August 14, 2026, 4:46 p.m. Eastern time

Hello there,

This newsletter includes coverage you might be interested in, based on what you've read. It might also include stories that are local to you.

Today's Top Pick for You

Kathleen Flynn for The New York Times Homeland Security Paid $464 Million for Airplanes. Then It Parked Them. The agency used a no-bid contract to buy 10 used jets, saying they were urgently needed for deportation flights. But the fleet has largely sat idle for months. Read more

Things to do

‘My Brilliant Career’ and 5 More Shows to Watch on TV This Week Let’s take a look at an Australian series set in 1900 airs and revisit some classic TV episodes that evoke the feeling of summer.

Five Action Movies to Stream Now This month’s picks include martial arts masters, veteran snipers and dirty cops.

5 New Books We Love This Week Reading recommendations from critics and editors at The New York Times.

It’s Not Summer Without Ratatouille The combination of velvety eggplant, slivers of soft pepper and saucy tomatoes is enough of a reward to justify the oven time on a Sunday afternoon.

Hello, Elotes Based on the Mexican street food snack, this grilled corn with cheese, chile and lime is a snap to make.

Tomorrow: From Style
Every day we'll feature stories from a different section. Check back daily.

More to discover

Little Thefts, Big Charges: Trump’s Justice Dept. Targets Lesser Fraud As the Trump administration drops charges against corporations and the wealthy, it is also taking aim at small-scale fraud cases, including against the operator of a weathered food truck in California.

Fury at Health Insurers Persists After the Killing of a Company Executive Higher premiums and rising medical bills have intensified Americans’ dissatisfaction with their medical coverage.

An Unlikely Emergency Appeal to the Supreme Court From a Dog Named Bruce A last-ditch filing this week came on behalf of a dog that a judge found to be “vicious” and shows how the court’s emergency docket has been growing.

The Taliban Kicked the U.S. Out of Afghanistan. Now They Want It Back. In an interview, Afghanistan’s foreign minister called on the U.S. to reopen its embassy and invest in the country — a near-impossible sell for now, analysts and former diplomats say.

Trump Pressured Russell Fry to Endorse Darline Graham for Senate. So He Did. The president has been focused on the race since the death of Lindsey Graham in July. Ms. Graham, the late senator’s sister, is competing against Representative Ralph Norman in a runoff on Aug. 25.

Take a break, play a game

Wordle → Connections → Strands → Spelling Bee → Crossword → Mini → Wordle → Connections →