Tuesday Briefing: Trump disavows racist comments

It was a rare break from the typical ethos of the campaign.

View in browser|nytimes.com October 29, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering the final days of the U.S. election and the latest from the war in Gaza. Plus: Don't anger the crows. The comedian Tony Hinchcliffe has a history of racist jokes. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Could racist comments at a Trump rally hurt his campaign? In the closing days of the 2024 campaign, Donald Trump and his allies have sought to tamp down criticism of inflammatory, racist remarks by speakers at a Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City, including a comedian's reference to Puerto Rico as "a floating island of garbage." In a statement, a senior adviser to the campaign disavowed that comment — a rare break from the typical Trump ethos of never apologizing, never admitting error and trying to ignore controversy. (Trump did not, for instance, distance himself from other remarks about Black people, Latinos, Jews, Palestinians and women.) It is one of a few signs that the Trump campaign is worried that their opponents' descriptions of him as a racist and a fascist may be breaking through to segments of voters. In comments to reporters, Vice President Kamala Harris seized on the remarks. Trump, she said, "fans the fuel of hate and division, and that's why people are exhausted with him." The view from Democrats: Harris campaign aides and close allies are growing cautiously optimistic about her chances of victory, saying the race is shifting in her favor. Related: As Trump's rhetoric grows more extreme, prominent Democrats like Michelle Obama say that Harris is being held to a double standard by voters and the media. More on the U.S. election The election is a week away. Whoever wins the presidency, seeking asylum in the U.S. may never be the same. Trump's plan for vast tariffs would rock global markets and shake alliances. Economists described it as "a grenade thrown in the heart" of the international system. Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, donated about $50 million to a nonprofit organization that is supporting Harris. During her campaign, Harris has often talked about her mother, who died of cancer in 2009 and whom she calls her greatest influence. Trump appears to be fueling speculation about what he is cooking up with House Republicans, prompting Democrats to worry about election fraud. Separately, a vast Republican network has been laying the groundwork of a plan that could be used to contest a Trump defeat. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. Israeli soldiers closing a gate after trucks carrying humanitarian aid entered the Gaza Strip. Tsafrir Abayov/Associated Press Israel moves to ban the U.N. agency that helps Gazans The Israeli Parliament approved a bill yesterday that would ban UNRWA, the main U.N. agency aiding Palestinians, from operating in the country. It was not immediately clear how or when the bill would be applied, if at all. Allies including the U.S., Britain, France and Germany have urged Israel not to ban the agency, saying that it does vital work in running schools and hospitals and in distributing food and vaccines in the Gaza Strip, which is in the midst of a humanitarian disaster. UNRWA has long been criticized by Israeli officials, but that disapproval has intensified. Israel's government said that 19 employees participated in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack last year; U.N. investigators later cleared 10 employees and fired nine others because of possible involvement. U.S. response: "If UNWRA goes away, you will see civilians — including children, including babies — not be able to get access to food and water and medicine that they need to live," a State Department spokesman said. "And we find that, frankly, unacceptable." Related: The U.N. human rights chief said last week that Israel's conduct in the Gaza Strip might amount to crimes against humanity. In other news from the region: Envoys from Israel, Egypt, the U.S. and Qatar renewed cease-fire talks in Qatar. Little progress was expected before the U.S. election. More than 50 people were killed and more than 100 wounded in Israeli strikes on Lebanon's Baalbek district. Experts say that Israel is increasingly dictating events in the Middle East, with the U.S. relegated to the role of support act. More than 55 Israel soldiers have been killed in the Gaza Strip this month, the deadliest month of this year for the military. The Israeli military said that its forces had withdrawn from a hospital in Gaza after a three-day raid during which Palestinian health officials said that health workers were detained and two children died. A Ukrainian military vehicle in the Kursk region, in August.  