Today's Headlines: An Accuser’s Story Suggests How Trump Might Appear in the Epstein Files
Israeli Troops Kill Dozens Seeking Food Near Border, Gazan Officials Say
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

July 21, 2025, 4:10 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

An Accuser’s Story Suggests How Trump Might Appear in the Epstein Files

A former Jeffrey Epstein employee said that she told the F.B.I. in 1996 and 2006 about what she considered a troubling encounter with Donald J. Trump.

Israeli Troops Kill Dozens Seeking Food Near Border, Gazan Officials Say

The shootings took place after thousands of Palestinians gathered in the hope of getting humanitarian aid from U.N. trucks entering the Gaza Strip.

A Push for More Organ Transplants Is Putting Donors at Risk

People across the United States have endured rushed or premature attempts to remove their organs. Some were gasping, crying or showing other signs of life.

Editors’ Picks

What Would a Real Friendship With A.I. Look Like? Maybe Like Hers.

Chatbots can get scary if you suspend your disbelief. But MJ Cocking didn’t — and wound up in a relationship that was strangely, helpfully real.

Opinion | Why American Jews No Longer Understand One Another

The consensus that held them together for generations is breaking down.

World

Japan’s Long-Dominant Party Suffers Election Defeat as Voters Swing Right

The loss on Sunday left the Liberal Democrats a minority party in both houses of Parliament, while two new nationalist parties surged.

Even as Air-Raid Sirens Blare, Ukrainians Wait for the Light to Change

Anyone new to Ukraine may quickly notice the disconnect between the front line and much of daily life farther away, including the patient behavior of pedestrians waiting to cross the street.

This K-Pop Band Is Making Waves With Sign Language

Big Ocean, a boy band whose members are deaf or hard of hearing, has found success with a mix of singing and signing.

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U.S.

How Did the Number of People Missing After Texas Floods Drop So Drastically?

Last week, officials said 97 people were missing in Kerr County. Now, it’s down to three. The drop is substantial, but such wild fluctuations can happen after disasters.

​A Trump-Themed Beach House vs. ‘the Hamptons of the South’

Local officials spent years trying to force Marvin Peavy to remove the giant pro-Trump banners from his home in the Florida Panhandle. This summer, Mr. Peavy is basking in victory.

Should ICE Agents Be Allowed to Wear Masks? It Depends Whom You Ask.

Los Angeles’s mayor said Sunday that masked immigration agents helped create a “reign of terror.” ICE’s director said agents could wear masks to “keep them and their families safe.”

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Politics

G.O.P. Push Behind Trump Agenda Has Congress in an Uproar

Shouting matches, walkouts and bitter fiscal fights have led to a series of legislative meltdowns, with big spending clashes ahead.

Another Top Aide to Hegseth Leaves the Pentagon

Justin Fulcher, an adviser to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, said in a statement that he had planned to work in the federal government for only six months.

As Trump Courts a More Assertive Beijing, China Hawks Are Losing Out

The Trump administration has dialed back aggressive measures against China and reversed its position on technology controls as the president angles for a Chinese trip later this year.

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Business

Two Days Inside the Movement to ‘Reindustrialize,’ and Rearm, America

Trump cabinet officials mingled with tech investors and manufacturers in an effort to supercharge factories.

China’s Moves Against 3 Foreigners Stoke Anxiety

A Wells Fargo banker and a U.S. government employee were blocked from leaving and a Japanese pharmaceutical executive was imprisoned, even as Beijing tries to court overseas investors.

Who Is Behind a $5 Billion Development in Atlanta? Yup, a Sports Team.

The number of developments led by professional sports teams has accelerated in recent years, as the price of teams has skyrocketed.

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Arts

Renée Fleming, Star Soprano, Tries Out the Director’s Chair

Fleming is making her directorial debut in Colorado working with young artists on Mozart’s “Così Fan Tutte,” an opera in which she appeared early in her career.

Canceling ‘The Late Show’ Is Bad News for Late-Night TV, Not for Stephen Colbert

The art form was already in decline; this may hasten its demise. But don’t fret about the host. His talents are better showcased elsewhere.

He Cheated With Her Best Friend. This Is the Third Book About It.

Hannah Pittard goes back to the tale of her busted marriage in a comic novel about a claustrophobic literary milieu — and a talking cat.

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New York

After a Chaotic Start, a U.S. Attorney’s Time May Be Running Out

Alina Habba, President Trump’s choice to run the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey, has pursued investigations against Democrats. Her tenure has damaged morale inside the office.

Mamdani Won Over N.Y.C. Democratic Voters. Can He Charm Washington?

National Democrats are grappling with how much to embrace Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, a leftist who has become the party’s standard-bearer in America’s largest city.