Today's Headlines: Michael Cohen Plans to Call Trump a ‘Con Man’ and a ‘Cheat’ in Congressional Testimony

United Methodists Tighten Ban on Same-Sex Marriage and Gay Clergy 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]( Wednesday, February 27, 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) | [New York](#10) | [Food](#11) | [Obituaries](#12) | [Editorial](#13) | [Op-Ed](#14) | [CUSTOMIZE »]( [] Top News [Michael Cohen Plans to Call Trump a ‘Con Man’ and a ‘Cheat’ in Congressional Testimony]( [Michael Cohen Plans to Call Trump a ‘Con Man’ and a ‘Cheat’ in Congressional Testimony]( By NICHOLAS FANDOS and MAGGIE HABERMAN Mr. Cohen is set to publicly testify before the House Oversight and Reform Committee on Wednesday. [United Methodists Tighten Ban on Same-Sex Marriage and Gay Clergy]( [United Methodists Tighten Ban on Same-Sex Marriage and Gay Clergy]( By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS and ELIZABETH DIAS The decision, opposed by progressive members of the church and gay and lesbian pastors, could ultimately splinter the church. [Seeking North Korea Deal, Trump Seems Willing to Ease U.S. Demands]( [Seeking North Korea Deal, Trump Seems Willing to Ease U.S. Demands]( By DAVID E. SANGER and CHOE SANG-HUN Arriving in Hanoi for a second meeting with Kim Jong-un, President Trump sounds as if he is retreating on his ambition to eliminate the North’s nuclear arsenal. 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 [Seeking a Fair Trial and a Voice in Sexual Assault Cases. For Victims.]( World [Seeking a Fair Trial and a Voice in Sexual Assault Cases. For Victims.]( By DAMIEN CAVE The justice system in Australia shrouds cases of sexual assault in secrecy even when victims want to speak out. [Can Trump Avoid Caving to Kim in Vietnam?]( Opinion [Can Trump Avoid Caving to Kim in Vietnam?]( By SUSAN E. RICE The United States can make progress toward reducing the North Korean nuclear threat if Mr. Trump is disciplined in his diplomacy. [] Today’s Videos [Venezuela Crisis: Hope and Aid Blocked at Border]( [[Video]Video: Venezuela Crisis: Hope and Aid Blocked at Border]( By NEIL COLLIER, ORLANDO DE GUZMAN and BEN LAFFIN As President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuala seeks to stay in power, we traveled to Cúcuta, Colombia, the site of a star-studded concert organized by Richard Branson and attempts by opposition forces to push humanitarian aid across the border. [] World [Britain Experiences Summer Temperatures on Hottest Winter Day]( [Britain Experiences Summer Temperatures on Hottest Winter Day]( By ANNA SCHAVERIEN A two-day run of unseasonable heat in Britain has broken records for the highest temperatures recorded in winter. [After India’s Strike on Pakistan, Both Sides Leave Room for De-escalation]( [After India’s Strike on Pakistan, Both Sides Leave Room for De-escalation]( By MARIA ABI-HABIB Amid the escalation of hostilities over an attack in Kashmir, the leadership of each country seemed to give itself a way out of pushing the conflict into war. [Where Kale Is King (at Least, When It’s Stewed in Schmaltz and Bacon)]( Germany Dispatch [Where Kale Is King (at Least, When It’s Stewed in Schmaltz and Bacon)]( By MELISSA EDDY Kale in a smoothie? Or a salad? Not in Germany’s north, where eating the leafy green is celebrated with hikes, parties and lots of animal fat. For more world news, go to [NYTimes.com/World »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] U.S. [Hillary Clinton Is Not a Candidate. She Looms Over 2020 Anyway.]( [Hillary Clinton Is Not a Candidate. She Looms Over 2020 Anyway.]( By SHANE GOLDMACHER and LISA LERER After being first lady, senator, secretary of state and a presidential nominee, Mrs. Clinton remains a singular figure in Democratic presidential politics. [Two African-American Women Are Headed for Runoff in Chicago’s Mayor Race]( [Two African-American Women Are Headed for Runoff in Chicago’s Mayor Race]( By JULIE BOSMAN, MITCH SMITH and MONICA DAVEY Bill Daley, a son of a Chicago mayor and a brother of another, conceded defeat on Tuesday night. Lori Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, led in votes. [Mark Harris, Tainted by Fraud Allegations, Will Not Run in New North Carolina Election]( [Mark Harris, Tainted by Fraud Allegations, Will Not Run in New North Carolina Election]( By ALAN BLINDER Mr. Harris cited his health and said he would not run in the new election in the Ninth District. Last year, his campaign funded a rogue voter-turnout effort. For more U.S. news, go to [NYTimes.com/US »]( ADVERTISEMENT [] Politics [House Votes to Block Trump’s National Emergency Declaration About the Border]( [House Votes to Block Trump’s National Emergency Declaration About the Border]( By EMILY COCHRANE The House easily voted on Tuesday to block President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the Mexican border, seeking to stop the diversion of funds to his wall. [Trump Undermines Top Trade Adviser as He Pushes for China Deal]( [Trump Undermines Top Trade Adviser as He Pushes for China Deal]( By ANA SWANSON Robert Lighthizer, the United States trade representative, must defend a trade pact that is shaping up to be less ambitious than he might once have hoped. [Democrats Issue Subpoenas on Trump’s Migrant Family Separations]( [Democrats Issue Subpoenas on Trump’s Migrant Family Separations]( By GLENN THRUSH House Democrats issued subpoenas to three cabinet officials, but administration officials did not immediately say whether they would comply. For more political news, go to [NYTimes.com/Politics »]( [] Business [China Shifts, and Detroit’s Big Bet Goes Sour]( [China Shifts, and Detroit’s Big Bet Goes Sour]( By KEITH BRADSHER and AILIN TANG Chrysler, Ford and General Motors saw a booming Chinese driving culture and cheap labor. Now the market is slowing, competition is rising and the Trump administration wants limits. [When the Bully Is the Boss]( Mind [When the Bully Is the Boss]( By BENEDICT CAREY Managers who aggressively “demand” excellence from their employees won’t necessarily produce it, researchers say. [U.S. Loses Appeal Seeking to Block AT&T-Time Warner Merger]( [U.S. Loses Appeal Seeking to Block AT&T-Time Warner Merger]( By EDMUND LEE and CECILIA KANG The federal government lost its second bid to halt the blockbuster transaction, which has already begun to reshape much of the media industry. For more business news, go to [NYTimes.com/Business »]( [] Sports [The Glamorous Existence of the World’s Greatest Shot-Putters]( [The Glamorous Existence of the World’s Greatest Shot-Putters]( By LINDSAY CROUSE Ryan Crouser and Joe Kovacs can heave a 16-pound ball farther than just about anyone else. Meanwhile, their lives have become track and field’s version of a buddy flick. [Pete Alonso Needs More Than Power to Claim His Spot With the Mets]( [Pete Alonso Needs More Than Power to Claim His Spot With the Mets]( By KEVIN ARMSTRONG Alonso, the Mets’ most intriguing prospect, has displayed rare ability at the plate, but his defense at first base may determine whether he makes the team. [Trading an Expectant Father? We’ve Seen Stranger]( [Trading an Expectant Father? We’ve Seen Stranger]( By VICTOR MATHER Someone was actually once traded for a bucket of baseballs. For more sports news, go to [NYTimes.com/Sports »]( [] Arts [Breaking Good: Shows Like ‘Russian Doll’ and ‘Barry’ Map Paths to Self-Improvement]( [Breaking Good: Shows Like ‘Russian Doll’ and ‘Barry’ Map Paths to Self-Improvement]( By AISHA HARRIS After so many shows celebrating difficult people, TV writers are re-instilling basic lessons in human decency you might have forgotten as an adult. [Daniel Barenboim Seemed Untouchable. Now He’s Accused of Bullying.]( [Daniel Barenboim Seemed Untouchable. Now He’s Accused of Bullying.]( By ALEX MARSHALL and CHRISTOPHER F. SCHUETZE Accusations against the star conductor raise questions about whether the era of the all-powerful maestro may be ending. [The Oscars Finds Its Way Through an Identity Crisis — for Now]( The Carpetbagger [The Oscars Finds Its Way Through an Identity Crisis — for Now]( By KYLE BUCHANAN After so many scrapped plans, the fact that the show found an appealing groove is encouraging. But the academy faces many unresolved questions. For more arts news, go to [NYTimes.com/Arts »]( [] New York [L.I.R.R. Collision: 3 Killed as 2 Trains Crash Into Car in Westbury]( [L.I.R.R. Collision: 3 Killed as 2 Trains Crash Into Car in Westbury]( By PATRICK McGEEHAN A railroad crossing in Nassau County turned into a chaotic disaster scene after a car swerved around gates and onto the tracks, where it was hit by the trains. [Jumaane Williams Wins Public Advocate Race in New York City]( [Jumaane Williams Wins Public Advocate Race in New York City]( By JEFFERY C. MAYS With a low turnout expected in the special election, many of the 17 candidates were given a chance to win, even a Republican. [Boost for Congestion Pricing in Manhattan as de Blasio Supports Cuomo Plan]( [Boost for Congestion Pricing in Manhattan as de Blasio Supports Cuomo Plan]( By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS and JESSE McKINLEY In a significant pivot, Mayor Bill de Blasio embraced Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s congestion-pricing proposal to fix the subway system. For more New York news, go to [NYTimes.com/NewYork »]( [] Food [For South Asian Cooks, Yogurt Starter Is an Heirloom]( [For South Asian Cooks, Yogurt Starter Is an Heirloom]( By PRIYA KRISHNA Homemade yogurt is central to South Asian cuisines, and home cooks hand down their distinctive starter cultures, wherever they are in the world. [Where the World’s Chefs Want to Eat]( [Where the World’s Chefs Want to Eat]( By JULIA MOSKIN Yardbird, in Hong Kong, mixes the polish of Tokyo’s favorite restaurants, the warmth of Sydney’s and the glamour of New York’s, with results that draw chefs from all over the globe. [Plague Water, Anyone? A Distillery Delves Into Medieval Mixology]( [Plague Water, Anyone? A Distillery Delves Into Medieval Mixology]( By CLAY RISEN Historians and craft liquor companies are collaborating to bring back recipes that began as medicines and ended up in punches and cocktails. For more food news, go to [NYTimes.com/Food »]( [] Obituaries [Seweryn Bialer, 92, Defector and Soviet Union Scholar, Dies]( [Seweryn Bialer, 92, Defector and Soviet Union Scholar, Dies]( By NEIL GENZLINGER An author who knew his subject firsthand from his years as an official in Communist Poland, he became a sought-after voice on Soviet affairs. [Fred Foster, Nashville Champion of Talent, Is Dead at 87]( [Fred Foster, Nashville Champion of Talent, Is Dead at 87]( By BILL FRISKICS-WARREN As a producer, a music publisher and the founder of Monument Records, he nurtured the early careers of Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton and Kris Kristofferson. [Brody Stevens, Comic Who Explored His Darker Side, Dies at 48]( [Brody Stevens, Comic Who Explored His Darker Side, Dies at 48]( By NEIL GENZLINGER His subject matter included his own struggles with depression, although he said he didn’t want to be known as “the guy who had this breakdown.” [Mark Bramble, Book Writer of Broadway’s ‘Barnum,’ Dies at 68]( [Mark Bramble, Book Writer of Broadway’s ‘Barnum,’ Dies at 68]( By DANIEL E. SLOTNIK Mr. Bramble was a Broadway jack-of-all-trades best known for his work on the books for “Barnum” and “42nd Street,” blockbuster musicals of the 1980s. [Jeffrey Hart, Influential and Iconoclastic Conservative, Is Dead at 88]( [Jeffrey Hart, Influential and Iconoclastic Conservative, Is Dead at 88]( By SAM ROBERTS He was an author, Republican speechwriter, National Review polemicist, Dartmouth Review provocateur and, to many, an antiwar apostate when he defected to Obama. [Perry Wolff, Award-Winning TV News Documentarian, Dies at 97]( [Perry Wolff, Award-Winning TV News Documentarian, Dies at 97]( By SAM ROBERTS For CBS News, he produced and wrote “Hunger in America,” “The Selling of the Pentagon” and, shown on three networks, Jacqueline Kennedy’s “A Tour of the White House.” [Jeraldine Saunders, Whose Book Begat ‘The Love Boat,’ Dies at 95]( [Jeraldine Saunders, Whose Book Begat ‘The Love Boat,’ Dies at 95]( By NEIL GENZLINGER She wrote a memoir about her work as a cruise director. The resulting TV series ran for 250 episodes and became a cultural touchstone. For more Obituaries, go to [NYTimes.com/Obituaries »]( [] Editorial [Birth Control Gets Caught Up in the Abortion Wars]( [Birth Control Gets Caught Up in the Abortion Wars]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD The Trump administration’s cruel new family planning rule threatens access to contraception and other health care for poor women. [A Breakthrough on the M.T.A.]( [A Breakthrough on the M.T.A.]( By THE EDITORIAL BOARD Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have a good plan to pay to fix the subways, but how it is carried out matters. For more opinion, go to [NYTimes.com/Opinion »]( [] Op-Ed [A.I. Still Needs H.I. (Human Intelligence), for Now]( [A.I. Still Needs H.I. (Human Intelligence), for Now]( By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN Chatbots and other computers are learning, but we still have skills they don’t. [In Defense of the Gerontocracy]( [In Defense of the Gerontocracy]( By FRANK BRUNI Maybe older is better. Just look at Nancy Pelosi. [The Opioid Crisis Isn’t White]( [The Opioid Crisis Isn’t White]( By ABDULLAH SHIHIPAR Contrary to media portrayals, overdose deaths are ravaging communities of color. 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 2019 The New York Times Company 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018