Your Friday Briefing

Afghanistan, Boston Red Sox, ‘Halloween’ View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Friday, October 19, 2018 [NYTimes.com »]( [Your Friday Briefing]( By CHRIS STANFORD [A group of migrants waiting to receive food in Guatemala City. President Trump has threatened military action at the border to stop the group.]( A group of migrants waiting to receive food in Guatemala City. President Trump has threatened military action at the border to stop the group. Daniele Volpe for The New York Times Good morning. Here’s what you need to know: Trump shifts tone on Saudi case President Trump told The Times on Thursday that [he believed the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was dead]( and he expressed confidence in intelligence reports that pointed to high-level Saudi involvement. He stopped short, however, of saying that the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was responsible. Saudi Arabia is considering [blaming a top intelligence official, Gen. Ahmed al-Assiri]( for the killing, according to three people with knowledge of the plans. The question is whether it’s to deflect scrutiny from Prince Mohammed. Turkish officials released [one of their most striking pieces of evidence yet]( a photograph of one of the crown prince’s frequent companions entering the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul the day Mr. Khashoggi disappeared there. • “Davos in the Desert”: Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has [withdrawn from]( investment conference in t]( Saudi capital]( next week, after facing criticism over his plans to attend. • The writer and his work: We spoke to Mr. Khashoggi’s editor at The Washington Post, Karen Attiah, who has emerged as [a g]( of protest and grief](. “That’s my kind of guy” President Trump is continuing [a campaign blitz to shore up support for Republican candidates]( in the midterm elections. At a Montana rally Thursday night, he urged voters to re-elect Representative Greg Gianforte, who was sentenced to anger management classes and community service for assaulting a reporter. [At a rally in Missoula, Mont., on Thursday, President Trump said, “Anybody that can do a body-slam, that’s my kind of guy.”]At a rally in Missoula, Mont., on Thursday, President Trump said, “Anybody that can do a body-slam, that’s my kind of guy.” Doug Mills/The New York Times • Rare opportunity: Pete Stauber of Minnesota has a chance to do something no other Republican might do next month: [win a Democratic House seat](. • Female future: It would be unprecedented for several women in high office to seek a party’s presidential nomination in the same year. But [it could happen in 2020](. Catholic Church faces federal abuse inquiry The Justice Department has [opened an investigation into Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania]( that are accused of covering up sexual abuse for decades. The move is a significant escalation in scrutiny of the church. It comes two months after a grand jury report said that Catholic leaders had covered up the abuse of more than 1,000 people over more than 70 years. • Doctor is accused: Rockefeller University Hospital in New York has learned of credible allegations of [inappropriate behavior by a doctor who treated children]( with growth problems. New caravan draws Trump’s anger About 4,000 migrants, most of them Hondurans, are making their way north, and President Trump has warned that he will shut the U.S. border if Mexico doesn’t stop them. Here are [answers to some questions]( about the caravan. • Voices from the caravan: Our reporters asked some of the migrants [why they chose to make the journey, and what they left behind](. • White House blowup: John Kelly, the chief of staff, and John Bolton, the national security adviser, [got into a profanity-laced argument about immigration]( two people briefed on the altercation said. Taliban assassinate Afghan police chief Gen. Abdul Raziq had survived dozens of attempts on his life and was considered an indispensable American ally in southern Afghanistan, the Taliban’s heartland. But [he was killed in what appeared to be an insider attack in Kandahar City]( on Thursday, along with the provincial intelligence chief. The top American commander in Afghanistan narrowly escaped injury. • Threat to elections: The attack came two days before nationwide voting that has already been undermined by violence. [Gen. Abdul Raziq in 2015.]Gen. Abdul Raziq in 2015. Bryan Denton for The New York Times “The Daily”: A new climate tipping point A new U.N. report says the most devastating effects of global warming will come within our lifetimes. One man offers a solution. Listen on [a computer]( an [iOS device]( or an [Android device](. Business • China’s economy [grew 6.5 percent]( in the third quarter. It may sound like a lot, but it’s the slowest pace since early 2009. • Amazon won’t say where it’s putting its second headquarters, but [Northern Virginia is a popular bet](. • Sears went bankrupt under Edward Lampert. He told our columnist [what he got wrong](. • U.S. stocks [were down]( on Thursday. Here’s a snapshot of [global markets]( today. Smarter Living Tips for a more fulfilling life. • Traveling soon? Here are [five things you should leave behind](. • Want to cut your emissions? [Put your kids on the bus]( instead of driving them to school. • Recipe of the day: Master a classic dessert this weekend: [apple pie](. [A dessert for your to-do list this weekend.]A dessert for your to-do list this weekend. Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Noteworthy • Red Sox reach the World Series Boston beat the Houston Astros, 4-1, [to win the American League Championship Series]( and capture its 14th A.L. pennant. The Red Sox will face the winner of the National League series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers. Game 6 of that series is tonight. • The week in good news We asked 18-year-olds around the world to show us their lives. It’s one of [seven stories that inspired us](. • Quiz time! Did you keep up with this week’s news? [Test yourself](. • Ready for the weekend At the movies, Michael Myers returns to spoil everyone’s “[Halloween]( We reviewed it, as well as [the 1978 original]( which didn’t get a real review in The Times 40 years ago because of a newspaper strike. We also liked Melissa McCarthy in a true story of literary fraud, “[Can You Ever Forgive Me?]( (A profile of McCarthy is [the cover story for this week’s Times Magazine]( You can find [all of this week’s film reviews here](. On TV, we review “[Making a Murderer Part 2]( on Netflix and offer [suggestions based on how much time you have](. Our theater critic really liked “[The Lifespan of a Fact]( starring Bobby Cannavale as a self-involved writer and Daniel Radcliffe as his fact-checker. We suggest [eight new books]( and, if you’re in New York City, [a slate of cultural events](. And if you missed it earlier this week, T Magazine publishes an annual issue that [celebrates cultural figures](. One starting point: [our interview with the fantasy author George R.R. Martin]( of “Game of Thrones” fame. • When sturdy love is what you need There’s the social media narrative of overcoming adversity in marriage. And then there’s the reality. Read [this week’s Modern Love column](. • Best of late-night TV Amid allegations of voter suppression in Georgia, [Trevor Noah advised black voters to register as Republicans]( “I guarantee you, if the G.O.P. thinks that black people are voting for them, they will be making sure that your vote counts.” • Quotation of the day “Planes and trains are called a choke point for a reason. You don’t do it, you choke.” — [Rahm Emanuel]( the mayor of Chicago, on why he made the subway system a priority. • The Times, in other words Here’s an image of [today’s front page]( and links to our [Opinion content]( and [crossword puzzles](. • What we’re reading Jesse Drucker, a reporter, recommends [this essay from The Believer]( on a jazz obsession revolving around the pianist Bill Evans and the Miles Davis composition “Nardis”: “Because it’s heartbreaking and beautifully written.” [Editor’s note: On Wednesday, the recommendation for [Celeste Ng’s essay]( in New York Magazine should have referred to her first novel, “Everything I Never Told You,” rather than her second, “Little Fires Everywhere.” Thanks to the keen-eyed reader who pointed out the mistake.] Back Story Canada’s road to legalizing marijuana had many starting points. A major one came in 2013, when Justin Trudeau saw someone holding a sign advocating decriminalizing marijuana in British Columbia. “I’m actually not in favor of decriminalizing cannabis,” Mr. Trudeau said without prompting. “[I’m in favor of legalizing it — tax and regulate]( [That’s no maple leaf.]That’s no maple leaf. At the time, his prospects of becoming prime minister seemed slim. But two years later, he defied expectations and came to power, and on Wednesday, [legal sales of recreational marijuana began in Canada](. Over the past five years, Mr. Trudeau carefully avoided suggesting that using marijuana was a good idea. He acknowledged having smoked it about a half-dozen times but said that he never really liked it. Instead, he and members of his cabinet have focused on other benefits. A tightly regulated system, they argued, could keep marijuana away from children and put billions of dollars into government budgets and legitimate companies, rather than enrich gangs and other members of organized crime. Criminal records for minor possession would end. Parliament agreed, and voted for legalization in June. And on Wednesday, Mr. Trudeau continued to [talk about regulation]( rather than strolling out for a ceremonial legal toke in front of the Parliament buildings. Our Canada correspondent Ian Austen wrote today’s Back Story. _____ Your Morning Briefing is published weekdays and [updated all morning](. Browse [past briefings here](. [Sign up here]( to get it by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning. To receive an Evening Briefing on U.S. weeknights, [sign up here](. Check out our full range of free newsletters [here](. What would you like to see here? 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