Members phkrause Posted September 16 Author Members Posted September 16 September 16, 2025 Good morning. We’re covering an invasion in Gaza City and a U.N. report on genocide — and then we explore the state of free speech in America. After, we have the news you need to start your day. An invasion Smoke over Gaza today. Menahem Kahana/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Israel launched a ground offensive overnight in Gaza City. It also intensified its aerial bombardment, and smoke billowed over the city this morning. “Gaza is burning,” Israel’s defense minister said. Windows were felt shaking in buildings as far as 25 miles away. The military said troops would “surround Gaza City from all sides.” More than 300,000 Palestinians had already fled, but about half a million are still there. “Death would be more merciful than what we’re living through,” said Montaser Bahja, a former schoolteacher sheltering in an apartment in Gaza City. He said he didn’t have “anywhere to go in southern Gaza, no house, no tent, no car in which to travel.” The invasion came as a United Nations commission investigating the war in Gaza said that Israel was committing genocide against Palestinians. In earlier reports, the commission found that Israel had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in its war with Hamas militants, but stopped short of declaring it genocide. Israel denounced the report as “fake.” Israel’s plans for the assault, which had loomed for months, had drawn fierce international criticism. Families of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza also expressed concern for their loved ones’ safety. A cease-fire agreement is now less likely: Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, said at a news conference in Israel with Benjamin Netanyahu that a diplomatic solution to end the war might not be possible. A vigil for Charlie Kirk in Orem, Utah. Loren Elliott for The New York Times Free speech? By Adam B. Kushner I’m the editor of this newsletter. What are Americans allowed to say? We have always fought over the answer, and free-speech absolutists are rare on either side of the spectrum. Some liberals in recent years pushed to “deplatform” right-wing thinkers for what they see as hate speech; turned Israeli academics away from conferences; and got Donald Trump tossed from Facebook and Twitter. Some conservatives pushed to boycott Bud Light and Disney, deport visa holders who protest Israel and ban young-adult literature that discusses gender identity. But in the days since a gunman assassinated Charlie Kirk, Republicans have sought a new target — not a discrete person or an odious policy idea, but what they call “leftist ideology.” President Trump this past weekend blamed Democrats for political violence and said his administration would investigate left-leaning groups. Yesterday, his aides outlined a plan: They would label left-wing activity that led to violence as domestic terrorism. “We have some pretty radical groups, and they got away with murder,” Trump said yesterday, without naming any groups beyond antifa. He said some people “have been putting up millions and millions of dollars for agitation.” “Agitation” is usually speech, and speech is not violence — though over the years activists on both sides have described it that way. Now, the federal government is using its power to cast the entire opposition as dangerous. Today’s newsletter is about this twist in our political debate. Investigating the left A decade ago, Dylann Roof killed nine Black worshipers in a South Carolina church. Roof believed that Black-on-white crime was rampant, and he hoped his attack would incite a race war. The F.B.I. deepened its focus on white nationalism, but the Obama administration did not claim Roof was a proxy for Republicans. Nor did it paint the G.O.P. as a “domestic extremist organization,” as Trump’s top adviser said of Democrats. Since taking office, Trump’s administration has treated the left as a malign force. It can’t censure progressive speech without violating the First Amendment, so it has searched for other legal ways to weaken the Democratic Party, my colleagues have reported. Members of Congress asked the F.B.I. to investigate whether ActBlue, a donation platform used by most Democrats, had links to terrorism, for example. Now, though, Trump officials say Kirk’s killing may provide the framework they need to punish liberal groups. People who celebrated the murder or mischaracterized his views “are creating an environment where things like this are inevitably going to happen,” Vice President JD Vance said on Kirk’s podcast. Two senior aides told my colleagues Katie Rogers and Zolan Kanno-Youngs yesterday that agencies would look for organizations that fund violence against conservatives. That could include the recent burning of Teslas and assaults against immigration agents. The administration wants to draw links between those episodes and liberal nonprofits. Vance said the government would “go after the NGO network that foments, facilitates and engages in violence.” “One tactic,” Katie and Zolan write, “has been to target the tax-exempt status of nonprofits that are critical of Mr. Trump or conservatives.” Trump also said he was talking to the attorney general about bringing charges under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO. Of course, these groups aren’t awarding grants for violent schemes. So deciding whom to target is likely to hinge on what they and their leaders say. No criticism allowed At a vigil in Provo, Utah. Loren Elliott for The New York Times The truth is that political violence is rare, as my colleague Charles Homans wrote last year. And most Americans say it horrifies them (though the share who say it’s acceptable has been inching upward). Neither side is immune. Liberal attacks are real; an activist shot the House Republican whip in 2017. But most of the recent attacks came from the right. MAGA assailants targeted Mike Pence; Nancy Pelosi and her husband; and the Democratic governors of Michigan and Pennsylvania. They sent pipe bombs to the homes of Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2018. In the spring, a right-wing gunman hunted Minnesota state lawmakers, killing one as well as her husband. Yet conservatives have cast liberalism as a uniquely dangerous perspective. They argued that the murder of a woman in Charlotte this month was the result of liberal policies that let a mentally ill homeless man roam free. Now they say Kirk’s murderer represents the left generally. “They are at war with us,” a Fox News host declared last week. “What are we going to do about it? How much political violence are we going to tolerate?” So Republicans are demanding punishment for Kirk’s critics. People have been fired from their jobs after conservatives surfaced ugly posts in which they celebrated Kirk’s death or even just criticized his beliefs. A South Carolina congresswoman wants to cut funding for schools where teachers criticize Kirk. And the Pentagon suspended an army colonel who called the assassination “tragic” but said Kirk had spread “hate, racism, homophobia, misogyny and transphobia.” Even though Democrats overwhelmingly criticized the killing, conservative leaders argue that views like these are what drove the killer. The ideas thrive, Vance said yesterday, among “a minority, but a growing and powerful minority on the far left.” More on the Kirk shooting Karen Attiah, an opinion columnist for The Washington Post, said she was fired after posting on social media about gun violence and “racial double standards” after Kirk’s death. The F.B.I. said it had a note, a text exchange and DNA evidence that linked Tyler Robinson to Kirk’s shooting. Some Republicans held a vigil for Kirk at the Capitol. Few Democrats attended. THE LATEST NEWS Trump Administration Trump said the U.S. had struck a second Venezuelan cartel boat, killing three people. He offered few other details but shared video of an airstrike on social media. A Trump family crypto business got a big investment from an Emirati official. Weeks later, the United Arab Emirates was promised access to A.I. chips. A Times investigation shows how the deals were intertwined. Federal Reserve An appeals court said Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor Trump is trying to fire, could participate in the Fed meeting to set interest rates. It starts today. The Senate confirmed Stephen Miran, one of Trump’s economic advisers, to serve as a Fed governor. Trump’s Crackdown In Washington, D.C. Kenny Holston/The New York Times The show of federal force in Washington has diverted federal agents and prosecutors from their usual casework. Law enforcement officials are frustrated, and some have quit. Trump signed off on a plan to deploy the National Guard to Memphis. Republican leaders in Tennessee have welcomed the move. International Belarus invited two U.S. officials to observe its joint military exercise with Russia, in an effort to maintain ties with both the Kremlin and the West. President Trump is set to land in Britain tonight for a state visit. Expect talks on Ukraine, a carriage procession through Windsor and a glittering white-tie state banquet. Other Big Stories U.S. officials said they had reached a preliminary deal with China to divest TikTok from ByteDance. Openly carrying firearms is now effectively allowed in Florida, which had been the last Republican-led state to ban the practice. For years, only a small portion of college graduates experienced long spells of joblessness. That’s starting to change. MALNUTRITION’S EFFECTS This summer, the share of young children in Gaza who were malnourished rose sharply. The war there has made food scarce and expensive, and Israel’s blockade on aid deliveries this year exacerbated the problem. While aid deliveries have resumed, they have not been enough to reverse the food shortage. In a visual article, The Times examines the health effects of malnutrition in children. When children are severely malnourished, their bodies draw on reserves to survive. Eventually, their organs begin to break down. They can become lethargic and stop eating even if there is food because eating takes energy they don’t have. They are also at risk of dying from common diseases that a healthier child might withstand. Sources: Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (I.P.C.); SoP Nutrition Cluster | Notes: Data for Gaza City includes its surrounding region | By Pablo Robles OPINIONS After a U.N. commission found that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza, the commission’s leader wrote that doing nothing isn’t neutrality, it’s complicity, Navi Pillay. Here is a column by John McWhorter on the Department of War and a meditation on butterflies by Margaret Renkl. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Ye Fan for The New York Times Lost songs: Singles were once printed on cereal boxes. The cardboard records sound terrible, but collectors love them. “Kissing bug” disease: It’s been trending online, but the risk of it is extremely low in the United States. In Denmark: A woman from Greenland held her baby for an hour. Then Danish authorities took her away. On a walk: A Florida woman fought an alligator to save her Shih Tzu puppy. Trending: Americans were searching for life on Mars. Could space rocks hold a clue? Your pick: The most-clicked link in the newsletter yesterday was about the ideology of the Kirk shooting suspect. Fake band, real songs: The songwriter Bobby Hart has died at 86. He and his best friend, Tommy Boyce, created the music that turned a fictional TV rock group — the Monkees — into a genuine sensation. SPORTS N.F.L.: The Chargers shut down the Raiders, 20-9. Baker Mayfield led the Buccaneers to a 20-19 comeback win over the Texans. Women’s soccer: An N.W.S.L. game between Louisville and Seattle, which was postponed after Savannah DeMelo collapsed, will be completed today in an empty stadium. DeMelo remains hospitalized but “is in good spirits.” POET LAUREATE Arthur Sze Shawn Miller/Library of Congress Arthur Sze will be the 25th poet laureate of the United States. Sze, 74, was born in New York City to immigrants from China, and he first learned his craft by translating ancient Chinese poems. Here’s an excerpt from “Farolitos,” in which he meditates on lanterns made from paper bags. in this life, you may try, try to light a match, fail, fail again and again; yet, letting go, you strike a tip one more time when it bursts into flame— It’s a contentious moment for the arts: Trump has fired the librarian of Congress and taken control of the Kennedy Center in an effort to purge what he sees as liberal bias. Sze’s work, fittingly, focuses on nature and observation rather than identity. Read more about him. More on culture Rob Reiner, the director of “Spinal Tap II,” took a personality test made by Mel Brooks. See his handwritten answers here. Late night hosts joked about the White House ballroom. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … David Malosh for The New York Times Simmer an easy, flavorful shrimp curry. Read Patricia Lockwood’s swim through Covid brain fog. Charge your phone, but not to 100 percent. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was watched. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Desiree Ibekwe, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 17 Author Members Posted September 17 September 17, 2025 Good morning. Here’s the latest. Kirk assassination: Prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty for Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect. He has been charged with aggravated murder. War in Gaza: Israeli troops are expected to advance into Gaza City over the next few days, after the military pounded the densely populated area with heavy airstrikes. Robert Redford died yesterday at 89. We look at his legacy, on camera and off. More news is below. First, we examine the state of the economy. A job fair in Sunrise, Fla. Scott McIntyre for The New York Times Pulse check By Colby Smith I cover the Fed. The Federal Reserve is set to cut interest rates today. That will likely please President Trump, who has been calling for lower borrowing costs since he took office (though he wants even bigger cuts). It also gives us a clue as to how central bankers view the economy. How do they decide how the economy is doing? They look at metrics like hiring, consumer spending and prices. And they talk to businesses and consumers across the country to detect trends that take time to show up in the official data. What they want is a labor market in which jobs are plentiful and unemployment is as low as it can be without causing prices to rise too much. They also want to ensure that inflation stays low and stable. So just how healthy is the economy? The case for worry Trump says Americans are experiencing the “best economy we’ve ever had.” Experts say the economy is solid, but the labor market looks much more wobbly than it did at the start of the year. They’re worried about several issues: A drop-off. Job growth has slowed dramatically. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics | Data is Seasonally adjusted | By Karl Russell Who’s recruiting? New positions are not spread evenly across the economy. Most of the recent gains have been concentrated in the health care sector, which in the last year has accounted for roughly a third of all job growth. That is a lot for just one industry. On the prowl. It’s taking people without jobs longer to find them. As of August, a quarter of the unemployed had been looking for work for more than half a year. College graduates seem to be finding it especially challenging. The case for hope Yet in other ways the economy is humming along. Companies are not laying off workers in droves, and people are still spending money. Low firings. The unemployment rate has stayed relatively stable. That gives economists hope that the slowdown across the labor market is less about a declining need for workers and more about a shrinking pool of available people at a time when Trump is cracking down on immigration. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics | Data is Seasonally adjusted | By Karl Russell Consumers are still spending. According to yesterday’s data from the Commerce Department, retail sales rose sharply in August — even faster than economists had forecast. Americans are still buying things even as they say they feel glum about the economy, and even as prices rise on a wide range of goods and services as a result of tariffs. The disjunction has perplexed economists. “The resilience just continues to confound expectations,” said James Knightley, chief international economist at the investment bank ING. High rollers help. Wealthy households account for about half of all consumer spending, so if Americans in this group keep opening their wallets, that will help to stave off any downturn. Just this week, the stock market soared to another new high, giving them another boost. Knightly offered one caution, though: Lower- and middle-income households are under immense strain. If they keep having to tighten their belts, he wondered: “How long can this last?” Related: The Fed meeting has brought together a Trump ally and people who have been targets of Trump’s outrage. THE LATEST NEWS Charlie Kirk Shooting Tyler Robinson, 22, appeared in court via video. Pool photo by Scott G Winterton Robinson, the suspect in the Kirk killing, wrote in text messages to his romantic partner that he had “had enough” of Kirk’s “hatred” and that “some hate can’t be negotiated out,” according to prosecutors. Robinson’s mother recognized him in a photo released by officials. She and Robinson’s father then began to ask him questions — including if he would send a photo of his rifle. He didn’t. When Robinson suggested he was considering killing himself, they coaxed him back to his family home. They called a friend from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a retired deputy sheriff, and began trying to negotiate Robinson’s surrender. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she would target people engaging in “hate speech,” despite the First Amendment’s broad protections. More on Assassinations A judge tossed out state two terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione, who is charged with killing a health care executive. Mangione still faces a second-degree murder charge. Minnesota held a special election to fill the seat of Melissa Hortman, the Democratic state representative who was killed in her home in June. War in Gaza Thousands of Palestinians fled Gaza City yesterday as Israel bombed the area and said an expanded ground operation had begun. Trump has neither urged restraint nor endorsed the offensive, our colleague Michael Crowley wrote from Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu is taking his inaction as a green light to proceed. Politics Speaker Mike Johnson released a bill to keep the government running past a Sept. 30 deadline, effectively daring Democrats to allow a shutdown. Top Democrats say they oppose the bill, raising the chances of a shutdown. The Trump administration ordered several National Park Service sites to take down materials related to slavery and Native Americans. Immigrant detainees are not receiving proper mental health care, lawyers and advocacy groups say, and reports of suicide attempts are persistent. Trump arrived in Britain for a state visit, and people protested by projecting his mug shot on the walls of Windsor Castle. In the video below, Mark Landler, our London bureau chief, explains how British leaders are trying to stay on Trump’s good side. Other Big Stories Extreme heat exacerbated by climate change led to tens of thousands of excess deaths this summer in Europe, scientists said. Britain is expanding its use of live facial recognition, digital surveillance and internet regulation faster than almost any other Western democracy. Ask The Morning: Do you have questions about drones? Tell us here. We’ll answer some in a future newsletter. TRUMP’S LAWSUIT The president sued The New York Times on Monday for $15 billion, saying our 2024 campaign coverage had defamed him and sought to undermine his campaign. The suit cites articles that document his rise, the accusations made against him, his time on “The Apprentice” and the views of a former top general. “It lacks any legitimate legal claims and instead is an attempt to stifle and discourage independent reporting,” a spokesman for The Times said. Trump has sued several news organizations this year in an apparent effort to soften coverage of him. Many have settled — and altered their coverage. Speaking at a journalism conference on Monday night, our publisher, A.G. Sulzberger, compared these efforts to the “anti-press playbook used in places like Hungary, India, Brazil and Turkey.” The playbook has five components, he said: Sow distrust in independent news organizations and normalize the harassment of journalists. Exploit the civil courts to impose financial pressure. Weaponize legal and regulatory authority — things like consumer protections, civil rights laws and broadcast regulations. Encourage wealthy and powerful allies to make their own attacks. Use access and other levers of power not just to punish independent journalists but also to reward partisan media willing to echo the official line. “When journalists are kept from providing independent information to the public,” A.G. said, “it becomes far easier for those in power to act with impunity.” THE MORNING QUIZ This question comes from a recent edition of the newsletter. Click an answer to see if you’re right. (The link will be free. Hint: This story was the most-clicked story in the newsletter yesterday.) Denmark and Greenland, its faraway territory, have been arguing recently because: A majority of Greenlanders want to join the United States. The Danish authorities took a baby away from a Greenlandic mother. The Danish king forgot the name of Greenland’s leader on a state visit. A trending rap song in Greenland calls Denmark “daddy.” OPINIONS Kirk built Turning Point USA as an organization where community came before ideology. Democrats should follow that example, John Della Volpe writes. People, not corporations, should set the rules that govern A.I., Jill Lepore writes. Here’s a column by Bret Stephens on our culture of argument. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS The Isle of Skye in Scotland. Emily Macinnes for The New York Times Enchanting: The isles off Scotland’s coast offer otherworldly beauty. The views go great with a splash of whisky. Something out of sci-fi: An ant in the Mediterranean is having babies that belong to a different species. Hairy times: What’s with all the beards? Speed on two wheels: John Penton, whose motorcycles revolutionized off-road racing, died at 100. In 1959, he set a transcontinental speed record, riding across the U.S. in 52 hours 11 minutes 1 second. SPORTS N.F.L. Several major stars will play next year in Saudi Arabia, a country where soccer rules. M.L.B.: The Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh hit his 55th and 56th home runs, breaking Mickey Mantle’s single-season record for a switch hitter and tying Ken Griffey Jr.’s franchise mark. Colleges: Nebraska’s No. 1-ranked women’s volleyball team drew 17,675 fans for its match against No. 18 Creighton, an N.C.A.A. record for an indoor match. ROBERT REDFORD Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times; 20th Century Fox; Getty Images Robert Redford, who died yesterday at 89, was a quintessential leading man — seductive and daring, clever and strong, with a smile that shone through in films like “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and “All the President’s Men.” Yet he so resisted being forced into a mold that he fled Hollywood for Utah, where he made perhaps his biggest contribution to film: Founding the Sundance Institute and, through its festival, ushering in a new generation of American filmmaking. As Manohla Dargis, a Times film critic, writes: He created a place where artists could cut loose, find community and make movies that he would never have starred in, much less directed himself. Unlike many in Hollywood, Redford sought something greater than himself, and he found it. Americans have been searching for Redford online. Here’s more coverage: Redford’s looks set a standard for men’s fashion. He was an “an intellectual Marlboro Man tuned to maximum Americana,” Jacob Gallagher writes. Here are 15 of his movies to stream. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times Simmer Samin Nosrat’s lazy sugo until the meat is falling off the bone. Read an exploration of affirmative action. Invest in these buy-it-for-life products. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were confluence and flounce. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Correction: Yesterday’s newsletter misattributed a quotation about Israel’s incursion in Gaza City. Israel’s military did not say that troops would “surround Gaza City from all sides.” Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Desiree Ibekwe, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 18 Author Members Posted September 18 September 18, 2025 Good morning. Here’s the latest: Jimmy Kimmel: ABC pulled his show over his comments about the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk. A royal banquet: Last night, at Windsor Castle, President Trump was treated to lavish pageantry. Today, he is meeting with the British prime minister. Economy: The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates for the first time this year. We have more on these stories below. But first, a look at the Trump administration’s record on climate change. A coal power plant in Colorado. Rachel Woolf for The New York Times Trump’s climate agenda By Adam B. Kushner I’m the editor of this newsletter. There is stronger evidence than ever that greenhouse gases are bad for us, the nation’s leading scientific advisory body said yesterday. Yet President Trump has proposed to cancel the government’s 16-year-old finding that carbon dioxide emissions endanger public health. Doing so would mean the Environmental Protection Agency could no longer limit emissions from cars or power plants. The Trump administration once merely downplayed the threat of global warming. Now it “flatly denies the overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change,” reports my colleague Lisa Friedman, who covers climate policy. For today’s newsletter, I spoke with Lisa about all the things that are shifting. Can you list for us the most important climate decisions from Trump’s second term? Ending climate protections. The most significant is the proposed repeal of the “endangerment finding,” which you mentioned above. Dismantling climate science. The administration cut funding and took down the website of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, a 35-year effort to track climate change and its impacts. It fired hundreds of scientists at work on the next version of the National Climate Assessment, a congressionally mandated report used to prepare for extreme weather events. And it created a new official analysis written by climate skeptics. War on wind and solar. Trump is stopping renewable energy projects, and his domestic policy law phases out tax credits for new wind and solar development. I get that fossil fuel industries are part of the Republican coalition. But I don’t understand the opposition to solar and wind projects. Last month, Trump ordered construction to halt on a $6 billion wind farm that was almost completed. What is your best explanation for why Trump wants to block green technologies? Most experts I’ve spoken with see it as ideological — and, in the case of wind, personal — for the president. Trump hasn’t liked wind since he unsuccessfully tried to stop an offshore wind farm near one of his Scottish golf courses. Broadly speaking, renewable energy has become more partisan over the years, with Republican support for wind, solar and electric cars declining. Source: Energy Information Administration | By Karl Russell Can’t the next Democratic president just undo all of this? Yes, a new president could create new analyses, new climate protections and new incentives for renewable energy. But it would be a long and difficult process. Some things require Congress. And there’s one legal possibility that climate activists fear the most. In reviewing lawsuits about the climate endangerment finding, it’s possible that the Supreme Court will reverse the 2007 precedent that lets the government regulate greenhouse gases. If it does, the next president may not be able to restore any of these regulations. The administration fired many people who study climate change, and then hired five others to put out a report saying that concern about climate change is overblown. What is their argument? They don’t dispute that human activity is heating the planet, but they claim that some warming attributed to fossil fuels is actually driven by natural cycles or variability in the sun. They also argue that sea levels are not rising more rapidly, that extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can boost crop yields, and that the risks from extreme weather events are overstated. All of these fly in the face of established research. A solar farm in Minnesota. Tim Gruber for The New York Times Trump’s energy secretary told European leaders last week that climate “ideology” hurts prosperity — and that they should drop their environmental rules and buy more gas. How do policymakers abroad see what’s happening here? They’re used to seeing Washington pivot between Democratic and Republican control. So far, no other country has withdrawn from the Paris agreement or abandoned its climate and clean-energy goals. But they are doing as they’re asked and promising to buy more gas, which won’t help them meet their targets. They acknowledge that fighting climate change has costs, but there is also a cost to inaction. Extreme weather, deadly heat waves, species extinction, the decline of crop yields and other problems tied to rising global temperatures exact a price, too. The administration has stopped gathering certain climate data, as our colleague Maxine Joselow reports this morning. What are we no longer collecting? And what happens if we don’t know these things? Here are some of the biggies: The Trump administration retired an extreme-weather database that had tracked the costs of natural disasters since 1980. And it says power plants, oil refineries and other large industrial facilities needn’t report their greenhouse gas emissions. Meanwhile, Trump’s proposed budget would eliminate funding for the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, which has tracked climate data every day for nearly 70 years. Scientists say wiping out scientific data will make it only more difficult to understand what is happening to the planet. More climate coverage It isn’t just the United States. The whole world has soured on climate politics, David Wallace-Wells writes. At The Times’s Climate Forward conference next week, we’ll hear from world leaders, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and activists like the actor Rainn Wilson. Sign up for the livestream here. Climate Forward Sign up for The Times's climate newsletter. Get it in your inbox OFF THE AIR Jimmy Kimmel in 2022. Samuel Corum for The New York Times ABC announced last night that it was suspending “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” indefinitely over comments Kimmel made about Tyler Robinson, the man charged with shooting Charlie Kirk. Americans were searching for news about Kimmel online. Here’s what happened: Kimmel said during Monday’s show, “We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it.” Prosecutors said on Tuesday that Robinson had, in private messages, objected to Kirk’s “hatred.” And they said Robinson’s mother believed her son had recently become “more pro-gay and trans-rights oriented.” Brendan Carr, head of the F.C.C., said on a podcast Wednesday that Kimmel’s remarks were part of a “concerted effort to lie to the American people” and threatened to take action against ABC, adding, “Frankly, when you see stuff like this — I mean, we can do this the easy way or the hard way.” Disney, which owns ABC, pulled Kimmel’s show hours after Carr’s comments. THE LATEST NEWS Federal Reserve The Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point, as expected. Officials suggested they might cut rates twice more this year. The Fed’s rate can affect car loans, credit cards, mortgages and more. Tara Siegel Bernard explains what the decision means for your finances. Vaccines Dr. Susan Monarez was recently ousted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as C.D.C. chief. Yesterday, she criticized his vaccine stance to senators and said she was fired for “holding the line on scientific integrity.” The C.D.C.’s vaccine advisory committee will meet today to review immunizations for Covid, hepatitis B and M.M.R.V. Kennedy recently replaced all of its members. Bill Cassidy, a Republican doctor who leads the Senate’s health committee, said Americans should not have confidence in the committee’s decisions if it changes the childhood vaccine schedule. Trump’s British Visit At the state dinner. Doug Mills/The New York Times A state banquet — where 160 people used 1,452 pieces of cutlery to masticate their way through a night with the British royal family — swaddled the president in grandeur. Trump was charmed: “They say Windsor Castle is the ultimate, right?” The Trumps and the royals rubbed elbows with tech executives like Tim Cook and Sam Altman, bankers, media moguls and at least one spy: Richard Moore, chief of MI6. Here’s a guest list. On Melania Trump yesterday: another eye-obscuring hat. And on the menu last night: a watercress panna cotta, chicken in zucchini and symbolic vintages: a 1945 port, to honor his first term, and a cognac Grande Champagne from 1912, the year his mother was born. All that pomp had a purpose: The royals were buttering Trump up before his meeting today with Keir Starmer, who is a staunch defender of Ukraine. The two leaders are also expected to announce large business deals involving American and British companies. Would you know how to behave around the king? Take our royal etiquette quiz. Politics An immigration judge ordered Mahmoud Khalil, who is a legal permanent resident of the United States, to be deported to either Syria or Algeria, Politico reports. A judge ruled that Rudy Giuliani must pay $1.3 million to lawyers who represented him in criminal investigations that stemmed from his work for Trump. Russia Aleksei Navalny vomited and convulsed shortly before he died in prison last year, his wife said. She says it proved the Russian government had poisoned him. The U.S. pledged to invest millions in Ukrainian mineral reserves. The move could ease fears that Trump is pulling back from Ukraine’s war effort. Other Big Stories A man killed three police officers and injured two others as they tried to serve a warrant in southeast Pennsylvania. Jerry Greenfield, the Jerry of Ben & Jerry’s, resigned from the ice cream maker. He said its parent company, Unilever, had silenced its activism. Biotech companies want to implant pig organs into human patients. Jews and Muslims may want to know whether it violates religious rules. OPINIONS Democrats are torn between focusing on protecting democracy and highlighting Trump’s poor economic leadership. E. J. Dionne Jr. asks: Why not both? Here’s a column by Jamelle Bouie on the deportation of South Korean workers. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Daniel Barker Spheroid scandal: Some stone skimmers in Scotland doctored their stones to compete in the World Championships, organizers say. Tinsel teeth: Metal braces were once the height of geekdom. Now, kids think they’re cool. Origins: How did human hands evolve? The answer may come from your backside. Lives Lived: John Luckadoo, who flew 25 missions over German-held territory during World War II, died at 103. He was the last surviving pilot from the storied Bloody 100th unit. SPORTS N.F.L.: The Washington Commanders are finally returning to the District of Columbia. The D.C. Council approved a $3.8 billion development project that includes a new 65,000-seat stadium. N.C.A.A.: A committee voted to eliminate college football’s spring transfer portal window. Next up? Deciding the date and length of the lone winter portal window. BOWIE’S SOUND AND VISION The New York Times It’s a rock music chamber of secrets. David Bowie left behind an immense archive of androgynous costumes, personal photos, collages of his songwriting process and sketches from an unfinished musical. Now, the 90,000-item collection is available in London to fans and scholars. Taken together, the catalog gets to the heart of who Bowie was, our colleague Alex Marshall writes: “an artist whose creativity came as much from hard work, relentless experimentation and collaboration as raw talent.” More on culture Gwyneth Paltrow is getting back into fashion. At her first show — in a showroom styled like an apartment — there were family photos, dry cleaning bags and branded zucchini. Israel’s culture minister said he planned to pull funding for the country’s top film-award ceremony after a drama about a Palestinian boy won best feature. The film, “The Sea,” will automatically become Israel’s submission for the Oscar for best international feature. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Bake an airy Polish cherry cake. Read “All Consuming,” a romp through the chaos of the modern food world. Store your bike on a rack if space is tight. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were linocut and locution. