An Ignoble Experiment: The 7: Elon Musk’s glitchy Trump interview; Ukraine’s push into Russia; a twirling iceberg; and more

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Good morning. It's Tuesday, Aug. 13, and it seems Taylor Swift may be big enough to help swing the presidential election. If you don't believe us, here's the data. Now let's get to the news.

The FBI said hackers targeted the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns.

The details: Iran tried to hack advisers to the two presidential campaigns, the FBI alleged yesterday. Investigators have found no evidence that the attempts were successful.
Why it matters: The FBI probe raises the stakes for the presidential race — already rife with accusations of dirty tricks — and underscores the threat of foreign interference.

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A chat between Donald Trump and Elon Musk on X was hit by technical snags.

What happened? It started more than 40 minutes late. Then X owner Musk, whose feed has become a megaphone for his far-right politics, asked softball questions.
Other Trump news: He seems to be preparing to reject an election loss. And he has made increasingly odd claims, as has his VP pick, Sen. JD Vance — find a fact check here.
In New York: Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will not appear on the ballot, a judge ruled.

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Ukraine has taken control of more than two dozen Russian villages.

Source: Institute for the Study of War. (The Washington Post)

What's happening? Ukrainian forces have pushed more than seven miles into Russia's Kursk region since launching the attack last week — we're tracking it here.
Why it matters: It's the first military invasion of Russia since World War II. It has boosted morale on the Ukrainian side — and stunned Russian officials.

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Women in Texas say they were denied abortions for ectopic pregnancies.

What are those? Pregnancies that form outside the uterus. Texas law bans most abortions but makes an exception for these, because they cannot result in a live birth.
What to know: Two women filed complaints last week claiming two Texas hospitals put their lives and future fertility at risk in February — and breached federal law.

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A wildfire with 80-foot flames is raging around Athens.

Smoke cast an eerie glow over the Parthenon yesterday. (Angelos Tzortzinis/AFP/Getty Images)

The latest: The blaze has raced through forests, driven by strong winds and Greece's hot, dry summer. Residents have had to flee their homes, and it's peak tourist season.
Other climate news: Tropical Storm Ernesto has formed in the Atlantic. It could become a major hurricane as it approaches Bermuda. We're tracking it here.

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USA Gymnastics' appeal to restore an Olympic bronze medal was rejected.

The controversy centers on Jordan Chiles's last-minute score change, which initially bumped her from fifth place to third. (Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

Last week: U.S. gymnast Jordan Chiles won bronze in the floor routine in Paris, but the International Olympic Committee said Sunday that she would have to return it.
Why? It said an inquiry that boosted Chiles's score was submitted four seconds too late. Yesterday, a court turned down USA Gymnastics' appeal — but the fight isn't over.

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Earth's biggest iceberg can't stop spinning like a top.

What you're looking at: An iceberg known as A23a that's the size of Rhode Island. It split off from Antarctica in 1986 and has had an eventful life since.
Where is it? Caught in a powerful ocean current about 400 miles off Antarctica's coast. It could keep twirling for years — a safe distance from warmer waters, where it would melt.

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