Politics and Government

• Supreme Court Clears Way for Texas to Use Republican-Friendly Redistricting Maps - Texas officials had asked the court to allow the state to use the new maps in the midterm elections, part of a push by President Trump to gain a partisan advantage.
• Taiwan’s Opposition Leader, Once for Independence, Turns Toward China - She says Taiwan must embrace its Chinese heritage to avoid war. Her critics say she wants to steer the island into Beijing’s orbit.
• Europe Wants to Get the Word Out: Russia Is to Blame for Sabotage - Officials are accusing Russia of smaller-scale assaults. President Vladimir V. Putin sought to turn the tables, saying that if Europe were to start a war, Russia is ready.
• The Hong Kong Fire: A Crisis in the National Security Era - The authorities quickly arrested critics demanding accountability, signaling an expansive use of the security law to silence dissent over nonpolitical tragedies.
• Maduro Faces His Ultimate Fight as Trump Threatens Military Action in Venezuela - President Trump’s threat of military action has confronted President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela with the gravest challenge of his crisis-ridden reign.
• Trump’s Crackdown in Wake of Shooting Blocks Legal Pathways for Migrants - The new measures represent some of the most significant changes to immigration policy since President Trump returned to the White House.
• To Avoid Pharma Tariffs, U.K. Agrees to Trump’s Demand to Pay More for Drugs - President Trump has complained that wealthy countries like Britain pay too little for drugs, leading America to bear much of the burden of the costs of medicines.
• Netanyahu’s Pardon Request Borrows From Trump’s Playbook - In many ways, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s request mimics how President Trump has assailed his perceived enemies and attacked legal proceedings against him.
• Sri Lanka Declares ‘Largest’ Disaster as Cyclone Death Toll Rises to 355 - The president called the nationwide flooding the largest and most challenging natural disaster in the island’s history, as emergency rescue efforts continue.
• The Netanyahu Corruption Trial, Explained - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asked Israel’s president to pardon him preemptively, before any verdicts were reached in his corruption cases. Here’s what to know about his trial.