Your (New) Wednesday Briefing

> Take a look [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( [nytimes.com]( [The New York Times]( Wednesday, Nov 28, 2018 | [Updated all morning]( Sponsored by Good morning, Welcome to the first day of our redesigned Morning Briefing. We hope you like it. Please [let us know what you think](. And, if you’re curious, [read our explanation for the changes]( including suggestions from readers like you. We start today with a possible truce in the U.S.-China trade war, the results of a Senate election in Mississippi and the latest from the southwestern border. By Chris Stanford Despite trade war, Trump to meet Chinese leader President Trump is scheduled to have dinner with President Xi Jinping of China on Saturday, after a gathering in Argentina of leaders from the Group of 20 industrialized nations. Their meeting could [open the door to a truce between the world’s two largest economies]( which have been in an escalating trade dispute. Why now? Administration officials said that recent gyrations in the stock market, the interest rate increase and the layoffs announced by General Motors this week have added to a desire for something Mr. Trump can claim as a victory. If you missed it: The president, irate over the G.M. cutbacks, [threatened to punish the automaker]( by ending federal tax credits that have helped its electric-vehicle efforts. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, who was appointed to the Mississippi seat in April when Thad Cochran retired, will now fill the remaining two years of his term. Rogelio V. Solis/Associated Press Republicans increase their Senate majority Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, who apologized for making a cavalier reference to a public hanging, [won a special runoff election]( on Tuesday. She defeated the Democratic candidate, Mike Espy, who hoped to become the state’s first black senator since Reconstruction. Why it matters: With Ms. Hyde-Smith’s victory, Republicans have 53 seats in the Senate, a net increase of two. Democrats have 47. Results: Here are [county-by-county returns]( from Mississippi. The House: Democrats are expected to elect Representative Nancy Pelosi as their leader today. She [met with incoming Democrats on Tuesday]( acknowledging their “idealism, integrity and imagination” but warning against intransigence. [Learn more about the new lawmakers in Congress here](. Manafort’s lawyer briefed the president’s team A lawyer for Paul Manafort [repeatedly talked with President Trump’s legal team]( about his client’s discussions with federal investigators, even after a plea agreement with the special counsel, Robert Mueller. Some legal experts speculated that Mr. Manafort, a former campaign chairman for Mr. Trump, agreed to the unusual arrangement in a bid for a pardon. “The Daily”: Recent twists in Mr. Manafort’s case [raise new questions]( for the special counsel investigation. Reaction: Mr. Trump [again criticized Mr. Mueller’s investigation]( of Russian election interference on Tuesday, a day after prosecutors said Mr. Manafort had repeatedly lied to investigators in breach of the plea deal. Another angle: An associate of the former Trump adviser Roger Stone released documents on Tuesday showing that Mr. Stone tried in 2016 [to find out what information WikiLeaks had]( that could hurt Hillary Clinton’s campaign. For many migrants at a border crossing in Tijuana, Mexico, the wait for the opportunity to apply for asylum has become intolerable. Mauricio Lima for The New York Times Asylum seekers in limbo Two days after the American authorities fired tear gas at migrants who tried to storm a fence at the Mexico border, [Times journalists visited a makeshift shelter in San Diego]( to talk with people waiting to apply for asylum in the U.S. “I tried to ask for asylum at the border. They didn’t let me,” said one man from El Salvador. “I am still waiting to ask.” Closer look: The wait times are partly the product of new limits on the number of people who can be processed through ports of entry each day. At current rates, it could be five weeks before the first arrivals from a caravan of Central American migrants are interviewed. Notable: The number of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. [dropped to 10.7 million in 2016]( down from a peak of 12.2 million in 2007, according to a study published on Tuesday. If you have 15 minutes, this is worth it China, the superpower Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times A few decades ago, Western economists agreed: Centrally planned economies bred waste and corruption. Big government ambitions crippled future generations with debt. Price controls led to hunger and want. Free markets solved it all. Then the People’s Republic changed the game. We’ve been examining China’s rise. [This article]( looks at the country’s economy, a dominating force that Western experts once denied could exist. A MESSAGE FROM BURROW BURROW Named To TIME’s 50 Best Inventions 2018 Burrow, maker of clever, uncompromising furniture and other nice things for modern life at home, is the brand behind The Internet’s Favorite Couch, crowned by TIME Magazine for its simplicity, customizable design, built-in USB charger and stain resistant fabrics. The Sofa’s innovative design