U.S. Trade Gap Ballooned in July
The trade deficit bounced back up last month as spending on data centers to feed the A.I. boom drove up imports.
Mortgage Rates Hit 6.71%, Their Highest Level Since July 2025
Higher costs for home loans have put a squeeze on the housing market, adding pressure to consumers already struggling with elevated inflation.
Bessent Blames Ukraine for High Energy Prices
After meeting with Russia’s finance minister, the Treasury secretary said Ukraine’s attacks on Russian oil infrastructure were contributing to a global energy shock driven mainly by the U.S. war with Iran.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is facing a complicated challenge as he tries to cool global e
Dutch Central Bank Cuts Gold Reserves in U.S., Citing ‘Geopolitical Unrest’
The Netherlands moved some 90 tons of gold out of the Federal Reserve Bank in New York, the second European nation this year to announce it had decreased or eliminated U.S. gold holdings.Olaf Sleijpen, president of the central bank of the Netherlands, in Amsterdam in March. “We have improved the tra
Schools Giving Aid to Minority Students Could Lose Tax Exemptions Under Trump’s New Rules
The Treasury Department released rules that would prevent schools with race-based programs from qualifying for tax-exempt status, a threat to both higher education and other private schools.Schools like Harvard could be at risk of losing their tax-exempt status under the new rules.
Judge Suggests Trump Mail-In Voting Rules Could Cause ‘Major Disenfranchisement’
Judge Indira Talwani said the Postal Service appeared to be trying a haphazard “experiment” with a new rule that could result in valid ballots being tossed.An official picking up a mail-in ballot drop box at the Lackawanna County Government Center in Scranton, Pa., in 2024.
Clancy’s Lawyer, Kevin Reddington, Became a Hero to Her Supporters
The themes present in Lindsay Clancy’s trial are not unfamiliar to Mr. Reddington, a veteran defense lawyer.Kevin Reddington, Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer, speaking to reporters outside Plymouth County Superior Court in Plymouth, Mass.
Gloria Steinem, Personification of the Feminist Movement, Dies at 92
She challenged sexist assumptions, helping women develop a sense of self-worth and gain a measure of equality at work, at home and in society at large.Ms. Steinem at a rally in 1968. “The truth will set you free,” she liked to say, “but first it will piss you off.”
Gloria Steinem’s Glamour Was a Means to an End
The glasses, the hairdo, the bell bottoms and hip-slung belts were all wrapped up in her feminist cause.
Hillary Clinton, Meghan Markle, Lena Dunham and Others Pay Tribute to Gloria Steinem
After Ms. Steinem’s death at 92, celebrities and politicians reflected on her decades of activism for women’s rights and equality.Gloria Steinem “pushed open doors not just for herself, but for literally millions of women behind her,” Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state and presidential c
Reading Jonathan Franzen’s ‘The Corrections,’ 25 Years Later
Jonathan Franzen’s novel, which put a Midwestern family under the microscope, came out a week before 9/11. Why are we still talking about it?
Federal Prosecutors Charge ICE Agent With Lying About Minnesota Shooting
The charges are a rare instance of President Trump’s Justice Department accusing a federal agent of breaking the law while on the job.Federal agents near the scene of the shooting in Minneapolis in January.
ICE Skipped Basic Checks in Rush for Recruits, Whistle-Blower Says
An official who oversaw the vetting of ICE recruits cited an “unprecedented lowering of standards” amid a hiring surge.Federal ICE agents outside Delaney Hall, in Newark in June.
El-Sayed Wants to Mend Ties With Jewish Democrats, but Some Are Still Not Impressed
Lingering concerns about the Senate nominee in Michigan could make it harder for him to assemble a winning coalition.Dr. Abdul El-Sayed spoke during the Michigan Democratic Party Nominating Convention over the weekend in Lansing, Mich.
After Trump Rift, Musk Begins Spending to Boost Republicans
Mr. Musk plans to spend at least $100 million in more than a dozen competitive House and Senate races. The tech billionaire helped Donald Trump to victory in 2024.Elon Musk in May after a welcome ceremony with President Trump and China’s president, Xi Jinping.
The Start-Up That Helps People Die
Medical aid in dying is now legal in New York. A team of clinical professionals decided to create a practice to help their clients die on their own terms.
Maria Bartiromo Is Out at Fox News
The host, who appeared on Fox Business and Fox News, had been with the network for more than 12 years.Fox did not give a reason for Maria Bartiromo’s abrupt departure. She has been an ardent supporter of President Trump.
Nvidia Buys Hugging Face in $12.9 Billion Deal
The acquisition of the start-up is an indication of Nvidia’s growing role as Silicon Valley’s central banker and its emphasis on open-source technology.Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s chief executive, has overseen the company as its quarterly profits have increased tenfold. The company is spending those reso
Which Investors Will Get Rich From Anthropic’s IPO?
When Anthropic goes public in a blockbuster offering, which investors will profit? The answer says a lot about how much start-up investing has changed over the years.
Why the Courts Are Hesitant to Punish Tech Giants Like Meta and Google
After finding antitrust violations, federal courts have been reluctant to impose harsh sanctions. They fear meddling in markets where technology is racing ahead.Creating effective remedies is difficult for the courts, particularly because of the rapid pace of change in the tech industry.
What Did Jurassic Forests Sound Like? Like This.
Scientists spent over a decade reconstructing the calls of nine species of ancient insects to create the first accurate Jurassic soundscape.By studying the fossilized wings of ancient insects as well as the bioacoustics of their living relatives, researchers were able to use computer modeling and ma
MAGA Is Feeding a Separatist Surge in Canada
Drawing inspiration from MAGA, separatists in Alberta are pushing for a break away from Canada.
Why a Doctor Told Gloria Steinem: ‘You Must Promise Me Two Things’
Gloria Steinem got to be who she was because of a pre-Roe abortion.
Tell Us How You Observe Yom Kippur
Yom Kippur, which starts this year on Sept. 20, is one of the most widely observed Jewish holidays. If you are Jewish, we want to know how you experience it.A person reacting during Yizkor, a Jewish prayer service for the dead on Yom Kippur in Brooklyn in 2024.