Today's Headlines: Rebels Seize Control Over Most of Syria’s Largest City

Mexican Cartels Lure Chemistry Students to Make Fentanyl

View in browser December 1, 2024, 4:00 a.m. Eastern time Top News Rebels Seize Control Over Most of Syria's Largest City The rapid advance on Aleppo came just four days into a surprise opposition offensive that is the most intense escalation in years in the civil war. Mexican Cartels Lure Chemistry Students to Make Fentanyl Criminals turn college campuses into recruitment hubs, recruiting chemistry students in Mexico with big paydays. Trump Says He Will Nominate Kash Patel to Run F.B.I. President-elect Donald J. Trump turned to a firebrand loyalist to become director of the bureau, which he sees as part of a 'deep state' conspiracy against him. Editors' Picks The Heirs of a Despised Draft Dodger Want His Wright Brothers Plane Back The Franklin Institute has said a wealthy scion, long vilified for refusing to serve during World War I, gave them a treasured Wright-built plane. His family is challenging that account. Opinion | How Our Messed-Up Dating Culture Leads to Loneliness, Anger and Donald Trump A generation of resentful young men has arisen from the cultural norm dictating that men must be the breadwinners. Today's Videos Video | Heavy Snowfall Blankets Parts of the Great Lakes Region States braced for more whiteout conditions in the coming days as a lake-effect storm dropped several feet of snow in parts of the region by the early weekend. Video | Protesters Clash With Police After Georgia Puts E.U. Accession on Hold Thousands demonstrated in Tbilisi, Georgia, after the country said it had suspended its bid to join the European Union for four years. The police used tear gas and water cannons on protesters outside the Parliament building. Video | Rebels Seize Control Over Most of Aleppo in Rapid Advance The shift in control over Aleppo, Syria's largest city, came just four days into a surprise offensive that is the most intense escalation in years in the civil war. World These Exams Mean Everything in India. Thieves See a Gold Mine. In a country where government jobs are highly coveted, the tests that govern hiring are a lucrative target for criminal gangs. Rebels Seize Control Over Most of Syria's Largest City The rapid advance on Aleppo came just four days into a surprise opposition offensive that is the most intense escalation in years in the civil war. Undersea Surgeons The cables at the heart of the lightspeed, globe-spanning internet run across the grimy, perilous, inaccessible deeps of the sea, in places no one ever sees or visits – until the cables break. See more world news U.S. Great Lakes Snowstorm Blankets Northeast and Midwest, Stranding Motorists The lake-effect storm disrupted holiday travel across the region, trapping dozens of vehicles on highways. Some areas could get up to six feet of snow by Tuesday. Silicon Valley's Richest Woman Hosts a Day of Innovation. Just Don't Say Trump. As the country's liberal bubbles mourn the election's outcome, Laurene Powell Jobs highlighted entrepreneurs' good work with one rule: "Cheer loudly!" Tax Preparers Charged in Scheme to Defraud Covid Relief of $65 Million The preparers filed for pandemic-related tax credits on behalf of ineligible clients and then netted hefty filing fees, officials said. See more U.S. news Politics For Rising Democrats, the Quiet Race to Lead the Party Began Months Ago As Kamala Harris dominated attention on the 2024 trail, ambitious Democrats were also blanketing the country, building relationships that could pay dividends in the fight for the party's future. Democrats Weigh Dumping Nadler, Regrouping to Counter Trump Some House Democrats want to oust aging committee leaders like Representative Jerrold Nadler in favor of younger lawmakers who they see as better suited to take on the president. After Democratic Losses, a Little-Known Lawmaker Wants to Lead the Party State Senator James Skoufis of New York is mounting a long-shot bid for D.N.C. chair, hoping his record of success in Trump country proves persuasive to party insiders. See more political news Business Ms. Rachel's Improbable Journey From Toddler Whisperer to Holiday Toy Story Rachel Accurso might be this era's Mister Rogers, if he had been on YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. Toy companies and publishers all want a piece of the action. As Cash Fades, Small Retailers Embrace Efforts to Rein In Swipe Fees Business owners say card transaction fees are a growing monthly expense, one often passed to consumers. They're cheering efforts to