The Morning: Autocracies against Ukraine

Plus, Project 2025, enigmas in space and food on Facebook Marketplace.

View in browser|nytimes.com October 25, 2024 By David Leonhardt Good morning. We're covering North Korean troops in Russia — as well as Project 2025, enigmas in space and food on Facebook Marketplace. Kim Jong Un and Vladimir Putin Gavriil Grigorov/Sputnik Kremlin, via Associated Press An axis against democracy The 3,000 North Korean troops boarded ships in the port city of Wonsan earlier this month and made the journey up the coast to Vladivostok, in Russia's southeastern corner. From there, they moved to three military training sites in Russia's Far East, according to U.S. officials. Ukrainian officials say that the troops have since traveled west to fight against Ukraine. "If their intention is to participate in this war on Russia's behalf, that is a very, very serious issue," Lloyd Austin, the U.S. defense secretary, said this week. Countries do not lightly send their own citizens to fight in another country's war. That North Korea may be doing so on Russia's behalf is the latest sign of increasing cooperation among four authoritarian countries — China, Russia, Iran and North Korea — that seek to weaken the U.S.-led alliance of mostly democratic countries, like South Korea, Japan and many European nations. The emergence of this authoritarian axis has been a theme of The Morning because I think it's a major development. Today, I'll explain the latest news. 'This isn't NATO' The four countries have clear ideological similarities. All are autocracies that repress dissent through imprisonment and death. (In an early instance of cooperation, China helped Iran shut down its internet during pro-democracy protests 15 years ago.) To varying degrees, the countries are also hostile to political equality: Few women hold senior government roles. L.G.B.T.Q. citizens and ethnic minorities are repressed. Religious freedom is restricted. But the four do not share a consistent ideology, as the Soviet bloc did during the Cold War or much of NATO does today. Iran, for example, is an Islamist theocracy, while China and Russia oppress their Muslim minorities. "This isn't NATO," my colleague Julian Barnes, who covers intelligence, said. "It's a much more complex dynamic." At a summit this month. Pool photo by Maxim Shemetov The countries' common goal is to weaken the U.S. and its allies. Doing so could reduce the appeal of democracy. It could allow China to become dominant in the Pacific Ocean and more influential elsewhere. Russia and Iran could have more influence over their own regions, and North Korea's government could minimize the risk of collapse. "What these states do share," the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace concluded this month, "is an autocratic antipathy for the liberal aspects of the U.S.-led order, which they believe threatens their very existence." Today's two wars This shared goal explains why the world's two recent major wars — the first in Ukraine and Russia, the second in the Middle East — have led to more cooperation among the autocratic countries. Both wars have created opportunities to weaken the U.S.-led alliance. In Ukraine, even a partial Russian victory would be a setback for democracy. The war has been the largest in Europe in almost 80 years, with an authoritarian country invading a democratic neighbor. If Russia wins, it will suggest, as The Times has written, "that the West, with all its firepower, cannot prevail far from its shores." That possibility has led to a concerted effort to help Russia. Iran has sent munitions, Shahed drones and ballistic missiles. North Korea has sent artillery shells and now troops. China has sent technology that can be used in weapons and has bought Russian oil to help Vladimir Putin's economy evade international sanctions. In the Middle East, the cooperation has not been as extensive, but it is still notable. When Hamas (which Iran funds) attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, it used North Korean grenade launchers. After the attack, Chinese and Russian groups filled social media with antisemitic, pro-Hamas posts. In recent weeks, Viktor Bout — a Russian arms dealer who's close to Putin and whom the U.S. freed in a 2022 prisoner exchange — has tried to sell arms to the Houthis, another Iran-backed group. (The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Russia helped the Houthis attack Western ships in the Red Sea — and disrupt global commerce — this year.) Why do these other countries care about the Middle East? It's about chaos. A major reason that Hamas attacked on Oct. 7 was to disrupt the progress toward a diplomatic deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, two U.S. allies, that could have increased regional stability. Instead, the war has caused diplomatic tensions within the U.S.-led alliance. The resulting chaos has become another chance for China and Russia to weaken that alliance. Harris vs. Trump Still, there are limits to the autocratic partnership. China is by far its most powerful member and benefits from some kinds of international stability. The Chinese economy relies on an integrated global system. For that reason, the Carnegie Endowment report argued that a crucial way to reduce cooperation among the four autocracies would be for the U.S. and its allies to avoid fully isolating China. The next big question is what happens in the U.S. presidential election. Iran's leaders have made clear that they are rooting for Kamala Harris because of Donald Trump's strong anti-Iran stance. China's and Russia's leaders have made it clear that they are rooting for Trump. They see him as an agent of chaos who will help their global ambitions. For more The move to send troops gives North Korea leverage to ask Russia for a lot in return, Michael Shear writes. Elon Musk has been in regular contact with Vladimir Putin since 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported. THE LATEST NEWS Republican Campaign Meet the new Project 2025: The America First Policy Institute, a right-wing think tank, is planning for a Trump win. It wants ultrasounds before all abortions, work requirements for Medicaid and federal workers who can be fired at will. Trump said he would fire Jack Smith, the special counsel who indicted him over the Jan. 6 riot and classified documents, if he were elected again. His lawyers are also seeking to dismiss the Jan. 6 case, arguing that Smith was illegally appointed. Trump has floated the idea of replacing income taxes with tariffs, as was the case in the late 19th century. Experts said doing so would increase the deficit and cause widespread economic damage. In Detroit, Trump called into JD Vance's town hall with undecided voters and asked, on speakerphone, "How brilliant is Donald Trump?" Vance eventually replied, "Sir, of course, you're very brilliant." At a Trump campaign event, Tucker Carlson made disparaging comments about women and compared Trump to an angry father. "When Dad gets home, you know what he says? 