World
Top Stories:- More than a strongman? In India, coalition politics will be Modi’s third-term test.
For India’s new coalition government to last, experts say Prime Minister Narendra Modi must find ways to temper his party’s Hindu nationalism and compromise on other key issues.
- Why Iranian hard-liners are allowing a reformist candidate for president
Iran’s leadership sees every election as a referendum on its legitimacy. But as hard-liners have sought to solidify their control over the levers of power, political apathy has set in, and voter turnout has fallen.
- Almost no one recognizes the Taliban. But Russia appears set to start.
Much of the world regards the Taliban as outlaw rulers of Afghanistan. But Russia appears set to recognize them, in the interest of domestic security.
- Almost no one recognizes the Taliban. But Russia appears set to start.
Much of the world regards the Taliban as outlaw rulers of Afghanistan. But Russia appears set to recognize them, in the interest of domestic security.
- Protesters and police collide after Argentine president’s spending cut passes Senate
Argentina President Javier Milei’s proposal to cut state spending and strengthen his power was barely approved on June 13 by the Senate. Thousands of protesters gathered outside Congress, and federal security pushed back with tear gas and water cannons.
USA
Top Stories:- A Stanley Cup win for the Deaf community: American Sign Language makes its NHL debut
In what the interim CEO of the National Association of the Deaf called a groundbreaking moment, the National Hockey League became the first major sports league to offer play-by-play and analysis in American Sign Language.
- Disney opens Tiana’s Bayou Adventure with a Black princess at the helm
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure replaces Splash Mountain, long criticized for being based on “Song of the South” and its racist stereotypes. The new ride, opening later this month, is infused with music, scenery, and animatronic characters set in 1920s New Orleans.
- Supreme Court overturns Trump-era ban on bump stocks used in Vegas shooting
The Supreme Court found the Trump administration did not follow federal law when it banned bump stocks after a gunman in Las Vegas attacked a country music festival in 2017, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history.
- The US Navy is in its longest sea battle since World War II. Red Sea Houthis aren’t backing down.
The Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip has overshadowed another battlefront. The U.S. Navy has been fighting Houthi rebels in the Red Sea since November. More than 50 vessels have been targeted by the rebels, endangering vital shipping routes.
- Will voters reward Biden’s tougher immigration stance? The view from a swing district.
For some voters, President Joe Biden’s tougher border action may be too little, too late. Here’s the view from a competitive Colorado district in a state grappling with a migrant influx.
Commentary
Top Stories:- Graceful honesty for the beautiful game
This year’s European soccer tournament comes with new rules to help ensure truth will prevail over lies.
- A diverse roster of female leaders
As more women lead countries, attitudes shift on what qualities they bring to governing.
- Playing to a child's innocence
Bringing joy to children in Gaza is a good example of why the UN designated the first International Day of Play this year.
- Climate progress the honest way
The buying of carbon credits to offset a company’s emissions is getting a whole lot more transparent to prevent greenwashing.
- Europe’s election: The art of listening
While the right made gains in the European Parliament, both sides showed a willingness to listen to disillusioned voters.
Economy
Top Stories:- Tesla shareholders approve record pay for Musk. Are pricey CEOs worth it?
By approving Elon Musk’s huge pay package that was thrown out by a Delaware judge, Tesla shareholders highlight unsettled questions over CEO pay.
- ‘Hey Siri, can you win the AI race?’ How Apple Intelligence could be a game-changer.
Apple is diving into artificial intelligence – focused on the idea of a “virtual personal assistant.” Apple Intelligence will make Siri and some iPhone 15 models smarter – and perhaps spur sales of new gadgets.
- US gas prices are falling just in time for summer travel
U.S. gas prices are finally coming down, but why now? Industry analysts point to a change in demand as well as a decrease in oil prices worldwide.
- GameStock’s dizzying Wall Street ride: fast, furious, and now, familiar
GameStop and meme stocks are booming once more this week. Welcome to the new age of investing, one where anyone can buy a stock with zero commissions simply by tapping a few times on a phone.
- Airline revenues are at a high – so why are ticket prices also expected to soar?
Worldwide inflation and pandemic production delays are some of the reasons why summer airline tickets are sky-high. Airline revenue is estimated to reach nearly $1 trillion in 2024, a record high.
Environment
Top Stories:- This Namibian park has skyscraper-high dunes and a spectacular view of dawn
A trusty guide in love with the smallest of beings draws attention away from the impossibly high mounds of sand in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.
- Where the wildflowers grow ... in a Ukrainian war zone
When a Ukrainian dam blew up a year ago, floods destroyed homes and farmland across swathes of the south. But nature is reclaiming its rights.
- Copper manufacturers step up recycling game by tapping the ‘urban mine’
Wire manufacturer Nexans is mixing increasing amounts of discarded copper into its products in an effort to meet the rising demand for the metal, which is expected to nearly double by 2035. The company’s copper rods now contain 14% recycled copper.
