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Trump threatens to strike Iran's infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz isn't reopened
WorldReutersBBCbloomberg+57NYTwsjle-mondeThe GuardianNPRAl JazeeraCNNFox News+49 more5d ago60 sources

Trump threatens to strike Iran's infrastructure if Strait of Hormuz isn't reopened

US President Donald Trump on Sunday stepped up his threat to hit Iran's critical infrastructure hard if the country's government doesn’t reopen the Strait of Hormuz by his Monday deadline. Trump punctuated his threat with profanity in a social media post Sunday, saying that Tuesday will be “Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran.” He also offered details of the rescue of a “seriously wounded and really brave” US service member he identified as a “respected colonel” who w

Cuba’s History Since the Revolution, in Photos
PoliticsNYT28d ago

Cuba’s History Since the Revolution, in Photos

The Cuban government, which has so far outlasted 13 U.S. presidents, faces its gravest challenge yet. Images from The New York Times and others record nearly seven decades of political turmoil, economic crises and small moments of ordinary life.

Studio Live, Tuesday at 12 PM: Bombing of the Middle East
WorldReutersBBCbloomberg+98NYTwsjle-mondeThe GuardianNPRAl JazeeraCNNdr-dk+90 more29d ago101 sources

Studio Live, Tuesday at 12 PM: Bombing of the Middle East

The war between the US, Israel, and Iran has intensified with heavy strikes on Iranian targets and regional expansion, leading to nearly 800,000 people displaced and a serious humanitarian emergency.

Iran Deploys Mines in Strait of Hormuz as US Forces Work to Clear Waterway
WorldAPReutersBBC+117bloombergNYTwsjFTle-mondewapoThe GuardianNPR+109 more1mo ago120 sources

Iran Deploys Mines in Strait of Hormuz as US Forces Work to Clear Waterway

Iran has begun mining the Strait of Hormuz, the critical oil shipping chokepoint, with US naval forces actively destroying the mines. President Trump demanded Iran immediately remove all mines, warning of severe consequences. Reports estimate Iran possesses 5,000-6,000 sea mines, posing a major threat to global shipping.

South Africa’s president calls Trump’s policy to offer refuge to white Afrikaners ‘racist’
PoliticsThe Guardian1mo ago

South Africa’s president calls Trump’s policy to offer refuge to white Afrikaners ‘racist’

US president is ‘truly uninformed’ for spreading claims of ‘white genocide’ in South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa tells New York Times South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa has called Donald Trump’s policy of allowing white Afrikaners to apply for refugee status in the US “racist,” saying the US president was “truly uninformed” in a rare instance of direct criticism. Ramaphosa told the New York Times that last year’s Oval Office meeting with the US leader, when Trump turned down the lights and ...

WorldNHK World1mo ago

Iran sounds out US on ceasefire terms, NYT reports

The influential American newspaper, The New York Times, reported on the 4th, citing multiple officials, that Iran had sounded out the US on ceasefire terms on the 1st of this month, the day after the US and Israel launched military operations against Iran.

Sam Altman says non-technical people can work on making AGI happen if they have taste
TechnologyBusiness Insider1mo ago

Sam Altman says non-technical people can work on making AGI happen if they have taste

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has criticized The New York Times after its lawyers asked to see ChatGPT user logs as part of the legal discovery process. Florian Gaertner/Photothek via Getty Images Sam Altman says OpenAI is looking for people with good taste to work on AGI. And that includes people with non-tech backgrounds, Altman said. He said the best research teams are built on "taste and a real feel for where the field is headed next." Want to make big bucks in AI without a technical background...

Khamenei Prepares Secretive Succession Plan In Case He's Assassinated 
Politicszerohedge1mo ago

Khamenei Prepares Secretive Succession Plan In Case He's Assassinated 

Khamenei Prepares Secretive Succession Plan In Case He's Assassinated  As US carriers deploy in the Mideast region and with tense nuclear talks inching forward in Geneva, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is reportedly taking Washington threats of assassination very seriously. According to a Sunday report by The New York Times, Khamenei has quietly established detailed succession plans and emergency chains of command in the event he - or other top regime figures - are...

Amazon MGM Studios Snaps Up YA Fantasy Bestseller ‘A Stage Set For Villains’ From Shannon J. Spann; Premeditated To Produce Feature Adaptation
Culturedeadline1mo ago

Amazon MGM Studios Snaps Up YA Fantasy Bestseller ‘A Stage Set For Villains’ From Shannon J. Spann; Premeditated To Produce Feature Adaptation

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios has snapped up rights to A Stage Set for Villains, the debut novel from New York-based writer and social media strategist Shannon J. Spann, which went straight to the top of the New York Times’ Young Adult Hardcover bestseller list in its opening week. The book will be developed for film. […]

Berkshire Hathaway Trims Apple Stake, Buys NYTimes Stock
BusinessFTcnbcmarketwatch+1zerohedge1mo ago4 sources

Berkshire Hathaway Trims Apple Stake, Buys NYTimes Stock

Berkshire Hathaway reduced its Apple stake and initiated a new position in The New York Times during the fourth quarter, according to a recent securities filing detailing Warren Buffett's final moves as CEO.

Report Suggests Adam Back as Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto
Technologyder-standardhindustan-timesmeta-mk+1The Week1d ago4 sources

Report Suggests Adam Back as Bitcoin Creator Satoshi Nakamoto

A new report, based on research by The New York Times, suggests that British cryptographer Adam Back is the pseudonymous creator of Bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto. Nakamoto's identity has remained a mystery despite his foundational role in the $2.4 trillion crypto market.

WorldNYT12d ago

NYT Publishes Undetailed Update

The New York Times published an article titled 'Here's the latest,' which provides no specific details or content regarding a particular event.

WorldNYT13d ago

General News Update

A general news update from The New York Times provides the latest information on unspecified ongoing events.

Sexual Misconduct Report Leaves ICC's Path Ahead Unclear
WorldNYT16d ago

Sexual Misconduct Report Leaves ICC's Path Ahead Unclear

A report obtained by The New York Times indicates that a panel of judges found 'reasonable doubt' regarding evidence of sexual misconduct by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, leaving the court's future path uncertain.

