Today's Headlines: As Election Looms, Disinformation ‘Has Never Been Worse’

U.S. Says North Korean Troops Are in Russia to Aid Fight Against Ukraine

View in browser October 24, 2024, 4:00 a.m. Eastern time Top News As Election Looms, Disinformation 'Has Never Been Worse' A torrent of falsehoods, from home and abroad, have undermined what was once a shared faith in the honesty of America's democracy. U.S. Says North Korean Troops Are in Russia to Aid Fight Against Ukraine Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III called the situation "very, very serious," though he said that what the soldiers were doing in Russia was "left to be seen." What Drugmakers Did Not Tell Volunteers in Alzheimer's Trials Genetic tests showed that certain patients were predisposed to brain injuries if they took the drugs. That information remained secret. Editors' Picks How Two of the Rarest Horses on Earth Got Lost The entire world's population of Przewalski's horses once dwindled to a mere dozen. So how did a pair named Fiona and Shrek end up in livestock auctions in the West? Opinion | Nate Silver: Here's What My Gut Says About the Election, but Don't Trust Anyone's Gut, Even Mine A 50-50 forecast really does mean 50-50. And you should be open to the possibility that those forecasts are wrong. World In Gaza Camps Where Tents Are Now a Luxury, a Harsh Winter Looms After a year of war, at least one million people are facing months in the cold. Some said tents, blankets and warm clothes now qualified as luxuries. Stuffed Into Trucks, 78 Thai Protesters Died. Their Killers Are Still Free. Twenty years ago, a massacre in southern Thailand fueled an insurgency that has never stopped. If no one is prosecuted for it by Friday, no one ever will be. A Modi-Xi Meeting Could Signal a Thaw Between India and China A meeting between the two leaders comes just two days after they settled a tense border dispute in the Himalayas. But experts said their long-term geopolitical rivalry would persist. See more world news U.S. Democrats Keep the Dream Alive in Texas A tightening in the polls for the Senate race, and millions from George Soros, has rekindled old hopes of turning Texas blue. But demographic changes alone may not be enough to flip the state, party organizers say. Professors in Trouble Over Protests Wonder if Academic Freedom Is Dying Universities have cracked down on professors for pro-Palestinian activism, saying they are protecting students and tamping down on hate speech. Faculty members say punishments have put a "chill in the air." These Places Have Democracy Watchdogs Bracing for Potential Election Discord Some counties have a history of refusing to certify election results. Others have tried to disqualify voters or prevent them from casting absentee ballots. See more U.S. news Politics More Republicans Appear to Be Voting Early, Despite Trump's Mixed Messages In 2020, Donald Trump convinced his supporters that anything but a vote cast in person on Election Day could not be trusted — and lost. In response, Republicans shifted their stance. No, a Voting Machine Did Not 'Flip' a Vote in Georgia One voter's mistake has been transformed into a voter fraud conspiracy theory, catapulted into the national spotlight by Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene. Why Gender May Be the Defining Issue of the Election The issue is rarely directly addressed by either Vice President Kamala Harris or Donald Trump. But the 2024 contest is, in ways overt and subtle, a referendum on the role of women in American life. See more political news Business Apple and Goldman Sachs Must Pay Nearly $90 Million in Credit-Card Inquiry The penalties and customer refunds stem from an investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau into Apple Card, which Goldman issues. California Tribes May Sue Small Casinos, Putting Them in Peril A new state law allows tribes to file suit against gambling venues they don't operate, potentially shuttering them and jeopardizing local tax revenue. Shares in Operator of Tokyo's Subways Soar in First Day of Trading Tokyo Metro had raised over $2 billion in one of Japan's largest initial public offerings in years. See more business news Technology Former OpenAI Researcher Says the Company Broke Copyright Law Suchir Balaji helped gather and organize the enormous amounts of internet data used to train the startup's ChatGPT chatbot. Tesla Reports Robust Profit Increase on Strength of Battery Storage Sales The electric car company said profits climbed 17 percent in the third quarter as strong sales of energy products helped to make up for relatively slow auto sales. Can A.I. Be Blamed for a Teen's Suicide? The mother of a 14-year-old Florida boy says he became obsessed with a chatbot on Character.AI before his death. See more technology news Arts Design, Unearthed and Unfettered, in Cooper Hewitt's