4 Takeaways About the U.S. Birthrate Decline

There is good news buried behind the worries about population decline, some experts say.The U.S. birthrate, which is at a record low, has caused consternation among policymakers and politicians.

S Sabrina Tavernise

Trump’s Foreign Policy: Resurrecting Empire

President Trump’s approach is a revival of the mission of empire — acquiring the territories and resources of sovereign peoples.Secretary of State Marco Rubio, right, has been leading the Trump administration’s foreign policy.

E Edward Wong

Israel Facing Prospect of War With a Depleted Missile Defense

The June 2025 conflict with Iran depleted Israeli and U.S. stocks of antiballistic missiles. If there is another war, the pressure will be on to destroy Iranian missiles before they can be launched.Israeli air defense systems were activated to intercept Iranian missiles over the Israeli city of Tel

D David M. Halbfinger

What Larry and David Ellison Would Own After Warner Bros. Takeover

If Paramount can close its deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, Larry and David Ellison will influence nearly every corner of news, entertainment and tech.Larry and David Ellison are poised to own a portfolio of companies that would put them in the orbit of superpowers like Disney.

J John Koblin and Brooks Barnes

For CNN, a Takeover by Paramount Means a Suddenly Uncertain Future

Paramount’s apparent victory over Netflix in securing Warner Bros. Discovery has led to concerns within the CNN newsroom.Mark Thompson, CNN’s chief executive, urged staff members not to “jump to conclusions” about Paramount’s offer for the network’s parent, Warner Bros. Discovery.

M Michael M. Grynbaum and John Koblin

Pakistan Strikes Afghanistan in ‘Open War’ Against Taliban Regime

The airstrikes came hours after Afghan troops had attacked Pakistani border positions and follow months of worsening relations between the neighboring countries.Taliban soldiers looking toward Pakistan from the Afghan side of the Torkham border crossing, on Friday.

E Elian Peltier, Safiullah Padshah and Zia ur-Rehman

Why Are Pakistan and Afghanistan Fighting?

The renewed violence between the neighboring countries stems from Pakistan’s accusations that Afghanistan’s Taliban government has harbored a militant group.Taliban security personnel handling an antiaircraft gun in Afghanistan’s Khost Province on Friday.

F Francesca Regalado, Lynsey Chutel and Elian Peltier

Elon Musk’s Secret Web of Companies in Texas

The megabillionaire was tied to about 90 companies in the state, which he uses for everything from paying nannies to buying land to supporting Donald Trump’s re-election, according to a Times examination.

K Kirsten Grind, Susanne Craig, Alex Klavens and Leo Dominguez

Anthropic Says It Cannot ‘Accede’ to Pentagon in Talks Over A.I.

Anthropic said it was standing firm on not having its A.I. used in certain scenarios by the Pentagon, which has imposed a Friday deadline on the company to give unfettered access to its technology.“We cannot in good conscience accede to their request,” Dario Amodei, chief executive of Anthropic, sai

J Julian E. Barnes and Sheera Frenkel

Pentagon Fires Another Laser at a Drone, Prompting a New Air Closure

After the downing of a Customs and Border Protection drone, the F.A.A. closed the airspace above Fort Hancock, Texas.A police officer walked with a police dog at El Paso International Airport, after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration lifted its temporary closure of the airspace over El Paso ea

K Karoun Demirjian, Kate Kelly, Eric Schmitt and Chris Cameron

Trump Declared Victory in Minneapolis. But What Did He Accomplish?

The Trump administration came under fire for an operation that turned lethal and politically toxic. But the show of force may also have had a bigger purpose: to serve as a warning.Federal agents confronting protesters in Minneapolis last month. Sheriffs and public officials across the state say litt

Z Zolan Kanno-Youngs and Ernesto Londoño

Federal Judge Accuses Trump Administration of Repeatedly Disobeying Orders

The federal judge identified 210 orders issued in 143 cases in Minnesota in which he said Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials had not complied with court orders.Judge Patrick Schiltz was nominated to the bench by President George W. Bush.

M Mitch Smith, Ernesto Londoño and Mattathias Schwartz

Justice Department Exposed Cooperating Witnesses in Epstein Files

The disclosure is the latest example of how the urgent push to release the files led to the government publicizing information it would normally keep under wraps.Several defendants mentioned in the Epstein files conducted what are known as proffer sessions at 500 Pearl Street, the address of the fed

J Jonah E. Bromwich and William K. Rashbaum

India Built the World’s Back Office. A.I. Is Starting to Shrink It.

Artificial intelligence promises to automate the white-collar work that made India a tech powerhouse. The country is racing to adapt before it’s too late.Hunar.AI is offering companies bespoke A.I. voice agents that steer job applicants through virtually every step of the hiring process.

S Steven Lee Myers, Paul Mozur and Saumya Khandelwal

How India Became One of the World’s Biggest Economies

India has grown rapidly despite its slow industrialization, and its economy is now nearly as big as Japan’s.The country’s small businesses employ the most workers, but a growing share of economic gains is coming from its largest companies.

A Alex Travelli and Aaron Krolik