Today's Headlines: Russian Spy or Hustling Political Operative? The Enigmatic Figure at the Heart of Mueller’s Inquiry

Some Aid From Brazil Pierces Venezuela’s Blockade, but Deadly Violence Erupts 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]( Sunday, February 24, 2019 IN THIS EMAIL: [Top News](#0) | [Editors' Picks](#2) | [Today’s Videos](#3) | [World](#4) | [U.S.](#5) | [Politics](#6) | [Business](#7) | [Sports](#8) | [Arts](#9) | [Movies](#10) | [New York](#11) | [Magazine](#12) | [Travel](#13) | [Real Estate](#14) | [Fashion & Style](#15) | [Editorial](#16) | [Op-Ed](#17) | [CUSTOMIZE »]( [] Top News [Russian Spy or Hustling Political Operative? The Enigmatic Figure at the Heart of Mueller’s Inquiry]( [Russian Spy or Hustling Political Operative? The Enigmatic Figure at the Heart of Mueller’s Inquiry]( By KENNETH P. VOGEL and ANDREW E. KRAMER Konstantin V. Kilimnik is central to two of the most tantalizing elements in the special counsel’s investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. [Some Aid From Brazil Pierces Venezuela’s Blockade, but Deadly Violence Erupts]( [Some Aid From Brazil Pierces Venezuela’s Blockade, but Deadly Violence Erupts]( By NICHOLAS CASEY, ALBINSON LINARES and ANATOLY KURMANAEV In a showdown with the Maduro government, Venezuela’s opposition managed to get a small truckload of supplies in from Brazil, but elsewhere its effort appeared stalled. [Inside the Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme]( [Inside the Rise and Fall of a Multimillion-Dollar Airbnb Scheme]( By LUIS FERRÉ-SADURNÍ Multiple misleading identities, more than 100 host accounts and 18 corporations were created to run an illegal hotel business in Manhattan, according to a lawsuit filed by the city. 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 [In 1969, or 2019, Sailing Round the World Alone Is Vexing]( Sports [In 1969, or 2019, Sailing Round the World Alone Is Vexing]( By CHRIS MUSELER Last July, the 17 sailors began the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race in France. Two made it back there for the finish. Only three are still racing. [Waiting for the Trump-Kim Nobel Peace Prize]( Opinion [Waiting for the Trump-Kim Nobel Peace Prize]( By NICHOLAS KRISTOF The American and North Korean leaders’ delusions about getting the prize may improve their work on a nuclear deal. [] Today’s Videos [Scenes From Venezuela: Violence Erupts at Border]( [[Video]Video: Scenes From Venezuela: Violence Erupts at Border]( By AINARA TIEFENTHÄLER Venezuelan security forces and protesters faced off in the border town of Ureña as locals tried to clear a path for humanitarian aid to enter the country from Colombia. [] World [Amid Brexit Strains, Anglo-Irish Relations Are ‘Fraying’]( [Amid Brexit Strains, Anglo-Irish Relations Are ‘Fraying’]( By KIMIKO de FREYTAS-TAMURA As the debate grinds toward a climax, Ireland is getting a familiar feeling: “The British,” as one person said, “are about to kick us in the teeth again.” [ISIS Cases Raise a Question: What Does It Mean to Be Stateless?]( [ISIS Cases Raise a Question: What Does It Mean to Be Stateless?]( By MEGAN SPECIA Some countries want to strip Islamic State volunteers of their citizenship. Here is a look at what it means to be a person without a country. [Saudi Arabia Names a Princess as Ambassador to Washington]( [Saudi Arabia Names a Princess as Ambassador to Washington]( By BEN HUBBARD The appointment of Princess Reema bint Bandar bin Sultan comes amid tensions with Washington over the killing of the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi. For more world news, go to [NYTimes.com/World »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] U.S. [From Screen to Scorn: For Jussie Smollett, a Life of Arts and Activism Is Upended]( [From Screen to Scorn: For Jussie Smollett, a Life of Arts and Activism Is Upended]( By JACK HEALY, MICHAEL COOPER, SERGE F. KOVALESKI and ALYSSA SCHUKAR Given the actor’s long history in show business and political causes, it is all the more baffling to friends that he would risk so much. [The Political Playbook of a Bankrupt California Utility]( [The Political Playbook of a Bankrupt California Utility]( By THOMAS FULLER and IVAN PENN Despite evidence that PG&E was responsible for repeated safety violations and involved in deadly wildfires, lawmakers have continued to benefit from its political donations. [‘The Monsters Are the Men’: Inside a Thriving Sex Trafficking Trade in Florida]( [‘The Monsters Are the Men’: Inside a Thriving Sex Trafficking Trade in Florida]( By PATRICIA MAZZEI Beyond the connection to figures like Robert Kraft lies the wretched story of women who officials say were forced to work in alarming conditions. For more U.S. news, go to [NYTimes.com/US »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Politics [Health Care and Insurance Industries Mobilize to Kill ‘Medicare for All’]( [Health Care and Insurance Industries Mobilize to Kill ‘Medicare for All’]( By ROBERT PEAR Doctors, hospitals, drug companies and insurers have a simple message: The Affordable Care Act works reasonably well and should be improved, not repealed or replaced with a big new public program. [Sentencing Memo Paints Manafort as Someone Who ‘Repeatedly and Brazenly’ Broke Law]( [Sentencing Memo Paints Manafort as Someone Who ‘Repeatedly and Brazenly’ Broke Law]( By SHARON LaFRANIERE The special counsel’s team said the fact that Paul Manafort lied to prosecutors after agreeing to cooperate “reflects a hardened adherence to committing crimes and lack of remorse.” [Justice Democrats Helped Make Ocasio-Cortez. They’re Already Eyeing Their Next Targets.]