Your Wednesday Briefing

The fallout over Kashmir. ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

nytimes.com Wednesday, Aug 7, 2019 | View in browser Supported by Good morning. We’re covering mounting criticism over Kashmir, the global water crisis and a village with no baby boys. By Alisha Haridasani Gupta An Indian soldier in Srinagar, Kashmir, on Monday.  Tauseef Mustafa/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Parliament agrees to abolish Kashmir’s special status A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s party announced it would unilaterally scrap a constitutional provision meant to give Kashmir a high degree of autonomy, Indian lawmakers gave the plan their approval, as was widely expected. The measure was welcomed by many Indians but drew mounting criticism from some analysts, who called it an attack on India’s secular identity. Officials in Pakistan also condemned the move and vowed to “go to any extent” to help Kashmiris, but with a slowing economy at home, it was unclear how far they could go. On the ground: Communication services in Kashmir remained suspended, tens of thousands of Indian soldiers were patrolling the streets and a curfew was in place, making it difficult to discern the reaction there. Takeaway: Analysts worry that Mr. Modi’s party, which won an overwhelming majority in this year’s general elections, will use support for its Hindu nationalist ideology to push ahead with other polarizing issues. These include wiping out Muslim marriage and inheritance laws and building a Hindu temple in Ayodhya on the ruins of a Muslim mosque. Separately: Sushma Swaraj, India’s former external affairs minister and a leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, died Tuesday at age 67. In trade war, China risks the economy President Xi Jinping’s decision to let the renminbi weaken past a key level this week highlighted his willingness to toe a hard line even at the risk of serious damage to the Chinese economy. Mr. Xi’s strategy, which could run up a huge debt load without the growth to justify it, may indicate that he has few cards left to play. In some ways, it also mirrors President Trump’s approach: Both leaders rely on a political base that responds to nationalism, and both have chipped away at the liberal globalization agenda. Impact: Amid the intensifying trade dispute and a slowing Chinese economy, many private businesses are running low on cash, functioning instead with the financial equivalent of I.O.U.s. Diplomatic dispute: Beijing warned that it wouldn’t “stand idly by” if the U.S. deployed ground-based missiles to Asia, fueling fears of an arms race. Related: An official in Beijing said on Tuesday that demonstrations in Hong Kong had “exceeded the scope of free assembly” and warned protesters not to mistake “restraint for weakness,” China’s sternest denunciation yet of the ongoing protests there. America’s fight against domestic terrorism The mass shooting in El Paso that killed 22 people over the weekend has made it glaringly clear that the U.S. is ill-prepared to fight homegrown terrorism, which is now as big a threat to the country as terrorism from abroad. Law enforcement officials say preventing attacks from white supremacists would require the same tools they use against international extremists: the ability to monitor propaganda online to identify potential terrorists before they act and the ability to charge individuals with terrorism. But the U.S. has no laws that criminalize domestic terrorism and offers individuals broad freedom of speech protections. Analysis: Many scholars of terrorism see “stunning” parallels between the rise of white nationalist terrorism and the Islamic State. International reaction: Attention around the world has focused on racism, nationalism and President Trump’s role in inflaming ethnic divisions, depicting a country at war with itself. What’s next: The president is expected to visit Dayton, Ohio, and El Paso on Wednesday. And the mass shooting in Gilroy, Calif., on July 28 is being investigated as domestic terrorism. Here are the latest updates. Residents in Chennai using a hand pump to collect water.  Rebecca Conway for The New York Times A quarter of humanity is running out of water Seventeen countries that are home to one-fourth of the world’s population — from India to Iran to Botswana — are using almost all the water they have, according to a newly published report. Many are arid countries to begin with. But some of them have big cities, like Chennai, Dhaka and Mexico City, that are squandering their supplies, the World Resources Institute says. Climate change, which makes the days hotter and rainfall more erratic, heightens the risks. The fix: The report noted that a lot can be done to improve water management, including plugging leaks in distribution systems. Also, wastewater can be recycled and farmers can switch to less water-intensive crops — from rice to millet, for instance. If you have 6 minutes, this is worth it The bride, the groom and the Greek sunset Laura Boushnak for The New York Times Many Chinese couples who plan to have traditional ceremonies back home turn to exotic, foreign settings for their pre-wedding photo shoots — from the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the English countryside — creating a multibillion-dollar business suited for the Instagram age. Santorini, in particular, has become a sought-after backdrop, drawing entire teams of photographers, makeup crews and stylists. PAID POST: A MESSAGE FROM CAMPAIGN MONITOR Email Marketing 101: Never Sacrifice Beauty for Simplicity A drag-and-drop email builder, a gallery of templates and turnkey designs, personalized customer journeys, and engagement segments. It's everything you need to create stunning, results-driven email campaigns in minutes. And with Campaign Monitor, you have access to it all, along with award-winning support around the clock. It's beautiful email marketing done simply. Learn More Here’s what else is happening Philippines: The country’s health department declared a national dengue epidemic, with at least 622 reported deaths and more than 146,000 cases of the mosquito-borne disease so far this year, almost twice as many as in the same period last year. British Airways: The cabin of a flight from London to Valencia, Spain, this week filled with what appeared to be white smoke as it prepared for landing, leading to the evacuation of more than 170 passengers, with three taken to the hospital and released. The airline said it was investigating. Tinder: The dating app, which lets users pay for ways to improve their search for love, said it added more than 500,000 paying subscribers worldwide in the last quarter, for a total of more than five million. According to one analytics firm, it has become the top-grossing nongaming app in the world. Kasia Strek for The New York Times Snapshot: Above, an all-girls team of volunteer firefighters in the village of Miejsce Odrzanskie, Poland. No boys have been born there in almost a decade, an anomaly that no one can quite explain. Toni Morrison: The towering author, who in 1993 was the first African-American woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, died on Tuesday at age 88. What we’re reading: This column in The Irish Times. “Fintan O’Toole offers a political stratagem in Northern Ireland that could upend Boris Johnson’s tenure as Britain’s prime minister and head off Brexit,” writes Kevin McKenna, a deputy business editor. “The provocative proposal reflects Ireland’s vital stake in the Brexit question.” ADVERTISEMENT Now, a break from the news Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Cook: Hearty farro replaces rice in this risotto with sweet corn and tomatoes. Listen: Haim’s new single, “Summer Girl,” has a cascading saxophone line and gentle vocal lines that linger like an ocean breeze, our critic writes. Read: “Marilou Is Everywhere,” Sarah Elaine Smith’s debut novel, is a coming-of-age mystery that’s also about what it’s like to be an outsider. Go: These nine cities, from Hong Kong to London to Venice, have cheap public transportation options that can offer sublime views. Smarter Living: Limiting children’s screen time is easier said than done — especially in the face of screaming kids when it’s time to stop. Our Parenting site suggests setting a predictable time slot for screens, one early enough before bed that a different fun activity can follow. And set a timer the kids can see. Also, our “Be a Better Reader Challenge” can help you find the right book and read it deeply this week. And now for the Back Story on … ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ Almost two decades after its initial run, “Beverly Hills, 90210” is back. The popular drama, which chronicled teenagers living in the glossy L.A. ZIP code, tackled gritty subjects like drug abuse and teen pregnancy, and paved the way for angst-ridden teen dramas like “The O.C.” and “Gossip Girl.” Actors from the original show reunited in the premiere episode of "BH90210."  Shane Harvey/FOX The series, created by Darren Starr and produced by the Hollywood legend Aaron Spelling, has spawned its own mini-universe: two spinoffs, two reboots and now the meta-revival of the first series. In “BH90210,” many of the show’s original actors will play “heightened versions of themselves” as they band together to update the series that launched their careers. (The entire main cast is returning except for Luke Perry, who played bad boy Dylan McKay and died in March.) The original show was infamous for its offscreen drama — actress Jennie Garth, who played Kelly Taylor, said the working environment was sometimes “worse than high school” — because of tensions and rivalries on set. But don’t book your table at the Peach Pit just yet: “I’m a lifelong fan,” our critic Margaret Lyons writes in her “Watching” newsletter, “but this supposed-to-be-winky reincarnation just bummed me out.” That’s it for this briefing. See you next time. — Alisha Thank you To Mark Josephson and Eleanor Stanford for the break from the news. Sanam Yar of the Styles desk wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com. P.S. • We’re listening to “The Daily.” Our latest episode is about 8chan, the online message board linked to several mass shootings. • Here’s our Mini Crossword, and a clue: Large horned mammal (five letters). You can find all our puzzles here. • Choire Sicha, the Styles editor at The New York Times, describes his section’s purview as “social and generational change, money, gender, wealth, power, hair-dos and hair do nots, self-care and beauty.” 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? Click the time zone more relevant to you: New York London Sydney Unsubscribe | Manage Subscriptions | Privacy Policy | Contact | Advertise Copyright 2019 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 ADVERTISEMENT

