Today's Headlines: Trump Tells Bondi to Seek Release of Epstein Grand Jury Testimony
In the Trump Administration, Watchdogs Are Watching Their Backs
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

July 18, 2025, 4:10 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Trump Tells Bondi to Seek Release of Epstein Grand Jury Testimony

The attorney general plans to ask a court to release the papers. But even if the request succeeds, it would fall far short of critics’ demands to release all investigative materials.

In the Trump Administration, Watchdogs Are Watching Their Backs

The president has fired or demoted over 20 inspectors general since he took office. Employees say they are demoralized and reluctant to pursue investigations that could prompt political blowback.

Republicans Fretted Over Ceding Spending Power to Trump. Then They Voted to Do It.

In voting for President Trump’s cancellation of $9 billion in spending they had already approved, Republicans in Congress showed they were willing to cede their power of the purse.

Editors’ Picks

The Tiny Home Construction Contest Is a Big Deal in This Texas Town

A Texas high school has won more championships in mock tiny home construction than any other school in the country. Could a team of rookies defend the title?

Opinion | Trump Is Doing Something No One Wants

In his commitment to domination, he is missing an opportunity to shape a new multipolar order that protects America’s interests.

World

Blood in the Streets and Death in the Air: Residents Survey Damage in Syrian City

In the southern city of Sweida, residents describe the aftermath of a wave of sectarian violence.

Israeli Strike on a Gaza Church Kills Three

As cease-fire talks stalled, a deadly strike on a Catholic church in Gaza City prompted Pope Leo XIV to call for an immediate end to the fighting.

China’s Aircraft Carriers Push Into Waters Long Dominated by U.S.

Recent drills near Japan reflect China’s ambitions to extend its navy’s reach and exert greater influence, in the Pacific and beyond.

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U.S.

How Two Cabins Turned Into an Epicenter of Grief

The children who lost their lives at Camp Mystic were not scattered through the camp. Almost every one of them was in either the Bubble Inn or Twins cabins, which housed the youngest campers.

Justice Dept. Asks for 1-Day Sentence for Ex-Officer Convicted in Breonna Taylor Raid

The administration asked the judge in the case to sentence the former officer to essentially the brief time he had served when he was first charged, and three years of supervised release.

Harvard Creates New Public Service Program, as Trump Slashes Federal Jobs

The Kennedy School will award scholarships to at least 50 students, in hopes of fostering careers in government service.

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Politics

Even After Bondi Gains Trump’s Backing, Her Survival Remains an Open Question

The sustained backlash has exposed the hazards of the attorney general’s focus on courting President Trump, with the assumption that he maintains the total backing of his base.

Congress Agrees to Claw Back Foreign Aid and Public Broadcast Funds

President Trump’s request to claw back $9 billion in congressionally approved spending passed despite objections from Republicans who said it abdicated the legislative branch’s power of the purse.

Trump Wants Lower Rates. Firing Powell Could Push Them Higher.

Investors, not the Fed, control the interest rates that matter most to businesses and consumers. They might demand higher returns if the central bank’s independence comes into question.

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Business

CBS Canceling ‘Late Show With Stephen Colbert’ After Next Season

The show will end in May, the network said, calling it “a purely financial decision.”

PepsiCo Reaches for Protein and Fiber to Boost Sales

The food giant said its Frito-Lay snack division planned to make a line of Cheetos and Doritos with no artificial colors or flavors, as demand falters.

‘Who Killed Love?’ A Video Game Plays to Male Resentment in China.

A popular and contentious game, Revenge on Gold Diggers, sheds light on misogyny, inequality and the feeling among many men that they are economic victims.

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Technology

How Nvidia’s Jensen Huang Persuaded Trump to Sell A.I. Chips to China

With help from a longtime Silicon Valley investor turned White House insider, Mr. Huang got the administration to reverse course on restrictions.

Wall St. Firms Are Buying Utilities to Tap Into the A.I. Boom

Consumer groups say proposals by BlackRock and Blackstone to buy energy companies in Minnesota, New Mexico and Texas could hurt residents.

How Apple’s iOS 26 and Google’s Android 16 Will Change Our Phones

Both operating systems introduce new designs, but the real story is what’s happening beneath with A.I.

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Arts

Gillian Murphy, a Ballerina With Joy and Aplomb, Steps Down

After 29 years, the American Ballet Theater principal bids farewell with “Swan Lake.” It’s demanding. But she’s got this.

Why Did the Indie Film Studio A24 Buy an Off Broadway Theater?

The Hollywood upstart has upgraded the Cherry Lane Theater for plays and more. Coming this fall: films chosen by Sofia Coppola, food from Frenchette and the voice of Barbra Streisand.