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What Does the Cheesecake Factory’s Designer Think of Obama and Trump’s Jabs at His Décor?

Long before its baroque décor and class identity became midterm talking points, this durable restaurant chain survived some withering critiques.

© Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images for The Cheesecake Factory

The Cheesecake Factory has defined the term “upscale casual dining,” and closely read the psyche and the appetite of the American diner.
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Linda McMahon Spends $43,000 on Furniture as She Looks to Close Education Department

The education secretary says her old furniture “cannot be configurationally or aesthetically integrated” into new office space.

© Erin Schaff/The New York Times

Education Secretary Linda McMahon in her old office in Washington last year.
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Flávio Bolsonaro Lands in Miami After Fleeing Brazil

Mr. Bolsonaro, who lost Sunday’s presidential election, fled Brazil for the United States via Argentina after the police canceled his passport in relation to an investigation.

© Eva Marie Uzcategui/Reuters

Flávio Bolsonaro arriving at Miami Opa-Locka Airport on Wednesday.
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For Israel’s Neighbors in Middle East, the Election Offers Little Hope of a Reset

Few countries in the Middle East expect a turning point in relations with Israel. But the outcome of the vote has implications for the regional conflict with Iran.

© David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

Parts of Lebanon have been greatly damaged in fighting between Israel and Hezbollah since March, including the Dahiya neighborhood, a Hezbollah stronghold in the capital, Beirut.
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What Our New Senate Polls Tell Us About the State of the Midterms

South Carolina seems like a serious race; Minnesota may not be; and Florida still appears out of reach for Democrats.

© Jillian Vordick/The New York Times

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Behind Italy’s Protests: Rising Prices and Sinking Hopes

Inspired in part by French demonstrations, protests in Italy by students in the north and truckers in the south could affect national elections next year.

© Piero Cruciatti/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Demonstrators clashed with police in Milan this month.
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The Federal Reserve Will Release Its Interest Rate Decision Today. Here’s What to Watch.

The central bank is widely expected to hold interest rates steady on Wednesday, just days before the midterm elections.

© Al Drago for The New York Times

The Federal Reserve is expected to press pause on raising interest rates after delivering a rate increase last month for the first time since 2023.
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Trump Administration Backs Down on an Opioid Ban After Kratom Industry Lobbying

Health officials will now allow some levels of a powerful substance to remain in products marketed as natural. The change could help a G.O.P. donor facing wrongful death lawsuits.

© Nick Oxford for The New York Times

Banners promoting the sale of kratom products outside a smoke shop in Tulsa, Okla., earlier this year.
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Justice Dept. Declines to Unseal Warrant for Search of Ilhan Omar’s Home

More than a dozen news organizations have asked a federal judge to unseal documents related to a search warrant executed at Ms. Omar’s home this month.

© Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Rep. Ilhan Omar at the Capitol in January.
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A Chinese Port Could Be a Lifeline for Spain, but Also a Threat

Residents say a proposed Chinese car plant in northern Spain will create new jobs. Others say it’s a long-term risk, distilling a debate about the costs and perks of ties to China.

© Daniel Rodrigues for The New York Times

Boats in Ferrol, Spain, in 2020. The city is becoming known for its warm welcome of Chinese industry into Spain and Western Europe.
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A Historic Show of Strength for Israel’s Arab Minority

Voters supporting two leading Arab parties turned out in record numbers to voice their opposition to the Netanyahu government in Tuesday’s election.

© Ahmad Gharabli/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Supporters of Israel’s Arab-led Joint List political alliance cheering as the first exit polls were announced on Tuesday.
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White House Has Tight Grip Over FBI in Pursuing Trump Targets, Agent Says

In court testimony, the agent outlined the willingness of Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, to take orders from President Trump to investigate his perceived enemies.

© Alex Kent/The New York Times

Bryan Witt, an F.B.I. agent, said the inquiry mandated by Kash Patel, the bureau’s director, was generally viewed inside his office as a “witch hunt.”
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Justice Dept. Steps Up Moves on Comey and Others as Midterm Elections Near

In some cases, court paperwork bears unmistakable signs of urgency — typos, unorthodox tactics and the signatures of the department’s senior political leadership.

© Steve Helber/Associated Press

Attorney General Todd Blanche announcing the indictment of L. Louise Lucas, a prominent Virginia Democrat, on drug-trafficking charges last week in Norfolk, Va.
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Grand Jury Declines to Bring Charges Against Cassidy Hutchinson

The rejection of the indictment was the latest extraordinary setback in President Trump’s wide-ranging campaign to go after his political opponents.

© Doug Mills/The New York Times

The investigation of Cassidy Hutchinson was directed to the Justice Department’s civil rights division, which normally focuses on issues like police violence and election integrity.
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