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 19 Author Members Posted September 19 September 19, 2025 Good morning. Here’s the latest: Vaccines: Federal vaccine advisers appointed by Robert F. Kennedy voted to limit the M.M.R.V. shot for children under 4. They are set to vote today on whether newborns should keep getting the vaccine against hepatitis B. TikTok: President Trump and Xi Jinping plan to speak today to confirm an outline of a deal to separate the app from its Chinese owner, ByteDance. Immigration: Eleven Democratic officials in New York — including Brad Lander, the city comptroller — were arrested after they demanded access to ICE detention cells in Manhattan. We have more on these stories below. But first, a look at Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and free speech. Noel West for The New York Times State censorship By Adam B. Kushner I’m the editor of this newsletter. For years, conservatives have said the thought police wield too much power. They couldn’t understand why apolitical organizations should have to make statements about George Floyd. They complained bitterly when the government pushed social media platforms to toss users who questioned Covid science. “We may disagree with your views,” Vice President JD Vance said in February. “But we will fight to defend your right to offer it in the public square.” That was before the assassination of Charlie Kirk. In the week since, the Trump administration has punished people who criticized Kirk and proposed to criminalize hate speech. Then on Wednesday it pushed ABC to suspend the late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who had erroneously suggested that Kirk’s killer came from MAGA’s ranks. Yesterday, President Trump said the government should revoke the broadcast license of networks whose on-air personalities speak too harshly about him. Since Trump returned to office, the right’s turnabout on speech has been dizzying. Today’s newsletter is about Kimmel’s sanction and the administration’s new approach. The suspension Kimmel is the highest-profile person to be punished for what he said about Kirk. But he’s an unlikely figure of the resistance. He got his big break on “The Man Show,” which Julia Jacobs, a culture reporter, calls a “raunchy satire of machismo that often seemed to be only half-joking.” On Monday his troubles began when he mused that the “MAGA gang” was “desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them.” (How does the suspect map onto America’s history of political violence? Jia Lynn Yang has a great essay today on that question.) It started as a political problem. A conservative media watchdog posted Kimmel’s monologue on Tuesday morning, and it spread “first as a whisper, then eventually as a shout,” reports Stuart A. Thompson, who covers the flow of information. It rocketed from influencers to radio hosts and Fox News personalities. On Wednesday, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission — who wrote in Project 2025 that the agency “should promote freedom of speech” — told a podcaster that ABC would face consequences. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” he said. Then it was a business decision. Advertisers were growing skittish, and ABC employees had received threats. A Texas-based owner of many ABC affiliates planned to pull Kimmel’s show from his stations, write Times reporters who spoke to more than a half-dozen people involved in the saga. Kimmel drafted a monologue for Wednesday night’s show to address the controversy, but when Disney and ABC leaders saw it, they worried it would make things worse. So an hour before the host was set to take the stage, they made a call: “Jimmy Kimmel Live” would temporarily go dark. Network executives were searching yesterday for a way to get him back on TV soon. Trump sees this as a victory. He said it was the appropriate treatment for someone who “said a horrible thing.” Jim Rutenberg, who covers politics and media, observed: “Far from decrying the silencing of a comedian, Mr. Trump celebrated what he termed a ‘cancellation.’” The politics Comedians and pundits are horrified. David Letterman, the longtime late-night host, said yesterday that networks shouldn’t fire people just because they won’t “suck up” to Trump. (He also joked that he’d been “smart enough to cancel myself.”) On his own show, Stephen Colbert called ABC’s move “blatant censorship” and declared, “Tonight we are all Jimmy Kimmel.” The meaning of the suspension was clear, writes James Poniewozik, The Times’s chief TV critic: “Maybe it’s just better to be cautious. Maybe don’t say anything that gives your haters an opening. Maybe don’t say anything rash. Maybe don’t say anything.” New branding. Trump allies now argue that the freedom of speech doesn’t let you say anything you want. To them, attacking bad ideas isn’t cancel culture — it’s “consequence culture.” Liberals used the phrase for years to justify ostracizing alleged sexual predators during #MeToo and alleged racists after George Floyd’s murder, reports Joseph Bernstein, who writes about online culture. This week, conservatives have taken it up. The difference now is that the government, not activists, is enforcing the consequence. Context. The Trump administration has coerced many private institutions to bend to its will. Law firms are giving the government free legal work rather than lose contracts. A chipmaker is giving it part ownership rather than face export controls. Universities are axing diversity programs and paying hundreds of millions in fines to restore frozen research grants. Media companies are settling frivolous lawsuits with Trump to avoid the cost and the hassle. The law The government has used its power often during Trump’s second term to limit what people can say. Government science agencies have ended grants that mentioned “diversity.” A top Justice Department official said that people protesting the president might have committed a crime. Advocacy. This week, the president declared that the antifa movement — an antifascist collective that tries to counter the far right, occasionally violently — is a terrorist organization. But it is less a group than an idea, reports Charlie Savage, who covers national security and legal policy. And while the government can designate overseas groups as “foreign terrorist organizations,” there is no domestic equivalent in the law. Speech. The attorney general has vowed to ban “hate speech that crosses the line into threats of violence.” Adam Liptak, who covers the law for The Times, explains what the First Amendment says: What is hate speech? The usual definition includes racial, ethnic and religious epithets; calls for racial or religious intolerance; and false statements about racial or religious groups. Holocaust denial is the most common example. Can the government punish it? The Supreme Court says no. The government must protect the freedom to express “the thought that we hate.” Is America’s approach unusual? Yes. Many other countries ban racial epithets, displays of Nazi regalia and exhortations to discriminate against religious groups. All of that is allowed in the United States. What about inciting violence? The First Amendment does not protect incitement, but the Supreme Court has defined that term narrowly, requiring a likelihood of imminent violence. Mere advocacy — of violence, terrorism or the overthrow of the government — is legal. The words must be likely to produce violence or lawlessness right away. If hate speech is legal, why are people getting fired for things they said about Kirk? The First Amendment restricts government activities. But private employers can do what they want. New safeguards. Democrats plan to introduce a bill to protect people targeted by Trump for speaking freely, reports Annie Karni, who covers Congress. But “there was almost no chance that Republicans would bring such a measure to the floor,” she writes. THE LATEST NEWS Politics The administration asked the Supreme Court to let Trump remove Lisa Cook as a Federal Reserve governor. The E.P.A. said it would keep polluters on the hook to clean up “forever chemicals” tied to serious health risks. Tiffany Trump was on an oil mogul’s megayacht while her father-in-law brokered deals. It’s another example of the blurring line between government business and Trump family business. Our colleagues used her Instagram posts to figure it out. Middle East In Gaza last week. Saher Alghorra for The New York Times A group of Democratic senators introduced legislation calling on Trump to recognize a demilitarized Palestinian state. It is the first such measure to be proposed in the Senate. Israel and Ukraine are shooting down drones with lasers, which are cheaper and more efficient than missiles. Before Israel entered Gaza City, it ordered Palestinians to evacuate. But widespread destruction and cramped, limited humanitarian zones make that difficult, as Josh Holder explains in the video below. Click to watch. Public Health A group of states in the Northeast will issue vaccine recommendations, following their Western peers, a rebuke to the Trump administration’s policies. The Trump administration is changing its approach to foreign health aid: It plans to bypass N.G.O.s and make Africa a lower priority. Doctors hoped the measles outbreak would persuade reluctant Texans to be vaccinated. Few changed their minds. Wildfire smoke could kill an estimated 70,000 Americans each year by 2050, a study found, which would make it one of the country’s deadliest climate disasters. Immigration The ICE cells that the arrested officials in New York demanded to see have drawn complaints of unsanitary and overcrowded conditions. A federal judge temporarily blocked the administration from deporting hundreds of Guatemalan children, saying the government had given misleading testimony. The Trump administration is reinstating a harder citizenship test. Tech Chinese state media is hailing a TikTok deal as a win-win: In exchange for the app, Beijing could buy itself negotiating room on tariffs, technology and Taiwan, which matter much more to China. Nvidia plans to invest $5 billion in its struggling rival, Intel. The companies plan to collaborate on developing chips. Other Big Stories Erika Kirk will lead Turning Point USA, taking over from her slain husband. The president of Texas A&M will step down after controversy over a children’s literature course that recognized more than two genders. OPINIONS The Fed is part of an economic system that brought about deindustrialization and open borders. Removing its independence would be welcome reform, Christopher Caldwell argues. Here are columns by Lydia Polgreen on the fixation on transgender shooters and David Brooks on our darkest urges. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS In Hong Kong. Billy H.C. Kwok for The New York Times Final rounds for the aunties: A beloved banquet hall in Hong Kong is closing. For the women who push the dim sum carts, and a city that cherishes its food traditions, it’s a terrible loss. —: In the A.I. age, who’s afraid of an em dash? Stay vigilant: A Times reporter who has covered countless scams nearly fell for one himself. Great taste: Marilyn Hagerty, a food columnist for The Grand Forks Herald in North Dakota, died at 99. Her earnest appraisal of a new Olive Garden in 2012 earned her national media attention. SPORTS N.F.L.: The Miami Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills yesterday in a game closer than its 31-21 score would suggest. Did Miami do enough to quiet the Mike McDaniel firing rumors? M.L.B.: Clayton Kershaw, the iconic Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander who won three Cy Young Awards, is retiring after 18 seasons. He may be the best pitcher of his generation. W.N.B.A. playoffs: The Indiana Fever beat the Atlanta Dream to reach the semifinals even though Caitlin Clark and four other players were out with injuries. Las Vegas also advanced, holding off Seattle in a thriller. OIL ON THE MAT Minh Connors for The New York Times Looking for something to do in San Francisco? Why not take in a robot fight? At Ultimate Fighting Bots events, humanoid machines duke it out, controlled by humans who operate them with video game controllers. The android violence is just one of the many new events populating the Bay Area nightlife calendar as the A.I. boom rejuvenates the area. Natallie Rocha writes about how the new generation of tech workers is searching for memorable experiences away from their laptops. More on culture Virginity is on display in Hulu’s new reality dating show, “Are You My First?” Thieves stole $700,000 worth of raw gold nuggets from a French museum. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … David Malosh for The New York Times Layer refried beans, avocado and queso fresco on homemade tostadas. Read “107 Days,” Kamala Harris’s frustrated account of her campaign. Build your own HIIT workout. Care for silk so it lasts a lifetime. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were aggravating and gravitating. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Correction: The email version of yesterday’s newsletter misstated Jimmy Kimmel’s employment status. He was suspended indefinitely, not fired. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 21 Author Members Posted September 21 September 20, 2025 Good morning. Late yesterday, the top federal prosecutor in Eastern Virginia quit after President Trump called for his ouster. He said he hadn’t found enough evidence to bring charges against Letitia James, the New York attorney general who oversaw the sexual abuse case in which Trump was found liable. We have more news below. First: A weekly dinner party sounds so enticing, but establishing a ritual can be a challenge. María Jesús Contreras Standing date By Melissa Kirsch When I finished Samin Nosrat’s story in The Times this week about her weekly dinner ritual, I felt envious, as I imagine many readers did. Inspired by dinner parties she attended at a particularly gracious host’s home — “when the Castelvetrano olives appeared, we’d all instinctively put our phones down” — she created her own ritual: a regular Monday night meal with friends. The dinners have provided her with much more than company and sustenance. “I’ve learned that if I let other people care for me, they will. I’ve learned how it feels to build something sacred with people I love,” Samin writes. She and her crew refer to the Monday dinner as their religion. How could one not feel a pang, reading of such easy communion! Who wouldn’t want a regular “oasis of time” with a group of pals, a little party to look forward to every week? For me, the envy is of a frustrated sort, not because this type of ritual seems out of reach, but precisely because it feels so accessible. Pick a day, invite some friends, make a menu, here we go. Samin even provides a guide for how to make dinner parties a habit. What’s stopping any of us from creating our own weekly supper club? During the most isolated days of the pandemic, people would talk about all the socializing they planned to do once they could convene again. Oh, the parties they’d throw, the togetherness they’d never again take for granted! But in the past few years, for some reason, gathering groups together has felt more difficult. When I consider hosting a dinner, I sense a friction that wasn’t there before. Is it me, still rusty at entertaining? Is it my social circle, so busy it seems we’d never be able to commit to even one date to dine together, never mind once a week? My gut tells me that after years of growing accustomed to living our lives online, our devices have even more of a hold on our time than we acknowledge. Once, a night at home contained the possibilities for a limited number of leisure activities — watch TV, watch a movie, read, perhaps play a game. When you made plans to go out, you had a clear sense of all the things you were leaving at home. It was a finite and familiar set of things to weigh against all the possible delight of a night out with friends. We are now able to divert ourselves so completely with our devices that a night spent at home feels as if it offers infinite dimensions. We can watch a movie, any movie, while chatting with multiple friends, looking at other friends’ vacation photos, oh, and also paying bills and shopping for new shoes and catching up on the news. We might not consciously say “I can’t go out — I need to stay home and look at my phone,” but a night at home doesn’t feel quiet and boring in the same way. Plus, when we’re in touch with our friends electronically all day long, seeing them in person feels a bit less urgent. While we might muse that we want more real-life connection, we don’t always pursue it, or even jump at the chance to grab it when it invites us in. Samin’s dinner is not unlike Shabbat dinner, a tradition I’ve participated in and adored but never established as a mainstay of my week. Weekly commitments can be hard for busy people to set up: I have friends who recently moved into an apartment across the street from my office. “Regular Monday dinner?” my friend proposed. “Of course!” I replied, thinking, What do I have going on on Mondays? It turns out we all have a lot going on every day of the week. Our dinner ritual has yet to manifest. The secret, I think, is prioritization. You won’t stick to a standing date unless you declare that this activity is important to you, so important that you’re going to decline other spontaneous invitations that arise. You’re not going to schedule a dentist appointment or sign up for a Spanish class on that evening. The desire alone isn’t enough. There has to be purpose and conviction: I want this kind of community in my life, and I’m going to reorient my week to accommodate it. And then, of course, you have to identify kindred spirits committed to doing the same. Despite the obstacles, I’m going to try to make it happen. Won’t you join me? THE LATEST NEWS Government Shutdown Senator John Thune, the Republican leader, on Friday. Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times Senate Democrats and Republicans blocked each other’s plans to keep government funding flowing. If they can’t agree, a shutdown will begin on Oct. 1. Behind the impasse: Democrats want to increase funding for health care and Medicaid; Republicans don’t. The Courts The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to let it enforce an anti-transgender measure that says the sex on someone’s passport must match an original birth certificate. A federal judge threw out Trump’s defamation suit against The Times, calling it “improper and impermissible” in its present form. More Politics The S.E.C. dropped enforcement cases against three men pardoned by Trump, possibly sparing them hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties. The Senate confirmed Michael Waltz to serve as U.N. ambassador. As national security adviser, he added a journalist to a group chat discussing war plans. Trump and Xi Jinping suggested they were near a deal to put U.S. investors in charge of TikTok’s American operations. In the video below, Katrin Bennhold and Lily Kuo explain what it means for U.S.-China relations. Click to watch. International Three Russian fighter jets violated the airspace of Estonia, a NATO member, in what Estonia’s foreign minister called an “unprecedentedly brazen” intrusion. Israel has killed thousands of Hamas fighters, decimated its weapon stockpiles and destroyed many of its tunnels. Yet the group remains a powerful force in Gaza, Adam Rasgon reports. Dozens of people were killed while praying in the besieged Sudanese city of El Fasher. Other Big Stories The C.D.C.’s vaccine committee voted to further limit access to Covid vaccines. It now recommends that adults 65 and older receive the shots only after consulting with a doctor. A hard-fought global treaty to protect ocean life will finally become international law. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Robert Redford Bettmann/Getty Images Robert Redford, who died this week at 89, made no secret of his disdain for Hollywood pomp. But the industry loved him, despite — or perhaps because of — his outspoken beliefs. Redford spent much of his life in Utah and worked to preserve the area’s natural beauty. Film France is submitting an Iranian movie, “It Was Just an Accident,” for best international feature at the Oscars. The move bypasses Iran’s government, which snubbed the film. “HIM,” a thriller set in the world of professional football, stars Marlon Wayans as a veteran who invites a young quarterback to train at his compound. What could go wrong? A probing new documentary, “Predators,” examines the sociological implications of the series “To Catch a Predator.” Comedy Why is Austin’s comedy scene booming? For one thing, the city is cheaper than Los Angeles or New York. But comics say there’s also an ideological freedom there that appeals to them. Gianmarco Soresi’s special, “Thief of Joy,” is “superb,” our critic Jason Zinoman writes: It marries Broadway showmanship with a club comic’s irreverence. Watch it on YouTube. Video Games Hollow Knight: Silksong, one of the most anticipated indie games of the decade, is out. It’s “a world meant to be lived in, to be run through again and again,” our critic writes. Disco Elysium, a detective story with literary prose and serious politics, resonated with an audience hungry for mature storytelling. But that success tore apart the team that created it. More Culture Peter Flude for The New York Times Jane Austen fans gathered in the English city of Bath to celebrate her 250th birthday. Many dressed the part. The first Farm Aid benefit concert was intended as a one-off in 1985. But it has run almost every year since. Tonight is Farm Aid 40, featuring Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Willie Nelson and others. Glenn Lowry, whose tenure as director of the Museum of Modern Art just ended, used his farewell address to push museums to fight for their artists. Heidi Klum hosted her own Oktoberfest in Munich, drawing models, celebrities and influencers — in lederhosen. After 50 years, Penn & Teller were finally inducted into the Magic Circle, an exclusive private society of magicians based in London. “We really do believe in our own mythology,” says Nikole Hannah-Jones, the creator of the 1619 Project. She joins Wesley Morris on the latest episode of “Cannonball.” Watch here. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. CULTURE CALENDAR By Desiree Ibekwe 🎤 “Am I the Drama?” (Out now): It has been seven years since Cardi B released her Grammy-winning debut album, “Invasion of Privacy,” and around five years since “WAP,” her explicit and paradigm-shifting collaboration with Megan Thee Stallion. Cardi has, however, found a way to remain relevant as one of the funniest and most charming figures in rap. She’s an all-around good time in her music and, seemingly, in life — a people’s princess, if you will. (See the glowing online response to her recent quips on the witness stand.) Now she’s back with her second album, which is stacked with guest appearances by Janet Jackson, Selena Gomez and other artists. Expect more catchy hooks and quotable bars. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times By Melissa Clark Red Wine Honey Cake The Jewish High Holy Days start on Monday, which means now is the perfect time to bake a honey cake to celebrate. If you’ve always thought that classic honey cakes were cloying, try my very untraditional red wine honey cake instead. The acidity of red wine tempers the honey’s sweetness, while warm spices and fresh ginger round out the flavor. Plus, you don’t need a mixer to make it. It stirs together easily with a whisk and bakes up light and tender, ready to serve with some fresh plums or berries as you toast a happy, healthy new year. L’shana tova! REAL ESTATE At top left, Erin Kellett with her mother, Nina Kelley, and her husband, Chris Kellett. Sophie Park for The New York Times The Hunt: A mother teamed up with her daughter and son-in-law to find a New England home they could all live in together. Which did they choose? Play our game. What you get for $550,000 in Uruguay: A top-floor loft near Montevideo’s architecture school; a renovated 1950s apartment in the central business district; or a seaside penthouse once occupied by a noted decorator. LIVING Five Wells Square. Ciril Jazbec for The New York Times 36 hours in Zadar, Croatia: The 3,000-year-old port, surrounded by an archipelago and the Velebit Mountains, is an amalgam of architecture from a parade of past residents. Amex Platinum: The card is getting a refresh. And it’s going to be even more exclusive now. Fox News best-sellers: The network has been capitalizing on its popular personalities and loyal viewers with a simple strategy: publishing books. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER How to find a perfect suit As I was recently reminded during my quest to find the best men’s suits, few garments are as intimidating to shop for. They’re expensive, they come in dozens of variations and there are vanishingly few reliable resources. A few tips can help. Start with a clear goal: Does your wardrobe call for a formal suit, or will something casual suffice? This can help you pick between various cuts, styles and tailoring options. Speaking of, don’t skip the tailor: Even if you could get away with wearing a standard-size suit just as it is, there’s a good chance you would still benefit (immensely) from having it tailored. Finally, take it slow. A proper suit is a true investment piece, and if you choose right it can be worn and enjoyed for a long time. — Mitch Moxley GAME OF THE WEEK The circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan. Alexander Nemenov/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Formula 1 is both a team sport and an individual sport. Each team has two drivers, who race to earn points for their teams and themselves, and champions are crowned in both categories. As you might imagine, competing against your own teammate can lead to some awkwardness. McLaren is far and away the best team this year, but its drivers — Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris — are in a tight battle for the individual title. During the last race, team officials ordered Piastri to let Norris pass him. Piastri obeyed, and Norris won. Both teammates said they were OK with the call. But if it happens again, and Norris overtakes Piastri in the standings, that team spirit may be put to the test. Sunday at 7 a.m. Eastern on ESPN NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was logophile. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 22 Author Members Posted September 22 September 21, 2025 Good morning. Charlie Kirk’s memorial service is today, and President Trump is expected to speak. We’re covering that below. But first, we’re exploring the W.N.B.A.’s growing male fan base. At a Golden State Valkyries game. Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times Everyone’s watching By Heather Knight The W.N.B.A. is in the heat of the postseason, and arenas are packed with passionate fans. Many of them are women and girls, of course. But most of them are male. And among boys, that fandom is quickly growing. I first noticed this not as a reporter, but as a mom. My 12-year-old son is obsessed with the Golden State Warriors. It seems as if half his wardrobe has Stephen Curry’s face on it. He wanted to paint his entire bedroom Warriors blue (I convinced him that one accent wall would be a more soothing choice). When the W.N.B.A. introduced a new team in San Francisco this year — the Golden State Valkyries, which I recently profiled — I bought us tickets for the first game. I hoped he would become a casual fan. Before long, though, he developed full-on Valkyries fever. Suddenly, he was sporting a violet cap and a Tiffany Hayes jersey, studying the roster and memorizing statistics. The real eye-opener for me came one Saturday morning when I saw that he was playing his NBA 2K video game not as the Warriors, but as the Valkyries. It turns out my son is in very good company. Boys and young men are helping to fuel the surge in interest in women’s basketball. This season, the W.N.B.A.’s fan base was 57 percent male and 43 percent female, according to statistics provided by the league. Men have actually made up more than half of viewership for years, but they were mostly middle-aged before. Now they’re skewing younger. The number of boys under 18 who watch W.N.B.A. games has grown by 130 percent over the past four years. For today’s newsletter, I spoke with league officials, Valkyries executives and fans to understand the reasons behind the explosion in popularity. Bigger stars Seemingly every boy in America knows about Steph Curry and LeBron James. Now they know about Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers, too. (I got these names from my son, who proclaimed them “generational talents.”) Clark in particular has drawn new fans to the league. During her first year as a professional player last season, with the Indiana Fever, the W.N.B.A. saw a groundswell of interest in its televised games. More than a dozen games topped one million viewers — a number the league had not reached in the previous 16 years. Clark’s debut also coincided with a 34 percent increase in boys watching the games, the league said. Better play It’s no coincidence that a crop of superstars has recently entered the league. Over the years, there have been more opportunities for young girls to play basketball, and that investment is paying off. “The quality of the players has definitely gotten better,” said Joe Lacob, the billionaire who owns both the Valkyries and the Warriors. He said 55 percent of ticket holders at the women’s games in San Francisco were male. The women are gritty and fierce, playing fast and sinking more 3-pointers than ever before. Lacob sits courtside for most Valkyries games, and his guy friends are constantly asking him for tickets, he said. At one recent game, I spotted several heavily tattooed football players for the 49ers sitting beside him. “People are not dumb,” Lacob said. “They see that it’s better. It just clicked.” On the court. Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times Cooler vibes The Valkyries managed to become the first W.N.B.A. team to sell out all their home games, helping to propel the league to record attendance numbers. When you’re in their arena, the Chase Center, it feels like one big party. Several male fans told me that Warriors games had started to feel like overpriced networking opportunities, while the Valkyries games were more affordable and more fun. Nathaniel Berhanu, 10, has season tickets with his mom, Marina Cervantes, and persuaded her to buy him a Valkyries hat after a recent game. “Anytime I’m here I’m overjoyed!” he said. “I’m hyped.” It’s hard not to be when there are flames shooting up behind the backboards, D.J.s blasting music and entertainers like the rapper E-40 performing. My son has started putting the full-court press on me for season tickets next year. Not for the men’s games — for the women’s. THE LATEST NEWS Charlie Kirk The stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York Times Charlie Kirk’s memorial service will be held at an N.F.L. stadium just outside Phoenix. More than 100,000 people are expected to attend. Here’s what to know. President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Stephen Miller and others are expected to speak at the event, which is also meant to galvanize a political movement in Kirk’s name. Tucker Carlson, another planned speaker, is one of the few on the right who has cautioned against the crackdown on speech that has followed the assassination. Erika Kirk, his widow, said in an interview with The Times that she had heard her husband imply that his life could be cut short and had asked him to wear a bulletproof vest. Immigration Tom Homan at the White House. Doug Mills/The New York Times Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar, accepted a bag with $50,000 in cash in an undercover F.B.I. investigation before he was named to the job. The case was later shut down by Trump administration officials. Wall Street and the tech industry are scrambling to make sense of a $100,000 fee that Trump plans to charge for visas granted to skilled foreign workers. Some people who come to the U.S. on J-1 visas, meant to foster cultural exchange, were abused and mistreated. Here are four takeaways from our investigation into the program. Other Big Stories At a camp for Sudanese refugees in Chad. Arlette Bashizi for The New York Times The Trump administration’s international aid cuts have threatened maternal care for the women fleeing Sudan’s war. Many patients have endured sexual violence and are not pregnant by choice. Trump officials say they are trying to stop drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea. Others say the real goal may be to drive Venezuela’s president from power. Successful Ukrainian counterattacks could help challenge Russia’s narrative that its advances are unstoppable and that Kyiv should settle for a peace deal now. Wars, a budget crisis and questions of relevancy will hang over the United Nations General Assembly this week. THE SUNDAY DEBATE Should Democrats allow the government to shut down? Yes. Voters are unlikely to blame Democrats for shutting down the government over health care funding, which is in line with voters’ priorities. “Being the health care party isn’t a bad thing,” Bloomberg’s Nia-Malika Henderson writes. No. Even if Democrats won extensions to current health care policy, no one would notice, and the small relief they give to voters would help Republicans in power. “By shutting down the government, Democrats would hand Republicans a political club that they could use to beat them,” MSNBC’s Michael Cohen writes. FROM OPINION It’s premature to speak of Charlie Kirk’s killer as if he were a left-wing militant, Matthew Walther argues. The problem with taking away vaccine mandates isn’t just that people will refuse inoculation. It can also make it harder for people who want vaccines to get them, Daniela Lamas writes. Here are columns by Jessica Grose on vaccine skepticism and Carlos Lozada on Kamala Harris’s memoir. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS In Sonoma County, Calif. Brian L. Frank for The New York Times On the field: Immigration raids have ripped through California’s winemaking region. Some workers are finding solace on a baseball diamond in a vineyard, even though their teams are now sometimes short on players. Intervision: Russia has been boxed out of Eurovision. So it hosted its own international song contest against friendlier foes, like Cuba, China, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Your pick: The Morning’s most-clicked story yesterday was about one family’s search for a New England home. Vows: He never got over his middle school crush. She didn’t really either. A hunger for life: Marian Burros, who wrote recipes and reported on consumer protection and food safety, died at 92. She developed one of the most beloved Times recipes: the original plum torte. Make it in her honor. SPORTS N.H.L.: The Chicago Blackhawks settled a lawsuit with a former player who sued the club over failing to act when informed of sexual assault accusations against a former video coach. Tennis: The U.S. is headed to its first Billie Jean King Cup final since 2018. M.L.B.: The league has confirmed to The Athletic that “bad actors” had been able to steal and resell fans’ digital tickets from the Ballpark app, a platform used by all 30 teams, and warned customers to change their passwords. BOOK OF THE WEEK By Elisabeth Egan “The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny,” by Kiran Desai: If a novel can be described as “generous,” the word applies to Kiran Desai’s long-awaited follow-up to her 2006 Booker Prize-winner, “The Inheritance of Loss.” Almost 20 years in the making, this 688-page odyssey follows two aspiring writers as they disentangle themselves from their all-consuming families and make their way from India to the United States and back again, edging ever-closer to one another. “One of the many miracles of Desai’s writing,” our reviewer wrote, “is the attention she gives to secondary and even minor characters — far too many to detail here, and not all animate. Beyond the ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ of 19th-century fiction, yet with comparable heft, she ventures into the floorboards, up into the trees and across time zones.” The book, which comes out on Tuesday, has already been longlisted for the Booker Prize. More books Sports and sex make for a knockout pairing in romance novels. Here’s where to start. Here are kid-approved suggestions for books like Captain Underpants, Dog Man and other titles by Dav Pilkey. THE INTERVIEW Philip Montgomery for The New York Times By Lulu Garcia-Navarro This week’s subject for The Interview is the actor and producer Reese Witherspoon, who got her first big role at 14. In the decades since, she has starred in several successful movies — like “Election,” “Legally Blonde” and “Walk the Line,” for which she won an Oscar — and TV shows, including “The Morning Show,” which just released its fourth season. She has also become a force behind the camera with her production company, Hello Sunshine. We talked about those two sides of her career, how she’s navigating the turbulent entertainment industry and her early days in Hollywood as a young mother. You end up in these big films in your early 20s — “Election,” “Cruel Intentions” — and, of course, getting married and having children. Ryan Phillippe was your husband back then. It was unusual, I think, in Hollywood to have kids in your early 20s. You think? [Laughs.] There are parts of it that are private and personal that I don’t really want to talk about, but I will talk about having kids at a young age. There was so much I didn’t know. And maybe that naïveté was good, because it’s like, “Oh, I’ll just do that and have a career.” And I did have a few people say to me, “This is going to be really hard on your career.” There were roles I couldn’t take. I had to have this immediate balance of family and career, being a mom and being a working actress. That’s why it was also scary when “Legally Blonde” became such a big hit. I wasn’t going to beg for parts; parts were coming to me. And that almost made it scarier, because I wasn’t picking and choosing what I would reach and strive for. It was more like, what will I not do? Was it difficult to be in a different part of life than your peers? You know what the most ironic part was? I was always being told by people in the industry: “Don’t play a mom. It’ll make you seem old.” And I was like, “But, I am a mom.” There was so much about our business that desexualized you, so you couldn’t be a movie star if you played a mom. And thank goodness, that’s sort of going by the wayside. But that was a big part of when I was in my 20s and 30s: Don’t play a mom. No men will desire you, or nobody will want to go see that movie because nobody wants to see a movie about a mom. Read more of the interview here, or watch a longer version on our YouTube channel. THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE Read this week’s magazine. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Watch “The Summer Book,” an adaptation of a Finnish novel about a grieving family. Catch up on this year in music. Make up after a fight. MEAL PLAN David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Emily Weinstein hates throwing away food. So she always has frozen shrimp in the house. They are the key to her first idea for five meals to cook for dinner this week: Melissa Clark’s sheet-pan coconut shrimp and sweet potatoes. For vegetarian options, try zucchini butter pasta or masala chickpeas with tofu. And for your shrimp fix, here are 19 ideas for fast bites. