Today's Headlines: 2 Weeks After Trump Blocked It, Democrats’ Rebuttal of G.O.P. Memo Is Released

The True Source of the N.R.A.’s Clout: Mobilization, Not Donations View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [Most Popular]( | [Video]( | Subscribe: [Digital /]( [Home Delivery]( [My Account]( [Today's Headlines]( Sunday, February 25, 2018 IN THIS EMAIL: [Top News](#0) | [Editors' Picks](#2) | [Today’s Videos](#4) | [World](#5) | [U.S.](#6) | [Politics](#7) | [Business](#8) | [Technology](#9) | [Sports](#10) | [Arts](#11) | [New York](#12) | [Real Estate](#13) | [Travel](#14) | [Fashion & Style](#15) | [Magazine](#16) | [Obituaries](#17) | [Editorial](#18) | [Op-Ed](#19) | [CUSTOMIZE »]( [] Top News [2 Weeks After Trump Blocked It, Democrats’ Rebuttal of G.O.P. Memo Is Released]( [2 Weeks After Trump Blocked It, Democrats’ Rebuttal of G.O.P. Memo Is Released]( By NICHOLAS FANDOS House Democrats made public a heavily redacted memo that was drafted to counter Republican claims of surveillance abuses against a former Trump campaign aide. [The True Source of the N.R.A.’s Clout: Mobilization, Not Donations]( [The True Source of the N.R.A.’s Clout: Mobilization, Not Donations]( By ERIC LIPTON and ALEXANDER BURNS The group is often perceived by opponents as bankrolling its preferred candidates. But its influence is derived from a muscular electioneering machine. [Mueller Is Gaining Steam. Should Trump Worry?]( News Analysis [Mueller Is Gaining Steam. Should Trump Worry?]( By PETER BAKER President Trump and his aides say they are not worried because he has not been implicated by any of the charges in the Russia inquiry led by the special counsel Robert S. Mueller III. Yet the investigation seems to be leading to a larger, as yet undefined, goal. For more top news, go to [NYTimes.com »]( ADVERTISEMENT [Get the Morning Briefing in Your Inbox]( [Get the Morning Briefing in Your Inbox]( What you need to know to start your day, delivered Monday through Friday. [Sign up »]( [] Editors' Picks [Left to Louisiana’s Tides, a Village Fights for Time]( U.S. [Left to Louisiana’s Tides, a Village Fights for Time]( By KEVIN SACK and JOHN SCHWARTZ For the community of Jean Lafitte, the question is less whether it will succumb to the sea than when — and how much the public should invest in artificially extending its life. [Am I Going Blind?]( Opinion | Op-Ed Columnist [Am I Going Blind?]( By FRANK BRUNI My eyesight is in jeopardy. But I see some things more clearly than ever. [] QUOTATION OF THE DAY "If it were my daughter, I would want to personally kill my client, make no mistake about it." [HOWARD FINKELSTEIN]( Broward County’s public defender, whose office is representing Nikolas Cruz, who was charged in the Parkland, Fla., school massacre and could face the death penalty. [] Today’s Videos [What Makes #NeverAgain Different?]( [[Video]Video: What Makes #NeverAgain Different?]( By NEETI UPADHYE The protests calling for stricter gun control measures come on the heels of other youth movements, but the momentum they have gained makes them stand out. [Her Olympic Goal: Find Her Birth Parents]( [[Video]Video: Her Olympic Goal: Find Her Birth Parents]( By DEBORAH ACOSTA and ALEXANDRA GARCIA Meehyun Lee was born in South Korea and adopted by a family in Pennsylvania when she was just 1. She returned to compete for South Korea in the Olympics, hoping her birth parents might be watching. [‘Black Panther’ Costumes Merge African History With Afrofuturism]( [[Video]Video: ‘Black Panther’ Costumes Merge African History With Afrofuturism]( By ROBIN LINDSAY and MELENA RYZIK The costume designer Ruth E. Carter has made a career of bringing black history to life in movies like “Amistad” and “Malcolm X.” But in “Black Panther” she draws on traditional African influences to look toward the future. ADVERTISEMENT [] World [Raised by ISIS, Returned to Chechnya: ‘These Children Saw Terrible Things’]( [Raised by ISIS, Returned to Chechnya: ‘These Children Saw Terrible Things’]( By ANDREW E. KRAMER Russia is at the forefront of repatriating women and children from the collapsing Islamic State: “What should we do, leave them there so somebody will recruit them?” asks a Russian Senator. [Women Are Free, and Armed, in Kurdish-Controlled Northern Syria]( [Women Are Free, and Armed, in Kurdish-Controlled Northern Syria]( By ROD NORDLAND Women wield significant authority in northern Syria — in the police, the courts and the militias — and the push for gender equality is spreading from Kurdish-majority areas to conservative Arab ones. [As Medals Pile Up, Norway Worries: Are We Winning Too Much?]