C M Y K Nxxx,2020-07-15,A,001,Bs-4C,E2

U(D54G1D)y+$!}!@!$!"

home” is unfeasible. It is dottedwith teeming colonias, orphancommunities that are often with-out paved roads or sewer con-nections — places where thevirus, once it arrives, can thrive.

The worries, it turned out,were justified. More than 8,000people in Hidalgo County —some of whom I know only too

McALLEN, Texas — Therewere many reasons for a speciallevel of alarm when the coro-navirus swept out of Texas’biggest cities in recent weeks

and arrived withforce in the RioGrande Valley.

The small citiesalong the border with Mexico areamong the poorest in the state.The Valley, as local residents callit, is a place of hard labor andlow pay where “working from

well — have had cases of thevirus confirmed. The county onThursday surpassed its previousrecord with 1,274 cases in a sin-gle day; more than 150 peoplehave died.

My family moved to the RioGrande Valley in the mid-1990s,when I was 16. My parents, twosisters and their offspring all liveon the same block outside ofMcAllen. As soon as the outbreakreached the border, I volunteeredto report on the story because Iwas uniquely equipped to tell it.

Chasing Virus News, Even When It Hits HomeBy EDGAR SANDOVAL Reporter’s Texas Family

Becomes Part of Story

A masked mannequin in a dress shop in McAllen, Texas. The Rio Grande Valley has been hit hard.ILANA PANICH-LINSMAN FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES

Continued on Page A7

MCALLENMEMO

The American military convoywas almost back to Bagram AirBase in Afghanistan when a vehi-cle, laden with explosives, ca-reened into it and detonated.

The powerful blast blew up aheavily armored troop carrier, en-gulfing it in flames. Marinespoured out of the other vehicles inthe convoy as they battled desper-ately to save the occupants of theburning carrier, including a Ma-rine reservist — a New York Cityfirefighter — who had once res-cued a woman from a burninghigh-rise apartment.

But all of the American ingenu-

ity that had gone into armoringmilitary vehicles was not enoughto stave off the horrendous dam-age caused by the blast in April2019. The firefighter, Staff Sgt.Christopher K.A. Slutman, 43, didnot beat the fire this time. Twoother Marines, also reservists,were also killed, casualties of atwo-decade war that has relent-lessly continued to exact its toll onAmerican troops.

Now those three Marines are at

the center of the latest iteration ofthe continuing story of PresidentTrump and Russia.

American intelligence agenciesare investigating whether that carbomb was detonated at the behestof a Russian military agency pay-ing bounties to Afghan militiagroups for killing Americantroops. Such a possibility, if true,would be a staggering repudiationof Mr. Trump’s yearslong embraceof President Vladimir V. Putin ofRussia. Thus far, there is no con-clusive evidence linking thedeaths to any kind of Russianbounty.

Perhaps even more significantis that it has taken the debate overpossible Russian bounties to bring

A Blast. A Bounty Claim. A Battle With No End.This article is by Helene Cooper,

Jennifer Steinhauer, Thomas Gib-bons-Neff and Eric Schmitt.

U.S. Deaths Put Focuson Trump-Putin Ties

and a War’s Costs

Marines with the remains of Staff Sgt. Christopher K.A. Slutman, one of three Americans killed in a 2019 car bombing in Afghanistan.PATRICK SEMANSKY/ASSOCIATED PRESS

Continued on Page A12

Expressing deep skepticism, afederal judge on Tuesday upendeda $25 million proposed civil settle-ment between Harvey Weinstein,his former film company, and doz-ens of women who have accusedhim of sexual harassment andabuse.

In a scathing 18-minute phonehearing on Tuesday morning,Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein of theSouthern District of New Yorkpicked apart the class-action law-suit at the heart of the deal, sug-gesting it was misconceived. Heasked why the women were notpursuing individual cases, givenhow much their allegations variedin severity, and whether the groupmet the definition of a legal class.

“What is there to make me be-lieve that a person who just metHarvey Weinstein has the sameclaim as the person who is rapedby Harvey Weinstein?” the judgeasked.

He went on to question how thewomen’s allegations would beevaluated and the money allocat-ed among them, and called an ad-ditional $12 million that wouldhave gone toward legal fees forMr. Weinstein and his former com-pany directors “obnoxious.” Hecriticized Beth Fegan, the leadcounsel for the plaintiffs in theclass-action case, saying shewasted time “with settlementsand attempts to create a class thatdoesn’t exist.”