( [Justice Democrats Helped Make Ocasio-Cortez. They’re Already Eyeing Their Next Targets.]( By EMILY COCHRANE The small grass-roots organization wants to replace more centrist Democrats with liberal candidates — and that has made some lawmakers uneasy. For more political news, go to [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [] Business [The Shutdown Made Sara Nelson Into America’s Most Powerful Flight Attendant]( [The Shutdown Made Sara Nelson Into America’s Most Powerful Flight Attendant]( By NATALIE KITROEFF A rising star of the labor movement, she’s made a career of getting unruly people to do what she wants. [China’s Entrepreneurs Are Wary of Its Future]( The New New World [China’s Entrepreneurs Are Wary of Its Future]( By LI YUAN Behind the scenes, businesspeople worry that Beijing has become more interested in solidifying its control over people’s lives than promoting economic growth. [Made on the Inside, Worn on the Outside]( [Made on the Inside, Worn on the Outside]( By ELIZABETH PATON and ANDREA ZARATE Brands are using prison labor to provide inmates with jobs and training. But is it possible — and ethical — to build a profitable fashion business behind bars? For more business news, go to [NYTimes.com/Business »]( [] Sports [Kikkan Randall’s Year: Olympic Glory Followed by Chemotherapy]( [Kikkan Randall’s Year: Olympic Glory Followed by Chemotherapy]( By CHRISTOPHER CLAREY and ALANA PATERSON A year ago, she won the first American gold medal in cross-country skiing. Then she found out she had breast cancer. [TV Sports Anchors’ Predicament in the Age of Social Media: Their News Is Not New]( [TV Sports Anchors’ Predicament in the Age of Social Media: Their News Is Not New]( By ALEX WONG Anchors like Scott Van Pelt from ESPN’s “SportsCenter” are trying to find fresh ways to draw audiences now that Twitter and Instagram have broken TV’s stranglehold on highlights. [After Hitting Rock Bottom, the Orioles Turn to Data, and a New G.M.]( On Baseball [After Hitting Rock Bottom, the Orioles Turn to Data, and a New G.M.]( By TYLER KEPNER After a 47-115 disaster last season, the Orioles hired Mike Elias from the Astros for a complete rebuild. First step: embracing analytics. For more sports news, go to [NYTimes.com/Sports »]( [] Arts [An Autograph Seeker, a Birthday Girl, a Hairdresser: Prosecutors Say All Were Victims of R. Kelly]( [An Autograph Seeker, a Birthday Girl, a Hairdresser: Prosecutors Say All Were Victims of R. Kelly]( By ROBERT CHIARITO and ELIZABETH A. HARRIS Documents released on Saturday revealed details of the 10 sex abuse charges that could send the R&B singer to prison. He was ordered held on $1 million bond. [Thirty Years Later, Heidi Schreck Has Some Amendments]( [Thirty Years Later, Heidi Schreck Has Some Amendments]( By ALEXIS SOLOSKI The playwright and star of “What the Constitution Means to Me” visits the Founding Fathers and talks about breaking up with their creation. [Glenda Jackson and Adam Driver: Performers With a License to Rage]( [Glenda Jackson and Adam Driver: Performers With a License to Rage]( By BEN BRANTLEY In “King Lear” and “Burn This,” the stars have volcanic roles in productions that required patience to come together. For more arts news, go to [NYTimes.com/Arts »]( [] Movies [The Best Oscar Week Speeches You Didn’t See]( The Carpetbagger [The Best Oscar Week Speeches You Didn’t See]( By KYLE BUCHANAN Melissa McCarthy, Regina Hall and Glenn Close won over the crowds at the Women in Film and Essence awards parties. [Why Hasn’t Sofia Coppola Gotten the Respect an Auteur Deserves?]( Streaming [Why Hasn’t Sofia Coppola Gotten the Respect an Auteur Deserves?]