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Comey, Syria, Cohen: Your Friday Evening Briefing Comey, Syria, Cohen: Your Friday Evening Briefing
(about 4 hours 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 evening. Here’s the latest.Good evening. Here’s the latest.
1. An “untruthful slime ball.” 1. President Trump has ordered strikes against Syria as punishment for a suspected chemical attack near Damascus. Britain and France joined in the strikes, he said. Check back for updates on this developing story.
Earlier Friday, U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley accused the Syrian government of having used chemical weapons at least 50 times during the civil war. That was higher than previous U.S. estimates. We mapped 34 of those confirmed chemical attacks.
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2. An “untruthful slime ball.”
That’s just one of the names President Trump called the former F.B.I. director James Comey, above, on Twitter after salacious details from Mr. Comey’s forthcoming memoir leaked out.That’s just one of the names President Trump called the former F.B.I. director James Comey, above, on Twitter after salacious details from Mr. Comey’s forthcoming memoir leaked out.
In the book, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership,” Mr. Comey denounces the president as “unethical, and untethered to truth” and said Mr. Trump reminded him of a mob boss. It goes on sale Tuesday. Here’s our review.In the book, “A Higher Loyalty: Truth, Lies and Leadership,” Mr. Comey denounces the president as “unethical, and untethered to truth” and said Mr. Trump reminded him of a mob boss. It goes on sale Tuesday. Here’s our review.
Separately, the Justice Department inspector general delivered a scathing report that accused Andrew McCabe, the former F.B.I. deputy director, of misleading investigators about his interactions with the media.Separately, the Justice Department inspector general delivered a scathing report that accused Andrew McCabe, the former F.B.I. deputy director, of misleading investigators about his interactions with the media.
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2. U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, above, accused the Syrian government of having used chemical weapons at least 50 times during the civil war.
The charge came during a heated exchange with the Russian ambassador at a Security Council meeting on the suspected chemical weapons attack on Douma, a suburb of Damascus. (We mapped 34 of those confirmed chemical attacks.)
In Washington, White House officials continued to mull over a possible strike against the Syrian government’s suspected chemical weapons facilities and airfields. They’re working on a strategy in the event of retaliation from Russia and Iran. We discussed those deliberations with our Pentagon correspondent on our podcast “The Daily.”
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3. Advisers to President Trump have concluded that a wide-ranging corruption investigation in New York poses a greater — and more imminent — threat to the president than even the special counsel’s investigation.3. Advisers to President Trump have concluded that a wide-ranging corruption investigation in New York poses a greater — and more imminent — threat to the president than even the special counsel’s investigation.
That’s what several people close to Mr. Trump told us. Lawyers for Mr. Trump and his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, above, asked a federal judge to shield from investigators documents seized in Monday’s F.B.I. raid on Mr. Cohen’s office and hotel room.That’s what several people close to Mr. Trump told us. Lawyers for Mr. Trump and his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, above, asked a federal judge to shield from investigators documents seized in Monday’s F.B.I. raid on Mr. Cohen’s office and hotel room.
And Elliott Broidy, a major donor with close ties to the White House, resigned as deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee over revelations that he had agreed to pay $1.6 million to a former mistress. Mr. Cohen arranged the deal.And Elliott Broidy, a major donor with close ties to the White House, resigned as deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee over revelations that he had agreed to pay $1.6 million to a former mistress. Mr. Cohen arranged the deal.
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4. For the third Friday in a row, thousands of Palestinians flocked to the fence separating Gaza from Israel, and were met with tear gas and live gunfire.4. For the third Friday in a row, thousands of Palestinians flocked to the fence separating Gaza from Israel, and were met with tear gas and live gunfire.
More than 500 protesters were injured, including dozens hit by gunshots, and more than 100 were hospitalized, the Gaza Health Ministry said. One man died of earlier injuries, bringing the overall death toll of the protests to 34.More than 500 protesters were injured, including dozens hit by gunshots, and more than 100 were hospitalized, the Gaza Health Ministry said. One man died of earlier injuries, bringing the overall death toll of the protests to 34.
We annotated an aerial photo of the fence taken by Yasser Murtaja, a Palestinian journalist who was killed there last week.We annotated an aerial photo of the fence taken by Yasser Murtaja, a Palestinian journalist who was killed there last week.
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5. Officials in Japan, Australia and New Zealand are reacting coolly to President Trump’s remarks that he would be interested in rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership after publicly rejecting it a year ago. Above, members of the pact met in Chile last month.5. Officials in Japan, Australia and New Zealand are reacting coolly to President Trump’s remarks that he would be interested in rejoining the Trans-Pacific Partnership after publicly rejecting it a year ago. Above, members of the pact met in Chile last month.
