World
Top Stories:- Israeli reconstruction near Gaza lacks a key building block: Trust
Residents and businesses from Sderot and other Gaza-adjacent communities are being urged to start picking up the pieces to get their lives back on track, safely. But do they trust government assurances, or their neighbors over the border?
- Arrests of Venezuelans at the border have plummeted. That’s because they’re stuck.
The Biden administration asked Mexico to crack down on immigration – and it delivered. Now, Venezuelan immigrants are unable to cross the U.S.-Mexico border and unable to return home.
- One year in, Evan Gershkovich’s time in Russian prison has no clear end
Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was arrested in Russia a year ago on accusations of espionage that the U.S. says are baseless. No one knows when he might be released, leaving his family to lean on letters from prison and hold on to hope.
- As neighboring countries fall to coups, Senegal keeps its democracy alive
In Senegal, independent judges and demonstrators defending a sturdy democratic culture ensured that threatened elections went ahead on Sunday.
- Canada is a role model on immigration. But many Canadians feel it’s lost its way.
Canadians have trusted that their immigration system would let people into Canada in a manner that would benefit all. But amid a record influx, the balance seems to be out of whack and trust is eroding.
USA
Top Stories:- Key Bridge is gone. It leaves a hole in Baltimore’s blue-collar soul.
Before it collapsed, Baltimore’s Key Bridge was a city icon. You could see it from everywhere. It had a personality – blue-collar, like the city.
- ‘We’re ready to help.’ East Coast ports welcome cargo bound for Baltimore.
The collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore raised concerns about another U.S. supply chain crisis. But East Coast ports have invested billions of dollars over the past decade to expand capacity and stand ready to receive cargo.
- The US birthrate is dropping. This Iowa county is an exception.
In an era of falling fertility throughout the U.S., Iowa’s Sioux County offers a vision of immigration as a growth engine.
- Can Lea Michele, Lizzo, and Barack Obama give Joe Biden the boost he needs?
Joe Biden’s March 28 fundraiser features former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as Stephen Colbert, Mindy Kaling, Queen Latifah, and Lizzo, among other performers. The campaign event is raising a record-breaking $25 million.
- Baltimore bridge collapse raises port safety issues
The collapse of a major Baltimore bridge after a cargo ship rammed it raises safety issues. Such collisions are rare, but improvements are needed.
Commentary
Top Stories:- Resilience against Russian lies
A main target for Russian propaganda, Moldova is learning how to shake off such foreign interference.
- An honest hearing in Gibraltar
An inquiry into corruption in the British enclave creates an opportunity to deepen public trust and boost integrity in global finance.
- A caring act for Myanmar’s innocent
Thailand delivers aid across the border in hopes that the gesture of compassion will influence a civil war that’s escalating.
- Harmony wins in Senegal’s ballot
A presidential election marked by judicial independence and civic participation sets a new course for governing with integrity and equality.
- Victories against Russia – outside Ukraine
Many former Soviet states are shaking off Moscow’s meddling to join the European Union – and embrace a civic identity that unites.
Economy
Top Stories:- Baltimore bridge collapse prompts focus on safety
When a cargo ship hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday, it caused the bridge to collapse and resulted in loss of life, loss of a major commuter highway, and the closing of the Port of Baltimore. It also puts a focus on bridges and their vulnerability.
- For small creators, TikTok means revenue and exposure. That could all go away.
Marketers and influencers are already starting to pivot from campaigns that rely on reaching consumers through TikTok. But for smaller creators and entrepreneurs, the app is a crucial way to reach fans – and it can’t necessarily be replaced.
- Realtor commissions are changing. So could the price of selling a home.
Multiple lawsuits have claimed homeowners were unfairly forced to pay artificially inflated agent commissions when they sold their homes. On March 15, the National Association of Realtors agreed to change its rules and pay sellers $418 million.
- District of Columbia scrambles as pandemic comeback proves elusive
Washington wrestles with a slow post-pandemic recovery, with wider lessons about cities redefining their future.