( [As Medals Pile Up, Norway Worries: Are We Winning Too Much?]( By DAVID SEGAL After a historic performance at the Olympics, some Norwegians fret that they dominate their favorite sport so much that they are ruining it. For more world news, go to [NYTimes.com/World »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] U.S. [Outspoken and Precocious, Florida Students Struggle With Loss When the Cameras Turn Off]( [Outspoken and Precocious, Florida Students Struggle With Loss When the Cameras Turn Off]( By JACK HEALY Even as they raise millions of dollars and plan nationwide rallies to stop gun violence, students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School struggle with nightmares. [Life on an Island: Silence, Beauty and a Long Wait for the Ferry]( [Life on an Island: Silence, Beauty and a Long Wait for the Ferry]( By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE On remote islands off the coast of Maine, small bands of residents stay through the long winter. They embrace the emptiness and a frontier sensibility. [After a Massacre, a Question of One More Death: The Gunman’s]( [After a Massacre, a Question of One More Death: The Gunman’s]( By ALAN BLINDER Nikolas Cruz’s guilty plea would spare his life and the community a lengthy trial. Will the prosecutor take him up on it? For more U.S. news, go to [NYTimes.com/US »]( [] Politics [How Skadden, the Giant Law Firm, Got Entangled in the Mueller Investigation]( [How Skadden, the Giant Law Firm, Got Entangled in the Mueller Investigation]( By KENNETH P. VOGEL and MATTHEW GOLDSTEIN The guilty plea of one of Skadden’s lawyers has cast a spotlight on its work for a Russia-aligned former president of Ukraine, and its advice to other firms. [European Ex-Officials Deny Being Paid by Manafort to Lobby for Ukraine]( [European Ex-Officials Deny Being Paid by Manafort to Lobby for Ukraine]( By STEVEN ERLANGER and JASON HOROWITZ Mr. Manafort paid 2 million euros to former European officials to lobby for Ukraine’s then pro-Russian government, a new indictment says. [Why Your Pharmacist Can’t Tell You That $20 Prescription Could Cost Only $8]( [Why Your Pharmacist Can’t Tell You That $20 Prescription Could Cost Only $8]( By ROBERT PEAR States are moving to block “gag clauses” that prohibit pharmacists from telling customers that they could save money by paying cash for prescription drugs rather than using their health insurance. For more political news, go to [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [] Business [Linda McMahon Gets a Ringside Seat for TrumpMania]( [Linda McMahon Gets a Ringside Seat for TrumpMania]( By MATT FLEGENHEIMER Perhaps no other member of the president’s cabinet understands Mr. Trump as Ms. McMahon, a former pro wrestling entrepreneur, does. [Washington’s Fight Over Taxes Is Only Beginning]( [Washington’s Fight Over Taxes Is Only Beginning]( By JIM TANKERSLEY Never mind that “once in a generation” tax bill that passed last year. Congress is headed for years more of battles over taxes, particularly those for individuals. [With ‘Fire and Fury,’ Stephen Rubin Is Publishing’s 76-Year-Old Comeback Kid]( [With ‘Fire and Fury,’ Stephen Rubin Is Publishing’s 76-Year-Old Comeback Kid]( By SRIDHAR PAPPU Basically written off by many of his publishing peers when he left Random House nine years ago, Mr. Rubin is back on top with Henry Holt. The reason? A certain book about the White House. For more business news, go to [NYTimes.com/Business »]( [] Technology [Tech Envisions the Ultimate Start-Up: An Entire City]( [Tech Envisions the Ultimate Start-Up: An Entire City]( By EMILY BADGER Silicon Valley wants to save cities. What could go wrong? [Geothermal Energy Grows in Kenya]( [Geothermal Energy Grows in Kenya]( By AMY YEE Rapid expansion of geothermal energy generation has helped increase electrical access in Kenya. But the country faces challenges in making electricity widely available. [The I.R.S. Really Doesn’t Want to Hear From You]( Essay [The I.R.S. Really Doesn’t Want to Hear From You]( By JOHN SCHWARTZ The agency has been warning people about swindles and myths. The biggest myth is that people want any contact with the agency, except for getting tax refunds. For more technology news, go to [NYTimes.com/Technology »]( [] Sports [2 U.S.A. Swimming Officials Resign Amid Accusations of Ignored Abuse]( [2 U.S.A. Swimming Officials Resign Amid Accusations of Ignored Abuse]( By MATT STEVENS Susan Woessner, the organization’s Safe Sport