Today's Headlines: U.S. Takes Sharper Tone on Russia's Role in Syria

[After Campaign Exit, Manafort Borrowed From Businesses With Trump Ties]( | View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. | [Unsubscribe]( [The New York Times]( [Most Popular]( | [Video]( | [Today's Headlines]( Thursday, April 13, 2017 IN THIS EMAIL [NYT] [World](#worldNews) | [U.S.](#nationalNews) | [Politics](#politicsNews) | [Business](#businessNews) | [Technology](#technologyNews) | [Sports](#sportsNews) | [Arts](#artsNews) | [N.Y./Region](#nyregionNews) | [Fashion & Style](#dailyFeatureNews) | [Today's Video](#videoNews) | [Obituaries](#obituaries) | [Editorials](#editorialsNews) | [Op-Ed](#opinionNews) | [On This Day](#onthisdayNews) | [CUSTOMIZE »]( Top News [President Trump met with Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO secretary general, in the Oval Office on Wednesday.]( [U.S. Takes Sharper Tone on Russia's Role in Syria]( By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS and DAVID E. SANGER President Trump's hopes for an alliance faded as he and his administration publicly chastised President Vladimir V. Putin. [Paul Manafort's transactions raise a number of questions, including whether his decision to turn to lenders connected to Donald J. Trump was related to his role in the campaign.]( [After Campaign Exit, Manafort Borrowed From Businesses With Trump Ties]( By MIKE McINTIRE A shell company created by Paul Manafort the same day he left the presidential campaign quickly received $13 million in loans from the businesses. [A sign in Istanbul asks for yes votes on Sunday in a referendum that would expand the powers of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey, who is pictured on the sign.]( [Turkey in Turmoil and Chaos Since Purge Aimed at Dissenters]( By PATRICK KINGSLEY The government has fired or suspended about 130,000 people suspected of being dissidents from the public and private sectors since a coup attempt last summer. For more top news, go to [NYTimes.com »]( [Get the Morning Briefing in Your Inbox]( What you need to know to start your day, delivered Monday through Friday. [Sign up »]( ADVERTISEMENT Editors' Picks [Lula, a bear from the zoo in Mosul, after arriving at an animal rehabilitation shelter in Jordan.]( WORLD [Lula and Simba, Last Surviving Animals at Mosul Zoo, Have Been Rescued]( By RANA F. SWEIS Lula, a bear, and Simba, a lion, were taken to a wildlife shelter in Jordan after being saved from their home, which was severely damaged in battles for control of the city. OPINION | Op-Ed | Arthur C. Brooks [Can the G.O.P. Turn Back the Tide of Town Hall Anger?]( By ARTHUR C. BROOKS Members of Congress facing furious crowds could learn a lesson from social science and start treating protesters as individuals. QUOTATION OF THE DAY "The world's two foremost nuclear powers cannot have this kind of relationship." [REX W. TILLERSON]( the United States secretary of state, after meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia in Moscow. [] Today's Videos [[Video] Video: Video Shows Sacramento Officer Beating Pedestrian]( A video of a Sacramento police officer's violent encounter with a man who was allegedly jaywalking has prompted a criminal investigation. [A magnetic therapy area at Hundred Devils' Cave.]( [[Video] Video: Is This China's Fountain of Youth?]( With the number of older people on the rise in China, longevity-themed tourism is blossoming. Take a 360 tour of Bama County, where visitors breathe in the air that is said to have healing powers. [Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson with his Russian counterpart Sergey V. Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday.]( [[Video] Video: Tillerson: 'Low Level of Trust' Between U.S. and Russia]( Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson met with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia for two hours and discussed a range of issues on Wednesday. [] World [The United Nations Security Council voting on a draft resolution on Syria on Wednesday. The resolution won 10 votes, but Russia vetoed it, the eighth time the country has used its veto power to back the Syrian government.]( [Russia Vetoes U.N. Resolution Condemning Syria Chemical Attack]( By SOMINI SENGUPTA The resolution would have strengthened the ability of investigators to look into the attack that killed dozens of civilians. The United States blames Syria's president. [Flight operations on the United States aircraft carrier Carl Vinson last week. The Carl Vinson and other warships are heading toward the Korean Peninsula in an effort to deter the North from testing a nuclear weapon or launching missiles.]