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was analyzed. Can you put eight historical events — including the translation of the Rosetta Stone, Butch Cassidy’s downfall and the first 26.2-mile marathon — in chronological order? Take this week’s Flashback quiz. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 22 Author Members Posted September 22 September 22, 2025 Good morning, and happy autumn equinox. Today, we speak with six world leaders about the challenges of climate change. But first, here’s the latest news: World leaders are gathering in New York for the U.N. General Assembly. Palestinian statehood is one of the most prominent issues on the agenda. Charlie Kirk’s memorial drew tens of thousands of people. President Trump spoke for nearly 45 minutes. The Chicago River is clean enough for swimmers for the first time in nearly a century. People celebrated with a dip. Salt-tolerant rice varieties in Bangladesh. Fabeha Monir for The New York Times Climate leadership By David Gelles I host the Climate Forward newsletter and live event series. Climate debates often focus on the world’s largest economies and biggest emitters. But the work of adapting to a hotter planet is happening in countries that have contributed little to the problem but are nevertheless exposed to its consequences. I spoke with six world leaders from these places and heard some common themes — the ravages of extreme weather, the difficulties posed by the Trump administration’s retreat. (The president withdrew the United States from the Paris Agreement and denies the existence of climate change.) But the conversations, which you can see in full, also show how varied environmental predicaments can be. Some of the interviews, condensed and edited, are here: President William Ruto of Kenya. Dina Litovsky for The New York Times Kenya President William Ruto has positioned himself as Africa’s climate leader. Kenya’s energy system is powered in large part by biofuels, wind and solar power. But many African countries, including Kenya, have struggled to obtain competitive financing for clean-energy projects. Ruto’s push for climate action has not moved many voters who want improvements in government services, currency stability and living costs. Talking to your countrymen, how do you explain your focus on something that can seem very abstract to people who are still just struggling to get by? Droughts made millions of Kenyans go hungry. Floods just in the city of Nairobi killed over 30 people. Nobody can persuasively tell any Kenyan that climate change is abstract. It is not. Do you feel that the effort to coordinate global climate action has been effective? It is generally acceptable now that countries like Kenya should be considered for financing. There was a time when we said this and it looked like a joke. Does international collaboration on climate change work if the United States is rowing in the opposite direction? I am very confident that the position of the United States, of China, of Europe, of Africa must come together at some point. We may disagree for a moment, we may disagree for a while, but reality is going to beat us into an agreement. The effects of climate change are in every continent. The only difference is that developed countries can cushion themselves. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo of Finland. Dina Litovsky for The New York Times Finland This country has done something unusual: It has cut down on carbon emissions while growing its economy. Of course, it helps that the Finnish public is wildly supportive of government action on climate. Finland hopes to be carbon neutral by 2035, but it is still reliant on oil because of shipping fuel. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo describes a nation being transformed: The Arctic is warming nearly four times as fast as the global average, and arable land is moving north as remote regions thaw. Is China becoming a more powerful partner to Finland with the retreat of the U.S. on clean energy? We have to be careful. We have to get rid of dangerous dependencies, because we have to be autonomous in clean-energy production. You’ve been working on this issue for many years now. What was the moment when you felt the most personal disillusionment about the politics around climate change? About five to 10 years ago, there was a debate in my own country over whether climate change is true or not. And because I believe it is, and I’m deeply worried about our world and our planet, that debate was frustrating. But we won. Today we have new technologies. We can change our behavior without cutting our welfare. We just have to believe that it’s possible, and we have to continue our work. President Hilda Heine of the Marshall Islands. Dina Litovsky for The New York Times The Marshall Islands This country, made from islands and reefs in the Pacific Ocean, is a few feet above sea level. Each year, the challenges grow. Mosquito-borne diseases have spread because of more frequent rainfall. Tuna — an economic backbone — are leaving for cooler parts of the Pacific. The water is rising. “We will be submerged by 2050 if the world doesn’t do its part,” says President Hilda Heine, who has spent her career sounding the alarm. What do developed nations owe countries like the Marshall Islands? The plan for elevating only two of our communities is projected to cost us billions. It’s a lot of money. I wish that the big emitters could step up and put money into that. What specific steps are you taking in the Marshall Islands? The warming of the ocean is killing our corals, which are building blocks of atoll nations. We are currently doing research to determine species of corals that can survive the warming ocean. We are building a fleet of ships that use wind and solar power to replace our fossil-fuel-run shipping fleet. What are some of the changes your people have had to make? Seven years ago, Majuro had no sea walls. Now we build sea walls to protect homes and schools. I mean, we used to be able to just walk into the lagoon. Now you have to go over sea walls to get to the lagoon side or to the ocean side. The landscape is different. Do you think your country will survive? As the leader of the Marshall Islands, I cannot take the view that we cannot survive. Muhammad Yunus, the chief adviser of Bangladesh. Dina Litovsky for The New York Times Bangladesh With a young population densely packed into a low-lying delta, rising sea levels and extreme heat are major problems. Agriculture is being disrupted. Populations are being displaced. After a popular uprising last year, the country installed Muhammad Yunus as the government’s chief adviser. Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for developing a way to give small loans to low-income people. He called it an example of the way small individual actions can produce widespread change, and he believes that the same is possible with climate. How is Bangladesh experiencing climate change right now? We have to make use of every little space we’ve got in order to feed ourselves. But not only is our land sinking into the ocean; the water system brings saline water into the land because of the tide. And salinity eats up our cultivable land. So sum total is our land is getting squeezed. It’s not a very happy situation. How much do you think international efforts on climate action have succeeded? We try to solve everything by pouring money into it. That’s not the solution. I’m saying I have to change myself. That’s how the world will change. What do you think the developed countries that have historically been responsible for most global emissions owe a country like Bangladesh? All I can do is explain to them: “Look, this is our home. You start a fire in your part of the home, you suffer. But you do something to start a fire in my part of the house — this is not a fair thing to do. You are destroying the whole home. Our life depends on what you do.” Read more interviews here. At The Times’s Climate Forward conference this week, we’ll hear from world leaders, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and activists like the actor Rainn Wilson. Sign up for the livestream here. Sign up for the Climate Forward newsletter News and insights for a warming world. Get it in your inbox THE LATEST NEWS Palestinian Statehood Australia, Britain, Canada and Portugal formally recognized a Palestinian state. Today, Palestinian statehood is due to take center stage at a United Nations conference hosted by France and Saudi Arabia. Top European officials have condemned Israel’s actions in Gaza, and some have even begun to call the war “genocide,” but their concrete actions remain limited, Jeanna Smialek writes. An essential element is missing for Palestinian statehood: backing by Israel or the U.S. Charlie Kirk Memorial At the memorial. Loren Elliott for The New York Times Trump, JD Vance, Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk were all at Charlie Kirk’s memorial service. Trump and Musk, who fell out in June, sat together. See who else attended. In his speech, Trump oscillated between honoring Kirk’s life and promoting his own political agenda. The service showed how much conservative Christianity has melded with Republican politics. Officials wove expressions of faith into their tributes. “I have talked more about Jesus Christ the past two weeks than I have my entire time in public office,” Vance said. Thousands of people stood in line for hours hoping to get into the stadium. Attendees were asked to dress in red, white or blue. International Protesters filled the streets in Manila, accusing the Philippine government of misappropriating billions of dollars designated for flood relief. Russia banned the International Baccalaureate, an elite educational program. The ban reinforces an effort to infuse schools with nationalism and militarism. Business Taiwan is the biggest foreign source of screws for the U.S. But its screw factories are struggling with Trump’s tariffs on steel and aluminum. China may be willing to give up TikTok to strengthen its negotiating position with the U.S. on tariffs, technology and Taiwan. Other Big Stories Today is the September equinox, which means fall in the Northern Hemisphere. At the South Pole, it brings the first sunrise in months. The U.S. could lose to China in a race to return to the moon, former NASA executives say, pointing to difficulties and delays with SpaceX’s Starship rocket. Eric Lipton, an investigative reporter, explains more in this video. BE QUIET Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Alex Brandon/Associated Press The Pentagon said on Friday that it would forbid journalists who cover the military from reporting any information that had not been authorized in advance for release. Eric Schmitt, who has spent 35 years covering national security for The Times, recounts some of the stories that might never have come to light under a policy like this. Rigorous reporting on national security often relies on facts that are not publicly known. One of the most important parts of our job is to shine light on classified programs and operations that the American people need to know about. Some examples: Caribbean boat strikes. My colleagues and I revealed in August that Trump had secretly authorized military force against certain drug cartels. Since then, U.S. strikes against suspected drug boats have killed at least 17 people. Pentagon Papers. The Times published top-secret documents in 1971 showing how four presidential administrations deceived the public about U.S. involvement in Vietnam. The Nixon White House tried to stop their publication, leading to the court showdown you probably learned about in high-school history class. Botched mission in North Korea. In 2019, Trump authorized a secret operation to spy on Kim Jong-un. Earlier this month, my colleagues were the first to report on it — and how it failed, leaving unarmed North Koreans dead. These military failures are often kept under wraps, leading the public to underestimate the extreme risks that American forces undertake. We’ve published thousands more stories based on confidential information. It’s how The Times has done some of its most important reporting: on WikiLeaks, the Iraq War, N.S.A. wiretapping and more. OPINIONS Trump prefers his personal relationships to guide diplomacy. But in doing so, he risks misjudging his counterparts’ intentions, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Keren Yarhi-Milo write. Here’s a column by M. Gessen on the feeling of losing a country. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Kay Nicte Cisneros García gave birth in June. Greta Rico for The New York Times New moms, old rituals: In Mexico, midwives are reviving ancestral practices like shawl-wrapping and herbal baths. Mad at tourists: Copenhagen is a top spot for destination weddings. That’s becoming a problem for residents who can’t get a booking at the city hall. Your pick: The most-clicked article in The Morning yesterday was about a middle-school crush that never ended. Metropolitan Diary: A maraschino cherry conspiracy. Boundary pusher: Diane Martel, an inventive music video director who worked with stars like Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake and Mariah Carey, died at 63. SPORTS N.F.L.: Americans are searching online for football news. Four games had a blocked field goal yesterday. Three came in the final two minutes of play, and two of them swung results. College football: Clemson is crumbling. Indiana is clicking. Texas Tech is contending. And 17 more takeaways on Week 4. TOURISM WOES A photo op in the Galápagos. Todd Heisler/The New York Times The Galápagos Islands, off the coast of Ecuador, are home to sea lions that sleep at bus stops and birds so tame you can touch them. It’s easy to see why Charles Darwin found the archipelago so special when he visited in 1835. Since the pandemic, the islands have become more accessible to visitors because of rentals on Airbnb. Critics say that’s altering the ecosystem. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi. Bake a light and zesty carrot, orange and olive oil cake. Organize your camera roll. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were antiaircraft, frantic, infarct and infract. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 23 Author Members Posted September 23 September 23, 2025 Good morning. Here’s the latest news: Jimmy Kimmel returns: ABC said it would put his show back on air tonight, less than a week after suspending it. Supreme Court: The justices allowed President Trump to fire a leader of the Federal Trade Commission. U.N. General Assembly: Today is the big day of debates. Trump will speak. We have more on these stories below. But first, a fact-check of the medical misinformation that emerged from the White House’s autism announcement. At the White House yesterday. Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times Bad medicine By Tom Wright-Piersanti I’m an editor on The Morning. The scene at the White House yesterday evoked the early days of the Covid pandemic: President Trump, standing at a lectern, offered Americans medical advice that contradicted scientific research. This time, though, the subject was not hydroxychloroquine or injected bleach. It was a rise in autism diagnoses — and a purported connection to Tylenol and vaccines. For years, scientists have studied a possible link between pregnant mothers’ use of acetaminophen, the active ingredient in Tylenol, and neurological conditions like autism and A.D.H.D. The findings are complex. Some studies suggest a link; others do not. None have found proof of a causal relationship. Yet Trump spoke as if the connection were definitive. He instructed pregnant women to avoid the drug. “Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it. Fight like hell not to take it,” he said. Trump also said that he and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health secretary, had long discussed the possibility that vaccines are linked to autism. “They pump so much stuff into babies, it’s a disgrace,” he said. Dozens of studies over the last three decades have failed to find any link between vaccines and autism. Scientists say the idea has been debunked. Fact-check Much of what Trump said during his press conference was untrue. Here’s a fact-check. Vaccines: The president said that the childhood immunization schedule “loads up” children with too many vaccines — as many as 80 different shots. The truth: Children generally receive roughly 30 vaccine doses before the age of 18, according to the C.D.C.’s schedule. And there is no evidence for the idea that vaccines overwhelm their immune system or lead to conditions like autism. Hepatitis B: Trump said the disease was sexually transmitted — and that children should not be vaccinated against it until they are 12. The truth: The virus is transmitted sexually. But it can also spread through drops of blood on surfaces or skin, and it is highly transmissible during delivery, so doctors recommended the vaccine at birth. Tylenol: Speaking about the risks for pregnant women, Trump said, “There is no downside to not taking it.” The truth: Doctors already advise pregnant women to take Tylenol sparingly. But there are some important uses. A high fever, for example, can endanger both the mother and the baby. Why now? Research on acetaminophen use during pregnancy is not new, as my colleague Azeen Ghorayshi, a science reporter, recently explained. So why did the White House make this announcement now? Last month, scholars published a review of 46 existing studies. Taken together, they suggest there is evidence for a connection between acetaminophen use during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental disorders. Those findings circulated widely on social media, including among autism parent groups, many of whom consider Kennedy a champion of their cause. But the researchers cautioned people about inferring too much: “We cannot answer the question about causation,” Diddier Prada, an epidemiologist at Mt. Sinai’s medical school and the first author on the review, told The Times. Most doctors believe autism cannot be easily attributed to a single cause; rather, they say, it involves a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors. The F.D.A.’s notice to physicians yesterday about a possible link between acetaminophen and autism was far more measured than Trump’s riff. It noted, accurately, that “a causal relationship has not been established” and that the matter was “an ongoing area of scientific debate.” More coverage The F.D.A. plans to modify the label of leucovorin, a vitamin B-based drug used to treat side effects of chemotherapy, so that it can be used as a treatment for autism symptoms. It has been studied only in a few dozen research participants. Trump said he wanted to end the use of aluminum in vaccines. Kennedy has warned about the ingredient for years, though scientists say it is a safe preservative. Read more about taking Tylenol when you’re pregnant. PALESTINIAN STATEHOOD In Gaza. Eyad Baba/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images France said yesterday it now recognized Palestine as a state, declaring that “the time has come.” About 10 other countries, including Britain and Canada, have also recently done so. Why is this happening now? Aaron Boxerman, a Jerusalem-based reporter, explains what changed. Then. For years, Israel’s Western allies generally put off recognizing a Palestinian state. Israel argued that they would be meddling in a peace process between two adversaries. Maybe they could use recognition as a carrot to induce Palestinian concessions — demobilizing armed groups or swapping certain tracts of land, for instance. This was plausible. Benjamin Netanyahu had said he would be willing to negotiate Palestinian independence. Now. Israeli leaders today rule out a future Palestinian state in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Netanyahu boasts about blocking it, saying it would simply help Hamas, which attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people. His political allies say they hope to rule Gaza and build Jewish settlements there. “For years, I have prevented the creation of that terrorist state, against tremendous pressure at home and abroad,” Netanyahu said on Sunday. In response, Western nations see no reason to hold back. They won’t complicate Middle East negotiations, because there are none. Although recognizing statehood won’t bring about a sovereign Palestinian government, foreign leaders now hope it will strengthen the chance of a diplomatic, negotiated peace — and weaken hard-line groups like Hamas. Related: Aaron explains why a Palestinian state still seems more remote than ever. THE LATEST NEWS Jimmy Kimmel Jimmy Kimmel Richard Shotwell/Invision, via Associated Press The response to Kimmel’s prospective return was predictably partisan. Democrats celebrated. Conservatives denounced it. Almost everyone seemed to have something to say — even “The View” weighed in, criticizing Trump. Kimmel hasn’t commented yet. Some ABC affiliates are expected to not air the show. Justice Department The White House denied that the president’s border czar accepted a bag with $50,000 in cash last September, contradicting news reports. A lawyer loyal to Trump was sworn in as the federal prosecutor tasked with investigating James Comey, the former F.B.I. director, and Letitia James, New York’s attorney general. More on Politics Trump signed an order targeting antifa, the left-wing antifascist movement, and threatening “investigatory and prosecutorial action” against its supporters. Internal documents, reviewed by The Times, show how Trump appointees have weakened enforcement of a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination in housing. African countries are accepting U.S. deportees from other countries to court the Trump administration. International Alaa Abd El Fattah Mohamed El Raai, via Reuters Egypt pardoned its most prominent political prisoner, who has spent most of the past 12 years behind bars. The Trump administration pledged to support Argentina’s struggling economy, throwing a lifeline to President Javier Milei, a Trump ally. Other Big Stories Errol Musk has been accused of sexually abusing five of his children and stepchildren since 1993, a Times investigation found. Errol is Elon Musk’s father; family members have appealed to Elon for help. A young Greenlandic woman living in Denmark won back custody of her infant daughter. Officials had taken the girl after an evaluation that they later acknowledged was flawed. This month, an ICE agent fatally shot a man in Chicago during an attempted arrest. An analysis of surveillance and bystander videos sheds new light on what happened. PAY TO STAY Trump is imposing a $100,000-a-year fee for H-1B visas, which let skilled foreign workers like software engineers come to the United States. Fees have become a staple of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Evan Gorelick, a writer for this newsletter, catalogs some examples. Gold cards. These visas cost $1 million, or $2 million if a business is sponsoring an applicant. The commerce secretary said they would function like green cards but raise billions of dollars from people of “exceptional value.” Visitor fees. Millions of tourists, business travelers and students will be subject to a new $250 fee. Asylum applications. It used to be free to apply for asylum, a form of legal protection for foreigners who face persecution at home. Now, it costs $100 to submit a new application, and another $100 each year the application is pending. Temporary protected status. Applications now cost $500, up from the previous $50 fee. The program grants legal status to people for whom it might be unsafe (because of war or famine) to return home. Work permits. There’s a new $550 minimum fee to submit an application. (It used to be free.) There’s also an additional $275 fee to renew or extend a permit. Travel bonds. Some visitors must pay bonds of up to $15,000 to ensure that they do not overstay their visas, under a State Department trial program announced in August. They get it back when they leave. Related: Trump’s H-1B visa fee knocks down a bridge between the U.S. and India. Indians won 71 percent of the visas in the 2024 lottery. OPINIONS Recognition of Palestinian statehood is at best empty symbolism and at worst a distraction from Israel’s war in Gaza, Mustafa Barghouti writes. Here’s are column by Michelle Cottle on gerrymandering. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Renaud Philippe for The New York Times Cold strawberries: High in the Canadian Arctic, where no trees grow, a new greenhouse provides fresh produce to Inuits. Ask Well: Experts say ginger really can help soothe an upset stomach. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about Trump’s speech at Charlie Kirk’s memorial. High Holy Days: Today is Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. The Times spoke with a rabbi about this era of American Judaism. “The divisions feel really real,” he said. Repentance: Every major world religion has a process for moral accounting. That can be really good for your health — even if you’re not religious. Hang 10: Ron DiMenna, a founder of the Ron Jon Surf Shop who helped expand surfing into mainstream culture, died at 88. SPORTS N.F.L.: Americans were searching for news about the Detroit Lions, who dominated the Baltimore Ravens, sacking their quarterback, Lamar Jackson, seven times. Incognito: Harry Styles reportedly ran the Berlin Marathon under a false name — and finished in under three hours. HEY, BIG SPENDER “Smash,” a Broadway musical that lost its investments. Richard Termine for The New York Times “Broadway is not a business anymore,” the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber told The Times recently. “I look at the economics of this, and I just don’t see how it can sustain.” He was reacting to some grim financial news: Of the 18 commercial musicals that opened on Broadway last season, not one has turned a profit. The new musicals “Tammy Faye,” “Boop!” and “Smash” each cost at least $20 million to bring to the stage. All were gone in less than four months. And expensive revivals of “Cabaret,” “Gypsy” and “Sunset Boulevard” have not recouped their losses, despite good reviews and Tony Awards. Why is Broadway in trouble? Producers point to a few factors. Attendance still slightly lags prepandemic levels. And ticket prices have remained relatively flat, while costs have skyrocketed. More on culture Four decades ago, tens of thousands gathered for a Live Aid concert in London, to raise money for famine relief. Last week, a new group of musicians played for Gaza. A blockbuster exhibition in Florence will spotlight works by the Italian Renaissance painter Fra Angelico, the patron saint of artists. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Rachel Vanni for The New York Times Sear broccoli for this chunky soup with potato. Watch “Megadoc,” which explores the making of Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis.” Stand while you work. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were goodnight and hotdogging. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 25 Author Members Posted September 25 September 24, 2025 Good morning. Today, we’re covering the independence of the Justice Department, as well as President Trump’s remarks to the U.N. General Assembly and a powerful typhoon hitting Asia this morning. But first, we look at Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late night. On air again Jimmy Kimmel Randy Holmes/Disney, via Getty Images Jimmy Kimmel returned last night. He was back less than a week after ABC suspended his late night show in response to pressure from the Trump administration. In his opening monologue, Kimmel addressed his comments about the suspect in the killing of Charlie Kirk, which incited the uproar that led to his suspension. The late night star’s voice caught as he told viewers: “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man.” But he also said that President Trump’s threat against ABC was “anti-American.” “This show is not important,” Kimmel said in his opening monologue. “What’s important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.” People online were searching for his monologue. Read — and watch — more of Kimmel’s comments here. For more: Trump threatened to sue ABC again. “Last time I went after them, they gave me $16 Million Dollars,” he said. “This one sounds even more lucrative.” Sinclair and Nexstar, which operate local ABC affiliates across the country, refused to air Kimmel’s show. Combined, they account for about 20 percent of ABC’s national reach. The other late night shows were also talking about Kimmel. The Justice Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Kent Nishimura for The New York Times Results may vary By Evan Gorelick I’m a writer for The Morning. President Trump wants the Justice Department to punish his foes and protect his friends. In the past few days, he has taken steps to make that happen. He ousted a federal prosecutor who failed to file charges against his political enemies, then filled the role with an inexperienced loyalist. And he publicly demanded that the attorney general go after his adversaries, even as the Justice Department quietly swept away a case against an ally. Those moves “bulldozed the already faltering tradition of Justice Department independence from the White House,” my colleague Alan Feuer writes. Today’s newsletter unpacks each of these episodes. Not good enough The prosecutor tasked with investigating Letitia James, New York’s attorney general, and James Comey, the former F.B.I. director, had recently given his superiors bad news. He couldn’t find enough evidence to bring charges against James, and he had concerns about a potential case against Comey. Letitia James and James Comey. Dave Sanders, Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times That report, in Trump’s view, was unacceptable. The president says James and Comey deserve punishment — James for scoring fraud rulings against Trump and his company, Comey for investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election. So the prosecutor, Erik Siebert, was pushed out on Friday. My colleagues who covered the ouster explained its significance: The episode was consistent with Mr. Trump’s threats to pursue the law enforcement officials who investigated him, an apparent challenge to the fundamental principle enshrined in the Justice Department’s rulebook of investigating crimes rather than targeting out-of-favor individuals to uncover potential wrongdoing. Try harder The day after Siebert’s resignation, Trump demanded that the Justice Department move quickly to prosecute his enemies. “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility,” Trump wrote in a social media post addressed to his attorney general, Pam Bondi. “They impeached me twice, and indicted me (5 times!), OVER NOTHING. JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” Trump’s post named Comey and James, as well as Senator Adam Schiff, the Democrat who led Trump’s first impeachment hearings, and suggested that they were “all guilty as hell.” (He has been aggressively pursuing mortgage-fraud allegations against James.) It was another blow to the Justice Department’s independence, my colleagues wrote: Even for a president who has shattered the traditional norms of maintaining distance from the Justice Department, Mr. Trump’s unabashedly public and explicit orders to Ms. Bondi were an extraordinary breach of prosecutorial protocols that reach back to the days following the Watergate scandal. Trump has replaced Siebert with Lindsey Halligan, a former personal lawyer of Trump’s who has no experience as a prosecutor. Before her appointment, she was a legal aide in his White House and led the effort to scrutinize exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution for “improper ideology.” The agency also recently fired James Comey’s daughter, Maurene Comey, a longtime federal prosecutor who handled criminal cases against Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. She says she was never given a reason for her dismissal. But only sometimes The Justice Department is hammering Trump’s enemies, but not his friends. After the president took office, the agency dropped a possible bribery investigation into his border czar, Tom Homan. Undercover F.B.I. agents secretly recorded Homan accepting a bag containing $50,000 in cash last year. Homan agreed to help the agents (who were posing as businessmen) secure government contracts related to border security. But Trump’s Justice Department shut down the investigation into Homan. One person familiar with the case told my colleagues that there had not been enough evidence to support federal charges. Another person, though, contended that the case was dumped before such evidence could be gathered. The White House has also denied that Homan accepted the cash. House and Senate Democrats have opened separate investigations into the handling of the case, and they’ve called for Justice Department leaders and the F.B.I. to turn over the recordings of Homan. But the Democrats don’t control Congress, so they can’t force the Trump administration to respond. THE LATEST NEWS The U.N. General Assembly Volodymyr Zelensky and President Trump. Doug Mills/The New York Times After meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump shifted his outlook on the war. He said he now thinks Ukraine could regain all its territory. Zelensky said he was surprised by the about-face. (Just last month, after a meeting with Putin, Trump backed a plan to have Ukraine give up land for peace.) Emmanuel Macron, France’s president, got stuck on a street waiting for Trump’s motorcade to pass. He tried to bargain with a police officer. When that didn’t work, he called Trump. Trump’s Speech at the U.N. “Your countries are going to hell,” Trump told other world leaders in a nearly hourlong lecture. The U.N. asks leaders to limit their speeches to 15 minutes. He called climate change the world’s “greatest con job” and said he had ended seven wars. We fact-checked his claims. An escalator malfunction forced Trump to walk one flight of steps — and he wasn’t happy. “All I got from the United Nations was an escalator on the way up that stopped right in the middle,” he said in his speech. Typhoon Ragasa In Hong Kong. Tyrone Siu/Reuters Typhoon Ragasa, the world’s most powerful storm so far this year, hit Hong Kong this morning. It also made landfall in southern China, where the authorities say they have evacuated more than a million people. The typhoon killed at least 14 people in Taiwan. More than 120 remain missing. More International News A protest group on an aid flotilla heading to Gaza said drones had attacked it. A New Zealand jury convicted a woman of killing her children, hiding their bodies in suitcases and then fleeing to her native South Korea. Some of the workers arrested this month in a raid at a Hyundai-LG factory spoke to The Times. “My main takeaway is that America is not a safe place to work,” a Korean man said. Other Big Stories Grazer won last year. The National Park Service/T Carmack It’s Fat Bear Week. You have until Sept. 30 to vote on your favorite jiggler. OpenAI will partner with SoftBank and Oracle to build five new data centers in the U.S. Boston will pay a total of $150,000 to two Black men who were wrongly accused in the 1989 killing of a pregnant white woman. Her husband, who implicated them, was later found to be the killer. THE MORNING QUIZ This question comes from a recent edition of the newsletter. Click an answer to see if you’re right. (The link will be free.) Why, according to a recent Times dispatch, are Copenhagen residents mad at tourists? Influencers wore fur to fashion week. Bakery visitors keep calling cardamom buns “Swedish buns.” Foreign couples are hogging the civil wedding slots at City Hall. No one can properly pronounce the Ø. OPINIONS People with autism need understanding and accommodation. But the Trump administration is sending a signal that they shouldn’t exist, Maia Szalavitz writes. It’s naïve and impractical to practice civil debate in the face of bigotry, Roxane Gay argues. Here’s a column by David French on Erika Kirk and Trump. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS In eastern Tahiti. Mark Meredith/Getty Images Tahiti on the cheap: One family made it to French Polynesia with inexpensive airfare and a house swap. See how. Chicken nuggets and comradeship: Gas stations near the front give Ukrainian soldiers a reminder of the normalcy they’re fighting to defend. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about soothing your stomach with ginger. Two lives in rock: Joe Stevens, who died at 87, wearied of a career as a road manager for bands and remade himself as a photographer. His images chronicle a golden era of amplified rebellion, from Woodstock to the Sex Pistols and beyond. SPORTS College football: Mike Gundy is out as coach at Oklahoma State. He was fired after 21 years and a 1-2 start to this season, which included two of his worst losses. M.L.B.: The Yankees are heading to the playoffs after a walk-off win over the White Sox. ARTS AND IDEAS The 2025 nominees for the Booker Prize. Yuki Sugiura for Booker Prize Foundation The Booker Prize, the famous British literary award, announced its nominees. Here are a few of the buzziest: Katie Kitamura’s “Audition,” which a Times review said was the author’s “most thrilling examination yet of the deceit inherent in human connection.” Kiran Desai’s “The Loneliness of Sonia and Sunny.” Desai won the Booker Prize in 2006 but struggled to write a follow-up — until now. Susan Choi’s “Flashlight,” which touches on historical events including North Korean re-education camps. More on culture Claudia Cardinale in 1962. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Claudia Cardinale, the leading lady of 1960s Italian cinema in films including “8½” and “The Leopard,” died at 87. Chatbots are cloning celebrities online. They’re offering you Ryan Gosling as a digital boyfriend, The Cut reports. It’s “Sit at the Bar September.” An influencer wants people to ditch dating apps and try for analog meet-cutes. Disney is raising its streaming prices again next month. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Assemble your own burrito bowls at home. Read Steven Pinker on common knowledge. Braise in a stellar Dutch oven. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were backbite and tieback. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. P.S. Today is our annual Climate Forward conference, in which world leaders, executives and activists will discuss key questions — including how President Trump has upended global climate policy. The livestream starts at 9 a.m. Eastern. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 26 Author Members Posted September 26 September 25, 2025 Good morning. We have news on a shooting at an ICE facility and China’s climate commitments. We’re answering your vaccine questions. Hannah Beier/Reuters Your vaccine questions The vaccine situation in the United States has become chaotic, and it can be hard to keep up. An advisory committee voted last week to limit access to Covid vaccines and combination shots for measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. say that vaccines may be linked to autism, a claim that has been discredited by decades of scientific studies. We know you have questions about vaccines. The Times asked what readers wanted to know — and received hundreds of queries about efficacy, safety, cost and access. Today’s newsletter brings you answers, courtesy of health and science reporters: Maggie Astor, Dani Blum, Teddy Rosenbluth, Apoorva Mandavilli, Reed Abelson and Emily Baumgaertner Nunn. See more answers about flu shots and the childhood vaccine schedule. Are Covid shots available? Largely, yes. On paper, anyone 6 months and older should be able to get the updated shots (which target more recent variants of the coronavirus). In practice, though, some people may face challenges. Pharmacies in some states have been requiring prescriptions, even for those in high-risk groups; while that is likely to change if the C.D.C. adopts recent recommendations, a new provision that urges people to consult a medical professional before getting vaccinated may create barriers. Many pharmacies and doctors aren’t stocking pediatric doses. And although the C.D.C. recognizes pregnancy as a high-risk condition, it has stopped recommending vaccination during pregnancy. What happened to the M.M.R.V. vaccine? Parents have had two options for protecting their children against measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. Option No. 1: Children get two shots — one for chickenpox, and another that covers the rest. Option No. 2: Children get one combined shot, called the M.M.R.V. That one slightly increases the risk of fever-induced seizures in young children, which can alarm parents but do not cause lasting harm. Parents may choose this option to reduce the number of injections or clinic visits. An advisory panel now says that the C.D.C. should eliminate the choice and recommend only the separate shots. Desiree Rios for The New York Times Will insurance pay? Probably. Under the Affordable Care Act, almost all insurers must fully cover vaccines recommended by the C.D.C. They don’t have to cover other shots, but they can choose to — and many say they plan to disregard recent changes. For instance, a trade association for health insurers said this month that through at least the end of 2026, its members would cover all vaccines that the C.D.C. recommended as of Sept. 1. If you don’t have insurance, out-of-pocket costs vary. The C.D.C. maintains a list of private-sector prices. But this list reflects only how much providers pay. They are likely to charge you more — potentially more than $200 for Covid shots at a pharmacy, and around $290 for M.M.R.V. How do we know they’re safe? New shots are rigorously evaluated to ensure that their benefits outweigh their risks. Testing begins in lab animals, like mice or primates. If the vaccine appears to be safe and promising, it advances to its first clinical trial. This trial often includes fewer than 100 people. After that, researchers monitor side effects in a larger trial, which includes more participants of different ages and backgrounds. Finally, the vaccine is tested in thousands — sometimes as many as tens of thousands — of participants, which lets the researchers detect rare side effects. The process can take up to a decade, after which the F.D.A. reviews the data and decides whether to approve the shot. And officials continue to collect data about vaccine side effects even after its approval. Health agencies may update recommendations or add warning labels if they find a link between a serious side effect and a vaccine. Can vaccines be dangerous? Significant side effects are rare. Shots may produce fatigue, fever and pain at the injection site. But health officials withdraw immunizations that cause bigger problems. For example, in 1999, the C.D.C. withdrew its recommendation for a rotavirus vaccine that was associated with intestinal blockages in children, and the manufacturer voluntarily ceased production. A fraction of a percent of young people — especially young men between 12 and 24 — who receive their first two doses of Moderna’s and Pfizer’s Covid shots may experience myocarditis, or heart inflammation. In all age groups, myocarditis is more common after contracting Covid than after getting a Covid vaccine. Myocarditis is treatable, and most people who experience it recover fully. Flu shots are also very safe. Guillain-Barré syndrome — in which the immune system attacks nerves — occurs in one or two recipients in a million, and flu infections are much more likely than vaccines to cause it. THE LATEST NEWS ICE Office Shooting A gunman perched on a rooftop in Dallas opened fire on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center. He killed one detainee and critically injured two others. No officers were injured. Americans were searching online for information about the gunman, who was 29 and killed himself. Officials said he left behind ammunition with an anti-ICE message, though his extensive online footprint did not include much about politics. This was the third shooting at a federal immigration facility in Texas recently. The other two were in July. In one, a police officer was shot and 10 people were charged. In the other, three people were injured, two of them officers, and the gunman was killed. Climate Change China promised to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 7 percent over the next decade. At a Times conference, speakers discussed Trump’s climate policy. Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, called the president’s derisive comments about climate change at the U.N. an “abomination.” The U.S. energy secretary, Chris Wright, urged other countries to leave the Paris Agreement. United Nations President Ahmed al-Shara of Syria Dave Sanders for The New York Times Ahmed al-Shara became the first Syrian leader to address the U.N. General Assembly in 58 years. He told The Times that his jihadist past had prepared him to do what no one else could: topple the Assad regime. Volodymyr Zelensky told fellow leaders they were living through “the most destructive arms race in human history,” citing the cheap, deadly drones built to fight in Ukraine. War in Gaza Asma al-Ladawi and her baby in a hospital in Abu Dhabi. Natalie Naccache for The New York Times Our colleague Ismaeel Naar flew with injured Gazans being taken to the U.A.E. “Starvation is a medical condition we thought the world had stopped needing to treat,” an Emirati health official said. An Israeli airstrike killed nearly two dozen Palestinians in Gaza City, the rescue service there said. Israel said it had hit two Hamas figures. More International News Nicolas Sarkozy Christophe Ena/Associated Press Nicolas Sarkozy, France’s former president, was found guilty of a conspiracy to illegally finance his 2007 campaign with funds from Libya. Typhoon Ragasa is ripping across East Asia. In Taiwan, at least 14 people are dead and 17 more are missing. See photographs of the destruction it left there. Denmark’s prime minister traveled to Greenland to officially apologize to Greenlandic women her country subjected to forced contraception. “Why didn’t they say sorry 30 years ago or 20 years ago or even 10 years ago?” one woman said. Deadly protests shook Ladakh, a Himalayan region of India. Protesters are demanding statehood. Apples are vital to Kashmir’s economy. This year, after a landslide blocked a highway, they were left to rot. Politics Adelita Grijalva at her victory speech. Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press A Democrat won a House special election in Arizona. She will give a bipartisan coalition the support it needs to force a vote on demanding the remaining Epstein files. The White House told federal agencies to prepare for possible mass firings if the government shuts down next week. Subsidies that reduce health care costs for millions are set to expire at the end of the year. Unless Congress extends them, Obamacare bills may double. Cuts to social security staffing have left Americans struggling for answers — and the checks they need to get through a month. The White House unveiled a “Presidential Walk of Fame” outside the West Wing, CNN reports. In a row of presidential portraits, Joe Biden is represented by a photo of an autopen. (See the viral video from Trump’s adviser.) Other Big Stories Geoffrey West killed William Berry’s mother in 1997. Now, Berry is fighting to stop Alabama from killing West. The execution is scheduled for tonight. A hit-and-run driver reversed a minivan into two German tourists on a crosswalk in Manhattan, the police said, killing a 50-year-old woman and critically injuring her husband. Americans’ math and reading scores have plummeted since 2019. OPINIONS More Americans now fear domestic threats more than foreign ones. That could be damaging for national security and global health, Kristen Soltis Anderson writes. Here’s a column by Jamelle Bouie on presidential power. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Photo illustration by Shawn Michael Jones for The New York Times America dreams of sushi: Raw fish is bigger than ever. Thank convenience, not craftsmanship. $1.75 a day: Bolzano, a city in northern Italy, may tax tourists’ dogs — and charge resident dog owners an annual fee as well. Three hours with a masterpiece: What a writer learned testing his attention with the Velázquez painting “Las Meninas.” Fallen conquistador: Hernán Cortés toppled the Aztec Empire. Hundreds of years later, the trash-strewed site of his tomb shows the disdain many hold for him in Mexico. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue. His return from suspension drew an audience nearly four times his usual. Fighting for recovery: Louise Vincent, a heroin user who survived overdoses and went on to lead a harm reduction effort promoting needle exchanges and naloxone, died at 49. SPORTS M.L.B.: The top two American League M.V.P. candidates had huge nights. The Yankees’ Aaron Judge became the fourth player to hit 50 home runs in four seasons. Seattle’s Cal Raleigh became the seventh player ever to hit 60 in a season. N.F.L.: Tom Brady defended himself over concerns about a conflict of interest between his roles as a Fox analyst and a Las Vegas Raiders minority owner. A LONG LIFE Maria Branyas Morera and Dr. Manel Esteller. via Manel Esteller “Please study me.” That was the last request of Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest living woman, before she died last year. She was 117. So Dr. Manel Esteller, the head geneticist at the University of Barcelona’s medical school, and his team examined her cells. They found that her genes contained variants that seem to protect against factors like dementia, heart disease and cancer — a genetic lottery win. She also had an abundance of healthy bacteria, Dr. Esteller noted, possibly thanks to the three yogurts she ate every day. Scientists caution that good genes and yogurt won’t keep you alive on their own. Dr. Esteller’s study found that Branyas’s longevity came in large part from her lifestyle: She followed a Mediterranean diet, didn’t smoke or drink and had a close circle of family and friends. “She lived a healthy life,” Dr. Esteller said. More on culture A sumptuous pinstripe suit from the Erdem show. Simbarashe Cha/The New York Times London Fashion Week showed that tulle, suits and pink are in style. A statue of Trump and Jeffrey Epstein holding hands was removed from the National Mall. A museum curator fled Thailand after China objected to parts of a show criticizing authoritarian regimes. “You can’t believe they gave me my job back?” Kimmel said in his monologue, addressing Trump. “I can’t believe we gave you your job back.” Read more from the late night shows. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Romulo Yanes for The New York Times Make loco moco, a classic Hawaiian dish. Read Ian McEwan’s new novel, “What We Can Know,” which our reviewer called the best thing he’s written in ages. Drive through Slovenia for natural wine and majestic vistas. Wear an actually sturdy bralette. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was accumulate. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 27 Author Members Posted September 27 September 26, 2025 Good morning, and happy Friday. Today, we’re covering James Comey’s indictment, an investigation into George Soros’s foundation and a possible government shutdown. Plus, all the other news you need to start your day. Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, and Pam Bondi, the attorney general. Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times Political interference By Evan Gorelick I’m a writer for The Morning. The Justice Department is giving President Trump what he wants. Here’s how my colleagues described last night’s news: The clearest way to understand the extraordinary nature of the indictment on Thursday of James B. Comey, the former F.B.I. director, is to offer up a simple recitation of the facts. An inexperienced prosecutor loyal to President Trump, in the job for less than a week, filed criminal charges against one of her boss’s most-reviled opponents. She did so not only at Mr. Trump’s direct command, but also against the urging of both her own subordinates and her predecessor, who had just been fired for raising concerns that there was insufficient evidence to indict. At the same time, the Justice Department has also ordered prosecutors to investigate George Soros, a billionaire Democratic donor whom Trump has targeted for financing left-wing groups. The moves dispense with the decades-old norm that the agency should be free from political interference. Today’s newsletter breaks down both cases. George Soros, left, and James Comey. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP — Getty Images, Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times James Comey Trump has detested Comey ever since Comey led an investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. The inquest ultimately did not prove that Trump’s campaign had colluded with Moscow, and the president claims it was a witch hunt designed to hurt him politically. Yesterday’s indictment was bare-bones — one count of making a false statement and one count of obstructing Congress. The charge sheet says Comey lied during a Senate hearing when he said he hadn’t authorized a news leak about the F.B.I.’s investigations. The lead prosecutor also tried to indict Comey on a second charge of making a false statement. But the grand jury rejected it. To convict Comey, the government must prove not only that his statement was false, but also that he knew so when he testified. Comey faces up to five years in prison if convicted, although many prosecutors believe that the case will be difficult to prove. George Soros The Justice Department has also ordered more than half a dozen U.S. attorneys’ offices to examine Soros’s grant-making organization, the Open Society Foundations, my colleague Devlin Barrett reports. The agency even suggested possible charges that prosecutors might file against Soros, including arson and terrorism sponsorship. Open Society awards money to groups that promote human rights, democracy and equity. Soros personally donated hundreds of millions of dollars to Democrats during the last two election cycles. In August, Trump said that Soros should be charged under a racketeering law historically used to prosecute Mafia bosses. Then, after the assassination of Charlie Kirk this month, Trump blamed progressive advocacy groups and donors for left-wing violence; he said Soros “should be put in jail.” Yesterday, Trump signed a memo endorsing such prosecutions. As grounds for investigating Soros, the Justice Department points to a right-wing report stating that the Open Society Foundations “has poured over $80 million into groups tied to terrorism or extremist violence.” (Israel designated one grant recipient, a Palestinian human rights group, as a front for terrorist activity in 2022; Open Society said at the time that there was no evidence for the designation.) SHUTDOWN STALEMATE Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times Republicans and Democrats are stuck. Both parties introduced bills to avert a government shutdown next week. Both bills failed. On Wednesday, the White House offered an ultimatum: If Congress doesn’t prevent a government shutdown, it could push another round of mass layoffs across the federal government. Lyna Bentahar explains the negotiations. The stakes Senate Republicans need seven Democratic votes to fund the government before the end of the month. But Democrats won’t agree unless the G.O.P. extends Obamacare subsidies and reverses cuts to Medicaid and other health programs made by the domestic policy bill it passed this summer. The Obamacare subsidies make health insurance cheaper for some Americans. If they expire, the Congressional Budget Office says, around four million people are projected to lose coverage and prices will rise for another 20 million starting next year. (My colleagues Margot Sanger-Katz and Catie Edmondson wrote about how their expiration presents a dilemma for members of both parties.) Republicans want to discuss those subsidies later this year but haven’t made any promises about funding. The talks Gridlock in Congress is not new, but these days the parties are barely speaking. Trump has told congressional Republicans not to work with Democrats. For months, they haven’t had to. Instead, Trump has relied on his party’s majority — to pass the domestic policy bill, to claw back billions in spending, to confirm his nominees. But the one-party approach has its limits. Even though they control the Senate, Republicans need 60 votes to bypass the filibuster. That means winning Democratic votes. Democratic leaders say they won’t respond to White House layoff threats. Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, called them “an attempt at intimidation.” Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, put it more simply on social media, telling Trump’s budget director, “Get lost.” The parties have until Tuesday night to work something out. THE LATEST NEWS Trump Administration Pete Hegseth Kenny Holston/The New York Times Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, summoned military leaders stationed around the globe to a meeting in the U.S. next week, four officials said. He did not say why, stirring anxiety among the top brass. Trump signed an executive order to clear the way for a separate American-owned version of TikTok. Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, decided her teams would stop publishing a report on global challenges. Former officials said some issues in the document, including climate change and the risk of a pandemic, had become politically inconvenient. During an Oval Office session with reporters, Trump insulted two Black congresswomen: Jasmine Crockett, whom he called a “very low IQ person,” and Ilhan Omar, who he suggested should be sent back to Somalia. Trump has a knack for twisting data to his benefit, citing favorable statistics while dismissing those he doesn’t like. In the video below, Linda Qiu fact-checks his claims. Click to watch. Trump’s Economics Trump announced tariffs of 100 percent on certain pharmaceuticals made overseas, and of 25 to 50 percent on other items including bathroom vanities and some furniture. As Argentina’s economy sputters, the U.S. is preparing it a $20 billion bailout. Trump also hinted at a possible bailout for farmers, who have struggled under his trade war. One example of tariffs’ effect on farmers: Last year, China bought nearly $13 billion worth of American soybeans; since May, it has bought none. More on Business Amazon agreed to pay billions to settle claims that it tricked millions of people into signing up for Prime. Starbucks plans to close hundreds of its more than 18,000 stores in North America as part of a corporate revamp. War in Gaza In its new ground offensive, the Israeli military is flattening parts of Gaza City, razing them block by block, The Times found. The Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, spoke to the U.N. by video link, vowing that Palestinians would not leave Gaza and that Hamas would not govern the territory after the war. Trump assured leaders of Arab and Muslim-majority nations that he would not let Israel annex the occupied West Bank. Benjamin Netanyahu will address the U.N. today. Follow updates. Microsoft disabled some services to Israel’s Defense Ministry, citing evidence that it was using the technology to enable surveillance of Palestinians. Europe’s growing anger over the war is spilling over into the arts: Broadcasters will vote next month on whether to bar Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest. Political Violence Federal officials said the gunman who shot three detainees at an ICE facility in Dallas had left notes indicating a desire to cause immigration agents “real terror.” Sara Jane Moore, who attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975, hoping to ignite a leftist revolution, has died at 95. Other Big Stories People are searching online for Humberto, a storm which just has just become a hurricane in the Atlantic. Follow its path. China has more working robots than the rest of the world combined. ONE-WAY-TICKET In Santa Monica, Calif. For years, John Alle complained about homelessness in the Los Angeles neighborhood where he owned and managed properties. He dogged officials. He put huge signs in front of his vacant storefronts: “Santa Monica IS NOT safe.” “Crime. Depravity. Outdoor mental asylum.” “Santa Methica.” In 2023, a homeless man followed him in a park, bashed him on the head, kicked him 17 times and broke his jaw in two places, according to police reports. Alle needed two brain surgeries to save his life. Now, fed up, Alle is trying to make a dent in the problem on his own: He set up a hotline so that any of the county’s 70,000 homeless people can call and ask for help returning home. He buys tickets for about three people a week to different states. One beneficiary, Jason Narron, 38, dialed his mom in North Carolina to tell her he was on his way. “Wonderful,” she said. “And then what?” Read the Times reporter Eli Saslow’s story about the hotline, how Alle decides whom to help and what happens next. OPINIONS It’s a great time to be Google, which is facing only the meekest of punishments for abusing its monopoly, Julia Angwin argues. Here’s a column by Michelle Goldberg on terrorism and copycat killings. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Edu Bayer for The New York Times Working Barcelona’s angles: Take our virtual tour of the city’s architecture, with math as your guide to a bullring, a skyscraper and Antoni Gaudí’s sacred curves. “One Battle After Another”: A new movie with Leonardo DiCaprio is “a startling, present-day American epic,” our critic writes. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about an actually supportive bralette. Wordplay master: Mel Taub, who died at 97, created puzzles for The Times that sometimes involved groan-inducing puns. See for yourself. SPORTS World Cup: Trump suggested moving games in the 2026 men’s tournament away from some U.S. host cities. He can’t do that by himself, but he could influence FIFA leaders and alter security funding. M.L.B.: Netflix is continuing its foray into live sports and will broadcast the Opening Day 2026 matchup between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants. BEATING THE HEAT As climate change makes city life hotter and hotter, people are finding clever adaptations so that summer remains livable. Here are a few: Reflecting light: Asphalt traps heat. Vienna has painted roads with bright colors, which can lower an area’s temperature by up to 9 degrees Fahrenheit. A steady breeze: Some Japanese construction companies give workers fan-equipped jackets. Flipping the script: Kosovo has shifted outdoor work to nighttime to avoid peak heat times. Cool-off zones: Restaurants in Rio de Janeiro put makeshift showers in the street. Planting trees: Vijayapura, in southern India, has planted about 15 million trees in the past decade. They’ve cooled the area off by at least 1 degree. Culture news A London judge dismissed a charge of supporting terrorism brought against a member of the Irish rap group Kneecap. The charge was about a Hezbollah flag at a concert. “The Tell,” a blockbuster memoir by Amy Griffin, details how psychedelic therapy brought back her memories of child abuse. Readers have started to question some of its claims. Stephen Colbert joked about Trump’s criticism of the U.N. escalator. See more from late night. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times Char broccoli and stir-fry it with tofu to make a takeout classic at home. Watch “All of You,” a weepy romance. Tube down one of Nebraska’s lazy rivers. Straighten your hair with an affordable tool. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were grouping and pouring. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Amelia Nierenberg contributed to this newsletter. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 29 Author Members Posted September 29 September 27, 2025 Good morning. Milestone birthdays occasion consideration of what we’ve done with our lives thus far, and what we want to do with the time to come. María Jesús Contreras Banner year By Melissa Kirsch A reader emailed me recently musing about a birthday for her friend, who is turning 40 this week. This put me in the mind of Joseph Brodsky’s poem “May 24, 1980,” which I’ve given to many friends on the occasion of their 40th birthdays. Brodsky takes stock of his life in language that’s enchanting: “From the height of a glacier I beheld half a world, the earthly width. / Twice have drowned, thrice let knives rake my nitty-gritty.” He concludes that, after all he’s experienced, including prison and exile, “until brown clay has been rammed down my larynx, / only gratitude will be gushing from it.” Milestone birthdays mark the passage from one decade to another, but they also serve as a sort of release valve. The year before the milestone — 39, 59, 79 — is a time of anticipation, pent-up energy, approaching the summit. Then you reach the decennial and all that energy dissipates. You’re no longer in the approach; you’re there. It can feel like a relief to actually turn the age you’ve been nearing for the past year. This is, of course, if you put stock in the division of life into 10-year chunks. Some ancient Greek philosophers proposed life should be divided into seven-year spans, from early childhood to old age. Many dismiss the importance of birthdays at all: Why celebrate aging? Why make a big deal out of something that happens to everyone, every year? Who needs another office cake? But for those who are looking for structure and meaning in how we approach our days, milestone birthdays are natural times for celebration as well as reflection: What have I done with my time thus far? What do I want to do with the time to come? Brodsky’s declaration of gratitude adds another dimension to this examination: What am I thankful for? Beyond the pleasures and gifts and close calls and lucky breaks, can I admit the painful experiences into that anthology? The scientist and meditation teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn calls this “the full catastrophe.” Living mindfully is to accept all of life, the good and the bad, without judgment. The wisdom that “40 is the old age of youth; 50 the youth of old age” is attributed to Victor Hugo. I turned 50 last year and certainly felt I had advanced into a new stage of life. Fifty felt profoundly different from 49, in a way no single year change ever had before. I imagine the same will be true for each decade I’m lucky enough to crest from now on. I hope the reader turning 40 this week feels wise and optimistic, befitting of someone entering the old age of youth. I hope she is experiencing a Brodskyesque gratitude for everything that’s happened in her life up to now. I hope we all are, whether we’re celebrating big birthdays or not. THE LATEST NEWS Comey indictment President Trump outside the White House on Friday. Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times After the indictment of James Comey, the former F.B.I. director, President Trump cheered the charges and predicted that more indictments were coming. “There’ll be others,” he said. Comey’s indictment is only two pages long and contains so little detail that legal experts said it was hard to assess its merits. Comey appeared to take the news of the indictment calmly. In a video posted to social media, he said, “I have great confidence in the federal justice system and I’m innocent, so let’s have a trial.” How did pressure from Trump lead to the extraordinary indictment of Comey? In the video below, Maggie Haberman, a White House correspondent, explains. Click to watch. More Politics The Justice Department issued a subpoena for records on Fani Willis, the Georgia district attorney who charged Trump in an election interference case. The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to withhold $4 billion in congressionally appropriated foreign aid. As Steve Witkoff, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, conducted delicate cease-fire negotiations this year, his son Alex was quietly soliciting investments from some of the governments involved, a Times investigation found. Federal agents will start arriving in Memphis as early as next week, the governor of Tennessee said, after Trump authorized their deployment to crack down on crime. Trump ordered the government to unseal all remaining classified files on Amelia Earhart, whose disappearance nearly 90 years ago is still shrouded in mystery. Other Big Stories Benjamin Netanyahu ruled out calls for a Palestinian state during a speech to a mostly empty U.N. hall, vowing to “finish the job” against Hamas. Texas Tech University moved to restrict academic discussions on gender, telling faculty that they must comply with a Trump order recognizing only male and female genders. Sinclair and Nexstar, which operate local ABC affiliates around the U.S., will end their boycott of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show. A medical examiner determined that the man who killed four people in a Manhattan office building in July had C.T.E., as he had claimed in a note. Jared Kushner’s private equity firm and a group of investors, including the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, are in talks to buy the video game company Electronic Arts. Assata Shakur, the first woman to land on the F.B.I.’s “most wanted terrorists” list, died at 78. She was sentenced to life in prison in the killing of a New Jersey state trooper, but escaped and found sanctuary in Cuba for decades. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film and TV Leonardo DiCaprio in “One Battle After Another.” Warner Bros. “One Battle After Another,” the new film from Paul Thomas Anderson, shows the director at the height of his powers. “It’s one for the ages, wild and thrilling,” our critic writes. Read the review. For her directorial debut, Scarlett Johansson chose a project that reminded her of her grandmother — in spirit if not in story — and her own Jewish roots. In her ongoing series on “good/bad” movies, Maya Salam highlights 1997’s “Face/Off,” which featured — what else — Nicolas Cage and John Travolta swapping faces. This Prada designer custom-made jewelry for Julia Roberts in “After the Hunt,” which opened at the New York Film Festival this weekend. Take a closer look. Music Fans revolted when tickets for Oasis’ much-anticipated reunion tour cost double their advertised price. Ticketmaster has now agreed to change its ticket-selling process. As Jeff Tweedy tells it, “Twilight Override,” the Wilco leader’s new 30-song album, got its start on a road trip. This is how he made his magnum opus. A London judge dismissed a terrorism charge against a member of Kneecap, the Irish-language rap group, over his onstage crusading against Israel. More Culture Since Hurricane Helene ravaged western North Carolina last year, many survivors have taken refuge in their art. Six people share the work they’ve created. Many video games have characters parachuting onto rooftops and taking down evil foes. This one is about schoolwork, chores and the pressures of disordered eating. No phones, no street clothing: This incendiary play has theatergoers gather, half-naked and sweating, at the Russian and Turkish Baths. Could you embrace the man who killed your son? A new Broadway play, “Punch,” retells the true story. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. CULTURE CALENDAR By Alexis Soloski 📺 “Chad Powers” (Tuesday): Three years ago, the Super Bowl champ Eli Manning, in mild disguise, tried out for Penn State’s football team posing as a hopeful walk-on named Chad Powers. The prank, designed as a skit for Manning’s show “Eli’s Places,” now returns as a scripted comedy for Hulu. Glen Powell (“Hitman”), oozing his typical charm, stars as Russ Holliday, a former college star now in disgrace. Desperate for a do-over, he disguises himself as Chad Powers (even under a wig and prosthetic nose, Powell is still very much Powell) and sneaks onto a South Georgia team. Surely this calls for a penalty flag. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Prop Stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas. By Vaughn Vreeland Sweet Potato and Brown Butter Snacking Cake I’m Vaughn Vreeland, the writer of Bake Time, New York Times Cooking’s new newsletter about all things baking (sign up here!). And I’m stepping in for Melissa to share one of those recipes with you today: my sweet potato and brown butter snacking cake. Snacking cakes are a wonderful way to ease into the fall baking season. This one is especially tender, thanks to the grated sweet potato and maple syrup in the batter. But the real star is the velvety frosting. Together, they make up a great low-effort dessert that pays dividends for you and whomever you choose to share it with (or don’t, I won’t tell). REAL ESTATE Will Riddle and Ed Stockhausen. Daniel Lozado for The New York Times The Hunt: A couple combined their resources and senses of style to find a historic Cleveland home for $500,000. Which did they choose? Play our game. What you get for $1.5 million in California: A Craftsman house in Los Angeles; a farmhouse built in 1880; or a Moroccan-inspired home in Yucca Valley. Accidental landlords: More homeowners than ever are converting their properties into rentals. Why? Adman’s retreat: Take a peek around the bucolic $13.75 million home that this ad executive just put on the market. T MAGAZINE Photograph by Ricardo Labougle. Artwork on wall: © Peter Schuyff, courtesy of the artist and Massimodecarlo, Milan Click to read this week’s issue of T, The New York Times Style Magazine. LIVING “Sit at the Bar September”: An influencer’s advice has given some singles the confidence to look for love offline. Autumn getaways: It’s the season for pumpkins and leaf-turning, and enjoying it takes going to the right places. Here are some suggestions. Shrinking shirts: Men’s button-downs are becoming brazenly short, sometimes creeping above the belt line. Dairy myths: We surveyed leading nutrition experts to reveal the truth about raw milk, lactose intolerance and more. ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER The case for a practical gift Gift-giving is a space we’ve collectively carved out to say: “This is beautiful. Please have it for no other reason than being born.” Sullying that with something practical (a six-pack of white socks, a gas-station gift card, another charger) always seemed sacrilegious to me. But after a weekslong informal survey of Wirecutter’s most practical gift givers and receivers, I’m realizing that I may have had this all wrong. A screwdriver certainly doesn’t elicit the oohs and ahhs that something sparkly might. But done right, a great practical gift is so functional, so durable, so well suited to your recipient’s life that they’ll find themselves using it time and time again. Here are some of the best ones my colleagues have received. — Sofia Sokolove GAME OF THE WEEK The 16th green at Bethpage Black on Friday. Jamie Squire/Getty Images Ryder Cup: If you find golf a little sleepy, try this tournament, a biennial team battle between the best players from the U.S. and Europe that has the intensity of a college football rivalry. The scoring is unique, and a bit confusing: In one round, teammates trade off shots on a single ball; in another, players pair off with an opponent and compete over each hole. (This illustrated explainer from the SportsBall account on YouTube is helpful.) So who’s going to win? Well, Team Europe took the previous title. But the U.S. has Scottie Scheffler, the best golfer on the planet. And it has home-field advantage: Bethpage Black on Long Island, the host course, should attract a raucous New York crowd. “This Ryder Cup figures to be the biggest, loudest, most tumultuous golf tournament ever played,” The Athletic’s Ian O’Connor writes. Rounds begin at 7 a.m. Eastern and noon tomorrow, and at noon on Sunday, on NBC NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was hologram. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 29 Author Members Posted September 29 September 28, 2025 Good morning. We are in the middle of the Days of Awe, the 10-day span between the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, a solemn period of repentance and reflection. As part of our reporting on how people experience religion and spirituality now, Emma Goldberg explores a new approach to awe. But first, the news: Immigration: President Trump said he had ordered troops to Portland, Ore., to quell protests that he said were directed at ICE facilities. F.B.I.: The agency fired more agents, including those who knelt during racial justice protests in 2020. Ukraine: Russia attacked Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and other cities with nearly 600 drones and dozens of missiles, killing at least four people. Praying on Yom Kippur in New York last year. Yuki Iwamura/Associated Press In search of awe By Emma Goldberg There’s a type of awe that surrounds the Jewish High Holy Days that is solemn, fearsome. People beating their chests, dressed in all white, lying on the ground. During these 10 Days of Awe, God is said to be deciding who will and will not be inscribed in the Book of Life for the coming year. Even the word itself is tinged with dread: Etymologists traced “awe” back to the Middle English “ege,” which meant fear. I grew up more religiously observant than I am now, so that awe used to feel easier to come by. At synagogue, reciting prayers, I was tuned into the divine, the otherworldly. More recently, I have spent these holidays curious about a different kind of awe, one that is more based in wonder than in fear. In his book on the topic, aptly titled “Awe,” Dacher Keltner, a psychologist at the University of California, Berkeley, argues that the sensation is not mysterious or unknowable. Instead, he writes, it is an emotion that scientists can detect. Keltner and his team collected 2,600 accounts of awe from people around the world and created a taxonomy of activities that spark it. After reading Keltner’s book, I sought out rabbis, priests, poets and artists and asked them how awe functions in their lives. Out of a dozen conversations, three themes emerged. 1. Experiencing awe, counter to what one might think, is about quantity and not only quality. I had always associated awe with singular, standout experiences, like traveling out west and taking in the otherworldly colors of desert wildflowers. But my panel of awe experts focus on finding little nuggets of awe in their everyday routines. Barbara Brown Taylor, an Episcopal priest, told me that awe is reinforcing: The more often she seeks it out, the more easily she finds it. Taylor lives in a farmhouse in Appalachia, and each morning on her walk to the mailbox, she finds what she calls “at least three miracles.” The roaring orange of the azaleas in her yard, the insistent song of a whippoorwill, the galloping of horses at feeding time. At this point, she said, “even a spider can knock me out.” Indeed, Keltner’s research found that awe, unlike pleasure, isn’t subject to a hedonic treadmill. An activity that brings pleasure, like eating chocolate, may yield diminishing returns with every bite — but awe-inducing experiences stay just as powerful every time. 2. You can create tools to proactively find awe. These folks treat awe as if it’s a muscle to develop, not an experience that washes over them. A.J. Jacobs, author of “The Year of Living Biblically,” has a roster of awe-inducing habits. On the subway, he pretends the view in front of him is a “Where’s Waldo?” scene and zeros in on tiny and delightful details, like a toddler cupping her hand around a friend’s ear to share a secret. Jacobs wrote another book chronicling his quest to personally thank everyone responsible for his daily cup of coffee. Not just the barista, but also the truck driver who transported the beans and the woman who did pest control at the warehouse — 1,000 people in all, which made the coffee awe-inspiring. Keltner’s book traces all kinds of activities that spark awe. Some were expected, like listening to music. But he also highlighted less obvious ones, including what he calls “collective effervescence,” the joy of doing something in a crowd, like marching or moshing. 3. Looking around for awe can change the way you interact with other people. “I try to remember that wondering about another person is a path toward wonder,” Rabbi Sharon Brous told me. “I want to be carried away by the human experience, by grief and by love.” She told me about a day when she helped a congregant with the devastating burial of a child, then rushed to a hospital where her sister-in-law was giving birth. As she cradled the newborn, Brous realized she had dirt under her fingernails from the cemetery. She was awed by the way life and death bump up against each other — and by the fact that people invited her into these intimate moments. Want more reporting like this — on awe, ritual and meaning — in your inbox each week? Sign up for our Believing newsletter each Sunday. Believing A weekly newsletter about how people live religion and spirituality now, with Lauren Jackson. Get it in your inbox THE LATEST NEWS Politics James Comey in Washington in 2017. Gabriella Demczuk for The New York Times Trump’s campaign of retribution began long before James Comey’s indictment. It started to intensify in mid-July and recently hit a fever pitch. Charlie Kirk became famous for his campus debate sessions. An analysis of videos shows how he used the format to deliver a hard-line message while orchestrating shareable moments. The University of California is in an uproar over how to respond to the Trump administration’s attacks. So is the rest of higher education. In an unexpected move, oil and gas executives are expressing concern about the Trump administration’s attacks on offshore wind. Tariffs Trump’s proposed tariffs on pharmaceuticals may end up sparing many rich drugmakers, while punishing some smaller ones. The president’s plan for import taxes on foreign-made cabinets, vanities and furniture could increase the costs for homebuilders in the midst of a national housing shortage. International In Poland this month. Kacper Pempel/Reuters Russian provocations in Europe have prompted alarm in capitals there, with officials worried that Moscow is stepping up its antagonism of Europe as U.S. support recedes. Moldova faces a high-stakes parliamentary election today that could either further its push to join the European Union or pull the nation closer to Russia. Iran’s economic situation, already dire with water and power shortages, is expected to deteriorate more after the U.N. Security Council reimposed harsh sanctions on the country over its nuclear program. Other Big Stories A gunman opened fire on a riverside bar in North Carolina last night, killing three people before speeding away in a boat, city officials said. Lorenz Kraus’s parents disappeared years ago. In a TV studio last week in Albany, N.Y., he confessed to killing them. THE SUNDAY DEBATE Last week, Trump stood before the U.N. General Assembly and asked, “What is the purpose of the United Nations?” Has the U.N. lost relevance? Yes. For decades, the United States and other great powers have ignored the U.N. in favor of militarization and fossil fuels. “The dark reality is that the U.N. is heading for the same fate as the League of Nations,” Michael Roberts writes for Counterfire. No. The U.N. was never designed to bring the world to eternal peace, but to prevent great powers from going to war with one another. “It suits the mighty to use the U.N. as their scapegoat,” Bloomberg’s Andreas Kluth writes. FROM OPINION Trump is using Tylenol to blame mothers for their children’s autism because it’s easier than building a society that can support people with special needs, Jessica Grose writes. Here are columns by Ross Douthat on drones over Denmark and Maureen Dowd on the perils of artificial intelligence. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Chappell Roan performing at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens. Nina Westervelt for The New York Times Chappell Roan: Onstage, she’s a powerhouse, our critic writes. Her tour also highlights how she continues to deviate from the rising pop star’s expected playbook. Midlife makeup guru: Erica Taylor wants you to forget everything you learned about makeup in high school. Vows: Breaking news interrupted their date, but not their connection. Lives Lived: Aron Bell, part of a daring brigade of Jewish partisans who attacked German troops during World War II, died at 98. SPORTS M.L.B.: There’s plenty on the line in today’s regular-season finale. The Yankees and Blue Jays are tied atop the American League East, while the Mets and Reds are vying for the National League’s third wild-card spot. Golf: The Ryder Cup heads into its final stretch today. Here’s what to know as Team USA tries to stave off a historic defeat. College football: The No. 17 Alabama upset the No. 5 Georgia yesterday, thanks to a gritty quarterback and a defense that made just enough plays when it mattered. It was Georgia’s first night home loss since 2009. BOOK OF THE WEEK By Elisabeth Egan “Awake” by Jen Hatmaker: In 2020, Jen Hatmaker was in bed next to her husband of 26 years when she heard him voice texting his girlfriend, “I just can’t quit you.” And that, as she puts it in her brave and irreverent memoir, was “the end of life as I know it.” Hatmaker, a Christian women’s influencer and best-selling author, had built a brand around her enviable domestic sphere. Here, she dismantles the facade while reinforcing the parts that sustain her, and also looks back on the strict evangelical upbringing that shaped her. “The book is a full-throated praise song to the body,” our reviewer wrote, “its wisdom, its patience, its trustworthiness, even when society and religion say the opposite.” More on books Ian McEwan imagines the 22nd century in his new book, “What We Can Know.” For a look inside his world, go here. In “We Love You, Bunny,” Mona Awad revisits the gleefully vicious satire of her 2019 hit. For our review, go here. THE INTERVIEW Devin Oktar Yalkin for The New York Times By David Marchese This week’s subject for The Interview is the actor Sean Penn, who stars in Paul Thomas Anderson’s politically charged thriller “One Battle After Another.” Like the movie, Penn is good at stirring up strong feelings — in his acting, his humanitarian work and his occasional forays into gonzo journalism. Where does that impulse come from? We talked about it when we met at his home in Malibu earlier this month. There’s a quote I saw that your mom, the actress Eileen Ryan, gave to Woody Allen. You were working with Woody on “Sweet and Lowdown,” and he said something to the effect of, He didn’t quite get you. And your mom said to Woody, “The thing you need to understand about Sean is that he’s just embarrassed at having had a happy childhood.” [Laughs.] It’s true, I had a very happy childhood. Psychiatrists have been pushing, pushing, trying to find that capital-T trauma in my childhood. It’s not there. I made every demon door in my life as a young adult and forward. I did it myself. My parents were great — loving family, great brothers, and it was surfing and the ocean every day. I’ve never been embarrassed about that. I feel lucky as hell about that. I was confused for a long time. Why did I want to walk through all the fires I built, and maybe I still sometimes do? But it had nothing to do with my childhood. In the book “Sean Penn: His Life and Times,” by Richard T. Kelly, which was published about 20 years ago, people close to you refer to you as having real anger inside. Where does that anger come from? Look around. I love humanity. My problem is humans. You go to the market, and this person who’s at the register was not really listening when they were taught how to use it, and they’re struggling with that while they’re extending a personal conversation with the customer in front of you. You know that’s not how life’s supposed to be. There’s supposed to be an experience of professionalism. You get on an airplane and a steward — What are you talking about? Incompetence drives me out of my [expletive] mind! It triggers me on a level you can’t imagine. I start to equate my soul with a volcano. Read more of the interview here. THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE Photograph by Jack Davison for The New York Times. Read this week’s magazine. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Watch one of these seven films our critics are talking about. Avoid these myths about dairy. MEAL PLAN Linda Xiao for The New York Times When people find out that Mia Leimkuhler works at NYT Cooking, she writes in this week’s Five Weeknight Dishes, they tend to tell her about their favorite recipes. So she put together a newsletter of the dishes others have recently recommended. They include pierogies with brussels sprouts and kimchi and kale sauce pasta. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was inclemency. Can you put eight historical events — including the Suez Crisis, NASA’s Gemini missions and Monet’s “Haystacks” — in chronological order? Take this week’s Flashback quiz. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. Jonathan Wolfe contributed to this newsletter. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 29 Author Members Posted September 29 September 29, 2025 Good morning. Here’s the latest news: Church shooting: Two more bodies were pulled from the burned remains of a Latter-day Saints church in Michigan. A man crashed a pickup truck into the building on Sunday morning and then opened fire on worshipers. New York: Mayor Eric Adams dropped out of the race for re-election. More news is below. But first, a look at President Trump’s tactics on crime. In Washington, D.C. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Street sweep By Evan Gorelick I’m a staff writer on The Morning. A month after President Trump called in federal troops, he says there’s “no crime” in the nation’s capital. But his administration is finding more of it than ever. You’d be forgiven for thinking a crime wave began precisely when troops arrived. Arraignments — hearings at which arrested people learn what charges they face — have dragged into the hours of the morning. One marathon session this month finished after 1 a.m. This is the president’s vision for law enforcement. He believes that crimes should be prosecuted to the max, and that low-level violations set a permissive climate for nastier ones. So National Guard troops have helped officers book Washingtonians for open alcohol containers, vandalism and shoplifting. (They’re also headed to Portland to quell protests and Memphis to fight more crime.) Here’s the thing about a crackdown: You find as many crimes as you look for, and the Trump administration is looking more assiduously than before. Arrests have surged, and witnesses are reporting fewer crimes. But that doesn’t mean more people are getting punished. Today’s newsletter is about the new tough-on-crime tactics and how they’re working. A controversial idea President Nixon in 1971 called drug abuse “a national emergency.” To stop it, Nixon’s successors rolled out mandatory minimum sentences, parole restrictions and no-tolerance policing strategies. Local politicians from both parties promised to lock up more criminals. One prominent theory that took shape in New York City, called “broken windows,” held that jailing window smashers, turnstile jumpers and public drinkers would discourage more serious offenders. Proponents said harsher clampdowns meant less crime. Policymakers brought these ideas to cities like Chicago and Los Angeles. Trump, too, is a believer. When he took office this year, his attorney general issued a memo telling prosecutors to “charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offenses.” But it’s not clear these strategies work. There’s little evidence that minor neighborhood disorder inspires more crime, according to a recent analysis of nearly 100 studies. And cities that singled out low-level offenses in the 1990s and early 2000s enjoyed no special reduction in crime rates. Violent crime fell in those places, but it fell almost everywhere. Save for a pandemic spike, violent crime has been declining for decades. Meanwhile, the conviction rate for misdemeanors plummeted — from 46 percent to 8 percent over four decades in New York City, for instance. Prosecutors spent time and money building cases they wouldn’t win. All the while, prison populations boomed as cities arrested and incarcerated far more Black and Latino men. Eventually, big cities abandoned the philosophy. A federal court said some of the brashest strategies violated the Constitution. Police departments focused on more serious crimes. Kenny Holston/The New York Times A reprise Now the broken-windows approach is back, and already the same challenges have emerged in Washington: Grand juries. Locals are refusing to indict suspects in what they see as trivial cases. Jurors wouldn’t indict a man arrested for throwing a sandwich at an officer. And they declined — three separate times — to indict a woman detained while taking a video of ICE agents. Discretion. At the Trump administration’s insistence, Washington prosecutors are pursuing significantly more cases now, including the tough-to-win cases they normally jettison. One arraignment docket this month included 122 arrests — overwhelmingly misdemeanors — and the government decided to prosecute every one. For context, the government declined to prosecute more than 40 percent of cases in D.C. last year. Trials. Defendants are often entitled to a jury trial for more serious charges. They can request one when they are tried for assaulting a police officer, and that has been a particularly common charge during the crackdown, defense lawyers say. (Usually, prosecutors charge those cases as simple assaults to avoid lengthy and unpredictable jury trials; 95 percent of trials last year didn’t use juries.) Disparate impact. The crackdown has focused overwhelmingly on young, Black men, The Washington Post reports. Black parents are fretting about their children’s safety and initiating tough conversations about racial profiling. The U.S. attorney’s office in Washington did not respond to requests for comment. Trump might have declared victory in D.C., but courtrooms tell a more nuanced story. Throwing the book at every offender has clogged the courts and made it harder to win convictions. The same may soon happen in Memphis. THE LATEST NEWS Politics Congressional leaders said Trump would meet with them today. The deadline to avert a government shutdown is tomorrow. A shutdown could be a big moment for Russell Vought, the White House budget director, who is pushing to increase presidential power. Read about his plans and how he’s executing them. Adams’s decision to end his foundering campaign upends the New York mayor’s race five weeks before Election Day. In going after his foes, Trump is setting a precedent that could haunt his allies, Peter Baker writes. Trump, who campaigned against “foreign wars,” is sending warships to Venezuela. The World, the Times’s new international daily newsletter, explains why. (It debuted today: You can sign up here.) Diplomacy Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh last month. Mahmud Hossain Opu/Associated Press World leaders and activists will hold a high-profile gathering to help Rohingya refugees at the U.N. General Assembly this week. But none of those refugees will be present. Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu are expected to meet at the White House today to discuss the latest U.S.-backed plans for postwar Gaza. International In Hyderabad, India. Atul Loke for The New York Times In India, a generation of students pinned hopes and family savings on careers tied to U.S. visas. Trump’s $100,000 fee on the H-1B visa is upending their lives. Russia pushed hard to swing an election in Moldova, a small but strategically important country that borders Ukraine. But the pro-European party won, preliminary results show. Fears of U.S. surveillance have driven Xi Jinping, China’s leader, to empower a secretive spy agency. Other Big Stories Grand Blanc, Mich., after the attack. Rubini Naidu for The New York Times The death toll in the Michigan church attack is now at least four. The gunman also died after exchanging fire with officers. Typhoon Bualoi tore into Vietnam’s central coast. The storm has now killed at least 22 people. A stowaway was found dead in the wheel well of a plane in North Carolina after it arrived from Europe, the police said. OPINIONS Why is your flight delayed? Blame government shutdowns for preventing the Federal Aviation Administration from training enough air traffic controllers, Binyamin Appelbaum writes. Here’s a column by David French on James Comey’s indictment. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Isabella Cotier Blackberries: Why does this particular fruit inspire the wildest, juiciest poems? Essay: Nikole Hannah-Jones explores what the public memory of Charlie Kirk has revealed in the U.S. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about a midlife makeup guru. Trending: People online were searching for news about who will headline the Super Bowl halftime show — Bad Bunny, not Taylor Swift. Metropolitan Diary: A doorman’s routine. Rock’s original wild drummer: Viv Prince, a drummer for the 1960s British rock band the Pretty Things, died at 84. He had a taste for chaos, onstage and off. SPORTS M.L.B.: The 2025 playoff field is set, with a rivalry matchup between the Yankees and the Red Sox — but no Mets. Here’s what to know. Ryder Cup: Europe beat the U.S. 15 to 13 in a wild finish, but much of the talk afterward was about abusive behavior by fans. “I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” Rory McIlroy said. DINING OUT Atomix, in New York. Daniel Krieger for The New York Times The World’s 50 Best List released its inaugural list of the best restaurants in North America. No. 1 was a refined Korean tasting-menu spot in New York. But other picks reflect a surprising turn to the casual. Here’s the top five: 1. Atomix New York City 2. Mon Lapin Montreal 3. Restaurant Pearl Morissette Jordan Station, Ontario 4. Smyth Chicago 5. Tanière3 Quebec City More on culture The British pop star Lola Young canceled a second show in three days after collapsing onstage at a music festival in Queens on Saturday. The ticket sales for “One Battle After Another” are solid. But its costs are still making movie executives nervous. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Prop Stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas. Make some apple cider doughnuts, no frying required. Watch “Monster: The Ed Gein Story,” plus these 10 other shows on TV this week. Declutter your smartphone’s camera roll. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was devotion. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted September 30 Author Members Posted September 30 September 30, 2025 Good morning. Here’s the latest news: Military: Hundreds of U.S. generals and admirals from around the globe are meeting today with President Trump and the defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. Immigration: The Trump administration is deporting some Iranians to Iran, according to officials there. The country has one of the world’s harshest human rights records. Michigan shooting: The man accused of killing at least four people at a church in Michigan held a grudge against Latter-day Saints, friends told The Times. They traced his feelings to a breakup. More news is below. But first, Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza. President Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday. Doug Mills/The New York Times Israel’s standing By Jodi Rudoren I’m a former Times Jerusalem bureau chief. President Trump presented a plan yesterday to end the war in Gaza that checks every box on Israel’s wish list. Return hostages living and dead; disarm and dismantle Hamas; allow Israel to maintain a military presence on the strip’s perimeter. If Hamas rejects the deal, Trump vowed as he stood next to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, “Israel would have my full backing to finish the job of destroying the threat of Hamas.” It’s hard to imagine Hamas signing on to Trump’s plan — its leaders have previously dismissed most of its terms, and have little incentive to agree now. But the president’s lopsided approach was jarring given how much American public opinion has shifted since the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel that sparked this war. The New York Times published a new poll yesterday showing that a majority of Americans now oppose sending more economic and military aid to Israel. For the first time since The Times began polling on this issue in 1998, more U.S. voters sympathize with Palestinians than with Israelis. Today’s newsletter looks more closely at the poll and at Trump’s plan for what he called “eternal peace in the Middle East.” Dramatic decline. The Times/Siena poll documented a turnabout in public sentiment. At the end of 2023, nearly half of Americans sympathized more with Israelis and 20 percent more with Palestinians. Now, 34 percent sympathize more with Israelis, 35 percent more with Palestinians and 31 percent equally with both. “I actually was pretty pro-Israel the last few years,” one voter told our pollsters. “It just doesn’t feel like a level playing field anymore.” There’s also this: Based on The New York Times/Siena polls of registered voters nationwide conducted Dec. 10-14, 2023, and Sept. 22-27, 2025. | Respondents were asked if they thought Israel was taking enough precautions to avoid civilian casualties in Gaza. Those who said Israel was not taking enough precautions were asked if they thought Israel was intentionally or unintentionally killing civilians. | by Yuhan Liu Generational change. Millennial and Gen Z Americans already back Israel less than Gen X and baby boomers do. But now Israel has lost ground with older generations, too. Majorities of every age cohort, including 54 percent of people over 65, said Israel should stop its military campaign to prevent further civilian casualties even if hostages remain in captivity. Those between 45 and 64 years old were split on whether the U.S. should continue funding Israel’s military, 47 percent in favor and 45 percent opposed. My colleagues who specialize in opinion polls described the shift as “unusually large” given how polarized we are. International isolation. The drop in American support comes as Israel’s allies France, Britain and Canada have defied its wishes and recognized a Palestinian state at the U.N. General Assembly. Most members there boycotted Netanyahu’s speech. The Eurovision Song Contest and European soccer’s governing body are also under pressure from broadcasters and athletes to ban Israel from their competitions. Displaced people in southern Gaza. Saher Alghorra for The New York Times Plan for peace? Trump unveiled his vision for Gaza with typical bluster, touting it as “potentially one of the great days ever in civilization.” He said Arab and Muslim leaders had already “committed” to it. Trump seems to see no need to include Hamas in his calculations. They can agree to walk away from Gaza, or they can be wiped out. Here are some of the key elements of the 20-point plan: Gaza would become “a de-radicalized terror-free zone” and would be redeveloped for Palestinians. Hamas members who agreed to disarm would be given amnesty and safe passage out. Humanitarian aid would pour into the enclave. Hostages dead and alive would be returned in exchange for Palestinian prisoners and the remains of slain Gazans. A new International Stabilization Force would be deployed to Gaza, which would be governed by an “apolitical” Palestinian committee. There would be a “Board of Peace” led by Trump and Tony Blair, the former British prime minister who famously negotiated the Good Friday Agreement in Ireland. Early reaction. Some on the Israeli right, including one member of Netanyahu’s governing coalition and his former spokesman, have already called the plan a “total failure.” It does not include several of their ideas for Gaza: keeping Israeli troops permanently in the enclave, re-establishing Jewish settlements there, removing Palestinians. Hostage families and Israel’s moderate opposition leaders embraced it. The foreign ministers of Qatar, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Egypt said they welcomed Trump’s “sincere efforts.” And President Emmanuel Macron of France, who had proffered his own plan, said that “Hamas has no choice but to immediately release all hostages and follow this plan.” More news on the war “If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end,” the White House plan says. Read the full text. The government is suing pro-Palestinian demonstrators who protested outside a synagogue in New Jersey. THE LATEST NEWS Government Shutdown Trump met with congressional leaders from both parties. They said they were no closer to a deal to keep the government open. The shutdown deadline is midnight. Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, spoke of “very large differences” over health care. Democrats want Republicans to reverse Medicaid cuts they enacted this year. Which federal benefits and services would continue during a shutdown? Here’s what to expect. Trump Administration The man at the center of the push to expand Trump’s presidential powers is Russell Vought, the White House budget director. Coral Davenport explains his role in the video above. Click to watch. (Also, read what the Constitution says about this push.) ICE agents have stopped and detained many U.S. citizens as part of Trump’s immigration crackdown. Trump’s approval rating is low, at 43 percent, but it’s also stable, according to a new poll from The Times and Siena University. The Trump administration outlined a plan to mine and burn more coal, the largest contributor to climate change. International In Brixham, England. Andrew Testa for The New York Times Octopuses have invaded the English coast, and fishing boats are hauling them up by the netload. A wildfire has burned more than a third of one of Africa’s biggest national parks. Other Big Stories Some New York leaders worry that Eric Adams’s rocky tenure as mayor could undermine Black political power in the city. (Read more about Adams’s rise and fall.) Influencers have spread conspiracy theories about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, while some people who criticized him have been dismissed from their jobs. After a young Black man was found dead in Mississippi, a coroner and a medical examiner concluded that he hanged himself. Claims that he was lynched have spread widely, without evidence. A Florida man killed, cooked and ate two of his own pet peacocks during a feud with a neighbor. THE MORNING QUIZ This question comes from a recent edition of the newsletter. Click an answer to see if you’re right. (The link will be free.) Viv Prince, a rock drummer who died recently at 84, was renowned as a wild man. Which of these anecdotes was not in his obituary? He released a colony of termites at a parliamentary hearing about obscenity in music. He was too rowdy for the Hells Angels and the Who, both of which kicked him out. He refused to play a gig because a pub across the street had declined to serve him. He sabotaged another musician’s performance by laying carpet onstage during the show. OPINIONS Starbucks threw baristas under the bus when they wouldn’t write “Charlie Kirk” on cups, though they were trying to follow company policy. Unionizing would stop this mistreatment, Cassie Pritchard writes. Here’s a column by Thomas Friedman on Trump’s Gaza peace plan. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Doing yoga. Antoine Castagné for The New York Times Aging well: Charlotte Chopin, 102, has been bending and stretching for decades. Here’s how she keeps moving. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about the church shooting in Michigan. Read the latest reporting on the shooting. Trending: Jared Kushner is trending on Google. His private equity firm and Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund have teamed up in a deal to buy the video game giant Electronic Arts. Globe-trotting reporter: Lally Weymouth, a journalist and socialite from the family that once owned The Washington Post, died at 82. She secured hard-to-land interviews but found few opportunities for a leadership role. M.L.B. PLAYOFFS Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images, Mark Blinch/Getty Images, Phil Long/Associated Press, Charlie Riedel/Associated Press The Major League Baseball playoffs begin today. The first round, known as the Wild Card Series, comprises best-of-three series hosted by whichever teams hold the higher seed. Here are a few things to know about this year’s matchups: The enemies: The sport’s fiercest rivalry, Yankees-Red Sox, gets its first postseason matchup in years, at Yankee Stadium. “If history is our guidepost, ‘excited’ doesn’t even begin to describe what this week could be like,” Steve Buckley writes. The comeback: The Guardians trailed the Tigers by 15.5 games in the A.L. Central over the summer, but went on a historic run to win the division. Now those teams will meet in the first round. The big spenders: The Dodgers’ half-billion-dollar payroll (including tax penalties) is the largest in baseball history, but it wasn’t enough to earn the team a first-round bye. Still, fans can feel good that their opponents, the Reds, haven’t won a won a playoff series in 30 years. See a preview of the first-round matchups. More sports news: The Dolphins beat the Jets, and the Broncos bulldozed the Bengals. CABLE NEWS COMEDY Kat Timpf has been on Fox News since 2013. Meghan Marin for The New York Times Fox News’s spin on the late night comedy show, “Gutfeld!,” is named after its host, Greg Gutfeld. But on nights he’s not available, it turns into “Timpf!” Kat Timpf, Gutfeld’s co-host, offers an alternative to the show’s usual insult comedy, focusing her jokes instead on her own experiences — pregnancy, a breast cancer diagnosis, a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. In a new story, Amanda Hess explores Timpf’s role on Fox News and the new chapter of her life: Inside Fox News studios, Ms. Timpf’s storytelling around her pregnancy and her cancer fits the network’s impulse to lift the veil on its anchors’ personal lives, to position its personalities as a television family. But when “Gutfeld!” airs, it also projects Ms. Timpf into a political ecosystem in which women’s autonomy over their bodies and lives is under review — where pronatalist influencers urge women to produce babies by the half-dozen, right-wing streamers preach wifely submission and critics convene in “Gutfeld!” feeds to demand that Ms. Timpf retreat from public life. Related: On late night, Stephen Colbert joked about Trump sending the National Guard to Oregon. “It’s Waregon,” he said. More on culture Can college students stand to ditch their phones for an hour or so? A campus movement aims to find out. Dolly Parton postponed her residency in Las Vegas because she said “health challenges” required her to have a “few procedures.” THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Matt Taylor-Gross for The New York Times Bake fish in gingery oil, layered with olives and capers. Read one of these 27 new books out in October. Take your suit to a tailor — it likely needs one. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was occupant. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Jonathan Wolfe contributed to this newsletter. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 1 Author Members Posted October 1 October 1, 2025 Good morning. The federal government shut down overnight; we’re covering that, as well as a gathering of generals. An impasse Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times Last night, without much fanfare, the federal government closed. Neither side showed urgency in averting the shutdown. In back-to-back Senate votes, each party blocked the other’s stopgap spending proposal. The Republicans’ bill did not restore Medicaid funding or extend Obamacare subsidies, so Democrats didn’t sign on. The Democratic version added more than $1 trillion in spending, so Republicans said no. President Trump suggested he could use the shutdown to enact measures that would be “bad” for Democrats, “like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.” He later added, “a lot of good can come down from shutdowns.” What you need to know: Hundreds of thousands of federal workers will be furloughed. This chart gives a breakdown. Others, including active-duty troops and law enforcement officers, will keep working. Many workers will stop receiving paychecks. Airports will stay open. Air traffic controllers and T.S.A. agents will be asked to continue working. (If you’re traveling soon, prepare for longer lines.) Social Security and Medicare benefits will continue uninterrupted. The same goes for Medicaid benefits, at least through the end of the year. Government shutdowns don’t follow a script — many agencies didn’t set their plans until late yesterday — so things will change if the shutdown drags on. Some programs will strain or shutter as their funding runs out. Workers who aren’t getting paychecks may stop showing up. And Trump could reshape the government in a more permanent way if he follows through on his threats of mass layoffs. Read more about what to expect. At Quantico, Va., yesterday. Doug Mills/The New York Times Warrior ethos By Adam B. Kushner I’m the editor of this newsletter. Yesterday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told America’s military leaders to get serious about killing people. In the name of “woke garbage,” he said, they had relaxed their standards and left the country vulnerable. In particular, Hegseth lamented “stupid rules of engagement.” It’s a complaint he brought into the administration from his years on Fox News, where he made a cause célèbre out of soldiers who’d been investigated, and in some cases convicted, as war criminals for what they’d done in Iraq and Afghanistan. These soldiers were not villains, he insisted. They were heroes who got the job — killing terrorists — done, even when it meant fighting ugly. That style of combat is the subject of a multi-part investigation The Times Magazine has just published. Its author, Matthieu Aikins, spent four years reporting on elite special forces, many of whom “came to embrace the idea that rule-breaking could be justified by the higher good of getting the mission done,” he writes. I spoke to him for today’s newsletter. What are examples of transgressions that occurred in the counterinsurgency wars that followed the Sept. 11 attacks? I spoke with two dozen current and former members of Army Special Operations to understand how, faced with a brutal, unconventional war in Afghanistan, the Green Berets often decided the ends justified the means. I focused on two cases involving soldiers who were accused of killing detainees in Afghanistan. The first, that of Mathew Golsteyn, became infamous after Trump pardoned him in 2019. The second, which took place in a district called Nerkh, is barely remembered today, but the accusations were even worse: Locals claimed the Special Forces killed nine people whose remains were found buried outside. Is there something new about this pattern of rule-breaking among what is, I assume, a small fraction of soldiers? The operator — the special operations warrior — is different from previous war-hero tropes like the fighter-jet ace and the Everyman G.I. What distinguishes him is the legal and moral lines the operators had to approach, or even cross, in their battle with the terrorists. “We do bad things to bad people,” went the motto of one Special Forces battalion. That put them at odds with the military’s traditional insistence on discipline and the rule of law. Is there anything to Hegseth’s claim that the Pentagon has focused on distractions at the expense of “lethality”? There’s a reasonable argument that the military became too top-heavy and that its bureaucracy needs to be streamlined. The business of the military is killing, which our political leaders are often uncomfortable talking about. But we didn’t fail in Iraq and Afghanistan because of an overemphasis on “diversity.” And Hegseth is purging lawyers, which loosens safeguards on our armed forces, both abroad and at home. You’re drawing a line from the combat style of the war on terror to an increasingly lawless moment today. I think this is an example of what historians call “blowback”: the way that lawlessness overseas returned to the homeland. That’s the subject of this story. Trump and Hegseth apply the rhetoric and tactics of the war on terror in the domestic sphere to target migrants, cartels and leftist groups. That’s why it’s important to have this reckoning with a secret side of the war: It allows us to understand not only history, but our present moment. Matthieu explains his investigation in five takeaways here. Analysis Trump also spoke to the generals, and he said that U.S. cities should serve as “training grounds” for troops. This was a passing statement tucked into his speech — but one that is wildly revealing about where he’s taking the country, Shawn McCreesh writes. To some, Hegseth’s speech, which focused on the kinds of issues he would have dealt with as a young platoon leader, was poorly matched to his audience of senior officers, writes our reporter covering the military. The meeting was fodder for the late night hosts. THE LATEST NEWS Trump Administration Based on New York Times/Siena polls of registered voters nationwide conducted April 21 to 24 and Sept. 22 to 27 | By Karl Russell Trump is unpopular, a Times/Siena College poll shows, but that disapproval doesn’t neatly translate into support for Democrats. Voters still support Trump’s core objectives, if not his execution, our polling expert explains. Florida officials donated a prime parcel of state-owned real estate in Miami to become Trump’s presidential library. The White House defunded an office that oversees dozens of federal watchdogs, drawing condemnation from some Senate Republicans. The Trump administration said it had dug up hundreds of immigration fraud cases during an enforcement operation in Minnesota. It says it will do the same across the country. Military The governor of Louisiana, embracing Trump’s push to use troops to fight crime, asked the administration to deploy the National Guard in his state. The Democrat in the New Jersey governor’s race, Mikie Sherrill, is a Navy veteran. She’s locked in a bitter battle over her service records, some of which the Trump administration released. Courts The Trump administration unlawfully targeted and deported noncitizens for protesting in support of Palestinians on college campuses, a federal judge ruled. A federal judge barred Nevada’s top federal prosecutor from handling cases. The administration had circumvented the usual procedures to appoint her. Health Trump and Pfizer announced a deal to lower Medicaid drug prices. More young people are getting cancer. It may be linked to lifestyle changes. People are diagnosing themselves with home tests and chatbots, The Wall Street Journal reports. War in Ukraine Russia’s military budget is set to fall for the first time since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. European investors are pouring money into military start-ups, which is not how countries have traditionally built their arsenals. More International News In southern Gaza. Saher Alghorra for The New York Times Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are fleeing Israel’s expanded ground offensive in Gaza City. The exodus is overwhelming relief efforts, aid agencies say. A strong earthquake collapsed buildings in the central Philippines, killing at least 69 people and injuring more than 150 others, the authorities said. A car bomb exploded outside the headquarters of a government paramilitary force in Pakistan, killing at least 10 people. Technology China showed off boxing robots and self-driving yachts at a tech expo, where products filled an area bigger than 21 football fields. That raises a question: Who will buy all this stuff? An A.I. start-up focused on scientific discovery, Periodic Labs, has drawn top researchers away from Meta, OpenAI and Google. Road trips in electric vehicles have gone from impossible to easy very quickly. In the video below, we explain how charging stations spread across the country. OPINIONS Democrats will come to regret the government shutdown, Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, writes. Here’s a column by Michelle Goldberg about religion on the left. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Lanna Apisukh for The New York Times Yours for $2,700: A soon-to-close theme park in New Jersey has a life-size T. rex to sell you. Ask Well: Does using your phone on the toilet cause hemorrhoids? Your pick: One of most-clicked stories in The Morning yesterday was about a 102-year-old yoga teacher. Barrier breaker: Bobby Cain, the first Black student to graduate from a public high school in the South under court-mandated desegregation, died at 85. He braved white mobs to attend a school in Tennessee. SPORTS W.N.B.A.: The Las Vegas Aces are going to the finals for the third time in four seasons after an overtime thriller against the Indiana Fever. Trending: People online are searching for Cathy Engelbert, the W.N.B.A. commissioner, during the league’s negotiations with the players’ union. A Minnesota Lynx player denounced her yesterday, saying that the league had the “worst leadership in the world.” M.L.B.: As the playoffs got underway, the Red Sox rallied to stun the Yankees. The Dodgers, Cubs and Tigers also opened their series with victories. Gambling: Sports betting apps now let players wager on nearly any moment of a game, live. These in-game bets are one of the fastest-growing areas of the industry. $400 MILLION FOOD MOGUL Stephen Starr William DeShazer for The New York Times Have you eaten at one of Stephen Starr’s restaurants? He runs 43 of them in six cities. They draw presidents and celebrities, but also Florida tourists and N.F.L. pregamers. And they bring in a lot of money — last year, Parc in Philadelphia and Pastis in New York alone grossed nearly $100 million. Starr got his start in the music business, Christine Speer Lejeune writes in a new profile, and he still speaks in music analogies: A restaurant is like an album. A menu needs a few hits. A dish that isn’t working is like Paul and John, toward the end. Read about his rise to restaurant stardom. More on culture Chunk, an underdog with a broken jaw. The National Park Service/T Carmack Alaska’s Fat Bear Week has a winner. His name is Chunk. Nicole Kidman filed for divorce from Keith Urban after nearly 20 years. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Braise chickpeas and spinach with warming Moroccan spices in this quick, comforting stew. Read these essential works from Thomas Pynchon. His prose is an impressive mix of high and low, smutty and sublime, data dumps and dad jokes. Wear these flats to avoid blisters. There are classic Mary Janes and cool loafers. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was collectible. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Jonathan Wolfe contributed to this newsletter. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 2 Author Members Posted October 2 October 2, 2025 Good morning. It’s the second day of a shutdown of the federal government. President Trump appears to see the closure as an opportunity — to push through mass layoffs and cancel funding for Democratic states. The Senate rejected plans to reopen, and both parties are digging in for a long fight. We spent yesterday asking our colleagues questions you may have about what’s happening and what might happen, as the shutdown continues. Those answers follow. But first, the latest news: Polarization: Most American voters now believe the country is incapable of overcoming its deep divisions, according to a New York Times/Siena University poll. War in Gaza: Many Palestinians say that Hamas should accept a proposal that calls for an immediate end to the war, according to interviews with people in Gaza. Jane Goodall: The famous primatologist is dead at 91. John Thune, the Senate majority leader. Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times The shutdown, explained By Adam B. Kushner I’m the editor of this newsletter. For weeks, our D.C. reporters chronicled a slow-motion political drama: Would Democrats and Republicans find a way to compromise before the government ran out of money? Now that we know the answer, they’re covering how the shutdown actually works. What happens when federal employees go home, and how might the shutdown end? For today’s newsletter, I got answers from Carl Hulse, our chief Washington correspondent, and Eileen Sullivan, who covers the federal work force. What’s at stake for both parties? Carl: Quite a bit. Republicans want to show that they are able to wield their majority power and keep the government funded without giving in to what they see as unreasonable Democratic demands. Democrats are trying to win health care concessions and also demonstrate that Republicans must treat them as legislative partners and not jam bills down their throats. The outcome of the clash is likely to influence next year’s midterm elections. What are Democrats trying to get before they’ll support the stopgap spending bill? Carl: They want an extension of subsidies created during the pandemic for purchasing health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Otherwise, they say, premium costs will rise for millions of people. Republicans say they are open to extending the subsidies, but only if the government reopens. At least eight Democrats would need to join Republicans to pass a spending bill. So far, three have. Some federal employees are “excepted” from the shutdown and have to work. Who qualifies? Eileen: Each department identifies people critical to protecting life and property, and they keep working during a government shutdown. Think federal law enforcement officers, air traffic controllers and T.S.A. officers at airports. Not all agencies rely on appropriations for funding. That is why some government services continue uninterrupted. Mail is still delivered, and Social Security and Medicare payments continue. Do the workers get paid? Eileen: Many of the people who keep the government running will be working without pay until the government reopens. Afterward, the law says, they must receive back wages. Workers are being “furloughed.” What does that mean? Eileen: These are the ones who don’t work during the shutdown because they’re not essential to protecting life and property. Some agencies, including the National Park Service, warned that they could be called back to work at any point. How do shutdowns typically end? Carl: When public and political pressure to reopen federal agencies mounts, and lawmakers fear getting the blame for the cutoff of government services, one side eventually gives in and backs a spending bill — even if they don’t get what they were seeking. In this case, that would mean Democrats backing the bill without any health insurance breakthrough or Republicans compromising despite their pledge not to cut a deal. The latest on the shutdown Lawmakers made no progress yesterday on breaking the impasse: They called for votes on the same dueling bills as earlier in the week, with identical results. Confusion reigned for many federal employees, some of whom expected to be furloughed but learned yesterday that they had to report to work. The White House, seeking to maximize damage for Democrats, canceled about $26 billion in previously approved funds for climate and transportation projects, mostly in blue states. In one chart Sources: Office of Personnel Management; government agency shutdown plans | Some agencies reported employment numbers as early as March 2025, so most up-to-date numbers may not be reflected. | By The New York Times Federal agencies publish plans explaining how their services and work forces will change in a shutdown. This time, though, those normally wonky documents included a revelation. Agencies reported how many they people they employ — which, in turn, showed how much DOGE had slashed their work forces. Related: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday included more charts that show how the shutdown is affecting workers. THE LATEST NEWS More on Politics In Washington, D.C. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Trump described sending troops to U.S. cities as fighting “a war from within.” Congressional Republicans demanded information from companies that they suspect might be helping colleges raise their prices with algorithms built on applicants’ data. The Supreme Court said President Trump could not immediately remove Lisa Cook, a Federal Reserve governor. Trump’s tariffs on timber, wood, furniture and kitchen cabinets could raise the cost of building and buying a home. Middle East The Trump administration promised to protect Qatar if the country is attacked, just three weeks after Israel attacked it. Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, has a central role in Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Blair has tried — and failed — to broker peace in the past. Israel intercepted more than a dozen boats that were attempting to bring humanitarian goods to Gaza and protest the war. Organizers said about 30 other boats were still making their way to Gaza. More International News Trump administration officials seeking to oust Nicolás Maduro as Venezuela’s leader have been citing a five-year-old New York indictment as evidence that he is “a fugitive from American justice.” The Danish public has been unsettled by a wave of mysterious drone incursions. Analysts suspect, and authorities have implied, that Russia is to blame. In his first significant address on climate change, Pope Leo called on Catholics to continue to address climate change, a priority of his predecessor. Dozens of students are now presumed dead after a school collapse this week in Indonesia. Immigration In the past few weeks, ICE has arrested far more immigrant workers in Washington than it had in the months prior. The Times analyzed bystander videos and saw how ICE is partnering with the local police. Trump’s immigration crackdown in Chicago intensified this week as agents used drones and helicopters for middle-of-the-night raids. “It felt like we were under siege,” a bystander said. For decades, Dodgers baseball has been a centerpiece of L.A.’s Latino community. Trump’s ICE raids are testing that. JANE GOODALL Guerin Blask for The New York Times Jane Goodall, the world’s pre-eminent chimpanzee researcher, made us rethink what it means to be human. Her death at 91 was announced yesterday. After a childhood spent adoring Tarzan, Dr. Doolittle and her stuffed monkey doll, Goodall relocated to the Gombe Stream Chimpanzee Reserve, in East Africa, in early adulthood to study primates up close. Her research revealed rich dynamics of family and community. It also chronicled the animals’ use of tools, their rain dances and organized warfare. Along the way, she became a revered figure in pop culture.Her work with chimpanzees “represents one of the Western world’s great scientific achievements,” said Stephen Jay Gould, the evolutionary biologist and science historian. See video of her early work in East Africa in her obituary. Read more reflections on her contributions to science. Our reporter reflects on the reverence Goodall often inspired in people. OPINIONS The end of the Troubles in Northern Ireland was once seen as impossible. That’s a lesson for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Megan Stack argues. Here are columns by Nicholas Kristof on the resilience of refugees and Jamelle Bouie on how to view the 2024 election. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Sisi Yu Good news: There are finally free anti-robocall tools that work, our personal tech columnist writes. Great spaces: See some really cool home offices, including a minimalist sanctuary in Sweden and an experimental round study in Japan. Mayoral romance: She loved Eric Adams, but she kept it a secret. Now she’s talking. Trending: People were searching yesterday for news on a plane collision at LaGuardia Airport in New York. Two regional Endeavor Air flights stuck each other on the taxiway, injuring one passenger. SPORTS M.L.B. playoffs: The Yankees beat the Red Sox to stay alive, while the Dodgers advanced by handling the Reds again. Golf: The comedian Heather McMahan, who stepped down as emcee of the Ryder Cup after taking part in a foul-mouthed chant directed at Rory McIlroy, apologized on her podcast. She called her actions “foolish.” N.F.L.: The Cleveland Browns named third-round draft pick Dillon Gabriel their new starting quarterback, leaving fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders literally speechless. SWEAT IT OUT The Othership bathhouse in Manhattan. Janice Chung for The New York Times People crave places where they can put down their phones and commune with others. Enter the modern bathhouse, a hip space where people gather in saunas and around fireplaces. Bathhouses aren’t new, of course; they’ve served as social hubs for centuries. But a new iteration has made them prominent again in the world of young professionals, in part by offering classes like “Self-Care Sweat,” “Gratitude” and “Hardwiring Happiness.” Melissa Kirsch, our Saturday newsletter writer, took the plunge — several plunges, really, in tubs both hot and cold — to understand why the bathhouse experience holds such an enduring appeal. More on culture and lifestyle Clockwise from top left: © Vox Media, LLC. Photo: Amanda Demme; The Last Sitting ® 1962 © Bert Stern Trust. Cover: courtesy of The Herb Lubalin Study Center at The Cooper Union; Ebony © 1968. 1145 Holdings LLC. All rights reserved; Ronny Jaques/Gourmet © Condé Nast; Lennart Nilsson, TT/Science Photo Library. Cover: courtesy of Life; Erwin Blumenfeld/Condé Nast/Getty Images; Firooz Zahedi/courtesy of TIME; created by George Lois. Photo by Carl Fischer, courtesy of Esquire See the 25 most influential magazine covers of all time, according to our panel of editors and artists. A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit from a man who was featured as a naked baby on the cover of Nirvana’s 1991 album. The man claimed he had been the victim of child sexual abuse imagery. Out of sight for years, a pompommed piece of television history — Mary Tyler Moore’s hat — is now in search of a permanent home. Stephen Colbert suggested unplugging the government and then turning it on again. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Testani for The New York Times Use 40 cloves of garlic in this pasta dish. Read these spooky novels in October, as recommended by the horror author Rachel Harrison. Browse (actually good) early discounts from Amazon’s fall deals event. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were citification, faction, notification, officiant and officiation. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Jonathan Wolfe contributed to this newsletter. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 3 Author Members Posted October 3 October 3, 2025 Good morning. It’s the third day of a shutdown of the federal government. And President Trump isn’t wasting a crisis. He called it an “unprecedented opportunity” to enact sweeping cuts to agencies and to halt billions of dollars in funds to states run by Democrats. He’s now using federal websites and workers to wage political attacks. Trump is also focused on his enemies abroad. We spent yesterday looking into a confidential notice Trump sent Congress this week saying that the U.S. was formally engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels that the administration has labeled terrorist organizations. The notice comes after three military strikes the president ordered on boats in the waters near Venezuela last month, which killed 17 people. More on that is below. But first, the latest news: Stabbings: British officials declared an attack on synagogue in Manchester, England, that killed two people to be an act of terrorism. It came on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. Anglicans: The Church of England announced that a woman, Sarah Mullally, would become archbishop, a first in the religion’s more-than-1,400-year history. Sean Combs: The music mogul will face sentencing for two prostitution-related convictions this morning. He asked the judge for leniency. Taylor Swift: Her new album, “Life of a Showgirl,” dropped overnight. U.S. Navy warships in Panama City in August. Martin Bernetti/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images War powers By Tom Wright-Piersanti How is it that the U.S. has quietly started a war with Venezuela’s gangs? Let’s look at how we got here. Trump has been building to this for months. In July, he signed a directive ordering the Pentagon to use military force against some Latin American drug cartels. Around the same time, the administration declared that a Venezuelan criminal group was a terrorist organization and that Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro, was its leader, setting up a possible justification for a conflict. By late summer, the U.S. was amassing an armada. At the time, my colleague Eric Schmitt wrote, the military had deployed eight warships, several Navy P-8 surveillance planes and one attack submarine to the southern Caribbean Sea. And in September, the strikes began. The U.S. first destroyed a boat that officials said was carrying 11 gang members, all of whom were killed. Trump posted a video of the explosion on social media. There were two more strikes that month, each of which killed three people. He says he’s targeting Venezuela’s gangs because they bring dangerous drugs into the U.S. Experts say there is some truth to that: Lots of cocaine flows through Venezuela, according to a report by the State Department. But Venezuela is far from the biggest player in the region. Colombia produces much more cocaine. Most of the cocaine entering the U.S. comes through the Pacific, not the Caribbean, my colleague Genevieve Glatsky wrote. And the most destructive drug in the U.S., fentanyl, comes almost entirely from Mexico. Maduro says Trump’s real goal is to force regime change — which Trump’s secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has openly pushed for. “We’re not going to have a cartel, operating or masquerading as a government, operating in our own hemisphere,” Rubio told Fox News. Trump campaigned on a platform that rejected the type of aggressive intervention that got the U.S. mired in long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But Julie Turkewitz, a Times reporter based in South America, told my colleagues on The World newsletter that the Trump administration might see a distinction between Asian countries and ones in the Americas. The declaration allows Trump to claim extraordinary wartime powers. In an armed conflict, a country can lawfully kill enemy fighters even when they pose no threat, detain them indefinitely without trials and prosecute them in military courts, legal specialists told The Times. Still, some experts said that the order crossed a major legal line. It’s illegal for the military to target civilians who are not directly participating in “hostilities” — a legal term signifying an armed conflict. Selling a dangerous product is different from an armed attack, said Geoffrey Corn, who once served as the Army’s senior adviser for law-of-war issues. “This is not stretching the envelope,” Corn told The Times. “This is shredding it. This is tearing it apart.” THE LATEST NEWS Politics An AIPAC convention in 2020. Tom Brenner/Reuters Some Democrats have pulled away from AIPAC, the hard-line pro-Israel lobbying group. With voter support for Israel declining, it has become an increasingly toxic brand on Capitol Hill. The Energy Department said that it would cancel more than $7.5 billion in Biden-era awards for energy projects. A vast majority were in states led by Democrats. A judge rejected an asylum request by Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, the immigrant who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and then brought back to face criminal charges. The F.D.A. approved a new generic abortion pill over opposition from abortion opponents. In a speech about military standards, Pete Hegseth, the defense secretary, angered some women who felt he questioned their qualifications. Trump wanted to give King Charles a sword from a presidential museum. After the museum’s director told Trump no, he was forced out of his job. Manchester Attack In Manchester, England. Andrew Testa for The New York Times After a man killed two people and seriously injured three outside a synagogue, some Orthodox Jews there felt that their neighborhood was no longer safe. Like other Western countries, Britain has recorded a marked rise in antisemitic incidents in the nearly two years since Oct. 7. More International News In Bologna, Italy. Guido Calamosca/LaPresse, via Associated Press Italy backed Trump’s proposal to end the Gaza war and said it would recognize a Palestinian state if Hamas released Israeli hostages and was kept out of any eventual government. Mexico’s dominant political party rose to power by championing the poor. Now it is having to explain the luxurious lifestyles of some prominent members. Vladimir Putin said Russia had no plans to invade NATO countries, downplaying alarm over drone incursions in Poland and Denmark. Chinese stocks are rallying, driven by enthusiasm for A.I. Other Big Stories Much of the Summer Olympics in 2028 will take place in Southern California. But two events, softball and canoe slalom, will be held in Oklahoma. The parents of a college student who died in a Cybertruck crash are suing Tesla, claiming that the design of the doors made it nearly impossible for their daughter to escape the burning vehicle. A 23-year-old man died in a fall after scaling El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. Onlookers had been watching his ascent both from the base and over a livestream. ‘THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL’ In New York. Kylie Cooper/Reuters Taylor’s in a new era. Her albums, intimate and excavating, offer insights into what is on her mind when they are released. In “The Life of a Showgirl,” she seems to be thinking about love, a trustworthy partner (see: her new fiancé) and, as always, foes to vanquish. A few picks from our critic: “Actually Romantic,” a leering ode to an enemy whose attention is so total, so focused, that it can’t help but feel like a form of lust. “It sounded nasty, but it feels like you’re flirting with me,” “Wood,” an almost goofy tribute to a reliable lover. “It ain’t hard to see / His love was the key / That opened my thighs,” she sings. It’s also full of innuendos. Swift dominated the charts for Google Trends as people searched online for each song’s lyrics. Read more about the album from our critic. Related: See the history, and the designer, behind Swift’s bedazzled album outfit. OPINIONS The W.N.B.A. is making more money than ever. David Berri asks: Why aren’t the players? As in the White House renovation, Trump is remaking American democracy in the image of his brand, Debbie Millman argues. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS In Las Vegas. Tag Christof for The New York Times Las Vegas blues: Nightclub lines are short, food courts are quiet and card tables are half occupied. Man caves: New York’s first steakhouses were smoky dungeons. They’ve come a long way since then. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about how to block robocalls. Scaredy-dog: Researchers found that wolves were far more likely to run away from human voices than from other sounds. Modern Love: The woman who always paid for dinner. Progressive leader: Ann Fagan Ginger, a lawyer and activist who defended civil liberties, died at 100. She was among the last of a generation that weathered the Red Scare and then helped train a new cohort during the 1960s. SPORTS M.L.B.: The Yankees beat the Red Sox behind a commanding rookie pitching performance to win their wild-card series. The Cubs and the Tigers also advanced to their respective division series. N.F.L.: A Trump administration official said ICE agents would be at Super Bowl LX, where Bad Bunny will headline the halftime show. SOCIAL SLOP OpenAI has a powerful new video app, and our tech reporter has been playing with it. He’s sent his colleagues A.I. videos that show him dancing with his dog and sitting on a throne of rats. In another, he’s in a “Matrix”-style duel against Ronald McDonald, using cheeseburgers as weapons. (His colleagues were mildly disturbed.) The app, called Sora, is in effect a social network in disguise, he writes. It provides video suggestions, connects users with friends and makes it easier to create videos. Watch out, TikTok. Related: OpenAI completed a deal that values it at $500 billion, passing SpaceX as the most valuable privately held company. More on culture Geordie Wood for The New York Times Daniel Day-Lewis is acting again, less than a decade after announcing his retirement. He knows you’ve got questions about that. Early this morning, Netflix released the premiere episode of a new show, “Famous Last Words,” a series of late-life interviews with famous people released only after the subject dies. Jane Goodall is the first. Paramount is nearing a deal to buy The Free Press, and Bari Weiss, a founder, is expected to be named editor in chief of CBS News. Late night hosts joked about the government shutdown. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times Swirl gochujang into your cookie dough to make this reader favorite. Write at a better desk. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were initializing and tantalizing. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. P.S. We’re aware that links aren’t working for some who read this newsletter on the iPhone. We are working on the problem, and it should be fixed soon. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 5 Author Members Posted October 5 October 4, 2025 Good morning. Everyone’s “intentional” these days, but don’t let the word’s wholesale application to every activity of modern life deprive you of its benefits. María Jesús Contreras Best intentions By Melissa Kirsch When did everything become so “intentional,” my colleague Marie Solis asks in an essay in The Times this week. Marie has noticed the word applied by influencers and “slightly overtherapized people” to nearly every activity, from working out to playing trivia, dating to breathing. Living intentionally “suggests being present and self-aware,” she writes. “Your words and actions are in near-perfect alignment. Possibly, you’ve meditated recently.” “Intentional” is used so frequently and applied to so many things (intentional skin care! an intentional tattoo shop!) that its meaning has been diluted. Reading Marie’s essay, I realized I had been swept up in the tide of intentionality myself. Haven’t I tried to be intentional with my time and energy and encouraged others to do the same? Surely I’ve aimed to be intentional with my eating, intentional with my words. The shame of using trendy language unwittingly makes me want to scrub my vocabulary of the overworked word, to be more precise and original in my expression. But the increase in intentionality — if a bit much when applied to things like luxury shopping and selecting a record to listen to — may simply be a rational response to the current moment. Being intentional means we’re making choices and acting accordingly, a simple act that becomes difficult when, as Marie writes, “even mundane, everyday decisions appear more readily shaped by large political forces and faceless algorithms than by any sort of individual volition.” We’re trying to be more intentional precisely because we feel we lack agency. So how to deploy intention … intentionally? I think it’s most useful when we use it to address places in our lives where we feel its opposite, where we feel we’ve been acting unconsciously. For me, this is in how I budget time. I have, for most of my life, believed that I’m a person who knows how to organize my hours, who, when there’s a task to be accomplished, intuitively allocates the correct amount of time and energy to get it done. Recently, I’ve realized that this may not be altogether accurate. I’ve developed a sophisticated procrastination regimen whereby I waste exactly as much time as I possibly can before getting down to work. This leaves precisely as much time as is needed to accomplish the task, but not a bit of excess, which creates no small amount of stress. I had always assumed, since I’m so good at managing time, that this stress was just a byproduct of productivity. But since I’ve become more intentional about my time allocation — examining my tendencies closely, compassionately deciding to try some new strategies — there’s been more room to breathe and less discomfort in my routine. Notwithstanding intentionality’s overuse in the culture, I’m grateful that it’s provided me with that. THE LATEST NEWS War in Gaza The families of hostages and their supporters in Tel Aviv in August. Amit Elkayam for The New York Times Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would cooperate with President Trump to end the war, following Hamas’s statement that it was ready to release all Israeli hostages. Hamas agreed to return all of its Israeli hostages, living and dead, accepting a major piece of the plan that President Trump proposed to end the war in Gaza. Hamas’s statement inspired optimism, but did not address several elements of the plan that it had deemed unacceptable. Here’s what to know. Politics Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. Kenny Holston/The New York Times The U.S. military killed four men on a boat near Venezuela that the Trump administration said was smuggling drugs. It’s the fourth such strike. Sanae Takaichi was elected to lead Japan’s governing party, paving the way for her to become the country’s first female prime minister. The Trump administration plans to slash refugee admissions to 7,500 in the coming year — a drastic decrease from the 125,000 cap set by the Biden administration. The shutdown continues: The Senate failed for the fourth time to take up either party’s proposal to reopen the federal government. A group of unions, higher education professionals, religious organizations and others sued the Trump administration over its decision to charge a $100,000 fee for H-1B visas. A statue depicting Trump and Jeffery Epstein holding hands has returned to the National Mall, a week after the National Park Service removed it. Other Big Stories Sean Combs, the fallen hip-hop mogul, was sentenced to more than four years in prison for prostitution-related offenses. Before his sentencing, Combs asked the court for mercy and called his conduct “disgusting, shameful and sick.” A would-be assassin who planned to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh, but had a last-minute change of heart, was sentenced to just over eight years in prison. THE WEEK IN CULTURE Film and TV Channing Tatum Sela Shiloni for The New York Times Channing Tatum battled impostor syndrome for years. Finally, with “Roofman,” he believes he can hold his own against any actor. The star of “Good Boy” didn’t know he was in a horror movie. (That’s because he’s a dog.) Jane Fonda and hundreds of members of the entertainment industry have revived a McCarthy-era free speech group. Music Taylor Swift fans spent yesterday trying to decode her new album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” and figure out which songs reference other celebrities. Evan Dando, the Lemonheads’ frontman, fell from grace — hard. Now he’s telling the tale. At the Met Opera House, bells and whistles — and a fastidious crew huddled in the backroom — bring “Kavalier & Clay” to life. Georg Friedrich Haas has written a piece of almost ridiculous scale and complexity. With 50 pianos rumbling at once, the effect is awe-inspiring. More Culture “Saturday Night Live” will return this weekend for its 51st season. Bad Bunny will host, and Doja Cat is the musical guest. A novelist was disturbed to learn that her books had been used to train A.I. chatbots. So she sued and won the largest copyright settlement ever. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. COMEDY IN THE KINGDOM Dave Chappelle performing in Martha's Vineyard, Mass., in August. Arturo Holmes/Getty Images Dave Chappelle. Pete Davidson. Kevin Hart. Bill Burr. Some of the biggest names in American comedy are performing at the Riyadh Comedy Festival, an event organized by the Saudi government. For an occupation that is obsessed with free speech, it seemed like an odd partnership. Saudi Arabia sharply restricts what people can say — at the festival, according to contracts posted online, performers are not allowed to tell jokes that “degrade, defame, or bring into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, embarrassment, or ridicule” the kingdom. But after the suspension of Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, the comedians saw an opportunity to flip the joke on the U.S.: “It’s easier to talk here than it is in America,” Chappelle quipped. Political humor has been warmly received; sex jokes, not so much. Read the full story here. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Karsten Moran for The New York Times By Melissa Clark Soy-Steamed Fish With Scallions and Pistachios For something light, speedy and company-worthy this weekend, David Tanis’s soy-steamed fish with scallions and pistachios is a deeply flavored pescatarian delight. He uses a classic Chinese method for steaming the fish on a plate, which you can do with or without a steamer (a large deep skillet also works). The pistachios may seem radical here, but they add both complexity and crunch. Or leave them out for a more delicately textured dish, with gutsy, pungent notes from the combination of fermented black bean paste, fresh ginger and scallions. REAL ESTATE Yamil Burgos in Queens. James Estrin/The New York Times The Hunt: A longtime renter with a $300,000 budget weighed how far to live from his family in Queens. Which home did he choose? Play our game. What you get for $1.4 million in Copenhagen: a three-bedroom apartment in a historic villa; a two-story townhouse; or a renovated thatched cottage. Big ticket: The filmmaker David Lynch’s Hollywood Hills home is on the market for $15 million. Counting commodes: Are nine bathrooms too many? LIVING Photo illustration by Alex Merto Diagnosis therapy: Researchers propose that the act of identifying a malady can itself bring relief. Healthy aging: Jane Goodall, who died this week at 91, followed principles that doctors recommend for a long life, including a clear sense of purpose and enduring optimism. Look of the Week: An Oasis fan in sweet soccer shoes. Senior dream: Margs, stars and classic cars are available at these swanky retirement communities. (Take our quiz to find the one meant for you.) ADVICE FROM WIRECUTTER The beauty of a versatile blouse On the quest to build a versatile wardrobe, it’s easy to acquire a closetful of staples that are tasteful but bland, or trendy pieces that quickly lose their charm. Tops and blouses are especially prone to this predicament. But our style experts found there is, in fact, such a thing as “just right,” and these Goldilocks shirts can be the building blocks of a timeless wardrobe. A button-up with a flowing silhouette, for instance, looks just as great with jeans as it does worn under a blazer with dressy pants. Or consider a short-sleeve silk T-shirt you can wear now with wool trousers and a cardigan, or pair with a maxi skirt in warmer months. — Nicola Fumo GAME OF THE WEEK Game 1 of the W.N.B.A. finals. Ian Maule/Getty Images Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces, W.N.B.A. finals: Game 1 went to the Aces last night, thanks in part to an outstanding performance by Dana Evans, who had 21 points off the bench. Now Las Vegas has the edge, to go along with its perennial advantage: A’ja Wilson, the world’s best player, whom The Athletic dubbed a “galactic force of silk and swagger.” But don’t expect the Mercury to roll over. They’re deep, which could help in a long series. And their star, Alyssa Thomas, is a triple-double machine — she had eight this season alone, far more than any other player has logged in a career. Game 2 is Sunday at 3 p.m. Eastern on ABC NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was condominium. Take the news quiz to see how well you followed this week’s headlines. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. — Melissa Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 5 Author Members Posted October 5 October 5, 2025 Good morning. Here is the latest news: Middle East: Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel and Hamas were on the brink of a deal to return the Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. Portland: A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from using Oregon National Guard soldiers in response to nightly protests at an ICE office. Chicago: A federal agent shot and wounded a motorist, touching off more protests in the city. More news is below. But first, a look at the president’s sports fandom, and what it reveals about his worldview. President Trump at the U.S. Open last month. Ben Solomon for The New York Times Spectator in chief By Evan Gorelick I’m a staff writer on The Morning. If you follow the president on social media, you’re probably familiar with his partisan rants and Beltway musings. That’s Donald Trump, the politician. But there’s another, lesser-known Trump on the sidelines. This Trump is just as opinionated as the one you know, but he cares less about “the Democrat party” and more about “the GOAT.” This Trump argues not why politicians deserve indictments, but why athletes deserve hall-of-fame inductions. This is Donald Trump, the sports fan. He showed up this year to the Super Bowl, the Daytona 500, the U.S. Open and a Yankees game. But his social media account is where his true fandom shows. His posts — copious and unfiltered, spanning more than a decade — reveal his lasting allegiances and philosophies. I read through thousands of those posts this week. There are a few overarching themes. He flaunts his friends Trump considers himself a sportsman. He’s a good golfer — even if he fudges the rules — and he used to play baseball, football and soccer. He also enjoys having, and showcasing, friends from the sporting world. Tom Brady was spotted as early as 2015 with one of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hats in his locker. The president has posted about Brady dozens of times, calling him the best quarterback of all time. Tom Brady would have won if he was throwing a soccer ball. He is my friend and a total winner! @Patriots (Twitter, May 8, 2015) Bryson DeChambeau, a pro golfer who plays in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league, reps the Trump Golf brand. He and Trump often hit the links together, too. He is a truly tough competitor, even a nasty one, but he also happens to be a great guy. (Truth Social, June 16, 2024) He cares about greatness — and disrespect Trump is keenly attuned to status and recognition. (Recently, he has been gunning for the Nobel Peace Prize.) He lavishes his favorite athletes with praise and complains when he feels they’ve been snubbed. Pete Rose, baseball’s all-time hits leader, was banned from the sport in 1989 for gambling on his team. Since 2013, Trump has posted more than a dozen times that Rose — whom he calls “one of the most magnificent players ever” — should be inducted into the sport’s Hall of Fame. Most Americans agree, recent polling shows. Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy ass, and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame! (Truth Social, Feb. 28, 2025) Deion Sanders, the legendary cornerback, is Trump’s friend. The president spoke out when Sanders’s son Shedeur wasn’t selected in the early rounds of the N.F.L. draft. (Shedeur is now on the Cleveland Browns.) What is wrong with NFL owners, are they STUPID? (Truth Social, April 25, 2025) He is obsessed with toughness Trump believes the field is a place for men to physically prove themselves. This is especially true for football, and he has long complained that officiating neuters the game’s essential brutality. I’m not going to be watching much NFL football anymore. Too time consuming, too boring, too many flags and too soft. (Twitter, Oct. 5, 2014) He has also taken aim at rules, like the league’s new kickoff format, meant to reduce head injuries. Kickoff plays are four times as likely to cause concussions as running and passing, league data shows, and the changes slow those plays down. The ball is moving, and the players are not, the exact opposite of what football is all about. “Sissy” football is bad for America, and bad for the NFL! (Truth Social, Sept. 15, 2025) Last season, when the new kickoff rules debuted, concussions dropped 17 percent. He brings it back to politics Trump in the locker room at Yankee Stadium. Doug Mills/The New York Times Trump the sports fan is not completely distinct from Trump the politician. Fields and courts can be venues for activism, and Trump doesn’t like that — at least when it swings left. In his first term, Trump denounced Colin Kaepernick and other athletes who knelt during the national anthem to protest police violence against Black people. After the N.B.A. stars LeBron James and Stephen Curry said they wouldn’t visit the White House because of Trump’s politics, Trump revoked Curry’s invitation and disparaged James’s intelligence. Going to the White House is considered a great honor for a championship team. Stephen Curry is hesitating, therefore invitation is withdrawn! (Twitter, Sept. 23, 2017) Trump has more recently called on sports teams to use their old, politically incorrect names. He threatened to block a new stadium deal if the Washington Commanders didn’t restore their name to a slur, and he pressed the Cleveland Guardians to call themselves the Indians again: Indians are being treated very unfairly. MAKE INDIANS GREAT AGAIN (MIGA)! (Truth Social, July 20, 2025) He has also blamed progressive politics for athletic failures. When the U.S. women’s soccer team lost to Sweden in 2023, Trump faulted “Crooked Joe Biden” and accused the players of being hostile to America. (“WOKE EQUALS FAILURE,” he wrote.) In this way, Trump sees sports as he sees politics: a contest where the winners are strong and the losers are weak — and where toughness, loyalty and patriotism are interchangeable virtues. THE LATEST NEWS Middle East Israeli and Hamas negotiators are preparing for talks in Cairo, which mediators hope will pave the way for the end of the war in Gaza and the release of the hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has not said if it will disarm, which has been one of Netanyahu’s key demands. Two years after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, Israel is torn, Roger Cohen writes. Trump Administration Joseph King, 42, a U.S. Army trainee. Kenny Holston/The New York Times The defense secretary has cited a belief in Trump as a reason for the U.S. Army’s recruiting surge. But it wouldn’t have been possible without this program. The White House has cut or paused billions in funding to Democratic-run cities and states since the federal government came to a halt. Kristi Noem, the secretary of homeland security, told a podcaster that ICE officers would be “all over” the Super Bowl, where the Latin superstar Bad Bunny will perform. Other Big Stories Syria is holding its first parliamentary elections since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. Here’s what to know. Private equity investors can wield big power over drug trials, a Times investigation found. Two teenage girls, believed to have been subway surfing, were found dead on top of a J train in Brooklyn, officials said. THE SUNDAY DEBATE Does the military need stricter standards for grooming and fitness, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said last week? No. Trump and Hegseth want superficial improvements regarding fitness and grooming standards, instead of operations and training. “President Donald Trump has a long record of prioritizing appearance and eager complicity over experience and competence,” The Washington Post’s Theodore Johnson writes. Yes. The best way to deter war is for everything in the U.S. military to appear to be at the highest standard, USA Today’s Nicole Russell writes. FROM OPINION Lebanese people have acclimated to their country’s backlogged courts and crumbling infrastructure. It shouldn’t be seen as resilience, but resignation, Nada Bakri writes. The N.F.L. picked Bad Bunny to headline the Super Bowl halftime show because woke is good for business, Molly Jong-Fast writes. Here are columns by Ross Douthat on progressives’ authoritarian tendencies and Maureen Dowd on an A.I. actress. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Leon Edler Lifestyle managers: For $50,000 a year, a private concierge can make impossible dinner reservations and arrange your travel. They’re becoming a common luxury. Celebrities for justice: Amal and George Clooney hosted a star-studded award ceremony in London. Vows: Early in their relationship, she told him she battled bipolar disorder. He was undeterred. A respected figure: Belva Davis, the first Black woman hired as a television reporter on the West Coast, died at 92. Having overcome poverty and prejudice, she became a popular news anchor for three Bay Area TV stations for nearly 50 years. SPORTS N.F.L.: Mark Sanchez, a former N.F.L. quarterback and a Fox Sports commentator, was charged with battery after being injured in a stabbing in Indianapolis, the police said. He was in stable condition. M.L.B.: The Blue Jays thrashed the Yankees 10-1 in the A.L.D.S. to earn Toronto’s first postseason win in nine years. College football: The Texas quarterback Arch Manning’s misery tour continued in a 29-21 loss to Florida. The Gators’ defense wreaked havoc on Manning and the Longhorns’ offensive line. BOOK OF THE WEEK By Elisabeth Egan “Shadow Ticket,” by Thomas Pynchon: The 88-year-old darling of the black turtleneck/literary magazine/graduate school crowd is back with his first novel in a dozen years, an old-fashioned noir involving a missing cheese heiress and a disaster-prone private eye. Our critic Dwight Garner writes, “If the director Paul Thomas Anderson — who adapted Pynchon’s ‘Inherent Vice’ (2009) for the screen and based much of his dazzling new movie, ‘One Battle After Another,’ on ‘Vineland’ (1990) — is ever inclined to make a film version of ‘Shadow Ticket,’ it would most likely be a musical.” In what might be described as “Western literature’s Great Cheese Novel,” he goes on, “Pynchon finds in the industrial production of curds and whey enough paranoia, satirical and otherwise, to power a midsize city.” More on books Want to get acquainted with Pynchon and don’t know where to start? Go here. Looking for scary books that offer emotional insight and social commentary? Go here. THE INTERVIEW Devin Oktar Yalkin for The New York Times By Lulu Garcia-Navarro This week’s subject for The Interview is Senator Alex Padilla, Democrat of California, who in June was pushed to the ground and handcuffed at Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s news conference about immigration in Los Angeles. I talked to Padilla about the Trump administration’s immigration actions since, California’s outsize role in our national debates and his considerations around a possible run for governor next year. But first, we spoke about that experience at Noem’s event. The secretary and you talked afterward. What was that conversation like? Did she apologize? No apology, but honestly, not surprised, given how this administration tends to carry itself. I wish I could say it was more substantive or more constructive. She finally did say: Well, I understand you’re asking for more information. What’s your question? We kept hearing story after story of people with no violent criminal history being rounded up. And so I wanted to get some statistics. I wanted to ask the secretary, you put three, four, five names up on a slide show during a press conference, but who are the dozens and dozens of others that have been detained, that have been arrested? You were very emotional afterward. You spoke very passionately about what had happened. We also saw Vice President JD Vance, when referring to you and that incident, use the wrong name. He called you “Jose Padilla.” How did you understand that misnaming? Sadly, not surprised because this is how petty this administration is. And I knew what he was trying to do. To call a Latino man Jose flippantly, that’s their way of trying to ridicule us. For Vice President Vance in particular, let’s remember who Jesus’ parents were. They were Jose and Maria. Joseph and Mary. Look, I know a lot of Joses. A lot of Joses are hard workers. So if that’s what you’re going to call me, then I’m going to wear it as a point of pride. But back to the press conference and what happened. It was clear to me that if that’s how this administration would respond to a senator with a question, imagine not just how they could treat so many other people, but how they are treating so many other people when the cameras are not on. This should be a wake-up call. And it started in Los Angeles. We’ve seen National Guard troops now roving the streets of Washington, D.C. Threats to now be sent into Portland or Memphis or San Francisco, New York. This is a very, very heady time for our country. Read more of the interview here. Or watch a longer version on YouTube. THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE Read this week’s magazine. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Read your kids one of these great books, as recommended by Times editors and writers. Celebrate Halloween with some decorations that aren’t junky. Gawk at fancy baby strollers you probably won’t buy. MEAL PLAN Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards. The star of Emily Weinstein’s Five Weeknight Dishes newsletter this week is the burrito bowl — a “cook once, feed many” option that leaves everyone satisfied. Start with a rice-and-beans base, and let people add their own corn salsa, cheese, avocado, shredded chicken and so on. NOW TIME TO PLAY Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were chained, echidna, enchained and hacienda. Can you put eight historical events — including the first government shutdowns, Henry Ford’s assembly lines, and the creation of “Cinderella” — in chronological order? Take this week’s Flashback quiz. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your weekend with The Times. A note to readers: We have fixed a glitch that made it hard to open links in the New York Times app from this newsletter. If you’re still having problems, make sure your NYTimes iOS app is updated. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 6 Author Members Posted October 6 October 6, 2025 Good morning. We’re starting the week in a government shutdown. President Trump and lawmakers have made no progress on a deal that would reopen the government. Here’s what else is happening: Portland: A federal judge again blocked the deployment of hundreds of out-of-state National Guard troops to Oregon. Gisèle Pelicot trial: One man has appealed his conviction in the case in France in which a man drugged his wife and invited scores of others to rape her. She is not required to be present, but her lawyers said she planned to attend the entire process. We have more news below. But first, we look ahead at the potential consequences of the Supreme Court term that begins today. Kenny Holston/The New York Times Can he do that? By Ann E. Marimow I cover the Supreme Court. Over and over, challengers have tried to block Trump’s agenda in court. And, over and over, the president has asked the Supreme Court for emergency permission to carry out his policies. Most of the time, the justices (along partisan lines) have sent a message: Go ahead — for the moment. We’ll weigh the legal questions later. Later is now. The Supreme Court term that begins today could hold generational consequences. “It’s hard to imagine bigger tests of presidential power,” says one lawyer who appears frequently before the justices. While the court holds arguments for roughly 60 cases over the course of its term on a wide range of topics, the main action is about what the president can do. The docket we know The court has already agreed to hear several cases on presidential power. Tariffs. In November, the justices will consider whether the administration can tax imports by invoking a 1970s-era emergency law. The International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA, has typically been used to impose sanctions and embargoes against other nations. It does not mention the word “tariff.” Independent agencies. In December, the court will examine whether Trump can fire a Democratic leader of the Federal Trade Commission. The case revisits a 90-year-old precedent that says Congress can protect independent regulators from being removed solely over policy disagreements. The Fed. Can Trump fire Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor who he says committed mortgage fraud? The Fed is independent so that the central bank can make economic decisions apart from political pressures, but the president can fire its leaders for cause. Does he have cause? Cook has not been charged with a crime, and her lawyers say the allegations are flimsy. The docket to come Then there are cases the justices have not yet accepted — but will probably have to decide, eventually. Birthright citizenship. The president said by executive order that people born in the United States are not automatically entitled to citizenship if their parents are not citizens. That would upend more than a hundred years of precedent and change what it means to be an American. After losing in the lower courts, the White House has already asked the justices to weigh in. More Trump challenges. Other cases in the pipeline ask these questions: Can the president override Congress’s spending decisions? Can the president use an 18th-century wartime law to deport immigrants he accuses of belonging to a Venezuelan gang? Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times Other big cases The blockbuster arguments won’t just be about the separation of powers. Here are some other consequential cases the justices will hear. Conversion therapy. In 2019, Colorado banned therapists from counseling minors to change their sexuality or gender identity. A Christian therapist challenged the law, and the justices will hear arguments tomorrow. I wrote about the case here. Trans athletes. State laws in Idaho and West Virginia that bar transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports teams are also coming before the court this term. Redistricting. Can states take race into account when drawing congressional districts — grouping minority voters together to ensure fair representation for Black Americans? In a redo of a case last term from Louisiana, the justices are considering the broader question of whether to overturn a key section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Voting by mail. Can a federal elected official sue to stop a state from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day? If successful, the lawsuit brought by a Republican congressman from Illinois could lead to other efforts to restrict voting by mail. My colleague Abbie VanSickle and I explore the cases and what legal scholars make of them here. THE LATEST NEWS Government Shutdown It’s the sixth day of shutdown. Yesterday, Trump repeated his threat of mass firings of federal workers. Republicans have adopted a mostly passive stance while Democrats dig in for a fight, with both sides feeling they have the upper hand politically, Annie Karni writes. Trump Administration JB Pritzker, the governor of Illinois, said on CNN that federal agents were trying to create a “war zone” in Chicago “so they can send in even more troops.” Federal prosecutors charged two Chicago residents, including one whom federal agents had shot, with using their cars to “assault, impede, and interfere with the work of federal agents.” Middle East A rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday. David Guttenfelder/The New York Times Representatives from Israel, Hamas and the U.S. are in Egypt today for talks aimed at ending the war in Gaza. Israel and Hamas have signaled a readiness to move forward on Trump’s cease-fire plan, but significant gaps remain. Benjamin Netanyahu has taken personal credit for the plan, but it’s clear that Trump was calling the shots, Isabel Kershner writes. Business Three of Britain’s biggest brands have suffered cyberattacks this year, bringing pain to customers, workers, suppliers and government officials. More than 500 Costco locations will soon sell the weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. Japan’s currency plummeted and its stock market rallied after the governing party unexpectedly chose a pro-stimulus conservative hard-liner, Sanae Takaichi, as leader. France Sébastien Lecornu Pool photo by Stephane Mahe France’s third prime minister in a year, Sébastien Lecornu, resigned in a surprise move, less than 24 hours after forming a cabinet. Gisèle Pelicot returns to court today to face the appeal of one of the dozens of men convicted of raping her while she was drugged. Here’s what to know. Other Big Stories Claudio Bresciani/TT News Agency, via Associated Press Three scientists shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discoveries about the immune system. Heavy snow trapped hundreds of people on Mount Everest. Landslides and floods have killed at least 40 people in Nepal. OPINIONS In Herzliya, Israel. Ofir Berman for The New York Times Five families awaiting the return of hostages from Gaza speak about the rituals that nurture a connection with missing loved ones in a visual essay by Ofir Berman and Sarah Wildman. The U.S. has already experienced national divisions and frustratingly infirm presidents. The last time didn’t end democracy — it led to the New Deal, John Fabian Witt writes. Here are columns by David French on forgiveness and Margaret Renkl on saving a book festival. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS These cows are on Wi-Fi. Adam Perez for The New York Times Less cowbell: Cows wear high-tech collars now. Bounty: Treasure hunters recovered over $1 million worth of gold and silver coins from a 1715 Spanish shipwreck. Stargazing: Two comets will grace the night sky this month. Read how to see them. Review: Can fashion still be provocative? A ridiculous debut show has Vanessa Friedman wondering. Fantastical: James Grashow, a sculptor and woodcut artist who made his name with outsize installations fashioned from corrugated cardboard, died at 83. His works included a sprawling — and intentionally impermanent — version of the Trevi Fountain in Rome. SPORTS N.F.L.: The remaining undefeated teams fell last night, as the Denver Broncos beat the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots took down the Buffalo Bills. Here’s what we learned from Week 5. M.L.B.: The New York Yankees’ struggles continue, with a 13-7 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays that leaves them one more loss from elimination in the A.L.D.S. With a 3-2 win, the Seattle Mariners tied their series 1-1 with the Detroit Tigers. W.N.B.A.: The Las Vegas Aces took a 2-0 series lead over the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Finals last night, led by Jackie Young’s 32 points. ARCHITECTURE David Adjaye Justin T. Gellerson for The New York Times Three projects by the architect David Adjaye are scheduled to open this fall: the Princeton University Art Museum; the Museum of West African Art in Benin City, Nigeria; and the Studio Museum in Harlem. But public admiration is unlikely this time around: The institutions appear to be keeping their distance from him, more than two years after he was accused of sexual misconduct, Alex Marshall writes, and it is unclear whether Adjaye will appear at any of the museums’ opening celebrations. Adjaye has denied the allegations against him. More on culture “The Official Release Party of a Showgirl,” essentially an 89-minute commercial for Taylor Swift’s latest album, sold an estimated $33 million in tickets at cinemas in the U.S. and Canada this weekend. Bad Bunny hosted the season premiere of “S.N.L.” THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth Make California rolls at home. Try these built-in bra tops. (Even though straps are back, too.) Give the coffee lover in your life an upgrade to their morning ritual. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was genotype. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Claire Moses contributed to this newsletter. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 7 Author Members Posted October 7 October 7, 2025 Good morning. Two years ago today, Hamas-led fighters stormed into Israel, killed about 1,200 people and took another 250 captive, leading to a war in Gaza. Negotiators say they are nearing a deal to end that conflict. Here’s what else is happening: Shutdown: It’s Day 7 of the government shutdown. President Trump briefly dangled the possibility of a negotiation with Democrats, but pulled back hours later. Ghislaine Maxwell: The Supreme Court rejected an appeal of the criminal conviction of Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein. We’ve got more on the Oct. 7 anniversary below. But first, we look at how Trump melds his politics with his role as head of the armed forces. Trump at the Navy’s 250th anniversary. Doug Mills/The New York Times Fighting words By Shawn McCreesh I cover the president and reported from Norfolk. In the days before Trump spoke to U.S. Navy sailors Sunday to commemorate the service’s 250th birthday, some superiors approached their grunts with a reminder: You swore an oath to the Constitution. The military is nonpartisan. It’s not meant to serve one party or political leader. It serves the nation. But when Trump looked upon a sea of starchy white polyester, neckerchiefs and aviator sunglasses, he took a different view. “Let’s face it,” he said. “This is a rally.” He yowled about a “rigged” election and “woke” stuff. He inveighed against “transgender for everybody,” his shorthand for liberal lunacy. A group of MAGA true believers who follow him around the country sat by the stage. The scene offered a look at how Trump melds his politics with his role as head of the armed forces. At a time when he is flexing his power over the troops in ever new ways, he is showing again how little time or patience he has for the idea that the military is apolitical. Sending in the troops Over the weekend, Trump sent National Guard troops from Texas to Chicago, against the wishes of the Illinois governor, a Democrat. The president also ordered hundreds of out-of-state National Guard troops into Portland, Ore., setting off a showdown with a federal judge who blocked the administration’s moves on Sunday night. Judge Karin Immergut (who was appointed by Trump) wrote in her ruling: This historical tradition boils down to a simple proposition: This is a nation of constitutional law, not martial law. Defendants have made a range of arguments that, if accepted, risk blurring the line between civil and military federal power — to the detriment of this nation. Trump says there are national security reasons for these deployments — they protect federal buildings or immigration agents from protesters who would hurt them. As he put it to the sailors on Sunday: “We send in whatever is necessary. People don’t care. They don’t want crime in their cities.” He has also sent troops to Memphis and Los Angeles. But judges so far have said police can handle the problems. Trump said yesterday that he might use the Insurrection Act — an 1807 law that gives the president emergency powers to deploy troops on U.S. soil — to bypass rulings that block him. His national security rationale can be at odds with the nakedly political way he sometimes explains his decisions. He slams elected Democratic officials in the cities where he has deployed the National Guard. “The ones that are run by the radical left Democrats,” he said last week, are “very unsafe places, and we’re going to straighten them out one by one.” In this way, the troops end up looking to some like a cudgel for his political agenda. Which is just fine by him. At least that’s what it seemed like when he addressed hundreds of top military commanders last week. Trump acknowledged then that they weren’t supposed to clap or laugh or react much. He told them to forget about those old rules. “You just feel nice and loose,” he told them. But they sat mostly stock still as he delivered a partisan speech for 73 minutes. So he couldn’t crack the brass. Maybe a pier full of youngsters this weekend would be easier? A rally Aboard the aircraft carrier George H.W. Bush. Doug Mills/The New York Times At the base in Norfolk, some sailors were fans of this president. Others were not. He made one hell of an entrance, landing in Marine One on the deck of an aircraft carrier while the theme song from “Top Gun” blared. A squadron of fighter jets flew low overhead in a tight formation as he spoke his first words — “God bless the United States Navy”— and the troops roared with delight. “I think he’s a great president,” said Josie Reyna, a 25-year-old aviation boatswain’s mate from Wyoming. Asked what she thought about Trump sending the National Guard into cities over the weekend, she replied, “I mean, I know that he just wants to do what’s right.” Just then, a 37-year-old sailor named Ruben Reed who works in the Navy’s public affairs department, which helped stage the event, appeared and flashed her a warning look. After that, Reed shadowed me through the crowd, monitoring the young members of the Navy as they tried to communicate what they thought of Trump without sounding too wildly partisan. Even though their commander in chief had brought politics onto the pier, they knew they were not supposed to talk the way he does. Megan Rush, a 26-year-old from Lafayette, La., who works as an electrician on aircraft carriers, said she had come out to the pier because she’d never seen a president before. What does she make of this one? “Ummmmm,” she said, pausing for a moment. “I don’t know what to say.” Reed piped up. “Are you happy to be here?” he asked, rhetorically. “I’m happy to be here supporting the Navy,” Rush said pointedly. “It’s OK to support the president,” Reed said slowly. “Its OK to support your president, Donald Trump.” More on the National Guard A judge declined to block the deployment of Texas troops to Illinois, saying she needed more time to review the case. Illinois’ Democratic governor, JB Pritzker, said he would continue to challenge the deployment. “Their plan all along has been to cause chaos, and then they can use that chaos to consolidate Donald Trump’s power,” he said. Trump has said that Portland is “burning to the ground,” with “insurrectionists all over the place.” In reality, the protests that prompted his outrage have rarely expanded beyond a one-block radius. AU REVOIR, AGAIN French prime ministers since summer last year, clockwise from top left: Sébastien Lecornu, François Bayrou, Michel Barnier and Gabriel Attal. Pool photos by Stephane Mahe and Ludovic Marin, Bertrand Guay/AFP — Getty Images, Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters France’s prime minister, Sébastien Lecornu, resigned yesterday less than 24 hours after he’d hired ministers to run the government. His picks drew immediate opposition in Parliament — seen as too left by the right and too right by the left. The unpopular centrist government, helmed by President Emmanuel Macron, has burned through four prime ministers in barely a year. And it lacks a parliamentary majority, putting it at the mercy of far-right and far-left parties that outnumber it. Those groups ousted Macron’s previous prime ministers with no-confidence votes. Lecornu was headed for the same fate. So he quit, making him the shortest-lived prime minister in the history of modern France. The opposition wants Macron to dissolve the current Parliament and call new elections, which could topple his government and put the right-wing or left-wing coalition in power. Read more about what this means for Macron. THE LATEST NEWS Oct. 7 Anniversary Diego Ibarra Sanchez and Saher Alghorra for The New York Times In the two years since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has unleashed tremendous military might in Gaza. The result is a dismembered and disordered society. Emily Damari was taken from an Israeli kibbutz and spent 471 days as a hostage of Hamas. As she returns to life, she told The Times, she can’t shake the memories of those still in captivity. “I lost every beautiful thing in my life”: The Times spoke with dozens of Gazans about the devastation of two years of war. Israel marked the anniversary in subdued fashion. Politics Travelers are starting to feel the impact of the government shutdown: Several airports had delays because of shortages of air traffic controllers. As Trump cancels projects in Democratic-run states, he is cutting money from Republicans in competitive districts. The C.I.A.’s deputy director demoted the agency’s top lawyer and put himself in the role. The Pentagon loosened new press restrictions after weeks of negotiations with national news organizations. Tech and Media Bari Weiss Noam Galai/Getty Images Paramount bought Bari Weiss’s news start-up, The Free Press, for about $150 million and made her editor in chief of CBS News. She got the top job by amassing a following of readers fed up with “wokeness,” Jessica Testa writes. OpenAI announced a deal to use computer chips from AMD, weeks after signing a deal with a more dominant chipmaker, Nvidia. Job hunters are trying to trick A.I. résumé screeners with secret prompts. Some recruiters say they reject any applicant they find using hidden text. Higher Education The number of international students arriving in the U.S. was down nearly 20 percent this August — the steepest decline since the pandemic. Many Harvard students don’t do the reading and skip class, but rampant grade inflation allows them to coast through anyway, a report by faculty members found. A Harvard professor was placed on leave for hunting rats with a pellet gun near a synagogue. The police charged him with damaging property but say the episode was unrelated to antisemitism. Other Big Stories Three scientists shared the Nobel Prize in Physics for their work on quantum mechanics and electrical circuits. A marine park in Canada says it may euthanize 30 beluga whales if the government doesn’t bail it out. THE MORNING QUIZ This question comes from a recent edition of the newsletter. Click an answer to see if you’re right. (The link will be free.) A type of wearable collar — made by the biotech company Merck and profiled in a recent Times story — tracks the health, digestion and whereabouts of: Elite triathletes Goths and other lovers of tight necklaces Kidney-transplant recipients Cows OPINIONS A.I. is keeping the economy afloat. The Trump administration is using that as an excuse for policies that hurt the rest of the economy, Natasha Sarin writes. Here are columns by Michelle Goldberg on American conservative media and Israel and Bret Stephens on two years of war in Gaza. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS In Brooklyn. