Today's Headlines: F.C.C. Approves Skydance’s $8 Billion Merger With Paramount

How a Frantic Scouring of the Epstein Files Consumed the Justice Dept.

View in browser July 25, 2025, 4:10 a.m. Eastern time Top News F.C.C. Approves Skydance's $8 Billion Merger With Paramount The deal, which came under intense scrutiny by the Trump administration, was hailed by the F.C.C. chief, who welcomed "significant changes" at CBS, a unit of Paramount. How a Frantic Scouring of the Epstein Files Consumed the Justice Dept. There was a single goal in mind: find something — anything — that could be released to the public to satisfy President Trump's supporters. Israel and the U.S. Pull Back From Talks With Hamas President Trump's special envoy said that "we will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home," though it was not clear that negotiations had halted. Editors' Picks The Ghost in the Therapy Room Therapists are cautious about sharing personal information. When they fall ill or die unexpectedly, the shock can be shattering. Opinion | Obama Won Record Numbers of Nonwhite Voters. This Is How the Democrats Lost Them. One in five voters who cast a ballot for Donald Trump in 2024 was a person of color. Why? World France Will Recognize Palestinian Statehood, Macron Says The announcement sets France apart from the United States and most of its close allies, and could cause friction with President Trump. Gazans Are Dying of Starvation After 21 months of devastating conflict with Israel, Gaza's most vulnerable civilians — the young, the old and the sick — are facing what aid groups say is impending famine. Deadliest Clashes in a Decade Erupt Between Thailand and Cambodia At least a dozen people were killed after the two countries exchanged fire after simmering tensions over a border dispute boiled over on Thursday. See more world news U.S. Columbia and Penn Made Trump Deals. More Universities Could Be Next. Trump officials hope deals with two Ivy League schools create a template that others, including Harvard, Princeton, Brown, Cornell and Northwestern, will follow. Epstein's Estate Includes Book Said to Have Note From Trump, a Lawyer Says The lawyer, who represents victims of Jeffrey Epstein, said he believed the estate would turn the book over to the authorities if asked. After Surge During Pandemic, Homicides Fall Significantly An analysis released Thursday by the Council on Criminal Justice shows that the majority of crimes the council tracks are continuing to decrease in 42 U.S. cities. See more U.S. news Politics Ken Paxton Claimed Three Houses as His Primary Residence, Records Show The attorney general of Texas, who is challenging Senator John Cornyn, could have secured favorable mortgage rates, and may have violated the law if he knowingly falsified loan documents. Swallowing Reservations, Democrats Go On Offense on Epstein Files Working to exploit a G.O.P. rift, Democrats are aggressively pushing charges of a coverup in the case of the accused pedophile, which many of them once dismissed as a conspiracy theory. Trump Spars With Powell Over Fed's Costly Renovations in Rare Visit The administration has repeatedly criticized Jerome H. Powell, the chair of the central bank, for his handling of the economy and the cost of work on the institution's headquarters. See more political news Business Europe Nears U.S. Trade Deal, but Stands Ready to Retaliate Nearly every member of the European Union supports a plan to hit back against President Trump's tariffs if no agreement is reached. How a Chinese Border Town Keeps Russia's Economy Afloat The flow of goods in Manzhouli, China's main border crossing with Russia, underscores increasingly close ties between the two countries, complicating China's relationship with Europe. Trade Deal Could Give Japanese Cars a Leg Up in U.S. Market President Trump's 15 percent tariff on cars from Japan has angered U.S. automakers, which make cars in Canada and Mexico subject to 25 percent tariffs. See more business news Arts Amy Sherald Cancels Her Smithsonian Show, Citing Censorship The artist said that she made the decision after she said she learned that her painting of a transgender Statue of Liberty might be removed to avoid provoking President Trump. In the Berkshires, Installing Art, Bearing the Consequences Visitors can grab a map and follow the trail to outdoor sculptures at the Clark Art Institute. But be ready for a surreal encounter. Another Director Leaves MOCA in Los Angeles After four years leading the Museum of Contemporary Art, Johanna Burton will next head the Institute of Contemporary Art Philadelphia. See more arts news New York Trump Administration Sues Adams and New York City Over Sanctuary Laws Mayor Eric Adams, whose corruption charges were dropped so he could help with deportations, is among the defendants in the