@nytimes Likeshop

Danny McBride Thinks Men Learned All the Wrong Lessons From Movies

Trump’s Reflecting Pool Is Plagued by Multiple Problems, From Green Algae to Broken Pipes

First, the new paint job appeared uneven. Then, an algae bloom turned the water green. Now, large chunks of coating are peeling off the basin. President Trump’s renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was finished nearly two weeks ago, but it has been nothing but a headache for the administration since. The pool is plagued by multiple problems, including leaky and broken pipes, that were not addressed by the recent renovations. Workers have since tried a series of temporary fixes, including a cleanup effort that was hard to miss on Friday. A business tied to a longtime supporter of Trump was given a no-bid contract to install a water-purification system in the pool — work that is coming under scrutiny after the algae blooms came back. Another no-bid contract for $14.7 million had been awarded to a firm to spread the blue waterproofing material on the pool’s concrete floor in a decision that skirted federal bidding laws. Tap the link in our bio to read more about the state of the reflecting pool. Visuals by @not_alex_kent_

U.S. are (unofficial) world champions – and will we see a new World Cup winner? Day 9 Recap

The U.S. men’s national team sealed its place in the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup after beating Australia, 2-0, on Friday in Seattle. In the other Group D game between Turkey and Paraguay, the South Americans clung on to a 1-0 win that meant that the U.S. had officially won Group D and that Turkey was eliminated from the tournament with a game still to play. Earlier in the day, Scotland faced a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Morocco. And Brazil did enough to beat Haiti, 3-0, as the Haitians became the first team to be eliminated from this year’s tournament. Tap the link in our bio to catch up on @theathletichq’s Day 9 recap, and see what to watch for next. Photos by @fremson; Eakin Howard/@apnews; Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images; Eugene Hoshiko/@apnews; Mauro Pimentel/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images; Dave Shopland/@apnews; Mauro Pimentel/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images; Lindsey Wasson/@apnews; and Stu Forster/Getty Images

Lemon Ricotta Cake Recipe • 5★ • 1 hr 10 min

Light, bright, summery perfection. @david_tanis's recipe is at the link in our bio. Photo by @dmalosh, with food styling by @cydmcdowell

Meet the Smallest Country Ever to Reach the World Cup

The tiny Caribbean island of Curaçao took the field for the first time in World Cup history. It was the smallest nation ever to do so. The journey has taken decades. But a shift in the national soccer federation’s approach — moving away from local amateur players toward professionals of Curaçaoan descent — has finally propelled the country into the 48-team tournament. Only one player on the squad, Tahith Chong, was born on the island. The rest were born and largely raised in the Netherlands. Read how the team got to this moment at the link in our bio. Photos by @luis.antonio.rojas, Annegret Hilse/Reuters and Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Stranded Ships Hoping for Escape Find a Turbulent Strait of Hormuz

Mines in the Strait of Hormuz may outlast the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran. Our reporter, John Ismay, who served as a Navy explosive ordnance disposal officer and deep-sea diver for eight years, explains why. At the link in our bio, read how ships that have been stranded for months are still navigating new waves of chaos and confusion as they try to finally exit the Persian Gulf. Video by John Ismay, Gilad Thaler, Nikolay Nikolov, Rafaela Balster, Stephanie Swart and Whitney Shefte/The New York Times

USMNT clinches top spot in World Cup Group D: Everything you need to know about what happens next

Moscow Refinery Blast May Have Been Caused by Friendly Fire, Video Suggests

The dramatic explosion of a fuel storage facility in Moscow may have been caused not by a Ukrainian drone but instead by a Russian air defense missile, an analysis of social media videos verified by The New York Times indicates. Tap the link in our bio to read more.