Trump Signals Saudi Entry into Iran War Amid MBS Pressure
WorldbloombergwsjFrance 24+13orfmarketwatchdigi24index-hrhotnewsTimes of Indiaindian-expressiefimerida+5 more17d ago16 sources

Trump Signals Saudi Entry into Iran War Amid MBS Pressure

Reports indicate Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is persistently pressuring US President Trump to continue the war against Iran, with Trump now signaling Saudi Arabia's potential entry as MBS expresses concern over a US pullback.

Sean Penn Absent from Oscars, Reportedly for Political Film
Worldnewsbeast25d ago

Sean Penn Absent from Oscars, Reportedly for Political Film

Sean Penn won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in Paul Thomas Anderson's politically charged film 'A Battle After Another' but did not attend the ceremony. The New York Times reported his absence was due to the film's subject matter.

WorldNYT1mo ago

Here is the latest.

The New York Times has released its latest news updates, providing current information on various ongoing events.

New York Times Investigation Claims US Hit Girls' School in Iran
Worldmkd-mk1mo ago

New York Times Investigation Claims US Hit Girls' School in Iran

The New York Times reports that an investigation proves the US hit a girls' school in the city of Minab, Iran, which Iranian officials say killed at least 175 people, mostly children, during an attack on a neighboring military base that previously included the school building.

Donald Trump urges Iranian military forces to surrender
Politicsder-standardFrance 241mo ago2 sources

Donald Trump urges Iranian military forces to surrender

US President Donald Trump says he sees three 'choices' of who could lead Iran in an interview with the New York Times. There are still no concrete plans in place and both sides are continuing strikes and counter strikes against each other, with the US promising retribution for the three US military members killed so far.

The biggest scandals of the British royal family
PoliticsReutersbloombergNYT+12wsjThe GuardianAl JazeeraFox Newstimes-ukDWBusiness InsiderThe Independent+4 more1mo ago15 sources