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Eat at Mouleena’s: Follow one woman as she quits her day job and chases her dream of opening a restaurant. Fall Prime Day: Most of the deals during Amazon’s fabricated holiday are overhyped, but Wirecutter’s experts found some that are actually good. Vow of silence: The artist Lee Lozano refused to speak to other women — first as an art project, then as a permanent change. A stable rock: Chris Dreja, who died at 78, was the founding rhythm guitarist of the British rock band the Yardbirds: He balanced out the egos of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, the group’s holy trinity of star guitarists. SPORTS N.F.L.: The Jacksonville Jaguars beat the Kansas City Chiefs, thanks to a touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Here’s how it went down. M.L.B.: In the division series, the Los Angeles Dodgers took a 2-0 series lead over the Philadelphia Phillies, and the Milwaukee Brewers did the same over the Chicago Cubs. Gambling: In the 20 states where sports betting apps are still banned, “prediction markets” serve as a loophole. PUTTING THE XXX IN X “Babe, I’m leaning in close, my lips brushing yours with a soft sweet kiss that’s all for you,” said Ani, one of Elon Musk’s new sexually explicit chatbots. Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has been lagging behind rivals like OpenAI and Anthropic. One way to make up ground: Offer features that competitors don’t (or won’t). So he engineered sexy bots. Read about them here. As users chat with the anime-looking avatars, they unlock more bawdy content, like the ability to strip Ani down to lingerie. “I predict — counter-intuitively — that it will increase the birth rate!” Musk wrote in a social media post. “Mark my words.” More on culture: On late night, Jimmy Kimmel said his polling was better than Trump’s. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Julia Gartland for The New York Times Enjoy slow cooker chili. Read Ian McEwan’s new novel, “What We Can Know.” Stop your smart TV from spying on you. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were blazing and labializing. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 9 Author Members Posted October 9 October 8, 2025 Good morning. Here’s the latest news: Bondi testimony: At a combative Senate hearing, Attorney General Pam Bondi refused to answer questions about Jeffrey Epstein and a dropped investigation into President Trump’s border czar. Conversion therapy: The Supreme Court seems poised to rule against a Colorado law that bans counseling aimed at changing teenagers’ sexual orientation or gender identity. National Guard: Troops from Texas are expected to deploy in the Chicago area today. Local officials say that would amount to an unconstitutional “invasion” ordered by Trump. We have more on those stories below. But first, we’re going to take a break from the news and look at a milestone for musical theater. “Les Misérables” at the Imperial Theater in 2014. Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Making a classic By Alex Marshall I’m a culture reporter based in London. The day after “Les Misérables” premiered at London’s Barbican Theater 40 years ago this week, its creative team gathered for a toast. But the celebration quickly “turned into a wake,” recalled John Caird, who directed the production with Trevor Nunn. As attendees read that day’s newspapers, it was clear that the musical had not won over Britain’s theater critics. The Evening Standard dismissed it as a “glum opera” more suited to Victorian times than 1980s Britain. The Daily Mail lamented that Caird and Nunn had transformed the “tidal wave of emotions” in Victor Hugo’s novel “into ripples of cheap sentiment.” Adding to the pressure, the show’s lead producer had 48 hours to decide whether to pay the deposit for a West End transfer. If he didn’t, the musical would vanish after just a few weeks. Fortunately for the team, the critics didn’t have the final say. Thanks to word of mouth, the Barbican had to expand its box office team to field phone calls from theatergoers seeking tickets. It was “two or three days” of worry, Caird said. “Then it became apparent this thing was unstoppable.” Today, “Les Misérables” — the story of Jean Valjean, a former convict, being relentlessly pursued by Javert, an unforgiving police officer — is an icon of musical theater. It has run for over 15,500 performances in London and is a staple of school theater programs. (In New York, it ran for more than 8,000 before closing in 2016.) It’s been translated into 22 languages and staged in 53 countries. Today’s newsletter is about how it came to be. Adapting an adaptation In London. Daniel Leal-Olivas/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images The idea of turning Hugo’s sweeping 1,400-page novel about poverty and social upheaval in 19th-century France into a musical came from a French composer and a French lyricist. They staged it in Paris in 1980. When Cameron Mackintosh, an English producer, heard the music a few years later, he was blown away — particularly by what became “On My Own” and “I Dreamed a Dream.” But he and his directors knew it needed an overhaul: The show was little more than “a series of tableaux,” and required audiences to know Hugo’s book inside out. Their team read the book and decided to open the musical with a scene in which Jean Valjean steals silver candlesticks from a bishop, only for the prelate to forgive him. Suddenly, the character’s motivations were clear: Valjean believed in the New Testament idea of forgiveness, while Javert, his pursuer, adhered to a sterner Old Testament form of justice. “As a bunch of liberal humanists, we had tried to avoid every mention of religion,” Caird said, but “sewing God into the show was what animated the characters.” Even with such breakthroughs, progress was slow at first. The original librettist took so long that they had to delay the musical’s planned opening by a year. Then the musical continually changed in rehearsals. Just weeks before opening, for instance, the directors added “Bring Him Home,” a ballad for Valjean. During rehearsals, the new librettist changed the opening lyrics from “Do you hear the people sing? / Singing the song of common men” to “a song of angry men.” By the premiere, Caird recalled, everyone involved thought they had something special, so it was a shock when the critics disagreed. A musical’s meaning At the Tony Awards in 2014. Sara Krulwich/The New York Times Part of the appeal of “Les Misérables” is its political undertones, with scenes of students trying to overthrow the French government. In recent years, demonstrators in places like Hong Kong, Venezuela and Turkey have sung, “Do you hear the people sing?” Dann Fink, a producer who acted in the original Los Angeles production of “Les Misérables,” said he believed that the musical’s message of “fighting for what you believe in” struck a chord with audiences. He recalled one night in June 1989 when the cast, backstage during intermission, watched live TV news coverage of tanks rolling into Tiananmen Square in Beijing as the Chinese government tried to stop student-led protests. That footage, Fink recalled, seemed to echo the musical’s story, and soon he was onstage, climbing up a barricade with a flag in hand. “We ran on feeling like we needed to vent our rage for what was happening to those people in China,” Fink recalled. “We were singing to empower them.” “I’ve never had a more charged night in a theater,” he added. See more photos from Les Mis, and read the full story. THE LATEST NEWS Conversion Therapy Case A decade ago, experts had reached a consensus that conversion therapy was harmful and ineffective. But a growing fight over gender has returned the issue to the fore. The therapist challenging Colorado’s ban says it censors her speech, because she cannot help patients under 18 who voluntarily seek her care. Justices asked pointed questions about the potential harms, free speech and the politicization of medical consensus. Hear highlights from the arguments. Government Shutdown The White House suggested it may try to deny back pay to some furloughed federal workers. In Trump’s first term, he signed a law making those payments automatic. The F.A.A. said air traffic control facilities in several cities, including Philadelphia, Chicago, Houston and Boston, were short-staffed yesterday. The mass layoffs that Trump has threatened during the shutdown may be illegal or unnecessary, experts say. Politics Bondi fielded hostile questions from Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee about politicization in the Justice Department by going on the attack. See three takeaways. The Chicago Marathon is this weekend. It passes through immigrant neighborhoods and draws many foreign participants. Trump’s immigration crackdown is on runners’ minds. Gaza War Negotiations Steve Witkoff, the Trump administration’s Middle East envoy, and Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, are expected to join mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas to end the war in Gaza. “I think we’re doing very well,” Trump said of the negotiations, adding that Hamas was “agreeing to things that are very important.” He did not elaborate. More International News Deadly clashes broke out between Syrian forces and Kurdish fighters. It was one of the most serious outbreaks of violence since the new government came to power. A man convicted of raping Gisèle Pelicot claimed in court that he didn’t know she had been drugged. Her ex-husband, who admitted drugging her and inviting strangers to join him in raping her, testified that the man knew. Pope Leo XIV plans to take his first international papal trip next month. He’s going to Lebanon and Turkey. A Sudanese warlord was convicted of crimes against humanity, more than 20 years after he helped lead atrocities in Darfur. The European Union wants to double steel tariffs to 50 percent to protect its steel industry from cheap Chinese competition. Other Big Stories The Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to three scientists who developed a new type of molecular architecture. Tesla unveiled cheaper versions of two of its cars after a federal tax credit program expired. They will start at around $37,000. Hunter Biden pursued a deal to sell land around the U.S. Embassy in Romania, a proposal that stemmed from relationships that started while his father was vice president. Detectives found more than 200 animals living in squalor at a house on Long Island. WHAT SHUTDOWN? Source: LSEG Data & Analytics| By Karl Russell Why is the stock market soaring while the government is closed? The S&P has notched four successive records in the past week (until yesterday, when a weak financial report from Oracle snapped the winning streak). One reason is that Washington dysfunction is not the only thing investors care about. Artificial intelligence companies are making deals. The economy is growing. The government forecasts strong results for the rest of the year. In that context, the economic effects of a temporary shutdown “will be negligible and easily contained, even in the worst-case scenario where some federal workers are permanently laid off,” said Joao Gomes, a finance professor at the Wharton School. While the government is closed — speculators in prediction markets think it will last around 20 days — investors lose some important metrics they use to understand what’s happening: jobs numbers, inflation data, trade and so on. But investors don’t need those metrics to see that A.I. spending is the main event right now. Investors are taking a long view, and a few weeks seems like a blip. They’ve learned not to bet against 80 years of momentum: Generally, stocks keep going up. OPINIONS Ghada Abdulfattah is nostalgic for her home in Gaza. She still lives there — but war has made it unrecognizable, she writes. The Trump administration wants to move away from animal testing. Political cynicism toward Trump has distracted from the win, Deborah Blum writes. Here is a column by Thomas Edsall on Trump’s assault on the left. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Photo illustration by Alice Isaac Life of luxury: “Buy Now, Pay Later” has built a delirious new culture of consumption — and trapped users in a vortex of debt. 200 text messages: One of Monday’s Nobel Prize winners found out nearly 12 hours late because he was on vacation in the Rockies. Eggs! Mel Brooks created a personality test for The Times. See one response. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was about the best Prime Day deals. True New Yorker: What was Times Square’s former name? How do you pronounce “Houston Street”? Test your city knowledge. Lox king: Saul Zabar, who oversaw the Upper West Side food emporium bearing his family name, died at 97. For seven decades he kept New Yorkers amply fortified with smoked fish, earthy bread and tangy cheese. SPORTS M.L.B.: The Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh hit a homer right to a fan wearing a shirt that read “Dump 61 here,” as Seattle took a 2-1 series lead over Detroit. In New York, the Yankees returned from a five-run deficit to stave off elimination by Toronto. (People were searching for these games on Google yesterday.) N.C.A.A.: The new college football spring portal window was approved. But it slams shut after 15 days. N.F.L.: For now, a Super Bowl halftime performance isn’t on Taylor Swift’s wish list. Read why. ‘INSANE’ ART PROJECT Marina Abramovic rehearsing a scene called “Orgy” from “Balkan Erotic Epic.” Marco Anelli Marina Abramovic is no stranger to challenging and bizarre projects. She has, for the sake of art, screamed until she lost her voice; lain on giant blocks of ice; and stared into the eyes of strangers for seven hours a day. Her new project, called “Balkan Erotic Epic,” is “the most demanding, difficult, insane project I have ever done,” she says. It employs more than 70 performers, including dancers, musicians and singers. Scenes include “Scaring the Gods to Stop the Rain” (women baring their vaginas to the heavens), “Massaging the Breast” (what it says) and “Magic Potions” (a singer flanked by 16-foot projections of penises). Abramovic is debuting the piece in Manchester, England. “It will be completely misunderstood in Britain, it’s so puritan here,” she told The Times. “I can’t wait.” More on culture Here are the National Book Award finalists. Clowning no longer resides in the bargain basement of artistic respect. The late night hosts joked about the shutdown. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … David Malosh for The New York Times Add fried shallots to this classic aglio e olio pasta. Listen to these songs inspired by Ophelia, the doomed heroine of “Hamlet.” Use these Wirecutter-approved pimple patches. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was gratify. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Clarification: We got some email yesterday about a word I added to our piece about the Navy: “grunts.” Several readers pointed out that the term actually refers to junior enlisted troops in the Army and Marines. We shouldn’t have used it. — Adam B. Kushner Claire Moses contributed to this newsletter. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 9 Author Members Posted October 9 October 9, 2025 Good morning. The world is waking up to an agreement between Israel and Hamas. We explain what we know about the breakthrough below. Einav Zangauker, the mother of a hostage, Matan Zangauker, reacts to the news. Ronen Zvulun/Reuters Let there be peace By Jodi Rudoren I’m a former Jerusalem bureau chief. The longest and deadliest war in the century-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict may be about to end. Israel and Hamas said they had agreed to the first phase of President Trump’s cease-fire plan: All Israeli hostages will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, Israeli troops will pull back, and humanitarian aid will enter Gaza. The breakthrough, which Trump announced on social media last night, came two years and a day after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel that sparked the assault on Gaza. It was the middle of the night in the Middle East, but Israelis and Palestinians stayed glued to the news and reacted with intense emotion. “That’s it, it’s over!” the mother of one of the hostages said on Israeli TV as family members cheered in the background. In Gaza, an English teacher said he felt “joy for the end of the war and the killing, and sorrow for everything we’ve lost.” Details of the deal remain unclear, but an exchange of hostages and prisoners was expected this weekend. (Israel believes 20 remain alive. The bodies of 28 others will be released in stages.) Trump’s plan calls for the release in exchange of 250 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences and 1,700 Gazans who have been detained during the war. Trump is also expected to arrive in Israel on Sunday, according to officials there. The toll In Nuseirat, Gaza. Saher Alghorra for The New York Times The war that began with the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust — 1,200 were killed and 250 kidnapped by Hamas fighters who broke through the fence from Gaza — has displaced nearly all of Gaza’s two million residents and destroyed most of its buildings. Israeli bombs and bullets killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza health ministry, nearly a third of them under 18 years old; the United Nations estimates that 500,000 are at risk of starvation. Israel has meanwhile scored major military victories against its other enemies in the region: Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen. But it has become isolated — accused of genocide in the International Criminal Court and subjected to academic, cultural and economic boycotts. Antisemitic harassment and violence have spiked around the world. Hamas has lost its military and political leadership and most of its arsenal. Trump’s plan calls for its disarmament and departure from Gaza. Overnight statements about the agreement from Hamas, Israel, Trump and Qatar did not mention the militant group’s weapons. Israel’s statement also did not say anything about withdrawing its troops from Gaza. Our reporters on the ground in Israel, Gaza, Egypt, Washington and around the world are providing live updates as events unfold. Here are the details of Trump’s 20-point plan. Breakthrough Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu last month. Doug Mills/The New York Times “A great day.” Trump’s Truth Social post announcing the deal heralded a “Historic and Unprecedented Event.” Benjamin Netanyahu called it “a great day for Israel” and said he would convene his government today to sign off on the deal. Hamas called on Trump and others to ensure that Israel fully implements the agreement and not to “allow it to evade or delay.” Who’s at the table. The talks began Monday, a week after Trump unveiled his plan alongside Netanyahu at the White House. They are taking place in Sharm-el-Sheikh, a coastal resort town in Egypt that has been the site of numerous peace conferences and Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. On Wednesday, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, joined Netanyahu’s top aide, Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief at the table. Hostage families. The main group representing the families of hostages said the agreement provoked “a mix of excitement, anticipation, and concern.” It expressed “profound gratitude” to Trump and warned the Israeli government that “any delay could exact a heavy toll.” More on the deal The documents Hamas and Israel are signing haven’t been made public. Read what we know and don’t know about the deal. The Israeli military said it was preparing to lead the operation for the hostages’ return. For Trump, success in brokering a cease-fire is the ultimate test of his self-image as a deal maker and a peacemaker, David Sanger writes. Reactions People in both Israel and Gaza celebrated this morning. Still, some expressed skepticism. “I also worry that there will be another installment of the war,” one Palestinian said. Crowds swelled on the Tel Aviv plaza known as Hostages Square as news of the deal spread. World leaders expressed support. Britain’s Keir Starmer described the deal as “a moment of profound relief.” Canada’s Mark Carney said, “After years of intense suffering, peace finally feels attainable.” THE LATEST NEWS Trump’s Deployments Around 1,000 anti-Trump protesters marched peacefully in downtown Chicago last night, as the first Texas National Guard soldiers prepared to deploy near the city. Trump’s deployment of Texas troops to Illinois has driven a wedge between governors. Trump suggested that the governor of Illinois and the mayor of Chicago should be jailed for failing to protect ICE officers. Federal officers called protests in Portland, Ore., “low energy” in the week before Trump tried to send troops there, internal reports show. See how Portland is responding to the deployment by clicking the video below. Government Shutdown The Senate failed again to advance either of the dueling plans to end the government shutdown. Things got heated. The I.R.S. furloughed roughly half of its staff yesterday. Labor union leaders urged Congress and Trump to reach a deal and ensure that federal workers don’t miss a paycheck. Democrats have focused their shutdown fight on restoring funding for health care. Polls show the issue doesn’t have the clout with voters that it once did, Nate Cohn writes. More Politics James Comey Al Drago/The New York Times James Comey, the former F.B.I. director targeted by Trump, pleaded not guilty to charges that he lied to Congress. The Supreme Court appeared open to arguments that political candidates should be able to challenge their states’ election laws. Tom Homan, the border czar, may not have to return the $50,000 that undercover F.B.I. agents are said to have handed him in a sting operation. Latin America The right-wing mayor of Lima, Peru, held a Charlie Kirk memorial — filled with attendees bused in from poor neighborhoods — as he sought help from the Trump administration. Senate Republicans blocked a measure that would have barred Trump from using military force against boats in the Caribbean. Colombia’s president, Gustavo Petro, said one of the boats that the U.S. recently bombed had carried Colombian citizens. Though Trump speaks of destroying drug cartels in the Caribbean, most cocaine smuggled to the U.S. moves through the Pacific. See a map. Other Big Stories Laszlo Krasznahorkai, a Hungarian novelist, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Oakland, Calif., is overrun by trash, with makeshift landfills choking sidewalks and sullying schoolyards. Officials are trying to figure out why — and how to fix it. Officials in Los Angeles charged a man with intentionally starting a blaze that led to the devastating Pacific Palisades wildfire. They said the suspect, an Uber driver, appeared to be obsessed with fire imagery. The perpetrator of an attack on a synagogue last week in Manchester, England, had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, the police said. A practice known as “bluetoothing” — in which people inject themselves with blood from a drug user to get a cheap high — has helped to fuel an H.I.V. epidemic in Fiji. Recipients of this year’s MacArthur “genius grants” include a scientist who studies tropical weather, a seventh-generation basket maker and the author Tommy Orange. THE RACE OF GENTLEMEN Jason Andrew for The New York Times For one weekend each year, a strip of the Jersey Shore travels back in time. Vintage hot rods and classic motorcycles drag race on the sands of Wildwood, N.J. The air fills with the rumble of old engines and the scent of salt and oil. This is the Race of Gentlemen. Competitors come from across the U.S. and Canada in custom-stitched sweaters and period-appropriate gear. It’s not just about winning: One 1932 Ford in the competition doesn’t even have a speedometer. For those who attend, the appeal is simple. “It’s like you go over the bridge,” one said, “and you’re in 1955.” OPINIONS To negotiate with Vladimir Putin, make a show of force and only then have dialogue, writes Radoslaw Sikorski, Poland’s foreign minister. In “The Conversation,” Emily Bazelon and David French discuss the Supreme Court. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS Third wheel: What’s the worst city to date in? Wherever you’re living. Cari who? DNA analysis has unmasked Toronto’s “Subway Deer,” nearly half a century after construction workers found the fossil. Your pick: The most-clicked story in The Morning yesterday was a questionnaire by Mel Brooks. Reflected glare: Joan Kennedy, who married into one of America’s foremost political families and spent much of her life wrestling with alcoholism, died at 89. The former wife of Senator Ted Kennedy, she was shy and reserved compared with her competitive and often boisterous in-laws. SPORTS M.L.B.: In the playoffs, the Toronto Blue Jays eliminated the New York Yankees, while the Detroit Tigers forced a Game 5 against the Seattle Mariners. College football: Bill Belichick said he was “fully committed” as coach at U.N.C. after a tumultuous start to the season and reports questioning his future. W.N.B.A.: A heroic last-minute shot from A’ja Wilson powered the Las Vegas Aces to a 3-0 series lead over the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA Final. IT’S NOT MEAT A vegan butcher shop in Berlin. Hayoung Jeon/EPA, via Shutterstock Lawmakers in the European Parliament have voted to ban the veggie burger — not the menu item, just the name. Under a new measure, terms like “burger” or “steak” would be reserved for meat products. (Other branches of the E.U. government would need to weigh in for it to become law.) The vote is meant to help Europe’s agricultural industry. It followed a push by the powerful agricultural lobby. Meat consumption in the E.U. has been drifting downward in recent years, while production of plant-based alternatives is growing. Some leaders welcome the proposal: Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, declared this week that “sausage is not vegan.” But others were less enthusiastic. “With everything else going on in the world,” said Anna Strolenberg, a European lawmaker from the Netherlands, “you would think the European Parliament would have better things to do.” More on culture In a video on social media, Dolly Parton, 79, played down the health issues that prompted her to delay her Las Vegas residency. “I’m not dying,” she said. A new documentary shows the struggle behind Ozzy Osbourne’s final onstage appearance. On late night, Jimmy Kimmel talked about National Guard troops. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Christopher Simpson for The New York Times Fry eggs in chile-infused olive oil. See the Met’s “Divine Egypt,” a once-in-a-decade exhibition of ancient deities. Use this starter park to get into dark academia novels. Soften the edges of a room with a cozy throw blanket. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was unwaxed. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
Members phkrause Posted October 12 Author Members Posted October 12 October 10, 2025 Good morning. A cease-fire is in effect in Gaza, Israel said. Its soldiers were repositioning themselves after the government approved a deal that may end the war. The deal includes the release of all hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, as well as an initial pullback by the Israeli military in Gaza. We have more on that below. We’re also covering: The indictment of Letitia James, a Trump adversary. This year’s Nobel Peace Prize winner, María Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition leader. A green-energy experiment on the Tibetan Plateau. One step closer Celebrations in Khan Younis, Gaza, and in Tel Aviv. Saher Alghorra for The New York Times, David Guttenfelder/The New York Times Israel and Hamas are wrapping up their deal to end the war in Gaza, and President Trump is planning his victory lap. He’s headed to a formal signing in Egypt this weekend and will speak before Israel’s Parliament. The parties will exchange hostages and prisoners early next week, Trump said. Many of the agreement’s details remain in flux. Here’s what we know so far: The agreement addresses only a few of the 20 points in a plan Trump proposed last month. Some of the thorniest issues — like whether Hamas will disarm — remain. Israel is finalizing a list of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners it will release in exchange for the 48 hostages remaining in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. U.S. officials said 200 American troops would help coordinate the many aspects of the peace deal. There is no plan to send U.S. military into Gaza. Trump decided to pressure Israel for a deal after its attack on Qatar last month enraged him. Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, helped broker the pact from his South Florida mansion. This is where each side stands: Hamas is taking a risk. The group would give up much of its leverage over Israel by releasing the remaining hostages. There is no certainty that by doing so, it will achieve its main goals: the complete withdrawal of Israeli military forces from Gaza and a permanent end to the war. Netanyahu is thinking ahead. He had promised “total victory” in Gaza and is pulling back before Hamas has disarmed. But welcoming home Israeli hostages is a major political boost, and he will soon be up for re-election. Trump claims victory. He craves the Nobel Prize Prize. He did not win today, but this agreement boosts his chances in the future. More news on Gaza Aid groups are preparing to rush food into Gaza. See videos of the celebrations that erupted in Israel and Gaza after the deal was announced. On the Tibetan Plateau. The New York Times High energy By Keith Bradsher I reported from Gonghe on the Tibetan Plateau. This summer, I got a good look at China’s clean-energy future, nearly 10,000 feet above sea level in Tibet. Solar panels stretch to the horizon and cover an area seven times the size of Manhattan. (They soak up sunlight that is much brighter than at sea level because the air is so thin.) Wind turbines dot nearby ridgelines, capturing night breezes. Hydropower dams sit where rivers spill down long chasms at the edges of the plateau. And high-voltage power lines carry this electricity to businesses and homes more than 1,000 miles away. The intention is to harness the region’s bright sunshine, cold temperatures and sky-touching altitude to power the plateau and beyond, including data centers used in China’s artificial intelligence development. While China still burns as much coal as the rest of the world combined, last month President Xi Jinping promised to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and expand renewable energy sixfold in coming years. A big part of that effort is in sparsely inhabited Qinghai, a province in western China in a region known among the Tibetans as Amdo. I came as part of a government-organized media tour of clean energy sites in Qinghai, which usually bars foreign journalists to hide dissent by its large ethnic Tibetan population. (The Times paid for my travel.) Today, I’ll tell you what I saw. A huge effort Source: Satellite imagery by Planet, July 2025. By Mira Rojanasakul/The New York Times China is not the first country to experiment with high-altitude clean energy. But other places — in Switzerland and Chile, for instance — are mountainous and steep. Qinghai, slightly bigger than Texas, is mostly flat. That’s perfect for solar panels and the roads needed to bring them in. And the cold air improves the efficiency of solar panels. The ones here can could run every household in Chicago. And China is building more, including panels at 17,000 feet. The main group of solar farms, known as the Talatan Solar Park, dwarfs every other cluster of solar farms in the world. It covers 162 square miles in Gonghe County, an alpine desert. Electricity from solar and wind power in Qinghai (the birthplace of the current Dalai Lama, now in exile) costs about 40 percent less than coal-fired power. As a result, several electricity-intensive industries are moving to the region. One type of plant turns quartzite from mines into polysilicon to make solar panels. And Qinghai plans to quintuple the number of data centers in the province. At this altitude, they consume 40 percent less electricity than centers at sea level, because they barely need air-conditioning here. (Air warmed by the servers is piped away to heat other buildings.) Where sheep roam Source: Global Solar Atlas. By Mira Rojanasakul/The New York Times As an incentive to build solar farms, many western Chinese provinces initially offered free land to companies. When the Talatan solar project installed its first panels in 2012, they were low to the ground. Ethnic Tibetan herders use the sparse vegetation here to graze their sheep, but the animals had trouble getting to the grass. Now installers place the panels on higher mountings. Dislocating people for power projects is politically sensitive all over the world. But high-altitude projects affect relatively few people. China pushed more than one million people out of their homes in west-central China a quarter-century ago and flooded a vast area for the reservoir of the Three Gorges Dam. This year, China has been installing enough solar panels every three weeks to match the power generation capacity of that dam. See more photos here. The New York Times Li You contributed research from Gonghe County. THE LATEST NEWS Letitia James Indictment Letitia James Todd Heisler/The New York Times A prosecutor handpicked by President Trump secured an indictment of New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, after the president publicly demanded she be charged. The charges concern lying about a home on loan documents. James called the charges baseless. It’s the latest sign that the Justice Department is increasingly under the direct command of a president intent on using federal law enforcement to prosecute his adversaries. The prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, also indicted James Comey. Trump put her in the job weeks ago after her predecessor declined to charge either person. Trump has long targeted James: She ran on a platform of holding him accountable, accused him of inflating his wealth and has sued the administration to block its policies. National Guard Texas National Guard troops at a training center in Illinois. Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times A federal judge temporarily blocked the deployment of the National Guard in Illinois, saying she believed troops would “only add fuel to the fire.” Oklahoma’s Republican governor criticized the deployment, which uses troops from Texas, as a violation of “states’ rights.” An appeals court appears open to allowing troops in Portland, Ore., which would reverse a lower court’s ruling. Tennessee National Guard troops will patrol Memphis today, the city said. More on Politics In Fort Lauderdale, Fla., last year. Joe Raedle/Getty Images When the government shut down, so did the federal flood insurance program, forcing some buyers into the costly private market. Trump is firing Black officials from an overwhelmingly white administration. International Gisèle Pelicot arriving at the courthouse yesterday. Christophe Simon/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images A French court rejected the appeal of one of the men convicted of raping Gisèle Pelicot — a single appeal from a trial of 51 men — and added a year to his sentence. Peru’s Congress ousted President Dina Boluarte as crime surges in the country. Other Big Stories Machado earned the Nobel Peace Prize through “her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela,” the prize committee said. Read our profile of her. A strong storm is set to hit the East Coast this weekend. Forecasters warn of high winds and coastal flooding. Also this weekend, parts of the Southwest could get a month’s worth of rain and potentially flash floods. OPINIONS When the Supreme Court and the president seem to disregard the Constitution, it’s up to the people to protect it, Kate Andrias writes. Artificial intelligence capable of eliminating humanity is now a concrete possibility, Stephen Witt writes. New: The Times family subscription is here. One rate. Four individual logins. Savings for all. Now you and three others can enjoy unlimited access to The Times, while personalizing your own experience. Learn more. MORNING READS From left: Versace, Tom Ford Firstview Smutty dressing is back: T Magazine highlights the biggest trends from fashion shows in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Ask the therapist: My friend insults my wife behind my back. Should I confront him? Travel nightmare: A couple who found a hidden camera in the bathroom of their Airbnb expected an immediate full refund. They were wrong. Your pick: The most-clicked link in The Morning yesterday was a video about how Portland is responding to Trump’s National Guard threat. Mob boss lawyer: Bruce Cutler, a pugnacious criminal defense lawyer and a New York City tabloid favorite, died at 77. He won acquittals three times for the mob boss John Gotti, earning the Mafioso the nickname “the Teflon Don.” SPORTS N.F.L.: The Giants beat the Eagles, 34-17. People were searching for the game on Google. College basketball: Sister Jean, the beloved chaplain of the Loyola Chicago men’s basketball team who rose to fame during the team’s surprising Final Four run in 2018, died yesterday at 106. STREAMING SUPERSTAR Kai Cenat Kendrick Brinson for The New York Times For an internet-obsessed generation, the streamer Kai Cenat’s bedroom is its version of Lorne Michaels’s Studio 8H or Oprah Winfrey’s beige couch. It is where Kevin Hart was doused with ice water while sleeping. It is where Cenat and Nicki Minaj held a mini dance party. But Cenat’s 19 million Twitch followers also tune into his channel when there are no superstar guests. They watch him play video games. They watch him eat. They watch him sleep. In the early days, they would even watch his mother yell at him. “People want to see that relatable stuff because, at home, they are going through the same exact thing,” he told The Times. “You’re human, you need to show that.” Read more about him. More on culture American comedians gave plenty of reasons for performing at a festival in Saudi Arabia, upsetting people concerned with free speech. Jason Zinoman, our comedy critic, says it’s about money. “A House of Dynamite,” a new movie about a nuclear catastrophe, is “a propulsive thriller,” writes Manohla Dargis, our chief film critic. Late night praised Trump for the hostage deal. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Sue Li. Use Pecorino Romano in these classic Italian American meatballs for sharpness and funk. Watch out for “Cats,” which is returning to Broadway next spring. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was purloin. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Sports Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Quote phkrause Read Isaiah 10:1-13
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