The Evening: Trump’s win reveals weaknesses

Also, a Russian military plane crashed near Ukraine.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story January 24, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Wednesday. Trump and Biden look to a rematch A plane crash in Russia Plus, ghostwriters come into the light Donald Trump won New Hampshire's Republican primary yesterday by 11 percentage points. Doug Mills/The New York Times New Hampshire showed strengths, struggles for Trump Donald Trump's comfortable victory last night in New Hampshire's Republican presidential primary demonstrated his ironclad control of the party's right-wing base and set him on what could very well be a short march to his third nomination. Trump is the first non-incumbent Republican candidate to win both Iowa and New Hampshire. His dominance has melted away much of the remaining opposition to him among Republicans on Capitol Hill, and his polling numbers suggest that there is probably no state in the country where another Republican could defeat him. But last night's results also underscored some of Trump's potential vulnerabilities. Independents, college-educated voters and Republicans who are unwilling to dismiss his legal jeopardy voted in large numbers for his rival, Nikki Haley. Those intraparty divisions point to trouble ahead for Trump as the presidential race enters a broader electorate, one that rejected him less than four years ago. In other politics news, the United Automobile Workers union, an influential voice on labor issues, endorsed President Biden. Smoke rising from the scene of a warplane crash in the Belgorod region of Russia. UGC, via Associated Press A Russian military plane crashed near Ukraine A large Russian military transport plane crashed today in the Belgorod region of Russia, not far from Ukraine, according to a video verified by The Times. The Russian Defense Ministry said that everyone onboard was killed. Russian officials said that the plane had been carrying 65 Ukrainian prisoners of war who were to be exchanged for Russian service personnel. They accused Ukrainian forces of launching missiles from the nearby Kharkiv region that struck the aircraft. Ukraine did not comment directly on the accusations, but it hinted that the crash could have been a tragic mistake, saying that Russia had not informed it that prisoners would be flown to Belgorod's airport, as had been the case in previous exchanges. Gov. Mike DeWine's veto on a ban on gender transition care for minors was a rare rejection by a Republican leader. Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press Ohio will ban transition care for minors Ohio lawmakers overrode Gov. Mike DeWine's veto of a bill that would bar minors from receiving puberty blockers, hormone therapy or gender transition surgery. The law is now set to go into effect in 90 days. The new legislation is part of a national wave of laws — across at least 20 states, all of which have Republican-led legislatures — that aim to restrict transition care. The Ohio bill says that medical professionals who provide transition care to minors could lose their licenses and face legal action. Palestinians fleeing fighting in Khan Younis. Fatima Shbair/Associated Press U.N. officials said shells hit a shelter in Gaza A U.N. training center in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, where hundreds of displaced people had taken shelter, was struck by two shells today, killing at least nine people and injuring 75 others, U.N. officials said. A U.N. official described the shells as tank rounds — and Israel is the only party to the conflict in Gaza with tanks. Khan Younis has recently been hit by heavy fighting. Israel's military said it had encircled the city in an effort to hunt down Hamas leaders. In related news, Israel and Hamas continued indirect talks on a cease-fire today, but the gap between the sides remains wide. More top news Europe: Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary pledged to push legislators to admit Sweden into NATO but did not offer a timeline for a vote. Police: A Minnesota state trooper was charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a motorist during a traffic stop last summer in Minneapolis. Climate: The White House will delay approval of the country's largest natural gas export terminal to further consider its climate impacts. Politics: Arizona's Republican Party chairman resigned after the publication of a tape in which he appeared to offer a bribe to persuade Kari Lake to drop her Senate campaign. Health: Measles, a disease preventable by vaccination, is resurgent in parts of Europe. Aviation: A Times review found that the "door plug" that blew off an Alaska Airlines plane this month most likely had manufacturing or installation flaws. Media: This presidential election year began with a grim few weeks of news industry layoffs. Education: Professors and free speech advocates are protesting a decision by Barnard College to monitor and remove pro-Palestinian statements and other speech the college deems too political. San Francisco: The city tried to build a public toilet for $1.7 million. It's still not done. Television: Jon Stewart will return to host "The Daily Show" on Monday nights during the 2024 election campaign. TIME TO UNWIND The Gathering of the Ghosts, a convention for ghost writers, in Manhattan on Monday. Natalie Keyssar for The New York Times Ghostwriters emerge from the shadows It's long been maintained that a good ghost writer should be neither seen nor heard. But in recent years, ghostwriting has become slightly less secretive. Recent successful books like Britney Spears's "The Woman in Me" and Prince Harry's "Spare" have elevated their ghostwriters into the public eye. Given these authors' secretive profession, it was unusual for a group of around 140 of them to gather, as they did this week in Manhattan. They schmoozed, strategized and celebrated their work — and my colleagues were there to capture the scene. Icon of the Seas in its home port of Miami. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo/Associated Press Can the world's largest cruise ship be climate friendly? Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, whose inaugural cruise departs this weekend, is packed with mind-bending features. The 1,198-foot-long vessel has 20 decks, eight "neighborhoods," six water slides and dozens of restaurants. The company has also boasted about the ship's use of energy-efficient technology, including an advanced water treatment system. But some climate experts argue that building such a huge ship in the first place goes against the goal of sustainability. The cover after Tiger Woods won the Masters in 2001. Sports Illustrated Dinner table topics The Sports Illustrated cover: Once the most coveted real estate in sports journalism, its power to set the agenda disappeared along with its elite photographers. Downward-facing shark: Scientists studied how thresher sharks use "extreme yoga" to whip their tails at prey. A Lincoln trove: The New York Public Library is acquiring the collection of an Abraham Lincoln expert who died last summer after a random attack. Am I that guy? Projecting himself into the latest men's wear styles in Paris, our fashion critic poses the perennial question: "Could I pull that off?" Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Ryan Liebe for The New York Times Cook: This Eggs Kejriwal — spicy egg-and-cheese on toast — has its roots in the social-club circuit of Mumbai. Watch: Mike Judge's latest comedy, an animated sendup of a public radio talk show, offers artisanal awfulness. Read: Check out these new thrillers, including the latest novel from Alex Michaelides. Listen: Our music critic has a playlist that is a homage to whistling in pop music. Gawk: Take a look at these $10 million homes in Virginia, Massachusetts and Illinois. Learn: Here's what the research suggests about the link between hair dye and cancer. Protect: Keep your pet safe in the cold. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT ONE LAST THING Jeremie Souteyrat for The New York Times How much potato is needed to call it a chip? Walkers Sensations Poppadoms, the bagged British snack pictured above, are fluffy, anglicized versions of the Indian papadum — a crunchy flatbread. They contain potato granules, but are they a chip? A British tax appeals court took on that existential food debate and ruled last week that, yes, the poppadoms are, effectively, the same as potato chips. It may sound like a trivial distinction, but when it comes to British tax law, it's no small claim: As chips, Walkers' poppadoms would be subject to a 20 percent tax. Have a satisfying evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Continue reading the main story Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Photo Editor: Brent Lewis 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. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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Modi’s Moment?

As the PM opens a new temple, commentators warn of Hindu-nationalist momentum. Plus: Does the US economy feel good again?; the DRC plods ahead; and is Vietnam winning the US–China trade war? …

View this email in your browser  Insights, analysis and must reads from CNN's Fareed Zakaria and the Global Public Square team, compiled by Global Briefing editor Chris Good   Seeing this newsletter as a forward? Sign up here.   January 24, 2024 Modi's Moment? In consecrating a new Hindu temple, some say, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has solidified both his hold on power and his country's trend toward Hindu-nationalist politics.   Crowds gathered this week to celebrate the opening of a new temple, devoted to the Hindu deity Ram, in the northern Indian city Ayodhya. Owing to a long-running dispute between Hindus and Muslims, the site of the temple has been contentious for decades. Modi's appearance to open the new temple there marked the culmination of a long political–religious drama.   As The New York Times' Alex Travelli and Hari Kumar explain, Ayodhya is the original home of the revered god Ram. (The major Hindu festival Diwali celebrates his return there.) A 1500s, Mughal-era mosque in the city was believed by some to have taken the place of a former Hindu temple. Hindus and Muslims jockeyed for access to the mosque site after the British departed India in 1949; in 1992, a Hindu mob destroyed the mosque. A court ruling later handed the site to a trust for the construction of a temple devoted to Ram.   On Monday, Modi opened the temple. Given the Hindu nationalism of the prime minister and his party, the BJP—and the laws and administrative decisions during Modi's tenure seen as targeting Muslims—the political significance is heavy.   "Naturally, India's secularists see the rise of a Ram temple on the site of the Babri Mosque as confirmation of their own defeat, if not as a blasphemous conflation of Mr. Modi with Ram," The Times' Travelli and Kumar write. "India's 200 million Muslim citizens feel by and large alienated, which may be the point. But many Hindus, especially in the so-called cow belt in the country's north, just think it's nice that Ram will finally have a temple in the holy place where he was born. They were celebrating its inauguration at live screenings, as at a once-a-millennium holiday."   India will hold elections this year, and at Foreign Policy, Salil Tripathi writes that "Modi has choreographed the Ram temple consecration to consolidate his Hindu vote." Reflecting on the multiethnic, multi-religious country envisioned by democratic India's founders, Tripathi laments: "India is no longer a land of nuances. A significant part of its population wants an assertive government and a black-and-white narrative where subjugated Hindus are reclaiming their identity, and the foreigners who colonized the country in the past—the British and, before them, Muslims—are cast as villains."   Against this dismal picture of India sliding into religious nationalism and authoritarianism, The Economist takes a different view: that "Indian democracy is stronger than it seems" and that while Hindu nationalism may be powerful, it's not the only reason why Modi and the BJP have succeeded. Modi is a charismatic leader, the magazine writes; the BJP is better organized than its opponents, who have appeared lackluster; and the BJP focuses on economic development, too. What's more, the party is not all that popular in India's south, "where Islam arrived not by conquest but with proselytising merchants." Modi's BJP "is not really the overwhelming force it appears," The Economist writes, noting Indian democracy has righted itself after wobbly moments before. Paid Partner Content High paying cards for Americans with good to excellent credit Great unlimited cash back, no annual fee, and long intro APRs and balance transfer deals for cash back cards.   