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| Donald Trump, Australia, Betsy DeVos: Your Thursday Briefing | Donald Trump, Australia, Betsy DeVos: Your Thursday Briefing |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| (Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.) | (Want to get this briefing by email? Here’s the sign-up.) |
| Good morning. | Good morning. |
| Here’s what you need to know: | Here’s what you need to know: |
| • Rifts and bonds with foreign leaders. | • Rifts and bonds with foreign leaders. |
| Diplomatic relations between the U.S. and its longtime ally Australia could be fraying after President Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had a contentious phone call. | Diplomatic relations between the U.S. and its longtime ally Australia could be fraying after President Trump and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had a contentious phone call. |
| Mr. Turnbull pressed Mr. Trump to honor an agreement to accept 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention center. The American president called it a “dumb deal.” | Mr. Turnbull pressed Mr. Trump to honor an agreement to accept 1,250 refugees from an Australian detention center. The American president called it a “dumb deal.” |
| But Mr. Trump’s brand of nationalism is likely to be better received elsewhere. Leaders in Egypt, the Philippines, Russia and Turkey are among those who hope for a U.S. less inclined to criticize their human rights records. | But Mr. Trump’s brand of nationalism is likely to be better received elsewhere. Leaders in Egypt, the Philippines, Russia and Turkey are among those who hope for a U.S. less inclined to criticize their human rights records. |
| • View of Islam influences policy. | • View of Islam influences policy. |
| During his campaign, Mr. Trump embraced a deep suspicion of Islam that former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama had shunned. | During his campaign, Mr. Trump embraced a deep suspicion of Islam that former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama had shunned. |
| Now, that vision is moving to the center of American decision-making on security and law. | Now, that vision is moving to the center of American decision-making on security and law. |
| Separately, we look at questions surrounding the first counterterrorism operation in the Trump administration, a raid in Yemen on Sunday against a Qaeda collaborator. An American commando was killed, and several civilians may also have died, the Pentagon said. | Separately, we look at questions surrounding the first counterterrorism operation in the Trump administration, a raid in Yemen on Sunday against a Qaeda collaborator. An American commando was killed, and several civilians may also have died, the Pentagon said. |
| • A vow to overturn law banning political activity by churches. | |
| Mr. Trump said he would “totally destroy” the Johnson Amendment, which prohibits churches from openly endorsing or campaigning for candidates. | |
| Those that do risk losing their tax-exempt status. Repealing the law would require approval by Congress | |
| • Trump’s education pick may be in peril. | • Trump’s education pick may be in peril. |
| Two Republican senators said they would join Democrats in voting against Betsy DeVos, the nominee for education secretary. Vice President Mike Pence could still break a tie to win her confirmation. | Two Republican senators said they would join Democrats in voting against Betsy DeVos, the nominee for education secretary. Vice President Mike Pence could still break a tie to win her confirmation. |
| On Wednesday, Rex W. Tillerson, the former chief executive of Exxon Mobil, was confirmed as secretary of state. And Mr. Trump advised Republican senators to consider going “nuclear” by skipping the 60-vote threshold needed to confirm Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, his choice for the Supreme Court. | On Wednesday, Rex W. Tillerson, the former chief executive of Exxon Mobil, was confirmed as secretary of state. And Mr. Trump advised Republican senators to consider going “nuclear” by skipping the 60-vote threshold needed to confirm Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, his choice for the Supreme Court. |
| • Israeli settlement plans kick into high gear. | • Israeli settlement plans kick into high gear. |
| Israel has approved thousands more housing units in the occupied West Bank and, for the first time in years, has called for the establishment of a new settlement there. | Israel has approved thousands more housing units in the occupied West Bank and, for the first time in years, has called for the establishment of a new settlement there. |
| On Wednesday, settlers living in an unauthorized outpost clashed with the police, who had been sent to evacuate about 40 families. | On Wednesday, settlers living in an unauthorized outpost clashed with the police, who had been sent to evacuate about 40 families. |
