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
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

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!”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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.