Tuesday Briefing: Americans brace for Election Day

November 5, 2024

	By Gaya Gupta

Good morning. We’re covering the U.S. on the eve of Election Day and an uproar in Israel over document leaks.

Plus, remembering Quincy Jones.

The silhouettes of several people who are lined up. Behind them on the wall is a sign that says “vote.”

Early voting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bridget Bennett for The New York Times

An anxious America heads to the polls

The U.S. is on edge as it enters Election Day.

In the final sprint of the campaign, Donald Trump delivered a 90-minute, grievance-filled speech in North Carolina yesterday while Kamala Harris focused all of her energy on Pennsylvania, the largest of the seven swing states that will choose the next president.

This presidential campaign has been darker than any in recent memory. In dozens of interviews over the final days of the campaign, Americans reported heading to the polls with a grim sense that their nation was coming undone.

Potential chaos: Right-wing groups are using Telegram to urge their followers to watch the polls. Some have spread conspiracy theories that anything less than a Trump victory would be a miscarriage of justice worthy of revolt.

When will we know? Counting the votes will extend beyond election night, and determining the outcome of the presidential race could, too. Here’s when to expect results.

Your guide to Election Day

Nate Cohn, our chief political analyst, explained how a fairly decisive win by either candidate is still possible.
Our colleagues over at The Morning offered an hour-by-hour guide on what to expect.
Read more about where Harris and Trump stand on Israel and Gaza.
The Times has also compiled a guide to Harris’s and Trump’s positions on abortion, the economy, immigration and other issues.
In Tehran, the U.S. election loomed large, with many speculating about what the differences between Harris and Trump might mean for Iran.

Stay up to date: Live coverage | Poll tracker | “The Run-Up” podcast | On Politics newsletter

Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant sitting next to each other outside.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, left, and the country’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant. Amir Cohen/Reuters

Leaked documents cause an uproar in Israel

The Israeli authorities are investigating a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office who is suspected of illegally obtaining and leaking classified documents to the news media. Three other suspects in the case are members of the military and security establishment.

The case has caused an uproar in Israel, where critics have accused Netanyahu of torpedoing a deal to return hostages and of prolonging the war in Gaza for political reasons. Here’s what else you need to know.

Gaza: Israeli bombardment damaged an already crippled major hospital in Jabaliya, just north of Gaza City, injuring medical staff and patients, the Gazan health ministry said.

No safe options: A Gazan man was faced with a perilous choice as Israel’s forces closed in on the north: stay with his family, or risk his life escaping.

A man walks down a street lined in rubble and overturned cars.

Flood damage in Benetússer, Spain, yesterday. Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

More heavy rain hit Spain

The death toll from last week’s floods rose to 215, Spain’s interior ministry said. The country predicted even more rain, this time in the coastal provinces of Catalonia, Tarragona and Castellón. Dozens of flights were canceled and 18 flights were diverted from landing in Barcelona. Rain was also falling in Valencia, the region hit hardest by flash floods.

The disaster has sparked an angry debate in Spain over accountability, with some people accusing government officials of waiting too long to send warnings. On Sunday, protesters screamed insults and flung mud at King Felipe VI, Queen Letizia and local leaders during a visit to the flood-ravaged town of Paiporta.

MORE TOP NEWS

Three people stand overlooking the water and a city skyline in the distance.

Qingdao, China. Keith Bradsher for The New York Times

China: Banks are foreclosing on a growing number of apartments as the country’s housing crash threatens the financial system.
Pakistan: Primary schools in Lahore canceled classes because of record levels of pollution.
Indonesia: At least 10 people were killed when a volcano in the southeastern part of Flores island erupted for more than 24 minutes.
France: Eight people went on trial in Paris in connection with the murder of a teacher who was beheaded by an Islamist terrorist in 2020.
Moldova: Maia Sandu, the pro-Western president won re-election against a candidate she had denounced as “Moscow’s man.”

Tech: Physical Intelligence, an A.I. start-up seeking to create brains for robots, plans to announce that it had raised $400 million from big investors.
Sept. 11: A judge has agreed to hear arguments on the plea deal given to Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and two other defendants, which was reversed by the Pentagon.
Media: The Times Tech Guild, which represents workers like software developers and data analysts at The New York Times, went on strike.
California: A county’s sheriff’s office agreed to pay $300,000 after it seized a 9-year-old girl’s pet goat, which was later slaughtered, court documents show.

Sports

Soccer: Edu, Arsenal’s sporting director, is expected to leave the club to join Nottingham Forest’s multiclub group.
Hockey: One month into the N.H.L. season, The Athletic takes a look at the unusual things that have happened so far.
Formula 1: How Lando Norris’s push for the title faltered because of a gamble and an unlucky red flag.

MORNING READ

A woman wearing a head covering writes in a school notebook with a pen.

Nyimas Laula for The New York Times

Indonesia is home to more than 700 native languages, but many of them are at risk of disappearing because they have no written form. Now, to preserve their ancestral speech, the Cia-Cia tribe’s children are learning the South Korean alphabet, which experts have found shares linguistic similarities with their language.

CONVERSATION STARTERS

Leave politics at the door: A restaurant just outside Washington, D.C. is neutral ground for celebrities and politicians — regardless of party affiliation.
Joy in a terror bird: A fossil-collecting rancher has found a giant killer from 13 million years ago — and a missing link to the region’s evolutionary history.
Distressed dress: Will ripped jeans ever go out of style? Probably not.
Growing pains: For today’s teens around the world, the climate is not a hazy, distant threat. It’s a chaotic reality.

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

ARTS AND IDEAS

Quincy Jones in 2013. Damon Winter/The New York Times

Remembering Quincy Jones

Quincy Jones, who died on Sunday night at 91, was one of the most powerful forces in American popular music for more than a half-century.

As a producer, he’s responsible for Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” the best-selling album of all time. As a musician, he influenced nearly every genre he touched from the 1950s on — jazz, funk, soundtracks, syrupy R&B and chart-topping pop. The scope of his career is so vast, its hard to believe that it’s the work of a single person.

Here are 14 of his essential songs and photos of his work with a who’s who of American music.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Several chicken thighs in a skillet surrounded by shallots, walnuts and halloumi cheese.

Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

Cook: Halloumi, walnuts and lemon liven up this roast chicken and couscous recipe.

Watch: Steve McQueen’s World War II drama “Blitz” depicts class and racism in war-torn London.

Read: These fantasy books will transport you to other worlds.

Game: Rhythm is a crucial resource to excel in Mario & Luigi: The Brothership.

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

That’s it for today. See you tomorrow, for a special Election Day edition of the briefing. — Gaya

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