lower them. Stocks Resume Post-Election Rise With Friday's gains included, November was the best month in a year for the S&P 500. See more business news Technology Canada Accuses Google of Creating an Ad Tech Monopoly The case largely echoes an antitrust action in the United States and seeks to force Google to sell off sections of its online ad business. F.T.C. Launches Antitrust Investigation Into Microsoft Regulators are demanding information from the company on its cloud computing, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity products. See more tech news Sports A College Volleyball Team's Season in the Spotlight Comes to an End The San Jose State women's team, which has a transgender player, lost to the tournament favorite Colorado State, concluding a season that transcended sports. Why Do the Lions and Cowboys Play on Thanksgiving Every Year? The short answer: tradition. See more sports news Arts We Took Angelina Jolie to the Opera. She Found 'a Poetry to It All.' Jolie plays the superstar soprano Maria Callas in the new movie "Maria." We went to the Metropolitan Opera with her and the director Pablo Larraín. Auli'i Cravalho Is More Than a Disney Princess "Moana" made her a breakout star. Now Cravalho, at 24, is back in the sequel, while also making her Broadway debut and embracing edgier parts. How Can We Save the Best Parts of Our Cities? A gay bar. A bookstore. Fresh salt air. We could learn to preserve what matters most to people. See more arts news New York How a Coffee Fortune Teller Spends His Sundays Dr. Honeybrew, as he is known, starts his days with music before brewing Turkish coffee in hot sand and opening his home to guests for a little bit of magic. Lake-Effect Storm Brings Heavy Snow to Great Lakes Region Forecasters warned that some areas would be "paralyzed" by the storm. Nearly three feet of snow had already accumulated in Perrysburg, N.Y., about 30 miles south of Buffalo. The Hole in This Bagel Shop's Business Model? It's Too Popular. Apollo Bagels in the West Village is drawing lines out the door — and most of the way down the block. Now it's in a legal fight to stave off eviction. See more New York news Science Airplane Turbulence Can Start Earlier Than You Expect This is your captain speaking: When thunderstorms are in the forecast, you may need to buckle those seatbelts a lot sooner than you're used to. Saudi Arabia Leads Pushback Against Global Plastic Treaty Delegates from more than 170 countries are working to salvage a treaty that would tackle the growing problem of plastic pollution. See more science news Real Estate The Land That Allowed Ken Burns to Raise the Dead The award-winning filmmaker has slept in the same bedroom for over four decades. He credits his home with allowing him to make the films everyone said he couldn't. How Do New Streets Get Their Names? "You want the street name to be something people would be proud to live on," says one developer. But no bad vibes, please. See more real estate news Obituaries A. Cornelius Baker, Champion of H.I.V. Testing, Dies at 63 Working inside the government and out, he lobbied to improve the lives of people with H.I.V. and AIDS, particularly those who belonged to minority groups. Hal Lindsey, Author of 'The Late, Great Planet Earth,' Dies at 95 In that 1970 book and others, he wrote of history and apocalyptic predictions based on biblical interpretations and actual events of the time. See more Obituaries Opinion Guest Essay Why I'm Not Giving Up on American Democracy The free and decent country that saved my family from Soviet Hungary is now under threat. Guest Essay New Orleans' Striking Advantage in the Age of Climate Change Unlike the other major cities that appear on lists of unsafe places, New Orleans has a striking competitive advantage. Binyamin Appelbaum Note to Democrats: It's Time to Take Up Your Hammers There is a straight line from homeless schoolchildren to Donald Trump's election victory. Guest Essay Reckoning With the Connection Between Brain Injuries and Criminal Behavior In the fight to reduce recidivism, we may be ignoring one major element. letters What to Expect in a Second Trump Term Readers worry that he will punish enemies and rule like an autocrat. Also: A redundant efficiency department; science and policy; emotional tears. Guest Essay A Job and Community Transform Refugees' Lives The organization doesn't just teach culinary skills — it provides additional support, such as résumé building and English classes. 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. 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