The biggest scandals of the British royal family

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. CTR/ Star Max/ AP Images King Edward VIII rejected the crown in 1936 so he could marry a divorced American woman. In 1995, Diana sat down for a tell-all solo interview and talked about Charles' affair. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. For centuries, the British royal family has cultivated an image of duty and decorum. As public figures, they've also had their share of scandals. Forbidden romances, tabloid firestorms, and allegations of misconduct have rocked the House of Windsor over the years. Here's a look at some of the biggest scandals involving royal family members. King Edward VIII rejected the crown in 1936 so he could marry a divorced American woman. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. Len Putnam/AP Directly after his father died in 1936, Edward VIII took the throne. Less than a year later, he renounced it. That's because he had fallen hard for Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who'd already been divorced once and was working through her second. His proposal of marriage caused social and political uproar, since the Church of England technically forbade Edward from marrying someone who'd been divorced. Eventually, Edward was forced to abdicate. "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King [...] without the help and support of the woman I love," he said in a radio address to the nation in December 1936. Edward and Simpson married in 1937 and stayed together until Edward's death in 1972. (And she wasn't the only commoner who married into royalty.) Princess Margaret fell in love with a married man. Captain Peter Townsend and Princess Margaret. AP Captain Peter Townsend was a Royal Air Force officer who served as an equerry — essentially an attendant to the royal family. He spent a great deal of time with Margaret, and before long, the two fell in love. The only problem was that he was married. Things got even more scandalous in 1953 when Townsend divorced his wife and proposed to Margaret, but the rules of the Church of England forbade such a marriage. (After all, Margaret's uncle Edward VIII had to relinquish the throne in order to marry a divorcee.) The relationship came to a heartbreaking close in 1955 when they called off the engagement. There was simply no way for Captain Townsend and Princess Margaret to have a happy ending. Her eventual marriage to a different man ended in a high-profile divorce. Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones. AP Not long after calling things off with Townsend, Margaret married photographer Anthony Armstrong Jones. It was the first royal wedding to ever be televised. A few years later, their union became a source of "growing public ridicule," The New York Times reported. They fought in public, Margaret took long vacations without her husband, and rumors swirled around her close friendship with a man 17 years her junior. In 1976, the couple announced their separation, and two years later, they were officially divorced. Margaret became the first royal to divorce since Henry VIII, who reigned way back in the 1500s. Princess Diana and an alleged lover were secretly recorded on the phone. Princess Diana and James Gilbey. Kimimasa Mayama/Reuters; David Jones/AP In 1992 — while then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana were still married — media outlets published the transcript of a conversation between Diana and an alleged lover named James Gilbey. In the conversation, Gilbey told Diana that he loved her and called her by the pet name "Squidgy" 53 times. That's how the scandal earned the memorable moniker "Squidgygate." Later, in an interview, Diana confirmed that the conversation was real, but denied that it was adulterous in nature. The same thing happened to Diana's husband, Charles. Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles. Alistair Grant/AP Not long after Diana's leaked phone call, Charles, Queen Elizabeth's oldest son, had one of his own. An Australian magazine published the transcript of a call between Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles — a longtime married friend. The transcript all but confirmed what many rumors had postulated: That Charles and Camilla were romantically involved. In one of the more confounding parts of the conversation, the couple joked about Charles turning into a tampon in order to "live inside" Camilla's trousers. Later that year, Charles and Diana announced their separation. Then Diana gave a bombshell TV interview, and the marriage collapsed for good. Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1992. AP In 1995, Diana sat down for a tell-all solo interview with journalist Martin Bashir to talk about the immense pressures of public life and her struggles with self-harm, postpartum depression, and bulimia. She also revealed that she knew about Charles' affair with Camilla. ("There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," she famously quipped.) And Diana even admitted that she'd been unfaithful to Charles, saying that she had been "in love" with James Hewitt, her riding instructor. The BBC interview itself has since come under scrutiny. An article in the Sunday Times in 2020 alleged that Bashir manipulated Diana into doing the interview by showing her brother, Charles Spencer, fake bank statements that purported to show the media had been paying royal associates for information about her. A 2021 inquiry concluded that Bashir acted in a "deceitful" way, and the BBC and Bashir apologized. A few weeks after the interview, the Queen herself urged her son and daughter-in-law to divorce, and the following year, they made it official. Charles and Camilla, on the other hand, wed in 2005 and are still together. Princess Anne divorced her husband and married a member of the royal staff. Mark Phillips and Princess Anne in 1976. AP Princess Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II, married Olympic equestrian Mark Phillips in 1973. The couple spent large swaths of time apart and didn't appear to be happy — People magazine described the marriage as a "joyless sham." Then, in spring 1989, a British newspaper obtained stolen copies of letters written to Anne by one of her equerries, a British naval officer named Timothy Laurence. Though the content of the letters wasn't made public, tabloids described them as "extremely intimate" and "too hot to handle." In 1992, Anne announced that she was divorcing Phillips, and that she planned to marry Laurence. The two have been together ever since. Paparazzi caught Sarah Ferguson in a compromising "toe-licking" incident. Sarah Ferguson. John Redman/AP Sarah Ferguson (popularly known as "Fergie") married Queen Elizabeth's son, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, in 1986. Six years later, scandal erupted: Paparazzi photographers captured Fergie vacationing with an American financial advisor named John Bryan. In one photo — an image quickly plastered on the front page of The Sun — Bryan appeared to be licking Fergie's foot. Things didn't go very well after that. Fergie and Andrew separated in 1992, the same year as Charles and Diana, and divorced in 1996. Later, Fergie was accused of taking a $633,000 bribe. Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew on their wedding day in 1986. AP Fergie's marital drama didn't end after the divorce. In 2010, a News of the World journalist posed as a businessman and said he got Fergie to accept a £500,00 (about $633,000) bribe in exchange for access to her ex-husband, The Guardian reported. A video recording of their meeting was released to the media, and Fergie later apologized, saying she'd made a "serious lapse in judgment," Reuters reported. Prince Harry spent a day (yes, a single day) in rehab. The clinic where Prince Harry spent a single day in 2002. Sion Touhig/Getty Images After admitting to his father that he'd tried marijuana, a 17-year-old Prince Harry spent a day at the Featherstone Lodge rehabilitation center in London, The Telegraph reported. A statement from the royal family said Harry had agreed to visit the clinic "to learn about the possible consequences of starting to take cannabis." He was also photographed wearing a Nazi costume. Prince Harry's Nazi costume made headlines around the world. Adam Butler/AP In January 2005, British paper The Sun published a front-page photo of Harry wearing a Nazi armband, apparently at a costume party. The prince, who was 20 at the time, quickly released a statement of apology that read: "Prince Harry has apologised for any offence or embarrassment he has caused. He realises it was a poor choice of costume." In 2012, Harry got naked at a private party in Las Vegas, and someone leaked the photos to The Sun. Prince Harry in 2012. Sang Tan/AP The British tabloid published the naked photos of the prince in 2012, which were taken by another party-goer during a game of strip billiards in his hotel suite. According to an anonymous source who was in attendance, the prince's security team appeared to be aware that people were taking photos. "No one asked for our phones or anything about us when we arrived at the party," the source told The Sun. "It was obvious people were taking pictures." That same year, Closer Magazine published a photo of Kate Middleton sunbathing topless on its cover. Kate Middleton. WPA Pool/Getty Images At the time the pictures were taken, Prince William and Kate Middleton were staying in a private holiday home owned by the Queen's nephew, Viscount Linley. After the couple won a lawsuit against the company, Closer was ordered to pay $118,000 in damages to William and Kate in 2017. Meghan Markle walked herself down the aisle after her father was caught staging paparazzi photos in the lead-up to her wedding to Harry. Meghan Markle walks herself down the aisle. WPA Pool/Getty Images Thomas Markle's no-show at the royal wedding was thought to be due to his poor health, as he suffered a heart attack just days before Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in Windsor back in May 2018. However, in the year that followed, Thomas and the duchess appeared to have a strained relationship, with Thomas even speaking out against his daughter in several interviews with British tabloids. In 2011, Andrew resigned from his job because of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew. Sang Tan/AP Andrew served as the UK's trade envoy from 2001 through 2011, when he stepped down due to mounting criticism over some of his personal relationships, the BBC reported. Namely, he was close friends with American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This would not be the end of the matter, however. He stepped back from his royal duties altogether in 2019 after new allegations surfaced regarding his relationship with Epstein, culminating in a disastrous BBC interview. Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre, then known as Virginia Roberts, along with Ghislaine Maxwell. This photo was included in an affidavit where Giuffre claimed Prince Andrew directed her to have sex with him. Florida Southern District Court Virginia Giuffre, pictured with Andrew above, accused Epstein of forcing her to have sex with the prince when she was just 17 years old in 2001. The allegations from a 2015 defamation case resurfaced in the media as the case became unsealed. Andrew denied the claims, and a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace "emphatically denied" the allegations in an August 2019 statement provided to Business Insider. Four days after a catastrophic interview with "BBC Newsnight" where he spoke about his friendship with Epstein, Andrew announced he would step down from his royal duties. Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Giuffre died by suicide in 2025. Meghan Markle launched a lawsuit against British newspaper the Mail on Sunday after it published a private letter she wrote to her father. LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends the annual Remembrance Sunday memorial on November 11, 2018, in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage) Samir Hussein/WireImage Markle sued the publication over the misuse of private information, infringement of copyright, and breach of the Data Protection Act 2018 after it published excerpts from the letter earlier this year. She won the lawsuit in 2021. "I share this victory with each of you — because we all deserve justice and truth, and we all deserve better," Markle said in a statement. A judge later rejected the publisher's application for permission to appeal but said it can take the application to the Court of Appeals. The publisher, Associated Newspapers, said it would. After months of rumors, Harry and Markle announced they were taking a "step back" from royal life in 2020. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are stepping back from their roles as senior royals. Star Max/AP The announcement said they "intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen." They also wrote that they would split their time between North America and the UK. The royal communications office followed up with a statement of their own. "Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage," the Queen's statement read. "We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through." The couple carried out their last official royal engagement at the annual Commonwealth Day service in London in March 2020. They later bought a home in California. In March 2021, Markle and Harry gave a tell-all interview to Oprah Winfrey about their rift with the royal family, revealing one bombshell after another. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in their interview with Oprah Winfrey. Getty Images The two-hour primetime special was full of stunning revelations. Markle told Winfrey that Kate Middleton made her cry the week of her wedding over a flower girl dress and not the other way around, as had been reported in tabloids. She also said members of the royal family had "concerns and conversations" about how dark Archie's skin would be before he was born, and The Firm told them that Archie wouldn't receive a title or security, breaking from protocol. She also opened up about having suicidal thoughts amid constant tabloid criticism and racism, and said a senior member of the royal institution wouldn't let her seek help. Harry revealed that his family cut him off financially in the first quarter of 2020, and that Charles stopped taking his phone calls before they announced they were stepping back from the royal family. He also said that it hurts that the royal family never acknowledged tabloids' racist treatment of Markle, and that none of the royal family members have reached out to apologize for the reasons he felt he had to leave. Following the interview, Buckingham Palace released a statement on behalf of the Queen. "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," the statement read. "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. "Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much loved family members." Before the interview aired, Buckingham Palace announced they were investigating claims that Markle bullied members of the royal staff — but no such investigations had been publicly made into Andrew's involvement with Epstein. Meghan Markle (second from right), Prince Harry (right), and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (back row, right) with royal family members on Christmas Day in 2017. Chris Jackson/Getty Images The Times of London reported that Markle bullied two senior staff members during her time with the royal family. Buckingham Palace released a statement days before Markle and Harry's tell-all interview, saying that they were "very concerned" about the allegations, and that their HR team was investigating the claims. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex denied the claims to The Times, saying that the allegations were intended to undermine Prince Harry and Markle's interview with Oprah, calling it a "calculated smear campaign." While the palace launched an investigation into allegations that Markle bullied royal staff, no such investigations were publicly made by the palace when Andrew faced scrutiny over his involvement with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Royal biographers accused the palace of having double standards. Andrew was stripped of his royal patronages and military titles and faced a lawsuit as a private citizen instead of a royal. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Prince Andrew, Duke of York, attends a commemoration service at Manchester Cathedral marking the 100th anniversary since the start of the Battle of the Somme. July 1, 2016 in Manchester, England. Services are being held across Britain and the world to remember those who died in the Battle of the Somme which began 100 years ago on July 1st 1916. Armies of British and French soldiers fought against the German Empire leading to over one million lives being lost. Christopher Furlong - WPA Pool/Getty Images In August 2021, Virginia Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Andrew, accusing him of sexual assault. She alleged that Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew in his New York mansion, in London, and on Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands in 2001 when she was 17. The day after US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said the duke's motion to dismiss Giuffre's lawsuit was "denied in all respects," Buckingham Palace released a statement announcing that Andrew would no longer hold his royal patronages and military titles. "With The Queen's approval and agreement, The Duke of York's military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen," a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said in a statement sent to Business Insider in 2022. "The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen." In 2022, Andrew and Giuffre reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount. Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office as police opened an investigation into his ties to Epstein. Police officers at the gates at Royal Lodge, the former home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in Windsor, Berkshire. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and is in police custody. Picture date: Thursday February 19, 2026. Jonathan Brady - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images Andrew was arrested at his home in Sandringham, Norfolk, on February 19 and was released from police custody several hours later. An investigation is ongoing. The Justice Department's Epstein files revealed additional communications between Andrew and Epstein when the former prince was a UK trade envoy. Police conducted searches of his Sandringham home and at his former home in Windsor, Berkshire. "I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office," Charles said in a statement. "What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities." The king's statement continued: "In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all." Read the original article on Business Insider

