Today's Headlines: Katie Zacharia Is Ousted After 5 Days as White House Press Secretary

Trump Signs Order Exempting Russia From Sanctions Law

View in browser October 17, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time Top News Katie Zacharia Is Ousted After 5 Days as White House Press Secretary Her abrupt departure came after she was shadowed by questions about how she had presented her legal career and handled her first press briefing. Trump Signs Order Exempting Russia From Sanctions Law The sanctions were part of a measure that was named after Senator Lindsey Graham, the South Carolina Republican who died in July. How a Teacher and a Dad Stopped the Slaughter in Bend The city of Bend, Ore., is praising those who worked to stop the gunman at Silver Rail Elementary School. The authorities are searching for answers. World Uncertainty Over Pope’s Health Fuels Familiar Debate Over Vatican’s Candor By announcing his lung condition himself, Leo has been more forthcoming than many popes. But mysteries remain, prompting scrutiny of papal statements for hidden meaning. Israeli Settlers Attack Palestinians and Washington Post Journalist in West Bank In the latest surge of violence, settlers targeted Palestinians during the olive harvest, a cultural touchstone and economic lifeline in the Israeli-occupied area. The 53-Year-Old in a Suit Who’s the Face of France’s Youth Protests Bally Bagayoko, the mayor of a working-class suburb near Paris, has been a regular presence at student demonstrations, prompting both applause and condemnation. See more world news U.S. M.I.T. Scientist Wins $6 Million in Sexual Harassment Defamation Suit David Sabatini, once a prominent scientist at M.I.T., sued a former colleague who accused him of inappropriate behavior. A jury found in his favor. Slain Teacher Loved Work, Volleyball and the Underdog, Her Family Says Megan Lambert graduated from high school in the district where she taught. She died in a classroom with Rhoam Summer and two other children when a shooter attacked. After Roller Coaster Death, Critics Call for Federal Oversight Regulation of amusement parks is left to the states, and deaths are rare. But some say stronger rules are needed. See more U.S. news Politics Ilhan Omar’s Sister’s Phone Was Seized Before Search of Lawmaker’s Home A criminal investigation into the lawmaker’s immigration process advanced after federal investigators reviewed family text messages from a seized phone. Russia Appears to Step Up Efforts to Influence U.S. Voters One campaign has created social media posts focusing on U.S. support for Israel to sow discord ahead of the midterm elections. Young Voters Say They Are Turning Their Backs on Trump and His Party One of the biggest surprises of 2024 was the swing of young voters, particularly men, away from Democrats to Donald Trump. Now they are swinging back. See more political news Business U.S. Budget Deficit Nears $2 Trillion, a Reality Check for Trump’s Cost Cutting Higher interest rates are inflating borrowing costs as the Trump administration spends on the Iran war and tariff refunds. With Layoffs and a Firing, Netflix Hurries to Rewrite Its Narrative Despite strong revenues and profits, the streaming service cut 1,000 jobs and jettisoned its chief content officer. Drops in the stock price and viewer engagement are to blame. Foul Play? Racy Baseball Postseason Ads Are Drawing Pushback. Commercials with Sydney Sweeney promoting a gambling platform and Megan Fox endorsing male enhancement have rankled fans, and even athletes. Who is in charge? See more business news Technology Meta Withdraws $25 Million From Its Midterms Push The company outlined a $65 million budget last year when it embarked on an effort to elect state politicians friendly to the A.I. industry. Why One of the World’s Greatest Mathematicians Is on a ‘War Footing’ The Fields Medalist Terence Tao is on the front lines of a debate about artificial intelligence and the future of his field. See more technology news New York Cornell Trustees Present a United Front Amid Crisis While the powerful board appeared to back campus administration, some students protested against the backdrop of homecoming weekend. Man Charged in Rape and Fentanyl Death of College Student The student was attending the Fashion Institute of Technology, when a man, according to prosecutors, provided her and her roommate with fentanyl in a dorm room. Queens Woman Accused of Killing 5-Year-Old Daughter It was not clear what happened at the home of the girl, Fabiana Cabello, but a relative said she was a friendly child who helped her great-grandmother and hugged strangers. See more New York news Arts Judge Dismisses Child Sexual Abuse Charges Against Timothy Busfield Prosecutors in New Mexico had secured an indictment of the actor and director on charges he made sexual contact with a child actor. He had pleaded not guilty. As Big Money Flees London’s Art Scene, Young Galleries Sharpen Their Edge Tax reforms and Paris’s rise have taken a toll. But low-budget, risk-taking dealers are still creating buzz at the Frieze London fair and beyond. Five International Movies to Stream Now This month’s picks include a French seaside comedy, a true-crime docudrama from Mexico, a mordant satire from Iran and more. See more arts news Books When Dining Took to the Streets in New York City Penny Hardy photographed the restaurant sheds that cropped up across the city in 2020. Only a fraction of them remain today. Audio | How to Read Like a Book Critic Advice and recommendations from Jennifer Szalai, Alexandra Jacobs and Dwight Garner. 