What’s next after the debate

Plus, England's health service is in deep trouble.

View in browser|nytimes.com September 12, 2024 SUPPORTED BY ROHDE & SCHWARZ By Jonathan Wolfe Good morning. We're covering the aftermath of the U.S. presidential debate and Russia's push into eastern Ukraine. Plus: An uproar over a fictional Black samurai. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times The debate rippled across the U.S. The first — and perhaps only — debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump continued to reverberate across the U.S. yesterday, spawning memes across the political spectrum and shaking up donors. Early indications suggested that Kamala Harris prevailed, and her campaign trumpeted the positive reviews of her performance. Trump complained about the moderators while also insisting that he had won "by a lot." Debates are pivotal to fund-raising, and there were signs that the event might widen the financial gap between the candidates. Trump's wealthy donors are now confronting the possibility that they may be outspent by a lot. The vice president's team asked for another debate, but Trump said he wasn't sure he wanted to. The question now is which candidate has a better read on the American psyche eight weeks before the final ballots are cast. More on the U.S. election Americans head to the polls in less than eight weeks. In an interview, Trump dismissed Taylor Swift's endorsement of Harris, saying the pop star will "probably pay a price for it in the marketplace." Harris and Trump shook hands again at an event yesterday in New York City to mark the 23rd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. An Ohio man told Trump to stop exploiting his son's death in a crash caused by an immigrant for "political gain." Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. Stay up to date: See our poll tracker Listen to "The Run-Up" podcast Sign up for the On Politics newsletter The New York Times How Russia's steady advance threatens Ukraine's East Russia is closing in on a key city in Ukraine's east in one of the fastest advances for its military since the early days of the war. If Russia captures the city, Pokrovsk, it would gain a big strategic advantage in seizing the rest of the Donbas region. Ukraine hoped that its surprise invasion of the Kursk region of Russia last month would force Moscow to divert its troops from the Donbas. But so far that has not happened, and Russian troops continue to push forward in the East. In Kyiv: Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with top Ukrainian officials yesterday to discuss their request for permission to use Western weapons to strike deep into Russian territory. Blinken later said the Biden administration had not ruled out the possibility of granting Kyiv more latitude. What's next: This fast-moving phase of the war may wrap up soon, as fall rains make many roads in the region all but impassable for heavy vehicles. Britons satisfaction in the health service is "at its lowest ever," the report said. Andrew Testa for The New York Times England's health service is in deep trouble England's National Health Service, one of the country's most revered institutions, is in "critical" condition, according to a government-commissioned report. The review cited long waits for treatment, crumbling hospitals, mental health patients in "vermin-infested cells" and far fewer M.R.I. scanners than in comparable countries. The report said that during the 2010s, when a Conservative-led government embarked on a stringent austerity program, the N.H.S. was "starved of capital," which led it to fall behind other countries. Context: Britain's new prime minister, Keir Starmer, commissioned the review after he won the general election in July. The dire state of the N.H.S. was a key reason many people voted for his Labour Party. Starmer said that he was working on a 10-year plan that could amount to the "biggest reimagining of our N.H.S." since its creation in 1948. A MESSAGE FROM ROHDE & SCHWARZ Protecting the lifelines of society Critical infrastructures, such as power grids, transportation systems and financial networks are increasingly vulnerable to various threats. At Rohde & Schwarz, we recognize the importance of ensuring the reliability, resilience, and security of these essential systems. That's why we're dedicated to providing innovative solutions to support the protection of critical infrastructures. Learn more! MORE TOP NEWS A school turned shelter in Nuseirat, in central Gaza. Mohammed Saber/EPA, via Shutterstock Gaza: An Israeli airstrike on a U.N. school complex sheltering displaced Palestinians killed at least 18 people, according to the main U.N. agency in Gaza. Israel: President Biden said that he was outraged by the killing of an American activist by an Israeli soldier and demanded "full accountability" from Israel for her death. India: The authorities in the state of Manipur have imposed a new curfew and shut down internet access after a surge in ethnic violence. Iraq: Iran's president arrived in Baghdad for talks as Iraq moved closer toward negotiations on the departure of U.S. troops from its territory. Jordan: The political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood won a sizable share of seats in Parliament. North Korea: In defiance of sanctions, Pyongyang has continued to supply advanced short-range ballistic missiles to Russia. France: Michel Barnier, the newly picked prime minister, has pointedly put distance between himself and the weakened president, Emmanuel Macron. Health: Despite being easily preventable, cholera deaths have soared worldwide. Britain: The government and the Indian conglomerate Tata plan to invest 1.25 billion pounds, or about $1.6 billion, to make the country's largest steel mill greener. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: The Athletic took a deep dive into the deal for Mauricio Pochettino to lead the U.S. men's national team through the 2026 World Cup. Olympics: The Australian field hockey player Tom Craig has been suspended for 12 months after being arrested on suspicion of buying cocaine during the Paris Games. Golf: How a golfer trying to bond with his family has disrupted the sport's equipment industry. MORNING READ Mike Kai Chen for The New York Times The hottest ticket in San Francisco this week was for a live taping of the "Acquired" podcast to hear Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Meta, talk about artificial intelligence and the metaverse. The hit show has become a must-listen for businesspeople the world over, and it's a sign of how tech titans reach the public now. In recent years, billionaires and top executives have preferred to forgo traditional media interviews and instead tell their own stories in the friendly spaces of podcasts and YouTube streams. Lives lived: Alberto Fujimori, the former president of Peru, died at 86. He revived the economy but was later imprisoned for human rights abuses. CONVERSATION STARTERS The sounds of Latin America: Gabriela Ortiz was told that her music was too exotic. Now she's a classical star. A missing celebrity: On Reddit, a woman was the target of a yearslong digital manhunt, but she had no idea anybody was looking for her. Midlife marriage tuneup: Therapists and relationship researchers share six questions that can bring couples closer during this stage. ARTS AND IDEAS Assassin's Creed Shadows's two protagonists: Yasuke, left, and Naoe, right. Ubisoft The fight over a Black samurai The Assassin's Creed video game franchise by Ubisoft has recreated momentous periods in history, and fans have wanted a feudal Japan entry for nearly two decades. Soon, they'll have it. Assassin's Creed Shadows drops on Nov. 15. But the reveal of Yasuke, one of the two main characters, has caused a violent backlash: Yasuke is a Black samurai. Fans have often looked for historical inaccuracies in past games, but the outcry over Yasuke has been considerably louder. Game developers were subjected to personal attacks and death threats, and even Elon Musk commented that diversity was killing art. But Yasuke is a real historical figure, unlike the mythological aliens and godlike weapons that are also series fixtures. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Ryan Liebe for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Cook: This tender cream cheese poundcake is like a poundcake in sheet cake form. Read: "Stolen Pride" is an exploration the emotional lives of Americans who vote for Trump. Watch: These true crime series and films revolve around fashion. Listen: Our reporter reads her story about a Ugandan man who was trafficked and forced to commit online scams. 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. See you tomorrow. — Jonathan Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Gaya Gupta contributed to this newsletter. 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. 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