Today’s Headlines: Israel Pushes Into Rafah as Displaced Palestinians Search for Safety

At Trump Trial's Closings, Lawyers Weave Facts Into Clashing Accounts

View in browser May 29, 2024, 4:00 a.m. Eastern time Good morning. To showcase the depth and breadth of New York Times journalism, we have given Today's Headlines a fresh look and feel. Some of you might also begin to see headlines from a wider range of sections. We hope you enjoy these changes, and thank you for reading Today's Headlines! Top News Israel Pushes Into Rafah as Displaced Palestinians Search for Safety The Israeli military said it had deployed additional combat troops to the southern Gaza Strip, even as a growing chorus of voices demand an end to the fighting. At Trump Trial's Closings, Lawyers Weave Facts Into Clashing Accounts A defense lawyer painted Donald J. Trump as the victim of unscrupulous people, but a prosecutor said Mr. Trump had directed a scheme to conceal a hush-money payment. Trump Leans Into an Outlaw Image as His Criminal Trial Concludes Preparing for a potential verdict in Manhattan, the former president has increasingly aligned himself with fellow defendants and people convicted of crimes. ADVERTISEMENT Editors' Picks A Final Graduation Requirement: Making Sense of Protest As students in Columbia's class of 2024 received their diplomas, many of them were grappling with what intense activism on campus would mean to their futures. Opinion | In 1974, Two Film Students Rowed to Ellis Island. Here's What They Captured. In the early 1970s, two high school filmmakers ventured out in a rowboat to make a 16 mm film about an abandoned space nearby: Ellis Island. World Facing an Endless Barrage, Ukraine's Air Defenses Are Withering As Russia shifts its tactics and Ukraine's ammunition dwindles, more missiles are getting through Ukraine's air defenses. Leaflet by Leaflet, a Few Aging Activists Fight India's Tide of Bigotry As politicians stoke religious hatred online, these veterans of social causes deliver their messages in person: "Talk to each other. Don't let anyone divide you." Pope Apologizes After Reports That He Used an Anti-Gay Slur Francis' remark came as he spoke against admitting gay men to seminaries during what was supposed to be a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops last week. See more world news ADVERTISEMENT U.S. Storm Kills at Least 1 in Texas, Where Power Could Be Out for Days Half a million customers were without power after hail the size of golf balls and strong winds hit Texas, where flood warnings were active early Wednesday. Man Who Invaded Nancy Pelosi's Home Apologizes for Attacking Her Husband David DePape's federal sentencing hearing was reopened to give him a chance to address the court, but his apology did not persuade the judge to change his sentence. Harvard Says It Will No Longer Take Positions on Matters Outside of the University The policy could ease pressure on the school to issue statements on current events. Officials were criticized for their handling of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks. See more U.S. news Politics Eyeing Trump, but on the Fence: How Tuned-Out Voters Could Decide 2024 Politically disengaged Americans are increasingly Trump-curious, but President Biden has a shot at winning some of them back. Reaching them in a changed media environment will be his challenge. Judge Denies Limited Gag Order Request in Trump Documents Case The decision was made on procedural grounds and left open the possibility that federal prosecutors could try again to restrict Donald Trump from making statements that could endanger F.B.I. agents. Marco Rubio Wants to Be Trump's Vice President. He Doesn't Want to Audition. The last time the Florida senator lived in Donald J. Trump's orbit he was mocked and defeated. As he returns, he's trying to do it on his terms. See more political news Business Top FTX Executive Sentenced to 7½ Years in Prison Ryan Salame, the head of FTX's subsidiary in the Bahamas, was the first of Sam Bankman-Fried's deputies to be sentenced since the crypto exchange collapsed in November 2022. Lawyers to Plastics Makers: Prepare for 'Astronomical' PFAS Lawsuits At an industry presentation about dangerous "forever chemicals," lawyers predicted a wave of lawsuits that could dwarf asbestos litigation, audio from the event revealed. I.R.S. Failed to Police Puerto Rico Tax Break, Whistle-Blower Says An insider accused the agency of failing to scrutinize a lucrative tax break in Puerto Rico designed to lure wealthy Americans to the island. See more business news Technology OpenAI Says It Has Begun Training a New Flagship A.I. Model The advanced A.I. system would succeed GPT-4, which powers ChatGPT. The company has also created a new safety committee to address