Today's Headlines: Trump’s Lawyers, in Confidential Memo, Argue to Head Off a Historic Subpoena

A Courtside View of Scott Pruitt’s Cozy Ties With a Billionaire Coal Baron 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, June 3, 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) | [Magazine](#13) | [Travel](#14) | [Real Estate](#15) | [Fashion & Style](#16) | [Obituaries](#17) | [Editorial](#18) | [Op-Ed](#19) | [CUSTOMIZE »]( [] Top News [Trump’s Lawyers, in Confidential Memo, Argue to Head Off a Historic Subpoena]( [Trump’s Lawyers, in Confidential Memo, Argue to Head Off a Historic Subpoena]( By MICHAEL S. SCHMIDT, MAGGIE HABERMAN, CHARLIE SAVAGE and MATT APUZZO The legal memo takes an expansive view on the president’s authority. Lawyers argued that, as president, Mr. Trump has the power to end investigations. [A Courtside View of Scott Pruitt’s Cozy Ties With a Billionaire Coal Baron]( [A Courtside View of Scott Pruitt’s Cozy Ties With a Billionaire Coal Baron]( By STEVE EDER, HIROKO TABUCHI and ERIC LIPTON The E.P.A. chief, who has reversed Obama-era rules on coal mining, enjoyed a superfan experience at a University of Kentucky basketball game — courtesy of an industry executive. [Trump Veers to a Korea Plan That Echoes Failures of the Past]( News Analysis [Trump Veers to a Korea Plan That Echoes Failures of the Past]( By MARK LANDLER and DAVID E. SANGER President Trump has vowed not to repeat the errors of his predecessors, but his apparent softening on North Korea resembles approaches taken by Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. 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 [Blood Will Tell, Part 2: Did Faulty Evidence Doom Joe Bryan?]( Magazine [Blood Will Tell, Part 2: Did Faulty Evidence Doom Joe Bryan?]( By PAMELA COLLOFF The murder conviction rested largely on a technique still in use throughout the criminal-justice system, despite concerns about its reliability. [The Californization of America]( Opinion [The Californization of America]( By STEVE KETTMANN Increasingly, the state sets the national agenda. But in the age of Trump, will its progressive politics unite or divide? [] QUOTATION OF THE DAY "If I got to lose 200 or 300 grand to keep the kids and the future of this place, so be it." [ROB WELSH]( a homeowner in a Vancouver suburb who would like to see prices fall so younger people could afford to buy a house. [] Today’s Videos [Palestinian Medic Killed by Israeli Soldiers at Gaza Protest]( [[Video]Video: Palestinian Medic Killed by Israeli Soldiers at Gaza Protest]( By YOUSUR AL-HLOU, NEIL COLLIER and IYAD ABUHEWEILA Razan al-Najjar, 20, was trying to help an injured protester near the border fence when she was fatally shot by Israeli soldiers, witnesses say. Last month, she spoke to The Times about the challenges she faced as a female medical volunteer. [A Year in Media Apologies]( [[Video]Video: A Year in Media Apologies]( By AINARA TIEFENTHÄLER and ROBIN STEIN Crude jokes, slurs, offensive words — here are some of the high-profile TV personalities who have apologized for controversial statements over the past year. [How Trump Is Using the Power to Pardon]( [[Video]Video: How Trump Is Using the Power to Pardon]( By ADAM LIPTAK, SARAH STEIN KERR and NATALIE RENEAU The president has pardoned political allies and prominent figures whom he said were treated unfairly by prosecutors. The Times’s Supreme Court reporter, Adam Liptak, looks at how this compares with the actions of previous presidents. ADVERTISEMENT [] World [In Vancouver, a Housing Frenzy That Even Owners Want to End]( [In Vancouver, a Housing Frenzy That Even Owners Want to End]( By CONOR DOUGHERTY Facing a crisis of affordability, officials are trying to reduce real estate demand through a package of tax measures, some aimed at foreign buyers. [As Taboos Break Down, Iranians Party On]( [As Taboos Break Down, Iranians Party On]( By THOMAS ERDBRINK Laws governing personal behavior are being roundly ignored, particularly in the exploding business of providing Western-style weddings. [Gay in India, Where Progress Has Come Only With Risk]( [Gay in India, Where Progress Has Come Only With Risk]( By KAI SCHULTZ A colonial law that criminalizes gay sex, Section 377, is up for review. But its long use as a