By Haley Lyons
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Entertainment
Trump Assails Grammys and Threatens to Sue Trevor Noah Over Epstein Joke
President Donald Trump described this year’s Grammys as “virtually unwatchable” and threatened to sue the host Trevor Noah over a joke that implied Trump had been to Jeffery Epstein’s island.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/arts/television/trump-grammys-trevor-noah.html
Timothy Busfield Is Indicted on Charges of Child Sexual Abuse
A grand jury in New Mexico voted to indict Timothy Busfield, longtime actor and director, on four counts of criminal sexual contact with a minor whom he directed on a television show.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/arts/television/timothy-busfield-indicted-child-sexual-abuse.html
Arts
Trump Shuts Down Kennedy Center After Artists Keep Cancelling, Jolting Workers and Performers
Trump announced plans to temporarily close the Kennedy Center for construction, revitalization, and rebuilding, describing it as “tired, broken, and dilapidated.” Trump justified the shutdown by stating that interruptions from audiences would impact the speed and quality of the renovation and said the Center will close on July 4 for approximately two years. This jolted employees and performers, and raised questions about the center’s orchestra, lost jobs, and the fate of subscribers and donors. Michael Kaiser, former president of the Kennedy Center, warned that shutting down an arts institute is risky, and noted that during renovations in 2002, he worked to avoid missing any performances to prevent losing staff and audiences.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-reveals-hes-closing-kennedy-center-for-maga-makeover/
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/arts/music/trumps-kennedy-center.html
Jewish Heirs Say Met Museum Pissarro Was Sold Under Nazi-Era Duress
The seven heirs of Max Julius Braunthal, a Jewish art collector persecuted by the Nazis, are suing the Metropolitan Museum of Art, arguing that a 1941 sale of Camille Pissarro’s “Haystacks, Morning, Éragny” was made under Nazi-era duress and is therefore void under French law. The Met says Braunthal received a fair market price and maintains that the transaction was legitimate and that the painting should remain in its collection.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/arts/design/jewish-heirs-met-museum-pissarro-nazis.html
Judge Bars Further Changes to George Washington’s Philadelphia House
Judge Cynthia M. Rufe, a federal judge in Philadelphia, ordered the National Park Service to make no further changes to the President’s House Site, where George Washington lived, while she considers a lawsuit brought by the City of Philadelphia. The suit challenges the removal of placards and videos addressing Washington’s involvement with slavery.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/politics/judge-george-washington-slavery.html
Former Whitney Chief Resigns From Art School After Epstein Email Release
David A. Ross resigned from his position as department chair at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan after his roughly 60 emails to Jeffrey Epstein were released this week. Ross expressed his regret of having been “taken in” by Epstein’s lies.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/nyregion/epstein-emails-david-ross-school-visual-arts.html
It’s Been Called the ‘Sistine Chapel of the New Deal.’ Don’t Destroy It.
The Wilbur J. Cohen Federal Building, which houses rare New Deal era murals by Philip Guston, Ben Shahn, and Seymour Fogel that have been called the “Sistine Chapel of the New Deal,” could be sold after its current owner, the General Services Administration, placed it under “accelerated disposition.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/arts/design/wilbur-cohen-building-murals-guston-shahn.html
‘Don Colossus,’ a Golden Statute of President Trump, Waits for Its Home
A group of cryptocurrency investors paid $300,000 to commission a 15-foot, gold-leaf statue of Trump known as “Don Colossus,” both as a tribute and to promote a meme coin called $PATRIOT. After delays, internal disputes, and a sharp drop in the coin’s value, a pedestal was installed at Trump’s golf resort in Doral, Florida, where organizers say the statue may be unveiled with the president in attendance.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/technology/trump-statue-don-colossus.html
Sports
After Minions music leads to nightmare for Olympic skater while putting a spotlight on a yearslong problem, licensing is accomplished
Spanish skater Tomas-Llorenc Guarino Sabate said he could no longer use a melody from the film “Minions” during the Milano Cortina Olympics due to copyright issues. Before 2014, skaters never faced copyright issues because music with lyrics was forbidden. Now that the rules have been relaxed, skaters have run into issues with their music. Sabate received approval at the last minute from rightsholders to use a medley of music from the animated film while performing his short program routine at the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics.
