Is "that" clause here a relative clause and is it acceptable in English?

[wswu0401]

I read a piece of The New York Times news and read the following sentence:

According to the study, these include economically developed places like Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, plus the region of China around Beijing. But they also include developing countries like Afghanistan, Guatemala, Honduras and Papua New Guinea, that are more likely to lack resources to keep people safe. (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/climate/extreme-heat-waves.html)

I wonder whether this sentence "But they also include developing countries like Afghanistan, Guatemala, Honduras and Papua New Guinea, that are more likely to lack resources to keep people safe." is correct. I thought that if we follow the American English rules, “that” cannot be used as a relative pronoun in a non-restrictive relative clause and a non-restrictive clause is always set off by commas. For example:

Would you lend me the book, that you recommended last week? (incorrect)
Would you lend me that book that you recommended last week? (correct)
I recommend you eat only organic fruits and vegetables, that are available in area grocery stores. (incorrect)
I recommend you eat only organic fruits and vegetables, which are available in area grocery stores. (correct)
I'm planning to grow roses, that I find quite beautiful. (incorrect)

 

[5jj]

I read a piece of The New York Times news and read the following sentence:

According to the study, these include economically developed places like Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, plus the region of China around Beijing. But they also include developing countries like Afghanistan, Guatemala, Honduras and Papua New Guinea, that are more likely to lack resources to keep people safe. (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/25/climate/extreme-heat-waves.html)

The comma is an Oxford comma, ending the list 'Afghanistan, Guatemala, Honduras and Papua New Guinea'. It is not technically introducing a non-restrictive clause. It is correctly used.

 

[jutfrank]

You can read the sentence both ways, but if pushed I'd guess that the writer did indeed mean to use the relative clause non-restrictively there and that the writer is describing developing countries in general.

 

[Tarheel]

You read a piece (article) IN the New York Times.