The Lede
Reporting and commentary on what you need to know today.
Why Is the Riverside Church’s Century-Old Preschool Facing Closure?
Despite a venerable history—and a citywide child-care crunch—the Weekday School is on the chopping block.
The Dangerous Work of Clearing Russia’s Deadly Mines from Ukrainian Lands
Donald Trump has promised to bring a swift end to the war in Ukraine, but Russian troops have already booby-trapped the country with thousands of mines that will take years to remove.
“An Oligarchy Is Taking Shape”
In his farewell address, a weary President Biden issues an essential warning.
How Much of the Government Can Donald Trump Dismantle?
His war on the “deep state” ties into a long debate about the power of bureaucrats to thwart the President’s agenda.
The Shock of a Gaza Ceasefire Deal
In Israel, grief and frustration about a long, brutal war is mixed with joy that some hostages may soon return.
The New Combustible Age
The Los Angeles fires hark to the nineteenth-century blazes that ravaged our cities—and point toward an even more flammable future.
The Pressure Campaign to Get Pete Hegseth Confirmed as Defense Secretary
Supporters of Donald Trump’s nominee have intimidated potential witnesses and suppressed the F.B.I. background check of the former Fox News host in the run-up to his Senate hearing.
The Inauguration of Trump’s Oligarchy
Certain business titans have made Mar-a-Lago a scene of such flagrant self-abnegation, ring-kissing, and genuflection that it would embarrass a medieval Pope.
Could Other Countries Prosecute Soldiers in Gaza?
A growing legal movement has turned to the principle of universal jurisdiction, which allows national courts to take on war-crimes cases, regardless of where those crimes were committed or the nationality of the perpetrator.
The Insurance Crisis That Will Follow the California Fires
For years, experts have warned that homeowner insurance in the state could easily collapse.