Triennial Starting in November, 25 new site-specific installations that explore the idea of home will fill the former Carnegie mansion in Manhattan. Seth Meyers Isn't as Nice as You Think He Is Meyers has crafted a comedically precise but genial persona over more than two decades on "Saturday Night Live" and "Late Night." A new stand-up special finds him reveling in his more acerbic side. Artist Sues Town for Canceling Residency Over Her Views on Gaza War The American Civil Liberties Union has sued Vail, Colo., on behalf of a Native American artist who painted a work entitled "G Is for Genocide." See more arts news New York Weinstein to Face Single Trial for 3 Separate Sex Crime Charges A new accusation against Harvey Weinstein will be joined with previous charges that are being retried, a judge ruled on Wednesday. A jury will likely hear the New York case next spring. In New York, the Strongmen Step Outside A new generation of fitness buffs is prioritizing mutual encouragement in the group workouts that have sprouted up in city playgrounds for years. Fluffy Feeling Ill? N.Y.C. Workers May Get Sick Leave to Care for Pets. Councilman Shaun Abreu introduced a bill that would require employers in New York City to let workers use their paid sick leave to take care of pets and service animals. See more New York news Media & Advertising L.A. Times Editorial Chief Quits After Owner Blocks Harris Endorsement Mariel Garza said the editorial board was prepared to endorse Kamala Harris, but the paper's owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong, decided not to make an endorsement in the presidential race. A Dance Trend That Comes With a Warning Label Danny Amendola's smooth lift on "Dancing With the Stars" spawned numerous imitators (with varying results). TikTok cautions users that it can be dangerous. Yelp Disables Comments for McDonald's Where Trump Donned Apron The consumer review site temporarily disabled comments on the franchise's page after the former president's appearance prompted a flurry of reviews. See more media & advertising news Fashion & Style The Essential Italian Returns to America The designer Giorgio Armani made a splashy comeback to celebrate his new store and residences in Manhattan. Not Just Any Old Warehouse Ricky Choi, a co-founder of Nice Laundry, was frustrated by how fulfillment centers handled his brand's socks and underwear. So he started a new kind of packaging firm for chic labels. Seeking 'Warmth and Personality' in the World of High-Priced Pens For collectors and enthusiasts at the London Pen Show, the finest writing instruments can cost thousands of dollars. As one dealer put it, "This is art of the highest quality." See more fashion news Obituaries Ron Ely, Who Played an Updated Tarzan in the 1960s, Dies at 86 He later built a career as a reliable TV guest star. His life turned tragic in 2019 when his son killed Mr. Ely's wife and was then shot to death by the police. Fernando Valenzuela, Pitcher Whose Screwballs Eluded Batters, Dies at 63 The Los Angeles Dodgers star won the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards in 1981, when "Fernandomania" made him a household name and filled ballparks. Gustavo Gutiérrez, Father of Liberation Theology, Dies at 96 Once considered revolutionary, his notion of empathy and advocacy for the poor has become a central tenet of Catholic social teaching. Julia Hawkins, Centenarian Sprinter, Dies at 108 She took up running after her 100th birthday at the encouragement of her children, and went on to set two world records in the 100-meter dash. See more Obituaries Opinion Gail Collins Nervous? Maybe This Pre-Election Quiz Will Calm You Down. Time for your pre-election quiz. Guest Essay James Carville: Three Reasons I'm Certain Kamala Harris Will Win Why I'm not sweating this election. Charles M. Blow Why Trump's Closing Argument Is Full of 'Locker Room Talk' By all appearances, he's embracing vulgarity to exploit the voter gender gap. Nicholas Kristof Will This New U.S. Project Make the World's Children Smarter? Biden takes aim at a neurotoxin all around us that impedes brain development. Guest Essay America Is Playing With Fire It's both frightening and disturbing to think that American voters could once again make someone as unhinged and unbridled as Donald Trump the president. Guest Essay What Washing Machines Can Tell Us About America's Economic Future One set of writers on the left and another on the right lay out competing visions for what the next president should do. Guest Essay What an Encounter With a Flight Attendant Showed Me About the Life I Wanted Everything that challenges the status quo shakes our idea of normal. See more Opinion Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Today's Headlines from The New York Times. To stop receiving Today's Headlines, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018