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| Your Friday Briefing | Your Friday Briefing |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Good morning, | Good morning, |
| We’re covering why U.S.-China trade talks fell apart, a new immigration proposal from President Trump and the last voting in India’s huge election. | |
| Twice this week, President Trump has made clear that he does not want to go to war with Iran, pushing back against two of his most hawkish aides — the national security adviser, John Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — who have been at the vanguard of rising tensions. | Twice this week, President Trump has made clear that he does not want to go to war with Iran, pushing back against two of his most hawkish aides — the national security adviser, John Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — who have been at the vanguard of rising tensions. |
| On Wednesday, during a morning meeting in the White House Situation Room, Mr. Trump told his acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, he did not want war, according to several administration officials. Mr. Trump repeated the sentiment on Thursday, during a visit by the Swiss president, Ueli Maurer. | On Wednesday, during a morning meeting in the White House Situation Room, Mr. Trump told his acting defense secretary, Patrick Shanahan, he did not want war, according to several administration officials. Mr. Trump repeated the sentiment on Thursday, during a visit by the Swiss president, Ueli Maurer. |
| U.S. intelligence: Three officials told our reporters that it was photos of missiles on small boats in the Persian Gulf that raised U.S. concerns about rising threats from Iran. The idea is that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could fire the missiles at U.S. ships. | U.S. intelligence: Three officials told our reporters that it was photos of missiles on small boats in the Persian Gulf that raised U.S. concerns about rising threats from Iran. The idea is that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could fire the missiles at U.S. ships. |
| Reaction: The White House, the Pentagon, the C.I.A. and America’s allies are divided over how seriously to take the intelligence. Those in the Middle East are watching with “a mixture of disdain and weary exasperation,” our correspondent in Cairo writes. | Reaction: The White House, the Pentagon, the C.I.A. and America’s allies are divided over how seriously to take the intelligence. Those in the Middle East are watching with “a mixture of disdain and weary exasperation,” our correspondent in Cairo writes. |
| Catch up: Our explainer covers where we are and how we got here. | Catch up: Our explainer covers where we are and how we got here. |
| Weeks ago, China’s leader, Xi Jinping, seemed confident the trade war with the U.S. would subside. He suggested China would honor American demands to protect intellectual property, encourage foreign investment, and buy more goods and services from abroad. | |
| But then Chinese negotiators sent a rewritten draft agreement, a move that prompted President Trump to accuse Beijing of reneging on the terms of the deal. | |
| Now Mr. Xi, after apparently misjudging how far he could push the U.S. side, risks being backed into a corner, unable to compromise between his own positions and Mr. Trump’s. | |
| How we know: Our reporters interviewed more than a dozen people, including current and former officials, researchers, lawyers, and trade experts familiar with the deal and how it fell apart. | |
| What’s next: Mr. Trump said he would meet Mr. Xi during a Group of 20 leaders meeting in Japan next month, which would at best pave the way for more talks. | |
| Related: Mr. Trump’s latest move to restrict the Chinese technology giant’s ability to buy American components takes a straight shot at Huawei’s global business. | |
| President Trump announced a new proposal in a speech in the Rose Garden that would scale back family-based immigration. | President Trump announced a new proposal in a speech in the Rose Garden that would scale back family-based immigration. |
| The new focus would be a merit-based proposal, which he said would rely on a points system that would reward immigrants with skills and education. | The new focus would be a merit-based proposal, which he said would rely on a points system that would reward immigrants with skills and education. |
| Response: Resistance from Republicans, and derision from Democrats. “It ain’t happening,” said the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer | Response: Resistance from Republicans, and derision from Democrats. “It ain’t happening,” said the Senate’s top Democrat, Chuck Schumer |
| A new study found that a chain of islands near Australia was covered with mountains of plastic — some 414 million pieces that added up roughly to the weight of a blue whale. | A new study found that a chain of islands near Australia was covered with mountains of plastic — some 414 million pieces that added up roughly to the weight of a blue whale. |
| The ocean’s plastic problem is twofold: There’s a lot of it — the study’s authors estimate that there are more pieces of plastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way — and it kills marine life. | The ocean’s plastic problem is twofold: There’s a lot of it — the study’s authors estimate that there are more pieces of plastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way — and it kills marine life. |
| Shortly after voting in India comes to a close on Sunday, the curtain will inch up the last act of the largest election in history. | Shortly after voting in India comes to a close on Sunday, the curtain will inch up the last act of the largest election in history. |
| The official results won’t be announced until next Thursday, but local news media will immediately begin to talk about the exit polls conducted over the weeks of voting. | The official results won’t be announced until next Thursday, but local news media will immediately begin to talk about the exit polls conducted over the weeks of voting. |
