Trump and Harris are neck and neck

Plus, a surge of violence in the West Bank.

View in browser|nytimes.com September 9, 2024 By Jonathan Wolfe Good morning. We're covering the latest in the U.S. election and a surge of violence in the West Bank. Plus: Young people redefine the American dream. 🇺🇸 U.S. ELECTION The presidential election is less than 60 days away. This is what we're watching. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.8 points. Lily Boyce and Andrew Park Trump and Harris are neck and neck Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are entering the homestretch of the campaign in a tight race, according to a national poll of likely voters by The Times and Siena College. The poll found that Trump was leading Harris, 48 percent to 47 percent. Their only scheduled debate is set for tomorrow, and the survey underscores the risks and potential rewards for both presidential candidates. Harris faces a sizable share of voters who still say they need to know more about her. Despite his legal troubles, Trump has enjoyed remarkably resilient support. The new poll comes days after the judge overseeing Trump's criminal trial in Manhattan postponed his sentencing until after Election Day. The move now guarantees that Americans will vote without knowing whether Trump, the first former president convicted as a felon, will spend time behind bars. Your questions: We're asking readers what they'd like to know about the election and taking those questions to our reporters. Today, we gave one to Edward Wong, who covers U.S. foreign policy and the State Department. Europe is watching. How come the candidates don't talk about the global view on America and the necessity to reconnect to allies? — Yasha Young, Berlin Edward: The two candidates have very different views on America's traditional security alliances. If Donald Trump became president again, he might not bolster America's traditional alliances; he could very well weaken them instead. Vice President Kamala Harris has not talked much about foreign policy since becoming the Democratic candidate this summer. But most analysts think she will carry on President Biden's efforts to strengthen traditional U.S. alliances. Most American voters do not see foreign policy as a decisive issue or a priority in U.S. elections, unless American troops are directly involved in a disastrous war, so candidates generally do not spend much time talking about U.S. alliances or global affairs. However, we might see journalists ask both Harris and Trump questions about their foreign policy views in the televised debate tomorrow. You can send us your election questions here. Here's what else to know: Amid an election cycle fueled by existential concerns, some Americans are thinking about leaving the U.S. Warning of fraud in the 2024 election, Trump said that, as president, he would prosecute lawyers, donors and others who engaged in "unscrupulous behavior" in connection with the voting. Stay up-to-date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | "The Run-Up" podcast | On Politics newsletter The Allenby crossing, where three Israelis were killed yesterday. Jamal Awwad/EPA, via Shutterstock Violence surged in the West Bank A gunman killed three Israelis at a sensitive border crossing between Jordan and the Israeli-occupied West Bank yesterday, according to the Israeli military, the latest in a surge of violence in the territory since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel prompted the war in Gaza. The Israeli military did not identify the gunman, who was killed at the scene. The three victims were forklift operators who worked at the crossing, according to the Israel Airports Authority. On Friday, a dual citizen of the U.S. and Turkey was shot and killed during a protest against an Israeli settler outpost. In a separate episode a few miles away, a 13-year-old Palestinian girl was fatally shot as she watched violent clashes between Israeli settlers and troops from her window, the mayor of her village said. According to the U.N., Israeli forces and settlers have killed more than 600 people in the West Bank since Oct. 7, the largest toll in years. Edmundo González, center, in July. Marian Carrasquero for The New York Times Venezuela's opposition candidate fled the country Edmundo González, the opposition candidate widely considered the winner of Venezuela's disputed presidential election in July, fled to Spain on Saturday. Last week, a Venezuelan court issued an arrest warrant for González, charging him with conspiracy, usurping power and sabotage, among other crimes. President Nicolás Maduro has faced widespread domestic and international condemnation for proclaiming that he won the election, as well as for a violent crackdown on demonstrators protesting that declaration. MORE TOP NEWS Antonio Dasiparu/EPA, via Shutterstock Catholic Church: Over decades, more than 30 priests and missionaries moved to Pacific Island nations after they were accused or convicted of abusing children. Ukraine: The country's forces have stalled Russia's advance on the key city of Pokrovsk. Philippines: Apollo Carreon Quiboloy, a televangelist accused of leading an international ring of sex abuse, is in custody after a manhunt. Iran: U.S. and European officials said the country had sent short-range missiles to Russia. Russia: Federal prosecutors say Russia paid an American media company to push pro-Kremlin messages from conservative social media influencers. Spy chiefs: U.S. and British intelligence leaders appeared together publicly for the first time in the history of their agencies and discussed Ukraine's incursion into Russia and the war in Gaza. Vietnam: Typhoon Yagi struck the country's north with winds of nearly 130 miles per hour. Tech: A Times analysis of more than 3.2 million Telegram messages shows how the platform has become a playground for criminals, extremists and terrorists. Arts: The director Pedro Almodóvar's "Room Next Door" claimed the top prize at the Venice Film Festival. SPORTS NEWS Tennis: The U.S. Open concluded with victories by Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner. Super Bowl: The rapper Kendrick Lamar will perform at the halftime show in February. Soccer: Some of the most aggressive and surprising bids during the transfer window came from English soccer's third tier. MORNING READ Allen Beaulieu A new nine-hour documentary could redefine our understanding of the pop icon Prince, but you will probably never get to see it. My colleague Sasha Weiss, one of the few to have seen the film, writes about what it reveals about Prince — and the protracted battle between his estate and Netflix that is preventing its release. A chronicler of lives lived: Robert McFadden, one of the most distinguished bylines at The Times, retired after a 63-year career. Here's a sampling of his artful obituaries. CONVERSATION STARTERS 'Succession,' in real life: Read how Bob Iger undermined and outmaneuvered Bob Chapek, his chosen successor, and returned to power at Disney. Emerging designers: Hailing from Mexico, Europe, the Caribbean and beyond, these five up-and-comers prove that modern fashion is truly global. Animal instinct: Chimps and other apes have been observed making more than 80 meaningful gestures. Three theories may explain why. ARTS AND IDEAS Photo illustration by Pablo Delcan The American dream without a house? The American dream symbolizes many abstract ideals including hard work, assimilation and equal opportunity. But for generations it has meant one particular path in life: Get a job, save up for a down payment and achieve the fairy-tale ending of domestic bliss and monthly mortgage payments on your very own house. But with soaring housing costs, homeownership is becoming increasingly inaccessible for young Americans. Now, many young people are redefining the American dream for themselves — without the white picket fence. They say it's about having a sense of community, the ability to experience life's small pleasures, family and the freedom to pursue careers and lifestyles of their choosing. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Mark Weinberg for The New York Times Cook: This Yucatán marinade is perfect for steak tacos. Listen: Our pop critics' weekly playlist includes an unreleased live Bob Dylan performance, a new Linkin Park single and more. Watch: Readers told us their favorite movies from 1999. Read: Here are two books that celebrate happy marriages. 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. See you tomorrow. — Jonathan Reach Jonathan and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, 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