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| Michael Flynn, Shutdown, China Trade: Your Tuesday Evening Briefing | Michael Flynn, Shutdown, China Trade: Your Tuesday Evening Briefing |
| (about 3 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. Calling the crimes “a very serious offense,” a federal judge postponed the sentencing of Michael Flynn, President Trump’s former national security adviser. | |
| The judge warned that Mr. Flynn could face prison for lying to federal investigators about his conversations with the Russian ambassador during the presidential transition and hiding his role lobbying for Turkey. | |
| “I cannot assure that if you proceed today you will not receive a sentence of incarceration,” the judge said. He gave Mr. Flynn, above, the option of delaying the sentencing until he had completed his cooperation agreement with federal prosecutors. | “I cannot assure that if you proceed today you will not receive a sentence of incarceration,” the judge said. He gave Mr. Flynn, above, the option of delaying the sentencing until he had completed his cooperation agreement with federal prosecutors. |
| Mr. Flynn took the judge up on his offer. | |
| The judge also walked back a provocative statement he had made, saying he “felt terrible” that he had wrongly accused Mr. Flynn earlier in the proceeding of selling out his country by simultaneously working as a foreign agent for Turkey and Mr. Trump’s national security adviser. In fact, Mr. Flynn’s work for Turkey ended before he worked in the White House. | |
| Separately, the Donald J. Trump Foundation will close in response to a lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general’s office, which has accused the Trump family of using the charity for self-dealing and political gain. | Separately, the Donald J. Trump Foundation will close in response to a lawsuit filed by the New York attorney general’s office, which has accused the Trump family of using the charity for self-dealing and political gain. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 2. It was an indelible image: A Honduran woman clutching her two children at the U.S. border with Mexico, fleeing tear gas fired by American officers. | 2. It was an indelible image: A Honduran woman clutching her two children at the U.S. border with Mexico, fleeing tear gas fired by American officers. |
| The woman, Maria Meza, above, was part of a migrant caravan seeking refuge from violence and poverty in Central America. She waited for weeks in Tijuana for a chance to apply for asylum, citing gang violence at home. | The woman, Maria Meza, above, was part of a migrant caravan seeking refuge from violence and poverty in Central America. She waited for weeks in Tijuana for a chance to apply for asylum, citing gang violence at home. |
| This week, a group of congressmen escorted her and others to the port of entry, and Ms. Meza and her children are now in the U.S. awaiting action on their asylum petitions. | This week, a group of congressmen escorted her and others to the port of entry, and Ms. Meza and her children are now in the U.S. awaiting action on their asylum petitions. |
| Separately, the White House signaled that President Trump might be backing down on his demand for $5 billion from Congress for a wall on the border with Mexico, easing fears of a government shutdown that would begin at midnight Friday. | Separately, the White House signaled that President Trump might be backing down on his demand for $5 billion from Congress for a wall on the border with Mexico, easing fears of a government shutdown that would begin at midnight Friday. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 3. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube withheld crucial information about Russian activity on their sites from investigators, according to two new reports to the Senate. | 3. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube withheld crucial information about Russian activity on their sites from investigators, according to two new reports to the Senate. |
| The reports, by two cybersecurity firms hired to trace Russian influence, said the companies “evaded” and “misrepresented” the extent of the Russian activity, and when they did hand over data, they often did so in formats that made them difficult to analyze. Above, in Washington. | The reports, by two cybersecurity firms hired to trace Russian influence, said the companies “evaded” and “misrepresented” the extent of the Russian activity, and when they did hand over data, they often did so in formats that made them difficult to analyze. Above, in Washington. |
| “Everyone wants to qualify the impact of the 2016 presidential election,” one researcher said. “None of the data sets we were given gives us that answer.” | “Everyone wants to qualify the impact of the 2016 presidential election,” one researcher said. “None of the data sets we were given gives us that answer.” |
| The reports are the most detailed accounts yet of how Russian agents have manipulated social media against Americans in recent years. They also shined a light on Russian campaigns on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. Here’s a look at posts that exemplify Russia’s tactics. | The reports are the most detailed accounts yet of how Russian agents have manipulated social media against Americans in recent years. They also shined a light on Russian campaigns on Instagram, which is owned by Facebook. Here’s a look at posts that exemplify Russia’s tactics. |
