Wednesday Briefing: Kamala Harris’s closing arguments

Plus, the end times onscreen

View in browser|nytimes.com October 30, 2024 By Natasha Frost Good morning. We're covering an address by Vice President Kamala Harris and a deadly strike on northern Gaza. Plus: The end of days, in fictional newsprint. "When elected, I will walk in with a to-do list," Kamala Harris said. Erin Schaff/The New York Times Kamala Harris made her closing arguments Appearing in Washington a week before the U.S. election, Vice President Kamala Harris urged the nation to move beyond violent division and "to stop pointing fingers and start locking arms" for a future of shared responsibility. In the final days of the campaign, Harris has focused her message on stressing the dangers Donald Trump presents to American democracy. Voters, she said last night, would not "submit to the will of another petty tyrant." She also outlined her plans to lower housing, health care and other costs. "On Day 1, if elected, Donald Trump would walk into that office with an enemies list. When elected, I will walk in with a to-do list," she said. Location: The park where Harris addressed an audience of 75,000 people was the same place where Trump on Jan. 6, 2021 exhorted his followers to "fight like hell." Your questions: We asked Theodore Schleifer, who covers campaign finance, this question from a reader. I am surprised that Elon Musk is allowed to offer (big) money in return for signing a petition or register to vote. Doesn't it defeat the purpose of a petition? Could that be considered as voting bribery? — Marie-Pauline Desset, New South Wales, Australia Theodore: Elon Musk is arguing that he is not offering money to register to vote — only to sign the petition. The catch, though, is that the petition is open only to registered voters, and so some legal critics think that it is effectively an inducement to register to vote. The precise purpose of the petition is not totally clear, to be honest. Musk is collecting data on hard-core supporters of his political agenda, perhaps giving him a refined universe of voters to target for Trump on Election Day. Is this all just to get some earned media? Or maybe he'd want to use that data in a future operation? We don't totally know. More on the U.S. election The election is six days away. Trump claimed he didn't know the comedian who called Puerto Rico "garbage" at his Madison Square Garden rally and hadn't seen his remarks. Trump described the rally as a "lovefest." The China-linked hackers who targeted Trump and JD Vance's phones also targeted phones belonging to Eric Trump, Jared Kushner and members of Harris's staff. The U.S. Justice Department has warned Musk that he might be violating federal law. The Philadelphia district attorney sued him for setting up what amounted to an "unlawful lottery." Could the vote be contested again? Here are five things that could threaten the possibility of a smooth election. Trump's oldest daughter, Ivanka, was once one of his most prominent representatives on the campaign trail. Lately, she's noticeably absent. Do you have questions about the election? Send them to us, and we'll find the answers. Palestinian emergency medical workers in Beit Lahia, in northern Gaza. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The U.S. questioned Israel after a deadly strike on Gaza An Israeli strike on a residential building in northern Gaza killed dozens of people early yesterday, the territory's emergency service said. The Israeli military said that it was "aware of reports that civilians were harmed" and was looking into the details. Matt Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesman, called the strike "a horrifying incident with a horrifying result" and said that the Biden administration had contacted the Israeli government to ask what happened. Days earlier, Israel attacked a residential block in Beit Lahia that killed or wounded dozens of people, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense. Israeli forces renewed their offensive in northern Gaza this month. Roughly 400,000 people remain in the area, according to the U.N., and many have been trapped in their ruined neighborhoods. Death toll: The Palestinian Civil Defense, the emergency service, said at least 55 people were killed in the strike on Tuesday. Gaza's health ministry said at least 93 people were dead, including 25 children. In Gaza: A vaccination campaign against polio, on hold during Israel's military onslaught of the area, is leaving nearly 120,000 children with only partial protection, according to U.N. officials. In other news from the region: The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah named Naim Qassem, the group's longtime deputy, as its new secretary