Today's Headlines: Biden Approved Secret Nuclear Strategy Refocusing on Chinese Threat

'I Am the Only Person Stupid Enough to Speak After Michelle Obama'

View in browser August 21, 2024, 4:40 a.m. Eastern time Top News Biden Approved Secret Nuclear Strategy Refocusing on Chinese Threat In a classified document approved in March, the president ordered U.S. forces to prepare for possible coordinated nuclear confrontations with Russia, China and North Korea. 'I Am the Only Person Stupid Enough to Speak After Michelle Obama' So said former President Barack Obama after his wife electrified the Democratic National Convention. The delegates loved him, but they really loved her. He Regulated Medical Devices. His Wife Represented Their Makers. Ethics rules barred Dr. Jeffrey E. Shuren from working on matters involving clients of his wife's law firm. But he did not always step aside. Editors' Picks How Costco Hacked the American Shopping Psyche More than 100 million people visit the retailer for their groceries — and gas and TVs and gold bars and pet coffins — but saving money may not be the only motive. Opinion | I Have Been Studying Poker for Years. Kamala Harris Isn't Bluffing. So far in the 2024 election, the party known for aversion to risk has been making better risk-management decisions. Today's Videos Michelle Obama, Thrashing Trump, Suggests the Presidency Is a 'Black Job' The former first lady enthralled a packed arena on Tuesday evening with one of the Democratic National Convention's most emphatic takedowns of Donald J. Trump. Obama Casts Harris as the Inheritor of the Movement He Created Michelle Obama, who introduced her husband at the Democratic convention, accused Donald Trump of "doubling down on ugly, misogynistic, racist lies." Activists Protest Outside Consulate of Israel While Democrats Meet in Chicago The demonstration was among several protests during the convention so far. The police said they would not tolerate violence. World Russia Seeks to Turn Humbling Incursion Into Military Gains Two weeks after Ukraine launched its surprise attack, Russian forces have recovered from the initial shock and are now trying to exploit the expansion of the war to their battlefield advantage. 'The Demand Is Unstoppable': Can Barcelona Survive Mass Tourism? This summer, thousands of local protesters in the Spanish city denounced overtourism. With more crowds expected for the America's Cup, we visited the areas where tensions are highest. Risking His Own Extinction to Rescue the Rarest of Flowers Carlos Magdalena, whose botanical adventures have shades of Indiana Jones, was a driving force in saving the world's smallest water lily and finding the largest one. He has been called the "plant messiah." See more world news U.S. 25 Years Ago, a Gay Student Sought Support. His School Turned to Tim Walz. One student's turbulent coming-out journey in the 1990s put Mr. Walz, then a football coach, at the center of gay rights in a Minnesota high school. Final Report on Maine Shootings Criticizes Gunman's Army Supervisors The report found that both local law enforcement and the Army Reserve failed to act on evidence that the gunman was dangerous before the shootings. U.S. Army Soldier Is Charged With Lying About Ties to Insurrectionist Group The soldier, Kai Liam Nix, 20, who was stationed at Fort Liberty in North Carolina, is also accused of illegally selling firearms. See more U.S. news Politics Harris, in a Show of Force, Holds a Large Rally 80 Miles From Her Convention The two-city rally, with Democrats celebrating at their convention in Chicago and an arena in Milwaukee, was a pointed rejoinder to Donald Trump and a significant flexing of the party's muscle. Behind the Obama-Harris Friendship: A Key Endorsement and a Kindred Spirit Kamala Harris's decision to support Barack Obama in a 2008 primary race dominated by Hillary Clinton was a political risk. It paid off, and the former president never forgot it. Harris and Trump Shield Their Big Campaign Fund-Raisers From the Public Political campaigns are not required to disclose the names of their fund-raising "bundlers," but many presidential candidates have done so in recent years. See more political news Business Families Are Going Into Debt for Disney Vacations Some families are spending more than they can afford on Disney vacations. They say it's because they know their children won't stay young forever. Boeing Grounds 777-9 Test Planes in Latest Setback The airplane manufacturer said it had discovered problems with a key part of the 777-9, a large plane designed for long flights that had already been delayed by years. Alaska Airlines' Acquisition of Hawaiian Clears Key Antitrust Review The airlines said the Justice Department had declined to challenge the merger in court. See more business news Technology How a Law That Shields Big Tech Is Now Being Used Against It A Massachusetts professor has filed a lawsuit against Meta using a novel interpretation of Section 230, a law known primarily for shielding social media companies from liability. They Spouted Hate Online. Then They Were Arrested. As hundreds of people appear in court for their role in recent anti-immigrant riots in Britain, several are accused of fueling disorder through online posts, raising questions about the limits of free speech. Internet Slows to a Crawl in Pakistan, Stoking Fear of a Firewall Disruptions have fueled claims from rights groups that the Pakistani authorities are introducing technology to surveil and control the country's internet. See