The Daily

In the first debate of the 2024 race, President Biden hoped to make the case that Donald J. Trump was unfit to return to the White House. Instead, Mr. Biden’s weak performance deepened doubts about his own fitness for the job.Astead W. Herndon, who covers politics for The Times, explains what happened.Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a national politics reporter for The New York Times and the host of the politics podcast “The Run-Up.”Background reading: President Biden’s shaky, halting debate performance has Democrats talking about replacing him on the ticket.Here are six takeaways from 2024’s first presidential debate.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

A new doping scandal is rocking the world of competitive swimming, as the Paris Olympics approach. These allegations are raising questions about fairness in the sport and whether the results at the summer games can be trusted.Michael S. Schmidt, one of the reporters who broke the story, explains the controversy and what it reveals about the struggle to police doping in sports.Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.Background reading: Chinese swimmers twice tested positive for drugs. They kept on swimming.U.S. swimming stars assailed the World Anti-Doping Agency ahead of the Olympics.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The far right in France had a big win this month, crushing the party of President Emmanuel Macron in elections for the European Parliament. But the results did not affect France’s government at home — until Mr. Macron changed that.Roger Cohen, the Paris bureau chief for The Times, discusses the huge political gamble Mr. Macron has taken, which has brought the far right closer than ever to gaining real power in France.Guest: Roger Cohen, the Paris bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Battered by the far right in voting for the European Parliament, Emmanuel Macron called for new elections in France.The president has challenged voters to test the sincerity of their support for the far right. Were the French letting off steam in the European elections, or did they really mean it?For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

A powerful group supporting Israel is trying to defeat sitting members of Congress who have criticized the country’s deadly war against Hamas.Nicholas Fandos, who covers New York politics for The Times, explains why it appears that strategy may work in today’s Democratic primary in New York.Guest: Nicholas Fandos, who covers New York politics and government for The New York Times.Background reading: The American Israel Public Affairs Committee unleashed a record $14.5 million bid to defeat Representative Jamaal Bowman, a critic of Israel.What to know about Mr. Bowman’s bitter Democratic primary race.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Warning: this episode contains descriptions of injuries.Myanmar is home to one of the deadliest, most intractable civil wars on the planet. But something new is happening. Unusual numbers of young people from the cities, including students, poets and baristas, have joined the country’s rebel militias. And this coalition is making startling gains against the country’s military dictatorship.Hannah Beech, who covers stories across Asia for The Times, discusses this surprising resistance movement.Guest: Hannah Beech, a Bangkok-based reporter for The New York Times, focusing on investigative and in-depth stories in Asia.Background reading: Rebel fighters have handed Myanmar’s army defeat after defeat, for the first time raising the possibility that the military junta could be at risk of collapse.What’s happening in Myanmar’s civil war?For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

In a broken world, what can we gain by looking another animal in the eye? "Animal" is a six-part, round-the-world journey in search of an answer. In Episode 4, the writer Sam Anderson soothes his anxiety by visiting a convention center in Ohio.For photos and videos of Sam's adventure with manatees, visit nytimes.com/animal.

The governor of Michigan isn’t saying it should be her, but she’s not saying it shouldn’t be, either.

Warning: This episode contains mentions of bullying and suicide.A rising tide of mental health problems among teenagers has sent parents, teachers and doctors searching for answers. This week, the U.S. surgeon general, Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, offered one: social media.Today, Dr. Murthy discusses his proposal to require platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram to include warning labels, like those that appear on tobacco and alcohol products.Guest: Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, the U.S. surgeon general.Background reading: Dr. Murthy cannot unilaterally impose warnings on social media; the action requires approval by Congress. Dr. Murthy said he would urge Congress to require a warning that social media use can harm teenagers’ mental health.Read a guest essay by Dr. Murthy: Why I’m Calling for a Warning Label on Social Media Platforms.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

In the battle to dismantle gun restrictions, raging in America’s courts even as mass shootings become commonplace, a Times’ investigation has found that one study has been deployed by gun rights activists to notch legal victories with far-reaching consequences.Mike McIntire, an investigative reporter for The Times, discusses the study and the person behind it.Guest: Mike McIntire, an investigative reporter at The New York Times.Background reading: Case after case challenging gun restrictions cites the same Georgetown professor. His seemingly independent work has undisclosed ties to pro-gun interests.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

