Thursday Briefing: J.D. Vance takes the stage

July 18, 2024

	By Daniel E. Slotnik

Good morning. We’re covering a big moment for Donald Trump’s running mate and Israel’s assessment of the toll on Hamas.

Plus, advice from kimchi masters.

J.D. Vance standing onstage listening to someone at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Before this year, Senator J.D. Vance never attended a national political convention. Doug Mills/The New York Times

Vance in the spotlight

All eyes are on Donald Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, who is set to deliver a prime time speech at the Republican convention in a few hours. The political newcomer, who joined the Senate just last year, has had few opportunities to connect with American voters beyond his constituents in Ohio. This will be his biggest chance to do so.

Like Trump, Vance has been skeptical of American intervention overseas. Here’s a look at where he stands on key issues:

Ukraine: Vance has been a staunch opponent of U.S. support for Ukraine. “I’ve got to be honest with you, I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other,” he said in a podcast interview in February. He led a battle in the Senate, unsuccessfully, to block a $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine.

Middle East: A steadfast supporter of Israel’s war against Hamas, Vance has pushed for aid to Israel while trying to deny aid to Ukraine. He acknowledged the civilian casualties in Gaza, but he maintained that the blame lies not with Israel but with Hamas.

Climate: A strong supporter of the oil and gas industry, Vance has said that climate change is not a threat. He is skeptical of the science showing that human activity is driving global warming, and he has voiced opposition to wind and solar energy and to electric vehicles.

Trade: Vance supports “broad-based tariffs, especially on goods coming in from China,” because he said that they threaten American jobs and commerce. We have live updates on the Republican convention.

Other developments in the U.S. campaign:

President Biden faced another major defection within his Democratic Party when Adam Schiff of California became the 20th House Democrat to say publicly that Biden should end his campaign.
The president said that he would re-evaluate staying in the race if a doctor told him that a medical condition made his dropping out necessary.
Democratic leaders delayed a plan that would have finalized the president’s nomination before the end of the month.

People on a street looking at a toppled minaret that is leaning on a building.

The collapsed minaret of a mosque in Nuseirat in the Gaza Strip. Eyad Baba/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Israel provided a measure of the war’s toll on Hamas

Israel’s military said it had killed or captured 14,000 combatants in Gaza since the start of the war. The release of the unverifiable number was meant to show progress toward Israel’s goal of destroying Hamas.

A military spokesman did not specify how many Hamas fighters were killed versus how many were apprehended, and did not specify how Israel distinguished combatants from civilians. The Israeli military also said that it had eliminated half the leadership of Hamas’s military wing.

Throughout the war, there has been heated debate about how many people have been killed in Gaza and what proportion of those have been fighters. The Gaza Health Ministry on Tuesday said that more than 38,000 people had been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict. The ministry has consistently said that most of the dead have been civilians.

Netanyahu: Israel’s prime minister took a hard line on cease-fire talks, calling for Israel to apply “pressure, pressure and more pressure” on Hamas to extract concessions.

A deadly day: A Times visual analysis shows what happened during an Israeli operation that killed scores of Palestinians on June 8.

Two Secret Service snipers use binoculars to survey their surroundings from a white metal rooftop. A tripod and two long guns are lying on the rooftop at their feet.

Secret Service snipers during Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday. Eric Lee/The New York Times

New details revealed about the attack on Trump

A local police officer shot at Donald Trump’s would-be assassin, as he was firing toward the former president, the district attorney of Butler County, Pa., said yesterday. But the district attorney was not sure if the officer hit the gunman, who was killed by Secret Service snipers.

The Secret Service faces intense scrutiny over the security precautions at Trump’s campaign event on Saturday. Republicans have called the director of the Secret Service to testify in Congress next week.

MORE TOP NEWS

Nearly a dozen officials are seated around a rectangular table, surrounded by photographers and other members of the press. The wall behind them says “Operation Center” on it.

The Bangkok police held a news conference about six people who were found dead in a hotel room. Chanakarn Laosarakham/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Thailand: Investigators in Bangkok found traces of cyanide in a luxury hotel room where six people died. The police said that one of them had administered the poison.
U.K.: King Charles formally opened Parliament and presented the priorities of the new Labour government, such as climate change and close ties with the E.U.
Bangladesh: Border-guard units were deployed to quell violent student protests over a job quota system that young people say limits opportunities.
Hong Kong: A Wall Street Journal reporter said that she had been fired for leading a journalists’ union criticized by Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing leaders.
Taiwan: In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Trump said Taiwan should pay the U.S. for defending it from China.
U.S.: A former C.I.A. analyst was charged with aiding South Korean spies in exchange for luxury handbags and clothing.
Emmys: The FX series “Shogun” dominated the awards race with 25 nominations. “The Bear” notched 23 nominations.
New Zealand: A carcass of the world’s rarest whale — so elusive that it has never been documented alive — washed up on a South Island beach.

Sports

The Argentina soccer team celebrates on the field. Lionel Messi hoists a trophy cup over his head while standing in the middle of the team as they crowd together.

Lionel Messi, center, celebrated with Team Argentina after its Copa América win. Agustin Marcarian/Reuters

Copa América: The French Football Federation plans to file a legal complaint over an “unacceptable, racist and discriminatory” chant sung by Argentina’s soccer team after it won the championship.
Golf: Here’s a guide to the British Open, where short holes can befuddle golfers. Brian Harman, who won last year, reflected on his victory in an interview.

MORNING READ

Two women crouch above a large bowl full of cabbage.

Oh Suk-ja, left, a kimchi master, and her daughter. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times

The five kimchi makers designated as grand masters in South Korea have more than 200 years of combined experience making the fermented dish. They shared some advice about crafting kimchi with ingredients like cabbage and abalone.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

A dip in the Seine: Anne Hidalgo, Paris’s mayor, swam in the cleaned-up river and fulfilled a promise that has become a symbol of the Paris Olympics.
Fossil mystery: A 310-million-year-old puzzle was solved by turning a specimen upside down.
Neighborly values: A writer in Maine put up a fence. Why did it cause such a fuss?

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times .

ARTS AND IDEAS

An animated GIF of hand drawn maps overlaid on a picture of a cow on a green hill and mountain scenes.

Ben Buckland for The New York Times

A trip across Switzerland without GPS

Tired of predictable travel experiences, the writer Ben Buckland set out to walk across Switzerland without a smartphone or a planned route. Instead, he relied on maps made by people he met along the way.

“I wanted to know what it would teach me about how technology and convenience have changed the way we travel,” Buckland wrote. “I wanted to be lost, and to find my way through the artwork of strangers.”

Buckland traveled for 12 days, often lost and at times through heavy snow, using maps made by people like a retired schoolteacher and two cheesemakers. Read more about his journey.

RECOMMENDATIONS

A white ceramic bowl of cooked mangoes with a crumbly topping. A fork sits in the bowl.

David Malosh for The New York Times

Cook: Spiced mango crumble is simple, tangy and delicious.

Read: In “The Bright Sword,” an adventurer stumbles into a Camelot in shambles after the death of King Arthur.

Upgrade: You don’t have to spend a lot to remake your kitchen.

Listen: Our pop critic recommends songs from her Italian vacation.

Play: Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow. — Dan

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