                                                           

Race/Related: “Whiteness” as Just Another Form of Diversity

An interview with Thomas Chatterton Williams.

View in Browser | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. Tuesday, August 6, 2019 More Race/Related »

Lauretta Charlton On Saturday, a gunman opened fired in a Walmart store in El Paso, killing 22 people and injuring more than two dozen others. The authorities said the suspect, Patrick Crusius, a 21-year-old white man, wrote a hate-filled, anti-immigrant manifesto that appeared online minutes before the massacre. Echoing the man accused of fatally shooting dozens of people at two mosques in New Zealand in March, the El Paso gunman's manifesto mentioned the "great replacement," a conspiracy theory that warns of white genocide. The man often said to be behind the great replacement theory is Renaud Camus, a French writer who in 2017 was interviewed by Thomas Chatterton Williams, a journalist and author who has written extensively about race. Even before the rampage in El Paso, Mr. Chatterton Williams argued that the rallying cry of the white nationalists who marched on Charlottesville, Va., in 2017 — "You will not replace us" — could be traced to Mr. Camus and French theorists like him. I asked Mr. Chatterton Williams, who lives in Paris, about the French origins of the grand replacement theory and its proliferation in the United States. His latest book, "Self-Portrait in Black and White: Unlearning Race," comes out in October. Our interview has been edited and for length and clarity.

