Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Monday.
Justices seem poised to expand Trump’s powersThe Supreme Court’s conservative majority suggested during oral arguments today that they were ready to give President Trump more power to fire independent government officials. The case centered on the president’s firing of Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, a Democrat he had appointed to the Federal Trade Commission during his first term. Trump said he removed her this March because she did not align with his agenda; federal law says commissioners can only be dismissed for “inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance.” Trump is now asking the court to overturn its landmark 1935 decision that allowed Congress to put limits on whom presidents can fire. Today, the court’s conservatives seemed to side with the White House. Chief Justice John Roberts, who is almost always in the majority in significant cases, called the 90-year-old precedent a “dried husk.” Roberts suggested, as he has for many years, that the Constitution gives the president broad authority over executive officials. The court’s three liberal justices warned of the far-reaching consequences. Justice Elena Kagan said such a ruling would “put massive, uncontrolled, unchecked power in the hands of the president.” The court’s decision could have profound consequences for dozens of commissions and boards that oversee trade, nuclear energy and plane crashes, among other things. In other Trump administration news:
Paramount made a hostile bid for Warner Bros.Paramount announced today that it was attempting a hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, which had agreed last week to sell its Hollywood studio and streaming service to Netflix. In other words, David Ellison, the head of Paramount, is hoping to persuade shareholders of Warner Bros. to defy the company’s leaders and sell the business to him instead. Paramount said it would pay $30 per share for control of the entire company, valuing Warner Bros. at around $108 billion. Netflix’s deal, which wouldn’t include CNN and other cable channels, valued the business at roughly $83 billion. Paramount also suggested that Netflix’s bid would have a difficult time gaining the approval of federal regulators. Such regulators are supposed to operate at arm’s length from politicians. But in an unusual move, Trump said that he would be personally “involved” in the decision over who can buy Warner Bros. Further complicating matters, Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, is one of the investors listed as part of Paramount’s bid.
Syrians mark a year since al-Assad’s fallIt was a year ago today that rebels in Syria overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, putting an end to his family’s decades-long tyrannical rule. Since then, several Times journalists have documented the dramatic ways the country has changed. My colleague Raja Abdulrahim noticed while visiting family in Aleppo recently that her aunt no longer flinches at the sound of aircraft overhead. Many Syrians are still concerned about the path forward, Raja explained, but there’s no doubt that things there have changed for the better. Our photographer David Guttenfelder was on the ground in Damascus today to document the tens of thousands of people who were celebrating the first anniversary of al-Assad’s fall. It was a joyous occasion, with fireworks, parades and dances. See David’s photographs and videos.
States are raking in billions from slots on your phoneNearly 40 states have legalized sports betting over the last decade. But that’s not where the big money is — at least not for the states. Online casinos that allow you to play slot machines directly from your phone have proved to be a much stronger source of tax revenue. Take Pennsylvania, for example. It approved both online casinos and sports betting in 2017, and now makes more than a billion dollars a year from the digital casinos, but less than $200 million from sports betting. Digital slots are currently legal in seven states, and others are considering joining in. More top news
Snubs and surprises in the Golden Globe nominationsThis morning’s announcement of the 2026 Golden Globe nominees signaled that Hollywood’s awards season is in full swing. “One Battle After Another” led in the movie categories with nine nominations, and “The White Lotus” led in TV with six. See the full list of nominees. “Wicked: For Good” was skipped over for best musical or comedy. It was a snub that no one expected, according to our awards expert, Kyle Buchanan. Kyle pointed out a handful of other surprises.
‘Esplanade’ is still a masterpiece after 50 yearsModern dance can seem impenetrable. If that’s how you feel, our critic Gia Kourlas recommends Paul Taylor’s “Esplanade.” The performance, celebrating its 50th year, is a study of everyday movements like walking, running and jumping, set to Bach’s violin concertos. “It’s one of the most electrifying dances ever made,” Gia wrote. “The audacity of its abandon, the ordinariness of its movement, the bliss of its structure — this isn’t just dancing, it’s flying.” Plus: These were the best dance performances of 2025.
Dinner table topics
Cook: With beans and cheese, these sweet potatoes can be dinner. Read: “The Complete Notebooks” of Albert Camus offer a peek into the mind of a great thinker. Dress up: Our critic explains how to wear a silk scarf like a Frenchwoman. Slumber: Wirecutter has tested 56 sets of pajamas. These are their favorites. Test yourself: Take the latest Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, |