Brazilians, Paintbrushes in Hand, Revive a World Cup Ritual

As World Cup fever sweeps Brazil, soccer fans there are reviving the tradition of painting the streets. No one knows exactly when street painting began in Brazil, but historical records show decorated roads in central Rio de Janeiro as far back as 1970. That year, a star-studded national team featuring Pelé led Brazil to its third World Cup win. But street painting largely stopped after a loss that has been seared into the memory of just about every Brazilian: the national team’s meltdown in a 2014 semifinal match against Germany. After the loss, enthusiasm for the national team evaporated among many Brazilians, and the tradition of getting communities to paint the streets lost its appeal. This year though, Brazilians are once again daring to hope that their nation could return to its soccer glory days. Tap the link in our bio to learn more about how nostalgic Brazilians decided to revive a once-beloved World Cup ritual that younger generations had never experienced. Visuals by @dadogaldierihilaea

Mariska Hargitay on ‘Every Brilliant Thing’ and Finding Inspiration From Jalen Brunson

Scots Have Invaded Boston’s Bars for the World Cup

Thousands of Scottish soccer fans are in Boston to see their national team play in two matches in the World Cup. They have put a serious dent in the region’s strategic beer reserves, and have become social media darlings, as they gently prank their host city by dunce-capping statues with traffic cones. Across Boston, where residents are known as provincial and proudly skilled in the art of gripe, the locals have been thoroughly charmed by the joyful Scottish occupation as the country makes its first appearance at the World Cup tournament in nearly 30 years. Ahead of Scotland’s match on Friday against Morocco, we spoke with first-time World Cup travelers about how they’re following their team and more. Read the full story at the link in our bio. Visuals by @sophieupark

Inside Hegseth’s War on Diversity and Blocked Promotions of Women and Black Officers

The Navy’s top leaders believed that Rear Adm. Stephen D. Barnett was by far the best choice to lead the command that oversees the Navy’s bases at home and abroad. Admiral Barnett, however, had a big strike against him. Like other Black military leaders, he had been encouraged to help recruit and retain minority officers, who remain significantly underrepresented. His years-old remarks on the importance of diversity had been flagged by Hegseth and his team. In the end, Hegseth promoted a white officer — and Navy leadership’s third choice — to the command. Hegseth has blocked the promotions of at least 40 senior officers to general and admiral ranks so far this year. About half of those are women or members of minority groups. At the link in our bio, read the full inside story on the process Hegseth and his team have used to halt the advancement of senior officers for reasons that have nothing to do with fighting wars or job performance. Photo by @haiyunjiang

Has three winning hosts supercharged this World Cup? Was Neymar worth the risk? Day eight recap

This year's World Cup is the first to be held across three countries — and so far the hosts are loving it. On Thursday, Mexico became the first team to book their place in the World Cup knockout stage. And Canada recorded their first-ever win at the men’s World Cup, thrashing Qatar 6-0 in Vancouver to move into top spot in Group B. The performances underscored the value of a strong showing from the World Cup’s host nations. The better the hosts perform, the greater the feelgood factor around the tournament spreads. On Friday, the U.S. men will look to keep up the momentum from their first big win over Paraguay when they take on Australia in Seattle. Tap the link in our bio for the latest from @theathletichq on all the action, and what to watch for next. Photos by Mark J. Terrill/@apnews; @dontgabalot; Stew Milne/@apnews; Fran Santiago/Getty Images; Natacha Pisarenko/@apnews and Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via @apnews

Firm Tied to Trump Donor Got No-Bid Contract to Clean Reflecting Pool

President Trump has said his $14.2 million repair project for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was meant to fix its longtime problems — leaks and algae blooms — and turn it "American-flag blue," as Trump called it. But days after it was completed, the algae was back. On Thursday, about half of its water remained green. And now, parts of the pool’s new layer of blue waterproofing appear to have detached from the bottom and floated to the surface. At the link in our bio, read our exclusive story about how the $1.7 million, no-bid contract that was meant to keep the water clean went to a business tied to a longtime Trump supporter — and what the National Park Service says is next for the iconic pool.