( [Xi and Trump Discuss Rising Tensions With North Korea]( By JANE PERLEZ A prominent Chinese state-run newspaper warned the North that it faced a cutoff of vital oil supplies if it dared test a nuclear weapon. [Dome-shaped pingos, mounds consisting of a layer of soil over a core of ice, in the permafrost in the Northwest Territories, Canada.]( [More Permafrost Than Thought May Be Lost as Planet Warms]( By HENRY FOUNTAIN A study suggests that as the planet warms toward 2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, each degree Celsius of warming will lead to the thawing of 1.5 million square miles of permafrost. For more world news, go to [NYTimes.com/World »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] U.S. [A page from ]( [James {NAME}'s Archive, Long Hidden, Comes (Mostly) Into View]( By JENNIFER SCHUESSLER The Schomburg Center in Harlem has bought this author's rich archive. But the private letters admirers have longed to read will largely remain under seal. [The Trump administration is moving to speed up the hiring of border agents, even as lawmakers are balking at paying for a wall.]( [To Detain More Immigrants, Trump Administration to Speed Border Hiring]( By VIVIAN YEE and RON NIXON The internal memo also says the administration wants to find space to detain thousands more immigrants and to speed deportation cases. [Traffic in New York City. Conservative groups want Scott Pruitt, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, to overturn a ruling known as the endangerment finding, which provides the legal foundation for the Obama administration's climate-change policies.]( [Scott Pruitt Faces Anger From Right Over E.P.A. Finding He Won't Fight]( By CORAL DAVENPORT Critics charge the agency's administrator should have challenged a legal finding that underpinned the Obama climate policies, but he refuses to budge. For more U.S. news, go to [NYTimes.com/US »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Politics [Judson Hill, a Republican candidate in Georgia's Sixth Congressional District, made calls at his campaign headquarters in Sandy Springs, an Atlanta suburb, on Tuesday.]( [Suburban G.O.P. Voters Sour on Party, Raising Republican Fears for 2018]( By ALEXANDER BURNS and JONATHAN MARTIN A narrower-than-expected victory in Kansas and an even tougher contest next week in Georgia are highlighting Republicans' troubles with affluent white voters. [Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump's chief strategist, during a meeting with President Xi Jinping of China at Mar-a-Lago in Florida last week.]( [Trump Undercuts Bannon, Whose Job May Be in Danger]( By JEREMY W. PETERS and MAGGIE HABERMAN President Trump said Mr. Bannon was not the chief strategist of his campaign victory, distancing himself from the contentious hard-right adviser who is increasingly isolated in the White House. [Carter Page, a former Trump campaign adviser, during an appearance in Moscow in December.]( [Court Approved Wiretap on Trump Campaign Aide Over Russia Ties]( By MATTHEW ROSENBERG and MATT APUZZO To get permission to wiretap Carter Page, an adviser to the Trump campaign, last summer, the Justice Department had to show probable cause that he was acting as a Russian agent. For more political news, go to [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [] Business [President Trump said he no longer wanted to label China a currency manipulator.]( [Trump Reversals Hint at Wall Street Wing's Sway in White House]( By ALAN RAPPEPORT Startling shifts on China and the Export-Import Bank and the possible reappointment of the chairwoman of the Federal Reserve show financiers may be gaining the upper hand over the populists. [Demonstrators in Manhattan on Wednesday called for Fox News to dismiss Bill O'Reilly.]( [The Murdochs Assess the O'Reilly Damage]( By EMILY STEEL and MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT Bill O'Reilly has left Fox News for a vacation while his employers decide whether they should force him from the network over sexual harassment accusations. [Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said of his comments favorably comparing Hitler to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria: ]( [Why 'Sorry' Is Still the Hardest Word]( By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM The representatives of United Airlines and the White House both found themselves grappling with the increasingly common ritual: the public apology. For more business news, go to [NYTimes.com/Business »]( [] Technology [United Airlines planes at San Francisco International Airport. Oscar Munoz, United's chief executive, offered an apology and pledged to review the airline's policies two days after a passenger was violently ejected from an overbooked flight.]