| Separately, the Senate overwhelmingly approved the most substantial changes in a generation to tough-on-crime prison and sentencing laws that many conservatives and liberals view as costly and unfair. House leaders have pledged to pass the measure this week, and President Trump was expected to sign the bill. | |
| _____ | _____ |
| 4. Women in Delaware now have one-stop shopping for birth control. | 4. Women in Delaware now have one-stop shopping for birth control. |
| Under a new program, doctors in the state ask women of childbearing age whether they want to become pregnant in the next year. If the answer is no, women can leave the clinic with a prescription for contraception or a long-acting implant, no return visit required. | Under a new program, doctors in the state ask women of childbearing age whether they want to become pregnant in the next year. If the answer is no, women can leave the clinic with a prescription for contraception or a long-acting implant, no return visit required. |
| Doctors and health officials say they emphasize that patients can choose any contraceptive — or reject them all. Above, learning to insert an IUD. | Doctors and health officials say they emphasize that patients can choose any contraceptive — or reject them all. Above, learning to insert an IUD. |
| It’s part of an effort to reduce unintended pregnancies and help women escape poverty. It could also reduce the abortion rate and state spending on Medicaid. Similar programs are being considered in several other states. | It’s part of an effort to reduce unintended pregnancies and help women escape poverty. It could also reduce the abortion rate and state spending on Medicaid. Similar programs are being considered in several other states. |
| “Set it and forget it,” said a trainer with an organization supporting the program. “We call it the Crock-Pot method.” | “Set it and forget it,” said a trainer with an organization supporting the program. “We call it the Crock-Pot method.” |
| _____ | _____ |
| 5. In a speech on the 40th anniversary of China’s economic liberalization efforts, President Xi Jinping delivered a powerful defense of his economic policies. | 5. In a speech on the 40th anniversary of China’s economic liberalization efforts, President Xi Jinping delivered a powerful defense of his economic policies. |
| The Communist Party has been solely responsible for the country’s stunning growth, he argued, and its policies of control have been “totally correct.” | The Communist Party has been solely responsible for the country’s stunning growth, he argued, and its policies of control have been “totally correct.” |
| He only obliquely referred to the elephant in the room: the trade war with the U.S. “No one is in a position to dictate to the Chinese people what should not be done,” he said. | He only obliquely referred to the elephant in the room: the trade war with the U.S. “No one is in a position to dictate to the Chinese people what should not be done,” he said. |
| The speech extinguished hopes that Mr. Xi, above, was ready to announce reforms that would point to potential compromises with the U.S. Our reporters recount the key points from the speech. | The speech extinguished hopes that Mr. Xi, above, was ready to announce reforms that would point to potential compromises with the U.S. Our reporters recount the key points from the speech. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 6. Public health experts are struggling to address a surging new problem: how to help teenagers quit vaping. | 6. Public health experts are struggling to address a surging new problem: how to help teenagers quit vaping. |
| A recent survey of teenage drug use found the rise in nicotine vaping was the largest spike for any substance recorded by the study in 44 years. About 21 percent of high school seniors had vaped within the previous 30 days, researchers found, compared with about 11 percent a year ago. | A recent survey of teenage drug use found the rise in nicotine vaping was the largest spike for any substance recorded by the study in 44 years. About 21 percent of high school seniors had vaped within the previous 30 days, researchers found, compared with about 11 percent a year ago. |
| The pervasiveness of nicotine addiction among teenagers who use vaping devices is now sinking in — and there is no clear path to helping them stop. | The pervasiveness of nicotine addiction among teenagers who use vaping devices is now sinking in — and there is no clear path to helping them stop. |
| “We are using our best judgment but we don’t know exactly what to do,” one pediatrician told us. “There’s no sound science yet.” | “We are using our best judgment but we don’t know exactly what to do,” one pediatrician told us. “There’s no sound science yet.” |
| But there are some ways parents can help, our reporter found. | But there are some ways parents can help, our reporter found. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 7. “Walt Whitman Has a Bad Cold.” | 7. “Walt Whitman Has a Bad Cold.” |