By the end of the call, the judgehad denied a motion for prelimi-nary approval of the agreement —in essence, scuttling the deal, law-yers said. His decision renewed alingering question: Will thenearly 100 women who have comeforward with allegations of sexualabuse by Mr. Weinstein, now aconvicted rapist, see any restitu-tion?

The proposed settlement, andnow the judge’s rejection, have leftMr. Weinstein’s alleged victims di-vided between those who sup-ported the deal, calling it flawedbut necessary, and those who op-posed it.

“Today felt like a huge setback,”said Caitlin Dulany, one of the leadplaintiffs. “The whole point of medoing this was to represent aclass, of a hundred-plus women,and many more who haven’t spo-

WEINSTEIN JUDGEBLOCKS A PAYOUT

Calls $12 Million in LegalFees ‘Obnoxious’

By JODI KANTOR and MEGAN TWOHEY

Continued on Page A19

LONDON — Britain announcedon Tuesday that it would banequipment from the Chinese tech-nology giant Huawei from thecountry’s high-speed wireless net-work, a victory for the Trump ad-ministration that escalates thebattle between Western powersand China over critical technol-ogy.

The move reverses a decision inJanuary, when Britain saidHuawei equipment could be usedin its new 5G network on a limitedbasis. Since then, Prime MinisterBoris Johnson has faced growingpolitical pressure domestically totake a harder line against Beijing,and in May, the United States im-posed new restrictions to disruptHuawei’s access to importantcomponents.

Britain’s about-face signals anew willingness among Westerncountries to confront China, a de-termination that has grown firmersince Beijing last month adopted asweeping law to tighten its grip onHong Kong, the semiautonomouscity that was a British colony until1997. On Tuesday, Robert O’Brien,President Trump’s national secu-rity adviser, was in Paris for meet-ings about China with counter-parts from Britain, France, Ger-many and Italy.

Huawei’s critics say its closeties to the Chinese governmentmean Beijing could use the equip-ment for espionage or to disrupttelecommunications — a point thecompany strongly disputes.

Arguing that Huawei createdtoo much risk for such a critical,multibillion-dollar project, theBritish government said Tuesdaythat it would ban the purchase ofnew Huawei equipment for 5Gnetworks after December, andthat existing gear already in-stalled would need to be removedfrom the networks by 2027.

“As facts have changed, so hasour approach,” Oliver Dowden,the government minister incharge of telecommunications,told the House of Commons onTuesday afternoon. “This has notbeen an easy decision, but it is theright one for the U.K.’s telecomsnetworks, for our national securi-

Defying China,Britain RejectsTelecom Giant

A Reversal on HuaweiOver Risks to 5G

This article is by Adam Satariano,Stephen Castle and David E. Sang-er.

Continued on Page A11

In a rare and swift immigrationpolicy reversal, the Trump admin-istration on Tuesday bowed tosnowballing opposition from uni-versities, Silicon Valley and 20states and abandoned a plan tostrip international college stu-dents of their visas if they did notattend at least some classes inperson.

The policy, which would havesubjected foreign students to de-portation if they did not show upfor class on campus, had thrownthe higher education world intoturmoil at a time when universi-ties are grappling with whether toreopen campuses during the coro-navirus pandemic.

The loss of international stu-dents could have cost universitiesmillions of dollars in tuition andjeopardized the ability of U.S.companies to hire the highlyskilled workers who often starttheir careers with an Americaneducation.

Two days after the policy wasannounced on July 6, Harvard andthe Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology filed the first of a lit-any of lawsuits seeking to block it.

On Tuesday, minutes before afederal judge in Boston was tohear arguments on their chal-lenge, the judge, Allison D. Bur-roughs, announced that the ad-ministration had agreed to re-scind the policy and allow interna-tional students to remain in thecountry even if they are taking alltheir classes online.

The government has arguedthat the requirement that stu-dents take at least one in-personclass was actually more lenientthan the rule that had been in ef-fect for close to 20 years that re-quired foreign students to takemost of their classes in person.