'You've been a bad girl, you've been a bad little girl, and you're getting a vigorous spanking,'" Carlson said. Democratic Campaign Barack Obama and Kamala Harris. David Walter Banks for The New York Times Harris campaigned in Georgia with Barack Obama, Bruce Springsteen and others. Two swing-state Republicans — Fred Upton, a former Michigan congressman, and Shawn Reilly, the mayor of Waukesha, Wis. — endorsed Harris. Harris's policy pivot to the center and her courting of Republican support have left some progressives feeling alienated. Harris, asked about her policies at a CNN town hall with voters, often answered with generalities or criticisms of Trump. In Georgia, Harris's Muslim allies have a message for Arab American voters upset by the war in Gaza: Trump would be worse. More on the Election The race has narrowed to a tie, the final New York Times/Siena College national poll finds. Harris had a three-point lead earlier this month. Harris has a financial advantage over Trump. Her campaign raised twice what Trump did in early October and has three times the cash on hand. A man set fire to a curbside mailbox in Arizona, damaging about 20 mail-in ballots. Arizona's secretary of state said affected voters could get new ballots. Maps on social media show a hurricane hitting the U.S. the week of the election. Our meteorologist says it's too early to worry. More on Politics Biden signed the first national security memo detailing how the government should use A.I. In Arizona, Biden will apologize for the government's role in the running of boarding schools where many Native American children faced abuse and nearly 1,000 died. An influential doctor doing a long-awaited study of puberty-blocking drugs said she had not yet published it because of the charged political environment. International Iran wants to avoid war with Israel. Still, it is preparing its troops just in case. An Israeli strike killed three journalists, Lebanese officials said. Sunnis and Shiites are waging a bitter war in Pakistan. Other Big Stories The Los Angeles County district attorney plans to ask a judge to resentence Lyle and Erik Menendez, who killed their parents in 1989. It could lead to their release from prison. The companies behind the container ship that slammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore agreed to pay around $100 million to settle a government lawsuit. Boeing workers rejected a new contract that included big raises but did not restore a pension plan. Opinions Trump has described the dangerous and disturbing actions he plans to take as president. Voters should believe him, The Editorial Board writes. Students today know reading skills won't help them get jobs in finance or tech. Instructors should assign them books to read anyway, Jonathan Malesic writes. When Harris called Trump a fascist, she implied his voters were fascists, too, Bret Stephens argues. Here's a column by Michelle Goldberg on the Senate race in Nebraska. The Times Sale starts now: Our best rate for readers of The Morning. Save now with our best offer on unlimited news and analysis as part of the complete Times experience: $1/week for your first year. MORNING READS The Orion Nebula, top, seen from Spain in March. Pedro Puente Hoyos/EPA, via Shutterstock Astronomy: The James Webb Space Telescope spotted enigmas. Researchers are trying to figure out what they are. Blue zones: Do people in specific regions around the world really live longer? Travel: It's getting harder to fly to China. Here's why. Lives Lived: The singer Jack Jones's popularity peaked in the 1960s, but he found a new audience in the 1970s and '80s singing the theme to the hit television show "The Love Boat." He died at 86. SPORTS In New York City. Todd Heisler/The New York Times W.N.B.A.: New York celebrated the Liberty's championship with a parade down Broadway. See photos from the party. M.L.B.: The World Series begins tonight. Two superstars, the Yankees' Aaron Judge and the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, will be competing. College basketball: The South Florida coach Amir Abdur-Rahim died from complications during a medical procedure at 43. ARTS AND IDEAS Davila Dion Ilana Panich-Linsman for The New York Times Facebook Marketplace is the internet's garage sale, a place to find deals on used furniture and electronics. It's also a great place to find a hot meal. Home cooks, many of them immigrants, are using the site to sell fufu, okra stew, tamales and empanadas. "When you're sitting down with a plate of her food, it's not like food that you got out at a restaurant," one customer said. "Somebody's mom made that food or somebody's grandmother made that food." More on culture Young viewers say they want more shows and movies that depict platonic relationships — and fewer about romance and sex. Jimmy Fallon was excited about Beyoncé's appearance with Harris today. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Mark Weinberg for The New York Times Put hot wings in the oven. Visit an overlooked corner of Japan. Chill drinks with a countertop ice maker. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today's Spelling Bee. Yesterday's pangrams were dolloping and plodding. And here are today's Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —David Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for the Morning newsletter from The New York Times, or as part of your New York Times account. To stop receiving The Morning, 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