Your Wednesday Briefing – The New York Times

Inside President Trump’s border war

At an Oval Office meeting in March, the president suggested a new solution to secure the U.S. border with Mexico: shut down the entire thing by noon the next day.

He later backed off, but the threat prompted a frenzied week at the White House that became a turning point for Mr. Trump’s immigration agenda.

Two of our Washington reporters, Michael Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis, have the inside story of those deliberations, including details about the lengths that Mr. Trump was said to be willing to go. Among them: shooting migrants in the legs to slow them down and fortifying the border with a water-filled trench, stocked with snakes or alligators.

How we know: This article, which is adapted from a forthcoming book by the two reporters, is based on interviews with more than a dozen White House and administration officials directly involved in the events.

Harvard bias case could go to the Supreme Court

In a decision that will be appealed, a federal judge on Tuesday rejected claims that the university had intentionally discriminated against Asian-American applicants.

The case has been one of the biggest legal challenges to affirmative action and is widely expected to reach the Supreme Court, where a longstanding precedent has held that race can be considered in admissions. Here are five takeaways from Tuesday’s ruling.

Background: A group of Asian-American students who were rejected by Harvard had accused it of holding them to a higher standard and favoring black and Hispanic applicants.

Anger grows after shooting of Hong Kong protester

Tensions rose today after an 18-year-old demonstrator was shot by a police officer the day before, a first during the monthslong protests in the city.

The police said the protester had been shot in the shoulder and had been conscious as he was taken to the hospital. Hong Kong’s police commissioner said the officer had been assaulted and had acted in a “legal and reasonable” manner.

Watch: We analyzed video of the shooting to determine what happened. Please be warned: It includes scenes of graphic violence.

Another angle: The clashes overshadowed a day of pageantry in Beijing, where China celebrated the 70th anniversary of Communist Party rule.

The Daily: Today’s episode is about a day of contradicting images in China and Hong Kong.

If you have 4 minutes, this is worth it

The evolution of the hard hat

Designed 100 years ago as protective gear for miners and other laborers, the hard hat has become a symbol of status and masculinity.

One of our reporters tells the story, with the help of Bullard, the company whose Hard Boiled hat, above, was inspired by World War I infantry helmets.

Here’s what else is happening

Opioid settlement: Johnson & Johnson announced a $20.4 million agreement with two Ohio counties, becoming the fifth drugmaker to avoid the first federal trial about the drug crisis.

Ex-officer guilty of murder: Amber Guyger, a former Dallas police officer, faces up to 99 years in prison after being convicted of fatally shooting her neighbor last year in a case of mistaken identity.

North Korean launch: The firing today of at least one ballistic missile came just hours after the North announced that it had agreed to resume talks with the U.S. over its nuclear program.

No onions from India: To keep prices down after a shortage of a product essential to the national diet, New Delhi has banned the export of onions.

From The Times: Debatable, a newsletter from the Opinion section, provides a range of perspectives on the most talked-about disagreements. Today’s topic: paying college athletes. You can sign up for the email here.

Snapshot: Above, the French comedian Marie Benoliel, known as Marie S’Infiltre, leapt onto the catwalk at Chanel’s spring/summer show in Paris on Tuesday. She was later escorted away with help from the model Gigi Hadid.

Baseball playoffs: The Washington Nationals advanced after beating the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League wild card game. The Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays face off in the American League wild card game tonight.

Elsewhere in sports: The W.N.B.A. finals is tied at one game apiece after the Connecticut Sun beat the Washington Mystics, 99-87. And here are five story lines to watch as the N.H.L. season begins tonight.

Late-night comedy: A viral video showing an out-of-control catering vehicle at an airport led to some advice from Stephen Colbert: “A tip for any passenger flying on that plane: Do not order anything carbonated.”

What we’re reading: “How the power suit lost its power,” from Vox. Our DealBook writer Michael de la Merced says, “This is an intriguing argument but also makes me sad.”

Now, a break from the news

Cook: Migas breakfast tacos work for any meal.

Watch: Every month, streaming services add titles to their libraries. Here are our picks for October in the U.S., and Netflix recommendations for our Canadian readers.

Listen: Our pop music critic Jon Pareles says there’s “something old-fashioned, almost Broadway-ish,” about Zedd and Kehlani’s song “Good Thing.”

Eat: Red Hook Tavern in Brooklyn serves “one of the few absolutely mandatory burgers in New York City.” Read the review by Pete Wells.

Smarter Living: Leaving home without a wallet is no longer a cause for panic; for many daily expenses, a smartphone is all you need. Beyond Apple Pay and Google Pay, plenty of restaurants and coffee shops let you order and pay through their apps (and skip the line). Some banks can even connect to your phone for A.T.M. withdrawals.

Are you committed to working out but pinched for time? Try our scientific seven-minute workout. (And thanks to our reader Cathy Leiber from Blandon, Pa., who suggested that we include it.)

And now for the Back Story on …

How we got the word impeachment

Today, the word impeachment is associated with the most powerful public officials, but the Latin word it evolved from, “impedicare” (meaning “to fetter, to fix shackles on the feet; to hinder”), evokes a prisoner.

Old French turned it into empechier, from which sprang the Middle English empechen, meaning to physically hinder something (“an impeached ship”) as well as to bring a formal accusation.

The first recorded use of impeachment in the English Parliament occurred in 1376 with the removal of Baron William Latimer. Having created other levers of accountability, Parliament held its last impeachment in 1806 and now considers the procedure obsolete.

But the term had already been written into the U.S. Constitution. Benjamin Franklin pushed for its inclusion because he feared that the alternative to the legal removal of a corrupt official would be assassination.

Congress first held an impeachment in 1797 with the trial of William Blount, which was, until now, its only impeachment inquiry concerning foreign policy.

That’s it for this briefing See you next time.

— Chris

Thank you
Melina Delkic helped compile today’s briefing. Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford provided the break from the news. Will Dudding, an assistant in the standards department, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at [email protected].

P.S.
• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Today’s episode is about the celebration in China and the protests in Hong Kong.
• Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Mary Oliver and Maya Angelou (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here.
• The Times is expanding its best-seller lists, and will now track Mass Market Paperbacks and Graphic Books. There will also be two new monthly children’s lists.