https://www.nbclosangeles.com/olympics/2026-milan-cortina/minions-music-olympics-tomas-llorenc-guarino-sabate/3842661/
https://apnews.com/article/milan-cortina-olympics-figure-skating-a3b45bb7397c06b4979aeb09e824168b
Lions fan files $100 million defamation lawsuit against Steelers’ DK Metcalf, others
Lions fan Ryan Kennedy filed a lawsuit against Pittsburgh Steelers’ wide receiver DK Metcalf after being accused of calling Metcalf a racial slur during an altercation between the two at Ford Field.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7020085/2026/02/04/dk-metcalf-lions-fan-lawsuit/
Tarik Skubal awarded $32 million in landmark arbitration victory
Detroit Tigers’ player Tarik Skubal will be awarded a $32 million salary in 2026, representing a $22 million increase in his salary from last season, making him one of the highest paid pitchers in the game.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7019362/2026/02/05/tarik-skubal-arbitration-32-million-victory/
‘I know where you park your car’: Online abuse and real-world fear in women’s football
Online abuse in women’s football has intensified in recent years, with players reporting sexualized, racist, and threatening messages. A.I. tools like Grok have allowed users to create sexualized images of players in revealing clothing. Players and officials say the abuse has worsened since 2024, forcing athletes to judge the seriousness of messages, whether they are genuine or not.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7020679/2026/02/06/wsl-player-safety-grok-online/
Prediction Markets and Casinos Go to War Over Sports Betting
Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket are battling casinos and sportsbooks over whether sports-related wagers on their platforms are subject to gambling laws and taxes. The casino industry and state regulators argue that the markets are indistinguishable from sports betting and have moved to shut them down through lawsuits and lobbying, while prediction markets say they are federally regulated and exempt from state gambling rules.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/business/dealbook/prediction-markets-sports-betting.html
Two Volleyball Leagues Want to Be the Next W.N.B.A. Only One Can Win
The Pro Volleyball Federation, now the Major League Volleyball, and League One Volleyball are competing to build a U.S. women’s pro volleyball league. Sources say that the country cannot sustain multiple leagues and there can only be one winner.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/08/business/womens-volleyball-league-pfv-lovb.html
Why the first step in fixing the NCAA’s player eligibility is the hardest one to take
The NCAA crisis involving college sports’ eligibility persists because of legal challenges to NCAA rules and schools that encourage players to sue while holding a place for the players on the roster.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7022344/2026/02/05/ncaa-eligibility-rules-college-football-basketball/
Former MLB star Yasiel Puig found guilty of obstruction of justice, false statements
Former Dodgers player Yasiel Puig was found guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators over lies told during a 2022 interview about his involvement with an illegal sports gambling operation.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7024828/2026/02/06/yasiel-puig-trial-guilty-gambling-obstruction/
Top NFL Draft prospect Gavin McKenna charged with felony aggravated assault
Gavin McKenna, a Penn State hockey player and one of the top prospects for the NHL, faces felony assault charges after allegedly hitting a man in the face, which resulted in the man needing corrective surgery in December.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7022474/2026/02/04/gavin-mckenna-felony-charges-arrested-penn-state-hockey/
Tuskegee coach Benjy Taylor briefly handcuffed postgame, retains civil rights attorneys
Tuskegee University men’s basketball coach Benjy Taylor was escorted off the court in handcuffs during a recent game after an exchange between Taylor and campus police escalated. He was later released and his legal team is exploring the possibility of filing a civil lawsuit.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7015915/2026/02/02/tuskegee-coach-handcuffed-civil-lawsuit/
Daron Lee, Jets’ 2016 first-round pick, charged in girlfriend’s murder
Former NFL linebacker Darron Lee was arrested in Tennessee and charged with first-degree murder and evidence tampering in the death of his girlfriend.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7028469/2026/02/06/darron-lee-jets-charged-murder/
Prosecutors withdraw felony assault charge of Gavin Mckenna
Prosecutors withdrew the felony aggravated assault charge against Gavin McKenna, a top NHL Draft prospect at Penn State, saying video evidence did not support the allegation, though he still faces misdemeanor assault and summary charges of harassment.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7027746/2026/02/06/gavin-mckenna-felony-assault-charge-dropped/
Breezy Johnson wins gold in women’s downhill, first U.S. medal of Olympics
Breezy Johnson became the first American in 16 years to win the Olympic downhill gold after she finished in 1 minute and 36.10 seconds.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7030597/2026/02/08/breezy-johnson-winter-olympics-downhill-gold-lindsey-vonn/
Lindsey Vonn injured, in stable condition after crash in Olympic women’s downhill
Lindsey Vonn, an American Alpin skier, crashed on the Olympia delle Tofane slope at the winter Olympics after she jumped and slipped a gate midair, which made her crash hard into the snow. Sources report that Vonn had surgery to repair a fractured leg and was in stable condition.
