The Evening: Obama will take the stage in Chicago

Also, Biden approved a secret new nuclear strategy.

View in browser|nytimes.com August 20, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Tuesday. Obama's headlining speech News on Israeli hostages Plus, breakout classical musicians 🇺🇸 2024 The presidential election is 77 days away. Here's the latest from the campaign trail. Barack Obama at the 2016 Democratic convention in Philadelphia. Doug Mills/The New York Times In Chicago, Obama aims to resurrect a movement This evening, Barack Obama will headline the second night of the Democratic convention in Chicago, the city where his political career began. Like 2016, when he championed Hillary Clinton, he will attempt to use his political star power to help fuel the ascension of the country's first woman president, and warn voters of the perils of a Donald Trump presidency. This time, however, Obama no longer has the strength of the presidency behind him. Instead, he will attempt to reassemble the kind of coalition that powered his own rise behind the campaign of Kamala Harris. Harris backed Obama's long-shot campaign for president in 2007, when it was a political risk that few others would take. Now, Obama will return the favor. You can watch his speech, and others, live here. Here's what else to know: Democrats are newly hopeful that they can win control of Congress. Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s running mate suggested that they might drop out of the race and endorse Trump. We took a look back at Chicago's long history of political conventions, though photos. Photographs of the six Israeli hostages. The Hostages Family Forum Israel said it had recovered the bodies of six hostages Israel's defense minister announced today that Israeli forces had recovered in an overnight operation the bodies of six hostages from Hamas tunnels beneath the city of Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Five of the six were already known to have died in captivity. More than 100 Israelis who were taken hostage during the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack still remain captive in Gaza. At least 30 are believed to be dead. In related news, both Israeli and Hamas officials cast doubt on American optimism that a cease-fire deal could be imminent. Major disagreements are still unresolved. Jamie Kelter Davis/The New York Times Biden approved a secret new nuclear strategy President Biden approved in March a highly classified nuclear strategic plan that reorients America's deterrent strategy to focus on China's rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal. The document, which was never publicly announced, also seeks, for the first time, to prepare the U.S. for possible coordinated nuclear challenges from China, Russia and North Korea. The yacht sank near Porticello, Italy. Guglielmo Mangiapane/Reuters A search is underway for survivors of a sunken yacht Deep-sea divers continued to search today for six passengers who went missing after a yacht sank yesterday off the coast of Sicily. Fifteen of the 22 passengers on board were rescued, and the body of the ship's cook was recovered, after the 180-foot yacht found itself caught in a violent storm. The missing people include the British tech mogul Mike Lynch, who was acquitted in a high-profile fraud trial two months ago, and his daughter. More top news Ukraine: Parliament passed a bill creating a legal path to ban a Russian-aligned branch of the Orthodox church. Airlines: Alaska Airlines' acquisition of Hawaiian Airlines cleared the Justice Department's antitrust review, the airlines said. Kenya: The authorities launched a manhunt for a man who escaped from custody after being accused of killing scores of women. Courts: Greenpeace recently unveiled a new legal strategy that would use the European court system to fight a costly lawsuit by an energy company. Tech: A Massachusetts professor has filed a lawsuit against Meta using a novel interpretation of a law known primarily for shielding social media companies from liability. Health: Ethics rules barred Dr. Jeffrey Shuren, the federal official charged with regulating medical devices, from working on matters involving clients of his wife's law firm. But he did not always step aside. Lives lived: Maria Branyas Morera, an American-born Spanish woman believed to be the oldest person in the world, died at 117. TIME TO UNWIND The pianist Lukas Sternath with the Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg. Marco Borrelli/Salzburg Festival Breakouts in classical music Since its founding more than 100 years ago, the Salzburg Festival has been known as a gathering place for the world's finest musicians. That's still true, but the event is now also a proving ground for artists on the cusp on stardom. Our classical music critic Joshua Barone went to the festival to see who would break through this year. Here are five of his picks. In Scotland, two different shows at the Edinburgh Fringe make fun of Gwyneth Paltrow's ski trial — and one of them is a triumph. Adrienne Grunwald for The New York Times Why this jar of weed costs $60 Selling marijuana is now legal in many states, but playing by the rules has its costs. After taxes, state-mandated security requirements and other fees, customers will pay as much as 50 percent more for the legal 3.5-gram jar pictured above than they would from an unlicensed dealer. My colleague Ashley Southall broke down all the expenses at one legal cannabis dispensary in Queens. "This place just feels more punk rock," said Josh Shaw. Houston Cofield for The New York Times Dinner table topics Rock 'n' roll history: By day, Sun Studio in Memphis draws in tourists. At night, musicians lay down new tracks. "Plant messiah": Carlos Magdalena risks his own extinction to rescue the rarest flowers. My voice on T: A transgender music critic explored the change in their singing voice after taking testosterone. Expensive fun: Some families are going into debt to pay for Disney vacations. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Johnny Miller for The New York Times Cook: Nasi goreng ayam (Indonesian chicken fried rice) is an ideal dinner for two. Watch: "Lousy Carter" is one of our favorite under-the-radar movies to stream this month. Read: In his new novel, Alejandro Puyana recounts the struggles of a family in deeply troubled Venezuela. Decorate: Tapestries are no longer just for just for gothic castles. Save: Here's how to avoid pricey rental car toll fees. Treat: C-section scars can be irritating for months or years. Here's what to do. 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 Señor Salme A century of searches for alien life This week 100 years ago, scientists conducted some of the first large-scale efforts to detect alien life. Earth and Mars were historically close, captivating audiences around the world. The U.S. Navy cleared the airwaves, and researchers pointed a radio antenna at Mars looking for signs of life. The tests provided no concrete evidence of extraterrestrial life, but when looking back, those summer experiments were just the opening chapter in a search that continues to this day. The technologies have evolved, but what endures is that sneaky feeling that we are not alone in the universe. Have an astronomical evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Philip Pacheco 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 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