David Guttenfelder for The New York Times North Korean troops are now in Russia The U.S. warned that North Korean soldiers were moving toward Russia's western Kursk region, which Ukraine invaded in August, as Ukrainian forces braced for what they said could be imminent assaults involving the new troops. The Pentagon said that North Korea had now sent about 10,000 soldiers to train in eastern Russia. Bombs against cities: Russian forces have deployed glide bombs to pound Ukrainian frontline positions during the war. But now, major cities that were seen as out of reach of the weapons are increasingly being struck. MORE TOP NEWS Andrew Testa for The New York Times Climate crisis: Britain is trying "zero bills" housing, alerts on periods of cheap energy and other experiments as the country aims to shift the nation's electricity system away from fossil fuels by 2030. Philippines: Former President Rodrigo Duterte said he took "full legal responsibility" for his so-called war on drugs that left thousands dead. Japan: After the Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority in parliamentary elections, questions are being raised about its economic policies. Auto industry: Volkswagen could shut down as many as three factories in Germany, as it seeks to regain an edge amid increased competition from China. Nature: More than a third of the world's tree species are threatened with extinction, according to a comprehensive assessment. News From Europe France: Gérard Depardieu's trial on charges of sexual assault has been postponed until March, because of his ill health. Hard right: Tommy Robinson, the British anti-immigrant agitator, was sentenced to 18 months in jail for ignoring a court order to stop making false claims about a Syrian refugee. Italy: Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is battling a court ruling that has upended her plan to send migrants to a detention center in Albania. Britain: The Labour Party suspended a lawmaker after a video appeared to show him hitting a man repeatedly. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: Erik ten Hag has been fired as Manchester United manager. Tennis: Maria Sharapova will be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a selection that comes with controversy. Formula 1: Carlos Sainz's Mexico Grand Prix win pushes Ferrari closer to a "perfect goodbye." MORNING READ Jojo Korsh/BFA.com/Shutterstock Jasveen Sangha rubbed elbows with celebrities and traveled to Spain, China and the United Arab Emirates. But at her unglamorous home in North Hollywood, prosecutors say, she manufactured, stored and distributed illegal drugs, including the ketamine linked to the death of Matthew Perry. Sangha is now in jail awaiting trial. Read more about the case. Lives lived: Paul Morrissey, whose films with Andy Warhol in the late 1960s and early '70s captured New York's drug addicts, drag queens and hipsters, has died at 86. CONVERSATION STARTERS The "grate cheese robbery": Scammers were able to steal more than 24 tons of rare British Cheddar, worth about $390,000. The Ethicist: A reader wonders about the ethics of exploiting a store's generous return policy. Our columnist responds. England's most haunted village: Welcome to Pluckley, with a population of about 1,000 residents and, if you believe the stories, about 12 spirits. The real deal: A Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest in New York drew a big crowd. Then the actor himself turned up. ARTS AND IDEAS Alana Paterson for The New York Times Don't anger the crows Crows are ferociously intelligent. They can mimic human speech, use tools and gather for what seem to be funeral rites when another crow dies or is killed. They can identify and remember faces, even among large crowds. And crows can also harbor resentment for longer than you might expect. When a murder (or group) of crows singles out a person as dangerous, its wrath can be passed along well beyond an individual crow's life span — creating, in short, multigenerational grudges. Gene Carter, a computer specialist in Seattle, saw crows encroaching on a robin's nest in his backyard and launched a rake into the air. For the better part of a year, he said, the crows would scream at him or divebomb him. Eventually, they even learned to identify his bus — and to wait for him at the bus stop. (The harassment stopped only when he moved.) Read more about the fury of crows. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Gentl and Hyers for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Cook: This blended kale pasta sauce is luxurious and near creamy. Read: A new biography of Piet Mondrian delves into the life of the deeply eccentric painter. Listen: Revisit six classic songs by Louis Armstrong. Ride: Experts weigh in on how to make your commute more pleasant. 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. — Natasha Reach Natasha 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. 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