Border Patrol Fired Army Lasers At Party Balloons, Forcing El Paso Air Traffic Shutdown
Politicszerohedge1mo ago

Border Patrol Fired Army Lasers At Party Balloons, Forcing El Paso Air Traffic Shutdown

Border Patrol Fired Army Lasers At Party Balloons, Forcing El Paso Air Traffic Shutdown On Wednesday, after the FAA suddenly shut down airspace over El Paso, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the unsettling move was prompted by a "cartel drone incursion," and assured Americans that "the threat has been neutralized." However, that shutdown, which impeded everything from commercial air traffic to medevac helicopter flights, was actually caused by a trigger-happy border Border Patrol unit firing a US Army laser weapon at a party balloon, not far from El Paso International Airport.  The introduction of the weapon into a border-security role without FAA approval may have violated federal law. The proposal for arming the border patrol with the anti-drone weapon was first presented to Deputy Defense Secretary Steve Feinberg in the spring of 2025, sources tell the New York Times. The goal was the interdiction of drones used to smuggle drugs across the frontier. According to two people, Pentagon staff cautioned that the idea would require approval of the FAA and Transportation Department, but Feinberg said the Pentagon was free to do what it wanted with the weapons. The Pentagon called their account "a total fabrication."  In a Feb 6 email obtained by the Times, the FAA's chief lawyer warned a DOD official that putting the weapon into the border-enforcement mix without restricting the airspace "a grave risk of fatalities or permanent injuries” to civilians flying overhead.  CPB officers reportedly fired an AeroVironment LOCUST laser counter-drone weapon on loan from the US Army (AeroVironment photo) In the predawn hours on Monday, Feb 9, as military service members observed, Customs and Border Protection officers fired the laser weapon at what they assumed was a drone near Fort Bliss, but it was actually a metallic party balloon. Around 5pm that day, a DOD official emailed an FAA lawyer, reiterating the Pentagon's stance that prior FAA approval wasn't needed, and that the laser weapons would continue to be employed on the border, adding that he "looked forward" to a meeting to discuss the topic.  FAA officials were said to be outraged. Early Tuesday evening, the FAA warned the Pentagon and National Security Council that an FAA-mandated shutdown of airspace near El Paso was imminent. Then came the extraordinary order from FAA administrator Bryan Bedford that airspace above El Paso would be closed for 10 days. The "temporary flight restriction notice" forbid any flights below 18,000 feet in the affected area. An angry El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson said the "unnecessary" airspace shutdown, which lasted a few hours, caused "chaos and confusion," including the diversion of medevac flights to Las Cruces, New Mexico. Bedford rescinded the order on Wednesday.   The laser weapon was fired a balloon approaching Fort Bliss, which is immediately adjacent to El Paso International Airport The incident has intensified pre-existing tension between the DOD and the FAA, which goes back to the disastrous January 2025 collision between an American Airlines jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people. At least two near-misses with Army helicopters followed.  While it's been widely and credibly reported that CPB fired at a party balloon, the administration has yet to officially rescind its claims about a "cartel drone incursion." Meanwhile, the safety question hangs heavy in the air. In October 2024, an official at US Northern Command said safety concerns were, at the time, keeping lasers off the table where drone interdiction was concerned:  “The biggest thing right now is the impact of the laser when it moves beyond its target. You know, how far is it going? What’s that going to do? How long does the laser need to remain on target before it begins to inflict damage and so on, right?”  It's far from clear if those questions have since been satisfactorily answered. To the extent they're still being sorted out, maybe that process shouldn't be taking place next to El Paso International Airport.  Tyler Durden Sun, 02/15/2026 - 13:25