| • Violence breaks out on a campus.. | • Violence breaks out on a campus.. |
| A speech by the divisive Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at the University of California, Berkeley, was canceled Wednesday night after demonstrators set fires and threw objects. | A speech by the divisive Breitbart News editor Milo Yiannopoulos at the University of California, Berkeley, was canceled Wednesday night after demonstrators set fires and threw objects. |
| • Delaware prison standoff ends. | • Delaware prison standoff ends. |
| A corrections worker taken hostage by inmates was found dead this morning, a day after the standoff began. A second worker was found alive after the state police stormed a building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Facility. | A corrections worker taken hostage by inmates was found dead this morning, a day after the standoff began. A second worker was found alive after the state police stormed a building at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Facility. |
| • Introducing The Daily, your new audio news report. | • Introducing The Daily, your new audio news report. |
| Our reporter Michael Barbaro runs down the big stories and the big ideas. Fifteen minutes a day, five days a week. | |
| Listen here if you’re on an iOS device or here if you’re on an Android device. | |
| • Facebook scored a victory and suffered a loss. The social media company said sales totaled $8.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016, up 51 percent from a year earlier. | • Facebook scored a victory and suffered a loss. The social media company said sales totaled $8.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2016, up 51 percent from a year earlier. |
| But its Oculus branch lost a $500 million lawsuit involving copyright infringement. | But its Oculus branch lost a $500 million lawsuit involving copyright infringement. |
| • New Zealand has released documents tied to its approval of Peter Thiel’s 2011 application for citizenship. | • New Zealand has released documents tied to its approval of Peter Thiel’s 2011 application for citizenship. |
| Mr. Thiel, a billionaire tech investor and adviser to Mr. Trump, wrote that the country shared his view of “the future” but that he did not intend to live there — raising questions about the New Zealand government’s motivation. | Mr. Thiel, a billionaire tech investor and adviser to Mr. Trump, wrote that the country shared his view of “the future” but that he did not intend to live there — raising questions about the New Zealand government’s motivation. |
| • It’s tax season in the U.S., and IBM’s Watson is being deployed by H&R Block as a virtual assistant. | • It’s tax season in the U.S., and IBM’s Watson is being deployed by H&R Block as a virtual assistant. |
| Watson’s training included reading the more than 74,000 pages of the federal tax code and thousands of tax-return questions culled from six decades of H&R Block data. | Watson’s training included reading the more than 74,000 pages of the federal tax code and thousands of tax-return questions culled from six decades of H&R Block data. |
| • U.S. stocks were up slightly on Wednesday. Here’s a snapshot of global markets | • U.S. stocks were up slightly on Wednesday. Here’s a snapshot of global markets |
| • A refugee’s story. | • A refugee’s story. |
| “This country took me and my family in when we were at one of the lowest points of our lives and returned to me a feeling I had lost: that of being safe.” | “This country took me and my family in when we were at one of the lowest points of our lives and returned to me a feeling I had lost: that of being safe.” |
| That’s Helene Cooper, a Washington reporter for The Times, describing her family’s harrowing effort to reach the U.S. from Liberia in 1980. | That’s Helene Cooper, a Washington reporter for The Times, describing her family’s harrowing effort to reach the U.S. from Liberia in 1980. |
| • In memoriam. | • In memoriam. |
| Bharati Mukherjee, 76, an Indian-born American writer who explored the internal clashes of her immigrant characters in the award-winning collection “The Middleman and Other Stories” and in novels like “Jasmine.” | Bharati Mukherjee, 76, an Indian-born American writer who explored the internal clashes of her immigrant characters in the award-winning collection “The Middleman and Other Stories” and in novels like “Jasmine.” |
| And Lennart Nilsson, a Swedish photographer whose micro-cameras bared some of life’s breathtaking moments — most memorably a human embryo’s maturation. He was 94. | And Lennart Nilsson, a Swedish photographer whose micro-cameras bared some of life’s breathtaking moments — most memorably a human embryo’s maturation. He was 94. |
| • Partying with Migos. | • Partying with Migos. |
| The hip-hop act has a No. 1 hit on the Billboard chart with “Bad and Boujee.” Our 360 video takes you onstage with the group. | The hip-hop act has a No. 1 hit on the Billboard chart with “Bad and Boujee.” Our 360 video takes you onstage with the group. |