It’s Prom Night in America

This year’s prom-goers, who spent some of their most formative years in lockdown and have never known a world without social media or smartphones, are reinventing the food, themes, clothes and even the choice of a date. At the link in our bio, read about five different experiences that tell the story of Prom Night 2026. Photos by @mdecoudreaux, @lucyhewett, @amy.lynn.powell, @dianawking and @shuranhuang

Emily Blunt on ‘Disclosure Day’ and Feeling Flappable Around Spielberg

The last two years have been good ones for Emily Blunt, who earned major award nominations for “Oppenheimer” and “The Smashing Machine,” and co-starred in “The Devil Wears Prada 2.” But to the 43-year-old, few career milestones can compare with Steven Spielberg offering her the lead in “Disclosure Day,” in theaters now. “I remember being completely traumatized by ‘Jaws’ and thrilled by ‘Indiana Jones,’” Blunt said in a New York Times interview. “So it is a very surreal thing where he wants to meet you and work with you.” Read our full conversation with her about the film, working with Spielberg, American accents and more. Visuals by @theatraff

Trump Administration Backs Off Plan to End Ocean Monitoring System

The Trump administration is abandoning its plan to dismantle a $368 million ocean monitoring system critical to understanding climate change and marine ecosystems. In May, the National Science Foundation said it would begin removing hundreds of underwater instruments this month. But the agency announced on Thursday that it will pause efforts to take apart the system while convening an expert panel to determine its future. The Senate passed a measure Wednesday that would block the government from dismantling the system, with lawmakers in both parties warning that the action would be illegal and would threaten the safety of coastal communities. At the link in our bio, read more about the effort to dismantle the system and the bipartisan backlash. Photo by Darlene Trew Crist/WHOI, via @apnews

Barack Obama Presidential Center Opens in Chicago

The Obama Presidential Center was finally unveiled on the South Side of Chicago on Thursday after more than a decade of planning, a messy court battle with preservationists and years of construction. The opening was a star-studded party, concert and celebration, the rare event that drew four former presidents standing together onstage — George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden, along with Barack Obama himself. There were also performances by The Roots,Christina Aguilera and Bruce Springsteen. Obama recalled arriving in Chicago from New York more than 40 years ago: “It was here, in this city, the city of broad shoulders, that I found what I was looking for,” he said. At the link in our bio, read more about the grand opening of the $850 million, 19-acre museum campus. Photos by @jaymiey

ICE Spent $700 Million on 7 Warehouses. Now It Wants to Get Rid of Them.

A year into President Trump’s term, ICE had bought 11 empty warehouses at a cost of $1 billion to massively expand its capacity to detain and deport people deemed to be in the U.S. illegally. But in a major reversal, the agency is planning to offload seven warehouses purchased for more than $700 million by either giving them to other federal agencies or selling them outright, according to documents obtained by The New York Times. The decision to sharply scale back the warehouse plan is a rejection of a signature initiative under the previous homeland security secretary, Kristi Noem, who pushed the boundaries of what the government can do to aggressively round up potential deportees. The new secretary, Markwayne Mullin, who had privately expressed skepticism about the plan, has said publicly that he wants the agency to be quieter about how it carries out immigration enforcement. At the link in our bio, read the exclusive story about what ICE plans to do with the remaining warehouses. Photo by @rachelwizphoto

Ukraine Strikes Moscow Refinery in Large-Scale Drone Attack

An oil refinery in Moscow was among the sites struck by Ukrainian drones on Thursday. It was the largest drone attack on the Russian capital since President Vladimir Putin launched the war more than four years ago. Read more at the link in our bio.

Knicks Parade Live Updates: Fans Jam Parade Route to Celebrate NBA Championship Win

Has the race to score most World Cup goals ever looked so good? Day seven recap

The first round of World Cup group games is over. All 48 teams have now played once in the U.S., Canada, or Mexico. England impressed in an exciting 4-2 win over historic overperformers Croatia while another pre-tournament favorite, Portugal, labored to a 1-1 draw with Democratic Republic of Congo. Read our recap from day seven of the games at the link in our bio. Photos by @ddrios, Darrian Traynor/Getty Images, Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images For Rexona, Eduardo Verdugo/@apnews, Georg Hochmuth/AFP, Darrian Traynor/Getty Images, Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press via AP, Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images and Troy Taormina/REUTERS, via Imagn Images

From Serial Productions and The Marshall Project: The Last 12 Weeks

Connections - Group words that share a common thread

Matthew Rhys, of ‘Widow’s Bay,’ Is on a Boat. Barely.

