The Sunday Read: 'The Man Who Saw America'

In this episode of The Sunday Read, we look at the complexity, diversity and humanity of America through the eyes of Robert Frank — one of the most influential photographers in history — who, through his camera, collected the world.This story was recorded by Audm. To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android.

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A Conversation With a Police Union Leader

In the weeks since George Floyd was killed by the Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, Americans have been confronting hard questions about bias and racism within law enforcement — and what the role of the police should be.In the process, many have asked whether the culture of policing can be changed or if the system needs to be reimagined entirely. Today, we talk to an officer at the center of that debate inside one of the country’s largest police unions.Guest: Vince Champion, the southeast regional director of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Protesters across the country are calling for the abolition of police forces. But what would that actually look like?Last week, the House passed a sweeping police overhaul bill, aimed at combating racial bias and excessive use of force, by a vote of 236 to 181. The bill is not expected to pass the Republican-controlled Senate.

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A Major Ruling on Abortion

The Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Louisiana law that could have left the state with a single abortion clinic. It was a setback for conservatives in the first major ruling on abortion since two Trump appointees joined the bench. We examine the implications for future challenges, and why — for the third time in two weeks — Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. sided with his four more liberal colleagues.Guest: Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The Times.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Chief Justice Roberts also voted with the court’s liberal wing in rulings on job discrimination against L.G.B.T.Q. workers and on a program protecting young immigrants.The ruling on Monday stalled anti-abortion momentum for now, but the movement has a long pipeline of new cases.Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote that the Louisiana law was “almost word-for-word identical” to a law from Texas, which the court struck down in 2016.

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A Russian Plot to Kill U.S. Soldiers

A New York Times investigation has revealed evidence of a secret Russian operation to kill U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan — and of the failure of the Trump administration to act on that intelligence. As lawmakers from both parties react with fury, one of the journalists who first reported the story tells us what has come to light so far.Guest: Eric Schmitt, who covers terrorism and national security for The New York Times.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: The Times reported on Monday that President Trump was provided a written briefing on the intelligence about the suspected Russian plot in late February.“If it does come out as true, obviously the heartache would be terrible,” said the father of a Marine who died in a 2019 car bombing in Afghanistan, which is reportedly the focus of investigators’ work.

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What Went Wrong in Brazil

Brazil has a long, distinguished history of successfully navigating public health crises. But in recent weeks, it has emerged as one of the world’s most severe coronavirus hot spots, second only to the United States. What went wrong? Guest: Ernesto Londoño, The Times’s Brazil bureau chiefFor more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Here’s an overview of what you need to know about the coronavirus in Brazil.The country’s pioneering responses to past health crises, including AIDS and Zika, won global praise.

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Four New Insights About the Coronavirus

Infection rates broke records across the United States over the holiday weekend, with many of the most severe surges in areas that reopened fastest. One thing that seems to have played a factor: transmission indoors, such as in restaurants and bars. We break down the risk, and look at what else scientists have learned about the coronavirus and how it spreads. Guest: Donald G. McNeil Jr., a science and health reporter for The New York Times. For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Many scientists have been saying for months that the coronavirus lingers in the air indoors, infecting those nearby. But the World Health Organization has been slow to agree.Black and Latino residents of the United States are nearly twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as their white neighbors, according to new data that provides the most comprehensive look yet at coronavirus patients in America.

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‘Their Goal Is the End of America’

What President Trump’s divisive speech at Mount Rushmore reveals about his re-election campaign.Guest: Maggie Haberman, who covers the White House for The New York Times.For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily Background reading: Missteps by a fractured campaign and a series of self-inflicted wounds added up to a very bad June for President Trump.In speeches at the White House and Mount Rushmore last weekend, the president promoted a version of the “American carnage” vision from his inaugural address.

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