- Biden-Trump rematch: How dueling economic records stack up
To their supporters, both Donald Trump and Joe Biden have economic success stories to boast about. Our charts give context for their competing claims.
Environment
Top Stories:- India’s sacred groves are home to forest god shrines – and endangered species
Sacred groves have become bastions of biodiversity in India, but relying on spiritual belief as a driver for conservation presents risks.
- Brazil’s Lula is losing his war against illegal miners in the Amazon
Brazil’s President Lula is backing expensive operations to combat illegal mining and other crimes in the Amazon.
- Massachusetts town had a plan to protect its shore. One storm took it away.
Salisbury, Massachusetts trucked in 14,000 tons of sand to protect homes and roads – but a storm swept it out to sea. The incident exemplifies the challenges with shoreline restoration, a strategy to shield waterfronts as the climate crisis intensifies.
- The last coal plant in New England is sputtering. What happens next?
New England is on the verge of becoming the first region in the United States to go coal-free. What lessons does the last coal-fired plant in New Hampshire hold for the rest of the country?
- Can electric vehicles keep Africa moving?
As the world transitions to electric vehicles, African companies and governments face significant challenges.
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:- US back on moon, with difficult landing for first private-sector craft
The first lunar spacecraft landing by a private company – Houston-based Intuitive Machines – is a milestone. But technical challenges highlight the difficulty of space exploration.
- Charlotte the stingray swims alone. So how is she suddenly pregnant?
A North Carolina aquarium announced that a stingray who has not been around a male companion in eight years is pregnant. Parthenogenesis, or asexual reproduction, is a rare phenomenon that can occur in some birds, reptiles, and amphibians.
- Humans and the moon: A closer look at an evolving relationship
A science journalist offers perspective on how humans can wisely steward the new phase of lunar exploration.
- ‘The little helicopter that could’: Ingenuity takes final Mars flight
Originally slated for a 30-day mission, NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter shouldered three years of discovery, achieving the first controlled flights on another planet and helping engineers push the limits of space exploration.
- Out in the cold: Frigid temps stall commute for EV drivers
Subzero temperatures across the central U.S. are taking a toll on drivers – and their electric vehicles. Though reduced battery capacity and impaired charging can make for a tricky commute, there are short-term fixes and systemic solutions in the works.
Culture
Top Stories:- ‘If you want to be happy for the rest of your life,’ keep a bottomless bucket list
As we searched for elusive flora and fauna, I learned that joy isn’t in the discovery – it’s in the quest.
- The Taiwanese family keeping the noodle-making art alive
The Lin family is one of the last families in Taiwan to prepare misua – a wheat vermicelli – mostly by hand.
- ‘X-Men ’97’ is nostalgic and compelling, but its superpower is its inclusivity
Ultimately, “X-Men ’97” is a blast from the past that resonates in this time, while retaining its ability to present difference in a humane way.
- This Vermont ice swimming festival is only for the brrr-ave
The Memphremagog Winter Swimming Festival lured 175 brave souls, who gladly jumped into 31-degree water.
- What my adopted sons from Russia and Ukraine taught me about trust
In journeying with a stranger to a new life in a new land, my boys showed immense trust – and taught me that it flows both ways.
Books
Top Stories:- Five new mysteries plumb the past for clues to the present
Past secrets propel present crimes in our spring roundup of mysteries, including Tana French’s latest, “The Hunter.”
- Marilynne Robinson unearths treasures in the Book of Genesis
The novelist and essayist brings literary and spiritual insights to bear on Bible stories and characters in “Reading Genesis.”
- Milton Friedman left a complex legacy, says his biographer
The conservative economist stayed true to individual choice as his standard, says biographer Jennifer Burns. He championed privatization and free markets.
- Milton Friedman left a complex legacy, says his biographer
The conservative economist stayed true to individual choice as his standard, says biographer Jennifer Burns. He championed privatization and free markets.
- The 10 best new books of March 2024
Books we love this month include a poetic romance, a thriller set in Ireland, and a biography of the architect of the Marshall Plan.