Matthew Rhys, the star of the seafaring horror-comedy “Widow’s Bay,” spends his downtime on the water. He used to spend his summers boating. And during pandemic lockdowns, he bought a 1939 wooden boat and painstakingly restored it. None of this had quite prepared him for the experience of kneeling at the stern of a bobbing eight-foot wood dinghy and piloting it jerkily around the marina at Brooklyn Bridge Park, the rudder jammed into his back, the boom hitting him in the head. It was the kind of humiliation that often besets his “Widow’s Bay” character, Tom Loftis, the mayor of an island community. We spent the day with Rhys at the marina before the first season finale of the show. Read how it went at the link in our bio. Visuals by @itsalrightwerealright

U.S.-Iran Agreement Includes Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon and More: See Full Text of the Deal

A senior U.S. official disclosed what the official said was the full text of the deal between the U.S. and Iran to cease hostilities, open the Strait of Hormuz and start nuclear talks. Find the text of the agreement, as read out loud on a conference call with reporters on Wednesday, at the link in our bio, along with analysis from New York Times journalists of the underlying issues.

Gilgo Beach Serial Killer Receives Life Sentence After Guilty Plea

Rex Heuermann, the serial killer on Long Island who admitted in April to murdering eight women in the Gilgo Beach killings, was sentenced on Wednesday to life in prison, bringing an end to a case that took investigators more than a decade to solve. State Supreme Court Justice Timothy P. Mazzei’s voice cracked with rage as he sentenced him to multiple terms of life in prison without the possibility of parole, under the conditions of the plea deal Heuermann agreed to in April. At the link in our bio, learn more about the case and Wednesday’s sentencing.

A Tropical Storm Came Ashore, but Houston’s Match ‘Dodged the Bullet’

Attendees lined up for the World Cup in Houston as Tropical Storm Arthur made landfall along the Texas coast on Wednesday. The downpours forced event organizers to cancel the city’s outdoor viewing party on Monday. Read more at the link in our bio.

How Republicans Are Breaking Up Majority-Black Districts

The Supreme Court’s decision weakening the Voting Rights Act in late April allowed Republicans to go after more Democratic-held House districts — changes that effectively targeted areas where Black voters form the majority. Republicans say the scramble to redraw their states’ congressional maps — the latest move in a lengthy tit-for-tat redistricting battle with Democrats — focused only on partisan advantage, not race. But the effort angered many Black Democrats, who accused conservatives of intentionally undermining their voting power in a region with a painful history of discrimination. Voting remains racially polarized in the South, so Black voters have historically backed Democrats. At the link in our bio, take a closer look at how the states broke up majority-Black districts. Graphics by Leanne Abraham/The New York Times

Opinion | One City Might Have Just Cracked the Housing Crisis

All hail King Messi, did the World Cup GOAT just get greater? Day six recap

After the upsets and the feel-good stories, the World Cup shifted into a new gear on Tuesday. It could have been billed as Superstar Day. Three of the biggest names in global football were looking to make an impact as their countries began their campaigns. In the event, they did not disappoint. Lionel Messi made the biggest splash, scoring a sensational hat-trick for Argentina. Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland scored twice as France and Norway recorded commanding victories in Group I. It was, all told, a brilliant day of football, albeit one dominated by some of the pre-tournament favorites. Tap the link in bio for the full @theathletichq recap of Day 6 of the World Cup. Photos by @hiroko.masuike, Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images, Paul Rutherford/Reuters, @sophieupark, @vincentalban1 and Mark Stockwell/@apnews

Private Jet Crashes on Highway in Laredo, Texas, Killing 1

A private jet crashed on a highway in Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday night, killing one of the six people onboard, officials said. The jet was flying to Austin, Texas, from Los Cabos, Mexico, when it reported major mechanical issues and low fuel to Laredo International Airport just before 10 p.m. local time, the airport’s director said. The plane then lost contact with the tower and crash-landed on Texas State Highway Loop 20. Read more at the link in our bio.

