Today's Headlines: The Fight Over Ballots Has Already Begun in Wisconsin
Fighting Rages in Gaza and Lebanon, Despite Killing of Hamas Leader
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

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

Top News

The Fight Over Ballots Has Already Begun in Wisconsin

Drop boxes, which had been used for years in Wisconsin until they were mostly banned after Republicans mounted legal challenges, are back. They have become the subject of bitter debate.

Fighting Rages in Gaza and Lebanon, Despite Killing of Hamas Leader

Peace talks were nowhere in sight and, despite Yahya Sinwar’s death, the violence seemed only to increase, as Israel struck northern Gaza and Hezbollah fired dozens of projectiles.

How Indonesia’s Transformative Leader Tarnished His Legacy

Joko Widodo rose from a slum to the presidency. But with his tenure ending, he is being accused of undermining democracy by trying to install a political dynasty.

Editors’ Picks

Opinion | American Business Cannot Afford to Risk Another Trump Presidency

Donald Trump is not running as a champion of business. He is running as a tribune of populist grievance.

How Fugetsu-Do Survived the Evolution of Little Tokyo

Fugetsu-Do, a mochi store in the Little Tokyo neighborhood of Los Angeles, has existed for 121 years, with a lasting impact on its community.

World

An Alarming Glimpse Into a Future of Historic Droughts

Record dry conditions in South America have led to wildfires, power cuts and water rationing. The world’s largest river system, the Amazon, which sustains some 30 million people across eight countries, is drying up.

‘Life Is Complicated’: How a Scourge of Oligarchs Fell in Love With One

Natalia Morari once reported on corrupt business in Moldova. Now she has upset many by having a son with a tycoon accused of corruption, and running against the pro-West president in elections.

Cuba Suffers Second Power Outage in 24 Hours, Realizing Years of Warnings

Fidel Castro once called Cuba’s power plants “prehistoric.” But the country still relies on them, contributing to the longest blackout since the collapse of its former patron, the Soviet Union.

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U.S.

These Parkland Shooting Survivors Were Promised Visas. They’re Still Waiting.

A humanitarian program offers immigrant crime victims who cooperate with the police a chance to stay in the United States. But most spend years in legal limbo.

A Candidate for U.S. Senate Says He Was Shot in War. Was He?

Tim Sheehy, a Republican running for U.S. Senate in Montana, says he has a bullet in his arm from Afghanistan. But new questions have been raised about his account.

Leaked U.S. Intelligence Suggests Israel Is Preparing to Strike Iran

American officials are trying to determine the source of the leak, which describes military drills and weapons placement, and how damaging it might be.

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Politics

Jill Stein Won’t Stop. No Matter Who Asks.

People in Stein’s life have implored her to abandon her bid for president, lest she throw the election to Donald Trump. She’s on the ballot in almost every critical state.

Trump Thinks the Border Got Him Elected in 2016. He’s Convinced It Will Do So Again.

Voters rank the economy and high cost of living as their top issue. Donald J. Trump believes immigration “beats out the economy,” and he’s made it his closing message.

In a Bellwether Pennsylvania County, a Modest Loss Could Be a Win for Harris

In white, working-class places, Kamala Harris’s goal is simply to lose by less. Thirty interviews in Beaver County, Pa., offered signs that with some swing voters, she is holding the line.

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Business

The Powerful Companies Driving Local Drugstores Out of Business

The biggest pharmacy benefit managers are profiting by systematically underpaying independent drugstores, creating “pharmacy deserts” across the country.

Want to Understand America? Watch ‘Shark Tank.’

The show which premiered in the U.S. in 2009, has broadcast the stress of the Great Recession, the allure of Silicon Valley, the upheaval of the Covid pandemic and now, whatever this economy is.

Halloween’s Mutation: From Humble Holiday to Retail Monstrosity

Americans once made their own costumes and candy. Now, the holiday has rapidly commercialized, transforming into an economic juggernaut.

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Technology

U.S. ‘Fusion Cells’ Assist in Israel’s Hunt for Hamas Leaders

American commandos and intelligence officers began helping Israel soon after the Oct. 7 attacks last year.

Trump Signals Skepticism of Google Breakup, Citing Competition With China

The former president also said he would do “something” to make Google “more fair” if he regained the presidency.

Meet the Election Denier Forecasting the 2024 Race

Seth Keshel has become a darling among election deniers by factoring widespread voter fraud — the existence of which has been widely debunked — into his election predictions.

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Sports

Female Mountain Bikers Backflip Their Way to Equality

Traditionally, only men were invited to the scariest and most lucrative event in mountain biking. This year, women shared equally in the adrenaline and the prizes.

Thomas Tuchel and the Moral Maze

An outcry over the hiring of a German to lead England’s national team was predictable. But don’t dismiss every objection out of hand.

A Formula 1 Race in Texas, but Where Are the American Drivers?

Formula 1 is mostly a European sport, and contenders must climb the racing ladder through events there. That is difficult for Americans.

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Arts