Author: NY TIMES

Israel’s highest court began hearing a case on Tuesday over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to replace one of his top intelligence chiefs — a courtroom battle that could open the door to a constitutional crisis.The attempt to fire Ronen Bar, the chief of the Shin Bet, has further polarized an already divided Israel. Supporters of the government view Mr. Bar as disloyal to Mr. Netanyahu, and critics consider his removal a dangerous precedent that undermines the independence of democratic institutions.The hearing, which was being broadcast live in Israel, opened with unruly scenes, as hecklers forced a Supreme Court panel…

“I do think there is so much to be said for your ability to exist, even in the presence of that — it takes a very strong cookie,” Ms. Herd told Meghan, adding, “When I was going through the media storm and being called this and that, and this and that, at Tinder, I didn’t leave my house for, like, a month and a half.”The women reflected on how they handled their professional stresses now, and Meghan said she had been preoccupied with the details around As Ever — specifically the packaging.“For example, a month ago, I was absolutely consumed…

After three days of global market turmoil not seen since the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, stocks regained a measure of calm on Tuesday despite little letup in the escalating trade tensions caused by President Trump’s tariffs.Before markets opened in China, the government unleashed a series of measures to stabilize stocks. In turn, share prices in Hong Kong, a day after plunging 13.2 percent, and in mainland China jumped about 1.5 percent.Stocks in Japan gained 6 percent, recouping a portion of the previous days losses. The rise in sentiment followed comments made on Monday by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent,…

Welcome back to Monday’s tennis briefing sports The story behind the story in court over the past week will be explained.This week, the kindest player on the men’s tour did what he did best, with an American seat at the top of the women’s rankings, while Wimbledon’s championship puzzle reveals the delicate balance of tennis schedules.If you want to follow our excellent tennis coverage, click here.An important milestone for Jessica Pegula?Jessica Pegula won the WTA 500 in Charleston, and the American trio below the peak of the women’s tennis rankings this week took the Coco Gauff this week. Pegula defeated…

Sales in the international art market declined 12 percent in 2024, according to the Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report published on Tuesday. The annual report, seen as the most reliable indicator of the art market’s size and health, said that sales had fallen for the second year in a row.“Decline in value was driven by cooling at the top end,” says the report, which describes 2024 as “a year of continuing geopolitical tensions, economic volatility and trade fragmentation.” Auction sales of single works that fetched more than $10 million fell by 39 percent, the report says, and…

Last Wednesday, the Trump administration believed it had a plan to save TikTok.ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese owner, along with some of its U.S. investors, and officials in Washington had coalesced around a new ownership structure for the popular video app, four people familiar with the situation said. That structure, the people said, would help TikTok satisfy the terms of a federal law that required the app to find a new owner in order to address national security concerns, or face a ban in the United States.Under the plan, new investors would own 50 percent of a new American TikTok entity, while…

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. kicked off a tour through southwestern states on Monday by calling on states to ban fluoride in drinking water supplies, a move that would reverse what some medical experts consider one of the most important public health practices in the country’s history.The announcement came at a news conference in Utah, the first state to enact such a ban into law. The state’s new law is set to take effect in early May, despite concerns from public health experts who consider fluoridation of water core to preventing tooth decay.“It makes no sense to have it…

Subscribe to Popcast!Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon MusicIt’s Popcast mailbag time, in which we field listener and reader questions about all of the most pressing topics in popular music.On this week’s episode, the hosts — including The New York Times pop critic Jon Caramanica and the pop reporter Joe Coscarelli, plus the pop music editor Caryn Ganz — address your thoughts and concerns about:Connect With Popcast. Become a part of the Popcast community: Join the show’s Facebook group and Discord channel. We want to hear from you! Tune in, and tell us what you think at popcast@nytimes.com. Follow our…

Families of victims of the Hamas-led terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, sued a prominent Palestinian American businessman on Monday, accusing him of supporting Hamas by developing properties that were crucial to the terrorist group’s operations.According to the lawsuit, Bashar Masri, a wealthy developer, operated hotels and an industrial site in Gaza to “construct and conceal” a labyrinthine network of tunnels that allowed Hamas to “store and launch its rockets at Israel.”“The properties defendants developed with Hamas were not only part of the infrastructure Hamas used in connection with the Oct. 7 attack itself,” the lawsuit added. “Their development deliberately…

Several creative circles merged in the Red Room at KGB Bar in the East Village of Manhattan on a recent March evening. Sipping stiff martinis and enjoying a dedicated playlist of “2008’s top hits,” the intersection of literature, fashion, art and internet filled the room with a throwback, almost Beatnik buzz. They were here for the sixth installment of “Straight Girls,” a monthly poetry reading hosted by the poets Riley Mac and Montana James.In just a few short months Ms. Mac, 30, and Mr. James, 28, have gained reputations for escaping the sometimes frumpy poetry scene of the outer boroughs.…