| Expect lots of predictions. And here are a few things to look out for in the tangle of headlines. | Expect lots of predictions. And here are a few things to look out for in the tangle of headlines. |
| First, watch for results from Valsad, Gujarat, and West Delhi. These two constituencies have voted for the overall winner in every election since 1977, according to “The Verdict: Decoding India’s Elections.” | First, watch for results from Valsad, Gujarat, and West Delhi. These two constituencies have voted for the overall winner in every election since 1977, according to “The Verdict: Decoding India’s Elections.” |
| “Interestingly, there is not one bellwether constituency among the southern states of India,” write the co-authors, Prannoy Roy and Dorab Sopariwala. That exemplifies the south’s political difference from the rest of the country. | “Interestingly, there is not one bellwether constituency among the southern states of India,” write the co-authors, Prannoy Roy and Dorab Sopariwala. That exemplifies the south’s political difference from the rest of the country. |
| Second, look at voter turnout figures. Mr. Roy and Mr. Sopariwala found that the governing Bharatiya Janata Party performs better in constituencies where turnout dips below 60 percent. | Second, look at voter turnout figures. Mr. Roy and Mr. Sopariwala found that the governing Bharatiya Janata Party performs better in constituencies where turnout dips below 60 percent. |
| That may reflect the B.J.P.’s focus on organization. The party has large numbers of ground-level volunteers who mobilize supporters on voting day. — Alisha Haridasani Gupta | That may reflect the B.J.P.’s focus on organization. The party has large numbers of ground-level volunteers who mobilize supporters on voting day. — Alisha Haridasani Gupta |
| Send us your feedback or questions on this series here. | Send us your feedback or questions on this series here. |
| Britain: After months of shrugging off parliamentary defeats, negotiating failures and calls from her own lawmakers to resign, Prime Minister Theresa May promised to set a date to step down as the country’s leader. | |
| Australia: Bill Shorten, Labor’s front-runner to become prime minister after Saturday’s elections, sees trade with China as crucial to fulfilling his economic promises. Critics fear he could make concessions that increase China’s sway. | Australia: Bill Shorten, Labor’s front-runner to become prime minister after Saturday’s elections, sees trade with China as crucial to fulfilling his economic promises. Critics fear he could make concessions that increase China’s sway. |
| Hong Kong: An appeals court ruling sends the pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong to prison for two months, rather than three, for his role in the 2014 protests known as the Umbrella Movement. | Hong Kong: An appeals court ruling sends the pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong to prison for two months, rather than three, for his role in the 2014 protests known as the Umbrella Movement. |
| China: The authorities brought spying charges against two Canadian men detained since December, a move that is likely to increase tensions with Canada. | China: The authorities brought spying charges against two Canadian men detained since December, a move that is likely to increase tensions with Canada. |
| The Philippines: President Rodrigo Duterte recalled his country’s ambassador to Canada after Ottawa missed a deadline to take back containers of trash that had been mislabeled as recyclables. | The Philippines: President Rodrigo Duterte recalled his country’s ambassador to Canada after Ottawa missed a deadline to take back containers of trash that had been mislabeled as recyclables. |
| U.S. presidential race: Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York announced his candidacy, becoming the 23rd Democrat to enter the race. He faces major deficits in polls and fund-raising, and the daunting fact that the country has never lifted a sitting mayor to the presidency. | U.S. presidential race: Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York announced his candidacy, becoming the 23rd Democrat to enter the race. He faces major deficits in polls and fund-raising, and the daunting fact that the country has never lifted a sitting mayor to the presidency. |
| Snapshot: Above, Thich Nhat Hanh receiving visitors in Hue, Vietnam, in March. After living in exile for more than five decades and suffering the effects of a major stroke, the Zen Buddhist monk, 92, has quietly returned to his home temple to end his days. = | |
| I.M. Pei: The Chinese-born American architect, best known for designing the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C and the glass pyramid that serves as an entry for the Louvre in Paris, has died. He was 102. | |
| No joke: A China dog breeder was arrested after posting on social media that he had named his lazy, thieving animals after local police officials — City Officer and Traffic Warden. | No joke: A China dog breeder was arrested after posting on social media that he had named his lazy, thieving animals after local police officials — City Officer and Traffic Warden. |
| What we’re reading: This book review in The Atlantic. “Laura Shapiro, a respected food historian and advocate of home cooking who believes cake mixes should be treated like controlled substances, discusses a shocking idea,” writes our national food correspondent, Kim Severson. “It might be time to jettison a long-held belief that the best way to counter the food industry is to actually cook meals from scratch.” | What we’re reading: This book review in The Atlantic. “Laura Shapiro, a respected food historian and advocate of home cooking who believes cake mixes should be treated like controlled substances, discusses a shocking idea,” writes our national food correspondent, Kim Severson. “It might be time to jettison a long-held belief that the best way to counter the food industry is to actually cook meals from scratch.” |
