Thursday Briefing: A U.S. vote against TikTok

Israel allows aid directly into northern Gaza and more older models walk the runway

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story March 14, 2024 By Daniel E. Slotnik Good morning. We're covering a U.S. vote on TikTok and Israel allowing aid directly into northern Gaza. Plus: Co-opting racial "colorblindness" in the U.S. Supporters of TikTok watching a broadcast of the House vote. Kent Nishimura for The New York Times U.S. House moved a TikTok bill forward The House passed a bill that would force ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to sell the popular video app or have it banned in the U.S. The legislation escalated a showdown between Beijing and Washington over control of a wide range of technologies that could affect national security, free speech and the social media industry. The measure came despite TikTok's efforts to mobilize its 170 million U.S. users against the bill. Republican leaders fast-tracked the bill through the House, and it passed on a lopsided vote of 352 to 65, reflecting widespread backing for legislation that would take direct aim at China in an election year. The bill received broad bipartisan support, despite Donald Trump's recent criticism of the ban. The bill faces a difficult road to passage in the Senate, though President Biden has said he would sign it. But it is likely to face legal challenges, and finding a buyer for just the U.S. portion of TikTok, which could cost more than $50 billion, would be difficult without violating antitrust laws. It would also require Chinese approval. Analysis: In the four years since President Trump tried to ban TikTok, it has become clear that the security threat posed by the app has far less to do with who owns it than it does with who writes TikTok's code and algorithms. Dropping supplies into the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. Jack Guez/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Israel allowed aid trucks into northern Gaza Israel allowed a small convoy carrying food to enter northern Gaza through an Israeli border crossing for the first time since the war began last October. The six trucks came as global pressure intensified on Israel to let more aid into the enclave, where hundreds of thousands of people are at risk of starvation. Little aid has reached northern Gaza after major relief groups suspended operations there, citing lawlessness, poor road conditions and Israeli restrictions on convoys. The food was only a sliver of what would be needed to feed hungry Gazans. The U.S. and other nations are also sending aid by ship to the Gazan coast and airdropping it. Elsewhere in Gaza: The Israeli military confirmed that it had bombed an aid warehouse in Rafah, saying it had killed a Hamas commander in an attack that the U.N. said killed at least one aid worker. Jeff Zucker, who has made a bid for The Telegraph. Lucas Jackson/Reuters U.K. moved to bar foreign state ownership of newspapers A roughly $1 billion bid for The Telegraph by Jeff Zucker, the former CNN chief executive, appeared to be on life support after the British government advanced legislation that would bar foreign states from owning newspapers and newsmagazines. Mr. Zucker's bid relies heavily on financing from investment partners in the United Arab Emirates. The use of Emirati funds caused an uproar in Westminster over foreign influence in the British media, with critics citing the U.A.E.'s autocratic government and its checkered human rights record. The Telegraph is particularly important to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservative Party, so influential in conservative politics that it's often called "The Torygraph." Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT MORE TOP NEWS Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times Russia: Once dependent on Europe for trade, Moscow has been forging new routes that will allow it to skirt Western restrictions. The Netherlands: Geert Wilders, the hard-right Dutch politician who won decisively in November elections, said that he was willing to forgo becoming prime minister to increase the chances of forming a right-wing coalition. Putin: President Vladimir Putin of Russia took a less strident tone on the possibility of nuclear war in an interview released before Russia's election this weekend. Education: One of France's most elite universities, Sciences Po in Paris, found itself without a leader after its director resigned to face a court case over accusations of domestic violence. Japan: The first rocket launched by the Japanese start-up Space One exploded seconds after takeoff. Zoom In Germany: Mainstream parties in the democratic nation are changing laws to rein in a popular far-right party, but critics say the changes risk undermining democracy. Ukraine: The $300 million the U.S. is sending Ukraine for arms will help hold off the Russians for only a few weeks, analysts said. Business Malaysia: A flood of U.S. and European technology companies have expanded operations in the Southeast Asian country as they try to rely less on China. Brazil: Petrobras, Brazil's state-run oil company, is planning to increase production, even as the country positions itself as a leader in the fight against climate change. A Morning Read Michael A. McCoy for The New York Times The notion of "colorblindness," the idea that the Constitution prohibits the use of race to distinguish citizens, was originally championed by civil rights activists as a path to a more equitable society in the U.S. Now, colorblindness has been co-opted by conservative groups who are using it to undermine programs designed to explicitly address racial inequality, Nikole Hannah-Jones argues in an essay in The New York Times Magazine. (Here are five takeaways from the piece and a video explaining it.) Lives lived: Malachy McCourt was a thespian, barkeep and best-selling memoirist who became something of a professional Irishman in America. He died at 92. Conversation Starters Runway: More older models are appearing in fashion shows. Monolith: A Wales resident spotted a mysterious metal slab placed in "the middle of nowhere," like similar objects seen around the world in 2020. Iditarod: Dallas Seavey won the grueling sled dog race for a record sixth time, despite a penalty for failing to properly gut a moose. SPORTS NEWS Arsenal advances against Porto: Analysis from a fiercely contested Champions League series. Tennis's comeback moms: Returning to the sport after giving birth. Fixing golf: Can Jay Monahan bring the PGA Tour back together? ARTS AND IDEAS via Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands Heirs awaiting Nazi-looted art 17 years after ruling "Unloading the Hay Wagon," a 17th-century painting by the Dutch old master Isaac van Ostade (shown above), is packed away in Amersfoort, the Netherlands. Once the property of a British-Jewish couple living in France, it was seized by Nazi collaborators during World War II before winding up in a Dutch museum. The collectors' heirs sought the painting's return in 2006, and the Netherlands investigated the case and recommended restitution the following year. But the family still doesn't have the painting, because of a diligent Dutch civil notary who won't release it until he receives missing documents. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: Sweet, sour and a little spicy, this quick Kung Pao chicken tastes like home. Read: Nicolas Mathieu's novel "Connemara" illuminates a clash of values and visions in contemporary France. Persevere: Five hated exercises, and why you should do them anyway. Organize: How to create order in your fridge. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. Thank you for spending part of your morning with us, and see you tomorrow. — Dan You can reach Dan and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Need help? 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