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7030495/2026/02/08/lindsey-vonn-winter-olympics-downhill-crash-torn-acl/
Italy Toughens Protest Laws, Hours Before Planned Rallies at Winter Olympics
The Italian government announced tightened restrictions on protests that will take effect within days, affecting demonstrators who planned to protest. The restrictions allow police to detain people for up to 12 hours when there are reasonable grounds to believe they may jeopardize the peaceful conduct of a protest.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/world/europe/italy-olympics-security-law-protests.html
After Appearing in Epstein Files, L.A. Olympics Chief Lies Low at Milan Games
Justice Department documents revealed that Casey Wasserman, chairman of the 2028 Summer Olympics organizing committee, had exchanged flirtatious emails with Ghislaine Maxwell in 2003. Wasserman expressed regret and stated that he did not have a personal or business relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. The disclosure prompted calls for his resignation and renewed questions, while Wasserman and other Los Angeles Olympic Officials have kept a low profile.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/world/europe/la-olympic-games-wasserman-epstein-files.html
Media/Technology
Administration Social Media Posts Echo White Supremacist Messaging
Over the past month, the Trump administration has made dozens of social media posts aligned with far-right extremist groups and white supremacy. The posts include references to Neo-Nazi literature, QAnon slogans, and white nationalist anthems that are more recognizable to extremist audiences and may not appear harmful or offensive to others.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/27/us/politics/white-supremacy-trump-administration-social-media.html
‘I Didn’t Make a Mistake’: Trump Declines to Apologize for Racist Video of Obamas
Trump declined to apologize after posting a racist video depicting former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama as apes. The video prompted strong and public condemnation from members of Trump’s own party, along with several Republicans calling it offensive and unacceptable.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/us/politics/trump-obamas-video-apes-truth-social.html
‘They Couldn’t Break Me’: A Protester, the White House, and a Doctored Photo
While the White House often circulates photos manipulated by A.I. on social media as a form of mockery, a photo of Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and activist, has been labeled as disinformation. Armstrong was arrested after she led an ICE protest. During her transport from the federal courthouse to the Sherburne County Jail, she remained calm and kept her head held high while she wore three layers of shackles. The White House posted manipulated photos of her transport depicting her as hysterical and in despair with a caption describing her as a “far-left agitator.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/us/politics/nekima-levy-armstrong-minnesota-protest.html
Failure to Alert Judges to Press Law for Reporter Search Draws Ethical Scrutiny
The Justice Department failed to alert a judge to the 1980 Privacy Protection Act when seeking a warrant to search the home of a Washington Post reporter. Legal ethics specialists said that if Gordon D. Kromberg, an assistant U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, knew of the law, the failure to tell the judge violated Rule 3.3 “Candor Toward the Tribunal.” The law prohibits lawyers from knowingly failing to disclose controlling adverse legal authority.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/us/washington-post-reporter-home-search.html
Washington Post Lays Off More Than 300 Journalists
The Washington Post laid off about 30% of all its employees, including 300 journalists in the newsroom. Editors said that the cuts resulted from the company having lost too much money, a decline in readers, and reduced online traffic. The newspaper plans to focus more heavily on national news and politics, business, and health.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/business/media/washington-post-layoffs.html
Elon Musk Merges SpaceX With his A.I. Start-Up xAI
Elon Musk announced that SpaceX had acquired xAI, the artificial intelligence company controlled by Musk, consolidating his companies in a deal that creates the world’s most valuable private company, valued at more than $1 trillion. The merger financially rescued xAI and advances Musk’s recent plans to develop space-based data centers to power artificial-intelligence systems.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/technology/spacex-xai-deal.html
Social Network for A.I. Bots Only. No Humans Allowed
Matt Schlicht, a technologist in Los Angeles, recently launched a new social network called Moltbook. Moltbook allows artificial intelligence chatbots to interact with each other and they have discussed topics ranging from private email protocols to telling humans they are not scary. While Moltbook provides an example of the dramatic improvements in A.I. over the past few years, the technology remains flawed, unpredictable, and difficult to secure.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/technology/moltbook-ai-social-media.html
How ICE Already Knows Who Minneapolis Protesters Are
