Morning! If you want to hear what it’s like as I’m writing this, today, get a jackhammer and start drilling into the street outside your house. Apparently ConEd couldn’t fix the electrical system last time they dug up the street two weeks ago so they’re having a really good go at it this time. My mood is slightly affected by the racket. I should warn you.

There are two lead stories in today’s paper. The first is about a Tennessee jury finding three murderous police officers not-guilty in the beating death of Tyre Nichols. Remember the Black Lives Matter movement and how everyone said it would suffer when white people stopped shouting about it? I do. I’m afraid that I read the story and can't bring myself to write it up this morning because it’s not only sad but also, deeply depressing in a way that stories about Black men at the hands of U.S. police officers tend to be.

[Jackhammering continues as I write].

I’ve only had one proper humdinger of a nervous breakdown in my life and it happened after five years of reporting on deaths in police custody. What I learned from the experience, apart from the importance of “boundaries” and something called “self care,” was: We get the leaders we deserve in this country. We should talk about that a lot more often but it’s hard, so we don’t. We offer thoughts and prayers. Police officers get caught between those and our resolve to change things. So, unfortunately, do their victims. May Mr. Nichols rest in peace. May the officers suffer with their consciences. Please do consider reading the story but I’m afraid I can’t bring myself to read it on your behalf so that you don't have to. It’s too sad.

[Jackhammering still going.]

The other lead story, which I can, I think, just about bring myself to read on your behalf today is about how China is likely to “play hardball” in the upcoming trade talks with America. I play softball, personally, because America ditched hardball squash in the 1970s, adopting the softer English ball. But it turns out the phrase originates from baseball and is about using tough and dangerous methods to achieve a goal. Squash, in a rare case, today, has got nothing to do with anything. WTF.

Reporter Alexandra Stevenson joins us from Hong Kong where she notes that China has softened its initial stance to engage in the talks. Despite initially refusing to negotiate under duress, Beijing agreed to trade talks with the U.S. and stated it made this decision “based on a full consideration of global expectations, China’s interests and the calls of American industry and consumers,” according to a statement issued by the Chinese government.

Mutual economic strain has brought both sides to the table, Stevenson reports, as both nations experienced major economic repercussions due to tariff hikes, including slowed factory activity in China and a shrinking U.S. economy:

The focus of the talks will be deescalation of tensions. “We’ve got to de-escalate before we can move forward,” said U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in a Fox News interview.

The story, oddly, doesn’t mention the source of those tensions. But it’s President Donald Trump, who is a maniac.

Experts note that China wants to appear responsible yet strong during the talks, warning the U.S. against using the talks “as a smoke screen to continue coercion and extortion.” Yun Sun, a China analyst at the Stimson Center, said: “China is trying to frame itself as the responsible party, but it’s still a pretty hard-line tone: You better behave yourself in these talks.”

While both sides aim to lower tariffs, neither is willing to make the first concession, leaving the outcome unclear.

Again, this entire story could have been avoided along with the damage to both countries’ economies if only Mr. Trump had heeded the advice of economists to avoid implementing a damaging policy without any evidence it would be successful.

This is from Bloomberg 👇🏻, which tends to better at business analysis than the Times.

There’s also the issue that Trump is behind the negotiators, waving a gun around. From Bloomberg again:

[The jackhammer appears to have stopped.]

If I had to lay money on the outcome of the talks it’ll be positive over the longer term but the volatility will continue as long as whatshisname is our commander in chief.

The Times also ran a very gossipy story yesterday essentially saying that Melania Trump has gone AWOL. I call her a pragmatist. But still.

Remember. She is not, and has never been, anything other than a model, professionally. Although…

I say best of luck to her. And I resent the Times’s disapproving tone. Can you imagine being married to that monster, whatever the terms?

Thanks for letting me read the newspaper so that you don’t have to.

Say, is there a story that might cheer me up a bit?

Oh, sure. 👇🏻The Knicks beat the Celtics to go 2-0 in the playoffs!

Twitter is a delight this morning:

Matt Davis lives in Manhattan with his wife and kid.

Standard disclaimer: I read the top story in the New York Times every morning so that you don’t have to. If you were forwarded this, you can subscribe here. I’m also doing a five-minute video version of this, each weekday morning at around 9 a.m. (depending on how long it takes me to read the newspaper). If you’d like to follow me on LinkedIn (you can always watch the recording later). If you subscribe to my Youtube channel it’ll also send you a notification when I’m “going live.”