Your Wednesday Evening Briefing

North Korea, Iran, Gina Haspel | View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Wednesday, May 9, 2018 [NYTimes.com »]( [Your Wednesday Evening Briefing]( By KAREN ZRAICK AND DAVID SCULL Good evening. Here’s the latest. Ahn Young-Joon/Associated Press 1. Pyongyang freed three American prisoners, in perhaps the most tangible gesture by North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, to improve relations with the U.S. It was [a diplomatic victory for President Trump](. Mr. Trump said he planned to meet the detainees, all [U.S. citizens of Korean descent]( seen above on a news broadcast, when they land in the U.S. at 2 a.m. Eastern. He also announced that the time and location had been set for the summit meeting with Mr. Kim, giving only one detail: It will not be at the DMZ. But a new question is dogging the planning: Will Mr. Trump’s decision to pull out of the Iran nuclear deal [send the wrong message to North Korea]( ____ Office of Iran's Supreme Leader, via Agence France-Presse — Getty Images 2. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, [reacted angrily]( to President Trump’s withdrawal from the nuclear deal. He hinted at stepping up the country’s nuclear program, citing the need for electricity. European leaders tried to persuade Mr. Trump not to exit the deal, and they have vowed to work with Iran to preserve it. Our chief diplomatic correspondent in Europe says [it’s becoming clear that trans-Atlantic relations are in trouble](. On “[The Daily]( podcast, our White House correspondent looks back at why President Barack Obama signed the deal in 2015. ____ Tom Brenner/The New York Times 3. Gina Haspel, President Trump’s nominee to lead the C.I.A., [told senators at her confirmation hearing]( that she would not allow the agency to restart an interrogation program that employed torture techniques. She gave her first account of her role in the destruction of interrogation videotapes that showed the torture of Qaeda detainees at a secret C.I.A. prison in Thailand she briefly oversaw. The Trump administration is conveying confidence that Ms. Haspel, who would be the first woman to run the agency, will be confirmed. In our Opinion section, Fatima Boudchar, a Moroccan now living in Istanbul, describes being [tortured in a secret C.I.A. prison]( while she was pregnant: “Some of what they did to me in that prison was so awful I can’t talk about it. They hit me in the abdomen just where the baby was. To move me, they bound me to a stretcher from head to toe, like a mummy. I was sure I would shortly be killed.” ____ Wang Zhao/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images 4. The first casualty of the high-tech cold war between the U.S. and China might be the biggest electronics maker you’ve never heard of. [The Chinese firm ZTE has 75,000 employees]( does business in more than 160 countries, and is the No. 4 smartphone vendor in the U.S. Above, its logo on a building in Beijing. But it’s facing a death sentence: It says it has ceased “major operating activities” after the Trump administration banned the company from using components made in the U.S., saying it had failed to punish employees for violating sanctions against North Korea and Iran. ____ Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters 5. The Swiss pharmaceutical giant [Novartis revealed that it had spoken to lawyers for the special counsel,]( Robert Mueller, about $1.2 million in payments to a shell company controlled by Michael Cohen, President Trump’s longtime fixer, above. Mr. Cohen used that company to pay hush money to Stormy Daniels, and the payments came to light [when her lawyer released a document]( that contained details of the transactions. Novartis said it made the payments for a yearlong consulting contract on “health care policy matters” that began shortly after Mr. Trump’s inauguration. AT&T and a firm tied to a Russian oligarch made similar payments. ____ Maddie McGarvey for The New York Times 6. The outcome of primaries in four Republican-leaning states — West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina — are rattling Congress. Republicans averted a worst-case scenario — the nomination of the ex-convict coal baron Don Blankenship in West Virginia — but faced warning signs elsewhere. Here are the [full results from each race]( and [six takeaways](. Above, the Democratic candidate for governor of Ohio, Richard Cordray, and his running mate, Betty Sutton. ____ Mike Terry for The New York Times 7. The Mormon Church and the Boy Scouts of America [are ending a 105-year partnership](. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said it would develop its own youth leadership and development program to serve its growing membership around the world. The church, based in Utah, didn’t specify a reason for the split, but in recent years, the Boy Scouts has announced it will drop “Boy” from its name, ended a ban on gay youth and leaders, and paved the way for transgender boys to join. ____ Sara Krulwich/The New York Times 8. We looked ahead to the Tony Awards, coming June 10. Our chief theater critics, [Ben Brantley and Jesse Green, weighed in]( on what they loved (and hated) this season. They [made their predictions]( for what will win, and discussed what should win, and what should have been nominated. Above, Lauren Ambrose as Eliza Doolittle in the musical “My Fair Lady.” ____ Wirecutter 9. We’re sure we don’t have to remind you, but just in case: Mother’s Day is Sunday. [Our Mother’s Day gift guide]( covers tried-and-true winners, like chocolates, wine and jewelry — but also a DNA test kit, a smooth tequila and, in a section of recommendations from readers, an innovative way to preserve family memories. Above, a simple backyard herb kit, for $20. ____ via Vevo 10. Finally, Donald Glover released the video for his new single, “This Is America,” on the same day that he hosted (and sang) on “Saturday Night Live” last weekend. Performing as Childish Gambino, Mr. Glover spurred lots of debate with the heavily political video, which is loaded with symbolism and shot in a surrealist style. Here’s a rundown of some of [the best writing about it](. [And on the late-night shows,]( Jimmy Fallon told the crowd about walking the [red carpet at the Met Gala]( with Stephen Colbert. Inside the gala, he complimented Madonna’s outfit (before she emerged from a monastic hood to sing “Like a Prayer”). Her reply? “Bless you.” Have a great night. ____ 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. 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](mailto:briefing@nytimes.com?subject=Evening%20Briefing%20Feedback). LIKE THIS EMAIL? Forward it to your friends, and let them know they can sign up [here](. ADVERTISEMENT Sponsor a Subscription Inspire a future generation of readers by contributing to The New York Times [sponsor-a-subscription program](. For every subscription granted through contributions to this program, The Times will provide a digital subscription to one additional student. 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