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have said that they use two facial recognition programs and social media monitoring to identify undocumented immigrants and track ICE protesters. The American Civil Liberties Union raised concerns that the technologies are being used more aggressively than in the past, expanding the government’s tracking abilities. Over the last year, ICE has expended its use of technology after Trump signed a bill that increased ICE’s annual budget from $8 billion to roughly $28 billion.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/technology/tech-ice-facial-recognition-palantir.html
Chaos in Minneapolis Exposes an Internet at War With Truth
Experts raised concerns that Americans are losing the ability to distinguish between fact and fiction online following the deaths of two protesters in Minneapolis. The political climate mirrors the environment that followed the killing of George Floyd in 2020, but the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, combined with an erosion of trust, has distorted the way information spreads. A.I.-generative tools and the growth of social media have allowed false narratives to flourish while casting doubt on real videos and images.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/technology/minneapolis-ai-disinformation-misinformation-truth.html
Europe Accuses TikTok of ‘Addictive Design’ and Pushes for Change
European Union regulators say that TikTok’s infinite scroll feature and recommendation algorithm represents an addictive design that violates European Union laws for online safety. TikTok may be required to overhaul core features or face fines under the Digital Services Act, while the company said it plans to challenge the findings.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/business/tiktok-addictive-design-europe.html
Police Search X’s Premises in France as Prosecutors Summon Elon Musk
French police searched X’s offices in Paris and prosecutors summoned Elon Musk, following a yearlong investigation into the platform. French authorities say X and its A.I. chatbot Grok failed to restrict illegal content, while the company denies wrongdoing. The move highlights growing tensions between European regulators and the Trump administration over social media platform regulation. While European leaders want increased social media regulation to protect users from abuse, the Trump Administration says those efforts are an attack on American free speech.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/world/europe/musk-x-france-police-search.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/world/europe/social-media-free-speech.html
General News
Supreme Court Clears Way for California Voting Map
The Supreme Court rejected a request from the Republican Party to block California’s new congressional map, which was designed to help Democrats for the midterm elections. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/us/politics/supreme-court-california-congressional-map.html
Nuclear Arms Control Era Comes to End Amid Global Rush for New Weapons
The New START treaty expired ending over 50 years of nuclear arms control between the United States and Russia, leaving both countries without limits on the size or structure of their arsenals. President Donald Trump did not extend the treaty and argued it was poorly negotiated and should include China. The collapse of arms control has raised concerns of the possibility of a global arms race.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/us/politics/new-start-nuclear-arms-control.html
Congress Reins In Drug Middlemen in Effort to Lower Prescription Prices
Congress passed a spending package that imposes new restrictions on companies, like CVS Caremark, Optum Rx, and Express Scripts, who oversee prescription benefits to decrease drug prices. The legislation targets practices that incentivize higher-priced drugs, requires greater transparency, and changes how P.B.M.s are paid under Medicare, though projected federal savings are relatively modest.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/health/prescription-drug-prices-pharmacy-benefit-managers-congress.html
Judge Halts Trump for a Fifth Loss in His Effort to Halt Offshore Wind Projects
A federal judge struck down the Interior Department’s order to stop work on the Sunrise Wind farm off the coast of New York State. This decision marks the fifth time that courts have ruled against the Trump administration’s efforts to stop the construction of wind farms on the East Coast. In December, the Interior Department halted construction after the Defense Department reported that the projects posed a threat to national security.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/climate/judge-offshore-wind-sunrise.html
We Were Top Homeland Security Lawyers - You Can’t Wish Away the Fourth Amendment
Previous general counsels for the Department of Homeland Security disagree with James Percival’s statement that the deep-state federal government had prevented ICE officers from entering fugitive aliens’ homes even with a warrant. They said the Fourth Amendment, not the “deep state”, is what has restrained ICE from entering homes with only administrative warrants and categorized Percival’s statement as offensive and dangerous.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/opinion/ice-dhs-warrants-minnesota.html
Trump is Hosting Governors at the White House, but Only Republicans
Trump will host an annual meeting of governors at the White House later this month but has limited invitations to Republicans only. This decision breaks a longstanding tradition of bipartisan participation while still planning a separate bipartisan dinner.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/us/politics/trump-republican-governors-white-house.html
Demanding Support for Trump, Justice Dept. Struggles to Recruit Prosecutors
