Monday Briefing: The Democratic National Convention begins

Plus, Ukraine pushes on into Russia

View in browser|nytimes.com August 19, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and Ukraine's incursion into Russia. Plus: The dark side of Shen Yun. 🇺🇸 U.S. ELECTION 2024 The presidential election is less than 80 days away. This is what we're watching. The United Center, in Chicago, will be the main site for the Democratic National Convention. Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times The Democratic National Convention begins today Officials and delegates are assembling in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention. Here's the latest on the race. The convention's first day will include a speech by President Biden. The second day will focus on Democrats' message of optimism to contrast with the Republican refrain that the country's best days are gone. On the final two days, Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, will formally accept their party's nomination. Big names are scheduled to speak, like Barack and Michelle Obama. New stars also emerge at conventions, and our reporters will be looking to see who they are. Here's how to watch. Your questions: We asked readers what they'd like to know about the election. We gave today's question to Lisa Lerer, who covers national politics and is on the ground in Chicago: Why is it that abortion rights are/seem so central to the election? Is it really going to be a decisive factor? — Alex Leibik, Berlin Lisa: While abortion rights had been perceived as a divisive issue by both parties, the reality was that majorities of Americans have supported some form of legalized abortion for decades. Many voters just didn't believe that a right so established in American life could disappear. When the Supreme Court overturned a federal right to abortion in 2022, the decision transformed abortion rights into a galvanizing issue for a new coalition of liberal, independent and moderate Republican voters. Conservative state legislatures have continued to pass restrictions on the procedure, keeping the topic central for this energized group of voters who've rewarded Democrats with a series of electoral victories. The issue is likely to remain a dominant one in 2024: Polling shows voters continue to list abortion as a top issue. If you'd like your question answered, send it to us here. Here's what else to know: As vice president, Harris found roles to play on abortion rights, gun safety and a Supreme Court appointment. But many undecided voters still see her as a relative unknown. We fact-checked Harris's and Donald Trump's attacks on each other. Protests over the war in Gaza are expected outside the convention, as the issue bitterly divides the Democratic establishment from its left flank. This is what Chicago's leaders are doing to prepare. Read our Times Magazine cover story about Biden's interrupted presidency. Here are takeaways. Stay up-to-date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | The "Run-Up" podcast | On Politics newsletter Ukrainian troops near the Russian border last week. David Guttenfelder for The New York Times Ukraine presses on with its incursion into Russia Almost two weeks into its offensive, Ukraine has destroyed a critical bridge in the Kursk region of western Russia. Analysts said it pointed to a commitment by Ukraine to a sustained fight in the area. The move could hamper Russia's response to the offensive, which has caused more than 130,000 people to flee or be evacuated, the Russian authorities say. Many have found themselves in the city of Kursk. "Probably there will be nothing to return to," said Alesya Torba, 41, whose daughter gave birth to a girl the day before. Some Russians expressed anger at Ukraine, while others took aim at Russia's state-run media and its Defense Ministry. The border was defended thinly, largely by young, conscripted soldiers who in interviews described surrendering or abandoning their positions. Antony Blinken in Tel Aviv on Sunday. Pool photo by Kevin Mohatt Top U.S. diplomat traveled to Israel Antony Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, arrived in Israel yesterday with a "bridging proposal" aimed at ending the war in Gaza after cease-fire negotiations in Qatar did not yield a breakthrough. Senior negotiators hope to reconvene in Cairo before the end of the week to finalize an agreement, according to White House officials. While the Biden administration had suggested that the process was "now in the end game," Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, cautioned that the negotiations were "very complex" and called his approach to the talks one of give and take — "not give and give." MORE TOP NEWS The New York Times Venezuela: The country is entering a new era of authoritarianism. More than 1,400 people have been detained in recent weeks. Thailand: Parliament chose Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the 37-year-old heir to a political dynasty, to be the new prime minister. Kashmir: The Muslim-majority region, which had been stripped of its semiautonomous status by India, will hold an election for its regional legislature for the first time in a decade. Iran: The Nobel laureate and human rights activist Narges Mohammadi was violently beaten by prison guards, her lawyer said. X: Elon Musk said he would shut down the social network's offices in Brazil instead of complying with an order to suspend accounts. A.I.: Entrepreneurs say the use of generative artificial intelligence tools is accelerating the path to hiring and, ideally, profitability. Hong Kong: At 19, a giant panda named Ying Ying became the oldest panda on record to give birth for the first time. News From Europe Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has pushed the country to the right on abortion, gay rights and surrogacy. Serbia: A Rio Tinto lithium mine that Europe sees as a critical source for electric vehicle batteries has generated public fury and fears that the mine will poison the air and water. Sweden: After a new version of mpox was discovered in the country, experts expect more cases to surface in Europe because of frequent travel to and from Africa. SPORTS NEWS Premier League: In the first weekend of the season, the defending champions, Manchester City, beat Chelsea for the 10th straight time. City will most likely win the league, Rory Smith writes in the On Soccer newsletter. Soccer culture: The best, worst and weirdest new soccer uniforms outside the Premier League. Baseball: The complex legacy of Pinky Deras, America's greatest Little League player. MORNING READ Joshua Rashaad McFadden for The New York Times "The Blind Side" made the football player Michael Oher famous. But he believes his early life was misrepresented by the Oscar-winning movie and the book it was based on, which, he says, made him into a cartoon image he doesn't recognize. He is now suing the couple who took him in, claiming that they have exploited him. Lives lived: Alain Delon, a smoldering French cinema star of the 1960s and '70s who could play cold Corsican gangsters as convincingly as hot Italian lovers, is dead at 88. CONVERSATION STARTERS At least it's not 'Jaws': There has been a rash of dolphin attacks on beaches in central Japan. Marine experts think it might be just one "lonely" dolphin. Putting fun in funerals: Modern, even hip, mortuaries around the world are hoping to answer one question: How do we commemorate death in 2024? The hotelification of offices: Companies are hoping to lure workers back to their desks with luxe spaces, boutique fragrances and other fancy amenities. ARTS AND IDEAS Getty Images The abuse and injuries behind Shen Yun's spectacle Shen Yun Performing Arts began two decades ago as a Chinese dance show staged at high-end venues to entertain and spread the message of the Falun Gong religious movement, which has been persecuted by the Chinese Communist Party. Soon, the dance group was enjoying brisk ticket sales on five continents and had holdings of more than $265 million. But some of the dancers, mostly teenagers and young adults, told The Times that they had to perform through the pain of serious injuries, and that they were told that medical treatment was a crutch of the unfaithful. Most described feeling like an expendable commodity as the group focused on spreading its views and raking in cash. Read our investigation. 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. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Cook: Grapefruit and honey take miso salmon to the next level. Read: "Drawn Testimony," by the portraitist Jane Rosenberg, recounts her four decades of sketching in courtrooms. Drink: Sales of nonalcoholic beer, wine and spirits are soaring, but are the beverages actually good for you? Here's what to know. Listen: Hear seven tracks from the most dominant women in rap. Watch: A director of "Tiger King" brings us into the world of people with pet chimpanzees. 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. Have a good day. — Natasha P.S. Some Times employees are reading their way through Emily Wilson's translation of the "Iliad." Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. 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