An early test of the potential for the U.S. to rejoin could come next week, when Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister and an ardent champion of the pact, is to meet with Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago.An early test of the potential for the U.S. to rejoin could come next week, when Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister and an ardent champion of the pact, is to meet with Mr. Trump at Mar-a-Lago.
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6. Nearly three dozen people across 11 states have been infected in an E. coli outbreak linked to chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Ariz., region, health officials said.6. Nearly three dozen people across 11 states have been infected in an E. coli outbreak linked to chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma, Ariz., region, health officials said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it had not yet identified the source — and it urged consumers to avoid any chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma area.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it had not yet identified the source — and it urged consumers to avoid any chopped romaine lettuce from the Yuma area.
“If you cannot confirm the source of the lettuce, do not buy or eat it,” the C.D.C. said in a statement. The agency also recommended that restaurants and retailers not serve chopped romaine lettuce from the region.“If you cannot confirm the source of the lettuce, do not buy or eat it,” the C.D.C. said in a statement. The agency also recommended that restaurants and retailers not serve chopped romaine lettuce from the region.
Of those infected, 22 were hospitalized, and three developed a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.Of those infected, 22 were hospitalized, and three developed a type of kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
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7. A teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., was arrested after he forgot his loaded gun in a restroom at a nearby beach, the authorities said.7. A teacher at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., was arrested after he forgot his loaded gun in a restroom at a nearby beach, the authorities said.
By the time Sean Simpson, above, realized the gun was missing and returned to the restroom, a drunken man had picked it up and fired a bullet into a wall.By the time Sean Simpson, above, realized the gun was missing and returned to the restroom, a drunken man had picked it up and fired a bullet into a wall.
Mr. Simpson grabbed the gun from the man and was arrested by responding police officers. He was charged with failing to safely store a weapon, which can carry a maximum 60-day sentence.Mr. Simpson grabbed the gun from the man and was arrested by responding police officers. He was charged with failing to safely store a weapon, which can carry a maximum 60-day sentence.
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8. The credit card chip killed the signature.8. The credit card chip killed the signature.
Signatures on credit card receipts are about to become extinct in the U.S. Later this month, four of the largest networks — American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa — will stop requiring them to complete transactions.Signatures on credit card receipts are about to become extinct in the U.S. Later this month, four of the largest networks — American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa — will stop requiring them to complete transactions.
Once upon a time, retailers could be held liable if they failed to notice that the signature on a receipt did not match the one on the back of the customer’s card. But signatures have become a relic as more updated security measures took hold in the marketplace.Once upon a time, retailers could be held liable if they failed to notice that the signature on a receipt did not match the one on the back of the customer’s card. But signatures have become a relic as more updated security measures took hold in the marketplace.
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9. What are you cooking this weekend?9. What are you cooking this weekend?
Our food editor, Sam Sifton, is considering firing up his grill — ribs, perhaps? And he’s definitely making mac and cheese, which is the subject of our latest digital cookbook.Our food editor, Sam Sifton, is considering firing up his grill — ribs, perhaps? And he’s definitely making mac and cheese, which is the subject of our latest digital cookbook.
“We wanted a baseline understanding of the dish as a baked side dish for barbecues and cookouts, and as a midweek stovetop meal, the sort some ordinarily make out of a box,” he explained. We asked the cookbook author (and frequent NYT Cooking contributor) Alison Roman to help create the guide.“We wanted a baseline understanding of the dish as a baked side dish for barbecues and cookouts, and as a midweek stovetop meal, the sort some ordinarily make out of a box,” he explained. We asked the cookbook author (and frequent NYT Cooking contributor) Alison Roman to help create the guide.
“And, jeepers, did she deliver,” Mr. Sifton wrote.“And, jeepers, did she deliver,” Mr. Sifton wrote.
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10. Finally, it’s not all bad out there. Here’s the week in good news.10. Finally, it’s not all bad out there. Here’s the week in good news.
Our subjects include sports enthusiasts who don’t let injuries or old age keep them from games, like Phil Coyne, above; the long-delayed arrival of springtime in New York; and everything you didn’t think you wanted to know about the coming royal wedding.Our subjects include sports enthusiasts who don’t let injuries or old age keep them from games, like Phil Coyne, above; the long-delayed arrival of springtime in New York; and everything you didn’t think you wanted to know about the coming royal wedding.
Have a great weekend.Have a great weekend.
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Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern.
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