World

• In Russia-occupied Crimea, Ukrainian attacks land differently for divided residents

  Crimea has been targeted this summer by a Ukrainian drone and missile offensive meant to isolate the Russian-occupied peninsula. While all sides are feeling the economic impact and loss of tourism, some are heartened and others resentful.
• US-Venezuela oil deal promises a windfall. But, Venezuelans ask, for whom?

  Venezuela has the world's largest proven oil reserves. But schools, hospitals, infrastructure, and pensions have seen little investment in recent years. Could a U.S. oil deal change that?
• Plowing a new furrow: Europe’s farmers try to adapt to drier summers

  European farmers, along with their governments, are trying to adapt to hotter, drier summers by testing new crops and storing winter rainwater.
• Hong Kong’s indie bookstores come under scrutiny amid a broader crackdown on dissent

  Independent bookstores in Hong Kong offer a window for mainland Chinese readers who seek ideas suppressed at home. But these shops are under threat following a wave of bookseller arrests under a 2024 national security law.
• Hungary faces EU deadline to show it can root out corruption and transform

  Hungary has until Aug. 31 to complete more than two dozen “milestones” in the rule of law. Without meeting them, the country risks losing crucial funding.

USA

• A Marine veteran remembers America’s fallen heroes in a roadside tribute

  Claire Swatosh has spent much of the past 30 years building the Heroes Museum beside Old Route 66.
• Moulton vs. Markey: Voters weigh generational change (video)

  Incumbent Sen. Ed Markey has been in Congress since before primary-race challenger Seth Moulton was born. Our video report looks at generational tension in the midterms.
• Cities pilot ‘rest in red’ program that rewards good drivers with green lights

  On some streets in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Portland, Oregon, traffic signals default to red until a vehicle approaches. If drivers stay at or below the speed limit, they get an earlier green light. The strategy seems to be working.
• In immigration court’s mass hearings, absence can mean deportation

  Initial immigration court hearings are increasingly handled en masse as deportations grow.
• The ExplainerCan you vote by mail this fall? What to know about court cases underway.

  The Trump administration wants to impose tougher vetting on mail-in voting. A new lower-court stay, following a preliminary green light by the Supreme Court earlier this week, leaves key legal issues still to be resolved.

Perspectives

• The limits of ‘superpowerdom’ as countries refuse to bend to America’s will

  The United States is facing pushback from China, Iran, and Canada and finding limits to its power.
• Difference MakerA history buff is on a quest to keep Nigeria’s past alive

  In a country where libraries and museums are underfunded, Raphael James wants residents to read – and learn from the artifacts he has amassed.  
• From the EditorsWhat we learn from chocolate

  A visit to a chocolate factory in Massachusetts and a cocoa farm in Belize sparked the author’s interest in how chocolate is made and in the farmers who grow cacao.
• Readers RespondThreading history’s strands together
• Difference MakerFor this turtle rescuer, Kenya’s fishing communities make the best allies

  When a fisher reports a turtle in distress, Fikiri Kiponda compensates the caller for their time and the damage to their net. He then returns the turtle to the sea.

Editorials

• The Monitor's ViewReform of social media, click by click

  Last week’s Meta settlement was one step in the ongoing effort to protect – and prepare – young people growing up in today’s perpetually online world. Individually and collectively, adults across society are being called on to find new ways to rise to this demand.
• The Monitor's ViewQuite a week for a disquieted Syria

  Repairing this “cornerstone” state in the Mideast after decades of turmoil has required big leaps in unify and stability.
• The Monitor's ViewAmericans search for a nonpartisan politics

  The two-party divide in the U.S. appears to be deepening. But the surge in independent candidates this year points to a deep desire for common ground and compromise in civic life. 
• The Monitor's ViewUkraine’s edge in war: Esprit de (military) corps

  Better drones are not the country’s only great defense. Strong Ukrainian morale helps it recruit new soldiers, surpassing a Russia that increasingly shows weakness in mobilizing young men to fight.
• The Monitor's ViewA new civic tone for America’s ‘town halls’

  Fewer lawmakers hold face-to-face sessions with voters to answer questions – a result of partisan rancor. Yet a new design – focused deliberation on single issues – might shore up this pillar of democracy.

Economy

• Where to next on interest rates? Warsh, Bessent point in opposite directions.

  While Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent seeks to lower interest rates a bit, Kevin Warsh at the Federal Reserve, tasked with fighting inflation, might have to raise short-term rates. That, in turn, could push up rates on business and consumer loans.
• Meta settlement aims to protect kids. Much more is needed, experts say.