cover for blackmail and assault has created lasting fear. For more world news, go to [NYTimes.com/World »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] U.S. [Puerto Rico’s Schools Are in Tumult, and Not Just Because of Hurricane Maria]( [Puerto Rico’s Schools Are in Tumult, and Not Just Because of Hurricane Maria]( By PATRICIA MAZZEI Student enrollment dropped after the storm, forcing a new wave of school closings and raising fears that even more families will flee the island. [Trump Plan to Lower Drug Prices Could Increase Costs for Some Patients]( By ROBERT PEAR Beneficiaries might see higher out-of-pocket costs if drugs are moved from one part of Medicare to another. [Why Are the Death Tolls in Puerto Rico From Hurricane Maria So Different?]( [Why Are the Death Tolls in Puerto Rico From Hurricane Maria So Different?]( By SHERI FINK A guide to the widely varying estimates and what accounts for their differences. For more U.S. news, go to [NYTimes.com/US »]( [] Politics [California Governor’s Race Forces Candidates to Face the Past]( [California Governor’s Race Forces Candidates to Face the Past]( By ADAM NAGOURNEY, SYDNEY EMBER and ALEXANDER BURNS Gavin Newsom and Antonio Villaraigosa, the leading Democratic contenders in Tuesday’s primary must contend with Jerry Brown’s long shadow and voters’ memories of past indiscretions. [Senate Republicans Are Newly Hopeful About the Midterms. For Good Reason.]( [Senate Republicans Are Newly Hopeful About the Midterms. For Good Reason.]( By JONATHAN MARTIN The G.O.P.’s preferred candidates are running or winning in several states, and potential problems have been averted. Some Republicans now see Senate gains, not losses, in November. [Never Mind the News Media: Politicians Test Direct-to-Voter Messaging]( [Never Mind the News Media: Politicians Test Direct-to-Voter Messaging]( By SYDNEY EMBER Bernie Sanders is holding live-streamed town hall events, while others have started podcasts or even their own local news sites, bypassing traditional media. For more political news, go to [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [] Business [How Marc Jacobs Fell Out of Fashion]( [How Marc Jacobs Fell Out of Fashion]( By STEVEN KURUTZ In recent years, Mr. Jacobs has left Louis Vuitton, shrunk his own business, shut dozens of stores and lost his longtime business partner. And what’s happening with that I.P.O.? [Free Cash to Fight Income Inequality? California City Is First in U.S. to Try]( [Free Cash to Fight Income Inequality? California City Is First in U.S. to Try]( By PETER S. GOODMAN Long plagued by poverty and desperation, Stockton, Calif., is testing universal basic income as a means of improving the lives of its residents. [‘I Don’t Feel Superhuman. I Feel Like a Mom Who Has a Career.’]( [‘I Don’t Feel Superhuman. I Feel Like a Mom Who Has a Career.’]( By CECILIA KANG Rebecca Slaughter, a new commissioner at the F.T.C., brings her infant to work in Washington, a city whose work culture has been stubbornly slow to change. For more business news, go to [NYTimes.com/Business »]( [] Technology [Want Michael Lewis’s Next Book? You’ll Have to Listen to It.]( Books News [Want Michael Lewis’s Next Book? You’ll Have to Listen to It.]( By ALEXANDRA ALTER A growing group of successful authors, including Michael Lewis and Robert Caro, are releasing audio originals, hoping to take advantage of the exploding audiobook market. [Katrina Lake of Stitch Fix on Building Diverse Teams]( Corner Office [Katrina Lake of Stitch Fix on Building Diverse Teams]( By DAVID GELLES While working at a venture capital firm, Ms. Lake saw that many entrepreneurs were “totally unqualified, totally normal people.” That inspired her to be one herself. Bits [Kevin’s Week in Tech: Pity the Tech B-List]( By KEVIN ROOSE There seems to be a growing rift between the largest tech companies — Apple, Amazon, Google, Facebook and Microsoft — and the rest of the industry. Our tech columnist explains. For more technology news, go to [NYTimes.com/Technology »]( [] Sports [A Baseball Binge With Small-Town Charm]( [A Baseball Binge With Small-Town Charm]( By RICHARD ROSENBLATT and ALEX GOODLETT Every spring for the last 60 years, Grand Junction, Colo., has embraced the junior college Division I World