Tuesday Briefing: An uncertain path for France

Plus, the century's best books.

View in browser|nytimes.com July 9, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the fallout from France's election and a crucial week for President Biden. Plus: The best books of this century. Near Place de la République in Paris, after results were announced Sunday. Dmitry Kostyukov for The New York Times France faces complicated months ahead French voters may have rejected the far right in legislative elections on Sunday, but they now face a Parliament that is split and has an unclear path to a workable government, with an insurgent left in first place but still far short of holding power. These maps show how France voted. It will take painstaking negotiations to eventually yield a viable government, my colleague Roger Cohen writes. France does not have a culture of such compromise, and the muddle could take months to sort out. President Emmanuel Macron asked his prime minister yesterday to remain in office "for the moment" to "assure the stability of the country." The New Popular Front, a left-wing alliance, has demanded that Macron ask it to form a government, saying it would soon put forward its choice for prime minister. Yet it is 100 seats short of a workable majority, and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the combative left-wing leader, said he would not negotiate with potential coalition partners nor adjust the alliance's program. Possible scenarios: Macron could appoint a prime minister from outside his party and share power, but he has labeled the far-left and far-right parties too "extreme," and other political groups have shown little appetite for working with him. Here's more on what could come next. President Biden is arguing that he can handle the job of campaigning. Tom Brenner for The New York Times Biden pushed back on dropping out of the race President Biden made an aggressive attempt yesterday to dispel concerns that a broad range of Democrats have expressed about his re-election campaign. By the afternoon, he had called into a widely watched morning news program, sent a defiant letter to Democratic members of Congress and, during a call with fund-raisers, previewed his plan to attack Donald Trump. "If any of these guys don't think I should run, run against me," he said, hitting back at his critics. "Go ahead, announce for president. Challenge me at the convention." Biden faces crumbling support from Democratic lawmakers and mounting fears of a rout by Donald Trump in November. He is expected to hold a news conference, most likely on Thursday, after he finishes hosting a NATO summit in Washington. Health concerns: An expert on Parkinson's disease visited the White House eight times from last summer to this spring, according to official visitor logs. The White House did not specify whether the expert was there to consult about Biden but said that the president was not being treated for Parkinson's. Republicans: Trump backed a draft Republican platform that softens the party's position on abortion but is more nationalistic and protectionist. Ohmatdyt Children's Hospital in Kyiv, which was hit by Russian missiles yesterday. Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times A children's hospital was bombed in Ukraine Moscow rained missiles across Ukraine yesterday, destroying the country's largest children's hospital. Hundreds raced to the scene to help in a desperate search for survivors. One doctor and another adult were killed and at least 10 more people were injured, including seven children, local officials said. At least three children were pulled from the rubble, Ukraine's emergency services agency said. Across the country, at least 38 people were killed in the bombings, including 27 in Kyiv, and more than 100 were injured, officials said. The Ukrainian Air Force said it had shot down 30 of the 38 missiles launched during the attack. The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting today to address the strikes. Strikes on health care: The strikes highlighted the growing number of deadly attacks by Russia on Ukrainian medical facilities, vehicles and workers. In one image: The story behind a photograph of a bloodstained surgeon helping the search through the rubble. MORE TOP NEWS Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times Gaza: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Hamas both issued statements that narrowed the chances of reaching a compromise about the territory's future — or a truce. India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, demonstrating India's determination to keep close to Russia despite Western pressure. Hungary: Prime Minister Viktor Orban surprised Europe by turning up in Beijing for talks with China's leader, Xi Jinping. Russia: A playwright and a theater director were sentenced to six years in prison for "justifying terrorism" in their play about the Islamic State. Tropical Storm Beryl: At least four people were killed as the storm battered Houston, and officials warned that it could take days to restore electricity. Hajj: A large number of pilgrims rely on illicit tour operators to skirt the official permit process, making access to lifesaving safety measures difficult for them. Alec Baldwin: A judge ruled that the actor's role as a producer of "Rust" was not relevant to his trial on involuntary manslaughter charges in the shooting of the film's cinematographer. Denmark: As destinations like Venice place restrictions on tourists, Copenhagen is trying a different approach: rewarding visitors who act responsibly. Business & Economics Japan: The yen's drop against the dollar low has undermined plans for the largest military buildup in postwar history. Entertainment: Paramount and Skydance agreed to a merger, making the tech scion David Ellison Hollywood's newest mogul. Boeing: The aircraft manufacturer will plead guilty to a felony charge over two fatal crashes of 737 Max jets. Global supply chains: The Biden administration is trying to persuade foreign companies to invest in chip-making in the U.S. to blunt security concerns around China. SpaceX: A Times investigation found that Elon Musk exploited federal agencies' competing missions in his pursuit of space travel. SPORTS NEWS A young man's game? At the Paris Olympics, a 50-year-old skateboarder hopes to succeed in a sport dominated by the young. Wimbledon: Catch up on the eighth day of the tournament, with wins for Novak Djokovic, Taylor Fritz and Elina Svitolina. British Grand Prix: Red Bull's seesaw performance heralds a fascinating 2024 Formula 1 championship fight. MORNING READ Bryan Anselm for The New York Times Doreen Brodhead checked into a motel room in Kingston, N.Y., one night last November. With her was Stephen Miller, a former doctor who had served time in prison, whom she had met online. The next morning, her body was found on the bed next to a note. A gas canister was nearby, and Miller was gone. Brodhead had lived with chronic pain for decades, and Miller had helped her die. But was he, as he claimed, an angel of mercy or, as prosecutors called him, an angel of death? CONVERSATION STARTERS Tainted love: Jesse Darling won one of contemporary art's most prestigious laurels. But he isn't sure whether he still wants to be an artist. Suit up: Are you ever too old to wear a bikini? The most overlooked Covid symptom: Gastrointestinal issues are an often unrecognized sign of infection. Men's shorts: Inseams can move up and down like accordions, but how long should they really be? ARTS AND IDEAS Julia Gartland for The New York Times The best books of the 21st century The New York Times Book Review asked hundreds of literary luminaries to name the 10 best books published since Jan. 1, 2000. The interpretation of "best" was left open — for some, this simply meant "favorite." For others, it meant books that would endure for generations. Stephen King took part in our poll. So did Claudia Rankine, James Patterson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Elin Hilderbrand, Roxane Gay, Marlon James, Sarah MacLean, Min Jin Lee and Jonathan Lethem. (Take a peek at their ballots.) We'll be publishing the list over the course of this week, starting with those ranked 81st to 100th. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Johnny Miller for The New York Times Cook: Elevate miso salmon by adding grapefruit and honey. Watch: Here are five children's movies to stream now. Protect: Shield your face with these sunscreens. Listen: New pop songs address the fraught relationship between stardom and body image. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, 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