The Justice Department is struggling to recruit prosecutors as offices are depleted by resignations and firings, amid demands that candidates support Trump’s agenda.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/politics/doj-prosecutors-recruiting-trump.html
Trump Opens Marine National Monument in Atlantic to Commercial Fishing
On Friday, President Donald Trump moved to allow commercial fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, the only marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean. The move revives a policy Trump pursued during his first term, but former President Joe Biden Jr. reinstated the restrictions.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/climate/trump-monument-fishing-northeast-canyons.html
Prosecutors Began Investigating Renee Good’s Killing. Washington Told Them to Stop
Federal prosecutors in Minnesota began investigating the fatal shooting of Renee Good by an I.C.E. agent, but the Trump administration ordered them to stop, citing concerns that it would contradict the president’s public account of the shooting. The decision prompted a wave of resignations which has left the U.S. attorney’s office severely understaffed.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/renee-good-investigation-minnesota-trump.html
Lawmakers Say They Will Not Cooperate With Inquiry Into Illegal Orders Video
Four Democratic lawmakers said they will not cooperate with a Justice Department investigation into a video urging service members to resist illegal orders, denouncing the inquiry as vindictive prosecution and a violation of free speech. The investigation escalated after President Donald Trump condemned the video as sedition and “punishable by death,” though the administration has not identified any crime.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/us/politics/lawmakers-pirro-illegal-orders-video.html
U.S. Seeks to Expedite Deportation of 5-Year-Old Liam Conejo Ramos
The U.S. government is seeking to expedite the deportation of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father after the child was detained last month during an immigration enforcement operation near Minneapolis.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/us/us-deportation-liam-conejo-ramos-minnesota.html
Federal Vaccine Advisers Take Aim at Covid Shots
Members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices chosen by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have imposed some limits on access to Covid vaccines and are now scrutinizing mRNA shots and vaccines given to pregnant women. One panelist accused the F.D.A. of hiding data on potential harms, even as regulatory agencies and numerous studies have found no serious safety concerns.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/health/vaccines-covid-acip-malone-kennedy.html
Trump, in an Escalation, Calls for Republicans to Nationalize’ Elections
In a recent interview, President Donald Trump called for the Republican Party to “nationalize” voting, raising concerns of his administration’s efforts to gain more control over U.S. election matters. Following the 2020 election, the Trump administration has advanced claims that the U.S. elections are fraudulent and conspiracy theories alleging that undocumented immigrants vote in U.S. elections and increase the Democratic party’s turnout.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/politics/trump-nationalize-elections.html
Trump Administration Sued Over Ban on Immigration From 75 Countries
On Monday, a group of American citizens, immigration nonprofits, and legal organizations sued Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the State Department over a policy implemented last month that suspended the approval of visas for people from more than 75 countries. The policy marks the Trump administration’s latest effort to restrict immigration and is justified by the administration as necessary to prevent immigrants from “taking welfare” from Americans, a claim the legal organizations challenge as unsupported and false.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/nyregion/immigration-ban-lawsuit-75-countries.html
A Legal Tool for Hiding ICE Agents to Account, Hiding in Plain Sight
A 1987 law review article written by law professor AkhilReed Amar indicates that states may impose lawsuits against federal officials for violating the Constitution, potentially closing the gap that makes it more difficult to hold federal officials accountable than local officials. Illinois recently enacted a law allowing suits against ICE agents for constitutional violations, which was challenged by the Trump administration on the grounds that it violated the supremacy clause.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/ice-lawsuits-states.html
How the Supreme Court Secretly Made Itself Even More Secretive
In November 2024, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. required Supreme Court employees to sign a nondisclosure agreement to keep the court’s inner workings secret after a series of internal document leaks. The agreements came amid calls for increased transparency within the Court, turned the previously informal norm of confidentiality into a binding contract, and are understood to threaten legal action if an employee revealed confidential information.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/supreme-court-nondisclosure-agreements.html
New York Attorney General to Send Observers to Document ICE Raids