senior director, and Pat Hogan, a managing director, announced their departures on Thursday. [A Hockey Goal and a Medal That Will Resonate Beyond the Ice]( Sports of The Times [A Hockey Goal and a Medal That Will Resonate Beyond the Ice]( By JULIET MACUR Team U.S.A. won Olympic gold in women’s hockey for the first time since 1998. For the players, this was about more than their sport. [The Speed of 12 Olympians: Capturing Their Twists, Turns and Leaps in Fractions of a Second]( [The Speed of 12 Olympians: Capturing Their Twists, Turns and Leaps in Fractions of a Second]( By ALEXANDRA GARCIA, TROY GRIGGS, JON HUANG, K.K. REBECCA LAI, JASMINE C. LEE, HAEYOUN PARK, BEDEL SAGET, ARCHIE TSE, JOE WARD and JEREMY WHITE The Winter Olympics has featured acts of athleticism too fast to be fully appreciated, so we revisited those moments, frame by frame. For more sports news, go to [NYTimes.com/Sports »]( [] Arts [How Much Magic Can ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Make on Broadway?]( [How Much Magic Can ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Make on Broadway?]( By ROSLYN SULCAS The theater that will house the play has been rebuilt in the hope that it will run for many, many years. So why is J.K. Rowling worried? [Is Woody Allen a Great Filmmaker? Discuss]( On Second Thought [Is Woody Allen a Great Filmmaker? Discuss]( By A.O. SCOTT Our film critic rewatched key films by the auteur to see if they held up in the #MeToo moment. He came to surprising conclusions. [Is It an Art Collective or a Vietnamese Ad Agency? Yes and Yes]( [Is It an Art Collective or a Vietnamese Ad Agency? Yes and Yes]( By FRANK ROSE An exhibition in San Jose, Calif., shines a light on the Propeller Group, Vietnam’s renowned art collective, as its members strike out on their own. For more arts news, go to [NYTimes.com/Arts »]( [] New York [In Spite of Executive Order, Cuomo Takes Campaign Money From State Appointees]( [In Spite of Executive Order, Cuomo Takes Campaign Money From State Appointees]( By SHANE GOLDMACHER, BRIAN M. ROSENTHAL and AGUSTIN ARMENDARIZ Gov. Andrew Cuomo has reinterpreted an executive directive, enabling him to receive about $890,000 from people he has appointed to state boards. [A Murder, a Conviction and a Never-Ending Case]( [A Murder, a Conviction and a Never-Ending Case]( By ALAN FEUER Fifteen years after a college student was found shot five times in a quiet Brooklyn neighborhood, the circumstances of his death remain muddled. And a man convicted in the killing remains in limbo. [Nanny Case Is a Parent’s Nightmare, Too Horrifying to See Up Close]( Big City [Nanny Case Is a Parent’s Nightmare, Too Horrifying to See Up Close]( By GINIA BELLAFANTE A best-selling French novel based on the story of a nanny accused of killing two children offers a picture of motherhood that may be too close to home. For more New York news, go to [NYTimes.com/NewYork »]( [] Real Estate [Comparing Suburbs: Montclair in New Jersey vs. Dobbs Ferry in New York]( [Comparing Suburbs: Montclair in New Jersey vs. Dobbs Ferry in New York]( By BROOKE LEA FOSTER Once you have decided it’s time to move out of the city, how do you figure out which suburb will suit you best? [I Can See New York From My House!]( Right at Home [I Can See New York From My House!]( By RONDA KAYSEN City dwellers who decamp to the suburbs want to believe that they won’t be that far from the city, but commuting realities often prove them wrong. [Buying Art Doesn’t Have to Be Intimidating: Yes, There’s an App]( The Fix [Buying Art Doesn’t Have to Be Intimidating: Yes, There’s an App]( By MICHELLE HIGGINS How would that Monet look in your living room? Check your phone. For more real estate news, go to [NYTimes.com/RealEstate »]( [] Travel [Family, Meet My Old Love: Saigon]( Personal Journeys [Family, Meet My Old Love: Saigon]( By MATT GROSS Twenty years after my first visit to the Vietnamese city, would the people I love most love the land I love most? [At the Mouth of the Mississippi, a Weird and Fragile Beauty]( Cultured Traveler [At the Mouth of the Mississippi, a Weird and Fragile Beauty]( By JENNIFER MOSES In southern Louisiana, where the Mississippi River meets the Gulf of Mexico, the land is barely land at all, but rather, mere fingers of earth, marsh and mist. [Most Sunscreens Can Harm Coral Reefs. What Should Travelers Do? ]( Trending [Most Sunscreens Can Harm Coral Reefs. What Should Travelers Do?]