41 MIN LISTEN ‘Neither Alive Nor Dead’: The Staggering Complexity of Bogs In “Bogland,” Merritt R. Turetsky argues for the importance of that least glamorous of terrains, the bog. See more books news Science Kennedy Pledged to Advance Anti-Vaccine Group’s Agenda. Here’s What He Is Doing. The health secretary is quietly taking steps that public health experts fear will reduce immunization rates further. It Looked Like a New Species. The Trouble Was, It Didn’t Exist. Facing a flood of A.I. slop, groups bent on democratizing science create new checks and balances. The Leap Second Has Been Canceled Earth’s rotation subtly changes the length of the day. Now our clocks won’t change with it — at least not for a very long time. See more science news Well Trump Hasn’t Lowered Drug Prices for These Voters President Trump has been promoting his efforts to reduce drug prices, but many Americans have not seen relief from rising costs for prescriptions and insurance premiums. Is Longevity Medicine Going Mainstream? As major health systems open their own programs, longevity medicine is gaining credibility and becoming more accessible. Fighting Father Time, Hand to Hand While some people slow down as they get older, or just try to maintain, these athletes went looking for a challenge in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. See more wellness news Travel Feel Like You’re Overpaying for Hotels? Blame Expedia, a New Lawsuit Says. The booking giant is accused of breaking federal antitrust laws and forcing millions of customers to overspend on stays by as much as 30 percent. The Last Flight of the A346: An Aviation Love Story Lufthansa’s quirky plane, with its extra-long fuselage, four engines and restrooms down a flight of stairs, has a devoted following. Now, the carrier, one of few still flying the model, is taking it out of service. See more travel news Real Estate Choose Your Favorite Home in Coastal Uruguay for Under $500,000 A cottage near a resort town, a contemporary villa designed for socializing and a minimalist home in a private community with amenities. Living Near the Hollywood Bowl: Free Concerts and Pancake Breakfasts For many of the residents surrounding the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, stadium noise is a feature, not a bug. See more real estate news Fashion & Style Who Should Fill the Open Roles at Calvin Klein and Alexander McQueen? After change-ups at two big luxury brands, we fantasized about who should go where. Paris Bids Au Revoir Until Next Season Designers and their fashion farewells. Robot Models, Meta Glasses and A.I. Spon-Con: Fashion Cozies Up to Tech Some magazines, influencers and writers are trying out the latest in artificial intelligence and wearables, even if their audiences are skeptical. See more fashion news Obituaries Overlooked No More: Harry Lew, the Basketball Player Who Refused to Be Sidelined He broke a racial barrier in basketball just 11 years after the sport was invented, but his achievement went largely unrecognized. He Mapped Yard Shrines, Sidewalk Altars and Flowerpots The cultural historian Joseph Sciorra, who has died, helped bring “a fieldworker’s eye and an archivist’s discipline” to his studies of Italian American culture. See more obituaries Magazine Is Anyone Actually in Charge of the Democratic Party? And Does It Matter? This year’s midterm elections are a test of whether a party can be a success and a failure at the same time. See more magazine content Opinion California Says D.O.J. System for Identifying Noncitizens Is Sloppy State and local officials said that they received thousands of names lacking key identifying information, and that many of the names were paired with addresses over which they had no jurisdiction. Michelle Goldberg Trump’s Attempt to Deport Ilhan Omar Is Another Leap Toward the Abyss This is more than just another persecution of one of the president’s political enemies. The Ezra Klein Show What if the A.I. Economy Crashes? Azeem Azhar and Paul Kedrosky debate whether A.I. will make the economy crash. 1 HR 7 MIN LISTEN Guest Essay The Obvious Step That Could Mean Fewer Fraternity Sexual Assaults A fellow college president warned that the blowback from my decision would end my presidency. Instead, it produced some extraordinary conversations. Guest Essay The Glaciers Are Collapsing. This Is What We Must Do. A glacier monitoring system could give communities in Nepal not 13 minutes, but hours or days to evacuate. Guest Essay Voters Say It Is Their Top Concern. Why Aren’t Politicians Acting on It? Can 1990s-style politics make a comeback? Opinion Video ‘Things Are Bad’: How Texas Border Voters Feel Ahead of the Midterms With control of the Senate at stake, Mara Gay traveled to this Texas border region to hear from voters. 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