( State of the Art [How Technology Has Failed to Improve Your Airline Experience]( By FARHAD MANJOO Silicon Valley prides itself on its capacity to upend entrenched industries. But airlines have eluded tech disruption. [.][United Grapples With PR Crisis Over Videos of Man Being Dragged Off Plane]( [Burger King 'O.K. Google' Ad Doesn't Seem O.K. With Google]( By SAPNA MAHESHWARI The commercial was a novel but potentially invasive marketing tactic that came as more Americans use voice-activated devices. [Ford's latest Lincoln Navigator is larger and more powerful than its predecessor, while aiming squarely at car owners seeking luxury features.]( [Bigger, Faster, More Lavish: Americans Crave S.U.V.s, and Carmakers Oblige]( By BILL VLASIC At the New York International Auto Show, powerful sport-utility vehicles are at center stage, a sign of the continuing shift away from traditional passenger cars. For more technology news, go to [NYTimes.com/Technology »]( [] Sports [Is Russell Westbrook's Season the Best Ever? Some Apples and Oranges to Pick From]( By THE NEW YORK TIMES Westbrook's rather outrageous regular season must be considered the single greatest season by any athlete ever, right? No? Here are some other contenders. [Edwin Encarnacion of the Indians being introduced before Cleveland's home opener against the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. The Chief Wahoo logo could not be seen anywhere on the stadium building or on the field, but it was on the players' jerseys and caps.]( [Commissioner Starts to Press Cleveland Indians About Logo]( By DAVID WALDSTEIN In a statement, Rob Manfred was said to have expressed a desire "to transition away from the Chief Wahoo logo," a smiling caricature the team uses that many find offensive. [Washington Capitals center Jay Beagle stealing the puck from the Calgary Flames' Johnny Gaudreau in a game last month in Washington.]( [Capitals See Players Behind the Stars as Keys to Playoff Success]( By TOM WORGO Goals contributed by players like Jay Beagle, a fourth-line center, will make the difference. That's the hope, anyway. For more sports news, go to [NYTimes.com/Sports »]( [] Arts [The Exil Ensemble, at the Gorki Theater in Berlin, has opened a new play based on the actors' lives. From left, Karim Daoud, Hussein Al Shatheli, Maryam Abu Khaled, Ayham Majid Agha, Kenda Hmeidan and Mazen Aljubbeh.]( [Turning Traumatic Arrivals Into Art: Exiles Form a Theater Troupe]( By RACHEL DONADIO Young actors from war-torn nations have created Exil Ensemble at the Gorki Theater in Berlin. Now they are starring in a play based on their lives. [Marge Hendrick, center; Jamiel Laurence, left; and other members of Scottish Ballet in ]( [Review: Scottish Ballet Finds the Poetry in ... Poetry]( By ALASTAIR MACAULAY The company's debut season in New York, at the Joyce Theater, includes an unusual dance - to Dylan Thomas poems read by the actor Richard Burton. [Robert Ryman in his studio, New York, 1998. He has explored the subtleties of white and of the square for decades.]( [Robert Ryman, Minimalist Master, Donates Trove to Dia Art Foundation]( By RANDY KENNEDY The painter Robert Ryman is giving 21 of his works, a mini-survey of his career, to Dia. The paintings will remain in rooms of their own, as arranged by the artist. For more arts news, go to [NYTimes.com/Arts »]( [] New York [Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam at the Court of Appeals in Albany last year.]( [Sheila Abdus-Salaam, Judge on New York's Top Court, Is Found Dead in Hudson River]( By MATTHEW HAAG and WILLIAM K. RASHBAUM Judge Abdus-Salaam, who joined the State Court of Appeals in 2013, was pulled from the river by the police on Wednesday afternoon. [Hillary Clinton praised Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo's tuition initiative on Wednesday during an event at LaGuardia Community College in Queens.]( [Cuomo Adopts a Middle-Class Mantra]( By JESSE McKINLEY Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York has been supplementing his liberal political portfolio with ideas that have broader appeal such as his so-called free-tuition plan. [Arturo Di Modica, the sculptor who created ]( [Wounded by 'Fearless Girl,' Creator of 'Charging Bull' Wants Her to Move]( By JAMES BARRON The sculptor Arturo Di Modica said Wall Street's bronze girl, meant to symbolize female empowerment, distorts the meaning of his work. For more New York news, go to [NYTimes.com/NewYork »]( [] Fashion & Style [Jeff Koons, who is collaborating with Louis Vuitton, in his studio on West 29th Street in Manhattan.]