Today's Headlines: Xi Poised to Press Trump on Arms Sales to Taiwan
Kennedy Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His Public Silence
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines
May 12, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Xi Is Poised to Press Trump on Arms Sales to Taiwan

Beijing has called Taiwan the “core of China’s core interests.” Xi Jinping is likely to focus on getting President Trump to slow approval of more weapons for the self-governing island.

Kennedy Is Driving a Vast Inquiry Into Vaccines, Despite His Public Silence

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has toned down his public criticism of vaccines, under orders from the White House. But inside his department, a sprawling research effort is a top priority.

Supreme Court Clears Path for Alabama to Use New Voting Map

A majority of the justices sided with Alabama in a move that could speed up efforts to put in place a congressional district map that would eliminate a majority-Black district.

World

Is France’s Centrist Leader Trying to Weatherproof It From the Far Right?

President Emmanuel Macron has appointed a string of allies who will remain in critical state positions after next year’s presidential election, and who could thwart a far-right successor.

The Altar Boy Who Refused to Hush Up

Michal Gatchalian dared to speak out against sexual abuse by a priest in the devoutly Catholic Philippines. He’s now a lawyer helping other victims.

Starmer Faces Mounting Calls From Own Party to Resign as British Prime Minister

Dozens of Labour Party leaders called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to leave office, and several government aides announced their resignations.

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U.S.

Inside the Hantavirus Isolation Unit Where 15 Americans Wait

The National Quarantine Unit in Nebraska is now the temporary home for many of the Americans who had been passengers on the MV Hondius.

California Mayor Will Plead Guilty to Working as Agent of China

Eileen Wang, who resigned Monday as the mayor of Arcadia, Calif., published propaganda on a purported news site under direction from Chinese officials, prosecutors said.

Black People Won a Voice in This County. The Voting Case May Silence It.

Black residents, who make up 25 percent of Fayette County, Tenn., won a new electoral map last year to change an all-white board of commissioners. They worry the Supreme Court’s ruling could threaten that.

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Politics

Judge Again Delays Guantánamo’s First Death-Penalty Terror Trial

The 2000 terrorism case has been going on for so long that the parents of fallen sailors and shipmates who survived the attack have died.

Justice Dept. Subpoenas Wall Street Journal in Leak Investigation

Critics raised concerns over press freedom after The Journal disclosed receiving subpoenas related to an article on deliberations on the risks of military action in Iran.

Kari Lake, Who Led Effort to Shutter Voice of America, Is Named Ambassador to Jamaica

Ms. Lake tried and failed to fire hundreds of Voice of America journalists and to cut funding for other federally funded news groups like Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.

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Business

China Seeks A.I. Independence, Weakening Trump’s Leverage

Before this week’s U.S.-Chinese summit, Beijing reached a milestone in its quest for technological self-sufficiency.

China Increasingly Views Trump’s America as an Empire in Decline

For decades, many Chinese viewed the United States with a mix of admiration, envy and resentment. President Trump’s volatile second term shattered that image.

Byron Allen Is Buying a Controlling Stake in BuzzFeed

Jonah Peretti, BuzzFeed’s co-founder 20 years ago, will step down as chief executive and serve as its president of A.I.

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Technology

Microsoft’s C.E.O. Intervened When OpenAI Fired Sam Altman, Musk’s Lawyer Claims

Elon Musk’s lawyer argued that Microsoft’s Satya Nadella played a role in getting Mr. Altman his job back at OpenAI when he was briefly fired in 2023.

Inside the Courtroom Circus With Elon Musk and Sam Altman

The tech leaders, with combined net worths exceeding $670 billion, have brought props to court and traded icy stares as their legal dispute reaches a denouement.

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New York

Bezos Family Gives $100 Million for Preschool Education in New York

Free child care is one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top goals. Now the Bezos Foundation is giving Robin Hood, a favorite philanthropy of wealthy New Yorkers, big money for early childhood education.

1-Year-Old Boy Killed in Bronx Fire

Two other children, 6-year-old twins, were critically injured in the fire at an apartment building in the Fordham neighborhood, the police said.

Already Facing a Challenge, a Republican Is Accused of Self-Dealing

Several entities tied to Representative Mike Lawler, New York’s most endangered House Republican, paid a political consulting firm he once owned, raising ethics concerns.

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Arts

At Frieze New York and Beyond, Indigenous Artists Are in the Spotlight

With works showing in New York, Venice and elsewhere, Sara Flores, Suzanne Kite and Seba Calfuqueo are exploding past notions of what, exactly, Indigenous art is.

How Much Art Is Too Much? A Guide to the New York Fairs.

Latin American galleries. World-class photography. Upcycled design. Art fairs will take over New York this week. Here are seven (of many) worth a visit.