Your Monday Briefing

Hong Kong, Afghanistan, Oil Tanker: Here's what you need to know. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

nytimes.com Monday, Aug 19, 2019 | View in browser Supported by Good morning. We’re covering China’s military buildup near Hong Kong, a deadly attack in Afghanistan, and the botched auction of a rare Porsche. By Chris Stanford Armored vehicles gathered last week at a sports center in Shenzhen, China, across the border from Hong Kong.   Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times China’s stark warning to Hong Kong A buildup of troops across the border as the semiautonomous territory has been convulsed by protests is a reminder that the use of force remains an option for Beijing. The deployment in Shenzhen, within sight of Hong Kong’s skyline, doesn’t appear to be a prelude to military intervention. But few analysts expressed doubt that China would act if the country’s leader, Xi Jinping, believed that sovereignty over Hong Kong was jeopardized. Yesterday: Organizers estimated that about 1.7 million people marched through Hong Kong, defying a police ban. The police put the number of protesters at 128,000. Go deeper: The Times reviewed dozens of episodes in Hong Kong involving tear gas and found that the police at times used methods that experts described as indiscriminate and excessive. Another angle: Beijing is increasingly pressuring companies to take its side in the dispute. Local and global businesses are falling in line, and their employees are caught in the middle. A funeral in Kabul on Sunday for victims of a suicide bombing the previous night.  Jim Huylebroek for The New York Times A wedding one minute. Funerals for 63 the next. Even by the standards of Afghanistan, a suicide attack this weekend in Kabul was surprising. At least 63 people were killed and hundreds wounded at a wedding, the type of event that has largely been excepted from daily violence in the country. On Sunday, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes as American negotiators are finalizing a deal with Taliban insurgents to withdraw U.S. forces. Background: Although the Taliban wage most violence in Afghanistan, the Islamic State — which is not allied with the Taliban — has established a foothold in the country. Unlike the Taliban, the Sunni extremists of the Islamic State often hit Shiite targets to foment division. An Indiana farmers market reopened this weekend after concerns about white nationalism.  Mark Felix for The New York Times Fears of white supremacy at the market At a time of rising alarm over white supremacist violence in the U.S., a farmers market in Bloomington, Ind., has been jolted by allegations that two longtime sellers are also white nationalists. Activists say federal court records and the leaked archives of a far-right message board connect the owners of Schooner Creek Farm to an organization that promotes white nationalism and “white American identity.” The owners, a married couple, deny the accusations and say they are being harassed over “a handful of mildly pro-white comments.” The market in Bloomington, a town of 85,000 that is home to Indiana University, reopened this weekend after being suspended over public safety concerns. Catch up: Far-right groups faced off with anti-fascist counterprotesters in Portland, Ore., over the weekend, the latest in a series of occasionally violent political demonstrations in the city. Julián Castro’s Obama moment The former San Antonio mayor burst onto the national stage in 2012 after a prime-time speech during the Democratic National Convention, similar to the star-making address that Barack Obama gave in 2004. As he seeks the Democratic nomination for president, Mr. Castro is trying to recapture that spotlight and convince his party that his Latino appeal and his relative moderation will resonate across a divided nation. Related: Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have emerged as the 2020 Democratic fund-raising leaders. A Times analysis pinpoints the day that made the difference for each candidate. Another angle: Ms. Warren has offered policy proposals intended to help Native Americans, after largely refraining from doing so amid controversy over her ancestry. If you have 14 minutes, this is worth it Violence against women drives an exodus Meridith Kohut for The New York Times A scourge of domestic violence in Central America, motivated by a deep-seated sense of ownership over women and their place in relationships, is a powerful and often overlooked factor in the migration crisis. Millions have sought refuge in the U.S., where they confront a system strained by demand and a bitter fight over whether to accept them. Above, Lubia Sasvin Pérez at her mother’s grave in Guatemala with her sisters Marleny, left, and Heidy. Lubia’s former boyfriend murdered their mother. PAID POST: A MESSAGE FROM CAMPAIGN MONITOR Email Marketing 102: Work smarter, not harder. Working smarter means running beautiful, results-driven