more technology news Sports Women's Cricket World Cup Moved From Bangladesh Because of Unrest The United Arab Emirates will host the tournament after many governments advised against traveling to Bangladesh. See more sports news Arts For These Top Artists, Holograms Offer a New Dimension For "PST Art," the Getty is showing works by John Baldessari, Louise Bourgeois, Deana Lawson and others in a medium that promised to be the future. By Day, Sun Studio Draws Tourists. At Night, Musicians Lay Down Tracks. The historic room in Memphis has a thriving after-hours life, and generations of players come to capture a bit of the magic where rock 'n' roll took shape. He Wants People Restarting Their Lives to See Themselves Onstage Tarell Alvin McCraney, the artistic director of the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, is focused on bringing marginalized people to the theater. See more arts news New York Disciplinary Charges Against Top New York Police Official Are Dismissed An oversight board had recommended that Jeffrey Maddrey, the chief of department, be punished for interfering with an arrest. Commissioner Edward Caban dismissed the case. A Desperate Kennedy Campaign, and the Mystery of 110,000 Signatures Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidential team relied on a super PAC for the signatures needed to get on the ballot in Arizona, according to people with knowledge of the operation. Why Amtrak's System Keeps Breaking Down: It's 100 Years Old An explosion at a substation in June caused just one in a series of disruptions along the Northeast Corridor this summer. Upgrades would come at enormous cost and take more than a decade. See more New York news Media & Advertising Jennifer Lopez Files for Divorce From Ben Affleck The A-list couple, who married in 2022, had attempted to rekindle their romance after close to two decades. Kamala Harris's Tan Suit Surprise The Democratic candidate for president made an unexpected appearance on Day 1 of the party convention. Disney Backs Down From Effort to Use Disney+ Agreement to Block Lawsuit The entertainment company had faced a backlash after claiming that a man whose wife died after an allergic reaction to food at Disney World had waived his right to sue when he signed up for Disney+. See more media & advertising news Food No More Butter Chicken: Where Indian Food Finally Gets to Be Itself Our interim critic reviews Bungalow in the East Village, where the celebrity chef Vikas Khanna's variations on regional dishes blaze new paths without cutting corners. The British Have Finally Learned to Love Peanut Butter The land of Marmite and jam is finally embracing America's favorite spread, with dozens of varieties on supermarket shelves. It's Time for Crab Soup With Chesapeake Bay blue crab season in full swing — and tomatoes, corn and green beans at their peak — make Maryland crab soup right now. See more food news Science New York City's Trees Work Hard. Still, They Could Use a Little Help. A chemical reaction involving emissions from cars and buildings can negate their environmental benefits. New research shows what big cities can do about it. Greenpeace Tries a Novel Tactic in Lawsuit Over Dakota Access Pipeline The environmental group, which is being sued by the pipeline company in North Dakota, threatened to use new European rules to try to limit potential damages. A Swiss Dilemma: How to Get Old Bombs Out of Deep Lakes? Switzerland is offering $58,000 in prize money for ideas to remove munitions from the depths, in case they start polluting. The catch: The cure can't be worse than the problem. See more science news Well 4 Questions to Ask Before Reuniting With an Ex-Partner As Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck show, rekindling an old romance is risky. We asked couples counselors what you should ask before diving back in. Eating Meat Is Linked With Diabetes Risk, New Studies Suggest The research builds on previous findings connecting red and processed meats with Type 2 diabetes. Do You Really Need Dilation at Every Eye Exam? Experts disagree on who needs it and when. Here's what the evidence suggests. See more on Well Obituaries Ruth Johnson Colvin, Champion of Literacy, Is Dead at 107 Working out of her basement, and with no teaching experience, she created a nonprofit that helped people around the world learn to read. Maria Branyas Morera, World's Oldest Person, Dies at 117 Ms. Morera, who cultivated a following on social media as "Super Catalan Grandma," died peacefully in her sleep, her family said. See more Obituaries Opinion Guest Essay What Polls Are Telling Us as Democrats Convene in Chicago Trump better move fast to define Harris. Farah Stockman The Democratic Party Has Been Avoiding This Fight for Too Long The split between Democratic voters and the party over Israel is deep and has been widening for decades. One election won't change that. Bret Stephens What I Want a University President to Say About Campus Protests A community of learners is guided by the spirit of inquiry. The Ezra Klein Show Democrats Don't Think They Have This Election Won The Democratic Party has bridged huge divides since 2020. Can it win? 32 MIN LISTEN Paul Krugman What Happened to Inflation? In the end, Bidenomics was vindicated. Guest Essay An Experiment in Lust, Regret and Kissing I challenged ChatGPT to a beach read writing contest. Here are the results. See more Opinion Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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