Here’s what you need to know at the end of the day.
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Good evening. Here’s the latest.
1. Chief Justice John Roberts defended the independence of the judiciary after President Trump criticized a ruling by a federal judge.
“We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges,” wrote Chief Justice Roberts, left, rebuking the president. “What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best.”
Mr. Trump had criticized a ruling by Judge Jon Tigar, who ordered the administration to resume accepting asylum claims from migrants no matter where or how they entered the county.
Later, the president held his ground on Twitter, writing: “Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have ‘Obama judges,’ and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country.”
Mr. Trump had also called the Ninth Circuit a lawless disgrace and threatened unspecified retaliation.
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2. Who is allowed to feed the hungry?
A bitter debate erupted in Kansas City, Mo., after a health inspector poured bleach on home-cooked food donated to homeless people.
The volunteers didn’t meet city requirements, she said. Above, serving food at a park.
City officials say they’re merely concerned about the safety of donated food. But volunteers call the rules a heartless technicality meant to discourage homeless people from congregating.
Indeed, in places like Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Tampa, Fla.; and El Cajon, Calif., volunteers have been arrested or ticketed for feeding the homeless. And the National Coalition for the Homeless reports that at least 71 cities across the U. S. have tried to pass restrictions on the practice.
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3. Big Law is pushing back against the Trump administration’s policies on immigration.
Paul Weiss, with clients like the N. F. L. and Citigroup, has been searching for parents separated from their children at the southern border as part of a federal A. C. L. U. lawsuit. Above, Lee Gelernt, a lawyer with the A. C. L. U.
Arnold & Porter, an international firm that has advised the World Bank, represented nonprofits to block the administration’s plan to add a citizenship status question to the census.
Supporters of tighter immigration restrictions are taking notice.
“They view the influx of asylum seekers as some kind of humanitarian project,” said a director of one conservative group. “Whereas a regular American sees it as an affront to our legal system.”
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4. “It’s like they decided to forget about us.”
As fire engulfed Paradise, Calif., most residents learned of the danger either from calling friends or from a knock on the door. Only a fraction received alerts from the authorities. That has raised hard questions about whether more lives could have been saved. Above, in Paradise.
The local sheriff’s office used what experts say is an outdated system to notify residents with a phone call. But only those who had signed up for the service got the message.
A federal system could have reached all cellphones in the area. But officials decided not to use it, partly out of fear of causing panic and traffic jams, the sheriff said.
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5. Theresa May has headed to Brussels.
The British prime minister is meeting with the European Commission president to finalize a political declaration of Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with the European Union
The trip comes after attempts to unseat her melted away in Britain.
The political declaration is one of two documents required for a country to leave the E. U. The other is the withdrawal agreement that Mrs. May’s cabinet reluctantly approved last week. Above, with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels.
On Sunday, European leaders are widely expected to approve both documents, which would bring Britain one step closer to its divorce with the E. U.
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6. You are about to enter another dimension.
Beginning about 700 feet beneath the ocean’s surface is a mysterious, dark span of water that scientists call the twilight zone .
A study team using new technology is scrambling to study its vast population of small, fierce inhabitants before the fishing industry moves in.
The researchers gave us a close-up look at some of the unusual creatures they’ve hauled up. Above, an elongated bristlemouth.
“Some of them look like crazy monsters,” one scientist said.
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7. “Do not eat it, and throw it away.”
Romaine lettuce has sickened more than 30 people in 11 states with a virulent form of E. coli, the C. D. C. said in a nationwide alert. It has not been able to pinpoint the source of the outbreak.
Mindful of Thanksgiving, a spokesman for the health agency advised people to avoid all romaine and salad mixes that contain it.
“It’s especially important given that these are large gatherings where dishes containing romaine lettuce are frequently served.”
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8. Sweden is quickly moving toward being completely cashless.
The central bank is testing digital currency, and more than 4,000 Swedes have implanted microchips in their hands, allowing them to pay for rail travel and food with a wave. Above, a coffee bar in Stockholm.
But financial authorities are trying to slow the trend as the government grapples with what it means for society. And consumer groups warn that going cashless will hurt older people, immigrants and the disabled, who rely on banks for customer service.
Separately, Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s chairman, will spend at least another 10 days in Japanese custody, though he hasn’t been charged with a crime. He was arrested after Nissan found he had underreported his income. The company’s board will meet on Thursday to consider removing him.
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9. The holiday movie season is here, with strong options in theaters now and coming soon.
Our critics raved about “Creed II” (“the only heroic Hollywood multisequel narrative worth caring about”) and “Ralph Breaks the Iinternet” (“a terrifying, incisive satire”).
They also recommend the black-and-white “Roma,” above (“intimacy and monumentality to express the depths of ordinary life”), and “At Eternity’s Gate” (“a vivid, intensely affecting portrait of Vincent van Gogh”).
If you’d rather stay home, HBO has begun its eight-part mini-series “My Brilliant Friend,” based on the first of four Neapolitan novels by Elena Ferrante. And AMC has “The Little Drummer Girl,” based on a John le Carré spy novel set in the 1970s.