| • Beyoncé is pregnant with twins … | • Beyoncé is pregnant with twins … |
| … and Twitter is abuzz with congratulatory messages. Some of the tweets, like ones from the restaurant chains Popeyes and Denny’s, though, were somewhat puzzling. | … and Twitter is abuzz with congratulatory messages. Some of the tweets, like ones from the restaurant chains Popeyes and Denny’s, though, were somewhat puzzling. |
| • New Year’s resolutions: For all of February, Smarter Living is here to help you stick to your goals. More than 600 of you wrote in since we started on Monday, discussing everything from losing weight and getting fit to resolving to build a boat (yes, a boat). We’ve rounded up some of our favorites. | • New Year’s resolutions: For all of February, Smarter Living is here to help you stick to your goals. More than 600 of you wrote in since we started on Monday, discussing everything from losing weight and getting fit to resolving to build a boat (yes, a boat). We’ve rounded up some of our favorites. |
| A few trends emerged, so here are a few helpful articles about fitness/nutrition/weight loss; personal finances; mental health, and productivity/time management. | A few trends emerged, so here are a few helpful articles about fitness/nutrition/weight loss; personal finances; mental health, and productivity/time management. |
| And if your goal doesn’t fit into those categories, no sweat: Our tips this month will be helpful no matter your resolution. | And if your goal doesn’t fit into those categories, no sweat: Our tips this month will be helpful no matter your resolution. |
| • Recipe of the day: Baked potatoes and creamed braising greens work as sides or as a meal. | • Recipe of the day: Baked potatoes and creamed braising greens work as sides or as a meal. |
| Does it matter whether a groundhog knows when spring will arrive? | Does it matter whether a groundhog knows when spring will arrive? |
| Whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees a shadow today in Pennsylvania, the vernal equinox is less than seven weeks away. While Groundhog Day is popular in the U.S., there are harbingers of the season elsewhere that don’t involve a rodent. | Whether or not Punxsutawney Phil sees a shadow today in Pennsylvania, the vernal equinox is less than seven weeks away. While Groundhog Day is popular in the U.S., there are harbingers of the season elsewhere that don’t involve a rodent. |
| The Bosnian tradition of Cimburijada, also known as the Festival of Scrambled Eggs, celebrates the first day of spring with a supersize breakfast. In Alaska, the Nenana Ice Classic is a statewide contest with a six-figure jackpot for correctly guessing when the Nenana River’s ice will break — sometime between mid-April and mid-May is typical. | The Bosnian tradition of Cimburijada, also known as the Festival of Scrambled Eggs, celebrates the first day of spring with a supersize breakfast. In Alaska, the Nenana Ice Classic is a statewide contest with a six-figure jackpot for correctly guessing when the Nenana River’s ice will break — sometime between mid-April and mid-May is typical. |
| But there’s a celebration in the Royal Burgh of Lanark, Scotland, that stands apart for its unique name: Whuppity Scoorie. | But there’s a celebration in the Royal Burgh of Lanark, Scotland, that stands apart for its unique name: Whuppity Scoorie. |
| On every first of March, children swing balls of paper on a string tied around their heads while running three times around the town’s church bell. | On every first of March, children swing balls of paper on a string tied around their heads while running three times around the town’s church bell. |
| Whuppity Scoorie’s origins are unclear, but some view it as a pagan festival meant to drive out evil and welcome spring. The townspeople don’t seem to mind the ambiguity. | Whuppity Scoorie’s origins are unclear, but some view it as a pagan festival meant to drive out evil and welcome spring. The townspeople don’t seem to mind the ambiguity. |
| “That’s the great thing about it,” a longtime resident once said. “You make up your own myth.” | “That’s the great thing about it,” a longtime resident once said. “You make up your own myth.” |
| Remy Tumin contributed reporting. | Remy Tumin contributed reporting. |
| _____ | _____ |
| Photographs may appear out of order for some readers. Viewing this version of the briefing should help.Your Morning Briefing is published weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern and updated on the web all morning. | Photographs may appear out of order for some readers. Viewing this version of the briefing should help.Your Morning Briefing is published weekdays at 6 a.m. Eastern and updated on the web all morning. |
| What would you like to see here? Contact us at briefing@nytimes.com. | What would you like to see here? Contact us at briefing@nytimes.com. |
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