Today's Headlines: Trump Offers Putin Economic Relief in Hopes That Russia Will Return the Favor
How Pennsylvania Explains the Forces Shaping the Midterms
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines
October 18, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Trump Offers Putin Economic Relief in Hopes That Russia Will Return the Favor

The Trump administration is ignoring the will of Congress and waiving new Russia sanctions amid fears that high energy prices will cost Republicans in next month’s elections.

How Pennsylvania Explains the Forces Shaping the Midterms

Four battleground congressional districts in the state reveal fault lines that are echoing nationwide.

This Is the Kill Zone

The front line in Ukraine has blurred into a miles-wide wasteland where drones fill the sky and neither side holds firm control.

World

Deadly ‘Incident’ at Canadian Army Base Sets Off Major Fire

The defense minister said people were killed and injured at the base in Alberta, but officials did not offer details on the cause.

Unrest Mars Day of Protest in France, as Student Movement Turns National

Riots broke out in several French cities alongside peaceful marches of tens of thousands of people demonstrating against rising living costs and poor school conditions.

‘I Am Much Better, Thank You’: Pope Leo Leaves Hospital, Days After Lung Surgery

Leo XIV had been treated for lung cancer at Gemelli Hospital in Rome.

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U.S.

‘Can We Get That Back?’ After School Shooting, Bend Questions Its Identity.

Days after the shooting at Silver Rail Elementary School, the community is questioning its resilience — and safety.

4 Takeaways From a Voting-Focused ‘No Kings’ Day

Saturday’s gatherings were more subdued than some past events, and many prominent Democrats skipped them.

One Child, One Adult Killed as Truck Plows Through Soccer Game

A pickup truck drove through a soccer field in Wichita, Kan., the authorities said. There were 10 others injured, including 5 children, and the driver was in custody.

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Politics

Drawn by Nixon’s Surprise Surge, Sanders Makes Rare Florida Trip

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has made a point of investing in Republican-leaning states. He rallied in Tampa for Ms. Nixon, the underdog Democratic nominee for Florida Senate.

Paxton Hits the Road, Looking to Rally Texas Republicans

Ken Paxton’s bus tour of Texas comes as polls have shown the race for Senate is increasingly close. His rival, James Talarico, is scheduled to kick off a similar tour on Sunday.

Susan Collins Criticizes Rival’s ‘Oh, Shut Up’ Comment as ‘Very Telling’

Ms. Collins, a Republican running in a crucial race, said the debate remark by Troy Jackson reflected how he treated women. Mr. Jackson defended his comment.

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Business

The Elizabeth Holmes Documentary, Through the Eyes of the Reporter Who Exposed Her

Ms. Holmes handed the makers of “You Can See Everything” — and the rest of the world — a microscope with which to observe and dissect her lies.

Corporate Tax Revenue Falls Even as Profits Soar Under Trump

The annual decline was about $70 billion. Companies are writing off billions in A.I. investments, taking advantage of tax cuts that President Trump signed into law.

Shopping for Your 2027 Medicare Coverage Is Extra Important Now

Be sure to read your mail this fall — big changes to prescription drug plans and Medicare Advantage provider networks are coming, and could cost you more.

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New York

Man Fatally Shot in Midtown Manhattan Subway Station

The shooting occurred on Saturday at the 7th Avenue Station on 53rd Street, near Times Square. The Police Department said there have been no arrests.

How the Billionaire Owner of Two Sports Teams Spends a Day Chasing Wins

Laurie M. Tisch, an owner of the New York Giants and Gotham F.C., spends her time on art, family and both kinds of football.

He Was a Top Voice on Palestinian Liberation. Filmgoers Are Listening.

A new documentary on Edward Said, the Palestinian American literary critic and activist who taught for decades at Columbia, brought New Yorkers together in a fraught political moment.

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Arts

In ‘East of Eden,’ the Root of Evil Is All Too Familiar

Zoe Kazan and Florence Pugh’s nuanced take on the Netflix show’s villain has rankled Steinbeck purists by making her a human being.

The Metal Mecca of Brooklyn Returns

Over two nights at Saint Vitus, the newly reopened venue, generations of metalheads made their pilgrimage.

A Mona Lisa Etched Into Oklahoma’s Skies by a Pilot and His Plane

Benjamin McDaniel, known as the Pilot Picasso, has drawn some of the most elaborate designs in the sky: a world map, a “Lord of The Rings” homage and now, a Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece.

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Books

Banter and Booze at the Best Book Parties of the Year

Each October, the international publishing business descends on Frankfurt, Germany, for days of dealing and long nights of partying.

These Nuns Liked to Keep Quiet. Women on Death Row Got Them Talking.

In “Redemption,” the Pulitzer Prize winner Lawrence Wright asks whether people sentenced to die in Texas should have a second chance.

His Wife’s Accidental Killer Apologized, Then They Fell in Love

In “Every Story Is a Love Story,” a widower develops complicated feelings for the woman who upended his life.