Today's Headlines: U.S. Coast Guard Boards Tanker Carrying Venezuelan Oil
Epstein Files Photos Disappear From Government Website, Including One of Trump
View in browser
The New York Times
Today's Headlines

December 21, 2025, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

U.S. Coast Guard Boards Tanker Carrying Venezuelan Oil

Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said a vessel had been “apprehended.” It was the second action this month against a tanker carrying Venezuelan oil.

Epstein Files Photos Disappear From Government Website, Including One of Trump

A total of 16 photos were taken down at some point on Saturday from the website that the Justice Department created. One featured an open drawer containing other photos, including at least one of President Trump.

Turning Point’s Annual Gathering Turns Into a Gripefest

At AmericaFest, conservative leaders insulted one another, revealing serious rifts over conspiracy theories, antisemitism and who belongs in America.

World

The Anatomy of a Chinese Church Crackdown

Videos and photographs show how the Chinese authorities have tried to dismantle Zion Church, a Christian network with branches across the country.

Long Before Bondi Massacre, Australian Jews Lived With a Sense of Peril

Armed guards, bollards and secretive precautions became part of life amid antisemitic attacks and blurred lines between anger at Israel and hatred of Jews.

This Museum Housed 120,000 Works of Art. Now It’s Empty.

The Pompidou Center is the place to see contemporary art in Paris. Or it was, until curators put its astonishing collection into storage.

See more world news

U.S.

Epstein and Maxwell Grand Jury Records Are Released

The transcripts and photos were part of Department of Justice files arising from investigations into the disgraced financier and his former girlfriend.

Power Restored for Most of San Francisco After Widespread Outage

The hourslong outage affected nearly a third of the city and forced the closure of transit stations. Service was restored for most customers late Saturday.

Slain M.I.T. Professor Was a ‘Brilliant Scientist’ and a Beloved Colleague

Nuno Loureiro, 47, was killed by an old classmate who was on the run from a shooting at Brown University, the authorities said.

See more U.S. news

Politics

Bill Clinton, a Main Character in the Epstein Drop, Just Can’t Escape Scandal

The Republican-led Justice Department’s release of photos of the former president with Jeffrey Epstein will introduce yet another generation to his flaws and controversies.

Cynthia Lummis, a One-Term G.O.P. Senator, Will Not Seek Re-election

A conservative who has served in the Senate since 2021, Ms. Lummis attributed the decision to the “difficult, exhausting session” this fall on Capitol Hill.

Koch Political Operation Spent Nearly $550 Million During 2024 Cycle

The huge sum shows that while the Koch network may not hold significant power at high levels of the Republican Party, it remains a financial juggernaut.

See more political news

Business

329 Days of Trump, Trump, Trump

President Trump dominates our collective consciousness. The Times broke down how he has relentlessly pursued attention in the first 329 days of his second term.

From A.I. to Tariffs, 14 Charts That Explain 2025

President Trump’s trade policy, inflation and climbing stock prices shaped business and the economy this year.

How to Tell Your Adult Kids the Bank of Mom and Dad Is Closed

In trying to help grown children, parents can hurt their own retirement security. Here’s how to stop the flow of money.

See more business news

New York

A Weekly Gathering for Those Who Fled the Nazis Ends After 82 Years

The meetings began in 1943 in a German enclave in Manhattan. When the last member to experience life under Hitler died, the original purpose was gone.

A ‘Timeout Box’ in an Elementary School Draws Outrage: ‘This is Not OK’

An upstate New York district, where most students are Native American, placed its superintendent on leave after images of a wooden box in a classroom spread on social media.

How the Head of a Baby Food Company Spends a Day Taste-Testing

Angela Vranich, the co-founder of Little Spoon, tries new smoothie flavors as she keeps up with her sheepadoodle, workout schedule and grown-up friends.

See more New York news

Arts

Bowen Yang Is Leaving ‘S.N.L.’ After This Weekend’s Episode

Yang has been part of the NBC sketch show since 2018, earning five Emmy nominations.

As the ‘Avatar’ Villain Varang, Oona Chaplin Connected With Her Rage

She had been working with refugees and channeled her anger over their situation into the ferocious performance, which was filmed several years ago.

She Knows the Secrets of the Women on the Frick’s Walls

Aimee Ng, the museum’s new chief curator, broke out of the academic mold with a video series called “Cocktails With a Curator.” Here’s how she’s drawing new audiences.

See more arts news

Food

Now Bring Us Some Sticky Toffee Pudding

No tricky techniques, no specialty ingredients, just perfect sticky toffee pudding with “extra” sauce.

Make Sugar Cake Your New Holiday Tradition

Moravian sugar cake is a pillowy cake-bread hybrid with a caramelized crust and, best of all, little pockets of crunchy, buttery sugar.