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Good morning,
We start today with a look at trade negotiations with China, continuing turmoil from the midterm elections and memorials for former President George Bush. We also invite you to share your thoughts about our new design.
A hard-liner will lead trade talks with China
Two days after reaching a truce with President Xi Jinping, President Trump appointed Robert Lighthizer, a veteran trade negotiator with deep skepticism of Beijing, to lead further talks for the U.S.
Mr. Lighthizer is a longtime critic of China’s trade practices. He will take the reins from Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury secretary, whom the Chinese view as more moderate.
Looking ahead: Mr. Trump said on Monday that farmers and manufacturers would be the first to reap the benefits of the agreement, but analysts said the payoff was unclear: China has made no specific commitments, and U.S. and Chinese officials gave conflicting statements about what had been agreed to.
Another angle: The Trump administration says Mr. Xi has agreed to cut the flow of the powerful opioid fentanyl into the U.S. It’s a promise that has been made before.
Turmoil after the midterm elections
Protesters crowded the halls of the State Capitol in Wisconsin on Monday, accusing Republicans of trying to undo an election they lost by moving to curb the powers of the governor and attorney general before Democrats assume those positions.
“It’s a power grab,” one state representative said. Republicans have also proposed limits on early voting and a shift in the timing of the presidential primaries.
Background: Single parties have come to dominate state legislatures in recent years, allowing lawmakers to make significant policy changes even as Washington wrestles with gridlock.
In North Carolina: A congressional race that the Republican candidate seemed to have won last month has been reopened after allegations of absentee ballot fraud.
Memorials begin for George Bush
Friends, family and fans are gathering in Washington to honor the former president, who died on Friday at 94. He is lying in state in the Capitol Rotunda, and a funeral service will be held on Wednesday at Washington National Cathedral.
Mr. Bush’s son, former President George W. Bush, is to deliver the main eulogy at the ceremony, which President Trump plans to attend. Here’s a schedule of funeral events.
See: The Times is collecting the best photographs as the nation mourns Mr. Bush.
In his words: The 41st president was a prolific letter writer, and his writings offer a brief history of the second half of the 20th century. Here are some highlights.
Looking back: Mr. Bush’s successful campaign for the presidency in 1988 included a racially charged attack ad that remains among the most controversial in modern politics. Our chief White House correspondent re-examined the Willie Horton episode, and how it still resonates with some African-Americans.
At the border, a caravan runs into reality
Stymied in their efforts to enter the U.S., several thousand migrants camped at the border in Tijuana, Mexico, have started evaluating their options.
Hundreds have signed up to be repatriated to their home countries, and many others have accepted Mexico’s offer of one-year humanitarian visas that will allow them to stay and work. More than 2,000 have begun the long process of petitioning for asylum in the U.S. Others are trying to cross the border illegally.
Voices: “It seems like a difficult moment to get to the other side,” one migrant told our correspondents.
If you have 7 minutes, this is worth it
Why Michael Cohen confessed to so much
President Trump’s former personal lawyer has undertaken perhaps the most surprising and risky legal strategy of any of those under scrutiny in the special counsel’s Russia investigation. Michael Cohen has pleaded guilty to a litany of crimes and cooperated with investigators — all without a deal for leniency.
Before Mr. Cohen’s sentencing next week, our metropolitan legal correspondent, Ben Weiser, examined court documents and interviewed Mr. Cohen’s friends and associates to get a clear picture of why.
Here’s what else is happening
Next steps for Israeli leader: Benjamin Netanyahu is again facing the possibility of being charged with bribery and fraud. Our correspondent in Jerusalem explains the options available to one of the country’s longest-serving prime ministers.
Another data breach: Quora, the question-and-answer site, said the account information and private messages of around 100 million users may have been exposed to hackers.
Snapshot: Above, the Russian rocket Soyuz blasted off from Kazakhstan on Monday, carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station. It was the first launch since a failure in October that required the crew to make an emergency return.
“Cher” on Broadway: The star was in the house on Monday for the opening of “The Cher Show,” a musical surveying three parts of her life. It’s big on sequins and low on insight, our critic writes.
Undesired honor for bookstore: The owner of the Strand and its “18 Miles of Books” says New York City’s plan to designate its building a city landmark could endanger its business.
Late-night comedy: Stephen Colbert reacted to the news that Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former lawyer, had confessed to much of what he did on the president’s behalf: “In a surprise twist, Cohen doesn’t want to go to jail!”
What we’re listening to: This three-part podcast, “In the No,” from Radiolab. Shaila Dewan, our national criminal justice editor, recommends this series, based on the audio artist Kaitlin Prest’s unflinching look at her sexual past. It’s not for the fainthearted.
Now, a break from the news
Read: Mike Rubin’s deep dive into drag racing and Detroit techno music for Victory Journal. Between the gorgeous photos and embedded tracks, this piece really transports you.
See: All the Vermeers in the world. A new app, from the Mauritshuis museum in the Netherlands and Google, provides a virtual gallery of the artist’s works.
Smarter Living: If your roommate has the flu, stay three feet away. If you have it, cough into your elbow, not your palm. And avoid crowds, generally. Last year’s flu season was the worst in a decade.
Getting sick isn’t cheap, especially if you’re over 50 or uninsured. Here are the facts.
And now for the Back Story on …
The music in Nelson Mandela’s soul
South Africa is celebrating the life of Nelson Mandela, who died five years ago this week.
The Global Citizen Festival held a fund-raiser in his honor in Johannesburg on Sunday, and Beyoncé and Jay-Z were there.
Mandela himself was passionate about music and believed in its transformative powers. “Music is a great blessing,” he said. “It has the power to elevate and liberate us. It sets people free to dream.”
His musical tastes were far-reaching. He loved traditional Xhosa music; South African artists, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Miriam Makeba; opera; and jazz. When he was jailed in 1964, he sang songs of freedom and protest in prison. In 1997, he professed a love for the Spice Girls.
Mandela inspired countless musicians to write their own tributes, including Brenda Fassie’s “Black President” and Hugh Masekela’s “Mandela (Bring Him Back Home).” In 2010, the Cape Town Opera held the premiere of “Mandela Trilogy,” an opera based on the statesman’s life.
That’s it for this briefing. See you next time.
— Chris
Thank you
To Eleanor Stanford for the cultural recommendations and Kenneth R. Rosen and James K. Williamson for the Smarter Living ideas. Andrew R. Chow wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.
P.S.
• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Today’s episode looks at what the West got wrong about China.
• Here’s today’s mini crossword puzzle, and a clue: Notably intelligent bird (4 letters).
• The Times hasn’t lost a libel case brought in the U.S. over one of its articles in at least 50 years, partially thanks to a 1964 Supreme Court opinion.
Source : Nytimes
