News Wrap: Larry Summers leaves Harvard teaching job over Epstein ties

Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary and Harvard professor, announced Wednesday, February 25, 2026, that he is leaving his teaching position at Harvard University after his name appeared hundreds of times in recently released Epstein files, creating controversy and ethical concerns for the institution. The development comes as a significant blow to Harvard's reputation, given Summers' prominent role in the academic community and his previous position as university president. The Epstein files, which became public recently, contain extensive documentation of interactions between the disgraced financier and various influential figures, with Summers' name appearing more frequently than many others in the documents. Meanwhile, in Brazil, rescue teams are desperately searching for dozens of people missing after intense rains and catastrophic floods devastated several regions, with meteorologists warning that more precipitation is expected in the coming days. In a separate international incident, Cuba's Interior Ministry confirmed that soldiers killed four people aboard a speedboat registered in Florida, alleging that the vessel had opened fire on Cuban military personnel in Cuban waters, further straining already tense relations between the two countries.