Today's Headlines: When It Comes to Jeffrey Epstein, Trump Says He Is Ready to Defer to the Courts

Prisoner Swap Frees Americans in Venezuela for Migrants in El Salvador

View in browser July 19, 2025, 4:10 a.m. Eastern time Top News When It Comes to Jeffrey Epstein, Trump Says He Is Ready to Defer to the Courts After months of pushing back against federal judges and the courts, the president has requested the release of Epstein-related grand jury testimony to be "subject to Court approval." Prisoner Swap Frees Americans in Venezuela for Migrants in El Salvador Ten Americans and permanent U.S. residents detained in Venezuela were traded for more than 250 Venezuelans expelled from the U.S. and imprisoned in El Salvador. Not Even 'The Late Show' Could Defy Gravity CBS could not figure out a path to profitability in an entertainment world increasingly dominated by streaming. Editors' Picks The Familiar Fingerprints of a Forgotten Art Heist After a valuable de Kooning was discovered behind a bedroom door, a true crime fan wondered: Is that all the thieves stole? Opinion | Canceling Stephen Colbert Isn't Funny Mocking Donald Trump will not destroy him. World Bolsonaro Ordered to Wear Ankle Monitor, Escalating Brazil's Feud With Trump Brazil's Supreme Court ordered Jair Bolsonaro, the former president, to stay home most hours, defying President Trump's demands that charges against him be dropped. Brothers in Arms: Macron, Merz and Starmer Plan for a Post-U.S. Future The leaders of France, Germany and Britain are building parallel diplomatic institutions to defend Europe as President Trump retreats from the continent. Extra! Extra! Read All About Last Newspaper Hawker in Paris Ali Akbar started selling papers on the streets in 1974. He is still at it, winning over Parisians and presidents with persistence, humor and his signature catchphrase: "Ça y est!" See more world news U.S. White House to Release $1.3 Billion in Frozen Funds for After-School Programs The money will allow federally funded after-school programs to open this school year, preserving a lifeline for working parents. But other federal dollars remain on hold. As Harvard and Trump Head to Court, the Government Piles on the Pressure President Trump suggested a deal was coming, but officials are still demanding more from Harvard, including extensive information about international students, staff payroll and protests. 3 Deputies Are Killed in Explosion at Los Angeles Training Center It was not immediately clear what caused the blast at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Biscailuz Training Academy center. No one else was injured, officials said. See more U.S. news Politics To Staff Trump's Immigration Crackdown, ICE Entices Its Retirees The administration is offering financial incentives to lure back recently departed immigration officers as it works to fill 10,000 job openings. Lawmakers Question Whether CBS Canceled Colbert's Show for Political Reasons Paramount, the network's parent, recently agreed to pay President Trump $16 million to settle his lawsuit over the editing of an interview on the CBS News program "60 Minutes." Trump Says He Doesn't 'Draw Pictures.' But Many of His Sketches Sold at Auction. The president disputes reporting from The Wall Street Journal that he drew a picture for Jeffrey Epstein, but as a real estate mogul, he often sketched for charity. See more political news Business Trump's Withering Criticism of Powell Puts Fed Decisions Under Microscope The central bank is poised to hold interest rates steady this month, but there could be a path to cut as early as September. What Will Funding Cuts Do to NPR and PBS? Cutting funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting could be catastrophic for local stations, particularly those in rural areas. Chevron Buys Into One of World's Hottest Oil Projects Chevron completed its purchase of Hess after prevailing in a legal dispute with Exxon over one of the most promising oil projects in the world. See more business news Technology How a Video Studio Embraced A.I. and Stormed the Internet The Dor Brothers are indie filmmakers whose viral videos are generated entirely by artificial intelligence. A Kennedy Aide's Start-Up Can Get You a Tax Break on a $9,000 Sauna The start-up, called Truemed, helps people buy meat and mattresses with money that isn't subject to federal income tax. But does the tax break apply? See more technology news Sports SailGP Has Arrived in the Solent, With the Challenges That Come With It Sailing in the strait between England and the Isle of Wight is no picnic. How SailGP Keeps the Boats From Breaking And how the series fixes them when things do go wrong, as they did after the San Francisco event in March when a wing sail collapsed. See more sports news Arts CBS Says It's Canceling Colbert Over Money, Not Politics. Is That Truthiness? Maybe the "Late Show" decision is purely financial. But after Paramount's cave over "60 Minutes," it is hard to trust. 