New York Times - Top Stories

Deception and Betrayal: Inside the Final Days of the Assad Regime

President Bashar al-Assad, who wielded force over Syria for more than two decades, fled the country under the cover of night — and a fake political address.

11 min read

Iran Energy Crisis Hits ‘Dire’ Point as Industries Are Forced to Shut Down

Iran has one of the biggest supplies of oil and gas, but it has found itself in an energy emergency, while also suffering major geopolitical setbacks.

6 min read

A close-up photograph of Bashar al-Assad that has been scratched into to deface it. — David Guttenfelder/The New York Times

G.O.P. Spending Hawks Defy Trump on Debt Limit, Previewing More Clashes

President-elect Trump is known for his tight grip on his party, but a rare rejection of his demands reflected a disconnect that could plague his agenda.

6 min read

Biden Signs Spending Bill, Finalizing End to Shutdown Drama

2 min read

Dropped From Spending Bill, Cancer Research and D.C. Stadium Measures Revived by Senate

2 min read

Trump Picks ‘The Apprentice’ Producer as Special Envoy to Britain

3 min read

Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni and a Smear Campaign After ‘It Ends With Us’

Private messages detail an alleged campaign to smear the actress after she accused Mr. Baldoni of misconduct on the set of “It Ends With Us.”

11 min read

Najeebah Al-Ghadban

Rickey Henderson, Baseball’s Flamboyant ‘Man of Steal,’ Dies at 65

Widely regarded as the greatest leadoff hitter in history, he was not just one of the game’s most exciting players, but also one of its most charismatic.

7 min read

Rickey Henderson Leaves a Legacy as One of Baseball’s Greatest Showmen

From The Athletic

Rickey Henderson winces as he slides headfirst during a baseball game. He's wearing a green and yellow Oakland A's helmet. — Focus on Sport/Getty Images

A Cultural Casualty of the War in Ukraine: ‘The Nutcracker’

Lithuania’s national opera house stopped showing the Russian ballet in solidarity with Ukraine. Then a new minister expressed fondness for it, igniting a furor.

5 min read

People walk up red-carpeted stairs as others mill about a floor below under chandeliers and near a sparkling Christmas tree. — Andrej Vasilenko for The New York Times

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The Lives They Lived

The New York Times Magazine remembered some of the artists, innovators and thinkers we lost in the past year.

He’s the Only 3-Michelin-Starred Chef in Seoul. Don’t Cross Him.

Anh Sung-jae went to the U.S. as a child, joined the Army and opened a top restaurant in San Francisco. Now back in South Korea, he’s a Netflix star.

9 min read

A portrait of Chef Anh Sung-jae in a dark suit. — via Netflix

After the Military Took Power, Terrorist Attacks Only Got Worse

In Niger, killings by insurgents have surged since the military seized power, expelled U.S. and European troops and stopped negotiations with Islamist groups.

4 min read

People walk, ride or drive on a road near a billboard showing three figures in military uniforms. — Carmen Abd Ali for The New York Times

Germany Bulked Up Christmas Market Security. An Attack Still Happened.

The latest deadly assault on a beloved German tradition illustrates the challenge of holiday safety.

3 min read

German Officials Search for Motive in Christmas Market Attack

5 min read

Top Uniformed N.Y.P.D. Officer Resigns After Abuse Allegations

Jeffrey Maddrey traded sexual favors for overtime, according to a report from The New York Post. He had previously been accused of harassment on the job.

5 min read

Jeffrey Maddrey speaks into a microphone while standing at a lectern during a press briefing. — Victor J. Blue for The New York Times

Ohio State Dominates Tennessee in Playoff Win

The Buckeyes advanced to the quarterfinals after a strong offensive showing lifted them to a 42-17 victory.

From The Athletic

Looking Ahead to the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals

From The Athletic

Is ‘People Pleasing’ Giving You Money Problems? Here’s How to Fix Things.

Spending cash to avoid conflict or gain acceptance can ruin your finances. Some self-reflection and support from experts can help turn things around.

5 min read

In an illustration, four people climb and relax in a giant martini glass held by a giant hand. Instead of an olive, a gold disc with a dollar sign on it is speared by a toothpick. — Sol Cotti

What to Watch and Read

Weather

Opinion

Anton Jäger and Dries Daniels

Europe Had a Terrible Year. It’s Probably Going to Get Worse.

5 min read

Ema Ryan Yamazaki

What a School Performance Shows Us About Japanese Education

2 min read

David Brooks

The Shock of Faith: It’s Nothing Like I Thought It Would Be

15 min read

Ross Douthat

Religion Has Been in Decline. This Christmas Seems Different.

4 min read

Devin Gordon

Hollywood Is Desperate for Movie Stars. This Year, the Cavalry Arrived.

6 min read

Gary Nunn

Why I Would Never Donate Sperm in the United States

5 min read

Katherine Miller

The Budget Crisis Chaos Is Just a Hint of What’s to Come

5 min read

Jamelle Bouie

Donald Trump Is Vulnerable

6 min read

Letters From Our Readers

For Some, a Silver Lining in Alzheimer’s Caregiving

4 min read

Jessica Grose

Surveilling Speech Won’t Increase Birthrates

4 min read

Michelle Goldberg

The Surprising Sexual Politics of Nicole Kidman’s Kinky ‘Babygirl’

4 min read

Peter Coy

The Fate of This Federal Program Helps Explain Trump’s Win

7 min read

Good news: It doesn’t involve overhauling your diet.

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More News

University of California Resolves Civil Rights Complaints Over Gaza Protests

Five schools agreed to changes after reports that they failed to protect students from antisemitism and anti-Arab and anti-Muslim discrimination.

3 min read

Police Fatally Shoot Man Who Drove Pickup Into Texas Mall, Injuring 5

The police said the man was being investigated for possible drunken driving but instead of stopping, he smashed his pickup truck into a J.C. Penney.

2 min read

Terrorism Roars Back in Pakistan, 10 Years After a Campaign to End It

Political instability, dwindling public support and economic constraints are eroding the gains the country made in combating militancy after an attack in 2014.

5 min read

Several people are gathered by a coffin with flowers. — John Hart/Wisconsin State Journal, via Associated Press

Wisconsin Community Mourns School Shooting Victim Who Was ‘a Gift to Everyone’

Rubi Vergara was one of two victims killed in Madison. At a memorial service, she was remembered as an empathetic teenager with a passion for music and art.

3 min read