The Daily

Midway through one of the booziest holiday weekends of the year, we re-examine our love-hate relationship with alcohol.Susan Dominus, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, gets to the bottom of the conflicting guidance on the benefits and risks of drinking.Guest: Susan Dominus, a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine.Background reading: Research has piled up debunking the idea that moderate drinking has any health benefits.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday

A major Times poll has found that voters’ doubts about President Biden deepened after his poor performance in the first debate, with Donald J. Trump taking by far his biggest lead of the campaign.Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The Times, explains what those results could mean for Mr. Biden’s future.Guest: Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: Mr. Trump now leads Mr. Biden 49 percent to 43 percent among likely voters nationally.Mr. Biden has been left fighting for his political future after his faltering debate performance. Read the latest.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Evan Gershkovich, an American journalist for The Wall Street Journal, was detained in Russia more than a year ago. He has been locked up in a high-security prison and accused of spying for the U.S. government.His trial, held in secret, is now underway.Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times, discusses the complicated geopolitics behind Mr. Gershkovich’s detention and the efforts to get him home.Guest: Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief for The New York Times.Background reading: Russia opened its secret trial of Mr. Gershkovich, who is accused of espionage.A United Nations panel said he was being punished for his reporting on the war in Ukraine.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald J. Trump is entitled to broad immunity from criminal prosecution for actions that he took while in office.Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times, explains how that ruling will weaken the federal case against Mr. Trump for trying to overturn the last U.S. presidential election, and will drastically expand the power of the presidency itself.Guest: Adam Liptak, a Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: The Supreme Court says Mr. Trump has some immunity in the election case.The decision is an extraordinary expansion of executive power that will reverberate long after he is gone.What the immunity ruling means for Mr. Trump.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

President Biden’s disastrous debate performance last week set off a furious discussion among Democratic officials, donors and strategists about whether and how to replace him as the party’s nominee.Peter Baker, who is the chief White House correspondent for The Times, takes us inside those discussions and Biden’s effort to shut them down.Guest: Peter Baker, the chief White House correspondent for The New York Times.Background reading: President Biden’s allies can no longer wave away concerns about his capacity after his unsteady performance at Thursday’s debate.Mr. Biden’s family is urging him to keep fighting.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 5, the writer Sam Anderson travels to an obscure memorial in rural Japan: the statue of the last Japanese wolf.For photos and videos of Sam's journey to Japan, visit nytimes.com/animal. 

David Marchese talks to the comedy legend about navigating the minefield of fame, “Family Feud” and changing Hollywood forever.

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.