- How rising sea temperatures are affecting Earth’s climate
Oceans help keep temperatures on Earth balanced. Yet rising temperatures are affecting their ability to serve as a heat buffer.
- A climate scientist questioned his findings. It didn’t go well.
Despite a wide consensus about climate change, many people remain skeptical. Can climate scientists earn back the public’s trust?
Technology
Top Stories:- Georgia leads toward a nuclear future with its first operating reactor
Georgia Power Co. announced one of its two new reactors reached self-sustaining nuclear fission on Monday. The announcement is a key step toward reaching commercial operation of nuclear energy in the United States.
- Cellphone at 50: Its inventor reflects on mobile advances and risks
Cellphone inventor Martin Cooper, who placed the first mobile call on April 3, 1973, remains hopeful the technology can transform lives, but he’s also concerned about its impact. “We don’t have any privacy anymore,” Mr. Cooper said at a trade show in Spain.
- What links toothbrushes and weapons systems? A $52 billion investment.
The U.S. government has reached a rare bipartisan agreement to invest $52 billion to develop advanced computer chips. Factories, autos, appliances, electronics, toys, toothbrushes, and weapons systems all depend on semiconductors.
- Internet speech: Supreme Court to weigh who is protected online
Two cases before the U.S. Supreme Court this week challenge Section 230, a 1996 law that protects tech companies from liability for material posted on their networks. The cases are part of a global trend toward holding social media platforms accountable.
- ‘Tremendous potential’: Why some disability advocates laud ChatGPT
ChatGPT has spurred lively conversations about the role of educational technology. While some colleges and universities are cracking down on ChatGPT, the AI-powered chatbot, other educators believe ChatGPT could help with assisted learning.
Science
Top Stories:- ‘Hey Siri, can you win the AI race?’ How Apple Intelligence could be a game-changer.
Apple is diving into artificial intelligence – focused on the idea of a “virtual personal assistant.” Apple Intelligence will make Siri and some iPhone 15 models smarter – and perhaps spur sales of new gadgets.
- Boeing has seen a tide of bad headlines. It’s hoping for a reset with space launch.
Boeing plans to launch a crewed spaceflight to prove it can successfully transport astronauts to the International Space Station.
- Scientists recorded sperm whales. Their pod-casts offer hints on how they talk.
For years, researchers have tried to link sperm whales’ underwater clicks to the meanings they communicate. A new study of their codas could serve as the basis for future translations of their alphabet.
- Hey now, you’re a dead star. Meet Gaia, the Milky Way’s second-largest black hole.
A black hole named Gaia BH3, 33 times greater in size than the sun, was discovered 2,000 light years from Earth. The only other in our Milky Way galaxy, Sagittarius, is 26,000 light years away from Earth and traveling in the opposite direction.
- Some things are worth missing school for. An eclipse road trip, and a search for wonder.
Our reporter, like many parents, wanted his son to experience the wonder of a total solar eclipse. As so often happens with parenting, the one left most in awe by the celestial event was not the fifth grader.
Culture
Top Stories:- A visit to ‘Giants’ offers reflections on Black art – and lives
Our cultural commentator tours a power couple’s art collection at the Brooklyn Museum to see what effect the exhibit, “Giants,” has on the understanding of Black art and everyday life.
- A Civil War hero got a new statue. Her name is Harriet Tubman.
Civil War statues have been in the news in recent years. But a new one in Beaufort, South Carolina, honors a different kind of military leader – and the story only starts there.
- She needed a notary. How a Holocaust survivor became a friend.
A routine notary task blossomed into a beautiful friendship with my neighbor Ann, a Holocaust survivor.
- These English PhDs helped train Google’s AI bot. Here’s what they think about it now.
Half a dozen English Ph.D.s who worked on Google Gemini share their experiences training AI with the Monitor.
- This Namibian park has skyscraper-high dunes and a spectacular view of dawn
A trusty guide in love with the smallest of beings draws attention away from the impossibly high mounds of sand in the Namib-Naukluft National Park.
Books
Top Stories:- How the Civil War spurred the animal welfare movement
“Our Kindred Creatures” tells the story of American abolitionists who, after Emancipation, pivoted from antislavery campaigns to animal welfare advocacy.
- Ann Powers was writing Joni Mitchell’s life story. She found her own.
With her new biography about Joni Mitchell, NPR music critic Ann Powers says she wanted to challenge the idea that there’s only one definitive story of a life.
- How George Marshall’s quiet genius for planning helped the US win world wars
In a new biography, Josiah Bunting III paints a revealing picture of the quiet man who grew into a titanic military leader.
- So you want to win the New Yorker caption contest? Here’s how in 6 steps.
Lawrence Wood has won The New Yorker’s caption contest eight times. In this witty volume, he explains how he did it.
- In ‘Sipsworth,’ a mouse helps a widow conquer loneliness
In Simon Van Booy’s charming novel “Sipsworth,” a woman’s closed world is opened up by the unexpected arrival of a mouse.