suit, which argues the federal government has sole power over immigration. Alina Habba Is Named Acting U.S. Attorney in New Jersey Ms. Habba's tenure as interim U.S. attorney was slated to end this week, but the Trump administration's appointment will allow her to remain the top law enforcement official in the state. $17 Million Is Lost in A.T.M. Scam That Spread on TikTok, Officials Say Payment cards for a New York City youth jobs program were used to withdraw millions of dollars over less than three days, officials said. See more New York news Food Anne Burrell's Death Ruled a Suicide The longtime Food Network star was found dead in her Brooklyn apartment on June 17. How an M&M Sparked the Search for the Next Perfect Peanut With funding from the candy giant Mars, scientists at the University of Georgia are genetically designing a peanut that can thrive in a changing climate. I'm Sorry I Ignored You, Angel Hair Pasta I'll make it up to you with this beautiful recipe from Dan Pelosi, which combines your quick-cooking strands with juicy cherry tomatoes and garlic. See more food news Science Hints of Life on Exoplanet Recede Even Further New observations fail to confirm signs of life in the atmosphere of the distant planet K2-18b. They also raise questions about what it will take to detect biology light-years away. Claim of Microbe That Survives on Arsenic Is Retracted After 15 Years Science, a top research journal, said there was no evidence of misconduct by researchers whose finding attracted heavy attention and scrutiny in social media's early days. See more science news Well Is the Bread in Europe Better for You? If you've noticed that certain baked goods are more tolerable abroad, it may not be all in your head. The Relationship Advice Couples Counselors Swear By Eight therapists share lessons they find themselves repeating again and again. See more on Well Travel Southwest Passenger Says She Was Ejected From Flight Based on Her Race On a flight from Chicago to Washington, D.C., last November, the passenger said she was the only Black person seated in an exit row when she was asked to leave. 36 Hours in Reykjavik A highly walkable city, Reykjavik offers public pools, elegant spas, a new exhibition of ancient texts and a blossoming restaurant scene. See more travel news Real Estate Homes for Sale in Manhattan and Brooklyn This week's properties are in Lenox Hill, Hell's Kitchen and Crown Heights. Buying a High-End Home? A Million Dollars Mostly Falls Short. Houses at the top 5 percent of the market cost over $1 million in all but seven of the largest U.S. metros. Christie's Debuts Crypto Real Estate Division The brokerage, which has already handled transactions with digital payment in lieu of cash, is the first major U.S. firm to create a dedicated team for such deals. See more real estate news Fashion & Style The Allure of a Pucci Girl Summer How Pucci bucked the luxury downturn to become the brand of the season. Sculpting Trees, and Teaching Patience and Focus For Michael Gibson, topiary art isn't just clipping branches. It's a life lesson. Can You Do the Nicki Minaj? Inspired by an old rap video, social media users are challenging each other to get into a pretzel-like pose in increasingly precarious locations. See more fashion news Obituaries Hulk Hogan, Shirt-Shredding Superstar of Pro Wrestling, Dies at 71 The charismatic wrestler helped build an entertainment on the margins into a cultural behemoth. Chuck Mangione, a 'Smooth Jazz' Hitmaker With a Fluegelhorn, Dies at 84 In his signature fedora, he gained wide popularity and 14 Grammy nominations, winning the award twice, while scaling Billboard's charts in the 1970s and '80s. See more Obituaries Opinion The Editorial Board If Trump Keeps Intimidating the Fed, He Will Pay a Price When central banks are pressured by politicians into overheating the economy, everyone ends up getting burned. David Brooks Be Careful About What You Want How do you live a driven life, seeking to achieve great things, without becoming a jerk? Guest Essay America Will Come to Regret Selling A.I. Chips to China We should not allow American troops and intelligence officers to be targeted by A.I. trained on U.S. chips. Interesting Times with Ross Douthat What if the Government Believes in U.F.O.s More Than You Do? The skies — and the government — could be hiding more than we know. 59 MIN LISTEN Guest Essay I Hate, Therefore I Am We are constituting ourselves by whom and what we hate. But do we have to? Guest Essay Colbert's Ouster Was Just Another Late-Night Death Rattle What happened to Stephen Colbert is a harbinger of what's to come for Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel and Seth Meyers, I'm sorry to say. 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. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018