| On this day 127 years ago, Walt Whitman fell ill. It was front-page news for The Times, and updates appeared frequently over the next three months, our archives reveal. | On this day 127 years ago, Walt Whitman fell ill. It was front-page news for The Times, and updates appeared frequently over the next three months, our archives reveal. |
| No detail about the poet’s failing health was too small to cover: how many sips of milk punch he drank or pieces of toast he managed to consume, whether he had the strength to sit up in bed, what he said to his doctor. | No detail about the poet’s failing health was too small to cover: how many sips of milk punch he drank or pieces of toast he managed to consume, whether he had the strength to sit up in bed, what he said to his doctor. |
| The Times kept a diligent bedside vigil until Mr. Whitman’s death on March 26, 1892. Several days later, we revealed the results of an autopsy: “His brain was found to be abnormally large.” | The Times kept a diligent bedside vigil until Mr. Whitman’s death on March 26, 1892. Several days later, we revealed the results of an autopsy: “His brain was found to be abnormally large.” |
| _____ | _____ |
| 8. How did Octomom do it? | 8. How did Octomom do it? |
| Almost 10 years ago, Nadya Suleman gave birth to eight babies at once, earning her nickname and plenty of media scrutiny and public criticism. | Almost 10 years ago, Nadya Suleman gave birth to eight babies at once, earning her nickname and plenty of media scrutiny and public criticism. |
| She has 14 children in all, so many that they eat in shifts. Some sleep on the couch. Above, surrounded by the octuplets: Noah, Jonah, Josiah, Makai, Nariyah, Maliyah, Jeremiah and Isaiah. | She has 14 children in all, so many that they eat in shifts. Some sleep on the couch. Above, surrounded by the octuplets: Noah, Jonah, Josiah, Makai, Nariyah, Maliyah, Jeremiah and Isaiah. |
| We paid a visit and found that the octuplets are polite, they cook, they’re vegan, they read two books a month and they do their homework without being prompted. In spite of all of the tabloid drama, they’re model fourth graders. | We paid a visit and found that the octuplets are polite, they cook, they’re vegan, they read two books a month and they do their homework without being prompted. In spite of all of the tabloid drama, they’re model fourth graders. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 9. Frenzied K-pop fans, above, have found a new way to get a little closer to their favorite stars: They book first-class seats, board planes to get a selfie or an autograph — and then disembark and cancel their tickets just before the gates close. | 9. Frenzied K-pop fans, above, have found a new way to get a little closer to their favorite stars: They book first-class seats, board planes to get a selfie or an autograph — and then disembark and cancel their tickets just before the gates close. |
| The behavior has angered passengers and airline officials because their departures activate regulations that require passengers to leave the plane and undergo another security check. | The behavior has angered passengers and airline officials because their departures activate regulations that require passengers to leave the plane and undergo another security check. |
| Korean Air announced increased financial penalties in an effort to crack down on the chaos. | Korean Air announced increased financial penalties in an effort to crack down on the chaos. |
| Separately, a state-run newspaper in North Korea cited K-pop music as one of the disruptive influences of smartphones that have started to trickle into that country, along with cheating on exams and pornography. | Separately, a state-run newspaper in North Korea cited K-pop music as one of the disruptive influences of smartphones that have started to trickle into that country, along with cheating on exams and pornography. |
| _____ | _____ |
| 10. Finally, time for a zhuzh. | 10. Finally, time for a zhuzh. |
| Some wedding organizers are suggesting a “glam bar” for the ladies’ room at the reception, equipped with stylists, lipsticks, curling irons, hair spray and other necessities for fixing guests’ beauty malfunctions. | Some wedding organizers are suggesting a “glam bar” for the ladies’ room at the reception, equipped with stylists, lipsticks, curling irons, hair spray and other necessities for fixing guests’ beauty malfunctions. |
| “People value looking nice, not shiny, in photos,” one organizer told us. | “People value looking nice, not shiny, in photos,” one organizer told us. |
| Have a chic evening. | Have a chic evening. |
| Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern. | Your Evening Briefing is posted at 6 p.m. Eastern. |
| And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning. | And don’t miss Your Morning Briefing. Sign up here to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning. |
| Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here. | Want to catch up on past briefings? You can browse them here. |
| What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com. | What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at briefing@nytimes.com. |
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