Here’s what you need to know at the end of the day.
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Good evening. Here’s the latest.
1. China is looking to make a deal with the U. S.
Chinese economic officials are meeting with their American counterparts this week. And they’re preparing to offer a quick fix to the trade deficit: a promise to buy as much as $200 billion worth of American goods. Above, a port in Shandong Province.
That would allow President Trump to claim a major victory in his campaign to rebalance America’s trade relationship with its biggest economic rival. But economists say the offer is simply not practical. The U. S. economy is already near its full productive capacity and probably couldn’t produce enough to meet that kind of demand.
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2. Some tidbits involving the Trump administration today:
It’s been exactly one year since Robert Mueller was appointed as the special counsel for the Russia inquiry. President Trump noted the anniversary with a series of Twitter posts reminding his 52 million followers of his belief that the investigation is a witch hunt.
The Senate confirmed Gina Haspel as the first female director of the C. I. A., despite questions about her role in the agency’s use of torture.
We got a scoop about the New York real estate company controlled by Jared Kushner’s family. It’s close to getting a bailout from a company with ties to the government of Qatar.
And some of the most colorful characters of the Trump era might be coming to a TV screen near you. An agent is pitching a debate show featuring Michael Avenatti, the lawyer for Stormy Daniels, and the former White House communications director Anthony Scaramucci.
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3. Among the 60 Palestinians killed by Israeli security forces during protests at the fence dividing Gaza and Israel: an eight-month-old girl named Layla Ghandour. Above, relatives held her as they grieved.
Her death became a rallying cry for critics of Israel. Then came questions. Did she die of tear gas inhalation, or was it from a congenital heart condition? Declan Walsh, our Cairo bureau chief, visited her family to find out more. He discussed the case on “The Daily” podcast.
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4. Officials at the University of Southern California have received 85 complaints about a former gynecologist at the student health center.
That doctor, George Tyndall, continued to see patients despite repeated allegations of misconduct, including that he appeared to target students from China. The university suspended Dr. Tyndall in 2016 and forced him to step down a year later, but did not report the accusations to the California Medical Board.
In response to the revelations, the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles issued a stern warning to the university and called for an immediate investigation. More than half of the university’s 11,000 international students are Chinese.
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5. Watch your manners at the airport, or you could end up on the T. S. A.’s new watch list.
The agency has created a secret roster of people who they say could pose a threat — because they were unruly during security screenings. We got a copy of the five-page directive, which does not specify how members of the public can appeal if they are added to the list.
A T. S. A. official told us the list has fewer than 50 names — but two other officials said the number could be far higher. Above, O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.
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6. The latest stop on the Florida campaign trail? Puerto Rico.
There were more than a million Puerto Ricans in Florida before Hurricane Maria, and tens of thousands moved there after the storm. Their arrival has not gone unnoticed in a state where premier election contests have routinely been decided by a single percentage point.
The island’s recovery is now a critical issue in local races, with candidates jostling to appear in touch with the diaspora. Above, Senator Bill Nelson in San Juan.
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7. Attention Caesar salad fans: You may now safely rekindle your romance with romaine.
Federal health officials have concluded that the tainted lettuce that sickened 172 people across 32 states — and killed one — is no longer available for sale.
Both the F. D. A. and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the danger had passed.
“The romaine lettuce being sold and served today is NOT the romaine linked to illnesses,” the C. D. C. tweeted.
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8. The Kilauea volcano erupted from its summit, spewing an ash plume that reached 30,000 feet above the island of Hawaii.
The eruption was the most forceful new explosion so far at Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Kilauea has been setting off small earthquakes, creating gas-emitting fissures and releasing lava flows that have destroyed dozens of homes this month.
The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory issued a “code red” warning that additional activity could be expected.
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9. This much ought to be clear by now: If you ask the internet to settle anything, you do so at your own peril.
An Estonian town called Kanepi recently asked internet users what its emblem should be. Their answer: the cannabis leaf.
Kanep means cannabis in Estonian, and the leaf has been used as a symbol of the area for years, referring to the hemp traditionally grown there and made into cloth, oil and rope.
Local officials followed through on their promise and adopted the symbol this week.
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10. Finally, you’ve probably heard by now that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to tie the knot on Saturday. (Marketers in London certainly have — just ask the passengers aboard the Royal Tea Bus Tour.)
In anticipation of the big day, we asked readers for their best advice for a happy marriage . “Don’t keep score,” one reader counseled. Another focused on the little things: “Always fill the ice tray.”
And Loren Shlaes of New York invoked the principle of solidarity: “Never take anyone else’s side against your spouse, even if it’s the queen of England.”
Have a great night.
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