Tuesday Briefing: Mexico’s new president

President Biden's plans to restrict asylum and what we can learn from a pet's death

View in browser|nytimes.com June 4, 2024 By Daniel E. Slotnik Good morning. We're covering Mexico's new president and President Biden's shift on immigration. Plus: What we can learn from a pet's death. Claudia Sheinbaum after her irreversible lead in the election was announced. Fred Ramos for The New York Times Mexico elected its first woman as president Claudia Sheinbaum, a climate scientist and a former mayor of Mexico City, will be Mexico's next president after a landslide victory in the country's election. She will be the first woman, and the first Jewish person, to hold the post. Sheinbaum, a leftist, was beating her opponent by a stunning 30 percentage points or more, returns showed. Votes are still being counted: See live results here. Her victory suggests that most Mexicans are pleased with their country's direction: Sheinbaum, 61, is the chosen successor of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the current president. What's next: Sheinbaum's next hurdle will be stepping out of the shadow of López Obrador. She notes that they are "different people," though she appealed to voters by promising to cement his legacy. Here's what to know about Mexico's next leader. Systemic changes: Sheinbaum's party is within reach of large enough majorities in Congress to enact constitutional reforms that critics fear would undermine democratic checks and balances. A border patrol boat policing the Rio Grande in Texas. Cheney Orr for The New York Times Biden plans to restrict asylum President Biden is expected to sign an executive order today allowing him to temporarily seal the U.S.-Mexico border to migrants, a move that would suspend protections for asylum seekers in the U.S. The order would be the single most restrictive border policy instituted by Biden, who is under intense political pressure to address illegal migration ahead of the November presidential election. It also echoes President Donald Trump's effort to block migration in 2018, which was assailed by Democrats and blocked by federal courts. Details: The order would allow border officials to prevent migrants from claiming asylum and to rapidly turn them away once border crossings exceed certain thresholds. The numbers: On Sunday, border agents caught more than 3,500 migrants crossing the border without authorization, according to a person with knowledge of the data. Outside a vote-counting center in New Delhi today. Atul Loke for The New York Times Indian election results will be released today After six weeks and more than 640 million votes cast across the country, India's general election draws to a conclusion today. The contest will determine whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has championed India's development while promoting a Hindu-first agenda that has aggravated religious and ethnic fault lines, wins a third five-year term. The election, a mammoth undertaking described as the biggest peacetime logistical exercise anywhere, coincided with an intense heat wave in much of northern India that left at least 19 poll workers dead. Here's what else you need to know. You can follow the returns and our live coverage here. MORE TOP NEWS Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Israel: Two far-right members of Israel's government threatened to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's governing coalition if he accepted a cease-fire deal that would end the war in Gaza without eliminating Hamas. South Africa: The surprise electoral success of Jacob Zuma's new political party positions him to punish the A.N.C., the long-dominant party Zuma believes turned against him. Britain: Nigel Farage said that he would run for Parliament, elevating the profile of his hard-right party and creating another electoral challenge for embattled Conservatives. Germany: Severe flooding over the weekend broke dams, derailed a high-speed train and led several towns to evacuate their residents. U.S.: Hunter Biden, President Biden's son, went on trial on three charges that he lied about his drug use on a federal firearms application in 2018. Europe: Tensions are mounting in many former Soviet countries between those favoring closer relations with Russia against those orientated more toward Europe. Myanmar: The Arakan Army, a key force in the fight against the ruling military junta, has been accused of persecuting the Rohingya, a Muslim minority. Covid: Dr. Anthony Fauci forcefully denied as "absolutely false" Republican claims that he had sought to cover up the possibility that the pandemic originated in a lab. Business Japan: Internal investigations at Toyota, Honda and other Japanese automakers found that they had mishandled vehicle testing on dozens of models over the past decade. Media: The executive editor of The Washington Post, Sally Buzbee, will leave, a major and sudden change at one of the U.S.'s pre-eminent news organizations. Canada: Low levels of rain and snow have cut Canada's hydropower production, forcing it to increase electricity imports from the U.S. MORNING READ Animations by Gaia Alari Pets teach us about life, love and death. That last one is especially important, Sam Anderson writes in this animated feature, about a hamster named Mango and a dog named Walnut. Unlike us, Sam writes, animals don't seem to spend their entire lives fretting about the fact that they are going to die. "Maybe they exist in an eternal present," he writes, "a perpetual lightness that we will never feel." For more, listen to Sam's new podcast, "Animal." CONVERSATION STARTERS Rhabarberbarbarabarbarbarenbartbarbierbier (we swear this isn't a typo): TikTok loves a German rap about rhubarb, served by Barbara to rhubarb-loving barbarians, who drink beer while their beards are barbered. The modern age: A group of experts came up with the 25 photos that have best captured the world since 1955. Are women's pants sexist? Unlike men's trousers, with their standard inseams and waists, women's sizes are more concept than reality. SPORTS NEWS Pep talks: The most famous (and infamous) sports speeches. U.S. Women's Open: How Yuka Saso emerged to win again. Late finishes: The impact of long games on tennis players and fans. French Open: Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals, and Alexander Zverev defeated Holger Rune. ARTS AND IDEAS Drew Angerer for The New York Times Holocaust museums grapple with the war The war in Gaza is forcing Holocaust museums in the U.S. to contend with how they discuss the Israel-Palestinian conflict. For many supporters of Israel's war, there is a direct line between the antisemitism that fueled the Holocaust and the ideology of Hamas. Hamas's attack on Israel made Oct. 7 the deadliest day for Jews since the Nazi genocide, a history that is fading from living memory. For many antiwar protesters, Israel's military campaign is a genocide. And young memorial visitors — steeped in social media images that show tens of thousands of Palestinians killed and millions displaced from their homes — are bringing that context with them. We hope you've enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times. RECOMMENDATIONS Christopher Testani for The New York Times Cook: You can embellish this lemon-garlic pasta with scallops, shrimp or mushrooms. Read: Tariq Zaidi published a book of photos from North Korea. Watch: Viggo Mortensen wrote, directed, scored and starred in "The Dead Don't Hurt," a Western. Go: Travelers are flocking to Porto, Portugal's second-largest city. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today's Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That's it for today's briefing. Thank you for spending part of your morning with us, and see you tomorrow. — Dan P.S. River Davis is joining The Times from The Wall Street Journal. She will be covering business and economics in Japan. You can reach Dan and the team at briefing@nytimes.com. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Morning Briefing: Europe Edition from The New York Times. To stop receiving Morning Briefing: Europe Edition, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018