Wednesday Briefing: U.K. may recognize a Palestinian state
Good morning. We're covering Britain's move on Palestinian statehood and U.S.-China trade talks. Plus, the Booker Prize nominees.
The U.K. will recognize a Palestinian state if there's no cease-fireBritain's prime minister, Keir Starmer, announced yesterday that the country would recognize the state of Palestine in September if Israel did not agree to a cease-fire with Hamas and halt a war that has brought starvation to Gaza. In addition to a cease-fire, Starmer said the Israeli government would have to agree not to annex the occupied West Bank and commit to a peace process that would result in a Palestinian state. Israel is highly unlikely to accept these demands. Starmer's government has faced political pressure as the British public has recoiled from images of starving children in Gaza. "The situation is simply intolerable," he said.
Aid chaos: The desperation on the ground in Gaza can be seen from orbit. A satellite captured an image of hundreds of people crowding around an aid convoy in Khan Younis More Gaza news:
China and the U.S. will continue trade talksTop officials from the U.S. and China said yesterday that they had not reached a deal to avert a trade war after two days of intensive negotiations in Stockholm. But they agreed to continue discussions about extending a trade truce that is set to expire on Aug. 12. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that "nothing is agreed until we speak with President Trump," but added that if the president approved a pause on higher tariffs for Chinese goods it most likely would be for another 90 days. Trump said that he would consult his top advisers and "either approve it or not." Stocks wobbled on the news. For more: After deals with Japan and the E.U., Trump is winning his trade war. But what will that mean for the U.S. economy?
Russian strikes on Ukraine killed at least 22 peopleHours after Trump gave the Kremlin a new deadline to end the war, Russia launched a wave of strikes that killed at least 22 people, according to Ukraine. At least 16 people were killed in an attack just before midnight on Monday on a prison in Zaporizhzhia, and a missile struck a hospital with a maternity ward in the Dnipro region, part of a wave directed at 73 cities and villages. In Moscow, officials largely waved off Trump's threat to impose new sanctions on Russia unless it took steps to end the war in about 10 to 12 days.
The small city of Iten, Kenya, has long produced world-class running talent. Its high altitude and red dirt roads are a training ground for thousands of Kenyans trying to run their way out of poverty. But Iten is also the center of a doping crisis. Some of Kenya's highest-profile runners, like the women's marathon world-record holder, Ruth Chepngetich, have been barred from competition for doping.
The Booker Prize nominees are out, and Kiran Desai is backKiran Desai shot to fame when her first novel, "The Inheritance of Loss," won the Booker Prize in 2006. But she struggled to write a follow-up. Almost two decades later, Desai has been nominated for the Booker again, this time for the novel she grappled with for all those years, "The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny." The 13 titles nominated for the British literary award, which were announced yesterday, also include books by David Szalay, Maria Reva and Claire Adam. Here's the list.
Make: Quality olive oil helps make this farro salad stellar. Watch: "Sweet Dreams" is one of the best international movies to stream right now. Plank: Here's an in-depth guide to a great core exercise. Listen: A classical pianist has been experimenting with performances out in nature. Test yourself: Take this week's Flashback history quiz.
That's it for today. See you tomorrow. — Dan We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.
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