Friday Briefing: Ukraine said it captured a Russian town

Also, Sweden confirmed a case of a dangerous form of mpox.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 16, 2024 By Jonathan Wolfe Good morning. We're covering Ukraine's incursion into Russia and a case of a dangerous form of mpox in Sweden. Plus, Brazil's maids rooms are disappearing. A damaged hangar at the Borisoglebsk air base in Russia. Planet Labs PBC, via Associated Press Ukraine claimed to have captured a Russian town President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine claimed yesterday that his country's troops had taken full control of the Russian town of Sudzha. If confirmed, it would be Ukraine's first capture of a Russian town since the incursion began 10 days ago. Ukrainian state television broadcast a report from Sudzha, showing soldiers tearing down a Russian flag from a building. Ukraine also said it had launched a large-scale drone attack on military airfields deep inside Russia, damaging at least two of them. Russia's Defense Ministry said that Ukraine had launched 117 drones at several Russian regions, including those housing the airfields. Satellite imagery verified by The Times showed two bases in Savasleyka and Borisoglebsk that had sustained damage. It was unclear if any aircraft had been hit. Both airfields are over 200 kilometers, or about 125 miles, inside the country's borders. Analysis: U.S. officials said the incursion showed how Ukraine's army had improved its warfare skills. U.S. officials said it was likely to make it harder for Moscow to mount a major renewed offensive in Ukraine's east and was the kind of surprise operation that could eventually impose real costs on the Kremlin. A child with mpox in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Arlette Bashizi/Reuters Sweden reported a case of the new form of mpox Sweden reported the first case outside Africa of a dangerous form of mpox, formerly called monkeypox, in a person who had traveled to the continent. The new version of mpox is generally thought to cause more severe illness and to have a much higher mortality rate. It also spreads more often through heterosexual populations. Here's what you need to know. The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency on Wednesday as an epidemic concentrated in the Democratic Republic of Congo worsened. The country has reported 15,600 cases and 537 deaths, most of them among children under 15. The virus recently spread to a dozen other African countries. Context: The last time the W.H.O. declared a global emergency for mpox was in 2022. That outbreak affected nearly 100,000 people worldwide, primarily gay and bisexual men, including more than 32,000 in the U.S. 🇺🇸 U.S. ELECTION 2024 The presidential election is less than 90 days away. This is what we're watching. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris celebrated a deal on drug prices. Eric Lee/The New York Times Biden and Harris reunited for a public event President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris made their first appearance together since he had dropped out of the presidential race and endorsed her. Though billed as an official event to announce landmark negotiations on drug prices with pharmaceutical companies, the mood at the event had the energy of one of Harris's campaign rallies, with the auditorium packed to the brim and the crowd thunderous in its applause and chants. Here's what else to know: The candidates for vice president, Gov. Tim Walz and Senator JD Vance, have agreed to hold a debate on Oct. 1. Donald Trump's latest financial disclosure listed $100 million in liabilities over judgments he owes in civil cases, but also profits from licensing fees at Trump-branded properties in Dubai and Oman and a Trump-endorsed Bible. At a news conference, Trump insisted he was "entitled" to continue his barrage of personal attacks against Harris. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. Stay up to date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | The "Run-Up" podcast | On Politics newsletter MORE TOP NEWS Ronen Zvulun/Reuters Middle East: Mediators and Israeli negotiators began a new round of Gaza cease-fire talks in Qatar as the region braced for an anticipated retaliation against Israel by Iran. Bangladesh: Mobs attacked supporters of the ousted prime minister, preventing them from holding their first major gathering since she fled the country. Sudan: The military announced it would reopen the main border crossing with Chad, which it had closed for six months to U.N. relief trucks. India: The death and apparent rape of a physician trainee in Kolkata reignited rage over violence against women. Argentina: Prosecutors accused Alberto Fernández, the former president, of abusing his partner, the former first lady. Japan: Hundreds of flights and trains in and around Tokyo were canceled as Typhoon Ampil approached, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and the threat of floods. Business: WeRide, a Chinese self-driving startup, is set to go public in the U.S. Russia: A court sentenced a Russian American woman to 12 years in prison on treason charges for donating about $50 to Ukraine. Arts and Culture Matthew Perry: The "Friends" actor's personal assistant, two doctors and two others have been charged with providing the ketamine that caused his death. Taylor Swift: There was tight security at Wembley Stadium in London for the pop star's return to the stage after her Vienna shows were canceled over a terrorist plot. Gena Rowlands: The actor, who starred in films including "The Notebook" and was known for playing on-the-verge characters, died at age 94. SPORTS NEWS Olympics: "This decision feels unjust," Jordan Chiles said on X, in her first time speaking publicly about being stripped of a bronze medal. Soccer: The singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran has bought a minority stake in the Premier League team Ipswich Town. MORNING READ Peter Flude for The New York Times Britain, the land of Marmite and jam, seems to have fully embraced peanut butter, America's favorite spread. You can find dozens of varieties on British supermarket shelves. Still, one American favorite has yet to take off there: the peanut butter and jelly sandwich. CONVERSATION STARTERS A wild idea: A family raised hogs in Iowa for decades, but they wanted a way out of factory farming. The exit came with a whole lot of mushrooms. Marquis event: Mark Schneider has played the Marquis de Lafayette in re-enactments, and in TV and film roles. He stands out as the pre-eminent Lafayette. Homage to the hidden: France honored the African soldiers who helped liberate the nation during World War II. It's a period of history France has long tried to obscure. ARTS AND IDEAS Maria Magdalena Arrellaga for The New York Times A small room shows Brazil's racist past Maid's rooms, often barely bigger than a closet, have been a fixture in Brazil's homes for generations. They recall a long history of slavery and inequality in a country where, after abolition, rich families relied on low-paid, mostly Black domestic workers to clean, cook and care for children. "The maid's room is our colonial heritage," said Ana Beatriz da Silva, who lived in a room like that when she was a child. "It's shameful." Many Brazilians agree with her. The rooms are disappearing or being transformed as Brazil undergoes a reckoning with a painful past that has shaped everything from the economy to architecture. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Kerri Brewer for The New York Times Cook: Eat this spiced roasted eggplant as a side, or as a vegetable main course with seasoned yogurt and chopped herbs. Exercise: Fitness experts share their tips for managing your workout routine while traveling. Style: Embrace your dad bod. These movies show you how. (Or at least make it look stylish.) 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's briefing. Natasha Frost will be back Monday. — Jonathan Reach Jonathan 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. 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