The Evening: Special counsel moves to drop Trump cases

Also, Israel is nearing a decision on a Lebanon cease-fire.

View in browser|nytimes.com November 25, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. A move to drop Trump's criminal cases A possible cease-fire deal in Lebanon Plus, tips for Thanksgiving travel Jack Smith, the special counsel who investigated and charged Donald Trump. Doug Mills/The New York Times Special counsel sought dismissal of federal cases against Trump Jack Smith, the special counsel who charged Donald Trump with 44 criminal counts across a pair of felony cases, asked two separate courts today to drop the charges against the president-elect. Within hours, one of the cases was dismissed. In both filings, Smith said that the move was a necessity because of the Justice Department's policy that it is unconstitutional to prosecute sitting presidents. He made clear that it had nothing to do with the strength of the cases. Smith had accused Trump of illegally plotting to subvert the 2020 election and unlawfully holding on to scores of classified documents after he left the White House in 2021. Judge Tanya Chutkan, who oversaw the election case, officially dismissed the proceeding today. "This is all but the final nail in the coffin," my colleague Alan Feuer, who covered the Trump cases, told me. "Smith is acknowledging that prosecutors won't be able to keep the cases going with Trump set to return to the White House." Smith and his team are planning to complete their work, and file a final report, in the next two months. The president-elect had vowed to fire Smith within "two seconds" of taking office and to launch investigations into the prosecutors who pursued him along with other perceived enemies. However, Smith did not definitively close the door on the prosecutions. In both filings, his requests were for dismissals "without prejudice," leaving open the possibility that the charges might be refiled after Trump leaves office for the second time. In other politics news: Trump has tapped billionaire financiers to help him deliver on his promise to boost the economy for blue-collar workers. Natalie Harp, a 33-year-old former far-right cable host, is poised to become the primary conveyor belt for information to and from the president. Trump is keeping secret the names of the donors who are funding his transition effort, a break from tradition. Senator Mitch McConnell, the outgoing Republican leader, is planning to focus on issues that could put him at odds with Trump. Gov. Gavin Newsom said California would fill the void if Trump ended the electric vehicle tax credit. In California's heartland, some Latino migrants support Trump's immigration policies. Democrats are soul-searching in the Southern battlegrounds. The aftermath of Israeli airstrikes in Beirut, Lebanon, today.  Diego Ibarra Sanchez for The New York Times Israel is nearing a decision on a Lebanon cease-fire Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is planning to meet with his cabinet tomorrow to discuss whether to agree to a truce in Lebanon, where Israeli troops have been fighting Hezbollah. Netanyahu has signaled that he is open to a cease-fire, officials said, but he is seeking clearer assurances on how Israel could restart the fighting if Hezbollah breaks the agreement. U.S. officials have been putting pressure on Israel to finalize a deal before Thanksgiving. Under the latest proposal, Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon within 60 days, while Hezbollah would move north, farther from the Israeli border. In other news from the region, the United Arab Emirates said it had arrested three Uzbek nationals in connection with the kidnapping and murder of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi. John Taggart for The New York Times Macy's said an employee hid millions in expenses Macy's announced today that one of its employees, who was responsible for small-package delivery accounting, had "intentionally" misstated up to $154 million in expenses over the past few years. The error caused the retailer to delay its full third-quarter earnings report — which Wall Street analysts have long used to gauge the strength of holiday shopping. Macy's rushed to release an abridged set of financial results, which were a mixed bag. Jeenah Moon for The New York Times What's going on with all these food recalls? There has been a barrage of bad news about food. Ten people died after eating Boar's Head deli meat; more than 100 people were sickened in an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's burgers; and a recent poll found that public confidence in the government's handling of food safety was at a record low. A closer examination shows a more complicated picture. The food supply has become safer, but not as much as experts had hoped. One factor: Americans are eating more ready-to-eat food that they don't wash or cook themselves. More top news Pakistan: Thousands of protesters marched on Islamabad, defying a lockdown, to demand the release of Imran Khan, the jailed former prime minister. Haiti: Many embassies and international aid organizations, including Doctors Without Borders, are suspending operations after a surge in gang violence. Education: Universities have seen just under 950 protest events this semester so far, compared with 3,000 last semester, after the imposition of stricter rules. Sports: A San Jose State volleyball player at the center of a storm over transgender athletes can continue to compete on the women's team, a judge said. Lithuania: A DHL cargo plane crashed in a residential area near Vilnius Airport, killing one person on board. Washington: The District of Columbia's attorney general sued an anti-police activist, saying he had spent funds for the Raheem AI charity on himself. New York: A former dancer sued the music and dance company Shen Yun, accusing it of trafficking vulnerable children to work for little to no pay. Tech: An A.I.-generated granny unveiled this month by the British phone company O2 is meant to combat scammers by wasting their time. Lives Lived: Barbara Taylor Bradford, a best-selling novelist whose rags-to-riches story mirrored those of many of her resilient heroines, died at 91. TIME TO UNWIND Nicolás Ortega Ease your flight worries with preparation It seems like almost everyone is traveling this week for Thanksgiving. Even Peach and Blossom, the turkeys that President Biden pardoned today, are making a 1,100-mile journey, from Washington to Minnesota. For some nervous flyers, the crowds only make holiday travel more stressful. So my colleague Jancee Dunn talked to doctors who treat pilots to gather some tips. They emphasized the power of preparation: If you get motion sickness, book a seat over the wing. For more: Here's how to avoid the worst of the travel delays. Gukesh Dommaraju, left, and Ding Liren in Singapore today. Roslan Rahmanroslan Rahman/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Chess might soon have its youngest-ever champion The chess world championship, which began today in Singapore, is a battle between two competitors on starkly different paths. Ding Liren of China, the 32-year-old reigning champion, has recently struggled on and off the board. His 18-year-old challenger, Gukesh Dommaraju of India, is a rising superstar. In a surprise, Ding won the first game. But if Gukesh is able to come back and win the match, a best-of-14 face-off, he would become the youngest world champion in history — breaking a record set by the chess great Garry Kasparov. The Lady Jaguars during a game in 2012. Ruth Fremson/The New York Times Dinner table topics The Lady Jaguars: The Times followed a basketball team of troubled teenage girls in 2012 and 2013. We checked back in with them. Embracing white bread: After years of sourdough dominance, bakers are going back to basics. Cormac McCarthy: A long-held secret about the author is now public. Will it alter his legacy? Dream destination: Borneo is home to some of the world's strangest creatures. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT David Malosh for The New York Times Cook: This stuffing with cornbread and brown butter is a nice and easy Thanksgiving side. Watch: "Midnight Family" is a fresh and energetic medical drama. Read: Our critic recommended four great new crime novels. Focus: Here's how to concentrate like a Formula 1 driver. Style: Looking for a good riding boot? Start here. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all our games here. ONE LAST THING LA County Fair The art of competitive table setting This week, millions of American families will set their tables for Thanksgiving. For some state and county fair competitors, it's the kind of project they think about all year long. They call it tablescaping. At the Los Angeles County Fair, where tablescaping is especially over the top, the contestants have four hours to create their meticulous designs. "People think it's trivial," one competitor said. "But I take the idea of getting everything right and respecting the sport very seriously." Check out some of this year's entries. Have an artistic evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Philip Pacheco was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. 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