What Is the Great Replacement? A memorial outside the Walmart store in El Paso where 22 people were killed in a mass shooting on Saturday. Jim Wilson/The New York Times Can you explain replacement theory? What is it and why is Mr. Camus credited for it? "The great replacement is very simple," Mr. Camus has said. "You have one people, and in the space of a generation you have a different people." He also stresses that the specific identity of the new population is less important than the act of replacement itself. This lets him claim that he would be equally devastated if the Japanese were to be replaced by the Chinese. The idea is not new, though. Charles de Gaulle and Enoch Powell, the right-wing British politician, both famously and publicly fretted over reverse colonization. What Mr. Camus did was to take a familiar concept and rebrand it in a catchy way. White nationalists rallied at a statue of Thomas Jefferson on the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, Va., in August 2017. Student protesters resisting the rally stood with a banner at the foot of the statue. Edu Bayer for The New York Times You interviewed Mr. Camus about his "le grand remplacement" theory in 2017 and argued that the white nationalists in Charlottesville likely had no idea that their rhetoric had origins in France. What has changed? How did these ideas spread so quickly in the United States? What has changed immensely in America since 2017, the first year of the Trump administration, is the relentless demonization of nonwhite immigrants, economic migrants and asylum seekers from the highest levels of institutional authority. Many of these American white nationalists likely still haven't heard of Renaud Camus, but the term he has introduced into the international white nationalist discourse has proved infectious and taken on a life of its own. The New Zealand shooter used it, too. A memorial outside the Walmart store in El Paso where 22 people were killed in a mass shooting on Saturday. Jim Wilson/The New York Times You have written about how the intellectual underpinnings of replacement theory have given white supremacists, the alt-right and identitarians like Richard Spencer cover, and allowed them to argue that they are not racist, but anti-globalists out to destroy a system that aims to eliminate identity and diversity through rapacious capitalism. How did these views, once part of an intellectual fringe movement, enter the mainstream? One very clever move these identitarians make — and, it has to be said, this is an exploitable opening provided to them in part by the progressive left — is to cynically proclaim their "whiteness" as just another form of diversity that is in danger of erasure. This is why you see in the El Paso manifesto a disdain for "shameless race-mixers" who "destroy genetic diversity." The manifesto acknowledges the impossibility and even the immorality of trying to send all nonwhites away and instead supports the idea of separate territories for racial groups. This allows the writer to avoid saying that whites are superior, but rather that they must be preserved just like everyone else. The reason this is clever is because many more people can be persuaded by such seemingly egalitarian logic than by hysterical-seeming terms like "white genocide." American Renaissance, Counter-Currents, Telos, Arktos. These are all right-wing websites that have seized upon replacement theory. What have you learned from reading these sites? Is your understanding that they proliferating? I highly doubt that these publications are gaining significantly greater numbers of readers, but their right-wing goal of reshaping the wider discourse is clearly having an effect. We are discussing replacement theory in the mainstream media now and this delights them. In the El Paso manifesto, the writer argues that the United States should be divided "into a confederacy of territories with at least one territory for each race" to eliminate race mixing and improve social unity. Have you heard others make that kinds of proposal? Richard Spencer and others fantasize about a white ethno-state — this is the Northwest Territorial Imperative, or Northwest Imperative, that would stretch from Montana to Oregon and Washington State. (Northern California, Northwestern Colorado, Northern Utah, Alaska, British Columbia and Alberta are sometimes also included.) The idea is for white supremacist groups and sympathetic whites to relocate there and declare the space an Aryan homeland. "The Turner Diaries," another text that is drawing a lot of attention, also fantasizes about a white ethno-state. Are the two texts related in your view? "The Turner Diaries" is not a reference I've ever heard mentioned in France, but it was published only five years after Jean Raspail's "The Camp of the Saints," which fantasizes about the destruction of Western civilization by means of a mass migration from India. Steve Bannon, President Trump's former chief strategist, has, of course, famously referenced this text. The author of the manifesto denies being a racist while at the same time promotes racist views. This is a common contradiction. What is behind it? I think this is simply rhetorically pragmatic because the purpose is to popularize a viewpoint and attract as many sympathetic onlookers as possible. Today, open racism will only ever be a truly marginal position. It repels too many who could potentially otherwise be reached.

Editor's Picks We publish many articles that touch on race. Here are a few you shouldn't miss.

Toni Morrison, Towering Novelist of the Black Experience, Dies at 88 By MARGALIT FOX Ms. Morrison, who wrote "Beloved" and "Song of Solomon," was the first African-American woman to win the Nobel in literature. Ferguson, Five Years On Stopped, Ticketed, Fined: The Pitfalls of Driving While Black in Ferguson By JOHN ELIGON Despite five years of changes in Missouri, black drivers continue to be stopped at much higher rates than white drivers in communities throughout the state. Ibram X. Kendi Has a Cure for America's 'Metastatic Racism' By JENNIFER SCHUESSLER In 2016, he was a surprise National Book Award winner for a sweeping history of ever-mutating American racism. Now, he's back with a new book that outlines how to fight it.

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