Senators Hold Up 43 Biden Diplomatic Nominees as Crises Roil World

The Biden administration has 43 presidential nominees still awaiting confirmation in the Senate as Congress prepares to break for the holidays, a delay that is putting American national security and foreign policy interests in jeopardy around the world, the State Department said on Friday. Any nominee not confirmed before the Senate ends its session, which …

What ‘Pocahontas’ Tells Us About Disney, for Better and Worse

Recent Disney films like the animated “Strange World,” with its gay teenage protagonist, have become cultural flash points. But “Pocahontas” prompted a full-blown fracas. Some people accused Disney of whitewashing history — for leaving out the fact, for instance, that Pocahontas died at 21, perhaps of smallpox, after being taken to London and paraded around …

The U.S. Wants Israel to Scale Back the Gaza War. What Leverage Does It Have?

In recent days, U.S. officials have said they want Israel to consider scaling back its large-scale ground and air campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. President Biden has criticized Israel for the “indiscriminate bombing” of civilians. And Jake Sullivan, the president’s national security adviser, traveled to Israel to discuss the next phase of the …

Neil Drossman, Adman Who Sold With a Smile, Is Dead at 83

Neil Drossman, who brought a cheeky wit and a tireless work ethic to the award-winning print advertisements and television commercials he wrote for clients like Meow Mix cat food, Teacher’s Scotch whisky and 1-800-Flowers, died on Nov. 25 in the Bronx. He was 83. His daughter, Jill Drossman, said he died of sepsis in a …

5 Takeaways From Inside the Overturning of Roe v. Wade

By the time the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year, a draft of the ruling had been leaked to the press and the outcome was anticipated. The story behind the decision seemed obvious: The constitutional right to abortion effectively had died with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whose replacement, Amy Coney Barrett, was a …

The Debate on Wall Street: Did the Fed Pivot Too Soon on Rates?

The big questions swirling around the market rally The S&P 500 is closing in on a record after the Fed signaled it would be cutting interest rates next year. Investors are betting that the U.S. economy will pull off the rosiest of outcomes: a soft-landing and cheaper borrowing costs. But some Wall Street veterans are …

Biden Administration Urges Israel to Scale Down Its War in Gaza

Biden administration officials want Israel to end its large-scale ground and air campaign in the Gaza Strip within weeks and to transition to a more targeted phase in its war against Hamas, American officials said Thursday. Jake Sullivan, President Biden’s national security adviser, met with Israeli leaders on Thursday about the direction of the war. …

Pro-China YouTube Network Used A.I. to Malign U.S., Report Finds

In a faintly stilted tone and with slightly awkward grammar, the American-accented voice on YouTube last month ridiculed Washington’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas, claiming that the United States was unable to “play its role as a mediator like China” and “now finds itself in a position of significant isolation.” The 10-minute …

George McGinnis Dies at 73; Powered His Way to Basketball Stardom

George McGinnis, whose rare combination of size and agility made him a pillar of two early 1970s championship teams in the upstart American Basketball Association, but whose heralded pairing with Julius Erving on the N.B.A.’s Philadelphia 76ers failed to fulfill expectations of a title, died on Thursday in Indianapolis. He was 73. The Indiana Pacers, …