Andrew Farkas Called Jeffrey Epstein ‘Blessing’ as the Two Did Deals

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:08:33 +0000)

Andrew Farkas has repeatedly played down ties to Jeffrey Epstein. But they swapped business favors in the Virgin Islands, and in nearly 2,000 emails, the two expressed admiration for each other.

The New Way Trump Allies Are Offering Access to the President, and the Flood of U.S. Ammo to Mexican Cartels

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:00:23 +0000)

Plus, Super Bowl and Olympics highlights.

Trump’s Oil Grab in Venezuela Shatters an American Taboo

(Sun, 08 Feb 2026 10:00:29 +0000)

U.S. presidents have long been accused of plotting to control foreign oil. But President Trump has asserted a U.S. right to take it.

A Raid in a Small Town Brings Trump’s Deportations to Deep-Red Idaho

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:00:30 +0000)

Wilder, Idaho, prided itself on comity. Then federal agents stormed a racetrack outside of town in October, and the reverberations are still shaking the community.

Venezuela Frees Key Opposition Figures, Then Rearrests One

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:43:26 +0000)

Hours after at least 35 political prisoners were released, one of the most prominent was apparently back in custody, raising doubts about the government’s direction and control.

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show: Best and Worst Moments

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:56:39 +0000)

The Puerto Rican superstar’s set included cameos, stunts and powerful statements.

Trump Criticizes Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:23:18 +0000)

Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican superstar who has denounced ICE, celebrated Latino heritage in his largely Spanish-language performance.

Vietnam’s Leader Has New Power, and He’s in a Hurry

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:00:56 +0000)

To Lam is a former security chief who carved his way to prominence and relishes the good life. He has promised to make Communist Vietnam rich and influential.

Is the King Cake Baby Jesus?

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:02:12 +0000)

Does the popular figurine represent Jesus or the Crescent City’s typical joie de vivre?

How Japan’s Leader, Sanae Takaichi, Rescued Her Party from the Abyss

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:51:44 +0000)

Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, harnessed her personal popularity and a shift to the right among voters to achieve a record election win.

Japan Stocks Surge on Takaichi’s Landslide Election Win

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:54:09 +0000)

Stocks climbed on Monday as investors cheered a result seen as a mandate for the prime minister’s high-spending economic agenda.

Respite From Wind-Driven, Bone-Chilling Cold Weather Is in Sight

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:02:52 +0000)

Wind chills below zero were expected to persist across parts of the Northeast and New England on Monday but should finally ease, forecasters said.

Cold Deaths in New York Climb to 18 as Frigid Winds Linger

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:03:24 +0000)

A person was found dead in the Bronx on Saturday morning, the police said. An 81-year-old man was also found dead on a rooftop, though it was unclear whether the cold was to blame.

Jimmy Lai’s 20-Year Sentence Follows Beijing’s Playbook on Dissent

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:33:09 +0000)

The sentence for the media mogul, along with long prison terms for his editors, shows how Hong Kong enforces Xi Jinping’s red lines with a new severity.

Apple Daily Sentences Show a New Era of Media Peril in Hong Kong

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:46:35 +0000)

Two editors and an opinion writer from Jimmy Lai’s now-shuttered newspaper were each sentenced to 10 years in prison, a significant escalation in media prosecution in the once freewheeling city.

San Francisco Teachers Begin Strike, Closing School for 50,000 Students

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:03:04 +0000)

The strike closed public schools for more than 50,000 students in the city and had no end date. Health care costs are a key issue in negotiations.

Hollywood Braces for New Round of Labor Talks

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:02:51 +0000)

The last time writers and actors negotiated contracts, in 2023, dual strikes froze the industry.

Jerrold Nadler Has Picked a Successor. Will That Matter to Voters?

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:39:43 +0000)

The retiring congressman hopes his endorsement will carry Assemblyman Micah Lasher past a crowded primary field, including a Kennedy.

Tisch to Name Leaders of Catholic and Black Churches as N.Y.P.D. Chaplains

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:38:01 +0000)

Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the Rev. A.R. Bernard are to be announced as co-heads of the Police Department’s chaplains’ unit.

After M23 Takeover, Goma Carries Violent Memories and Signs of Hope

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:01:23 +0000)

A year after a rebel takeover, residents of Goma, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, carry violent memories and signs of hope.

What We Can Learn From Southern Red States About Education

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 10:00:09 +0000)

Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana traditionally were America’s educational basement, but now they are showing blue states a way forward.

It’s Time for America to Admit That It Has a Marijuana Problem

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 13:04:16 +0000)

Given the growing harms from marijuana use, American lawmakers should do more to regulate it.

The Death Toll in Ukraine

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:36:08 +0000)

We are covering the latest from the war.

Takeaways From the Second Week of the Alexander Brothers Trial

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:00:21 +0000)

The judge denied a request for a mistrial and jurors heard from a woman who accused one of the brothers of filming her when she was a minor. The sex-trafficking trial resumes on Monday.

What to Know About the Disappearance of Savannah Guthrie’s Mom, Nancy

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 03:33:48 +0000)

Nancy Guthrie, 84, the “Today” show host’s mother, vanished from her home on Feb. 1.

Five Years After Myanmar Coup, ‘Even Hope Has Become a Risk’

(Mon, 09 Feb 2026 05:01:42 +0000)

The country’s cities have been spared the violence of a hard-fought civil war. But as the economy has hollowed out, many urbanites have become desperate.

4 Dead in Mushroom Poisoning Outbreak in California

(Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:52:54 +0000)

State health officials discouraged foraging this year, saying that toxic mushrooms can easily be confused with safe ones to eat.