Good evening. Here’s the latest at the end of Thursday.
Health insurance subsidies are set to expireThe Senate blocked a pair of proposals this afternoon that were designed to avert rising health care premiums. The results made it all but certain that expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies, which millions of Americans depend on to afford health coverage, would expire at the end of the month. All but four Republican senators voted to block a bid by Democrats to extend the insurance subsidies for three years. Separately, every Democrat, and one Republican, voted to block a Republican alternative that would replace the subsidies with an expansion of health savings accounts and direct payments of up to $1,500 for people on high-deductible plans. This fall, Democrats had declined to fund the government unless the subsidies were extended. After a record 43-day shutdown, a group of Democrats agreed to open the government in exchange for a vote on extending the subsidies, among other things. Today, they got their vote — and it failed. Yet, Democrats still feel good about the effort, our congressional correspondent Carl Hulse told me. “Democrats are increasingly convinced that the shutdown worked in their favor,” Carl said. “Even though the proposal failed, Democrats were able to focus attention on an issue that plays to their strength.” Many Republicans believe that the Affordable Care Act is fundamentally flawed and that the Democratic plan would simply maintain a “bloated” subsidy program that was meant to be temporary. However, Carl told me that some of them are “very nervous” about the political backlash of allowing health care costs to rise while they are in the majority.
Indiana Republicans reject Trump’s redistricting pushMore than half of the Republicans in the Indiana Senate joined Democrats this afternoon to vote down a congressional map that would have made it much easier for Republicans to win the only two U.S. House seats they don’t already control. The decision was a significant public defiance of President Trump, who had for months demanded that the state’s Republicans redraw their map. The president had called out some Indiana lawmakers by name, openly questioned their loyalty to the party and pledged to back primary challengers against anyone who voted against the map. For more: Indiana’s unique political evolution helps explain this showdown among Republicans.
Parts of Washington State were ordered to evacuateThe Pacific Northwest was drenched for the fourth straight day, prompting warnings of potentially catastrophic flooding. Schools closed, public transit shut down and more than 100,000 people were ordered to evacuate from their homes in western Washington State. Officials were especially concerned about the Skagit and Snohomish Rivers, which were expected to crest by tomorrow at record levels. One federal hydrologist said the flooding could be the region’s worst in decades. In Canada, major highways to Vancouver were closed.
Disney’s A.I. deal is a big moment for HollywoodDisney announced today that it would buy a $1 billion stake in OpenAI and bring its characters to Sora, OpenAI’s short-form video platform. The agreement is the first of its kind for a major Hollywood company. The industry has been struggling with how best to incorporate the new technology without giving up creative control or profits from their copyrighted works. In other A.I. news, our DealBook newsletter explained why investors are particularly worried about Oracle’s big bet. More top news
Online crypto casinos are illegal in many countries, including the U.S. But the borderless nature of the internet has allowed them to flourish. A Times investigation found that the industry has been built by operators willing to deploy exploitative marketing tactics to encourage reckless wagers, turn influencers into casino recruiters and lure in young people. Read the investigation here.
And the video game of the year goes to …Later tonight, the Game Awards will honor the year’s top video games. The highest award, Game of the Year, will be handed out to one of six finalists. We talked to the creators of each one about what segments of their games resonated most vividly with them. My colleague Zachary Small also detailed the unexpected path of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which became a top contender for Game of the Year against almost everyone’s expectations.
These books are hidden gemsEvery year, our Book Review staff sifts through thousands of new books. The most celebrated among them land on our best-of-2025 lists. Inevitably, many great reads don’t. That’s where today’s list of recommendations comes in handy. Sixteen of my colleagues highlighted a book that was unforgettable to them, regardless of outside acclaim. Check out their picks.
Dinner table topics
Cook: This French toast is soaked in a rich custard overnight. Give it a try. Sip: These were our wine critic’s most memorable bottles of 2025. Watch: “Resurrection” is a glorious film that tracks a chameleonlike character across a century’s worth of adventures. Exercise: Skiing can be a great workout if you keep these things in mind. Consider: Beginning today, fans can enter a draw to buy 2026 World Cup tickets. Hunt: Which New York City home would you buy with a $600,000 budget? Play: Here are today’s Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. |
