Today's Headlines: Wall Street, Seeking Big Tax Breaks, Sets Sights on Distressed Main Streets

Inside a Fly-by-Night Operation to Harvest Ballots in North Carolina View in [Browser]( | Add nytdirect@nytimes.com to your address book. [The New York Times]( [Most Popular]( | [Video]( | Subscribe: [Digital /]( [Home Delivery]( [My Account]( [The New York Times]( Thursday, February 21, 2019 IN THIS EMAIL: [Top News](#0) | [Editors' Picks](#2) | [Today’s Videos](#3) | [World](#4) | [U.S.](#5) | [Politics](#6) | [Business](#7) | [Technology](#8) | [Sports](#9) | [Arts](#10) | [New York](#11) | [Media & Advertising](#12) | [T Magazine](#13) | [Obituaries](#14) | [Editorial](#15) | [Op-Ed](#16) | [CUSTOMIZE »]( [] Top News [Wall Street, Seeking Big Tax Breaks, Sets Sights on Distressed Main Streets]( [Wall Street, Seeking Big Tax Breaks, Sets Sights on Distressed Main Streets]( By MATTHEW GOLDSTEIN and JIM TANKERSLEY Hedge funds and other wealthy investors are plowing money into so-called opportunity zone funds, a creation of the 2017 tax law that provides incentives for spending on projects in poor areas. [Inside a Fly-by-Night Operation to Harvest Ballots in North Carolina]( [Inside a Fly-by-Night Operation to Harvest Ballots in North Carolina]( By ALAN BLINDER With a congressional seat in the balance, sworn testimony this week has illuminated the inner workings of an amateurish operation that paid workers to collect absentee ballots. [Jussie Smollett Faces Felony Charge, Accused of Faking Own Assault]( [Jussie Smollett Faces Felony Charge, Accused of Faking Own Assault]( By SOPAN DEB The “Empire” actor was accused of staging the assault he reported as a hate crime to Chicago police in January. For more top news, go to [NYTimes.com »]( ADVERTISEMENT [Get New York Today in Your Inbox]( [Get New York Today in Your Inbox]( What you need to know to start your day in New York, including news, weather, free events and a look at the lighter side of life. [Sign up »]( [] Editors' Picks [White House Panel Will Study Whether Climate Change Is a National Security Threat. It Includes a Climate Denialist.]( Climate [White House Panel Will Study Whether Climate Change Is a National Security Threat. It Includes a Climate Denialist.]( By CORAL DAVENPORT The Pentagon and federal intelligence agencies have said that climate change is a threat. Now, the White House is planning a panel to study whether that is true. [Miami Battles Rising Seas]( Opinion [Miami Battles Rising Seas]( By BAN KI-MOON and FRANCIS SUAREZ In 2017, voters agreed to finance adaptation efforts through property taxes. Now the first phase of those projects is underway. [] Today’s Videos [Scores Rally Against Anti-Semitism in France]( [[Video]Video: Scores Rally Against Anti-Semitism in France]( By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS France’s major political parties and Jewish groups organized rallies across the country in response to a recent surge in anti-Semitic acts, including the desecration of a Jewish cemetery. [Putin Doubles Down on Threats Against the U.S.]( [[Video]Video: Putin Doubles Down on Threats Against the U.S.]( By REUTERS In his annual state-of-the-nation speech, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia warned that if American missiles were deployed in Europe, Russia would aim its weapons at those missiles and at targets in the U.S. [How the Spittlebug Builds Its Bubbly Fortress]( [[Video]Video: How the Spittlebug Builds Its Bubbly Fortress]( By JAMES GORMAN and CHRISTOPHER WHITWORTH Spittlebugs feed on plant sap and then excrete bubbly foam to create a protective fortress around themselves. Later, they emerge as adult froghoppers. [] World [Venezuelans Fleeing Crisis Face Desperate Hike to 12,000 Feet]( [Venezuelans Fleeing Crisis Face Desperate Hike to 12,000 Feet]( By NICHOLAS CASEY and JENNY CAROLINA GONZÁLEZ Venezuela’s economic crisis has set off a staggering exodus, with more than three million people leaving the country in recent years — largely on foot. [Church Sex Abuse Survivors Want Reform Now. Here’s Why That Might Not Happen.]