With Witkoff and Kushner, Trump Bets on Diplomacy Without Diplomats

2/17/2026 2:44 PM Open Story
President Trump’s most trusted envoys are at the center of the Iran and Ukraine negotiations, an approach that has sidelined the State Department and the National Security Council.
U.S. and Iran Make ‘Good Progress’ in Geneva Talks, Foreign Minister Says

2/17/2026 3:18 PM Open Story
The Iranian minister, Abbas Araghchi, said both sides had agreed on a “set of guiding principles.” President Trump has called on Iran to make an immediate accord or face a possible U.S. attack.
Trump Said He’d End the War in Ukraine in a Day. It’s Harder Than He Thought.

2/17/2026 9:49 AM Open Story
Russian attacks and Ukrainian civilian deaths rose as President Trump’s peace talks dragged on during his first year back in the White House.
Trump Sought Vast Budget Cuts. Congress Granted Few.

2/17/2026 2:03 AM Open Story
In a series of deals over the past three months, lawmakers rejected some of the president’s most aggressive attempts to whittle down the government.
Obama Took On Recession, Health Care and Iraq. What He Didn’t See Coming Was Trump.

2/17/2026 12:18 PM Open Story
A new set of oral history interviews documents how Barack Obama and his advisers missed the shifting mood of the country that would ultimately replace him with a successor they considered a “con man,” “clown” and “laughingstock.”
Colbert Slams Trump Administration After CBS Pulls Talarico Interview

2/17/2026 1:12 PM Open Story
Stephen Colbert said he had to drop an interview with James Talarico from his Monday broadcast because of new F.C.C. guidance that targeted political interviews on late-night shows.
Mamdani Threatens 9.5% Property Tax Increase if Wealth Tax Is Not Passed

2/17/2026 1:48 PM Open Story
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said his proposal to raise New York City property taxes was a “last resort” to close a budget gap.
Mamdani Ushers in a New Tradition: Ramadan in City Hall

2/17/2026 2:20 PM Open Story
Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor, will observe Ramadan as he runs the nation’s largest city, blending his faith into his public life.
Jesse Jackson, Charismatic Champion of Civil Rights, Dies at 84

2/17/2026 10:10 AM Open Story
An impassioned orator, he was a moral and political force, forming a “rainbow coalition” of poor and working-class people and seeking the presidency. His mission, he said, was “to transform the mind of America.”
Jesse Jackson Changed Chicago. And It Changed Him.

2/17/2026 2:40 PM Open Story
Mr. Jackson, who spent much of his life in the city, died at his home there on Tuesday. “He ushered in new politics in Chicago,” one longtime organizer said.
White House Shrugs Off Lutnick’s Epstein Ties

2/17/2026 2:57 PM Open Story
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has acknowledged traveling to Jeffrey Epstein’s island and meeting him on another occasion.
Daniel Radcliffe on Returning to Broadway in ‘Every Brilliant Thing’

2/17/2026 2:02 AM Open Story
The Tony winner returns to the stage in “Every Brilliant Thing,” an interactive monologue with a message of hope “that might be vital for somebody to hear.”
The Price of Admission to Epstein’s World: Silence

2/17/2026 2:16 PM Open Story
There were plenty of signs that something wasn’t right with Jeffrey Epstein. Why didn’t anyone say something?
California Wealth Tax Opponents Intensify Efforts Before Bernie Sanders Visit

2/17/2026 2:05 PM Open Story
The opponents’ latest moves include online ads tied to Gov. Gavin Newsom, a crypto-related push to raise money and competing ballot measures.
Potomac Sewage Spill Becomes Ecological Disaster and Political Fight

2/17/2026 3:17 PM Open Story
A D.C. utility had been working for weeks to repair a collapsed sewer line when the president blamed Maryland’s governor for the contamination on Monday.
Peru Votes to Impeach President José Jerí

2/17/2026 12:41 PM Open Story
Peru’s Congress voted to impeach President José Jerí, four months after he replaced Dina Boluarte, who had also been removed from the presidency.
Perú destituye al presidente, otra vez

2/17/2026 12:46 PM Open Story
El Congreso peruano aprobó la destitución del presidente José Jerí. El mandatario tenía cuatro meses en el cargo, que asumió después de que Dina Boluarte también fue vacada.
Height Surgery for Men Can Add Inches But Has Risks

2/16/2026 9:01 PM Open Story
Limb-lengthening can add inches to a person’s stature. But its risks have made it controversial.
Book Review: ‘On Morrison,’ by Namwali Serpell

2/16/2026 2:02 AM Open Story
A new study by the novelist and scholar Namwali Serpell subjects the Nobel laureate’s work to rigorous inspection — with thrilling results.
Toni Morrison’s Best Books: A Guide

2/5/2026 10:01 AM Open Story
Her novels reveal a deeply American desire for freedom and adventure, and one of her work’s great joys lies in always finding something new to discover. Here’s where to start.
Has Trump Thrown the Democrats a Lifesaver?

2/17/2026 9:15 AM Open Story
The president appears determined to prevent his party from achieving a durable majority coalition.
Are You a New Yorker with a Unique Parking Situation? We Want to Hear It.

2/17/2026 2:00 AM Open Story
We want to hear from New Yorkers who rent driveways or have surprising parking garage arrangements.
Judge Blocks Deportation of Columbia Protester Mohsen Mahdawi

2/17/2026 3:01 PM Open Story
The green card holder from the West Bank had been detained during a citizenship appointment.
NJ Transit Commuters Grumble as Bridge Work Disrupts Train Rides

2/17/2026 1:32 PM Open Story
Many people who commute into Manhattan got their first taste of the crowded platforms that are expected to become common over the next month as the Portal Bridge is reworked.
A Holiday High-School Game Is Shattered by a Fatal Assault

2/17/2026 2:51 PM Open Story
At a hockey rink in Pawtucket, R.I., shots rang out, leaving two people dead, in addition to the shooter. The police chief said it was a family matter that exploded in public.
California Forecast: Storms to Bring More Snow and Rain

2/17/2026 3:19 PM Open Story
Several people were missing after heavy snow caused an avalanche in the Sierra Nevada, the authorities said. Heavy rain and wind lashed other parts of the state.