Despite Epstein’s Toxicity, Steve Bannon Stood by Him, Texts Indicate

Mr. Bannon, a MAGA podcaster, developed a seemingly chummy relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. He said it was in the name of getting Mr. Epstein to open up.

Epstein’s Ties With Academics Show the Seedy Side of College Fund-Raising

Professors and presidents are often eager to raise outside cash. Some are now facing blowback after connecting with Jeffrey Epstein.

The Quiet Architect of Trump’s Global Trade War

Jamieson Greer, a low-key lawyer from a working-class background, is rewriting the rules of the global economy at President Trump’s behest.

In Xi’s Purge of the Military, a Search for Absolute Loyalty

By reaching back to Maoist tactics of “rectification,” Xi Jinping is signaling that control over the gun requires a state of perpetual cleansing.

Deep in China’s Mountains, a Nuclear Revival Takes Shape

Satellite imagery of secretive nuclear facilities reveals Beijing’s efforts to expand its arsenal, just as the last global guardrails on nuclear weapons vanish.

Trump’s Relentless Self-Promotion Fosters an American Cult of Personality

President Trump has engaged in a spree of self-aggrandizement unlike any of his predecessors, making himself an inescapable force at home and around the world.

Republican State Legislators Rush to Limit Their Own Regulators

South Carolina’s state legislature is one of 17 that is moving to handcuff state agencies at a moment of tectonic changes in energy, technology and finance.

Iran Protester’s Death in Custody Sparks Outrage. His Family Believes He Was Executed.

Rights groups are investigating the death of Ali Rahbar as a potential extrajudicial killing. Iran denies executions have taken place.54m agoBy Sanam Mahoozi and Erika Solomon

Inside the Debacle That Led to the Closure of El Paso’s Airspace

The F.A.A., citing “a grave risk of fatalities” from a new technology being used on the Mexican border, got caught in a stalemate with the Pentagon.

Department of Homeland Security Shuts Down, Though Essential Work Continues

ICE Tried to Justify a Minneapolis Shooting. Its Story Unraveled.

The collapse of the Trump administration’s version of events in the case was another instance of an account of a shooting that was later contradicted.

Homeland Security Wants Social Media Sites to Expose Anti-ICE

In Munich, Rubio Calls Europe a Friend but Says It Must Change

European leaders expressed relief at the tone of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s remarks, but it was clear that the trans-Atlantic rift remained.

U.S. Inflation Eased at Start of the Year

Overall inflation eased to 2.4 percent in January from the same time last year, offering a reprieve to the Federal Reserve.

The Epstein Files and the Hidden World of an Unaccountable Elite

The search continues in the documents for ironclad criminal conduct, but the story of a sexual predator given a free ride by the ruling class has already emerged.

Goldman’s Top Lawyer Departs Amid Revelations About Her Ties to Epstein

Kathryn Ruemmler, a former Obama administration lawyer, is out at Goldman Sachs after emails revealed her years of friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

German Leader Says International Order ‘No Longer Exists’

Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, criticized President Trump’s rapid reorientation of U.S. foreign policy.

Iran Turns to Digital Surveillance Tools to Track Down Protesters

As the authorities restore some online services after crushing antigovernment demonstrations, they are using technology to target attendees of the protests.

Border Agency Is Said to Have Caused El Paso Closure by Firing Anti-Drone Laser

F.A.A. officials said privately that the agency did not have enough time or information to assess the technology’s risk to commercial aircraft.

Trump’s Director of Election Security Is an Election Denier

Even in a government full of conspiracists, Kurt Olsen stands out. He made a key referral in the Fulton County, Ga., election case.

How Trump Sees the World: It’s Personal

Historical relationships play little if any role in the second-term worldview of President Trump, who holds himself as the constant center of global events.

U.S. Attorney Chosen to Replace Trump Pick Is Quickly Fired by White House

Donald Kinsella had been appointed top prosecutor in the Northern District of New York after the Trump administration’s nominee was found to be serving unlawfully.

Trump’s Trade Deal With India Has Become a Headache for Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a big reduction of sky-high tariffs, but critics said he undermined Indian sovereignty and undercut the nation’s farmers.