Cultureforbes4d ago

NYT Strands Puzzle Hints and Answers for April 7

Hints and solutions for the New York Times Strands puzzle for Tuesday, April 7, have been released, focusing on the theme 'Taking The Helm'. Players can find clues and the full answer to complete today's word game.

Mossad Criticized Over Failure to Incite Uprising in Iran
Worldjerusalem-postklix-ba18d ago2 sources

Mossad Criticized Over Failure to Incite Uprising in Iran

Reports from the New York Times and other sources indicate that US and Israeli intelligence, including Mossad, failed to spark an uprising against the Iranian government as predicted, leading to criticism of Mossad chief David Barnea regarding the limits of military force in achieving regime change.

No, New York Times, Climate Change Isn't Driving Inflation
Environmentzerohedge1mo ago

No, New York Times, Climate Change Isn't Driving Inflation

No, New York Times, Climate Change Isn't Driving Inflation Authored by Anthony Watts via ClimateRealism.com, In The New York Times (NYT) article “Is Climate Change Making Inflation Worse?,” writer Lydia DePillis suggests that extreme weather linked to global warming is quietly raising the price of everyday goods like food, electricity, and insurance. The framing is, at best, misleading and, at worst, flat-out false. Inflation is a monetary phenomenon driven by fiscal policy,...

WorldNYT1mo ago

Here is the latest.

The New York Times has published its latest updates on current events, providing recent news and developments.

How relief for the 40 million Americans without a retirement account could work
PoliticsBusiness Insider1mo ago

How relief for the 40 million Americans without a retirement account could work

President Donald Trump unveiled a new retirement saving policy in his 2026 State of the Union speech. Pool photo by Kenny Holston/The New York Times. President Trump hopes to match retirement savings for private-sector employees without company plans. The plan would expand a Biden-era law that helps fund retirement for low-income workers. Economists had mixed reviews of the proposal. A line in Trump's State of the Union address could be good news for hopeful retirees. President Donald Trump...

JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette died in a plane crash 27 years ago. It fueled rumors of a 'Kennedy curse.'
WorldBusiness Insider1mo ago

JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette died in a plane crash 27 years ago. It fueled rumors of a 'Kennedy curse.'