Series. [Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova to Reboot a Rivalry After Life Intervened]( On Tennis [Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova to Reboot a Rivalry After Life Intervened]( By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY Williams and Sharapova will meet in the fourth round of the French Open on Monday in their first matchup since the 2016 Australian Open. Since then, Sharapova served a long suspension and Williams had a child. [Why Do the Warriors Dominate the 3rd Quarter? Consider Their Halftime Drill]( [Why Do the Warriors Dominate the 3rd Quarter? Consider Their Halftime Drill]( By MARC STEIN and SCOTT CACCIOLA The Warriors outscored opponents by 130 points in the 3rd quarter this postseason. How they spend intermission may explain why. For more sports news, go to [NYTimes.com/Sports »]( [] Arts [Mom-Coms Latch On to the Raw Reality of New Motherhood]( [Mom-Coms Latch On to the Raw Reality of New Motherhood]( By ALEXIS SOLOSKI Series like “The Letdown,” “Motherland,” “SMILF” and “Catastrophe” are part of a new crop of comedies that find humor (and aches) in depictions of new mothers. [A Memorial to the Lingering Horror of Lynching]( Critic’s Notebook [A Memorial to the Lingering Horror of Lynching]( By HOLLAND COTTER The powerful National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Alabama is meant to perturb, not console — and to encourage truth-telling far and wide. [Andrew Garfield and Stephen Spinella Trade Emails on Their Famed ‘Angels in America’ Role]( [Andrew Garfield and Stephen Spinella Trade Emails on Their Famed ‘Angels in America’ Role]( By SCOTT HELLER The two actors, who have never met, share insights on understanding the character of Prior Walter and how to maintain the stamina to play him. For more arts news, go to [NYTimes.com/Arts »]( [] New York [Gentrification’s Empty Victory]( [Gentrification’s Empty Victory]( By ALLEGRA HOBBS Squatters turned an abandoned schoolhouse into a thriving arts center. Then it was sold to a developer, who evicted the tenants. Nearly two decades later, the building remains vacant. [Flip-Flops for the Greater Good]( [Flip-Flops for the Greater Good]( By ALYSON KRUEGER Tidal New York, which manufactures stylish flip-flops out of a factory in New Rochelle, employs military veterans and uses a process that leaves almost zero waste. [The Exacting Art of Saxophone Repair]( Character Study [The Exacting Art of Saxophone Repair]( By COREY KILGANNON In Perry Ritter’s tiny saxophone repair shop in Midtown Manhattan, prominent jazz musicians mix with a menagerie of sculptures Mr. Ritter makes from sax parts. For more New York news, go to [NYTimes.com/NewYork »]( [] Magazine [The ‘Sex Cult’ That Preached Empowerment]( Feature [The ‘Sex Cult’ That Preached Empowerment]( By VANESSA GRIGORIADIS Why did female members of Nxivm follow a guru named Keith Raniere, who now stands accused of sex trafficking? He made them feel like they were in control. [Who Killed the Kiev Protesters? A 3-D Model Holds the Clues]( At War [Who Killed the Kiev Protesters? A 3-D Model Holds the Clues]( By MATTATHIAS SCHWARTZ A team of civilian investigators used cellphone videos, autopsy reports and surveillance footage to reconstruct a virtual crime scene. [Who Gets to Decide What Belongs in the ‘Canon’?]( First Words [Who Gets to Decide What Belongs in the ‘Canon’?]( By WESLEY MORRIS With cultural hierarchies under reconstruction, traditionalists and dissenters alike are frantically defending their views of what counts as art. For more magazine news, go to [NYTimes.com/Magazine »]( [] Travel [Colliders, Sundials and Wonder: When Science Is Your Destination]( Pursuits [Colliders, Sundials and Wonder: When Science Is Your Destination]( By PETER KUJAWINSKI At CERN in Switzerland and Fermilab in Illinois, there is always a sense of discovery — about the past, present and future. [On Eating Alone in Paris]( Cultured Traveler [On Eating Alone in Paris]( By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM Why should a meal on our own be uninspired or scarfed down as if consumed on the shoulder of an interstate highway? The joys of a table for one. [Is Land Tourism Threatening the Galápagos?]( Update [Is Land Tourism Threatening the Galápagos?]