The Evening: Trump questions Harris’s Black identity

Also, assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders stir fears in the Middle East.

View in browser|nytimes.com July 31, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Wednesday. Trump's remarks on Harris's identity Fears of a wider Middle East war Plus, weird New York food 🇺🇸 2024 The presidential election is 97 days away. Here's what we're watching. Donald Trump at a journalism conference today in Chicago. Akilah Townsend for The New York Times Trump questioned Harris's racial identity Donald Trump questioned Kamala Harris's identity as a Black woman today in front of an audience of Black journalists. "She was Indian all the way, and then, all of a sudden, she made a turn, and she went, she became a Black person," he said of Harris, whose mother is Indian American and whose father is Black. The Harris campaign condemned Trump's remarks and the White House called his comments "repulsive." From start to finish, Trump's appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention was contentious. He denounced a woman on the panel as "rude" and "nasty," sparred with reporters over the merits of diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and told the group that he was "the best president for the Black population" since Abraham Lincoln. The event — one of the most unusual appearances of the presidential campaign so far — was an opportunity for Trump to stake his claim to Black voters that he has insisted he can win over, even as he runs against the first Black woman ever nominated by a major party. But it was not clear he succeeded. Here's what else to know: The United Automobile Workers union endorsed Harris. Republicans have repeatedly attacked Harris on immigration. Here's what her record shows. More than 100 Silicon Valley investors pledged to back Harris. Harris's ascent to the top of the ticket has Democrats buzzing. How long will the momentum last? Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us and we'll find the answers. A professor held a picture of Ismail Haniyeh at a protest in Tehran today. Arash Khamooshi for The New York Times The assassination of a Hamas leader threatens wider war Ismail Haniyeh, who led Hamas's political operations from Qatar, was assassinated in Tehran after he attended the inauguration of Iran's newly elected president. Both Iran and Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the attack, though it is not yet clear how Haniyeh was killed, and Israel has not commented on his death. Hours before the assassination, Israel killed a senior member of Hezbollah in an airstrike in a Beirut suburb. The two strikes quickly shifted the calculus in the Middle East, and the focus is now on whether a response from Iran and its proxies could lead to a wider war. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said Haniyeh's assassination would prompt a "harsh punishment." "The assassination of a Hamas leader on Iranian soil is the most brazen breach of Iran's defenses in years, while the strike on a Hezbollah commander in Beirut is Israel's biggest escalation in Lebanon since the start of the war," Patrick Kingsley, our Jerusalem bureau chief, said. "Anything could happen, but the sides avoided escalation during a similarly tense moment in April, and we could see the same here." Read his analysis here. Gaza: Haniyeh was a key figure in Hamas's cease-fire negotiations with Israel, and his assassination will likely delay the already-troubled talks. The Fed opened the door for a September rate cut Jerome Powell, the chair of the Federal Reserve, said today that recent progress in lowering inflation could enable policymakers to reduce borrowing costs as soon as September. Powell's comment came shortly after the Fed announced that it would hold interest rates steady at 5.3 percent — a two-decade high and where they have remained for a year. An anti-government protest in Caracas, Venezuela, earlier this week. Adriana Loureiro Fernandez for The New York Times Partial Venezuelan election results suggest Maduro lost Venezuela's electoral body announced this week that the country's authoritarian president, Nicolás Maduro, had comfortably won another six years in office. But partial election results, provided to The Times by researchers associated with the country's opposition, offered evidence that called the official result into question. The election results were collected from a random sample of paper receipts produced by about 3 percent of the country's voting machines. The figures, which The Times could not independently verify, suggest that the opposition candidate, Edmundo González, beat Maduro by more than 30 percentage points. More top news 9/11: The man accused of plotting the Sept. 11 attacks and two of his accomplices will plead guilty in exchange for life sentences. England: A day after an attacker with a knife killed three girls in Southport, far-right protesters attacked a mosque during riots driven in part by disinformation. Japan: The Bank of Japan raised interest rates for the second time since 2007, a move that bolstered the yen. Ukraine: Recent polls showed that more Ukrainians appeared to be opening up to the idea of a negotiated peace to end the war with Russia. Taxes: Lawmakers and lobbyists are gearing up for a big debate next year over expiring measures in Trump's tax law. India: The death toll from mudslides in Kerala state rose to at least 144. More than 190 people are still missing. Guinea: The former president of the West African country was convicted of crimes against humanity for overseeing a massacre in a stadium and mass rape 15 years ago. Entertainment: Colin Jost will host the new game show, "Pop Culture Jeopardy!" TIME TO UNWIND David Odisho/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images 'The Matrix' is more relevant than ever Twenty-five years ago, when viewers first met Neo, the hero of "The Matrix," the world around him seemed like a fantastical thought experiment. But the movie's warnings about A.I., fake news and extremism have sharpened over time. Now, judged solely on cultural relevance, our film critic Alissa Wilkinson writes, "The Matrix" might be one of the most consequential releases of its time. See how one introductory scene manages to draw together thematic threads that have since become pervasive in our culture. Amy Wang of the United States during a match on Monday. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times No, you can't beat an Olympic table tennis player During the opening ceremony of the Paris Games, the N.B.A. star Anthony Edwards insisted to members of the U.S. table tennis team that he could compete with them in their sport — or at least score a point. The table tennis players laughed along. They hear similar challenges from recreational players all the time. In reality, it most likely wouldn't be much of a competition. "People can be a little … overconfident," one Swedish player said. For more: Triathletes swam this morning through the murky waters of the Seine. Daeja Fallas for The New York Times Dinner table topics A nearly vanished art: The age-old practice of weaving tree leaves into mats has been revived in Hawaii. Travel vlogs: Chinese propaganda loves foreign travel bloggers, as long as they tell a certain story. Rubber quackers: Cruise ship ducks are traveling the world as part of a scavenger hunt. Test yourself: How much do you know about dreams? Take our quiz and see. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT David Malosh for The New York Times Cook: Steak with asparagus is simple and splendid. Just remember to cut against the grain. Watch: Here are three great documentaries to stream. Read: "Someone Like Us" follows a journalist with an elusive history and a persistent wanderlust. Listen: Our music critic made an Olympics playlist. Relax: These smartphone features can help you wind down at night. Exercise: Boost your mood by optimizing your workout. Compete: Test your skills as a New York Times games moderator. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Juan David Gracia New York's Italian food is getting weird At a new Italian restaurant in Brooklyn, the red sauce is green, the lasagna noodles are fried into chips and the Milanese cutlet is made of swordfish. At another, olives are served suspended in Negroni-flavored Jell-O cubes. These iconoclastic takes on Italian classics are shaping the menus at a new wave of restaurants in New York City that are trying to set themselves apart by offering dishes that might make a nonna gasp. Have an unconventional evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back on Monday. — Matthew Bryan Denton was our photo editor. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018