As mass shootings plague the United States, victims’ families continue to search for accountability. To that end, a pair of lawsuits by the families of victims of the Uvalde school shooting will try a new tactic.J. David Goodman, the Houston bureau chief for The Times, discusses the unusual targets of the lawsuits and profiles the lawyers behind them.Guest: J. David Goodman, the Houston bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: The Uvalde lawsuits are among the most far-reaching to be filed in response to the escalating number of mass shootings in the United States.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest denomination of Protestant Christians in the United States, voted at an annual gathering last week to oppose the use of in vitro fertilization.Ruth Graham, who covers religion, faith and values for The New York Times, discusses the story behind the vote, the Republican scramble it prompted and what it could eventually mean for the rest of the country.Guest: Ruth Graham, who covers religion, faith and values for The New York Times.Background reading: How baptists and the Republican Party took different paths on I.V.F.Here’s what to know about the vote.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

In a broken world, what can we gain by looking another animal in the eye? "Animal" is a six-part, round-the-world journey in search of an answer. In Episode 3, the writer Sam Anderson travels to Florida to fulfill a lifelong dream: to swim with manatees.For photos and videos of Sam's adventure with manatees, visit nytimes.com/animal.

The greatest women’s tennis player of all time is trying to find her new normal in retirement.

Many Americans work their entire lives and end up retiring with nothing. But a group of frugal obsessives is challenging that.They call their approach FIRE: “financial independence, retire early.”Amy X. Wang, the assistant managing editor of The New York Times Magazine, looks at the people behind this growing movement and their bid to rethink how long we work.Guest: Amy X. Wang, the assistant managing editor of The New York Times Magazine. Background reading: Allen Wong is one of the FIRE adherents who always knew how he wanted to live life. After decades of tolerating workaholic culture as the norm, employees are tired and unafraid to show it.FIRE started in the early 2000s with a mantra of extreme saving, but the pandemic forged new followers.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

The makeup of the 2024 presidential race has felt inevitable from the start — with one notable exception: Donald J. Trump’s choice of a running mate.Michael Bender, a political correspondent for The Times, explains why Mr. Trump’s requirements in a No. 2 are very different this time round than they were eight years ago.Guest: Michael Bender, a political correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: Here is a comprehensive look at who is in the mix to be Mr. Trump’s running mate.Ben Carson is a wild card in the vice-presidential sweepstakes, but don’t count him out just yet.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

A jury on Tuesday found Hunter Biden, President Biden’s son, guilty of three felonies related to the purchase of a gun at one of the low points of his troubled life.Katie Rogers, a White House correspondent for The Times, explains what the verdict could mean for the 2024 presidential race.Guest: Katie Rogers, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Biden was found guilty on charges related to a gun purchase in 2018.Here are some takeaways from the conviction.The president has grown more resigned and afraid about his son’s future, according to people close to the Bidens.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

Last week, President Biden announced one of the most restrictive immigration policies by a Democratic incumbent in decades, effectively barring migrants crossing the southern border from seeking asylum in the United States.Zolan Kanno-Youngs, a White House correspondent for The Times, explains the thinking behind the move.Guest: Zolan Kanno-Youngs, a White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Biden’s executive order is an eye-catching election-year move intended to ease pressure on the immigration system and address a major concern among voters.Watch a short video detailing the key facts behind the immigration order.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

On Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York announced that she was indefinitely halting a project that had been decades in the making: congestion pricing in Manhattan’s core business district.Ana Ley, who covers mass transit in New York City, and Grace Ashford, who covers politics in New York, discuss why New York hit the brakes on congestion pricing.Guest: Ana Ley, who covers mass transit in New York City for The New York Times.Grace Ashford, a reporter covering New York government and politics for The New York Times.Background reading: How Ms. Hochul decided to kill congestion pricing in New York.Is New York’s Economy too fragile for congestion pricing? Many say no.How would congestion pricing have worked in New York City?For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

In a broken world, what can we gain by looking another animal in the eye? "Animal" is a six-part, round-the-world journey in search of an answer. In Episode 2, the writer Sam Anderson travels to Iceland to rescue baby puffins — which are called, adorably, pufflings.For more on "Animal," visit nytimes.com/animal. 

The actress is taking on serious roles, trying to overcome self-doubt and sharing more about her personal life — but she’s not done being funny.