John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, attended the Municipal Art Society Gala in 1998. Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive/Getty Images John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife, and her sister died in a 1999 plane crash near Martha's Vineyard. Rumors of a "Kennedy curse" were fueled by multiple family tragedies over the decades. JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette's relationship is now the topic of an FX series, "Love Story." The Kennedy family has been subjected to many tragedies over the years, including two assassinations and a plane crash that took the lives of John F. Kennedy Jr. and two other passengers. Nearly 27 years ago, on July 16, 1999, John F. Kennedy Jr., his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and her older sister Lauren Bessette were killed in a plane crash off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. There were no survivors from the accident. The relationship between John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy is now the topic of an FX series executive-produced by Ryan Murphy, "Love Story." Their deaths became a major news story and perpetuated rumors of a "Kennedy curse." JFK Jr.'s father, former President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1963. His uncle, Robert "Bobby" Kennedy, was assassinated five years later in 1968. And two years before JFK Jr.'s death, his cousin Michael Kennedy also died after hitting a tree while skiing in Aspen, Colorado. Here's what we know about the plane crash that killed John F. Kennedy Jr. and two others. John F. Kennedy Jr. frequently made headlines throughout the 1990s. John F. Kennedy, Jr. at the Democratic National Convention in 1988. Bettmann/Getty Images As the son of a president and a member of one of America's most prominent political dynasties, John F. Kennedy Jr. was destined for the spotlight. JFK Jr. was born on November 25, 1960, just two weeks after his father was elected president. His father was assassinated on November 22, 1963, just three days shy of JFK Jr.'s third birthday. JFK Jr., affectionately nicknamed "John-John" by the public, attended the funeral on his birthday and was famously photographed saluting his father's casket. Throughout much of his adolescence and adulthood, he mostly remained out of the public eye. However, his public image began to change after he introduced his uncle, Ted Kennedy, at the Democratic National Convention in 1988. In September 1988, People named Kennedy, who was then a 27-year-old third-year law student at NYU, the "Sexiest Man Alive." JFK Jr. also dated a few celebrities throughout the 1990s, including "Sex and the City" star Sarah Jessica Parker, Cindy Crawford, and Daryl Hannah. John F. Kennedy Jr. began dating Carolyn Bessette, a publicist for Calvin Klein, in 1994. John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy in 1995. Rose Hartman/Getty Images They met in the fitting room at Calvin Klein, where Bessette helped JFK Jr. pick out wardrobe items, Elizabeth Beller wrote in "Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy," cited by People. Tall, sophisticated, and beautiful, JFK Jr.'s new girlfriend captivated the public. After two years of dating, the pair married in an intimate ceremony on Cumberland Island, Georgia, People reported. While their wedding ceremony was private, their relationship was anything but, thanks to the prying eyes of the paparazzi. Evan Agostini/Getty Images; NY Daily News Archive/Getty Images The media attention may have even inspired Kennedy to get his pilot's license in 1998. "That was some of the happiest times he ever had. Floating around with the buzzards in his Buckeye [plane]. It was the freedom," his close friend Robbie Littell told "JFK Jr: An Intimate Oral Biography" author RoseMarie Terenzio, according to People. "He said, 'It's the only place I can go where no one is bothering me. I have complete silence, and no one can get to me except the air traffic controllers.' Maybe that gives you insight into what he was really dealing with on the ground," his college friend Gary Ginsberg said, People reported. John F. Kennedy Jr. was traveling to Martha's Vineyard with his wife and her older sister when their plane was reported missing. The hangar where John Kennedy Jr. kept his Piper Saratoga airplane. Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection/Getty Images The Washington Post reported that Kennedy departed Essex County Airport near Fairfield, New Jersey, at around 8:38 p.m. on Friday, July 16, 1999. The sun was already beginning to set and "hazy conditions," which had been reported earlier in the evening, were getting worse, People reported. Kennedy planned to drop his sister-in-law Lauren Bessette on Martha's Vineyard before traveling to his family's compound in Hyannis Port with Carolyn. The couple was due to attend his cousin Rory Kennedy's wedding the following day, according to People. However, the plane never landed in Martha's Vineyard. An unidentified driver reported the plane had failed to arrive at Martha's Vineyard Airport as expected, according to the Post, citing an NBC report. It kicked off a search for the missing aircraft in the early hours of July 17. The Kennedy family notified the Cape Cod Coast Guard that the couple had not made it back to Hyannis. A Coast Guard helicopter searching for debris from John Kennedy Jr.'s plane. Daniel Goodrich/Newsday RM/Getty Images The Washington Post reported that the Coast Guard then began investigating whether the plane had landed at another airport. By 4 a.m., the Coast Guard began searching for the missing plane, and by 7:30 a.m., the Air Force and Coast Guard had launched 20 aircraft vehicles and two boats to search the area between Long Island and Martha's Vineyard, according to the Post's timeline. On Sunday afternoon, what was presumed to be debris from the plane was found on Philbin Beach on Martha's Vineyard. Among the debris was a headrest that was later concluded to be from the missing aircraft and a black suitcase that contained Lauren Bessette's business card. Rory Kennedy's wedding, scheduled for 6 p.m. that night, was put on hold as the family awaited more news. The Washington Post reported that after more debris was found in the days to follow, the search-and-rescue mission became a search-and-recovery mission. All three of the plane's passengers were now presumed dead. John F. Kennedy Jr. was 38 years old. Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy was 33, and her sister Lauren Bessette was 34. Five days after the crash, the bodies of John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and Lauren Bessette were recovered. Massachusetts State Police divers left Menemsha on Martha's Vineyard on July 19, 1999. DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images The debris field was identified off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, relatively near the estate once owned by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Kennedy's mother, The New York Times reported. (Kennedy Onassis died in 1994.) The bodies of John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, and Lauren Bessette were discovered by Navy divers on July 22, 1999, after an extensive search approved by President Bill Clinton. The bodies of the crash victims, which were ''near and under'' the main body of the aircraft, were still strapped in, according to the Times. Details began to emerge about what led to the crash. A television technician holds up the official handout map of the search and rescue area off Martha's Vineyard. JOHN MOTTERN/AFP/Getty Images Kennedy had only flown about 72 hours without a flight instructor, and had only about 300 total hours of flying experience, The New York Times reported in July 2000. He had reportedly rejected an offer to have a flight instructor accompany the group on their journey. As a newly trained pilot, Kennedy was not licensed to fly and navigate the air using flying instruments. Instead, he had only trained to fly using sight alone, which would have been extremely difficult in dark or hazy conditions such as those on the night of July 16. Warren Morningstar, a spokesman for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, told the Times that "flying at night over featureless terrain or water, and particularly in haze or in overcast, is a prime setup for spatial disorientation." About an hour into the trip, the plane's flight path became irregular as it began its descent into Martha's Vineyard, indicating that the pilot may have become disoriented by the darkness of the sky and the water, the National Transportation Safety Board concluded. "His flight path into the water is consistent with what is known as a graveyard spiral," Jeff Guzzetti, an NTSB investigator in the accident, told Terenzio, according to People. "The airplane makes a spiral nose down … kind of like going down a drain. The plane went into one final turn and it stayed in that turn pretty much all the way down to the ocean." The aircraft went down in the water about 7 miles from its intended destination of Martha's Vineyard. Mourners pay respects at the floral shrine outside of the building where John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn lived in 1999. Allan Tannenbaum/Getty Images The Washington Post reported that the plane did not send out a distress call. Instead, it made its final descent and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in under 30 seconds. Kennedy, Kennedy-Bessette, and Bessette's bodies were cremated and buried at sea off the coast of Martha's Vineyard on July 22, 1999. "We are filled with unspeakable grief and sadness by the loss of John and Carolyn and Lauren Bessette," Ted Kennedy said in a statement on behalf of the Kennedy family. "John was a shining light in all our lives and in the lives of the nation and the world that first came to know him as a little boy." As the country mourned the loss, rumors of a "Kennedy curse" were reignited. John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy attended the White House Correspondents dinner in 1999. Tyler Mallory/Liaison/Getty Images The extensive search captured the nation's attention, as did the tragedy of the three young passengers' deaths. Yet another tragic accident for the Kennedy family, the plane crash only added to rumors of a Kennedy family curse. "I've looked high and low and cannot find another family since the ancient Greek House of Atreus that has suffered more calamities and misfortunes than the Kennedys," Edward Klein, the author of "The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America's First Family for 150 Years," said, according to The Washington Post. While there are many logical reasons for the fateful plane crash, it's nevertheless poignant that the Kennedy family, one of the wealthiest and most influential political families in the world, has suffered so much tragedy throughout the last 100 years. "The humanity of their story is what keeps us engaged," Kennedy family biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli told NBC News in 2019. "We peer behind the scenes of their wealthy lifestyle, and we see, for all the advantages they have, tragedy can still happen." Read the original article on Business Insider

