Your Wednesday Briefing

> Border, North Korea, Ketamine: Here’s what you need to know. [The New York Times]( [nytimes.com]( [The New York Times]( Wednesday, Mar 6, 2019 | [View in browser]( Supported by Good morning, We start today with a surge in border crossings, renewed activity at a North Korean launch site, and F.D.A. approval for a fast-acting antidepressant. By Chris Stanford and Inyoung Kang Migrants from Central America at the U.S. border with Mexico in Peñitas, Tex., last month. Tamir Kalifa for The New York Times U.S.-Mexico border at “breaking point” More than 76,000 migrants [crossed the border without authorization]( in February, an 11-year high and a sign that stepped-up prosecutions, new controls on asylum and harsher detention policies have not discouraged families fleeing violence and poverty. “The system is well beyond capacity, and remains at the breaking point,” Kevin McAleenan, commissioner of Customs and Border Protection, said on Tuesday. President Trump has used the numbers to justify expanding the wall along the 1,900-mile border with Mexico, although many analysts say that would do little to slow migration. Closer look: In the past, undocumented immigrants were mostly single men from Mexico, but that’s no longer the case. We examined [who’s coming and what’s driving them](. Background: The migration numbers are higher than they have been in recent years, but they’re nowhere near historical levels. Arrests for illegally crossing the border reached about 1.64 million in 2000. In the 2018 fiscal year, there were 396,579. Kim Jong-un at the Sohae Satellite Launching Station in North Korea in 2017. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images North Korea is said to be rebuilding a launch site After Kim Jong-un first met with President Trump last year, North Korea began dismantling a site used to launch satellites and test technologies for its missile program. The country [is now rebuilding the site]( Sohae Satellite Launching Station, according to American military analysts and South Korean intelligence officials. The news came on Tuesday, soon after Mr. Kim returned from Vietnam following the breakdown of his second meeting with Mr. Trump. Why it matters: The renewed activity could indicate that Pyongyang is preparing to end its moratorium on missile tests. But South Korean intelligence officials reportedly told lawmakers that North Korea had been rebuilding the facilities even earlier, possibly to make their dismantling more dramatic if a deal was reached with the U.S. A promising treatment for depression About a quarter of the 16 million American adults with depression gain little or no benefit from existing treatments. That could change with a [fast-acting prescription nasal spray derived from ketamine]( that the Food and Drug Administration approved on Tuesday. Though the antidepressant properties of ketamine, an anesthetic, are not well understood, the drug indicates a new approach to treating mood problems, experts said. Also in health news: There is [no association between the measles vaccine and autism]( a new study found, confirming what has long been widely accepted in the scientific community. President Trump and a money trail During his first year in office, the president [routinely signed checks to Michael Cohen]( then his lawyer, who has said they were compensation for hush payments to two women who claimed they had had affairs with Mr. Trump. In total, Mr. Trump or his trust paid Mr. Cohen $420,000, according to federal prosecutors, who say the payments were part of a scheme directed by Mr. Trump to violate campaign finance laws. How we know: Mr. Cohen provided two checks to Congress to support his testimony last week, and his lawyer provided six additional checks to The Times this week. Response: The White House referred questions about the payments to Mr. Trump’s private lawyers. Jay Sekulow, one of his personal lawyers, had no comment, and a lawyer for the Trump Organization declined to comment. Related: Mr. Trump has suggested the White House might not cooperate with [an expansive document request by House Democrats]( scrutinizing whether he obstructed justice or abused power. If you have 13 minutes, this is worth it The Benettons and a lethal bridge collapse Nadia Shira Cohen for The New York Times When a bridge in Genoa, Italy, collapsed last August, killing 43 people, it set off a criminal inquiry and a public relations crisis for the Benettons, the Italian family that controls Autostrade, the road operator that managed the bridge. Though the family, which is more famous for its fashion brand, is not accused of any wrongdoing, it is facing angry questions about [big profits and lax regulation](. PAID POST: A Message From XBrand Renewable Energy in Today's Age Look around you...All of the things that you love about this planet can be used to power it. the sun, rain, wind, tides and waves. We are creating renewable enery that benefits you and our planet, more efficiently and inexpensively. Recharge today with something different. [Learn More]( Here’s what else is happening Anti-Semitism resolution: The House is likely to vote on Thursday on [a resolution condemning anti-Semitism]( widely seen as a reaction to anti-Israel remarks by Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. F.D.A. resignation: Scott Gottlieb, the head of the Food and Drug Administration, announced on Tuesday that he [would step down at the end of the month](. The 2020 election: [Michael Bloomberg]( the former New York mayor, and [Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon]( have both said they won’t be seeking the Democratic nomination for president. [Here’s the state of the field](. Ex-auto chief is released: Carlos Ghosn, the former Nissan Motor chairman facing charges of financial wrongdoing in Japan, [was released on bail today]( after being held in a Tokyo jail since November. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Snapshot: Above, the annual Royal Shrovetide Football game in Ashbourne, England, which has been played for hundreds of years. The two-day contest, which concludes today, involves thousands of players, split into two teams (Up’ards and Down’ards) depending on which side of the Henmore River they were born on. The field of play is the town itself, and the goals are miles apart. Architectural honor: The Pritzker Prize [has been given to Arata Isozaki]( who combines Western and Japanese influences. [Here’s what to know about the award](. Late-night comedy: Jimmy Kimmel [welcomed the arrival of Mardi Gras]( “The official slogan of Mardi Gras is ‘Laissez les bons temps rouler,’ which is French for ‘I vomited in an Uber today.’” What we’re reading: [This commentary in The Boston Globe]( about the killing of Jassy Correia. Andrea Kannapell, the Briefings editor, writes: “Women often urge their friends to ‘text me when you get home.’ As this column explains, it’s an impulse that we shouldn’t have to have, yet still do.” ADVERTISEMENT Now, a break from the news Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Cook: Tuna packed in olive oil is a nice addition to [pasta with fresh herbs, lemon and peas](. (Our [Five Weeknight Dishes]( newsletter has more recommendations.) Listen: [These eight clips]( present the range of André Previn, who made a mark on Broadway and in Hollywood, on the classical concert stage and in the jazz club. Go: “[Jean-Michel Basquiat]( the inaugural exhibition of the Brant Foundation’s space in Manhattan, has nearly 70 works by the painter. Watch: [There’s a new trailer]( for the final season of “Game of Thrones.” [Join us]( in rewatching the series. Smarter Living: Listening can feel like a lost art. [Think of it as meditation]( Clear your mind and focus on what’s being said. Put your phone down, and step away from your computer. And the product experts at Wirecutter, a Times company, [recommend six fitness items]( that travel well. And now for the Back Story on … Thuggery Thugs: It seems the world is full of them. Michael Cohen, President Trump’s former personal lawyer, painted himself as a “thug’s thug” in public testimony, [our Op-Ed columnist Maureen Dowd]( wrote. Leaders, including [Nicolás Maduro]( of Venezuela, [Kim Jong-un]( of North Korea and [Narendra Modi]( of India, have been called thugs, too. The word can be traced to “[thag]( a Hindi word meaning “thief” or “con man,” whose roots go back to Sanskrit. A scene from the Bollywood movie “Thugs of Hindostan,” which is loosely based on 1800s India. Yash Raj Films It’s believed that for centuries, gangs of thieves and assassins called thugs operated throughout India. In thrall to Kali, the goddess of destruction, they were said to commit “thuggee” — setting up and often strangling victims. In the 1800s, the British, who were beginning to spread across the country, decided to put a stop to them. Under the leadership of [Lord William Bentinck]( thousands of people identified as thugs were [captured, convicted and sentenced](. In the 1830s, thugs were declared “destroyed.” Some now question whether thugs were as destructive as reported [in colonial representations](. Lent starts today, and, in the spirit of repentance, we’d like to thank readers who pointed out a couple of oversights in [yesterday’s Back Story]( about Mardi Gras king cakes. The photograph we used was not of what’s traditionally thought of as a king cake, but of a king cake-themed doberge cake from [a bakery in New Orleans](. And we failed to mention that, while Mardi Gras is widely associated with New Orleans, the celebration got its start in the U.S. in Mobile, Ala. That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. — Chris and Inyoung Thank you To Eleanor Stanford, James K. Williamson and Mark Josephson for the break from the news. Alisha Haridasani Gupta, on the Briefings team, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at [briefing@nytimes.com](mailto:briefing@nytimes.com?te=1&nl=morning-briefing&emc=edit_NN_p_20190306§ion=endNotetion=endNote). P.S. • We’re listening to “[The Daily]( Today’s episode is about tech companies’ pursuit of military contracts. • Here’s today’s [mini crossword puzzle]( and a clue: Small lakes (5 letters). [You can find all our puzzles here](. • One of the earliest appearances of the word “thug” in The Times was on Aug. 24, 1852, in [an article headlined “The Thugs of New York.”]( Were you sent this briefing by a friend? [Sign up here]( to get the Morning Briefing. [Today's Front Page]( [nytimes.com]( [Subscribe to The Times]( You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Morning Briefing newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( Copyright 2019 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 ADVERTISEMENT