( By SHIVANI VORA Revenue from tourism has helped protect parks on the islands, tour operators say, but they are worried that popular land-based trips could harm beaches and wildlife. For more travel news, go to [NYTimes.com/Travel »]( [] Real Estate [Finding Your First Apartment]( [Finding Your First Apartment]( By KIM VELSEY The New York City rental market can be brutal: Rents are high and landlords demand a ton of financial documentation. What is your rental story? [Slow-Walking Your Renovation]( The Fix [Slow-Walking Your Renovation]( By MICHELLE HIGGINS Overwhelmed by the idea of a major remodel? As one homeowner discovered, all you need to do is take it one room at a time. [When the Landlord Tries to Break Up With You]( Renters [When the Landlord Tries to Break Up With You]( By KIM VELSEY Two roommates in Washington Heights changed course when their landlord said they had to move out so their apartment could be sliced up and renovated. For more real estate news, go to [NYTimes.com/RealEstate »]( [] Fashion & Style [He Fixes the Worst P.R. Crises Imaginable. Then Came Harvey Weinstein.]( [He Fixes the Worst P.R. Crises Imaginable. Then Came Harvey Weinstein.]( By ABBY AGUIRRE Michael Sitrick built his career on helping the rich and powerful deflect damaging headlines. There was no spinning this. [52 Hours at Breakup Boot Camp]( [52 Hours at Breakup Boot Camp]( By MOLLY OSWAKS A getaway for those of us who just can’t get over it. [When Neither Male Nor Female Seems to Fit]( Modern Love [When Neither Male Nor Female Seems to Fit]( By CLAIRE RUDY FOSTER What happens when a transgender person, who fantasizes about having an androgynous body, falls for a straight man who loves female curves? For more fashion news, go to [NYTimes.com/Fashion »]( [] Obituaries [José Hawilla, 74, Central Figure in Soccer Scandal, Dies]( [José Hawilla, 74, Central Figure in Soccer Scandal, Dies]( By RICHARD SANDOMIR A prominent Brazilian sports marketing executive, he admitted bribing soccer officials to buy the media and marketing rights to major tournaments. [Ella Brennan, Grande Dame Restaurateur of New Orleans, Dies at 92]( [Ella Brennan, Grande Dame Restaurateur of New Orleans, Dies at 92]( By RICHARD SANDOMIR She could not cook and never wanted to, but she was the matriarch of restaurant royalty in a city famous for its food. [Jens Christian Skou, Nobel Winner for Chemistry, Dies at 99]( [Jens Christian Skou, Nobel Winner for Chemistry, Dies at 99]( By KATIE THOMAS Dr. Skou is best known for his discovery in 1957 of a key mechanism in cells that forms the basis for many important functions of the body. For more Obituaries, go to [NYTimes.com/Obituaries »]( [] Editorial [The Crazy Talk About Bringing Back Asylums]( [The Crazy Talk About Bringing Back Asylums]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Mental institutions won’t meet the need for community care, better coverage and sensible commitment standards. [The First Rule of Fund-Raising: Show Up]( [The First Rule of Fund-Raising: Show Up]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Mayor de Blasio’s wife, Chirlane McCray, hasn’t spent much time running New York’s nonprofit agency. It’s the least she could do. For more opinion, go to [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( [] Op-Ed [Stop Calling Women Hormonal]( [Stop Calling Women Hormonal]( By RANDI HUTTER EPSTEIN Literally every human being is hormonal. Without hormones we couldn’t function. [The Millionaires Are Fleeing. Maybe You Should, Too.]( Contributing Op-Ed Writer [The Millionaires Are Fleeing. Maybe You Should, Too.]( By RUCHIR SHARMA Wealthy people are often the first to ship their money to safer havens abroad. That can be a leading indicator of when a country is in trouble. [Betsy DeVos Loves Charter Schools. That’s Bad for Charter Schools.]( [Betsy DeVos Loves Charter Schools. That’s Bad for Charter Schools.]( By CONOR P. WILLIAMS How are teachers devoted to combating racism supposed to deal with being embraced by the Trump administration? [No One Really Understands the South]( [No One Really Understands the South]( By ALEXIS OKEOWO Will it turn purple in November? To figure it out, we have to let go of some Southern stereotypes. 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