general. Israeli airstrikes on Monday killed at least 60 people in the Bekaa Valley in eastern Lebanon, Lebanese officials said. The Houthi militia has recently detained dozens of Yemenis linked to the U.S. Embassy and other international organizations. Iran executed an Iranian-born opponent of the government who had German citizenship and lived in the U.S. The city of Siversk, Ukraine, has remained under near constant Russian shelling. Tyler Hicks/The New York Times Zelensky seeks a path forward for Ukraine Western appetite for the so-called victory plan of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has been at best lackluster. No country has agreed to allow Ukraine to fire Western long-range missiles at military targets deep inside Russia. Nor has any major power publicly endorsed inviting Ukraine into NATO while the war is raging. But the failure of his hard sell in the U.S. and Europe could lead to a kind of success, allowing the president to show Ukrainians that he has done all he can and to prepare them for the possibility that Ukraine might have to make a deal. Western intransigence could offer a convenient scapegoat. MORE TOP NEWS Pool photo by Darren Staples Britain: The Labour government will unveil its budget today in a pivotal moment for Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Catholicism: The Vatican issued its first report on clerical sexual abuse and efforts to improve policies that safeguard children and vulnerable people. Spain: Parts of the country were hit with more than a month's worth of rain in a day, flooding homes and farms. U.S. military: The U.S. Army is trying to transform itself so it can deploy quickly in the event of a war with China. Times reporters traveled to Hawaii to witness war exercises. Travel: A new U.S. rule requiring airlines to provide refunds to passengers for significant flight disruptions went into effect. Frogs: Scientists discovered in Brazil the second-smallest vertebrate known to exist on Earth: a "toadlet," or extremely small frog, that could fit on your fingertip. SPORTS NEWS Soccer: An awards chief suggested that Vinicius Junior's Ballon d'Or chances were harmed by the achievements of his Real Madrid teammates. Tennis: Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the Paris Masters because of an illness. Golf: With PGA Tour cards on the line, the 2024 season enters its final stretch. MORNING READ Mark Harris Elon Musk, the world's richest person, is a man with a plan — specifically, for an unusual family compound, in which his children (there are at least 11) and two of their three mothers occupy adjoining properties in Austin, Texas. A proponent of in vitro fertilization, Musk believes strongly in increasing the world's population, and he has even offered his own sperm to friends and acquaintances. Lives lived: The actress Teri Garr, who earned an Oscar nomination for her role in "Tootsie," died yesterday at 79. CONVERSATION STARTERS Do animals grieve? A philosopher explores how animals of all kinds respond to death and dying. Real-life Wonka: Step inside the factory where Nerds candy is made. Treasure troubles: Benin's president pushed for artworks looted by the French to be returned home. Now they are once again off limits to the public. ARTS AND IDEAS United Film Distribution Company; Pixar/Disney The end times, onscreen Alien invasions, viruses, zombies, meteor strikes: When civilization heads to a screeching halt in movies or on television, audiences are often given a glimpse of the front page of a newspaper, documenting the beginning of the end. (Extra, extra!) Sometimes the camera lingers on the page, allowing us to read headlines that telegraph the scramble to make sense of unprecedented events. Other times, blink and you'll miss it. Early in the zombie horror-comedy "Shaun of the Dead," for instance, Shaun — the hero — does a double take at the headlines on display at his local corner shop: "Mutilated Remains," "Mystery Virus Claims More Lives," "GM Crops Blamed," "Havoc." The next morning, the shop's counter is bare. "Nelson," Shaun calls to the owner, "have you got any papers?" Read more about apocalyptic — and thankfully fictional — headlines. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Julia Gartland for The New York Times Cook: This farro and salmon dish is at once crunchy, cool, warm and comforting. Travel: See our pick of hotel rooms for the week between Christmas and New Year's. Connect: The best sex advice might also be the hardest to follow. Read: We reviewed four new books that are perfect for the spooky season. Listen: Choose your next hobby from these seven podcasts. 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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