The Evening: Democrats race to retain Black voters

Also, the U.S. gave Israel an ultimatum on Gaza aid.

View in browser|nytimes.com October 15, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Tuesday. Harris's appeal to Black voters Tension between Canada and India Plus, an unusually talented violinist Erin Schaff/The New York Times Harris is trying to retain Black voters' support Kamala Harris traveled to Detroit today for a town hall-style event hosted by Charlamagne Tha God, a comedian and author whose radio show is popular with Black millennials. The appearance was the latest stop in a blitz of ads and appearances that the Harris campaign hopes will convince Black voters to stick with the Democratic ticket. Nationally, Harris is supported by a vast majority of Black voters. But a recent Times poll found that she was underperforming President Biden's support in 2020 by roughly 10 percentage points, and by 15 points among Black men. Young Black men in particular said they feel disillusioned by the political system and do not see how Harris's policies could help them. Their apathy and frustration have provided an opening for Donald Trump. That's why Harris's campaign has, for the first time, begun to directly confront the growing alienation of Black voters. Her campaign released a policy agenda targeted heavily at Black men, including forgiving a portion of small-business loans, supporting mentorship and apprenticeship programs and a program that would help stem health inequities for Black men. On the campaign trail The presidential election is 21 days away. Trump has leaned on creative bookkeeping to keep up with Harris's cash haul. Trump dodged a question about his foreign contacts, but said it would have been a "smart thing" for him to speak with Vladimir Putin after his presidency. Local officials in Georgia cannot refuse to certify election results, a judge ruled, rejecting an argument by Trump allies. Two assassination attempts have left Trump and his staff fearful, frustrated and dependent on the federal government. The result is an unprecedented intersection of politics and security. The fight over the right to an abortion could decide several crucial state Supreme Court seats. A man imprisoned in New York could sway a key House race in Alaska. Humanitarian aid trucks waiting at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza last month. Amr Nabil/Associated Press The U.S. gave Israel an ultimatum on Gaza aid The U.S. warned Israel to increase the flow of humanitarian supplies into the Gaza Strip within the next 30 days or risk losing military aid, American officials said. U.S. and U.N. officials have warned in recent weeks that conditions are deteriorating further in Gaza, where Israel has placed restrictions on the delivery of international aid. A spokesman for the State Department said that the amount of aid entering Gaza in September was the lowest it had been at any time since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. In related news, Israel has told the U.S. that it will avoid striking nuclear enrichment and oil production sites when it makes its initial response to Iran's recent missile attack. Oil prices dropped after the news. Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, yesterday. Dave Chan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Canada's accusations underscore India's reach Tensions between Canada and India escalated this week: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada accused the Indian government of orchestrating a covert campaign to threaten and kill Sikhs on Canadian soil. Canada expelled India's top diplomat and five others, and India kicked out Canadian diplomats in return. Here's what to know. Canada's decision to air its accusations publicly has cast a spotlight on the potential reach of India's shadowy intelligence network, how its diplomats, spies and bureaucrats most likely operate, and how senior officials may direct their activities. The pandas arrived today in Washington, D.C., in FedEx trucks. Eric Lee/The New York Times A troubled program returned pandas to D.C. A pair of 3-year-old giant pandas from China, Bao Li and Qing Bao, arrived in a motorcade today at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. — a revival of so-called panda diplomacy after an 11-month pause. China first sent pandas to foreign zoos to be bred in the 1990s, in the hope that future generations could be released into nature. But nearly three decades later, a Times investigation has found that more pandas have been removed from the wild than have been released, and some have been injured and even killed. More top news North Carolina: About 100 people in the state remain missing after Hurricane Helene. Supreme Court: A majority of the justices seemed ready to side with a truck driver who, fired over a drug test, sued the maker of a product said to be free of THC. Ukraine: Political infighting has set back efforts to prepare the country's energy infrastructure for winter. Business: Walgreens, which reported an operating loss of nearly $1 billion in the last quarter, said it would close 1,200 stores. Climate: A Florida town built to weather hurricanes held up during Hurricane Milton. New York City: A leak in the Queens-Midtown Tunnel and the race to plug it revealed the fragility of its aging transportation network. Court: The embattled music mogul Sean Combs is facing six more sexual assault lawsuits. Wall Street: Goldman Sachs reported $3 billion in profits in the third quarter. TIME TO UNWIND María Dueñas. Hannah Beier for The New York Times A standout in a field crowded with prodigies The 21-year-old violinist María Dueñas is an unusual talent: She has something to say, and the skill to say it brilliantly, writes our classical music critic. Some of the industry's most respected voices, including Gustavo Dudamel, the Los Angeles Philharmonic's superstar maestro, are captivated by her abilities. "It goes beyond technical talent," Dudamel said. "She has an artistic soul." Dueñas will make her solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall next week. Jonathan Zizzo for The New York Times We ate at every Carbone in America It has been more than a decade since Carbone, the opulent and expensive Italian American restaurant, opened in Greenwich Village. Yet it's still nearly impossible to secure a reservation if you're not a celebrity (Rihanna and Kim Kardashian are regulars). So my colleague Priya Krishna dined at all four of Carbone's U.S. locations — in New York, Miami, Dallas and Las Vegas — to explain to the rest of us what it's like. Priya found the food to be tasty but inconsistent. The restaurant's famous everyone-is-a-V.I.P. experience — which felt fresh in 2013 — showed signs of wear. Yet as one regular she dined with noted: You don't go to Carbone for the red sauce — you go because it's fun. The Metropolitan Museum of Art Dinner table topics Stolen artifacts: The Met spent years rebuilding two ancient cups in a marvel of conservation. They are now seen as looted works. Comedians in exile: A generation of Venezuelans who fled political persecution and economic hardship is finding a way to laugh amid the pain. Queen of legacy media: Tina Brown, who led magazines during their heyday, is starting a diarylike newsletter. No blenders, please: The latest hot item on wedding registries? A new house. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: These no-frills, open-faced horseradish tuna melts pack a punch. Watch: My colleagues updated their list of the 50 best movies to stream on Netflix. Read: Neal Stephenson's new novel, "Polostan," traces the making of a spy. Dress: Our fashion critic explained why leopard print might never go out of style. Monitor: Controlling your blood sugar is crucial for your health. Cope: Don't skip the dentist because you're scared. Try these strategies instead. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Jenn Plus Jake for The New York Times First day of school style For generations, the beginning of every school year has been a chance for students to define themselves. In particular, it's an opportunity for them to show off their style and what they think looks cool. We photographed 47 students and their first-day outfits at middle schools across the country to get a sense of what's trending among young people. Check out their looks. Cargo pants were everywhere, and so were stacked bracelets, brightly colored hair and '90s looks. But the biggest trend we found? Wearing whatever you like. Have an original evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor today. 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. 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