Your Tuesday Briefing

Texas, North Korea, Joe Arpaio View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [The New York Times]( Tuesday, August 29, 2017 [NYTimes.com »]( Europe Edition [Your Tuesday Briefing]( By JENNIFER JETT Good morning. Here’s what you need to know: Tamir Kalifa for The New York Times • With forecasts of still more rain from the [most powerful storm to hit the U.S. in a decade]( the catastrophic flooding in Texas appears to be just the start of a disaster that will take years to overcome. In scenes that [evoked Hurricane Katrina in 2005]( roadways turned to rivers and waist-high waters choked off homes and hospitals. The toll — at least 10 dead — is almost certain to rise. Gov. Greg Abbott said people needed to prepare for “a new and different normal for this entire region.” Our reporters on the ground are creating [a detailed picture of the crisis]( in photos, videos and articles. The Times is providing free access. _____ Issei Kato/Reuters • North Korea fired a [ballistic missile that flew over Hokkaido, Japan]( defying international sanctions. The Japanese government sent a text alerting citizens and advising them to take cover. Japan’s chief cabinet secretary called the launch “an unprecedented, serious and grave threat to our nation,” and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invoked “the strong Japan-U.S. alliance” and insisted his government would “take all the measures to protect people’s lives.” Above, preplanned training outside Tokyo on Tuesday involving Patriot missile batteries. _____ Mark Von Holden/WireImage • A business associate of President Trump promised in 2015 to [engineer a real estate deal in Russia]( that he said would help Mr. Trump win the presidency. In emails to Mr. Trump’s lawyer, the associate, Felix Sater, above right, said that building a Trump Tower in Moscow would highlight Mr. Trump’s negotiating skills and make him a stronger presidential candidate. He also promised President Vladimir Putin’s support. The project never got off the ground. Mr. Trump [defended his pardon of the former Arizona sheriff Joe Arpaio]( claiming he had timed it to draw “far higher” ratings as television viewers tuned in for storm coverage. _____ Yoan Valat/European Pressphoto Agency • Four European leaders met in Paris with leaders from Chad, Niger and Libya to discuss ways to [stop migrants from trying to cross the Mediterranean](. Proposed measures include European-financed development programs, help with border controls and a preliminary review of asylum claims before migrants leave for Europe. The measures appear to shift some of the burden to African nations in an approach similar to the E.U.’s deal with Turkey last year. More than 2,400 migrants have died so far this year trying to cross the Mediterranean. Above, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy of Spain and Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni of Italy. _____ Matthew Lloyd/Bloomberg • Who is Dara Khosrowshahi, the [new chief of Uber]( Supporters of Mr. Khosrowshahi, above, say his experience as chief executive of the travel site Expedia will serve him well as he tries to fix the ride-hailing company’s problems. His family immigrated to the U.S. from Iran in 1978, “having lost everything to the new Iranian government,” his cousin said. “We had a desire to build anew as entrepreneurs.” Travis Kalanick, Uber’s co-founder and recently ousted chief executive, wanted it to be the Amazon of transportation, upending a trillion-dollar global industry. The question facing Mr. Khosrowshahi, [our technology columnist writes]( is whether he will have the same ambition. _____ Business Brooks Kraft/Apple • Tim Cook, above, is using his platform as chief executive of Apple to [wade into social issues]( that typically fall beyond the mandate of business leaders. • The storm pummeling the Houston area could have [severe short-term effects]( in a region crucial to oil, chemicals and trade, economists say, but cleanup and rebuilding may be a boon later. • The Guardian has established a nonprofit venture in the U.S. to make it easier for organizations and private individuals to [help fund its journalism](. • Here’s a snapshot of [global markets](. In the News Carmen Jaspersen/DPA, via Associated Press • Niels Högel, above, a German nurse serving a life sentence for murdering two of his patients, is believed to have killed more than 80 others, officials said. [[The New York Times]( • China and India agreed to ease tensions in a border dispute, ending one of the worst flare-ups between the countries in decades. [[The New York Times]( • An Indian guru was sentenced to 20 years in prison for rape, three days after followers angered by his conviction engaged in violent protests in which dozens of people were killed. [[The New York Times]( • Lebanon agreed to free hundreds of Islamic State fighters in exchange for the remains of eight people thought to be Lebanese soldiers. [[The New York Times]( • An international team of rowers ended a record-breaking expedition through the Arctic Ocean after becoming stranded on a remote Norwegian island. [[The New York Times]( Smarter Living Tips, both new and old, for a more fulfilling life. Nicole Craine for The New York Times • A skin lightening treatment popular in the Philippines is [gaining traction around the world]( — but without rigorous testing to assess its safety or efficiency. • The line between [normal parental instinct and obsessive-compulsive disorder]( can be vanishingly thin. • Recipe of the day: You can’t go wrong with Marcella Hazan’s [famous tomato sauce]( and some [grilled garlic bread](. Noteworthy Herman Wouters for The New York Times • Ahmad Joudeh, above, a Syrian dancer now living in Amsterdam, has become a [creative spokesman for peace]( in his home country. • John le Carré’s new novel, “A Legacy of Spies,” is the first in 27 years to feature the character George Smiley. [Read The Times’s review.]( Le Carré and his old friend Ben Macintyre, an English nonfiction writer who also focuses on espionage, discussed their [own encounters with spies]( and whether Russia has “kompromat” on President Trump. • Widespread DNA testing has [shed light on the ancestry]( of millions. But these services have limitations, and the results can be uncertain. The Wirecutter [reviewed five DNA testing services]( and rated one the best. • Arsenal’s 4-0 loss at Liverpool has revived the debate over [whether Arsène Wenger]( stay on as manager](. Back Story Associated Press The nuclear hotline between Washington and Moscow turns 54 tomorrow. Established after the Cuban missile crisis, the hotline, which has often been [falsely portrayed as a red telephone]( in pop culture — including in the films “[Dr. Strangelove]( and “[Fail Safe]( — was created to help [prevent nuclear disaster](. The original equipment, above, actually consisted of [eight Teletype machines]( — four installed at the Pentagon and four at the Kremlin — which inadvertently spawned a new kind of conflict between the two adversaries: a literary face-off. The [first message]( was sent by the Americans: “The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog’s back 1234567890.” The Soviets sent back a poetic description of Moscow’s setting sun. Since then, during connection tests, passages by literary luminaries like Shakespeare, Chekhov and Mark Twain have traveled the trans-Atlantic cables. Certain passages, however, are off limits. As Col. Donald Siebenaler [told The Times]( in 1988, it is essential to “make sure there is no innuendo.” He noted that a passage about Winnie the Pooh’s head getting stuck in a honey jar, for instance, could be seen as a slight by the Russians, as the bear is their national symbol. Evan Gershkovich contributed reporting. _____ This briefing was prepared for the European morning. [You can browse through past briefings here](. Your Morning Briefing is published weekday mornings and updated online. What would you like to see here? Contact us at [europebriefing@nytimes.com](mailto:europebriefing@nytimes.com?subject=Briefing%20Feedback%20(Europe)). ADVERTISEMENT FOLLOW NYT [Facebook] [FACEBOOK]( [Twitter] [@nytimes]( Prefer a different send time? Sign up for the [Americas]( or [A]( and Australia]( editions. | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps for just $0.99. [Subscribe »]( ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Morning Briefing: Europe Edition newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( Copyright 2017 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018