( [Church Sex Abuse Survivors Want Reform Now. Here’s Why That Might Not Happen.]( By JASON HOROWITZ As church leaders convene at the Vatican, they say that a diversity of views and legal and cultural barriers around the world, as well as denial, make one global standard impossible. [Alabama Woman Who Joined ISIS Can’t Return Home, U.S. Says]( [Alabama Woman Who Joined ISIS Can’t Return Home, U.S. Says]( By RUKMINI CALLIMACHI and ALAN YUHAS Hoda Muthana says she regrets going to Syria to join the Islamic State. But President Trump directed Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to deny her re-entry. For more world news, go to [NYTimes.com/World »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] U.S. [Supreme Court Limits Police Powers to Seize Private Property]( [Supreme Court Limits Police Powers to Seize Private Property]( By ADAM LIPTAK and SHAILA DEWAN Civil forfeiture laws, a popular way to raise revenue, have been the subject of criticism across the political spectrum. [Coast Guard Officer Plotted to Kill Democrats and Journalists, Prosecutors Say]( [Coast Guard Officer Plotted to Kill Democrats and Journalists, Prosecutors Say]( By DAVE PHILIPPS A cache of weapons was recovered from the home of Christopher P. Hasson, a Coast Guard lieutenant and self-described white nationalist. A court filing called him a domestic terrorist. For more U.S. news, go to [NYTimes.com/US »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Politics [On Health Care, 2020 Democrats Find Their First Real Fault Lines]( News Analysis [On Health Care, 2020 Democrats Find Their First Real Fault Lines]( By ALEXANDER BURNS On one side of the debate, Bernie Sanders promises a single-payer revolution. On the other, Amy Klobuchar and Sherrod Brown are calling for incremental change. [Trump Cultivates a Kindred Spirit From a Continent He Often Antagonizes]( White House Memo [Trump Cultivates a Kindred Spirit From a Continent He Often Antagonizes]( By MARK LANDLER President Trump hosted Chancellor Sebastian Kurz of Austria on Wednesday at the White House. They have a shared appeal to nationalism and determination to crack down on immigration. [How So Many Violent Felons Are Allowed to Keep Their Illegal Guns]( [How So Many Violent Felons Are Allowed to Keep Their Illegal Guns]( By RICHARD A. OPPEL Jr. Experts say the number of people who are barred from owning guns but have them may reach into the millions. A workplace shooting last week demonstrates the system’s failures. For more political news, go to [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [] Business [Huawei Risks to Britain Can Be Blunted, U.K. Official Says, in a Rebuff to U.S.]( [Huawei Risks to Britain Can Be Blunted, U.K. Official Says, in a Rebuff to U.S.]( By ADAM SATARIANO A top security official outlined an alternative approach to the Trump administration’s call to keep the Chinese company Huawei out of 5G networks. [Fed Explains Pause as Officials Debate Future Rate Increases]( [Fed Explains Pause as Officials Debate Future Rate Increases]( By JIM TANKERSLEY The Fed released minutes of its January meeting showing officials continued to express confidence in the economy but saw enough warning signs to warrant a pause in rate increases. [French Court Fines UBS $4.2 Billion for Helping Clients Evade Taxes]( [French Court Fines UBS $4.2 Billion for Helping Clients Evade Taxes]( By LIZ ALDERMAN The banking giant said it would appeal the ruling, which found that lavish perks had been used to entice wealthy French clients into opening Swiss accounts. For more business news, go to [NYTimes.com/Business »]( [] Technology [What’s Next for Smartphones? Here Are a Few Answers]( Tech Fix [What’s Next for Smartphones? Here Are a Few Answers]( By BRIAN X. CHEN For a glimpse of what’s coming, look to Samsung’s newly unveiled Galaxy phones. One of the models works with 5G wireless networks, while another folds up like a book. [How an App Creates ‘Disturbingly Agile Millennial Thumbs’]( Tech We’re Using [How an App Creates ‘Disturbingly Agile Millennial Thumbs’]( By ISABELLA KWAI Isabella Kwai, a reporter in Australia, rarely takes notes on paper anymore and instead uses her iPhone. She can still look sources in the eye while typing. [Tesla’s Top Lawyer Is Leaving. His Tenure at the Company: Two Months.]