Space, Julian Assange, the Masters: Your Weekend Briefing

Here are the week’s top stories, and a look ahead.

2. A more complete picture of the events leading up to Julian Assange’s arrest is beginning to emerge.

The Ecuadorean Embassy in London protected the WikiLeaks founder from prosecution for years, but its tolerance wore thin. There were disputes over his behavior, his cat and his personal hygiene.

4. There are (currently) 18 presidential hopefuls in the Democratic field. Only one can be the nominee. What do the others stand to gain?

A lot, it turns out. There are book deals and TV contracts and maybe even a cabinet position if your side wins. Recent history suggests there is almost no downside to giving it a shot. Above, Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey officially kicked off his campaign in Newark on Saturday.

And there’s a new way Democrats will be selecting their nominee: Fewer states will have caucuses in 2020.

Meanwhile, Republicans are poll-testing ways to portray Democrats as too extreme on issues like health care, abortion and the environment. Democrats worry that the messaging is working.

____

5. From the U.S. election to international elections:

The biggest election in history is underway in India. The country has 900 million voters (over 10 percent of the world’s population) and is committed to polling every one of them, no matter how isolated. Voting began on Thursday and lasts for several weeks. Here’s a short guide. Above, a woman voting in Muzaffarnagar, India.

Separately, Israelis re-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a fourth term, cementing a conservative bend toward power. Mr. Netanyahu may benefit from an effort by his right-wing coalition to protect him from prosecution on possible corruption charges.

____

7. And now for some words fans thought they’d never hear: “Game of Thrones” is back.

After a nearly two-year hiatus, one of the most popular shows in the history of TV returns tonight. You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers in this guide to seasons past and predictions moving forward. Our TV critic is hoping for less stabbing and more blabbing this season.

Separately, the Writers Guild of America told its 13,000 movie and TV writers to fire their agents after talks broke down hours before deadline.

____

8. It’s a big weekend, and week ahead, in sports.

Francesco Molinari tops the leader board heading into the final day of the Masters, with Tiger Woods and Tony Finau tied for second. Once a year, Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia opens its exclusive gates to the world for the P.G.A. tournament. The world is treated to a jewel of history and nature, our photographer found.

The N.B.A. playoffs are also underway. But first, we dig into Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry’s popcorn problem, above.

And on Monday, Sarah Sellers, the surprising runner-up in last year’s Boston Marathon, heads to the starting line once again. She wants to be an elite runner while keeping her job as a nurse anesthetist. She insists that being busier makes her faster.

____

9. It’s festival season, but the real action at Coachella this year is happening offstage.

One of the country’s largest music festivals, happening this weekend and next in Indio, Calif., Coachella has morphed from an arbiter of status to launching pad for globally minded stars.

With new films by Childish Gambino, above, and Beyoncé, and an Easter Sunday service from Kanye West, this year’s Coachella will be different. We explored why.

____

10. Finally, it’s time to settle in to one of our Best Weekend Reads.

We have articles about a new train in the Horn of Africa, the promise of success at a public school, above, backed by the N.B.A. star LeBron James, and everything you wanted to know (and maybe didn’t) about a royal baby on the way.

For more suggestions on what to read, watch and listen to, check out these eight new books our editors liked, the latest small-screen recommendations from Watching, and our music critics’ latest playlist.

Have a thrilling week.

____

Your Weekend Briefing is published Sundays at 6 a.m. Eastern.

You can sign up here to get our Morning Briefings by email in the Australian, Asian, European or American morning, or here to receive an Evening Briefing on U.S. weeknights.

Browse our full range of Times newsletters here.

What did you like? What do you want to see here? Let us know at [email protected].