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Primary Elections, Nafta, Google: Your Wednesday Briefing
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Good morning.
Here’s what you need to know:
A coming showdown in Florida
• In one of the biggest upsets of the primary season, Andrew Gillum defeated Gwen Graham on Tuesday to become the Democratic nominee for governor. Here’s our story about the elections in Florida, Arizona and Oklahoma.
Mr. Gillum, the mayor of Tallahassee and an outspoken progressive, would be Florida’s first black governor if he beats Representative Ron DeSantis, who won the Republican nomination, in the November election. Mr. DeSantis is a close ally of President Trump.
In Arizona, Representative Martha McSally won the primary to replace one of Mr. Trump’s most outspoken Republican critics in the Senate, Jeff Flake. She defeated two right-wing candidates, including the former sheriff Joe Arpaio.
• Here are four takeaways from Tuesday’s voting as well as the full results.
Clock is ticking for Canada
• Canadian officials were scrambling to reach a compromise on Tuesday that would keep the country in the North American Free Trade Agreement, after the U.S. threatened to exclude it from a deal with Mexico.
The Trump administration said it would seek congressional approval to complete a revised version of the longstanding pact, with or without Canada, by Friday.
Most economists conclude that an end to Nafta would not in itself severely harm Canada’s economy, but they say that a 25 percent vehicle tariff that President Trump has threatened to impose would be disastrous.
• Canada sends about three-quarters of its exports to the U.S., so Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bargaining hand is limited. Read more about the deal’s potential effects on Canada.
The man who took on the pope
• The letter published over the weekend calling for the resignation of Pope Francis has exposed deep ideological divisions in the Roman Catholic Church, with conservatives challenging Francis’ inclusive vision of a church less focused on issues like abortion and homosexuality.
The letter’s author, Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, was the papal ambassador to the U.S., and played a role in the naming of staunchly conservative bishops in several cities. He found himself iced out after the election of Francis, and his critics say they think personal grudges are central to his motivation in writing the letter. Read more about the archbishop here.
• Separately, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington, is facing growing calls for his removal after he was implicated in the sex abuse scandal enveloping the church.
China muscles into the Pacific
• The U.S. has operated virtually unchallenged in the Pacific Ocean since World War II, but a military modernization program by Beijing has shifted the balance of power in ways that America and its allies are only beginning to digest.
The Chinese Navy became the world’s largest last year, and although the U.S. fleet remains superior in quality, it is spread much thinner.
Beijing has said the buildup is to protect growing interests beyond its coastal waters.
• “The Chinese are going to be more present,” one analyst said, “and everyone has to get used to it.”
A grim revision for Puerto Rico
• The official death toll on the island in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria last year was sharply increased on Tuesday to 2,975, from 64.
The revision — the first in nearly a year — came hours after a new assessment found that 3,000 more deaths than would normally have been expected occurred in the wake of the storm. The study was conducted at the government’s request.
• By comparison, Hurricane Katrina, which struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, is thought to have killed from 1,000 to more than 1,800.
Business
• President Trump accused Google of suppressing conservative news outlets that are supportive of his administration, noting that the problem “will be addressed.”
Separately, more than 100 employees at Facebook have formed a group to agitate for better representation of conservative views.
• From his management style to his personal life, Elon Musk seems comfortable with chaos, often of his own creation. Is that best for Tesla?
• California lawmakers voted to require that 100 percent of the state’s electricity come from carbon-free sources by 2045.
• U.S. stocks were up on Tuesday. Here’s a snapshot of global markets today.
Smarter Living
Tips for a more fulfilling life.
• Your spit might help you learn to love your greens.
• How to ask for help — and get it.
• Recipe of the day: For big flavor with minimal effort, try curried chicken breasts.
Noteworthy
• Conflicted about college football
The Times is relaunching The Edit, a newsletter for college students and recent graduates. Our first piece is by a student at the University of Oklahoma who wonders, given the problems surrounding the sport, if it’s still acceptable to support his team.
More than 20,000 people applied when The Times was seeking writers for The Edit. Meet the 13 we picked, and sign up for the newsletter here.
• The tastes of fall, previewed
We’ve compiled a guide to the season’s most intriguing food, restaurants and people in New York.
Here’s more from this week’s Food section.
• No late-night TV this week
Most of the comedy hosts are taking a break, so our roundup is, too.
• Quotation of the day
“I never got to meet her, I never got to tell her that I love her. But I’ll be damned if I ain’t gonna say goodbye to her. She saved my life.”
— Rhonda Jefferson, who said Aretha Franklin’s music inspired her to leave an abusive relationship. Ms. Jefferson was one of thousands who paid their respects on Tuesday as Ms. Franklin lay in state in Detroit.
• 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
Cecilia Kang, our Washington-based tech reporter, recommends this essay in TechCrunch: “Senator Ron Wyden wrote Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, credited with protecting internet companies from liability. It’s hard to imagine the staggering growth of social media without it. But here, Mr. Wyden warns that social media platforms’ own failures ‘are making it increasingly difficult for me to protect Section 230 in Congress.’ ”
Back Story
It’s arguably the world’s most famous sidewalk.
Since 1960, the Hollywood Walk of Fame has welcomed tourists to walk over brass stars representing their favorite celebrities. Today, there are more than 2,600 stars along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street.
The Walk of Fame was created by a group of business leaders as part of a beautification project. The site would “maintain the glory of a community whose name means glamour and excitement in the four corners of the world.”
One design proposal included a caricature of the honoree, but that was nixed in favor of bronze stars inlaid in black-and-pink terrazzo.
Anyone can nominate a candidate for the Walk of Fame. About 20 new stars are awarded annually; Weird Al Yankovic received his star this week. (Find a complete list here.)
The walk has had some difficulties. In 2005, vandals used a saw to steal Gregory Peck’s star, and President Trump’s has been attacked several times, including as recently as July.
About 500 stars on the walk are left blank for future honorees. The 2019 class includes Alvin and the Chipmunks, Julia Child, Robert De Niro and Dolly Parton.
Remy Tumin wrote today’s Back Story.
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An earlier version of this briefing referred incorrectly to Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò’s role in the selection of bishops. As the Vatican ambassador to the U.S., Archbishop Viganò offered candidates to the pope, who named bishops; Archbishop Viganò did not name bishops himself.
How we handle corrections
Follow Chris Stanford on Twitter: @stanfordc.
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