cuts out 70% of logistical expenses, so Burrow can use premium materials, manufacture in the USA, and deliver in a week for free. [Learn More]( Here’s what else is happening U.S. troop deaths: [Three American soldiers were killed in Afghanistan]( in a roadside bombing on Tuesday, the worst loss of life for U.S. forces in the country this year. Air crash investigation: [Black box data from the Lion Air jet]( that crashed in Indonesia last month showed that its pilots fought to save the plane almost from the moment it took off. U.S. Senate vote on Yemen: Lawmakers could decide as soon as today whether to [end American support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen](. Russia-Ukraine dispute: President Petro Poroshenko of Ukraine has declared martial law after what he called new Russian military threats over the weekend. We [answered some questions about the latest confrontation](. Ricardo Tongo/EPA, via Shutterstock Snapshot: Above, a port worker carrying a tuna in General Santos City, the Philippines. The country is hosting the East Asian Seas Congress, which is focused on mediating environmental damage and encouraging economic growth. In memoriam: [Stephen Hillenburg]( a former marine biology teacher, created “SpongeBob SquarePants,” the children’s TV show that ballooned into an unlikely cultural phenomenon. He was 57. N.F.L. celebrations: The loosening of rules on players celebrating a score has ushered in an era of intricately choreographed routines. [Watch 15 of this season’s best](. Late-night comedy: [Trevor Noah reacted to the news]( that the authorities in Alabama had fatally shot a black man after wrongly assuming he was the gunman in a mall shooting: “You start to realize that really, the Second Amendment is not intended for black people. It’s an uncomfortable thing to say, but it’s the truth.” What we’re watching: [An ad]( for a department store chain, John Lewis & Partners. John Schwartz, a reporter usually focused on climate change, recommends it as “Elton John through the ages. A life, told in 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Commercial, yes, but raucous, fun, sweet and inspiring.” ADVERTISEMENT Now, a break from the news John Kernick for The New York Times Cook: [Buffalo chicken dip is just better.]( Listen: The [upbeat, psychedelic surf-rock foundation]( of ASAP Rocky’s “Sundress” comes from Tame Impala’s 2010 song “Why Won’t You Make Up Your Mind.” Watch: “The Favourite,” starring Rachel Weisz and Olivia Colman, which A. O. Scott calls [a wildly entertaining, bracingly cynical comedy of royal manners](. Read: Allison P. Davis’s [profile of Lena Dunham for The Cut]( is impressively balanced, even if you already feel you know all about the actress’s life. Smarter Living: Disposable cleaning products are convenient but wasteful. If that bothers you, replace disposable disinfecting wipes with an all-purpose cleaner, or use a lightweight cordless vacuum instead of your Swiffer. Those changes, and [three other alternatives we recommend]( may even be more effective. We also have [five easy steps to record your family history]( and an [illustrated guide to green burials](. And now for the Back Story on … Famous Christmas trees Larry Smith, a Christmas tree farmer in rural North Carolina, worked his whole life to send a tree to the White House. Shirley Figueroa, a retired public servant from New York City, grew up with “no trees on my block.” Shirley Figueroa, left, and her wife, Lissette Gutierrez, donated the tree that will adorn Rockefeller Center this Christmas season. Diane Bondareff/Associated Press But when Ms. Figueroa’s 72-foot Norway spruce is lit at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan tonight, it will join Mr. Smith’s 19-foot Fraser fir, now adorning the Blue Room in the White House, among the nation’s celebrated evergreens. Mr. Smith, speaking over the roar of his tractor, said the tree that White House scouts chose from his farm was one he hadn’t bothered to trim in the last couple of years. (They liked the natural look.) Last year, Ms. Figueroa and her wife, Lissette Gutierrez, bought a home north of New York City. It came with a tree that the Rockefeller Center scouts already had an eye on. “I can’t take any credit,” she said of the tree’s success. That’s it for this briefing. [Please share your thoughts on the new format](. See you next time. — Chris Thank you To Eleanor Stanford for her cultural recommendations, and Kenneth R. Rosen for his Smarter Living tips. Azi Paybarah, our New York Today columnist, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at [briefing+redesign@nytimes.com](mailto:briefing+redesign@nytimes.com?&te=1&nl=morning-briefing&emc=edit_nn_p_20181128§ion=endNote;section=endNote). P.S. • We’re listening to “[The Daily]( Today’s episode is on Paul Manafort and the special counsel investigation. • Here’s a clue from today’s mini crossword: [Alma mater of four current Supreme Court justices]( (4 letters). • To make this redesign happen, we spoke to over 15,000 readers through surveys, in-person interviews and video journals. [Today's Paper]( [nytimes.com]( [Subscribe to the Times]( You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Morning Briefing newsletter. [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( ADVERTISEMENT