The Daily

Is Kamala Harris’s surge beginning to ebb? That’s the question raised by the recent New York Times/Siena College poll, which finds Donald J. Trump narrowly ahead of Ms. Harris among likely voters nationwide. Nate Cohn, who covers American politics, explains why some of Ms. Harris’s strengths from just a few weeks ago are now becoming her weaknesses, and the opening that’s creating for the former president. Guest: Nate Cohn, who covers American politics, explains why some of Ms. Harris’s strengths from just a few weeks ago are now becoming her weaknesses, and the opening that’s creating for the former president. Background reading: Ms. Harris is still unknown to many. will shape Tuesday’s 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.

The superstar comedian and his best friend and collaborator discuss the journey that deepened their friendship.

The Supreme Court’s decision to ban affirmative action last summer was expected to drastically change the demographics of college campuses around the country. David Leonhardt, who has written about affirmative action for The Times, explains the extent and nature of that change as the new academic year gets underway. Guest: David Leonhardt, a senior writer who runs The Morning, The Times’s flagship daily newsletter. Background reading: shifts in racial makeup rejected affirmative actionFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

As Vice President Kamala Harris moves into the final stretch of her campaign, one of the biggest issues both for voters and for Republicans attacking her is the surge of migrants crossing the southern border over the past four years. Zolan Kanno-Youngs, who covers the White House for The Times, discusses Ms. Harris’s record on border policy. Guest: Zolan Kanno-Youngs, a White House correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: here’s what her record showsFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The American company Nvidia has created one of the world’s most sought-after inventions: a computer chip that powers artificial intelligence. Amid concerns that the technology could help China modernize its military, however, the United States has tried to control the export of the chips. Ana Swanson, who covers trade and international economics for The New York Times, discusses her investigation into the escalating war over the technology. Guest: Ana Swanson, who covers trade and international economics for The New York Times. Background reading: China is skirting American A.I. restrictionsRead takeaways from our investigationFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

As students around the United States head back to school, many are encountering a new reality: bans on their use of cellphones. Natasha Singer, a technology reporter for The New York Times, discusses the restrictions and the contentious debate they have prompted. Guest: Natasha Singer, a technology reporter for The New York Times. Background reading: rules to curb phone use among students Here’s what happened We want to hear about itFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Phil Donahue, the game-changing daytime television host, died last week at 88. Mr. Donahue turned “The Phil Donahue Show” into a participation event, soliciting questions and comments on topics as varied as human rights and orgies. Michael Barbaro explains what Phil Donahue meant to him. Background reading: An obituary for Mr. DonahueHere are 3 episodesFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Tipping, once contained to certain corners of the economy, has exploded, creating confusion and angst. Now, it is even becoming an issue in the U.S. presidential campaign. Ben Casselman, who covers the U.S. economy for The New York Times, cracks open the mystery of this new era of tipping. Guest: Ben Casselman, a reporter covering the U.S. economy for The New York Times. Background reading: many requests for tipsFormer President Donald J. Trump called Vice President Kamala Harris a “copycat”For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

It’s been nearly a year since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attacks in Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Patrick Kingsley, the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times, explains why the war is still going, and what it would take to end it. Guest: Patrick Kingsley, the Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times. Background reading: twists and turns over months of talksCease-fire talks will continue in CairoFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

The U.S. authorities have repeatedly warned that foreign governments would seek to meddle in the upcoming presidential election. It now appears they were right. David E. Sanger, a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times, tells the story of the first major cyberattack of the 2024 campaign. Guest: David E. Sanger, a White House and national security correspondent for The New York Times. Background reading: The hacking of presidential campaigns has started Iran had breached the campaignFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

As the 2024 presidential race enters the homestretch, former President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are putting economic policy at the center of their pitches to voters. Jim Tankersley, who covers economic policy for The New York Times, evaluates both of their plans. Guest: Jim Tankersley, an economic policy reporter for The New York Times. Background reading: embrace expansions of government power to steer economic outcomes Harris’s price-gouging ban planFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

In the very first episode of The Wirecutter Show, which launched on Aug. 21, the team goes deep on laundry—what you’re probably doing wrong, how to actually pretreat stains, and the tips and tricks to make it all easier. Find more episodes wherever you get your podcasts. And follow The Wirecutter Show to get new episodes right away.

The actress talks to Lulu Garcia-Navarro about learning to protect herself and the hard lessons of early fame.

Last night, at the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris accepted her party’s nomination, becoming the first woman of color in U.S. history to do so. Astead W. Herndon and Reid J. Epstein, who cover politics for The Times, discuss the story this convention told about Ms. Harris — and whether that story could be enough to win the presidential election. Guest: Astead W. HerndonThe Run-UpReid J. EpsteinBackground reading: Kamala Harris promised to chart a “new way forward” It’s her party now. What’s different?For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

At the Democratic National Convention, party officials are celebrating polls showing that Kamala Harris is now competitive with Donald Trump in every major swing state across the country. But in one of those swing states, Republicans have laid the groundwork to challenge a potential Harris victory this fall, by taking over an obscure, unelected board. Nick Corasaniti, a Times reporter who focuses on voting and elections, explains. Guest: Nick Corasaniti, a reporter covering national politics for The New York Times. Background reading: They now have new power to influence the results in 2024 across Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North CarolinaFor 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 war. When Ukrainian troops crossed over into Russia two weeks ago, it appeared at first to be a largely symbolic gesture. But in the time since, it has emerged as a potentially pivotal moment in the war. Andrew Kramer, the Kyiv bureau chief for The Times, explains what’s behind the audacious Ukrainian operation, and Anton Troianovski, the Moscow bureau chief, explains how Russia’s response could reshape the conflict. Guest: Andrew E. KramerAnton TroianovskiBackground reading: a gambit that could also leave Ukraine exposed In Moscow, many doubt the strategyFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

On the first night of the Democratic National Convention, the stage belonged to the man who chose to give it up. Katie Rogers and Peter Baker, White House correspondents for The Times, discuss President Biden’s private pain since stepping aside, and his public message in Chicago. Guest: Katie RogersPeter BakerBackground reading: and endorsed Kamala Harris The speech Biden never wanted to giveFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Over the next few days at the Democratic National Convention, Vice President Kamala Harris will accept her party’s nomination and reintroduce herself to American voters. Astead W. Herndon, a national politics reporter and the host of the politics podcast “The Run-Up,” talks through key periods in Ms. Harris’s life that explain what she believes and the kind of president she might become. Guest: Astead W. Herndon, a national politics reporter and the host of the politics podcast “The Run-Up” for The New York Times. Background reading: How Ms. Harris picked her shots and fateful for the future Democratic presidential nomineeFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Benjamin B. Bolger has been to Harvard and Stanford and Yale. He has been to Columbia and Dartmouth and Oxford, and Cambridge, Brandeis and Brown. Over all, Bolger has 14 advanced degrees, plus an associate’s and a bachelor’s. Against a backdrop of pervasive cynicism about the nature of higher education, it is tempting to dismiss a figure like Bolger as the wacky byproduct of an empty system. Then again, Bolger has run himself through that system, over and over and over again; it continues to take him in, and he continues to return to it for more.

From jail and addiction to music stardom — the singer tells David Marchese he’s living a “modern American fairy tale.”