Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Tuesday.
Congress demands the release of the Epstein filesNearly every single member of the House of Representatives voted today to pass a bill directing the Justice Department to release all files related to its investigation into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Only Clay Higgins, a far-right Republican from Louisiana, voted against it. Soon after, the Senate agreed via unanimous consent — in other words, without a formal vote — to pass the bill. The move will send the legislation to President Trump’s desk for his signature as soon as this evening. The result was a stunning turn of events after Republicans had worked for months to avoid the vote. Trump, who initially opposed the bill, changed his tune in recent days after the support of a small group of Republican defectors made it clear that it would pass. The outcome reflected the extent to which disagreements about the Epstein scandal have fractured the president’s typically loyal coalition. Trump said he would sign the bill, though it remains unclear what the Justice Department will ultimately release. The president does not need congressional approval to make the files public. But so far, he has chosen not to.
Trump jumped to the defense of Saudi Arabia’s crown princeTrump welcomed Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to the White House today for the first time since U.S. intelligence concluded that the prince had ordered the killing of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The meeting was heavy on pomp and flattery, and when a reporter asked about the murder, Trump brushed it off. “A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about,” the president said, referring to Khashoggi. “Whether you like him or didn’t like him, things happen.” Trump insisted that the crown prince knew nothing about the killing and berated the reporter, Mary Bruce of ABC News, for asking about it. Our Gulf bureau chief, Vivian Nereim, who has covered the crown prince for a decade, wrote that she was “struck by how comfortable and confident he seemed in the Oval Office.” Vivian added: “It was clear that he felt he was among friends.” Trump said yesterday that he intended to sell the kingdom F-35 fighter jets despite concerns raised by the Pentagon. The president, whose family has significant business interests in Saudi Arabia, insisted that he had no conflict of interest.
A court blocked Texas’ Republican-friendly voting mapA panel of federal judges in Texas issued a ruling today that barred the state from using its newly drawn congressional map in next year’s midterm elections. The decision was a major setback for Republicans, who hoped to flip as many as five House seats currently held by Democrats. Judge Jeffrey Brown, a Trump appointee, wrote that “substantial evidence shows that Texas racially gerrymandered the 2025 Map.” The Republican governor of Texas said the state would appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court. In other politics news, Kamala Harris is going to Tennessee to campaign for another Democrat in a closely watched special election.
A judge dealt a blow to the effort to rein in tech giantsA federal judge ruled today that Meta, the company previously known as Facebook, did not violate antitrust law when it bought Instagram and WhatsApp. The decision was a major win for the $1.51 trillion company. It was also a setback for federal regulators, who have sought to rein in tech companies’ power through a series of antitrust lawsuits. More top news
Lead is an essential element in car batteries, and American automakers have turned to recycling it as a cheaper, seemingly sustainable alternative to mining it. Because of U.S. regulations, that recycled lead often comes from factories in places like Ogijo, Nigeria. The recycling factories there are poisoning people. We know because we tested Ogijo residents: Roughly 70 percent of people living near the factories had harmful levels of lead.
Documentaries are more popular and accessible than everThere was a time when documentaries could only be found on public television or in art-house cinemas. Now, they are all over streaming services: true crime, celebrity documentaries and, of course, Ken Burns. Our critics discussed the documentaries that are worth your time. However: A.I. advancement means that fake videos can now look real, and real footage can be rejected as fake, threatening our ability to trust documentaries.
A look inside Joan Didion’s ThanksgivingJoan Didion prepared her Thanksgiving feast the same way she conjured her writing: with almost military planning and ambition. We know this because she took meticulous notes, which were released along with her newly unveiled archive, on who was coming and how they should be served. Throughout the 1980s and ’90s, she cooked nearly the same menu every year, for guests including Philip Roth and Nora Ephron: Roast turkey breast with gravy and dirty-rice dressing. Cranberry sauce and relish. Artichoke hearts in béchamel. A salad with oranges. Read more about her holiday meals. Share your thoughts: My friends at The Morning newsletter want to hear what you are grateful for, in just six words.
Dinner table topics
Cook: Now is the time to test a few standout Thanksgiving sides. These easy options are some of our favorites. Watch: Here are five international films to stream right now. Read: “A Certain Lucas,” newly reissued, showcases Julio Cortázar’s best qualities. Wear: Let our fashion photographer’s look of the week inspire you. Toss: My colleagues at Wirecutter have tested dozens of kitchen trash cans. This one is the best |