'A Chorus Line' and 'Chicago' at 50: Who Won? The slinky jailbirds and Broadway hopefuls in these two classic shows have been fighting it out since 1975. Generative A.I. Destroys a Building in Its Netflix Debut The streaming company said it used the technology onscreen for the first time in an Argentine science fiction show. See more arts news New York Justice Dept. Asks Federal Court to Unseal Epstein Grand Jury Testimony The president has been under intense political pressure from his base after Attorney General Pam Bondi withheld portions of investigative files on the disgraced financier. Mamdani Wins Backing of Major Health Care Union That Had Endorsed Cuomo Local 1199, which represents 200,000 health care workers in New York City, rescinded its support of Andrew Cuomo and is now endorsing Zohran Mamdani for mayor. Trump-Driven Chaos Comes to U.S. Attorney's Offices in Waves In Manhattan, Brooklyn, Albany and Newark, confusion has reigned as prosecutors are fired or walk out, and U.S. attorneys serve in limbo while awaiting confirmation. See more New York news Food This Easy Pesto Pasta Screams Summer Paired with a tomato-pepper salad and a peaches and cream cake, this herby main is lush with peak green beans and corn. For Some New Zealand Winemakers, Māori Beliefs Lead the Way A philosophy of respectful custodianship of the land and the importance of one's place of origin may sound familiar to those who seek out terroir. A Bright Baked Salmon, Satisfying Cold Tofu and Better Rice Krispies Treats Smart and satisfying recipes for hot summer evenings. See more food news Science Health Insurers Are Denying More Drug Claims, Data Shows Offering a rare glimpse inside the hidden world of rejected insurance claims, new data shows a steady uptick among major private insurers. Drugmaker Refuses F.D.A. Request to Pull Treatment Linked to Patient Deaths The regulator had asked Sarepta Therapeutics to halt all shipments of its therapy, Ele­vidys, after three patients died from liver failure after taking it or a similar treatment. This Dinosaur Probably Tweeted More Than It Roared The anatomy of a Chinese fossil offers a hint that birdsong may be as old as the dinosaurs themselves. See more science news Fashion & Style These Croissants Took a $500 Ride to the Hamptons When the wealthy need anything — luggage, a prescription or keys — delivered out east, they can call Tote Taxi. He Didn't Know It Was an Audition. But He Got the Husband Role. Aleksandra Dubov and Daniyel Berchenko were stargazing in the California desert when Ms. Dubov asked him a direct question. A Big, Adorable Reveal on the Second Date Dayton Munson and Emily Orozco hit it off over Bumble, then over a series of restaurant dates. See more fashion news Obituaries Alan Bergman, Half of a Prolific Lyric-Writing Team, Dies at 99 With his wife, Marilyn, he wrote the words to memorable TV theme songs and the Oscar-winning "The Way We Were" and "The Windmills of Your Mind." Jewel Thais-Williams, Whose Nightclub Celebrated 'Queer Black Joy,' Dies at 86 Catch One, which she opened in Los Angeles in 1973 in the face of local animosity, became a glittering sanctuary for a largely shunned community. Felix Baumgartner, 56, Professional Daredevil, Dies While Paragliding Nicknamed "Fearless Felix," he jumped from the edge of space in 2012. See more Obituaries Opinion Guest Essay The Seductions of A.I. for the Writer's Mind We need to reckon with what ChatGPT is doing to the classroom and to human expression. Michelle Goldberg A Movie About the Year America Went Fully Berserk From the director of "Midsommar," a nightmare vision of our national descent. Guest Essay Why Trump's War on Solar Power Will Fail It is inevitable that America will eventually follow the rest of the world and that in 40 or so years, it will run mainly on sun and wind. Guest Essay The Seeds of Democratic Revival Have Already Been Sown The party is getting pummeled. But it can fight back. Guest Essay What to Look for in a Celebrity Memoir They should obviously include indexes so that we can find the juicy parts. So why don't they? letters An Uproar as CBS Cancels Stephen Colbert Readers, many of them unhappy, react to the cancellation of Mr. Colbert's show. Also: A rubber-stamp Congress; lessons from the Scopes trial. 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. 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