( [Jeff Koons's New Line]( By VANESSA FRIEDMAN The artist's latest project: a metaphysical meditation on the eternal in the form of bags. His collaborator is Louis Vuitton. [John Dean, left, and Salman Rushdie at the Library Hotel during a cocktail event hosted by the Ethics Center of Australia.]( Encounters [John Dean, Who Worked for Nixon, Sizes Up Trump]( By LAURA M. HOLSON Mr. Dean, an expert on the abuses of presidential power, pays a visit to the Trump Grill. [Hillary Clinton and Katy Perry during a campaign-related concert in Philadelphia in November.]( On the Runway [Hillary Clinton, Shoe Model?]( By VANESSA FRIEDMAN The former presidential candidate steps out in Katy Perry's collection, and now the resistance knows what to wear on its feet. For more fashion news, go to [NYTimes.com/Fashion »]( []Obituaries [Dorothy Mengering and her son, David Letterman, at his alma mater, Ball State University, for the dedication of the David Letterman Communication and Media Building, in 2007.]( [Dorothy Mengering, David Letterman's Mother and Comic Foil, Dies at 95]( By DANIEL E. SLOTNIK A white-haired avatar of small-town values who became a beloved regular on her son's shows, she showed off her pies and interviewed Hillary Clinton. [Frederick B. Lacey, United States attorney in New Jersey, talking to reporters outside Federal Court in Newark about numbers racket arrests in 1969.]( [Frederick B. Lacey, Who Prosecuted Corruption in New Jersey, Dies at 96]( By SAM ROBERTS Mr. Lacey won convictions against mayors, other public officials and Mafia members before becoming a judge whose cases included the French Connection trial. [Patricia McKissack and her husband, Frederick, shared a ]( [Patricia McKissack, Prolific Author Who Championed Black Heroes, Dies at 72]( By SAM ROBERTS Ms. McKissack looked for children's literature about black history and saw a void. So she filled it, writing more than 100 books. [Charlie Murphy, right, and his brother Eddie. In 2010, Charlie said that his choice to start a comedy career after his brother's success ]( [Charlie Murphy, 'Chappelle's Show' Star and Eddie's Brother, Dies at 57]( By MAYA SALAM Mr. Murphy is best known for a skit in which he would spoof himself, regaling viewers with stories of his encounters with celebrities like Rick James. For more obituaries, go to [NYTimes.com/Obituaries »]( [] Editorial Editorial [Mr. Trump's Fickle Diplomacy]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Russians thought they would have a pal in the White House, but relations between the two countries are as tense as ever. [Education Secretary Betsy Devos at the White House earlier this year.]( Editorial [Whose Side Is Betsy DeVos On?]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD At a time when student loan borrowers are suffering, they may lose federal protections. Editorial Notebook [Artist to 'Fearless Girl': I Need My Space]( By FRANCIS X. CLINES The confrontation of two sculptures in the Financial District has attracted delighted crowds, but the man behind one of the works is not amused. For more opinion, go to [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( [] Op-Ed [Sean Spicer speaking to reporters outside the White House on Tuesday.]( Op-Ed Columnist [Sean Spicer's Teeny Little Slip-Up]( By ANDREW ROSENTHAL All he did was make a bizarre and disgusting comparison between Assad and Hitler. Why is everyone so upset? Op-Ed | Linda Greenhouse [The Broken Supreme Court]( By LINDA GREENHOUSE Making a court vacancy a highly visible part of a Republican electoral strategy stamps the court as an electoral prize, pure and simple. Op-Ed Contributor [Is It Too Late for Turkey's Democracy?]( By ELMIRA BAYRASLI Whether this Sunday's referendum succeeds or fails, there's little hope for the country. For more opinion, go to [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( [] ON THIS DAY On April 13, 1970, Apollo 13, four-fifths of the way to the moon, was crippled when a tank containing liquid oxygen burst. (The astronauts managed to return safely.) [See this Front Page]( | [Buy this Front Page]( FOLLOW US: [Facebook] [Facebook]( | [Twitter] [@NYTimes]( | [Pinterest] [Pinterest]( | [Instagram] [Instagram]( [NYT]( Access The New York Times from anywhere with our suite of apps: [iPhone®]( | [iPad®]( | [Android]( | [All]( [.] Save 15% at [The NYTimes Store »]( [.] Have questions? 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