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

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

One Way Democrats Want to Gain Votes: Talk Up Their Faith

In a party that has grown less religious, some prominent Democrats say discussing their deepest beliefs can be an authentic way to connect.

6 min read

Refugees Are Bracing for Trump to Cut the Resettlement Program Again

As Donald Trump returns to office, the rebuilt program is under threat. Many vulnerable people approved for resettlement in the U.S. could be stranded abroad.

5 min read

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Wants to Overhaul the F.D.A. Here’s How Experts Would Change It.

8 min read

From left, pictures of State Representative James Talarico of Texas, Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia and Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania. — Eric Gay/Associated Press, Kenny Holston/The New York Times, Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

The New Climate Gold Rush: Scrubbing Carbon From the Sky

Investors are betting that they can make a dent in global warming, and healthy profits, with companies that alter the atmosphere.

6 min read

A welder working on steel beams in an open, snowy field. — Amber Bracken for The New York Times

The Great Read

Fighting to Avoid Her Mother’s Fate, for Her Daughters’ Sake

A mutant gene is coming to steal Linde Jacobs’s mind. Can she find a way to stop it?

19 min read

Mike Kai Chen for The New York Times

Michael B. Thomas for The New York Times

Mike Kai Chen for The New York Times

It Can Be Lonely to Have a Middle-of-the Road Opinion on the Middle East

Some college students and faculty members are seeking space for nuanced perspectives on the Israel-Hamas war on deeply divided campuses.

5 min read

University of California Resolves Civil Rights Complaints Over Gaza Protests

3 min read

Two people stand in a shadowed foyer, leaning against a wall. — Mark Abramson for The New York Times

Weekend Reads

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Detention Is Ordered for Suspect in Christmas Market Killings in Germany

The authorities said they were struggling to understand the motives for the attack in Magdeburg, in which a 9-year-old boy was among the five victims.

2 min read

A woman wearing a hat, crouches with a dog next to a blurred pile of flowers and lights. — Christian Mang/Reuters

Why Is It So Hard to Make a Robot Chef?

Restaurants are experimenting with automation. But in the kitchen, human labor is hard to replace.

7 min read

The Fight to Save Googie, the Style of Postwar Optimism

The car-centric architectural style, characterized by neon signs and dramatic rooflines, is now endangered. Its admirers mourn the loss of the ideals it represented.

8 min read

Ashok Sinha

The Jets Are ‘Dysfunctional.’ Their Problems Start With Woody Johnson.

Johnson, the owner, is said to have denigrated his own players in the locker room and has seemed to follow his teenage sons’ advice on decisions.

From The Athletic

A Guide to Each Team’s Path to the Playoffs

Can the Eagles Soar to an 11-Game Winning Streak?

From The Athletic

Behold! ‘Christmas Adam’ Is Born.

First there was Christmas Eve … and then a new celebration was created.

5 min read

A church service features musicians playing, on a stage with Christmas decorations. — Jamie Kelter Davis for The New York Times

What to Watch and Read

Weather

Opinion

David Brooks

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

15 min read

Parker Richards

What Nantucket Owes the Whale

10 min read

Two North Atlantic right whales. — Grade Solomon for The New York Times

Maia Szalavitz

What Kennedy’s Approach to Addiction Gets Wrong

5 min read

A sculpture of Jesus Christ lying on the lap of the Virgin Mary, whose arms are outstretched. Above them is a metal casing.

Anton Jäger and Dries Daniels

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

5 min read

Kurt Gray

We’ve Been Getting Human Nature Wrong for 100 Years

5 min read

David French

Why Are So Many Christians So Cruel?

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

Ross Douthat

Religion Has Been in Decline. This Christmas Seems Different.

4 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

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

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More News

U.S. Fighter Jet Shot Down Over Red Sea by Apparent Friendly Fire

A U.S. Navy ship mistakenly fired at the F/A-18, whose two pilots were safely recovered, the military said.

2 min read

After the Military Took Power in Niger, Terrorist Attacks Increased

Killings by insurgents have surged since the military staged a coup, expelled U.S. and European troops, and stopped negotiations with Islamist groups.

4 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

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

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