email marketing campaigns – without sacrificing any bandwidth along the way. And with Campaign Monitor, you'll have access to a drag-and-drop email builder, a gallery of templates, and personalized customer journeys – all the tools you need to replace ‘harder’ with ‘smarter.' Learn More Here’s what else is happening Oil tanker is released: An Iranian ship that had been held for six weeks left Gibraltar, days after the authorities there rejected a request that it be turned over to U.S. officials. The departure raised expectations that Iran would relinquish a British tanker. Eric Garner case: The New York Police Department officer who placed Mr. Garner in a chokehold before his death in 2014 was “untruthful” to investigators, according to a judge’s opinion obtained by The Times. The Weekly: The latest episode of The Times’s TV show is about a confidential government document that had the potential to change the trajectory of the opioid epidemic. Read behind-the-scenes notes on the episode, which is available on FX and Hulu. Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times Snapshot: Above, children frolicking on West 114th Street in 1982. Open fire hydrants have offered summer relief to New Yorkers for more than a century. See more photographs from the Times archive. In memoriam: Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, the former Louisiana governor, earned mixed reviews for her response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She died on Sunday at 76. Rare Porsche sale sputters: A Nazi-era roadster failed to sell at Sotheby’s after the auctioneer flubbed the numbers. Bidding was supposed to open at $13 million but started at $30 million. Metropolitan Diary: In this week’s column, parking karma, living where Edna St. Vincent Millay once did and other tales of New York City. What we’re reading: This article in The New Yorker. Our national food correspondent Kim Severson writes: “From the belly of Big Berry comes a pale pink strawberry. Dana Goodyear explains why the rosé berry is as much about a cultural moment as it is about deliciousness.” ADVERTISEMENT Now, a break from the news Romulo Yanes for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Vivian Lui. Cook: Set up a week of snacking with lemony whipped feta. Watch: The filmmakers behind the new comedy “Good Boys,” about potty-mouthed sixth graders, had to figure out how to handle stars who were too young to see the movie. Go: Six opera productions in Salzburg, Austria, this year will be hard to top in next summer’s centennial festival. Listen: Sleater-Kinney, teaming up with St. Vincent, grasps at a new sound on the album “The Center Won’t Hold.” Smarter Living: Develop your charisma by not giving in to self-doubt. Focus instead on being a warm, active participant in conversations. Practice by joining a public speaking class (or a local group like Toastmasters), and look for ways to show off your strengths. And we talked to five cooking pros for tips on getting dinner on the table as a parent. And now for the Back Story on … Golf and the 1 percent With President Trump and many other affluent players hitting the links this summer, it might seem hard to think of a time when golf wasn’t associated with the uber-rich. But golf’s origins are humble. Some histories look back to the Romans, others to China and still others to medieval Europe, but it’s clear that commoners were playing golf in 15th-century Scotland. St. Andrew's Golf Club during a tournament in May 1930.  Associated Press Golf was so popular that it was once banned to try to keep Scots focused on archery, a needed skill in wars with England. King James IV of Scotland, who lifted the ban in 1503, is sometimes called the first royal golfer. And the game gained popularity among the English elite when King James VI ascended the thrones of England and Ireland in 1603. After the British Open was inaugurated in 1860, golf began spreading around the world. Early American courses were similar to their present-day successors: Heavy membership fees and expensive equipment — clubs, bags, attire — ensured exclusivity. But more affordable courses run by local governments began proliferating in the early 20th century. That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. — Chris Thank you Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford provided the break from the news. Adenike Olanrewaju wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com. P.S. • We’re listening to “The Daily.” Today’s episode is about Cordelia Scaife May, who bankrolled the anti-immigration movement. • Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Intel collector in modern warfare (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • ¿Lees en español? 读中文吗？Sign up for a daily morning briefing from The Times in Spanish or Chinese. 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. Want to change the time you receive your briefing? 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