Today's Headlines: Supreme Court Retains Block on Using Wartime Law to Deport Venezuelans

Republican Revolt Reflects a Core Party Divide Over Spending and Debt

View in browser May 17, 2025, 4:10 a.m. Eastern time Top News Supreme Court Retains Block on Using Wartime Law to Deport Venezuelans The justices sent the case back to a lower court to consider whether the Alien Enemies Act can be used to deport immigrants accused of being members of the Venezuelan gang. Republican Revolt Reflects a Core Party Divide Over Spending and Debt Whether the ultraconservatives dig in and force big changes to the megabill carrying President Trump's agenda or capitulate, as they have in the past, will determine the fate of their party's signature legislation. Democrats Who Championed Biden's Re-election Bid Now Seek Atonement With their party facing record low approval ratings, many top Democrats are trying to reposition themselves from Biden boosters to truth-tellers of what really happened in 2024. Editors' Picks 'I Don't Ever Want to Be Free From the Pain of Missing My Children' Only by writing could the acclaimed novelist Yiyun Li grapple with the suicides of her two sons. But her new book is no ordinary grief memoir. Opinion | How Did So Many Elected Democrats Miss Biden's Infirmity? More than lying to the public, too many Democrats were lying to themselves. World 'He Gets Us': Trump Makes a Splash in Saudi Arabia Many Saudis say they are big fans of President Trump, calling him a "straight shooter" who shares their values. Others were not impressed. Russia and Ukraine Agree to Prisoner Swap in First Direct Talks in Years But the two sides failed to broker a temporary cease-fire or a meeting between their two leaders, a sign of how far apart they remain on ending the conflict. Fighting India Helps Revive the Pakistani Military's Popularity As Pakistan declares victory, confidence in the troubled country's state institutions is re-emerging, at least for now. See more world news U.S. Republicans Push to End Immigrant Benefits in Democratic States For years, Democratic state leaders believed their immigrant programs were free from federal interference. But Republicans in Washington are now threatening to penalize states that continue them. Some Republicans Push to Put School Desegregation Officially in the Past Louisiana officials want to overturn the remaining federal desegregation orders in their state. They may find allies in the Trump administration. 10 New Orleans Inmates Escape Jail Through Cell Wall Where Toilet Was Removed Three escapees had been captured by Friday night. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office said the inmates might have had help from jail workers. See more U.S. news Politics G.O.P. Tax Bill May Hurt the Lowest Earners and Help the Richest Even though most Americans may see lower taxes, Republicans' spending cuts could outweigh those benefits and leave some worse off. Trump Appointee Pressed Analyst to Redo Intelligence on Venezuelan Gang The move followed a disclosure that intelligence agencies disagree with a key factual claim Trump made to invoke a wartime deportation law. U.S. Downgraded by Moody's as Trump Pushes Costly Tax Cuts Now all three major credit rating firms no longer give the United States their best rating. See more political news Business Movie Tariffs Could Open a Pandora's Box Hollywood offers a service, and services are what really drive the U.S. economy. President Trump's proposed tax could set off a second, and more damaging, trade war. Why Are So Many Retirees Filing for Social Security Earlier? An additional 276,000 people filed for Social Security benefits so far this fiscal year, up 13% from a year ago. Anxiety appears to be a driver. Campaign Against an Airline That Flies Deportees Sets Off a Legal Fight Seth Miller, a New Hampshire lawmaker, placed billboard ads protesting Avelo Airlines' decision to operate flights for ICE. Avelo accused him of copyright infringement. See more business news Technology Employee's Change Caused xAI's Chatbot to Veer Into South African Politics Grok, the chatbot operated by Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, was providing the responses about South Africa to unrelated questions. Why We're Unlikely to Get Artificial General Intelligence Anytime Soon The titans of the tech industry say artificial intelligence will soon match the powers of humans' brains. Are they underestimating us? OpenAI Unveils New Tool for Computer Programmers The tool, Codex, will be able to handle multiple tasks at the same time, the company said. OpenAI is also in talks to acquire a coding tool called Windsurf for $3 billion. See more technology news Sports The Art of Moving F1 Around the World Tons of equipment must be shipped, so logistics teams start packing up right after a Grand Prix ends. Then it's on to the next race, sometimes on a different continent. Flavio Briatore Has Just Taken Over Alpine and Has a Promise to Keep The team rarely scores points. He vows to change that. See more sports news Arts Who Is Dawn Richard, the Singer Who Will Soon Testify at Sean Combs's Trial? The musician performed in two of the mogul's best-known recent acts, Danity Kane and Diddy — Dirty Money. She sued him last year, alleging threats and groping. In 'Sirens,' Meghann Fahy Sounds the Alarm This former "White Lotus" supporting actress takes the lead in a new Netflix series, as a woman bringing chaos to a wealthy enclave. Michael Flynn, a Trump Ally, Sponsors Beethoven at the Kennedy Center Following the president's overhaul of the center, Mr. Flynn, the former national security adviser, has made a substantial gift to the National Symphony Orchestra. See more arts news New York New Jersey Transit Engineers Strike, Idling Trains and Upending Commutes Wages continued to be a sticking