Today's Headlines: China’s Birthrate Plunges to Lowest Level Since 1949
European Union Officials Lean Toward Negotiating, Not Retaliating, Over Trump Tariff Threat
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The New York Times
Today's Headlines

January 19, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

China’s Birthrate Plunges to Lowest Level Since 1949

China’s population fell for a fourth straight year and its birthrate tumbled as policymakers failed to slow a demographic crisis.

European Union Officials Lean Toward Negotiating, Not Retaliating, Over Trump Tariff Threat

European Union ambassadors held an emergency meeting on Sunday, and leaders from across the 27-nation bloc will meet in Brussels later this week.

In Minneapolis, a Pattern of Misconduct Toward Protesters

Legal and criminal justice experts said a ruling by a federal judge last week revealed conduct by immigration agents that evokes the civil rights era.

World

Live Updates: Trains Collide After Derailment in Spain, Killing at Least 39

Dozens were injured after a high-speed train derailed and smashed into an oncoming one. The cause of the accident, the deadliest since 2013 in Spain, was not immediately clear.

What to Know About Prince Harry’s Case Against Daily Mail Publisher

A trial is set to begin on Monday in Harry’s case accusing Associated Newspapers of phone hacking and other unlawful activities. Other claimants include Elton John and Liz Hurley.

Why Are New Zealanders Moving to Australia? More Money, Better Vibes.

More than 1 percent of New Zealand’s population left over the year ending in October. Many of the migrants were chasing salaries and opportunities in neighboring Australia.

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U.S.

Noem Denies Use of Chemical Agents in Minnesota, Then Backtracks

Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, said officers had not used pepper spray and similar measures limited by a judge’s order, then was confronted with a video that showed chemical agents deployed.

Rare Snowfall in Parts of the South Is Fun but Fleeting

Snow fell as far south as Florida and Georgia on Sunday but mostly melted by the afternoon. The same storm system brought snow to the Northeast, with a second round expected Sunday night.

See You Later, Claude: San Francisco Mourns Its Beloved Alligator

The 30-year-old albino resident of the California Academy of Sciences died last month. On Sunday, thousands paid tribute.

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Politics

Josh Shapiro Writes That Harris Team Asked if He Had Ever Been an Israeli Agent

In his new memoir, the Pennsylvania governor suggests that when Kamala Harris’s team vetted him to be her running mate, aides focused on Israel to an extent he found offensive.

Buttigieg and Booker Lead Push to Hammer Republicans on Health Care

The potential 2028 presidential candidates showcased a Democratic midterm strategy that would assail G.O.P. votes in favor of cutting Medicaid and allowing health care subsidies to expire.

Trump Backs a Potential Primary Challenger to Bill Cassidy, a G.O.P. Senator

The president urged Representative Julia Letlow of Louisiana to run against Mr. Cassidy, in a move that is likely to further complicate his relationship with Senate Republicans.

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Business

Real Estate Crash Weighs on China’s Economic Growth

Falling apartment prices have erased the savings of millions of Chinese households, but exports lifted the economy to 5 percent growth last year.

As Davos Convenes, Deference to Trump Has Replaced Everything

The traditional rhetoric of the World Economic Forum centered on global integration, climate change and international cooperation. Not anymore.

One Month Later, CBS Airs Postponed ‘60 Minutes’ Report With Few Changes

A 13-minute segment about Venezuelan men deported by the Trump administration had been pulled at the last minute by CBS News’s editor in chief, Bari Weiss.

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New York

Psst, Mayor Mamdani: The Upper East Side Is More Fun Than People Think

Beyond stuffy old money institutions and noisy sports bars, hidden gems abound.

Mamdani Said He’d Make Buses Faster and Free. Now It’s This Guy’s Job.

Mike Flynn, a former intern who rose to the top of the agency, will be under a microscope, but far from the spotlight.

‘She Stared Back, Apparently Unfazed by My Rat Ears ’

A tour guide goes one step beyond, a macaw on the Q and more reader tales of New York City in this week’s Metropolitan Diary.

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Arts

Springsteen Denounces ICE Deployments and Renee Good’s Killing

In a surprise appearance in New Jersey, the musician dedicated his song “The Promised Land” to Ms. Good, who was killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis this month.

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 1 Premiere Recap: A Tall Tale

The latest and most humorous offering in the “Game of Thrones” universe follows the hulking, lovable Ser Duncan, who may or may not be a real knight.

On ‘S.N.L.,’ Trump Recaps His Recent ‘Legal-ish’ Activities

The first episode of 2026, hosted by Finn Wolfhard of “Stranger Things,” satirized that hit Netflix series and conjured a Harry Potter reboot à la “Heated Rivalry.”

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Food

‘These Are the Best Biscuits I Have Ever Made, Hands Down’

Edna Lewis’s biscuits, served warm with butter and your favorite jam, are a lovely Sunday breakfast.

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