Against the backdrop of this year’s Democratic National Convention in Chicago, in a race to the White House that some have characterized as a fight for democracy itself, this week’s newsletter comes from the Guardian US editor Betsy Reed

Kamala Harris acknowledged at the start of her speech in Chicago that her path to the stage at the Democratic National Convention was unexpected. But as she made the case for her candidacy – and demolished her rival, an “unserious man” whose ascent to the presidency would nonetheless have “extremely serious” consequences – a rapturous crowd embraced her as the justice-seeking prosecutor who represents their best hope of defeating Donald Trump.

Harris’s speech capped the longest of summers for Democrats, who found their way to a promising campaign only after the June nadir of Joe Biden’s catastrophic debate performance and his exit from the race three weeks later. The decision to bow out earned the president a hero’s welcome on the DNC’s opening night, where he gave an assured, rousing speech before leaving for vacation, skipping the Obamas’ barnstormers on Tuesday, vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz’s pep rally on Wednesday, and Harris’s finale. The message was clear: this is Harris’s party now – and she is positioning herself as a president who would fight for the people, while Donald Trump fights for himself.

The Democrats’ convention not only telegraphed unity but also coursed with a human emotion that was plain to see – joy – providing a vivid contrast with the Republicans’ tone of grievance and vengeance. There was dissonance, though, between the euphoria on display and the frustration of those concerned over the mounting death toll in Gaza. The Guardian highlighted the voices of pro-Palestinian protesters outside the convention, including one Palestinian-American from Chicago who said: “I don’t want my tax dollars to be used to murder my own family.” We also followed “uncommitted” convention delegates who sought to bring a Palestinian humanitarian message to the Democratic national convention arena, but staged a sit-in after being denied a speaker on the main stage.

Harris’s glide path to the nomination has visibly rattled Donald Trump. Lunging off-script in a speech designed to be a campaign reset focused on the economy, the former president tried to label his opponent a communist and a fascist. Where Trump and his allies have been more disciplined is in their detailed plans to steal the election should they lose in swing states.

Despite the vibes – and memes – buoying the Democrats and Harris’s gains in the polls since Biden’s exit, this race is still unnervingly close. America’s future rests with a fraction of voters in a handful of states. As the intense phase of campaigning begins – with a pivotal debate scheduled for 10 September – odds right now appear only slightly better than even that we will avert another Trump reign that is all but certain to be ruinous for American democracy and the world. And as we have already seen, a balance this precarious can shift in an instant.

If you would like to follow our US team’s coverage of the race, you can sign up here for our election newsletter, The Stakes. If you are able to help support our work as we cover the potential consequences of this election for America and the world, we would welcome your contributions here. Thank you for your support.

The sinking of entrepreneur Mike Lynch’syacht was an extraordinary story that evolved in two parts. First there was the mystery disappearance of the tech boss’ super yacht in a storm off the coast of Sicily, and then we learned of the unexpected death of his acquitted US fraud trial co-defendant Stephen Chamberlain, who was involved in a fatal crash while out running in Cambridgeshire, England. On Thursday, Italian rescuers confirmed they had recovered Lynch’s body from the sea. Lili Bayer’s liveblog attracted a huge readership and Angela Giuffrida wrote well on experts linking the storm that sank the Bayesian to climate change.

Dan Milmo and Libby Brooks explored how to protect children from becoming victims of sextortion, where international cybercriminals extort money from teens they have tricked into sharing intimate photos. Eromo Egbejule wrote a fascinating report on what is driving this crime in Nigeria.

Hannah Devlin has reported on concerns about a legal loophole that allows sperm donated in the UK to be used to create large numbers of children abroad. Her interviews with donor-conceived people, who said they felt “mass produced”, were remarkable.

The Today in Focus podcast had a fascinating episode featuring Kerry-Ann Knight, a former poster girl for diversity in the British army who took her employer to court after years of racism and sexism during her military career.

In Books, we had a brilliant essay by Mark Haddon about his Covid-induced brain fog and why he hasn’t been able to write for the past five years.

Lucca Ittimani wrote a charming piece from Australia about what one couple has learned about green living and how they used maths to naturally cool their home.

Meanwhile, as summer in the northern hemisphere draws to a close, Rachel Dixon considered 15 ways to convince even the most reluctant camper to sleep under the stars.

Heather Stewart reflected on how Gail’s bakery has become a political bellwether for England’s middle classes.

Paddleboarding is one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports – Emine Saner weighed the delights and dangers of this increasingly popular leisure pursuit.

Emma John interviewed gymnast Max Whitlock about his retirement after the Olympics, and caught up with Jason Kenny on his new life as a Team GB cycling coach.

Study the arts because you love them, and so do employers, Xaymaca Awoyungbo advised would-be A-level students. And finally, Linda Geddes explored lucid dreams and how to control them … a bit.

Until next week.

Cook this | Esther Clark’s nectarine, tomato and feta yoghurt salad

Esther Clark’s Tuscany-inspired recipe uses nectarines to bring just the right amount of sweetness to an otherwise savoury dish that’s perfect for hot days.

Listen to this | The sex lives of strangers

The Guardian’s popular This is how we do it column invites couples around the world to share the naked truth about their intimate lives. In this episode of Today in Focus, we hear from three of the couples who have been featured.

Come to this | Polly Toynbee and David Walker: The way forward for British politics

On Tuesday 24 September at 7.30pm BST, join the two acclaimed writers at their forensic polemical best as they discuss the state of the nation, as explored in their new book.

Combining the latest data with expert analysis from different sectors, they will share an essential and impassioned account of what went wrong during the Tories’ wild ride and set out how Labour should confront the fundamental issues they’ve inherited.

Book in-person and livestream tickets at theguardian.live or here.

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