Your Friday Briefing: China rebuffs the U.S.

By Daniel E. Slotnik

Good morning. It’s Friday. We’re covering China taking a harder line toward the U.S. and a small town in Australia that hosted tens of thousands of eclipse watchers.

China spurns the U.S.

In recent weeks, Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, has glad-handed the leaders of nations like Brazil, France and Saudi Arabia — but has given the cold shoulder to the U.S.

China has rebuffed attempts by the Biden administration to restart high-level talks and lower tensions over Taiwan. Xi’s government has intensified a campaign of ridicule and criticism of the U.S. and Western democracy.

The efforts to shore up ties with American allies while publicly discrediting the U.S. reflect Beijing’s hardening position as relations sink to their lowest point in decades. Some analysts say that Xi sees engagement between China and the U.S. as fruitless, at least for now. The developments are adding urgency to concerns that the two powers are on a collision course over Taiwan and other geopolitical flash points.

Context: Beijing has been frustrated with the U.S. over its support for Taiwan, joint military drills with the Philippines, restrictions on semiconductor exports and deepening security ties with countries such as Japan and South Korea. China is trying to tread a fine line between snubbing the U.S. diplomatically and trying to persuade investors that it is open for business again after years of stringent Covid measures.

Related: After months of escalating tensions, Janet Yellen, the U.S. Treasury secretary, struck a more conciliatory tone on Thursday and called for a “constructive” economic relationship between China and the U.S.

U.S. prepares evacuation from Sudan

As fierce fighting engulfs Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, the Pentagon moved troops to Djibouti to prepare for an evacuation of U.S. embassy staff from Sudan. Senior U.S. officials said that it would not be easy to withdraw embassy staff, let alone the 19,000 American citizens who are believed to be in Sudan.

Much of the fighting has centered on Khartoum, where a bombardment by warplanes on Thursday amounted to one of the most fearsome assaults yet. The clashes began Saturday between military factions loyal to rival generals vying for power. Many residents remain stranded in the city, where hospitals, airfields and homes have been destroyed.

The chaos has spiraled out to other parts of Sudan and is deepening a humanitarian crisis in the country. Millions of people are facing shortages of food, water, medicine and electricity.

Deteriorating conditions: Reports have emerged of gunmen attacking civilians, including a European ambassador, in their homes. Several other countries have been trying to organize evacuations for their citizens.

Ukraine’s influencers ditch Russian

Many Ukrainian social media influencers are broadcasting in Ukrainian rather than Russian, choosing solidarity with their country over a more widely-spoken language that could reach a larger audience.

Moscow’s invasion last year has caused a cultural upheaval in Ukrainian society that has run parallel to the fighting. At the heart of that transformation is language, with more Ukrainians — most of whom understand both languages — switching to Ukrainian.

Thousands of influencers creating content about everything from children’s games to beauty tips have ditched Russian since the invasion. Others drastically shifted focus to make content that supports Ukraine’s war effort.

A costly switch: An analysis of 20 significant Ukrainian YouTube accounts showed that the overall income of those who switched languages decreased on average by 24 percent in 2022 compared with a year earlier. But other social media personalities have seen their audiences grow with their new focus.

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• “Heart on My Sleeve,” a song that claimed to use artificial intelligence to mimic the voices of Drake and the Weeknd, became a viral hit.
• An ancient Greek cup that the Metropolitan Museum of Art reassembled from fragments is under investigation as a possible product of looting.

A rare total solar eclipse, which was fully visible from the Australian town of Exmouth, drew tens of thousands of people to the tiny tourist destination of 3,000. Accommodations for the mass influx of visitors required years of planning and millions of dollars in state support. One enthusiast called the eclipse “life-changing.”

Lives lived: Moonbin, a member of the K-pop band Astro, which shot to fame in 2016 with “Spring Up,” died at his home in Seoul. He was 25.

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SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICA

Traveling in Africa while African

Last week, we looked at the resurgence of international tourism to Africa. But traveling through the continent can be a very different experience for African travelers.

For insight (and advice), Lynsey Chutel, who contributes to this newsletter from Johannesburg, spoke to Lerato Mogoathle, a South African traveler and author of the memoir “Vagabond: Wandering Through Africa on Faith.”

What’s it like traveling in Africa as an African?

In moments when it all works well, I’m instantly connected to places and people, and it makes every place feel like a homecoming. I articulate it as “Africaaaah” to express bliss and satisfaction. I am obsessed with my home continent, our music, culture, destinations, heritage, art, fashion, our diversity and landscapes.

Then there’s “Africaaarg,” for my frustrations. Public transport that rarely leaves on time, and there are cultural differences about gender. One man thought I was a spy and could not believe that I was paying for myself and really just traveling. Getting visas for many countries is also a problem. Visas force Africans to pay to experience the continent, while people with Western passports just breeze through immigration. A Nigerian coming to South Africa, for example, has a completely different experience to a German traveler.

What are some of the African destinations that most surprised you?

Ilha de Mozambique, along Africa’s southeast coast, is not as well-known as Zanzibar or Lamu. Here the quintessential characteristics of the Swahili coast meet Mozambique’s food and vibrant social life.

Siwa Oasis, Egypt, feels like a connection to an ancient time, with added adventure — like floating in the salt lakes and visiting the Mountain of the Dead.

São Tomé & Príncipe. It’s the most beautiful place I have visited. It’s also the safest. It’s small and if you spend seven days here, you’ll experience all its highlights.

Any other advice?

My top tip for traveling in Africa: Slow down and immerse yourself. Don’t rush through experiences, ticking off a bucket list or replicating influencer content. Talk to people you meet, and ask cabdrivers and hotel staff for their recommended experiences.

PLAY, WATCH, EAT

Here are five festive dishes to celebrate Eid al-Fitr, including aloo palak, fiery spinach and potatoes.

“Judy Blume Forever,” an Amazon Prime documentary, pays unwavering tribute to the beloved young adult author.

Jonathan Rosen’s memoir, “The Best Minds,” examines the porous line between brilliance and insanity.

Play the Mini Crossword, and a clue: Whipping, as winds (five letters).

Here are the Wordle and the Spelling Bee.

You can find all our puzzles here.

That’s it for this week. Have a great weekend. Amelia Nierenberg will be back on Monday. — Dan

P.S. Brad Plumer, one of our climate reporters, talked about the challenges of avoiding “pure pessimism” in climate reporting.

“The Daily” is on the settlement of the Fox News defamation case.

What would you like to see more of in this newsletter? Send us your feedback at briefing@nytimes.com.

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