36 Hours in Athens, Greece: Things to Do and See

Do Aliens Exist? Steven Spielberg Believes They Do

The legendary director Steven Spielberg sat down with Rachel Abrams, a host of “The Daily,” to talk about what he has learned over five decades of making movies about aliens. During their conversation, she asked him something no one had ever asked before: Was "E.T." slimy or dry? At the link in our bio, watch or listen to the full interview with @rachelabramsnyt.

Merlin, the Duck in a Mexico World Cup Team Jersey, Finds Unexpected Fame

Merlin, a two-year-old duck, has become famous for wearing a Mexico jersey as he waddles behind his owner during the World Cup. At the link in our bio, read more about Merlin and other famous animals associated with the soccer tournament.

Dive Into a Very Noisy Sea With Some Very Rare Whales

Researchers say sonic blasts from oil exploration are a top threat to Rice’s whales. The noise could affect the ability of Rice’s whales to find food and mates, scientists say. And the chronic stress of living in a loud environment could be detrimental to their health. Last year, a federal analysis found that oil and gas activities in the Gulf of Mexico were “likely to jeopardize the continued existence of the Rice’s whale.” Still, in March, the Trump administration waived Endangered Species Act restrictions for oil and gas drilling in the Gulf. The oil and gas industry says it takes steps to ensure the safety of marine life. Oil and gas groups point out that just because sound travels far, it is not necessarily harmful at long distances. For conservationists, the uncertainty is reason enough to curtail the surveys. For those who want to expand oil and gas production, it means exploration should continue. Tap the link in our bio to see — and hear — more. Graphics by Katherine Chui/The New York Times

Trump Claims Strait Will Be ‘Permanently Toll-Free’ Under Agreement With Iran

President Trump called David E. Sanger, our White House and national security correspondent, to discuss the framework agreement between the U.S. and Iran to end their monthslong war. At the link in our bio, read our full interview with Trump. Video by David E. Sanger, Nikolay Nikolov, Alexandra Ostasiewicz, Rafaela Balster, Jon Hazell and Aritz Parra/The New York Times

The Untold Story of Jeffrey Epstein’s Death and His Final Days in Jail

In Age of AI, World’s Leading Deepfake Expert No Longer Trusts His Own Eyes

Hany Farid has been the world’s leading expert in the field of digital forensics for two decades. But in the last six months, he’s stopped trusting his own eyes. “I don’t trust anything,” Farid told our reporter. “Every image I see, I’m drawing lines for shadows and doing geometry in my head, trying to figure out what I’m looking at. It’s over. Within a year or two, our whole visual system will be utterly useless.” Farid’s own research has proven that most people could no longer distinguish a real photograph from a digital creation, a real voice from an A.I. clone, a real video clip from a wholesale fabrication. Lately, he’s been failing his own tests. At the link in our bio, learn more about Farid and the ongoing struggle to prove what’s real and what’s fake before the internet decides for itself. Visuals by @erinschaff

Australia’s Social Media Ban Is Floundering. Can It Still Help Younger Kids?

Late last year, Australia became the first country in the world to institute a nationwide ban on children younger than 16 having social media accounts. Since then, most indications are that the law has largely failed at keeping young teens off the platforms. Some parents say the real effect of the law may be for the next generation. At the link in our bio, read more about the findings and how parents and young users are faring with the change. Photos by @adamfergusonstudio

In Its Tragic Finale, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Is Interrupted by a Cat

Performers were tested by the unexpected during a ballet production in Turkey when a cat wandered on stage during a performance of the “Romeo and Juliet” ballet and stole the show. Read more about how it all unfolded at the link in our bio.