Zuckerberg's courthouse entourage showed up in Meta Ray-Bans
TechnologyAl JazeeraFox NewsBusiness Insider+2YahooTimes of India1mo ago5 sources

Zuckerberg's courthouse entourage showed up in Meta Ray-Bans

Mark Zuckerberg took the stand at the Los Angeles Superior Court. Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images Zuckerberg's courthouse entourage showed up in Meta Ray-Bans. The judge warned that anybody recording proceedings with smart glasses could face contempt. Meta's smart glasses are surging. Sales tripled in 2025, the company said. As Mark Zuckerberg was ushered into the Los Angeles Superior Court early on Wednesday morning, one accessory in his entourage stood out: Meta Ray-Ban glasses. Zuckerberg, wearing a navy blue suit and tie, arrived without any glasses. Flanking either side of him as he walked up to the courthouse were longtime executive assistant Andrea Besmehn and an unidentified man donning Meta's Ray-Ban glasses. Meta declined to comment about the accessory choice. AI-powered smart glasses weren't just a hot accessory in the California sun. They were a hot topic inside the courtroom. The judge presiding over the trial announced that anyone using glasses to record inside the courtroom would be "held in contempt of the court," according to CNBC. This isn't the first trial where Meta's glasses have caused issues. Last year, while Meta battled the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust allegations, New York Times reporter Mike Isaac posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had been reprimanded by the court for wearing Meta Ray-Bans. do not wear camera glasses in federal buildings folks 😞 — rat king 🐀 (@MikeIsaac) April 15, 2025 Andrea Besmehn (left) and an unidentified man donning Meta's Ray-Ban glasses while accompanying Zuckerberg. Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images; Mike Blake/Reuters The glasses cameo came as Zuckerberg took the stand in a Los Angeles trial accusing major social media companies of building addictive products that harm young users. The case centers on a now-20-year-old plaintiff, identified in court filings as "KGM," who alleged that Instagram and YouTube worsened her depression and suicidal thoughts after she started using the apps as a child. TikTok and Snap have already settled, leaving Meta and Google's YouTube as the remaining defendants in the trial, which could shape similar lawsuits nationwide. The trial underway in Los Angeles is focused on design features that plaintiffs say keep teens scrolling. Zuckerberg's testimony follows an earlier appearance from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri. Meta's Ray Ban smart glasses have become a surprise hit. On the company's earnings call last month, Zuckerberg said that sales of the glasses more than tripled in 2025, and compared the moment to the shift from flip phones to smartphones. Meta has increasingly positioned the glasses as a vehicle for its AI ambitions. In addition to taking pictures and playing music, users can ask questions to Meta AI, Meta's AI assistant, about anything that they're looking at through the glasses. Last week, the New York Times reported that Meta is planning to add facial recognition technology to the glasses. Read the original article on Business Insider

Hedge Fund 13F Filings Reveal Investment Shifts
Financewsjcnbcseeking-alpha1mo ago3 sources

Hedge Fund 13F Filings Reveal Investment Shifts

Recent 13F filings show notable investment moves by prominent hedge fund managers, including Druckenmiller's interest in Brazil, Tepper's liking for EWY, and Berkshire Hathaway's new stake in The New York Times.

Take a walk through America's first 1950s suburb in 25 vintage photos
CultureBusiness Insider1mo ago