| Cook: This lightened-up Ina Garten recipe for cheesy cauliflower toasts makes a perfect vegetarian dinner. | Cook: This lightened-up Ina Garten recipe for cheesy cauliflower toasts makes a perfect vegetarian dinner. |
| Watch: Season 2 of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s horribly funny show “Fleabag” returns on Amazon Prime Video on Friday. Here’s where we left off. | Watch: Season 2 of Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s horribly funny show “Fleabag” returns on Amazon Prime Video on Friday. Here’s where we left off. |
| Go: Merciless comedy shades to delicate tragedy in the Off Broadway show “BLKS,” by the poet and performer Aziza Barnes. | Go: Merciless comedy shades to delicate tragedy in the Off Broadway show “BLKS,” by the poet and performer Aziza Barnes. |
| Read: Danielle Steel returns to our hardcover fiction and combined print and e-book fiction best seller lists with “Blessing in Disguise.” | Read: Danielle Steel returns to our hardcover fiction and combined print and e-book fiction best seller lists with “Blessing in Disguise.” |
| Smarter Living: There are easy ways to green your housecleaning. In the U.S., you can look for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice label, and other countries may have similar signals of safe ingredients and sustainable production and packaging. Or make your own cleaners. A spray bottle of vinegar and water can take care of most of the house, and for the shower, mix baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and liquid soap. And biodegradable sponges can replace disposables. | Smarter Living: There are easy ways to green your housecleaning. In the U.S., you can look for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice label, and other countries may have similar signals of safe ingredients and sustainable production and packaging. Or make your own cleaners. A spray bottle of vinegar and water can take care of most of the house, and for the shower, mix baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and liquid soap. And biodegradable sponges can replace disposables. |
| And these baking tools can help perfect your culinary techniques. | And these baking tools can help perfect your culinary techniques. |
| In the U.S., it’s Bike to Work Day, an annual challenge to get people out of cars and onto human-powered wheels. In its honor, we’re republishing a cycle-centric Back Story from our archives. | In the U.S., it’s Bike to Work Day, an annual challenge to get people out of cars and onto human-powered wheels. In its honor, we’re republishing a cycle-centric Back Story from our archives. |
| Bicycle makers of yore — meaning in the 1800s — had yet to discover gearing. In the hunt for speed, “velocipedes” came to rely on one huge wheel, with a second wheel for stability and balance. | Bicycle makers of yore — meaning in the 1800s — had yet to discover gearing. In the hunt for speed, “velocipedes” came to rely on one huge wheel, with a second wheel for stability and balance. |
| That was the style Britain dubbed the penny-farthing, because it looked like a giant penny paired with the much smaller farthing coin. It offered a thrilling but forbiddingly dangerous ride. | That was the style Britain dubbed the penny-farthing, because it looked like a giant penny paired with the much smaller farthing coin. It offered a thrilling but forbiddingly dangerous ride. |
| But the 1800s were a time of invention. An Englishman named John Kemp Starley introduced a radical improvement in 1885: the “Rover safety bicycle,” with two same-sized wheels. | But the 1800s were a time of invention. An Englishman named John Kemp Starley introduced a radical improvement in 1885: the “Rover safety bicycle,” with two same-sized wheels. |
| A few innovations later, he had the basics of what has been called “the most influential piece of product design ever” — a bike with a triangular frame, and pedals that power the even-sized wheels with a chain and gearing. | A few innovations later, he had the basics of what has been called “the most influential piece of product design ever” — a bike with a triangular frame, and pedals that power the even-sized wheels with a chain and gearing. |
| The bicycle has become the most popular personal transport in the world. Estimates of the number of bikes in use around the globe run upward of two billion. | The bicycle has become the most popular personal transport in the world. Estimates of the number of bikes in use around the globe run upward of two billion. |
| That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. | That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. |
| — Katie | — Katie |
| Thank youTo Mark Josephson, Eleanor Stanford, Chris Harcum and Kenneth R. Rosen for the break from the news. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com. | Thank youTo Mark Josephson, Eleanor Stanford, Chris Harcum and Kenneth R. Rosen for the break from the news. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com. |
| P.S.• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about the U.S.-China trade war.• Here’s our Mini Crossword, and a clue: Color of honey (5 letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • NYT Parenting, a new site from The New York Times, has a free newsletter that brings its evidence-based guidance and support for parents and prospective parents to your inbox. | P.S.• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about the U.S.-China trade war.• Here’s our Mini Crossword, and a clue: Color of honey (5 letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • NYT Parenting, a new site from The New York Times, has a free newsletter that brings its evidence-based guidance and support for parents and prospective parents to your inbox. |
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