  Meta’s settlement to protect children from its social media platforms will require more than the promised safeguards, experts say.
• Trump tests the limits of economic leverage against foe – and friend

  President Trump is trying economic tools – sanctions on Iran and tariffs on Canada – to exert power. Iran isn’t flinching. Canada is punching back.
• AI is making daily life more expensive, at least for now. Here’s why.

  The AI boom is driving up prices for energy, chips, and software, boosting inflation and complicating the Federal Reserve’s targets.
• Who wins when Congress calls the plays in college sports?

  Lawmakers are stepping into the new era in college sports, but it remains unclear who will benefit.

Environment

• From the MagazineUtah planned the world’s biggest data center. Then came the bipartisan pushback.

  Utah aims to be industry-friendly. But choosing a fragile ecosystem to house a sprawling facility has generated intense grassroots opposition.
• Bear necessities: Drought pushes hungry animals closer to humans

  Bear encounters are way up in Colorado as drought pushes them closer to people in search of food.
• Endangered Species Act gets revamped rules. What effect could they have?

  The Trump administration says changes to Endangered Species Act rules balance costs and benefits. Conservationists see risks for habitats.
• Rare ‘super El Niño’ spikes ocean temps to new record

  Ocean surface temperatures hit record highs this July as a rare “super El Niño” upends air and ocean temperatures around the globe.
• The ExplainerThe US needs more electricity. Can the grid deliver?

  Efforts to modernize the aging electric grid, amid surging demand for power, are running up against challenges, including bureaucratic delays.

Technology

• From the MagazineWith viral ‘Lego’ videos, Iran stakes claim as a propaganda power player

  Iran’s viral social media campaign has been slick, savvy, and accessible to a Western audience. It seems to have caught the U.S. completely off guard.
• China’s humanoid robots are gaining ground – but they’re not there yet

  The U.S. and China are racing to build humanoid robots capable of performing many daily tasks – but the complexity of home and business environments makes that challenging. 
• First LookGeorgia 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. 
• First LookCellphone 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.
• First LookWhat 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.

Science

• With Artemis II back on Earth, what’s next for NASA?

  The Artemis II mission has concluded with a safe return to Earth. The mission rekindled “moon joy” for the public and made scientific advancements, which NASA aims to expand during the next phases of the ambitious Artemis program.
• Russia sees opportunity in thawing Arctic. But it’s looking for partners, too.

  Russia is ramping up efforts to take advantage of the opening Arctic, both through military and economic means, and through international cooperation.
• Difference Maker‘The tools to imagine solutions’: Science educator inspires Pakistani children

  Science Fuse, a social enterprise, primarily teaches children in impoverished areas, including the Machar Colony slum area in Karachi.
• Trump sees a ‘con’ in climate change. Xi sees cash.

  While President Trump decries climate change as a “con,” China’s Xi Jinping is going all-in on green tech. The latter approach is providing some hope as the COP30 climate conference gathers in Brazil.
• From the MagazineMake Oil Great Again? Even California drills as global climate action stalls.

  Gov. Gavin Newsom made green energy a priority. But as President Donald Trump makes oil the focus of U.S. energy policy, even California considers “Drill, baby, drill.”

Arts & Culture

• ‘I’m so grateful.’ Diners relish high-end food on Pay What You Can day.

  A global initiative started by a restaurant in Mexico City has expanded to 14 countries, with diners at high-end restaurants invited to pay what they can afford.
• When Native justice clashes with ‘Anglo’ law

  A public defender’s memoir recounts a murder case of two Alaskan Indigenous women that set their community at odds with the concept of due process.
• ‘So heartfelt.’ Dolly Parton blended stardom with a unifying care for people.

  Performer and entrepreneur Dolly Parton turned personal struggles and hard work into universal anthems and messages of hope and resilience for anyone.
• Mary Oliver: A poet who speaks to the ‘state of the soul’

  The documentary “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” explores the impact of her poetry and of her keen observations of the natural world.
• Mary Oliver: A poet who speaks to the ‘state of the soul’

  The documentary “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” explores the impact of her poetry and of her keen observations of the natural world.

The Home Forum

• Rescue at the library

  When the electronic kiosk proved useless, a chatty interaction at the help desk became a refreshing encounter.
• Recess for office workers: Why not?
• Bringing the stars to Earth – and back

  Catching fireflies and then releasing them into the summer sky results in an exuberant display of light.
• On track to ride Amtrak’s Quiet Car

  For this traveler, a frantic sprint for a seat leads to a humorous breach of conduct.
• The power of going nowhere fast