India, Donald Trump Jr., North Korea: Your Friday Briefing

Good morning.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Dueling envoys or Olympic détente?

When Kim Jong-un’s sister attended the Winter Olympics two weeks ago, the South Korean news media called her “North Korea’s Ivanka.” (White House officials recoil at the comparison.)

Now, the real one is about to arrive. Ms. Trump will attend the closing ceremony at the Games on Sunday, and the U.S. is batting back rumors of another attempt at a meeting with North Korea.

Leading North Korea’s high-level delegation to the closing ceremony is a former spymaster, Kim Yong-chol.

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• The host with the most.

With the Olympic Games nearing an end, South Korea is tied with Japan for the most medals won by an Asian nation with 11, and has one more gold. (China has nine medals.) The Paralympics begin March 9.

“Arirang,” a centuries-old Korean folk song, is often heard at the Games — and has served as a stand-in national anthem as North and South Korea build ties.

And our reporter got tips on the local cuisine from David Chang, the famed Korean-American chef. (“Go eat the snow crab!” he said.)

Here’s the full medal count and the remaining schedule. Our preview of today’s women’s figure skating competition is here, and our full coverage of the Games is here.

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• Another Trump is taking a star turn in India.

Donald Trump Jr. is reaping the windfalls of the country’s admiration for President Trump.

The younger Mr. Trump is finishing a weeklong visit to India, which has one of the fastest-growing populations of millionaires in the world. He addresses a business summit meeting in Delhi today, and has a sold-out dinner with investors who have put down a $39,000 deposit for a Trump apartment.

In contrast, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada’s own weeklong visit was shadowed by speculation that he had been snubbed by Delhi, criticized for adopting ethnic attire and vilified for inviting a Sikh extremist to dinner.

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• In the U.S., President Trump is intensifying his calls for arming teachers to cope with shooting massacres like the one in Florida last week.

Florida lawmakers told student protesters that gun-related legislation could be introduced immediately, after a day of confrontation over guns. Here’s a rundown of 11 heated exchanges with lawmakers and President Trump.

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• Strait talk.

As China presses for greater control over Taiwan, the U.S. is reinforcing its ties there.

A delegation of U.S. lawmakers wrapped up top-level meetings in Taipei, a gathering of defense contractors in May will discuss Taiwan’s production of weapons parts for U.S. assembly, and in June, an U.S. institute that functions as an informal diplomatic channel plans to open an elegant new complex in Taiwan’s capital.

Analysts wonder whether the goal is to pressure or extract concessions from China.

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• Would you date a monster? (No wisecracks!)

“The Shape of Water,” an Oscars favorite, features a love story between a mute cleaning woman and a scaly amphibian man that fits into a grand tradition of human-monster cinematic bodice rippers.

Maybe these movie monsters just need to market themselves in a more modern way. Here are some dating profiles to consider.

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Business

• That’s not O.K., computer. Conversational A.I. systems can be improved by letting them talk to people online, researchers say. But real people can be a really bad influence.

• Fosun International, the Chinese conglomerate, acquired Lanvin, France’s oldest surviving couture house, after a fierce bidding war.

• Lost in translation? Our Personal Tech columnist talks you through some of the best ways to go from one language to another online.

• Most U.S. stocks were higher. Here’s a snapshot of global markets.

In the News

• Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met top U.S. officials ahead of his sit-down with President Trump today. He was peppered with questions about his scandal-scarred deputy Barnaby Joyce. [SBS]

• Pakistan’s top court ruled that Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted as prime minister last year, cannot lead his political party. [The New York Times]

• Dozens of Nigerian girls remain missing after Boko Haram militants stormed a school this week, suggesting a mass abduction. [The New York Times]

• Beijing to New York in two hours? Chinese researchers published designs for a hypersonic plane that would travel at five times the speed of sound. [South China Morning Post]

• President Joko Widodo of Indonesia, a self-avowed metal-head, paid $800 to keep a rare edition of Metallica’s “Master of Puppets” given to him as head of state by the Danish prime minister last year. [The Star]

Smarter Living

Tips, both new and old, for a more fulfilling life.

• Traveling to a new country but don’t know the language? Here’s how to get by.

• Pull your neighbors together to prepare your community for a disaster — natural or man-made.

• Recipe of the day: This weekend, try fold-over chicken hand pies with a flaky crust.

Noteworthy

• We caught up with Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, an artist from Pakistan’s prominent political dynasty. Now based in the U.S., he stirred controversy around the world with a video labeled “Queer, Muslim, Proud.”

• In memoriam: Max Desfor, 104, a self-taught war photographer whose picture of Korean War refugees crawling across a damaged bridge in 1950 helped win a Pulitzer Prize. And Ren Osugi, 66, a veteran Japanese actor famed for his roles in Takeshi Kitano’s yakuza films.

• How do vampire bats survive on blood? It’s nearly all protein, with few vitamins. Scientists say it takes guts (with special microbiomes).

Back Story

Many hockey goaltenders wear artfully decorated masks as expressions of identity.

The mask of Matt Dalton, the Canadian-born goalie for South Korea’s national team, includes the flag of his naturalized country. It also features an image of Adm. Yi Sun-shin, a Korean naval commander who is celebrated for 23 victories against Japanese invaders in the late 16th century.

The tale of Admiral Yi is well known among Korean schoolchildren, who are taught of his military prowess and ingenuity.

Admiral Yi invented the geobukseon, or “turtle ship” — the world’s first armored maritime craft. The ironclad ships were covered in protective metal and spikes, and the front had a cannon shaped like a dragon’s head.

In his most famous campaign, the Battle of Myeongnyang in 1597, he defeated a Japanese fleet of hundreds with just 13 ships.

Unfortunately for Mr. Dalton, the hockey goalie, the International Olympic Committee deemed his mask political and didn’t allow him to wear it during the Winter Games. I.O.C. guidelines state that “no item may feature the wording or lyrics from national anthems, motivational words, public/political messaging or slogans related to national identity.”

Though the South Korean hockey team was eliminated this week, Mr. Dalton — and his Yi mask — have gained a loyal fan base.

Inyoung Kang contributed reporting.

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