On Tuesday, Letitia James, the New York attorney general, announced plans for the office to deploy legal observers to document ICE raids across the state to collect real time information on immigration enforcement activity and determine if ICE agents are acting lawfully. The Trump administration criticized the plan, while James said the effort was aimed at increasing transparency and accountability in federal immigration enforcement.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/nyregion/letitia-james-ice-observers-new-york.html
Investigation Finds Credit Suisse Had Wider Nazi Ties Than Previously Known
A yearslong investigation found that Credit Suisse had more extensive ties to Nazis than previously reported. A dispute involving access to roughly 150 documents has complicated efforts to fully examine the bank’s World War II era conduct.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/us/politics/senate-credit-suisse-nazis.html
Lawsuit Argues Trump Gold Card Visa Program Prioritizes Wealth Over Ability
A coalition of immigrants and an academic labor union sued President Donald Trump in federal court, arguing that his gold card visa program prioritizes wealth over ability and bypasses Congress by offering expedited visas to applicants who pay more than $1 million. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/us/politics/trump-gold-card-visa-lawsuit.html
Colleges See Major Racial Shifts in Student Enrollment
A new analysis found that after the Supreme Court’s 2023 ban on race-conscious college admissions, the Black and Hispanic freshman enrollment declined sharply at highly selective universities. However, public flagship universities saw an 8 percent enrollment increase of underrepresented minority groups following the Supreme Court’s decision. Higher rejection rates at elite schools pushed many students of color to enroll elsewhere, which contributed to the increase in enrollment at public flagship universities.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/us/colleges-see-major-racial-shifts-in-student-enrollment.html
More Parents Are Rejecting a Lifesaving Vitamin Shot for Newborns
Hospitals have seen an increase in parents refusing to get their newborns the routine vitamin K injection, although the shot has been given for over 60 years to prevent bleeding disorders. Doctors say the trend, which appears tied to broader anti-vaccine sentiment, has led to preventable cases of severe bleeding, even though the injection is highly effective and nearly eliminates the risk.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/well/vitamin-k-shots-parents.html
Fulton County in Georgia Challenges the F.B.I.’s Seizure of 2020 Ballots
On Wednesday Fulton County filed a motion demanding that the federal government return ballots and other 2020 election materials that the F.B.I. seized last week and unseal the affidavit supporting a search warrant allowing the F.B.I. to search election headquarters. Officials warn that the Trump administration might intervene or cast doubt on this year's midterm elections as part of its efforts to nationalize elections.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/us/politics/fulton-county-fbi-raid-trump-gabbard.html
Nike, Accused of Bias Against White Workers, Is Under Federal Investigation
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is investigating allegations discrimination against white employees and applicants stemming from Nike’s D.E.I. programs. The case marks the first time that the E.E.O.C. has said D.E.I. programs can amount to discrimination against white people.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/business/eeoc-nike-white-employee-discrimination.html
A policy change gives Trump the power to remove or discipline as many as 50,000 federal workers.
The Trump administration finalized a policy that would strip job protections from up to 50,000 federal workers, making it easier for the president to remove or discipline them. https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02/05/us/trump-news#trump-federal-workers-protections
F.D.A. Relaxes Rules on ‘Naturally Derived’ Dyes
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy announced that the Food and Drug Administration will relax regulations to allow food makers to claim that their products have ‘no artificial colors’ as long as they do not use petroleum-based dyes.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/us/politics/kennedy-fda-food-dyes-protein.html
Pentagon Official Rejects Plea Deal in U.S.S. Cole Bombing Case
A Pentagon official rejected a proposed plea agreement for a sentence of up to life in prison in the U.S.S. Cole bombing case. Acceptance of the proposal would have spared the defendant a death sentence, but the denial clears the way for the first death-penalty trial at Guantánamo Bay to begin this summer. The defendant, Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, has been in U.S. custody since 2002 and is accused of orchestrating the 2000 attack in Yemen that killed 17 sailors.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/us/politics/cole-bombing-plea-deal-rejected.html
Trump Drops Demand for Cash From Harvard After Stiff Resistance
President Donald Trump is said to have dropped his administration’s demand that Harvard University pay $200 million to the government as part of negotiations over federal investigations. Hours after the drop was reported, Trump publicly denied backtracking and instead said he now seeks $1 billion “in damages” from Harvard and asserted that the investigations against Harvard should be criminal instead of civil.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/politics/trump-harvard-payment.html
Hegseth Says Defense Department Will Cut Ties with Harvard