( [Tesla’s Top Lawyer Is Leaving. His Tenure at the Company: Two Months.]( By NEAL E. BOUDETTE The departure, one of dozens by senior executives in recent years, is the latest turbulence in the months since federal regulators sued the carmaker. For more technology news, go to [NYTimes.com/Technology »]( [] Sports [In Don Newcombe, Baseball Got Its First Black Ace]( Keeping Score [In Don Newcombe, Baseball Got Its First Black Ace]( By BENJAMIN HOFFMAN Just four years after Major League Baseball’s integration, Newcombe won 20 games for the Dodgers. That was the start of an extraordinary club. [With or Without Bryce Harper, the Phillies Like Their Winter Haul]( On Baseball [With or Without Bryce Harper, the Phillies Like Their Winter Haul]( By TYLER KEPNER All of Philadelphia, and baseball, is seemingly holding its breath to see if Harper signs with the Phillies. But if he goes elsewhere, the team is still much improved. [Aaron Judge Enters Camp Smiling, as Usual, and Healthy, for a Change]( [Aaron Judge Enters Camp Smiling, as Usual, and Healthy, for a Change]( By JAMES WAGNER Judge, the Yankees’ star slugger, was derailed by a wrist injury last season. But now, he says, “it feels like it never even happened.” For more sports news, go to [NYTimes.com/Sports »]( [] Arts [The Obama Presidential Library That Isn’t]( [The Obama Presidential Library That Isn’t]( By JENNIFER SCHUESSLER The Obama Presidential Center in Chicago won’t include a research library and archive. To some historians, that’s a problem. [He Sounds Just Like Freddie Mercury. And That’s Good for Business.]( [He Sounds Just Like Freddie Mercury. And That’s Good for Business.]( By GAVIN EDWARDS Marc Martel never thought his vocal resemblance to the Queen frontman “would amount to anything more than a fun karaoke trick.” It’s taken him to “Bohemian Rhapsody” and beyond. [Time’s Up a Year Later: Hollywood Women Test Their Clout]( [Time’s Up a Year Later: Hollywood Women Test Their Clout]( By CARA BUCKLEY Its legal fund has helped 100 lower-wage workers. But then the group couldn’t stop the hiring of an animation chief accused of unwanted touching. For more arts news, go to [NYTimes.com/Arts »]( [] New York [Man Dies After Subway Train Drags Him Into Tunnel]( [Man Dies After Subway Train Drags Him Into Tunnel]( By JAMES BARRON and LUIS FERRÉ-SADURNÍ The 39-year-old man apparently became caught as a Queens-bound subway train pulled out of the station at Grand Central Terminal, witnesses said. [A Police Funeral in a Quiet Harbor Town Brings a Sea of Blue]( [A Police Funeral in a Quiet Harbor Town Brings a Sea of Blue]( By ALI WATKINS Officers from across the country flocked to Hampton Bays, where they said goodbye to New York Detective Brian Simonsen, who was killed in the line of duty. For more New York news, go to [NYTimes.com/NewYork »]( [] Media & Advertising [Advertisers Boycott YouTube After Pedophiles Swarm Comments on Videos of Children]( [Advertisers Boycott YouTube After Pedophiles Swarm Comments on Videos of Children]( By DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI and SAPNA MAHESHWARI Google said it had deleted the accounts and channels of people leaving the comments in question, but acknowledged “there’s more to be done.” [Trump Attacks The Times, in a Week of Unease for the American Press]( [Trump Attacks The Times, in a Week of Unease for the American Press]( By MICHAEL M. GRYNBAUM and EILEEN SULLIVAN President Trump did not cite a specific article in his Twitter post, but it came a day after a Times report describing his attempts to undermine investigations around him. [Russian Hackers Targeted European Research Groups, Microsoft