( By ELAINE GLUSAC Avoiding non-biodegradable sunscreen may be the one solution to coral bleaching travelers have the most immediate and direct influence over. For more travel news, go to [NYTimes.com/Travel »]( [] Fashion & Style [Thank You for Asking]( [Thank You for Asking]( By KATHERINE ROSMAN Young people are radically changing how we think about violence, consent and gender. Antioch College is where much of the conversation started. [Actress Heather Graham Turns From #MeToo to Toil and Trouble]( [Actress Heather Graham Turns From #MeToo to Toil and Trouble]( By CLAIRE COGHLAN In her directorial debut, “Half Magic,” women fight misogyny in Hollywood with witchcraft. [A Future Without Him, Aided by Duct Tape]( Modern Love [A Future Without Him, Aided by Duct Tape]( By KATHLEEN VOLK MILLER A month into widowhood, a young mother finds herself to be the sole protector of her children — and a trapped bird. For more fashion news, go to [NYTimes.com/Fashion »]( [] Magazine [The Case Against Google]( Feature [The Case Against Google]( By CHARLES DUHIGG Critics say the search giant is squelching competition before it begins. Should the government step in? [What Happens When Athletes Do the Sportswriting?]( Feature [What Happens When Athletes Do the Sportswriting?]( By AMOS BARSHAD The Players’ Tribune, a pet project of Derek Jeter’s, allows the stars to tell their own stories. It’s occasionally great — but is it journalism? [The Elder Statesman of Latin American Literature — and a Writer of Our Moment]( Feature [The Elder Statesman of Latin American Literature — and a Writer of Our Moment]( By MARCELA VALDES Mario Vargas Llosa isn’t a household name among American readers. But at 81, he remains a literary and political colossus across the Spanish-speaking world, and his novels have never felt more relevant. For more magazine news, go to [NYTimes.com/Magazine »]( [] Obituaries [Peggy Cooper Cafritz, Patron of Black Artists, Dies at 70]( [Peggy Cooper Cafritz, Patron of Black Artists, Dies at 70]( By PENELOPE GREEN Also a civil rights activist and educator, she championed African and African-American art, building a collection and then rebuilding it after a fire. [David Zwick, a Leading Clean-Water Advocate, Dies at 75]( [David Zwick, a Leading Clean-Water Advocate, Dies at 75]( By NEIL GENZLINGER His work as one of “Nader’s raiders” helped bring about the Clean Water Act of 1972, and he helped found the advocacy group Clean Water Action. For more Obituaries, go to [NYTimes.com/Obituaries »]( [] Editorial [Let Cities Open Safe Injection Sites]( Editorial [Let Cities Open Safe Injection Sites]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD State and local governments should pass laws to protect facilities that help curb overdose deaths, in the face of the Trump administration’s threats. [The Afrofuturism Behind ‘Black Panther’]( Editorial Observer [The Afrofuturism Behind ‘Black Panther’]( By BRENT STAPLES The film, which had a wildly successful first week at the box office, draws inspiration from a movement of black artists imagining possible futures. For more opinion, go to [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( [] Op-Ed [This Snake Can’t Shed His Skin]( Op-Ed Columnist [This Snake Can’t Shed His Skin]( By MAUREEN DOWD A grim reptilian fable about a leader who’s not able. [I Was a Marine. I Don’t Want a Gun in My Classroom.]( Opinion [I Was a Marine. I Don’t Want a Gun in My Classroom.]( By ANTHONY SWOFFORD The presence of a firearm is always an invitation to violence. [Real Men Get Rejected, Too]( Contributing Op-Ed Writer [Real Men Get Rejected, Too]( By MOISES VELASQUEZ-MANOFF We need to free boys from shame, and teach them that masculinity isn’t about domination. [Sasha Cohen: An Olympian’s Guide to Retiring at 25]( Opinion [Sasha Cohen: An Olympian’s Guide to Retiring at 25]( By SASHA COHEN One thing I have learned is that the rules for life are different from the rules for sports. For more opinion, go to [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( Follow NYTimes [Facebook] [FACEBOOK]( [Twitter] [@NYTimes]( [Pinterest] [Pinterest]( [Instagram] [Instagram]( Get more [NYTimes.com newsletters »]( | Get unlimited access to NYTimes.com and our NYTimes apps. [Subscribe »]( ABOUT THIS EMAIL This is an automated email. Please do not reply directly to this email from NYTimes.com. You received this message because you signed up for NYTimes.com's Today's Headlines newsletter. [Unsubscribe]( | [Manage Subscriptions]( | [Change Your Email]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Contact]( | [Advertise]( Copyright 2017 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018