The Evening: Biden’s debate boot camp

Also, an N.H.L. final for the ages.

View in browser|nytimes.com June 24, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. The upcoming Biden-Trump debate Transgender care at the Supreme Court Plus, an N.H.L. final for the ages President Biden traveled to Camp David, in Maryland, last week. Al Drago for The New York Times Biden is prepping for the first debate President Biden has spent the last five days at Camp David, the presidential retreat in the woods of northern Maryland, sparring with a man pretending to be Donald Trump and working with his closest advisers to prepare for this week's debate. The president's aides have turned a movie theater and an airplane hangar at Camp David into a mock debate stage. There, Ron Klain, a longtime adviser to Biden, is leading an effort to help Biden shake off the rust that often comes with being an incumbent on the defense and to combat voter concerns that he is too old to be president. People involved with planning Biden's strategy sessions told my colleague Katie Rogers that they were trying to game out exactly which attacks Trump might launch, and how they can best keep the president focused on drawing contrast on issues like immigration and abortion access. Trump is taking a far looser approach to debate prep, with some policy briefings but no role playing. For both candidates, the debate, at 9 p.m. Eastern on Thursday in Atlanta, could be the highest-stakes moment of their rematch. It will probably be the single most-watched moment of the campaign, and both men face significant risks: Any notable misstep — a physical stumble, a mental lapse or a barrage of too-personal insults — could reverberate for months. In related news, corporate executives have increasingly complained about Biden. But so far they have not abandoned him en masse. The Supreme Court will be delving into yet another polarizing social issue. Eric Lee/The New York Times Justices will hear a case on gender-transition care The Supreme Court agreed today to consider the constitutionality of a Tennessee law that bans hormone therapy and puberty blockers for transgender minors. It will be the first time that the justices will rule on statewide restrictions on gender-transition care. The court's decision on the case, which is likely to arrive around this time next year, could have broad ramifications for about 25 states that have enacted similar measures. A still from video of a damaged synagogue in Derbent, released by the Telegram channel of Dagestan's leader. via Associated Press Russian officials called a deadly assault an act of terror The death toll from two seemingly coordinated attacks yesterday in Russia's southern republic of Dagestan rose to 20, investigators said. Wielding rifles and Molotov cocktails, the attackers assaulted synagogues and Orthodox churches in two major cities in Dagestan, a predominantly Muslim region. Five attackers were eventually killed after exchanging shots with law enforcement, officials said. The authorities designated the assault an act of terrorism, but it was not immediately clear who was responsible. Rubble from an Israeli bombardment in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, on Sunday. Eyad Baba/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Israel said it was shifting to a new phase of the war Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that "the intense stage of the war with Hamas is about to end." His comments suggested that Israel might soon be mounting fewer offensive operations against Hamas in Gaza and would instead focus on the conflict with Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia. U.S. officials are working to head off a new Israeli miliary push in Lebanon and are seeking clarity on the Israeli government's intentions. Israel's defense minister met today in Washington with William Burns, the C.I.A. director, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. More top news Saudi Arabia: More than 1,300 people died during the hajj this month. Most of them were unregistered pilgrims and were left with little protection from the heat. Tech: Apple was charged under a new European Union law with imposing unfair restrictions on developers of applications for its App Store. Politics: At a recent Trump campaign speech, one of the warm-up acts was a precious-metals salesman being sued by federal regulators for fraud. Media: Will Lewis, now The Washington Post's publisher, said he had helped the authorities investigating a British phone-hacking scandal. But police came to view him as an impediment. Floods: Officials in Iowa, South Dakota and Minnesota raced to strengthen levee systems as rising rivers flooded homes and drowned farmland in several towns. Royals: Princess Anne was hospitalized with mild injuries from an unspecified accident. Trade: Global shipping prices are soaring, raising fears of product shortages and delays. Health: Scientists are studying whether delaying menopause could improve longevity. TIME TO UNWIND Florida Panthers defenseman Gustav Forsling and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid battling for the puck. Sergei Belski/USA TODAY Sports, via Usa Today Sports, via Reuters Con An N.H.L. final for the ages Only one N.H.L. team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to become the Stanley Cup champion; that was 82 years ago. Tonight, the Edmonton Oilers have a chance to become the second when they face off against the Florida Panthers at 8 p.m. Eastern. The team that wins gets to go home with the trophy. It's a dramatic finale to a series that easily qualifies as one of the most memorable in the history of hockey. The Oilers are led by Connor McDavid, probably the league's best player, and they are hoping to become the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup since 1993. The Panthers, meanwhile, are looking to win their first title in front of a home crowd, and avoid an embarrassment of historic proportions. Ben Konkol In an age of A.I., how can you tell what's real? A new study found that people could not tell the difference between genuine Yelp restaurant reviews and those churned out by artificial intelligence. In fact, people were more likely to think the A.I. reviews were real. It's not just text A.I.-powered software that is getting better. Take our quiz to see if you can spot the fakes among these images and learn a few telltale signs of A.I. imagery. Among the stops on a seven-night, island-hopping yacht cruise was the Croatian island of Hvar. Elaine Glusac Dinner table topics Bargain boat: Our Frugal Traveler columnist went on a 30-percent-off yacht cruise in Croatia. Was it worth it? Too many chess grandmasters? There are more than 1,850 holders of the game's top title. Some players wonder if the designation even matters. Sculpting our planet: Earth's crust teems with mysterious, deep-dwelling microbes that we are only now beginning to understand. Pets aren't people: Animal welfare ethicists and veterinary scientists say the more we try to humanize pets, the more health and behavioral issues they develop. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Cook: These gingery meatballs in tomato sauce use fresh tomatoes for a lighter meal. Watch: A demon baby and a cursed chef star in our latest picks of horror movies to stream. Read: These novels take place over a single, very memorable day. Listen: This week's playlist features a duet by Gracie Abrams and Taylor Swift and eight more new songs. Dress: How short is too short for a skirt? Our fashion critic offers some advice. Monitor: Fitness trackers provide a stream of heart-rate data. Here's how to make sense of it. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Birders and tourists are flocking to see a lone flamingo among the swans. Anastassia Whitty for The New York Times A wild flamingo is summering in the Hamptons Move over Jay-Z, there's a new star in the moneyed enclave of the Hamptons: a wild American flamingo. When the bird was spotted in a coastal pond this month, it attracted hundreds of spectators, including celebrities like Steven Spielberg. A marine biologist said the flamingo may have taken a wrong turn and arrived in the summer hot spot, or maybe it was simply exploring. Luckily, the bird has managed to establish friendly relations with some longtime residents of the pond — a flock of sometimes ornery swans. Have a colorful 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. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Photo Editor: Brent Lewis Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018