" or "thunder" moon will be the biggest supermoon of the year.

Things to know:

•	Is it 'buck' or 'thunder' moon? July's full moon is nicknamed the "buck" moon "because the antlers of male deer (bucks) are in full-growth mode at this time," according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. It's also known as the "thunder" moon because of early summer's frequent thunderstorms, NASA said.
•	When can you see it? The moon will rise Wednesday evening in the southeastern sky, and reach peak illumination at 2:38 p.m. EDT, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
•	Why is it called a supermoon? When the moon's orbit brings it closer to Earth than usual, the cosmic combo is called a supermoon. The moon can appear slightly bigger and brighter than normal, weather permitting.

Happy moon-gazing! 🌝

The waxing gibbous moon rises behind a cross at a church in the old city of Jerusalem On July 12, 2022, a day ahead of the July "buck supermoon".

AHMAD GHARABLI, AFP via Getty Images

4,000 beagles getting busted out of breeding facility

Four thousand beagles from a breeding facility in Virginia that has been accused of animal welfare violations will be transferred to shelters nationwide for adoption in coming months, under a plan approved by a federal judge last week. Envigo RMS, which owns and operates the facility that breeds beagles for medical research, was accused of a chain of animal welfare violations at the facility – including inadequate food and medical care, filthy conditions and dogs being euthanized without anesthesia. Read more about the beagles here.

A federal judge approved a plan that calls for transferring 4,000 beagles housed at a troubled Virginia breeding facility to shelters where they can be adopted, according to court records.

Fox - 5 DC

Real quick

•	California tech CEO charged in 1992 cold case murder after DNA discovery.
•	Uvalde residents demand answers as mayor criticizes release of shooting surveillance video.
•	Over 100 homes damaged, dozens reported missing after flooding in western Virginia.
•	Hundreds attend funeral for Jayland Walker after Akron, Ohio, police killing.
•	Yosemite fire threatens sequoia grove, some of Earth's oldest, biggest trees.

🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your local forecast here.

Your tax dollars paid a Peace Corps worker $258K after he killed a woman

After Peace Corps employee John Peterson's chaotic driving spree left a mother of three dead on the streets of Tanzania, the U.S. government whisked him back to America and put him on leave. Over the next year and a half, U.S. taxpayers paid Peterson more than $258,000. Meanwhile, the agency paid the family of the woman Peterson killed about $13,000, a USA TODAY investigation found. Here's what happened.

Family members of late Rabia Issa and a freelance Tanzanian reporter pray at the grave of the late Rabia at Msasani graveyard in Dar es Salaam Tanzania.

Peter Mgongo, For USA TODAY

A break from the news

•	🛒 Shop 'til you drop: 190+ best new Amazon Prime Day 2022 deals on Apple, iRobot, Blink, Bose and more.
•	🌄 Book your next adventure: Time's top 50 destinations of 2022.
•	🛍 Last-minute deals: Scoop sales from Target, a pressure washer you need in your life, Amazon Prime Day scores on shoes, kitchen deals and great buys on TVs.

This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Want this news roundup in your inbox every night? Subscribe to the newsletter here or text messages here.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.