But that rule was temporarilysuspended on March 13, when Mr.Trump declared a national emer-gency and campuses across thecountry began shutting down,with classes moving online. OnJuly 6, the government made itsannouncement that foreign stu-dents could not remain in theUnited States if their studies were

CHANGING COURSE,U.S. ALLOWS VISASFOR ONLINE STUDY

WAIVING IN-PERSON RULE

Tumult Over ForeignStudents Is Eased by

Court Agreement

By MIRIAM JORDANand ANEMONA HARTOCOLLIS

Continued on Page A6

New York City’s streets are offeringoutdoor dining experiences that evokedestinations all over the globe. Above,Mulberry Street in Little Italy. PAGE D4

FOOD D1-8

A Sidewalk GetawayLakes, trees, fields and tranquil riversfor the pandemic-restricted traveler.The World Through a Lens. PAGE A14

NATIONAL A13-19

Visit Vermont Aboard a DroneChildren of immigrants from Africa andthe Caribbean are bringing race intoFrance’s public discourse. PAGE A9

INTERNATIONAL A9-12

A Colorblind Ideal Wavers

Marc Stein reports from inside theN.B.A. bubble at Disney World as theleague prepares to resume play aftershutting down in March. So far, hehasn’t left his hotel room. PAGE B7

SPORTSWEDNESDAY B7-8

A League of His OwnHealth experts are alarmed at theadministration’s edict that hospitalsshould send patient records directly toa database in Washington. PAGE A5

TRACKING AN OUTBREAK A4-8

Trump Circumvents C.D.C.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has designed aposter depicting the war New York haswaged against the coronavirus. But youmay wonder if it’s art or kitsch. PAGE C1

ARTS C1-7

Is It Abstract, or Albany?

Joy Harjo PAGE A23

EDITORIAL, OP-ED A22-23Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s plan connectsclean energy with the economic recov-ery and also addresses racism. PAGE A17

A $2 Trillion Climate ProposalPresident Andrzej Duda won a narrowvictory — likely to be contested — after arace that was sometimes ugly. PAGE A10

Divisive Election in PolandSeveral retailers have ended the raisesthey gave employees for working dur-ing the pandemic. PAGE B1

BUSINESS B1-6

‘Hero’ Raises Disappearing

IN THE WEEDS A Rose Gardenaddress by the president turnedinto a ramble. PAGE A17

All but two of the nation’s 10 largestdistricts exceed a key threshold, a NewYork Times analysis shows. PAGE A6

Not Ready to Reopen Schools

MOBILE, Ala. — As a longtimesenator from Alabama, Jeff Ses-sions did nothing less than legiti-mize Donald J. Trump as a credi-ble Republican candidate for pres-ident, endorsing him when noother big names did and champi-oning him to conservative voters.As Mr. Trump’s star rose, Mr. Ses-sions’s rose, too.

But on Tuesday night, as hesought once again to become asenator from Alabama, a job heloved, Mr. Sessions came crashingto the ground — and all at thehands of Mr. Trump, his ally-turned-patron-turned-antagonist-turned-sworn enemy.

Mr. Sessions was soundly de-feated in Alabama’s Republicanprimary, The Associated Press re-ported, losing to a political neo-phyte, the former Auburn footballcoach Tommy Tuberville, whomMr. Trump had enthusiasticallysupported while denigrating Mr.Sessions.

“We’ve fought a good fight in

this race,” Mr. Sessions said, ad-dressing supporters at a smallconference room at a HamptonInn in Mobile.

“I want to congratulate TommyTuberville,” Mr. Sessions said,fighting back tears. “We muststand behind him in November.Doug Jones does not need to beour voice in Washington. Hewishes to see the policies of NancyPelosi prevail over conservativeAlabama principles.”

Mr. Sessions said he had no re-grets about his decision as attor-ney general to recuse himselffrom the investigation into Rus-sian interference in the 2016 elec-tion — an act that infuriated Mr.Trump. “I followed the law,” hesaid, adding “and I saved the pres-

Sessions Loses Race for Senate, Paying Price for Trump’s Wrath

By ELAINA PLOTT and JONATHAN MARTIN

Continued on Page A16

RUNNING ON CONSPIRACY Thepresident has cheered on candi-dates linked to QAnon. PAGE A16

Late Edition

VOL. CLXIX . . . No. 58,755 © 2020 The New York Times Company NEW YORK, WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2020

Today, sunshine and patchy clouds,low humidity, high 83. Tonight,partly cloudy, low 68. Tomorrow,sunshine and clouds, more humid,high 79. Weather map, Page C8.

$3.00