Tuesday Briefing: Trump can appear on ballots

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March 5, 2024

By Amelia Nierenberg Writer, Briefings

Good morning. We’re covering a legal victory for Donald Trump and a French vote to protect abortion.

Plus, the cricket dreams of Indian girls.

Donald Trump will likely be the Republican nominee.  Tom Brenner for The New York Times

The Supreme Court ruled Trump can stay on ballot

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states may not bar Donald Trump from running for another presidential term, rejecting a challenge to his eligibility that had threatened to upend the race by taking him off ballots around the nation.

The case centered on a constitutional provision in the 14th Amendment, which was adopted after the Civil War in the 1860s, that prohibits insurrectionists from holding office. A challenge brought by voters in Colorado sought to disqualify Trump from the ballot for that state’s Republican primary based on the provision.

Though the justices provided different reasons, their decision was unanimous. None of them took a position on whether Trump had engaged in insurrection, and instead focused on legal issues. A five-justice majority said states could disqualify people from holding state office, but that only Congress was responsible for enforcing the provision in the 14th Amendment against federal officeholders and candidates.

In an interview on a conservative radio program, Trump said he was pleased by the ruling. “I was very honored by a nine-to-nothing vote,” he said. “And this is for future presidents, this is not for me.”

A big week in the presidential race: Today is Super Tuesday, when many states have primary elections. On Thursday, President Biden is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union address. Both the Trump and Biden campaigns see this as a critical period that will set the tone of the coming general election run.

People gathered in Paris to watch live coverage of the vote. Dimitar Dilkoff/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

France protects abortion

France yesterday became the first country to explicitly enshrine access to abortion in its constitution. The amendment, prompted by the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022, reflected the widespread support for abortion in France.

The amendment declared abortion a “guaranteed freedom.” That means future governments would not be able to “drastically modify” current laws, which fund abortions up to 14 weeks of pregnancy with no waiting period and without required counseling. Lawmakers voted 780-72 for the amendment.

“We are sending the message to all women: Your body belongs to you and no one has the right to control it in your stead,” Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said.

Politics: Unlike in the U.S., abortion is not a politically charged issue in France. Most people there believe abortion is a basic public health service and a woman’s right.

The site of the music festival where sexual assaults were reported. Sergey Ponomarev for The New York Times

A U.N. report on sexual assault claims in the Oct. 7 attack

A U.N. report released yesterday said there were “reasonable grounds” to believe that sexual violence had occurred against women during the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel and found evidence that hostages being held in the Gaza Strip had also been assaulted.

The report also said its team had heard allegations by Palestinian officials that implicated Israeli security forces and settlers in the assault of Palestinian women in detention and in the West Bank. The report called for a full investigation by U.N. officials.

In Washington, Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to press for a pause in fighting during a meeting with Benny Gantz, a top Israeli cabinet official.

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Li Qiang, China’s No. 2 official, right, would have spoken after the annual legislative meeting. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

Tech

U.S. News

Other Big Stories

Fires burn under Canada’s snow-covered ground. Alberta Wildfire

Science

Researchers reconstructed the face of a Denisovan, based on DNA alone. Maayan Harel/Hebrew University in Jerusalem, via Associated Press

On the Lighter Side

Skyscrapers in Los Angeles have become a symbol of street swagger. Hunter Kerhart

A Morning Read

A “sumercé” souvenir in Bogotá. Nathalia Angarita for The New York Times

Many Colombians call each other “sumercé,” a relic of colonial times meaning “your mercy.” They say the term signifies respect and affection, and that it has lost its hierarchical edge.

“At this point it marks no social class,” a Bogotá resident said. “We are all sumercé.”

We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.

Naina and her sister, Sunaina, watch professional cricket after practice. Atul Loke for The New York Times

Indian girls dream of cricket

Take a look at the picture above, taken by Atul Loke. He and Mujib Mashal, our South Asia bureau chief, traveled to Punjab to speak to girls about the country’s new cricket league for women. A career in sports is no longer just a pipe dream for these girls; it’s a chance at economic opportunity. Stardom.

They met Naina, 13, and her elder sister Sunaina, 14, pictured above. On their television is Harmanpreet Kaur, a Punjabi village girl like them who has made it big. The teenagers dream of playing cricket professionally and a family trophy case holds examples of their early triumphs. Naina, Sunaina and their teammates are still working on their skills, but a great air of confidence surrounds them.

For more: Read Mujib and Atul’s earlier piece on the cricket dreams of Punjabi village girls, written as the $500 million women’s cricket league got started.

Nico Schinco for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Cook: Use a sheet pan to make a satisfying meal of jammy eggs, sweet potatoes and kale.

Read: In “Parasol Against the Axe,” a woman takes a transformative trip to Prague.

Organize: Make your kitchen cabinets more user-friendly and space-efficient.

Cut back: Wean a partner off paper towels.

Play Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. See you tomorrow. — Amelia

P.S. Rod Nordland, a former international reporter for The Times, wrote about how he decided to fight for the best possible life after a brain cancer diagnosis.

We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.

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