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced the Defense Department’s plans to cut academic ties with Harvard University by discontinuing graduate-level professional military education, fellowship, and certificate programs beginning next school year.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/us/politics/hegseth-defense-harvard.html
Trump’s Online Drugstore Opens for Business
President Donald Trump announced the launch of TrumpRx, a government website aimed at helping Americans use their own money to buy prescription drugs. The website directs users to pharmacies or manufacturers’ direct-purchase sites. Researchers warned that many patients could end up paying more than they would through insurance, since most of the drugs listed are already widely covered through insurance or have inexpensive generics.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/health/trumprx-online-drugstore-prices.html
Kennedy Makes Unfounded Claim that Keto Diet Can ‘Cure’ Schizophrenia and Psychiatrist Says Kennedy Was ‘Not Accurate’ in Discussing His Keto Studies
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced that a keto diet can cure schizophrenia, citing a 2019 study that showed two patients with schizophrenia experience complete remission symptoms while maintaining a keto diet. Dr. Christopher M. Palmer, a Harvard psychiatrist, said Kennedy Jr. was not accurate in his claim. Dr. Palmer said that while the keto diet is a promising therapeutic approach that has led to remission of symptoms in some patients, evidence remains limited and patients should not abandon standard treatment.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/us/politics/kennedy-keto-diet-schizophrenia.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/us/politics/christopher-palmer-kennedy-schizophrenia-keto.html
For $1 Million, Donors to U.S.A. Birthday Group Offered Access to Trump
President Donald Trump’s allies are offering donors who give at least $1 million access to him through a new group called Freedom 250, which raises money for events and monuments tied to the United States’ 250th birthday. The effort has raised concerns that the Trump-backed group could overshadow the bipartisan America250 commission.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/08/us/politics/freedom-250-trump-donors.html
Whistle-Blower Report Involved Intelligence About a Trump Contact
Members of Congress were briefed on a whistleblower report involving an intelligence intercept of foreign nationals discussing someone close to President Donald Trump. The whistle-blower accused Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, of restricting access to the report, though the acting intelligence community’s inspector general later cleared her of wrongdoing.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/politics/whistle-blower-gabbard-trump.html
Surge in Immigration Cases in Minnesota Pushes Prosecutors and Judges to Brink
An increase in immigration cases in Minnesota tied to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement campaign has overwhelmed courts, prosecutors and judges, leaving many immigrants detained in violation of court orders.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/us/politics/minnesota-immigration-crackdown.html
Top ICE Lawyers in Minnesota Departs as Immigration Lawsuits Overwhelm Courts
Jim Stolley, the chief counsel for I.C.E. in Minnesota, has left the agency as a surge of immigration lawsuits tied to the Trump administration’s crackdown has overwhelmed courts and government lawyers. His departure comes as judges criticize I.C.E. for violating more than 100 judicial orders and as federal prosecutors struggle to manage hundreds of new cases.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/ice-lawyer-quits-minnesota.html
Educators Sue to Keep Immigration Agents From Schools and Bus Stops
Educators in Minnesota filed a federal lawsuit that seeks to stop I.C.E. agents from conducting immigration enforcement near schools and bus stops. The lawsuit challenges a Trump administration policy that rescinded guidance limiting agents’ activity at sensitive locations such as schools, churches, and hospitals.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/us/minnesota-educators-immigration-agents-lawsuit-schools-bus-stops.html
Federal Judge Blocks Texas Law Targeting Critics of Fossil Fuels
Federal judge, Alan D. Albright of the U.S. District Court in Austin, Texas ruled that a 2021 law that barred state agencies from investing with firms accused of boycotting fossil fuels was unconstitutional and blocked its enforcement. He said the law, known as S.B. 13, was overly broad, vague, and allowed the state to penalize companies for protected expression concerning fossil fuels.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/climate/texas-esg-lawsuit.html
New York City Partners with W.H.O. as U.S. Withdraws from Global Effort
The New York City Health Department joined a World Health Organization network aimed at countering new pathogens and outbreaks just two weeks after the Trump administration withdrew the U.S. from the organization.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/nyregion/nyc-health-world-health-organization.html
Portland, Ore., Mayor Calls for ICE to Leave After Children Are Tear-Gassed
Portland’s mayor and City Council are considering implementing financial penalties to force Immigration and Customs Enforcement out of the city following a teargassing of many protestors, including children. City officials cited the frequent use of crowd dispersal weapons at protests near the ICE facility since June. They proposed imposing fees and land-use enforcement measures on private property owners who lease space to ICE.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/portland-ice-tear-gas-children.html