Hands down one of the best credit cards for balance transfers Some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster. The secret: find a card with a 0% intro APR period for balance transfers. Then, transfer your debt balance and pay it down during the intro period.  Does the US Economy Feel Good Again? Even as the US economy has improved, Americans haven't had great things to say about it. Despite a post-pandemic bounce-back, the fortunate avoidance of a recession many economists predicted, and the tapering off of inflation, President Joe Biden has suffered low approval numbers on his handling of the economy—just 31%, according to a recent ABC/Ipsos survey.   Why Americans don't feel the economic improvement has been a prominent topic of conversation. As many observers have noted, even if inflation has slowed, that doesn't mean prices are lower—just that they're not increasing as fast. Picking up the thread at Project Syndicate, Pinelopi Koujianou Goldberg examines various hypotheses for the disconnect, including inequality, regional disparities in things like health outcomes, and an overall decline of faith in public institutions.   Regardless of what has motivated ongoing economic pessimism, some commentators see it changing. In a relatively-small-sampled but influential monthly survey conducted by the University of Michigan, consumer sentiment has recorded a notable rise, according to new survey results released last week, The New Yorker's John Cassidy writes. (Another, different influential survey on consumer confidence will be released this week.) "Given the flurry of positive economic news recently, that shouldn't be surprising," Cassidy writes. "What's more surprising is how long it's taken for the public narrative about the economy to change."   Hinting at the end of the so-called "vibecession"—a term coined by economics commentator Kyla Scanlon—New York Times columnist Paul Krugman contemplates the electoral implications for Biden and former President Donald Trump: "Will economic perceptions actually end up being a plus for Biden? Probably not. But if Trump was counting on perceptions of a bad economy to hand him victory, reality seems disinclined to cooperate." The DRC Plods Ahead After Democratic Republic of the Congo President Félix Tshisekedi won reelection in December, two essays present vastly different views of the vote and its aftermath.   At The New York Review of Books, Nicolas Niarchos focuses on reported voting irregularities, violence, and the protests of opposing candidates, depicting the election—and its results—as unreliable. "Once again the Congolese people find themselves caught between clashing elites, and once again their institutions have failed them," Niarchos writes. "The more cynicism they have to deal with from their politicians, the more cynical they are likely to become. Corruption and violence will continue to be taken for granted across the country, and impunity will reign. If Tshisekedi did indeed win, the (national election authority) needs to show the world how he won fairly. But if kleptocrats are allowed to monopolize power illegally and in the shadows, the wounds that Congo has suffered during decades of colonization and war are unlikely to close."   At Foreign Affairs, Mvemba Phezo Dizolele and Pascal Kambale highlight signs of democratic health. "(T)he election's flaws should not obscure the fact that it did not feature the degree of violence that has marked past races," they write. "In a fragile democracy plagued by conflict, elections can crystallize antagonisms; peace or violence during an election reflects the nature of political participation and can serve as a prism through which to understand the progress of nation-building efforts. Although there were some irregularities in the official tallies, voters did appear to back Tshisekedi—an unusual result for an electorate that typically seeks to oust the incumbent. Despite many disappointments, the Congolese people continue to embrace the democratic process. Now Tshisekedi must reward that faith by delivering real progress on the country's most tormenting problems—among them the persistent insecurity in the country's east and some regions' feeling that they are still sidelined in the nation-building project." Is Vietnam Winning the US–China Trade War? It may need to keep reforming, but Vietnam is well positioned "to get rich," The Economist writes. "(A) country of 100m, (Vietnam) has shrewdly positioned itself halfway between China and America, prompting both superpowers to woo it," the magazine writes. "In 2023 Vietnam was the only country honoured with state visits from both Joe Biden and Xi Jinping."   That's saying something, as the schism between Washington and Beijing has trapped Pacific countries in the middle—and none appears eager to take sides. At Nikkei Asia this week, Shoichiro Taguchi peeked into the travails of the Solomon Islands, which saw riots in 2021 protesting a pro-China government.   But disruption can also produce winners. "Geopolitics is driving investment towards" Vietnam, The Economist writes. "Most manufacturers cannot simply pull out of China. But to mitigate the cost of current and future trade barriers, they can hedge their bets by making things elsewhere as well (a strategy known as 'China + 1')." Nonetheless, the magazine writes, challenges loom in Vietnam's reliance on coal and in the persistence of corruption. What did you think of today's newsletter? Send ideas, questions and feedback to globalbriefing@cnn.com   You are receiving this newsletter because you signed up for Fareed's Global Briefing. To stop receiving this newsletter, unsubscribe or sign up to manage your CNN account   Learn more about the CNN app |  Get CNN web alerts  |  Sign up for a free CNN account   ® © 2024 Cable News Network. 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