point as New Jersey's first statewide transit strike in 40 years began Friday morning. New York Helped Thousands of Migrants With Legal Issues. That's Ending. The imminent closing of the Asylum Application Help Center marks another turning point in the city's response to the migrant crisis. Salman Rushdie's Attacker Is Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison Hadi Matar, the defendant, said he believed Mr. Rushdie to be a hypocrite. His attack left the acclaimed author blind in one eye. See more New York news Food What Has All This Restaurant Food Done to My Gut? Worried about the health hazards of my work as a critic, I tried a gastrointestinal testing service. The results offer insights for frequent diners. It's High Time You Added Sotol to Your Bar Cart The traditional spirit tells the story of wherever its plant source has grown across the deserts and forests of Northern Mexico. See more food news Science When a Vaccine Safety Trial Becomes Unethical New vaccines are often evaluated in trials in which some participants receive a placebo. But not all studies can be designed this way. 9 Federally Funded Scientific Breakthroughs That Changed Everything The U.S. is slashing funding for scientific research, after decades of deep investment. Here's some of what those taxpayer dollars created. Novo Nordisk to Replace C.E.O. After Losing Edge in Weight-Loss Drugs The Danish drugmaker, which makes Ozempic and Wegovy, has seen its stock tumble as competition in the weight-loss drug market has grown fiercer. See more science news Well The Unexpected Symptoms of O.C.D. Disturbing thoughts and social fixations are among the many manifestations of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Nurses Share Insider Tips for Your Next Hospital Visit There are ways to make it less miserable. See more on Well Travel Summer Travel Slump? Amid Uncertainty, the U.S. Brand 'Has Taken a Beating.' Many airlines, hotels and analysts are forecasting a downbeat tourism season in America, as threats of tariffs and unpopular policy decisions take their toll. Eight Places to Get Obsessed With teamLab's Immersive Art The group's psychedelic sensory playgrounds of light, sound, stars, bubbles, birds and more are expanding around the globe, dazzling millions of visitors a year. See more travel news Real Estate $500,000 Homes in Marrakesh, Morocco Available properties include traditional and modern riads, as well as condos in residential communities. To Find High-End Furniture in New York, Look Up The city's new designer décor showrooms are hidden away from foot traffic, making shopping for furniture feel like visiting a speakeasy. The Battle for Bryant Park Grill Michael Weinstein, who has run the popular Midtown Manhattan restaurant for 30 years, refuses to leave, even though Jean-Georges Restaurants won a bid to take over the lease for its space. See more real estate news Fashion & Style Divorce Is a Gift We could have had a nice life together, but I wanted more for him. Why Everything Is 'Coded' Now Signaling tastes in a time of polarized politics. Those National Park Accounts Aren't Real. But They're Spicy. TikTok accounts dedicated to Yellowstone, Joshua Tree and other parks have drawn a lot of attention by leaning in on sex appeal. See more fashion news T Magazine Jamaican Homes That Showcase the Island's Creative History The hotelier Sally Henzell helped bring reggae to the world. More than 50 years later, history continues to echo through her houses. The Road Trips That Changed Their Lives Antoni Porowski, Rachel Kushner, Michelle Zauner and others on their most memorable driving vacations, from coastal Maine to the prairies of South Dakota. A Beloved Mainstay of Sri Lankan Culture and Cuisine on Staten Island Part museum, part restaurant, the family-run Lakruwana offers an exuberant celebration of the small island nation's food. See more on T Magazine Obituaries Peter Lax, Pre-eminent Cold War Mathematician, Dies at 99 As the computer age dawned, he saw how the new technology could be harnessed to mathematics to solve problems in everything from designing weapons to predicting the weather. David Tracy, 86, Theologian Who Rejected Rome's Supremacy, Dies The author of influential books and essays, he was known for a contemporary theory of religion and Catholicism that advocated dialogue, not decrees. Ed Smylie, Who Saved the Apollo 13 Crew With Duct Tape, Dies at 95 He and his team of NASA engineers jumped into action to help three astronauts bound for the moon. His quick thinking earned him a shout-out from Richard Nixon. See more Obituaries Opinion round table 'Trump Can't Escape Political Gravity': 3 Writers on Trump's Polling What we can learn from polls about the president's action-filled second term so far and how Democrats are looking. Guest Essay The 'Modest' Ruling That Could Kneecap Our Legal System The debate over nationwide injunctions. Guest Essay It Turns Out Republicans in Congress Do Have a Red Line Selling off public lands threatens more than a century of progress for one of America's most vital and popular shared experiments. The Ezra Klein Show Is Trump Losing? A Debate. The journalists Zack Beauchamp and Andrew Marantz discuss what kind of autocratic timeline America is on right now. 1 HR 13 MIN LISTEN Guest Essay Romania Is About to Experience Disaster The country's disastrous slide to the far right had been coming. Guest Essay Medicaid Work Requirements Are Cruel and Pointless Studies show that when Medicaid work requirements were tried, they failed to increase employment. See more Opinion If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Today's Headlines from The New York Times. To stop receiving Today's Headlines, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. 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