Take a walk through America's first 1950s suburb in 25 vintage photos

Bernard Hoffman/Getty Images Thanks to the postwar Baby Boom and other factors, families in the '50s began moving to the suburbs. Levittown in Long Island, New York, is widely recognized as the first modern American suburb. Each home looked the same — they were all built in the Cape Cod-style and cost around $7,000. As World War II came to an end, families looked for ways to start over. Emboldened by the GI Bill's provisions for home loans, they moved out of the cities in droves for newly developed suburban communities. In fact, the suburbs expanded by 47% during the 1950s, according to the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. Levittown in Long Island, New York, was one of the first to introduce the idea of a pre-planned, mass-produced uniform suburban community, The New York Times reported. Families started moving there on October 1, 1947. Though the community welcomed an influx of families, non-white prospects weren't allowed. Notably, African Americans didn't see the same benefits from the GI Bill, and it would take some years before racial and ethnic minorities broadly shifted to the suburbs. Here's what it was like to live in America's first modern suburb in the 1950s. Before the 1950s, people mostly lived in cities to be close to factory jobs. Historical/Getty Images At the time, most people lived close to the city center to work in factories, or they lived in rural communities to work on farms, according to economist Jay Zagorsky. Everything changed in the 1950s when soldiers returned from World War II, sparking the great migration to the suburbs. Irving Haberman/IH Images/Getty Images The 1950 Census found that 60% of people lived in cities, while 40% lived in the suburbs. Thanks to factors like the construction of highways, the development of new neighborhoods from farmland, and even safety in the event of an atomic attack, these percentages would soon shift drastically. The GI Bill made it easier to afford a new home, prompting this transition from urban to suburban. Newsday LLC/Getty Images The GI Bill provided each returning soldier with benefits designed to stimulate economic growth. Each soldier was given a year of unemployment and free tuition to go to college. The military pledged to back all home loans, which allowed veterans to buy houses with little to no down payments. The Baby Boom started at the same time, causing many families to outgrow their city apartments. A family of four stands in front of their house in Levittown, NY. Joseph Scherschel/Getty Images Shortly after WWII ended, the Baby Boom began. In 1946, 3.4 million babies were born, more than ever before, and 20% more than in 1945, per History.com. This trend continued into the '50s. By the end of the boom in 1964, this generation made up 40% of the country's population. Most historians think it was because Americans were eager to have families after having postponed marriage and childbirth because of the Great Depression and World War II. Whatever the reason, people flocked to the suburbs to accommodate their growing families. In response to this growing need for space, suburban communities popped up at a faster rate in the '50s. An aerial view of a suburban community. Hulton Archive/Getty Images During the war, factories focused on creating wartime essentials, like airplanes and barracks. In the '50s, they refocused their efforts on building home components and automobiles using the new practices — like the assembly line — they implemented in the war, As a result, factories were able to produce materials for homes faster than ever before. Levittown in Long Island, New York, is widely recognized as the first modern American suburb. Tony Linck/Getty Images Levitt and Sons, a construction company, purchased a 7-square-mile plot of potato and onion farms in Long Island in 1947. They set out to build one of the first uniform suburban communities in the US. The community grew fast. In fact, a house was built every 16 minutes in Levittown. Tony Linck/Getty Images To construct the new community, which sits about 30 miles east of Manhattan, Levitt and Sons hired mostly unskilled workers to build the homes. They gave each a specific skill and created a sort of human assembly line. William Levitt even called his firm "the General Motors of the housing industry," The Guardian reported. The Levitts eventually constructed 17,447 houses between 1947 and 1951. During the peak of the construction boom, one was built every 16 minutes. People flocked to home sale events to get themselves a slice of suburbia. Al Fenn/Getty Images The first homes in Levittown cost new residents around $7,000, The Guardian reported. For veterans, there was no down payment. When adjusting for inflation, a Levittown home in 1950 would be roughly $97,000 in today's money. Every house in Levittown was identical. The Levitt family called it "the best house in the US." Joseph Scherschel/Getty Images At first, all the homes were built in the same style, and some residents even admitted to walking into the wrong house at times because they couldn't tell them apart, according to Khan Academy, citing Kenneth T. Jackson's "Crabgrass Frontier: The Suburbanization of the United States." The picturesque community was lined with greenery. In fact, a tree was planted every 28 feet in Levittown. Newsday LLC/Getty Images Each home in Levittown sat on a 6,000-square-foot lot, The New York Times reported. Outdoor spaces, like backyards, became focal points. Robert W. Kelley/Getty Images With the growing number of children, outdoor spaces became increasingly important to the suburban neighborhood. Inside each home, there were four rooms, a built-in TV set, and Hi-Fi for the radio. Joseph Scherschel/Getty Images At first, they were modest homes, but most families saw their new suburban lives as luxurious. Most Levittown residents experienced the responsibilities of owning a home for the first time. A man and a woman clean opposite sides of a window. Many homeowners experienced the responsibilities of owning a home for the first time. Newsday LLC/Newsday via Getty Images Many Levittown homeowners learned homeownership responsibilities, such as tending to a lawn. The suburb helped cement the idea of the "nuclear family" in American culture. The community prided itself on neighborhood amenities, like this mobile public library. Joseph Scherschel/Getty Images There were also swimming pools that children could use during the summer. Levittown also had seven shopping centers. Underwood Archives/Getty Images The shopping centers were called "village greens" and were designed to make the town more of a bustling community, per Encyclopedia.com. The suburbs were also known for being a safe alternative to the gritty city streets. Joseph Scherschel/Getty Images Since the streets in the suburban neighborhood were considered safer than those in the city, parents used to allow children to bike around by themselves, per the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Levittown was also known as a cheaper option compared to an apartment in the city. Bernard Hoffman/Getty Images The mortgage on a home in Levittown was reportedly about $29 per month, while most paid $90 per month in the city. By comparison, the average rent in New York City in 2026 is just under $3,500, according to Zillow. The monthly cost of a 30-year mortgage on a Levittown home today would be roughly $2,000. With all the amenities and perks, the community grew rapidly. In less than a decade, the population of Levittown reached 82,000. Bettmann/Getty Images The community has over 17,000 homes, making it one of the largest private housing projects in the history of the US. As a result, Levittown became a model for other suburban communities in the US during the 1950s. A suburban community in the 1950s. Joseph Scherschel/Getty Images Suburban home construction boomed in the 1950s. In fact, at least 15 million units were under construction by the end of the decade, according to the Wealth Management Group. Although suburban communities boomed in the '50s, the shift was reserved for white Americans. Joseph Scherschel/Getty Images For years, there were rules that restricted minorities from buying homes in Levittown, and even as the Civil Rights Movement was starting to take form and the rest of the country began integrating after Brown v Board of Education in 1954, Levittown remained mostly white. Two-thirds of Levittown residents today are white, according US Census estimates. Some of the few non-white families resisted this standard. Some non-white residents like William Cotter and his family fought against Levittown's whites-only standard. Newsday LLC/Newsday RM via Getty Images In 1952, William Cotter, a Black man, and his family, sublet a home at 26 Butternut Lane. When the lease was up, Levitt refused to renew it or sell them the home. The refusal sparked support for the Cotters, and the family eventually purchased another home from a white homeowner. With modern highways leading to the suburbs, men commuted into the city. New highways leading to the suburbs didn't come without traffic. Newsday LLC/Newsday via Getty Images The suburban boom corresponded with the expansion of interstate highways in the US, starting the modern iteration of the commute from the suburbs to the city. In 1950, 80% of men in Levittown commuted to Manhattan for work, The Guardian reported. During a typical day, the streets of Levittown were filled with women, as the men were mostly working in the city. Bettmann/Getty Images When men left to fight in WWII, women began entering the workforce, gaining newfound independence and freedom. However, they were suddenly expected to give this up again and instead focus on childbearing and rearing. In 1963, author Betty Friedan wrote in "The Feminine Mystique" that the suburbs "were burying women alive." However, some believe that women's dissatisfaction with staying home "contributed to the rebirth of the feminist movement in the 1960s," History.com reported. Women also got active in civic engagement. Women and children protest in favor of new stop signs. Newsday LLC/Newsday RM via Getty Images In 1959, women of Levittown, with children in hand, protested in favor of putting stop signs in an area with automobile-related deaths. Levittown became a symbol of prosperity and anticommunism in American politics and culture. William J. Levitt speaks with three senators. Bettmann/Bettmann Archive/Getty Images As American politics increasingly centered on anticommunism and Cold War tensions rose, Levittown and suburbs like it took on a symbolic meaning in American culture, representing prosperity and the "American Dream." Levitt was once quoted saying, "No man who owns his own house and lot can be a Communist. He has too much to do." In 2026, Levittown is still a sizable community with a population of about 50,000. Though it's full of modern businesses and technology, the community still holds a legacy as a post-war suburban haven. Read the original article on Business Insider