U.S. Judge Says Trump Cannot Halt Funding for Tunnel Project
A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from suspending billions of dollars in funding for the Gateway rail tunnel under the Hudson River.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/nyregion/gateway-tunnel-project-funding-trump.html
Shopping Sprees and a Penthouse: Public Defender Please Guilty to Fraud
Lori Zeno, the founder of the public defender organization Queen’s Defenders, pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy after federal prosecutors in Brooklyn said she stole more than $300,000 in public money to pay for luxury expenses, including a penthouse apartment, vacations, and personal services.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/03/nyregion/queens-defenders-corruption-lori-zeno.html
Brad Karp Resigns as Paul Weiss Chairman Amid Epstein Fallout
Brad Karp resigned as chairman of Paul Weiss on Wednesday following the public release of emails revealing social interactions between him and Jeffrey Epstein. Scott Barshay, the head of the firm’s corporate practice, replaced Karp as chairman.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/business/brad-karp-paul-weiss-resigns-epstein.html
Ohio Man Is Charged With Threatening to Kill JD Vance
Shannon Mathre, of Toledo, Ohio, was charged with threatening to kill Vice President JD Vance with a M14 automatic gun the day before Vance was scheduled to speak at an event in Toledo.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/us/politics/jd-vance-threat-charged-ohio.html
The Government Published Dozens of Nude Photos in the Epstein Files
The Justice Department released dozens of unredacted nude images of young women contained in the files related to Jeffery Epstein, following the December 2025 deadline for releasing all the files. The federal government was tasked with redacting sexually explicit imagery from the photos that could be used to identify victims, but The New York Times identified nearly 40 unredacted nude images that contained the faces of the people. Victims have expressed outrage that their personal information and photos had been found in the files and their shock at the level of carelessness from the department.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/01/us/nude-photos-epstein-files.html
Epstein Files Reveal Scope of Ghislaine Maxwell’s Role in Clinton Circle
Recently released documents from the Justice Department show that Ghislaine Maxwell contributed a substantial role in the launch of Clinton Global Initiative by advising on budgets and arranging payments. The emails detail the overlap between Maxwell and Bill Clinton’s circle, though the source of the funding remains unclear and Clinton has said he knew nothing of Epstein’s crimes and has nothing to hide.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/08/us/politics/epstein-clintons-maxwell.html
Clintons Capitulate on house Epstein Inquiry, Agreeing to Testify
After remaining adamant that they would not comply with subpoenas for months, Bill and Hillary Clinton agreed to testify in the investigation of Jeffery Epstein, just days before the House of Representatives was expected to vote to hold them criminally contempt. This will mark the first time a former president has appeared before Congress since 1983. Bill Clintons’ lawyers’ requests to limit the length of the interview to four hours and the scope of the interview to matters related to Epstein were denied by Representative James R. Komer of Kentucky, who said the requests were unreasonable.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/02/us/politics/bill-hillary-clinton-epstein-comer-contempt.html
Files Detail Epstein’s Dealings With Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
Records released last week by the Justice Department show that Howard Lutnick, President Donald Trump’s commerce secretary, had repeated interactions with Jeffrey Esptein for more than a decade. Their interactions included shared investments and social contacts, which contradicted Lutnick’s claim that he had cut ties with Epstein after 2005.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/07/nyregion/lutnick-epstein-files-dealings.html
U.N. Says It’s in Danger of Financial Collapse Because of Unpaid Dues
The United Nations warned that it could face financial collapse by July if member states, particularly the United States, do not pay billions of dollars in unpaid mandatory dues. Secretary General António Guterres said the funding shortfall could force the closure of the U.N.’s New York headquarters and disrupt core functions, citing chronic late payments and financial rules that leave the organization vulnerable to liquidity crises.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/30/world/americas/un-finances-collapse-debts.html
Iran Is at Work on Missile and Nuclear Sites, Satellite Images Show
Satellite imagery analyzed by The New York Times shows that Iran rapidly repaired many ballistic missile facilities damaged in Israeli and U.S. strikes last year, while the repairs at major nuclear sites have been limited and slower. The uneven pace of reconstruction hints that Iran has prioritized rebuilding its missile program, even as its main nuclear enrichment facilities appear largely inoperative.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/world/middleeast/iran-missile-nuclear-repairs.html