Today's Headlines: Vanilla Ice Is In, Bret Michaels Is Out: Trump’s Battle for Celebrity Validation
Several Women Who Dated Graham Platner Recall ‘Unsettling’ Behavior
View in browser
The New York Times
Today's Headlines
June 5, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Vanilla Ice Is In, Bret Michaels Is Out: Trump’s Battle for Celebrity Validation

President Trump has pursued fame his entire adult life. Now in his second term in the White House, he is finding how little power he has to force cultural figures to fall in line.

Several Women Who Dated Graham Platner Recall ‘Unsettling’ Behavior

The Democratic candidate for Senate in Maine could be charming, women said in interviews, but some found his actions intimidating and disturbing.

In a First, Scientists Precisely Edit Human Embryo Genes

Researchers relied on a newer gene-editing technique that may make it possible to engineer embryos, a prospect that has long alarmed bioethicists.

World

Russia Rails Against the West but Welcomes Candace Owens and Andrew Tate

While some powerful Russians shun the West, others want to restore ties and embrace friendly Westerners. President Vladimir V. Putin’s annual economic conference illustrates the conflicting impulses.

Why Xi Jinping Is Going to North Korea to Court Kim Jong-un

As Xi Jinping visits Pyongyang, he faces an emboldened North Korean dictator, whose alliance with Russia has reduced his dependence on China.

Zelensky Mixes Taunts and Peace Talks Offer in Letter to Putin

“After 26 years in power, age is beginning to take its toll,” President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine wrote of his Russian counterpart, bragging of a recent strike on St. Petersburg.

See more world news

U.S.

Justice Department Tells Prosecutors to Pursue Immigrant Vote Fraud Cases

About 90 such investigations are currently open, a Justice Department official told prosecutors. The tally offers a glimpse inside the scale of the administration’s efforts.

Court Reverses Convictions of Paramedics in Elijah McClain’s Death

A Colorado appeals court ordered new trials for Peter Cichuniec and Jeremy Cooper, convicted in 2023 after injecting Mr. McClain with ketamine. The court cited errors in jury instructions.

John Bolton Reaches Deal to Plead Guilty Over Classified Information

The former Trump national security adviser plans to plead guilty to a count of illegal retention of classified information, which could result in a fine and possibly prison time of up to five years.

See more U.S. news

Politics

House Passes Ukraine Aid in Defiance of Republican Leaders

Eighteen G.O.P. lawmakers broke with their party and joined Democrats to deliver yet another blow to the president’s foreign policy agenda.

Jan. 6 Rioter Is Hired to Work in Sensitive Pentagon Office

It was not clear who hired Elias Irizarry, who pleaded guilty to various offenses at the Capitol and was later pardoned by President Trump.

What to Know About California’s Top Election Races

The Republicans Steve Hilton, who is running for governor, and Spencer Pratt, running for Los Angeles mayor, have shown early strength, but that could fade as more ballots are counted.

See more political news

Business

New ‘60 Minutes’ Chief Promises Independence in Bid to Reassure Staff

Nick Bilton said he had consulted with the program’s remaining correspondents: Lesley Stahl, Jon Wertheim and Bill Whitaker. All three were deliberating whether to stay with the show, two people said.

Wall Street Is Going Gaga for SpaceX

Jamie Dimon himself is planning to pitch investors on the offering of Elon Musk’s rocket company, as banks prepare to reap huge fees from the largest I.P.O. ever.

Is LinkedIn Entering Its Post-Cringe Era?

Celebrities and paid influencers have transformed the career-focused platform, which for some users, has become a job unto itself.

See more business news

Technology

What Are A.I. Agents Actually Doing?

A San Francisco start-up called Arena found that people are most likely to use A.I. agents on the job, particularly if they are in the tech industry.

Space Nerds, Rejoice! SpaceX’s I.P.O. Lifts Dreams of the Cosmos.

Few are as delighted by the pending market debut as the vibrant community of space enthusiasts who want to push discovery of the final frontier.

The Steady Hand at SpaceX Is Not Elon Musk

Gwynne Shotwell, the president and chief operating officer, is the adult-in-the-room foil to Mr. Musk as SpaceX prepares for a blockbuster initial public offering.

See more technology news

New York

Pilot Was Warned Jet Was Too Low Before It Clipped a Light Pole

The pilot heard a “thump” while landing in Newark, according to a newly released report. The light pole crashed onto a truck.

House Candidates Spar Over A.I. and Trump in Contentious N.Y.C. Debate

Four Democratic hopefuls seeking to represent a key Manhattan House district clashed in the first debate of the race.

Officer Charged With Theft of Journalist’s Camera Bag at ICE Protest

Darryl Brown, a sergeant with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, is accused of taking home a bag dropped by a photojournalist outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark.

See more New York news

Arts

‘Girl, Interrupted’ Review: A Musical That’s a Little Too Tranquilized

While the 1999 movie went for melodrama, this stage adaptation with songs by Aimee Mann honors the memoir’s coolly clinical prose.

‘Office Romance’ Review: Prepare for Turbulence

Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein cause professiona