A.I.'s risks. If A.I. Can Do Your Job, Maybe It Can Also Replace Your C.E.O. Chief executives are vulnerable to the same forces buffeting their employees. Leadership is important, but so is efficiency — and cost-cutting. Elon Musk Dominates Space Launch. Rivals Are Calling Foul. At a time when the U.S. government is concerned about its reliance on a mercurial billionaire for access to space, new competitors say Elon Musk's SpaceX is using tactics intended to squash them. See more technology news Arts Who Plotted to Sell Graceland? An Identity Thief Raises His Hand. A person using an email for the company seeking to foreclose on the former home of Elvis Presley says his ring was behind the threat to sell the beloved landmark. Michelle Buteau Sashays Into the Lead Once relegated to supporting roles, this comedian is a star of the film "Babes" and is moving to a bigger stage, Radio City Music Hall, for her new special. The Man Behind the Effortless, Viral Grooves Shay Latukolan, who has worked with Jungle and Childish Gambino, creates choreography so infectious that everyone thinks they can dance along. See more arts news New York Robert De Niro, as Biden Surrogate, Says Trump 'Absolutely' Should Go to Jail Seeking to troll Donald Trump outside his Manhattan trial, the Biden campaign held a news conference with the actor and two former Capitol Police officers. Mr. De Niro veered off script. Man Charged With Hate Crimes in New York City Street Attacks Skiboky Stora, 40, is accused of targeting people he believed were white, female or Jewish. He was arrested in March after one of his alleged victims shared her story on TikTok. State Senator Opposes Casino Proposal in Queens, Rebuffing Mets Owner Jessica Ramos, a state senator from Queens who is considering a run for mayor, moved to stop a proposal from Steven Cohen, the billionaire owner of the New York Mets. See more New York news Media & Advertising BuzzFeed Clashes With Vivek Ramaswamy The former G.O.P. presidential candidate, who has invested in BuzzFeed, believes the company needs to pivot. He wants to see commentators like Tucker Carlson in its lineup. The Daily Beast's New Bosses Plan Buyouts to Cut Losses The two leaders have looked for money-saving measures since joining the digital tabloid in April. When Reporters Need a Voice, Sometimes They Ask the Crowd Reader callouts are like fliers on a digital bulletin board. They help journalists find sources — and discover stories they didn't know they were looking for. See more media & advertising news Food 100 Easy Summer Recipes for Right Now Breezy and adaptable, most of these dishes can be on the table in 30 minutes or less. At These Restaurants, Feeding the Staff Comes First The "family meal" tradition of serving workers before customers is getting new life as a perk, a motivator and a teaching tool. The New Hospitality? Customers Can Sue Restaurants Over Pricing. A California law aimed at banning hidden fees has put restaurant service charges at risk. But it could still change. See more food news Obituaries Michael Sugrue, 66, Dies; His Talks on Philosophy Were a YouTube Hit After an academic career spent in near obscurity, he became an internet phenomenon during the pandemic by uploading talks he had given three decades earlier. Stanley Goldstein, Who Helped Make CVS a Pharmacy Giant, Dies at 89 The small chain that he, a brother and a third partner opened in 1963 had become the nation's largest by the time he retired as its chief executive three decades later. See more Obituaries Opinion Melinda French Gates Melinda French Gates: The Enemies of Progress Play Offense. I Want to Help Even the Match. A philanthropist is focusing on gender issues around the world, including abortion access in the United States. Bret Stephens Do We Still Understand How Wars Are Won? Israel and Ukraine don't have the luxury of fighting fecklessly. Thomas L. Friedman How We've Lost Our Moorings as a Society Our society is losing sight of qualities that kept America strong, like responsibility and civility but also the capacity to feel shame. Jane Coaston Ted Cruz Has Some Strong Opinions About College Sports Money is changing college sports in big and small ways. Jane Coaston interviews Ted Cruz about how some conservatives want to regulate college athletics. Jonathan Alter Prosecutors Leave the Jury With a Mountain of Evidence Against Trump But it's not easy for jurors to stay attentive after a long day of closing arguments. Noah Feldman and Alison Simmons Harvard Should Say Less. Maybe All Schools Should. Let's spare universities from having to decide which world events deserve official statements. See more Opinion ADVERTISEMENT Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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