Says]( [Russian Hackers Targeted European Research Groups, Microsoft Says]( By KAREN WEISE The attacks, which come ahead of elections in May, reflect the spread of a broad online campaign linked to Moscow to disrupt its political opponents. For more media & advertising news, go to [NYTimes.com/Media »]( [] T Magazine [The Last Designer]( [The Last Designer]( By VANESSA FRIEDMAN Why the death of Karl Lagerfeld really does signal the end of an era. [New York City to Ban Discrimination Based on Hair]( [New York City to Ban Discrimination Based on Hair]( By STACEY STOWE New guidelines out this week give legal recourse to individuals who have been harassed, punished or fired because of the style of their hair. [Duckie Thot Is Breaking Beauty Barriers]( Skin Deep [Duckie Thot Is Breaking Beauty Barriers]( By BEE SHAPIRO The model has some things to say about inclusivity. And bubble masks. And wigs! For more on T Magazine, go to [NYTimes.com/TMagazine »]( [] Obituaries [Guy Webster, Master of the Album Cover Photograph, Dies at 79]( [Guy Webster, Master of the Album Cover Photograph, Dies at 79]( By RICHARD SANDOMIR Mr. Webster captured memorable images of the Rolling Stones, the Doors, Simon & Garfunkel, the Mamas & the Papas and numerous others. [U Tin, Burmese Slide Guitar Master, Dies at 87]( [U Tin, Burmese Slide Guitar Master, Dies at 87]( By MIKE IVES and SAW NANG Mr. Tin adapted a Western instrument to express the richness of Burmese music, including folk tunes, royal court music and movie songs. [Edward F. Zigler, an Architect of Head Start, Dies at 88]( [Edward F. Zigler, an Architect of Head Start, Dies at 88]( By SAM ROBERTS The Yale psychologist helped design the preschool program in the 1960s and was the first permanent head of the Office of Child Development. [Bibi Ferreira, Grande Dame of Brazilian Stage, Dies at 96]( [Bibi Ferreira, Grande Dame of Brazilian Stage, Dies at 96]( By DANIEL E. SLOTNIK Ms. Ferreira, who kept singing well into her 90s, brought Broadway musicals to Brazil and made the music of Édith Piaf and Frank Sinatra her own. [Kiyoshi Koyama, Prominent Japanese Jazz Journalist, Dies at 82]( [Kiyoshi Koyama, Prominent Japanese Jazz Journalist, Dies at 82]( By GIOVANNI RUSSONELLO As the editor of his country’s leading jazz magazine, he documented the music’s development. As a producer of archival albums, he helped document its past. [David Forden, C.I.A. Handler in Cold War Intrigue, Dies at 88]( [David Forden, C.I.A. Handler in Cold War Intrigue, Dies at 88]( By SAM ROBERTS He cultivated a colonel in the Polish high command whose warnings may have staved off a Soviet incursion. They were later neighbors in Florida. [Dr. Theodore Rubin, High-Profile Psychoanalyst, Is Dead at 95]( [Dr. Theodore Rubin, High-Profile Psychoanalyst, Is Dead at 95]( By BENEDICT CAREY Dr. Rubin was a public face of psychotherapy and a prolific author whose novel “Lisa and David” was the basis of the popular movie “David and Lisa.” For more Obituaries, go to [NYTimes.com/Obituaries »]( [] Editorial [Rapists Presented by Their Church as Men of God]( [Rapists Presented by Their Church as Men of God]( By NICHOLAS KRISTOF Southern Baptist leaders ignored the wrongdoing. An all-male clergy is part of the problem. [Trump’s Idea of a Middle East Nuclear Deal]( [Trump’s Idea of a Middle East Nuclear Deal]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Ignore conflicts of interest and legal safeguards. For more opinion, go to [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( [] Op-Ed [The Myth of the Border Wall]( [The Myth of the Border Wall]( By GREG GRANDIN Where the American frontier once symbolized perennial rebirth, President Trump’s signature project now looms like a national tombstone. [A Better Path to Universal Health Care]( [A Better Path to Universal Health Care]( By JAMIE DAW The United States should look to Germany, not Canada, for the best model. 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. 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