Laverne Cox Is Ready to Tell the Truth. Even if It’s Messy.

As she talked to "Modern Love" about her new memoir, the actor Laverne Cox was remarkably open, telling the show's host, Anna Martin, about the greatest love of her life (so far), the messy way that relationship ended and her complicated bond with her mother. She cried as she unearthed memories she said she hadn’t shared before. Tap the link in bio to read, listen to, or watch @lavernecox's vulnerable conversation. Video by Rebecca Blandon/The New York Times

Bowen Yang’s Mom Doesn’t Know He’s Sharing Her Mapo Tofu Recipe

Opinion | America’s First A.I. High School Is Great. But Not Because of A.I.

How SpaceX Stacks Up to the World’s Largest I.P.O.s

SpaceX became the largest initial public offering in history, eclipsing the previous record by an extraordinary margin. Ryan Mac, our technology reporter, breaks down why the company’s record IPO is both a big bet on Elon Musk’s vision and a risk for investors. At the link in our bio, read more about how SpaceX compares to the world’s largest IPOs. Video by Ryan Mac, Nour Idriss, Nikolay Nikolov, Stephanie Swart, Rafaela Balster and Sam Rosenthal/The New York Times

For His 80th Birthday, Trump Brought a Cage Match to the White House Lawn

President Trump turned 80 on Sunday and celebrated with a $60 million Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the White House. Thousands of people traveled to the South Lawn beneath a 600-ton steel-arch contraption called the Claw. The event was packed with billionaires, cabinet members and Republican lawmakers. Attendees included the tech and media billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and David Ellison and James Dolan, the owner of the New York Knicks. Even for a president with a lifelong penchant for P.T. Barnum-esque gambits, this one was in a league of its own. At the link in our bio, we explain more on how the White House was given over to the production. Photos by @kenny_holston, @not_alex_kent_, @haiyunjiang and @demetrius.freeman for The New York Times

ICE Wants Local Police to Enforce Immigration Law. These Officers Signed Up.

Deputies from the Laramie County sheriff’s office set out to patrol two major interstates that cross their corner of southeast Wyoming. Over five hours, they made 41 traffic stops, issued 12 citations, made two criminal arrests and — through a new partnership with ICE — detained seven immigrants, earning a combined $1,325 in overtime courtesy of the federal government. Living in the U.S. without authorization is a civil violation, not a criminal offense, and local police officers have no responsibility to enforce federal immigration law. But after training, certified officers can inquire about the immigration status of people they encounter in the course of routine police work; call ICE if they suspect a person is undocumented; and, if given the go-ahead, take immigrants into custody. At the link in our bio, read more about how the Trump administration has enlisted officers as immigration agents, extending ICE’s reach far beyond where the agency typically operates. Photos by @heislerphoto; graphics by Allison McCann/The New York Times

Iran War Live Updates: U.S. and Tehran Agree on Framework for Peace

The U.S. and Iran reached an agreement on Sunday that was expected to open the Strait of Hormuz, lift the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports and pave the way for further talks. Critical issues have been pushed to a later round of negotiations, including the fate of Iran’s nuclear program, the linchpin of the U.S.-Israeli attacks that started the monthslong war. Read more about the U.S.-Iran peace framework and follow live updates at the link in our bio.

Western Australia Is Battling a Mouse Plague

A mouse plague has affected parts of Western Australia for months, with swarms of the rodents taking over homes, businesses and roads. Tap the link in our bio to learn more about what many are calling the worst mouse plague in living memory.

Do Aliens Exist? Steven Spielberg Believes They Do

The iconic director Steven Spielberg returns to the question of whether we’re alone in the universe, and what it might mean if we’re not, with his new film “Disclosure Day.” On “The Daily,” he discussed what he has learned over decades of making alien movies, how fear has always fueled his filmmaking and more. At the link in our bio, watch or listen to the full interview with @rachelabramsnyt