Today's Headlines: Europe’s Been Negotiating by the Book, but Trump’s Tearing It Up
Universities See Trump’s Harvard Move as a Threat to Them, Too
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

May 25, 2025, 4:10 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

Europe’s Been Negotiating by the Book, but Trump’s Tearing It Up

The Trump administration sees tariff talks as a chance to pressure a rival into concessions. E.U. officials have acted as though they were dealing with an ally.

Universities See Trump’s Harvard Move as a Threat to Them, Too

College officials fear that President Trump may use international enrollment as leverage to demand changes on campuses elsewhere.

Pivoting From Tax Cuts to Tariffs, Trump Ignores Economic Warning Signs

The president’s economic policy approach is so far rattling markets, businesses and consumers.

Editors’ Picks

How the Right Has Reshaped the Narrative Around George Floyd

After George Floyd was killed, people from the right and left agreed that the act was unconscionable. Now, some conservatives are calling for the police officer responsible to be pardoned.

Opinion | Trump Is Immensely Vulnerable

If critics focus on his economic failures, corruption and manipulation — and get their own houses in order.

World

New Gaza Aid Plan, Bypassing U.N. and Billed as Neutral, Originated in Israel

Foreign contractors are set to carry out a contentious new food aid system in Gaza, displacing experienced aid agencies like the United Nations. It was conceived and largely developed by Israelis as a way to undermine Hamas.

Power Outage in Cannes During Film Festival Is Sabotage, Officials Say

An arson attack and damage to a transmission tower cut off power in the area, the authorities said. The festival’s closing ceremony on Saturday is scheduled to proceed normally.

Hong Kong’s Famous Bamboo Scaffolding Hangs On (for Now)

Metal has begun to replace this distinctive latticework, which is seen on towers across the city. Daisy Pak, a rare female bamboo master, takes pride in the ancient craft.

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U.S.

Since George Floyd’s Murder, Police Killings Keep Rising, Not Falling

The number of people killed by the police has risen every year since the murder of Mr. Floyd by a Minneapolis officer in 2020.

Trump Gives Commencement Address at West Point, Stressing a New Era

The president said the graduating cadets would enter a service no longer subject to “absurd ideological experiments” or “nation-building crusades.”

The Pacific Coast Highway, a Mythic Route Always in Need of Repair

The highway embodies the California promise of freedom. But it keeps breaking. A recent trip along the roadway revealed the frustrations of many residents.

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Politics

Judge Orders Trump Officials to Seek Return of Guatemalan Man to U.S.

Judge Brian Murphy criticized the government for errors in the case and said the man, who feared persecution if he was deported, was likely to show “his removal lacked any semblance of due process.”

Fetterman, Often Absent From Senate, Says He Has Been Shamed Into Returning

The first-term Pennsylvania Democrat said his openness about his mental health issues has been “weaponized” against him, prompting him to start showing up for votes and hearings he considers useless.

Pivoting From Tax Cuts to Tariffs, Trump Ignores Economic Warning Signs

The president’s economic policy approach is so far rattling markets, businesses and consumers.

See more political news

Business

How China Stands in the Way of a U.S.-Vietnam Trade Deal

Among dozens of countries that were hit with steep tariffs, Vietnam was among the most publicly willing to meet the demands of the Trump administration. But China is a sticking point.

Trump’s E.U. Tariff Threat Could Cause Economic Damage Beyond Europe

A 50 percent tax on European imports would hit the continent hard, hurt the U.S. economy and slow growth globally.

Retirees, Get Ready to Need Long-Term Care. Here’s What to Know.

Demand and costs for care are rising at the same time that a labor shortage threatens to worsen. How can you plan for this need now?

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Arts

Iranian Movie Shot in Secret Wins Palme d’Or at Cannes Film Festival

The film, “Un Simple Accident,” was directed by Jafar Panahi, a longtime festival favorite. The award capped a contest that was widely seen as the strongest in years.

Two Decades After Her Death, Celia Cruz Lives On for Her Fans

Whether minted on a U.S. coin, captured as a bobblehead or painted in a new Miami mural, the late “Queen of Salsa” continues to draw attention to her musical legacy 100 years after her birth.

Israel’s Campaign to Win Eurovision Went All the Way to the Top

Government social media accounts and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined a campaign to encourage people to vote for Israel’s entrant.

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New York

Crypto Investor Charged With Kidnapping and Torturing Man for Weeks

The investor, 37-year-old John Woeltz, and another man abused their victim for three weeks in a Manhattan townhouse as they tried to get his Bitcoin password, prosecutors say.

The Beaches Are Open in New York City. So Are the Lifeguard Chairs.

Beach season began Saturday with 280 lifeguards, well short of what the city needs, amid a yearslong staffing shortage. But more will come by summer’s peak.

1 Dead After Explosion on Barge Near Manhattan Sewage Plant

The victim, who worked at the plant, was transporting raw sewage on the boat when part of it exploded on Saturday, the Fire Department said. The cause is under investigation.