Good morning.
Vice-president Kamala Harris appeared with Barack Obama for the first time on the campaign trail in Atlanta, where she told the rally that she was leading “a fight for the future” and underlined her support for abortion rights.
She spoke about cutting the costs of medicines, housing and groceries. “I come from the middle class, and I will never forget where I come from,” she said. She contrasted herself with the Republican candidate, saying she believes “healthcare should be a right” while Donald Trump would destroy the Affordable Care Act and roll back the $35 cap on insulin.
Democratic activists have downplayed commentators’ analyses that Harris’s campaign has been losing support among Black male voters – but as election day approach, her campaign has notably targeted its messaging to Black voters.
What did Obama say? He warned that just because Trump’s behavior is “goofy” doesn’t mean he isn’t dangerous.
Who else was there? It was a star-studded event, including Samuel L Jackson, Spike Lee, Tyler Perry and Bruce Springsteen, who said Trump was running to be “an American tyrant”.
Trump says immigrants have made US into a ‘garbage can’
Donald Trump described the US as a “garbage can” while campaigning in Arizona on Thursday, blaming immigration.
“We’re like a garbage can, you know, it’s the first time I’ve ever said that,” Trump said in Tempe, Arizona. “And every time I come up and talk about what they’ve done to our country, I get angry. First time I’ve ever said garbage can, but you know what, it’s a very accurate description.”
Candidates have been hyperfocused on swing states such as Arizona as election day looms on 5 November. In his attacks on immigration – a key theme for Trump – he called for the death penalty for any migrant who kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer, banning migrant flights, outlawing so-called sanctuary cities and stepping up border control.
Where else has he campaigned? Trump was in Georgia the day before, where Tucker Carlson compared him to an angry father spanking his daughter in a bizarre speech that led the audience to chant: “Daddy Don” and “Daddy’s home”.
Israel’s plan to ban Unrwa from accessing Gaza marks new low in its relations with UN
Relations between Israel and the UN appear to have hit rock bottom as the country prepares to pass legislation banning the UN relief and works agency for Palestinians (Unrwa) from operating in Gaza and West Bank.
Israel has targeted Unrwa long before the allegations that up to 12 employees of the organization took part in the 7 October attacks, but this represents a significant escalation. While the west has questioned some aspects of Unrwa’s neutrality, it is seen as the best way to deliver aid to Palestinians. Without it, there will be an imminent and acute aid crisis affecting 2.4 million people in Gaza and the West Bank.
What has the international response been to the plan? Wide condemnation, including from ambassadors representing 123 countries, though it’s likely that only Washington can persuade Israel to change course.
What is the latest from Gaza? There are reports that northern Gaza’s Kamal Adwan hospital, along with the nearby Indonesian and al-Awda hospitals, have run out of supplies amid constant Israeli attacks.
What about Lebanon? An Israeli attack has reportedly killed at least three journalists sleeping in guesthouses used by media in southern Lebanon. The country’s information minister called it a “war crime”.
In other news …
An Ohio judge has ruled that the state’s ban on most abortions is unconstitutional and unenforceable, granting a permanent injunction in the ruling.
The government of Australia’s Northern Territory region wants to grant itself the power to exempt major projects from environmental assessments, a leaked consultation document reveals.
The Los Angeles county district attorney has recommended the resentencing of the Menéndez brothers, who killed their parents in 1989, in a move that would likely result in their release.
Stat of the day: the US election’s gender divide
November’s election could reveal a historically gendered divide in the way Americans vote, according to a USA Today/Suffolk University poll. The figures show that 53% of men favor Donald Trump, compared with 37% of women. Similarly, Kamala Harris appears to be capturing 53% of female support and 36% of male.
Don’t miss this: ‘Sherpas are rarely seen as elite athletes’
Nima Rinji Sherpa has become the youngest person to summit the world’s 14 highest peaks at just 18 years old. “To begin with, I was just curious about the experience but every step I took felt so natural,” he said. “I loved the rawness of the mountains and how your thought process changes when everything is just about life or death. You learn a new respect for people and for life.” Now the record holder is fighting for sherpas to be recognized as elite athletes.
Climate check: Will new oilfields become stranded assets?
Good news for the climate: oilfields could soon become a bad investment, as the world approaches peak oil, meaning supply will outstrip demand. This is being driven largely by China, where the majority of electric cars are now cheaper than those fueled by gas or diesel.
Last Thing: You be the judge – should my housemate stop drying her underwear on our radiators?
This week’s edition of You be the judge asks readers to decide whether Will is right to be annoyed by his housemate, Harriet, constantly hanging her underwear and other clothes on their apartment’s radiators – including in his room, saying it’s weird for his dates. What’s your view?
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