Today's Headlines: Trump Chooses Longtime Ally Linda McMahon to Run Education Dept.
Trump Defies the #MeToo Movement With Cabinet Picks Facing Accusations
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

November 20, 2024, 4:10 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Trump Chooses Longtime Ally Linda McMahon to Run Education Dept.

A friend and financial backer of Donald J. Trump’s, Ms. McMahon, who led the Small Business Administration during his first term, remained close to him during the campaign.

Trump Defies the #MeToo Movement With Cabinet Picks Facing Accusations

Donald J. Trump, who was found liable for sexual abuse last year, appears determined to force a fight over the role of such allegations in society.

Ukraine Fired U.S.-Made Missiles Into Russia for First Time, Officials Say

The attack came just days after President Biden gave Ukraine permission to use the weapons to strike targets inside Russia.

Editors’ Picks

Ozempic Could Crush the Junk Food Industry. But It Is Fighting Back.

As revolutionary new weight-loss drugs turn consumers off ultraprocessed foods, the industry is on the hunt for new products.

Opinion | How Trump Can Earn a Place in History That He Did Not Expect

The president-elect has a starting point: the plan for a two-state solution that he put out in January 2020.

World

Putin Lowers Russia’s Threshold for Using Nuclear Arms

A decree signed by the Russian leader, though long planned, came days after President Biden authorized the use of U.S.-supplied missiles by Ukraine for strikes inside Russia.

A Nostalgic Biden Fades Out of the Picture in Talks With World Leaders

As he made his final appearance at global gatherings, including at the Group of 20 summit in Brazil, President Biden lobbied for his foreign policy goals even as leaders shifted attention away from him.

Delhi Trudges Through Another Air Pollution Nightmare With No Answers

The government seems powerless to protect its citizens from this annual crisis, let alone prevent it.

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U.S.

Texas Education Board Backs Curriculum With Lessons Drawn From Bible

School districts serving more than two million elementary-school children would be able to adopt a curriculum that draws on the Bible.

Asheville Gets Drinkable Tap Water Back, 53 Days After Hurricane Helene

There was a sense of relief in the city, though some residents said they were still afraid to drink the water.

Trump’s Treasury Challenge: A Pick Who Loves Tariffs Yet Calms Markets

The president-elect is considering a conflicting mix of qualities as he decides who will steer his economic agenda.

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Politics

For Minority Working-Class Voters, Dismay With Democrats Led to Distrust

In scores of interviews throughout 2024, Latino, Black and Asian American voters, many of whom voted for Donald Trump, said they no longer trusted Democrats to improve the economy.

Trump Plans to Nominate Dr. Mehmet Oz to Oversee Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare

The celebrity physician would run the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a powerful agency in charge of programs that cover more than 150 million Americans.

Democrats Face a Series of Tests Over Support for Israel

First up is a resolution put forth by Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who is Jewish, to deny Israel certain military weapons.

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Business

Robots Struggle to Match Warehouse Workers on ‘Really Hard’ Jobs

The machines can load and unload trucks, move goods and do other repetitive tasks but are stymied by some, like picking items from a pile.

The Onion’s Bid to Acquire Infowars Has Gotten Messy

A hearing is scheduled for Monday to review the auction process, which is being contested by a losing bidder associated with Alex Jones, the Infowars founder.

Walmart Sees ‘Momentum’ Ahead of Holiday Shopping Season

The bellwether retailer reported higher-than-expected sales in its latest quarter and upgraded its forecast for the rest of the year.

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Arts

The Scandinavian Soft Rock Band That’s Big in Asia

Michael Learns to Rock hoped for success west of their native Denmark. But for 30 years, they’ve had a devoted following on the other side of the world.

Sean Combs’s Lawyers Argue That Seizure of Notes From Jail Was Unjust

Lawyers for the music mogul objected at a hearing to prosecutors viewing handwritten materials from their client’s cell after a sweep of the Brooklyn jail where he is being held.

Jon Batiste Can’t Stop Thinking About Beethoven

Batiste’s latest album is a return to his classical music roots — on his terms. Hear him improvise on some of Beethoven’s classics.

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New York

Manhattan D.A. Suggests Freezing Trump’s Case While He Is President

With President-elect Donald J. Trump’s sentencing on hold, his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case. The district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg, is opposing the effort.

What to Know About the Daniel Penny Trial as the Prosecution Rests

Prosecutors have had to acknowledge that a victim frightened those around him. The defense lawyers are expected to paint their client as a protector.

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Food

How Thanksgiving Lasagna Became an American Staple

The Italian American tradition has been adapted by other immigrant families into delicious takes on the classic.

4 Colorful Thanksgiving Veggie Sides to Brighten Your Table

These abundant vegetarian dishes from Melissa Clark aren’t just gorgeous. They’re sure to make everyone at the table happy.

A Fast, French-y Chicken Dinner

Chicken au poivre is a fancy-feeling take on a velvety French classic.

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Science

SpaceX Starship Launch Ends With a Dramatic Water Landing

President-elect Donald J. Trump joined Elon Musk, as his company’s prototype moon and Mars rocket carried out a sixth test flight that showed a mix of progress and setbacks.

Physicist Who Made Superconductor Claims Exits University of Rochester

Journals had retracted papers on superconductors that worked at room temperature and materials science that involved Ranga Dias.

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Magazine