( By J. HOBERMAN She has the awards but is rarely mentioned alongside major filmmakers. Perhaps that’s because, as her streaming features show, her subjects are privileged. For more movies news, go to [NYTimes.com/Movies »]( [] New York [The Private School vs. the Radical Priest]( [The Private School vs. the Radical Priest]( By ALEX VADUKUL When the Spence School tore down a parking garage to build a new athletic facility, it found the remnant of an old orphanage. It also discovered Father Boniface Ramsey. [A Multimillion-Dollar Payday, at the Carwash]( [A Multimillion-Dollar Payday, at the Carwash]( By TRACY TULLIS Wage-theft cases are notoriously hard to prove, and they almost never pay out. But for some of the most marginalized laborers in the city, justice was served. [The New Speakeasy: Cocktails in a Stranger’s Kitchen]( [The New Speakeasy: Cocktails in a Stranger’s Kitchen]( By LAURA PARKER He is a tour guide by day and mixologist by night. She is a photographer with a knack for snacks. Together, they are offering a new way to drink with strangers. For more New York news, go to [NYTimes.com/NewYork »]( [] Magazine [Loneliness Is Bad for Your Health. An App May Help.]( Well [Loneliness Is Bad for Your Health. An App May Help.]( By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS A specific approach to mindfulness may increase sociability. [Can I Turn Down Family Requests for Money?]( The Ethicist [Can I Turn Down Family Requests for Money?]( By KWAME ANTHONY APPIAH The magazine’s Ethicist columnist on managing the monetary demands of impecunious relatives, a tax-dodging boss and more. [The Meaning of the Scene: When Pelosi Clapped at Trump]( Screenland [The Meaning of the Scene: When Pelosi Clapped at Trump]( By WESLEY MORRIS The internet is great at rooting out and freeze-framing interpersonal drama. It has become downright masterful during the Trump era, our critic writes. For more magazine news, go to [NYTimes.com/Magazine »]( [] Travel [Bonaire: Where Coral and Cactus Thrive, and the Sea Soothes the Soul]( [Bonaire: Where Coral and Cactus Thrive, and the Sea Soothes the Soul]( By NINA BURLEIGH In a dying reef world, the writer explores the underwater bliss of a little Caribbean island that is showing the world just how to save coral. [Taos Had History and Mystique, but Few Skiers. Can a New Owner Change That?]( [Taos Had History and Mystique, but Few Skiers. Can a New Owner Change That?]( By BIDDLE DUKE With a $300 million investment and upgraded amenities, the New Mexico ski area was attempting a revival without losing its soul. A fatal avalanche tested that effort even further. [Rediscovering the World of ‘Blue Highways’]( personal essay [Rediscovering the World of ‘Blue Highways’]( By RICH COHEN A 1982 memoir of an American road-trip remains relevant in a GPS world. For more travel news, go to [NYTimes.com/Travel »]( [] Real Estate [Buying Abroad, With a Logo]( [Buying Abroad, With a Logo]( By MARCELLE SUSSMAN FISCHLER A growing number of home buyers are choosing to live in corporate-branded communities, with companies from Marriott to Porsche ready to greet them. [New Zealand Locks the Doors From the Inside]( [New Zealand Locks the Doors From the Inside]( By V. L. HENDRICKSON After watching home prices rise by 60 percent in a decade, the country decided to ban foreigners from buying property. Will it work? [She Loves Her Stuff. He Has Little and Cares Less.]( What I Love [She Loves Her Stuff. He Has Little and Cares Less.]( By JOANNE KAUFMAN The musician Ingrid Michaelson and the actor Will Chase have very different ideas about material possessions. And that works out just fine. For more real estate news, go to [NYTimes.com/RealEstate »]( [] Fashion & Style [It Was the Hottest Oscar Night Party. What Happened?]( [It Was the Hottest Oscar Night Party. What Happened?]( By KATHERINE ROSMAN and BROOKS BARNES Vanity Fair has ruled the roost, but its guest list is bloated by corporate sponsorships. And now there’s competition from Jay-Z. [The San Vicente Bungalows: Hollywood’s New Clubhouse]( [The San Vicente Bungalows: Hollywood’s New Clubhouse]( By GUY TREBAY Jeff Klein’s latest hotel project protects celebrities and power brokers with a ban on cameraphones. [Uptown, Sackler Protests. Downtown, a Sackler Fashion Line.]( [Uptown, Sackler Protests. Downtown, a Sackler Fashion Line.]( By MATTHEW SCHNEIER LBV Care of Joss Sackler, a new collection from a member of the family that owns Purdue Pharma, debuted during New York Fashion Week. For more fashion news, go to [NYTimes.com/Fashion »]( [] Editorial [What’s Green? What’s New? What’s the Deal?]( [What’s Green? What’s New? What’s the Deal?]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD A dream? Maybe. But it’s better than the climate nightmare we’re living. For more opinion, go to [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( [] Op-Ed [Can Peer Pressure Defeat Trump?]( news analysis [Can Peer Pressure Defeat Trump?]( By AMY CHOZICK In 2020, Democrats need millennials to turn out. Vote shaming apps can help. [Why Celibacy Matters]( [Why Celibacy Matters]( By ROSS DOUTHAT How the critique of Catholicism changes and yet remains the same. [Uncle Joe’s Family Web]( Op-Ed Columnist [Uncle Joe’s Family Web]( By MAUREEN DOWD As Joe Biden ponders bid, he once again confronts painful family complexities. 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. 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