World
Top Stories:- Biden talks of Gaza ‘red line’ for Israel, but his options are limited
As the pressures grow on President Joe Biden to restrain Israel in Gaza, his administration’s rhetoric has gotten tougher. In response, Benjamin Netanyahu is talking tough as well, but is the pressure having an effect?
- In Pakistan, arrest of popular journalist poses fresh threat to vibrant media landscape
Many in Pakistan expected press freedom to improve once Imran Khan was out of power, yet journalists continue to face harassment.
- As Putin’s war continues, thousands of Russian emigres settle in Latin America
Fleeing an escalating conflict with Ukraine, some Russian exiles are adapting to new homes in Latin America. Locals in Mexico City and Buenos Aires are learning Russian phrases and welcoming the new emigres and their cultural exports.
- Kremlin aims for high voter turnout to legitimize Putin's war in Ukraine
Despite the certainty of President Vladimir Putin's extended rule, Russian opposition has called on voters to head to the polls. The election that began Friday has no real alternatives to Mr. Putin, and no public criticism of him or his war in Ukraine.
- Cease-fire talks with Israel and Hamas could resume as soon as Sunday
Stalled cease-fire talks are likely to resume in Qatar as soon as Sunday, according to Egyptian officials. In recent days, Israeli officials and Hamas leaders have both signaled a desire to get the talks back on track.
USA
Top Stories:- Trump’s criminal trials recede – but not civil fraud penalty
Key criminal lawsuits facing Donald Trump have been delayed. Instead, a civil fraud verdict weighs heavily on the presidential candidate.
- Alabama’s IVF ruling is having ripple effects. What it does – and doesn’t – do.
Alabama is the latest state to throw reproductive rights, including the practice of in vitro fertilization, into a vortex of legislative whiplash and partisan drumbeating.
- After informal 'coffees,' Minister Sikorski comes to breakfast
Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has been a friend of the Monitor since 2019. So when he came to Washington with Poland’s top leaders, he joined us for breakfast to talk Ukraine aid – and was his usual engaging self.
- Social media fills Supreme Court schedule. First up, disinformation control.
During the pandemic, the Biden administration encouraged social media platforms to remove posts that it viewed as disinformation. Now, the Supreme Court will review whether that encouragement was a form of coercion that targeted conservative voices.
- President Biden jabs election jokes at jam-packed Gridiron Club Dinner
President Joe Biden attended the annual Gridiron Club and Foundation Dinner this weekend, the first time during his presidency. It came as the 2024 election looms, and the night was jam-packed with politicians and other leaders including Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar.
Commentary
Top Stories:- Ukraine’s BFF in Europe
The Czechs scoured the world for ammunition to bolster the weakening defenses of Ukraine, a country sacrificing the most for the values of Europe and the U.S.
- Hoops of joy in March Madness
The college basketball tournament for men and women offers models of excellence, grace, empathy, and community.
- Drawing lines of peace in Gaza
Israel’s plan to let civilians leave Rafah before attacking Hamas sites would be a victory for one principle of humanitarian law: protection of the innocent.
- The quiet work of trauma recovery
For people who have been victimized by violence, recovery is often an arduously slow and very private process. But a loose network of trauma recovery centers offers a little-known but effective support system for survivors.
- Resetting Haiti through trust
A political resignation creates an opportunity for political and civil society leaders to set legitimacy on new foundations.
Economy
Top Stories:- 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.
- Filing taxes is hard. A new IRS program could change that.
Does filing taxes in the United States have to be so hard? In dozens of countries, most taxpayers don’t need to file a return at all.
- Wendy’s says, where’s the beef in surge pricing?
Wendy’s CEO Kirk Tanner, during a conference call earlier this month, announced the chain would test fluctuating prices on its menu. As food prices stay high despite US economic growth, Wendy’s hopes to entice more business.
Environment
Top Stories:- 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.
- Winter gets the cold shoulder: 2023-24 winter was warmest ever in US
Some are calling it “the lost winter.” Lake Erie and Lake Ontario were nearly ice-free, and parts of Vermont and Maine never fell below zero. The warmest-ever cold season is leading to concerns about natural repercussions.
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:- 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.
- Welcome to Luna Luna, the carnival that time forgot
Luna Luna, on display in Los Angeles, resurrects whimsical works by the likes of Salvador Dalí and Keith Haring. Just don’t climb on the rides.
- Where the ribbit meets the road: My adventures in frog shuttling
Helping others – even amphibians – helps us. Our writer learns, it’s impossible to fixate on your own concerns while focusing on alleviating those of others.
- Seven Oscars for ‘Oppenheimer,’ a fittingly foreboding film for the times
Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” swept the Academy Awards show with seven wins, including the Oscar for best picture. The awards show was shadowed by the backdrop of wars in Gaza and Ukraine, with pro-Palestinian protests outside the Dolby Theatre.
- ‘The Lily Gladstone effect’: Will Native actors get boost at Oscars?
If Lily Gladstone wins an Academy Award for her performance in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” she would be the first Native woman to receive an Oscar. Before her, there was a century of work that tended to go unrecognized.
Books
Top Stories:- Elizabeth Barrett’s poetic love story stirs the novel ‘The Swan’s Nest’
Poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning’s “How do I love thee” courtship spurs Laura McNeal’s historical novel.
- Mother of James Foley embodies grace in new book ‘American Mother’
James Foley’s mother looks for the humanity in her son’s killer in the new book “American Mother” written by Colum McCann with Diane Foley.
- How mistrust explains all those frustrating things about US politics
U.S. politics isn’t working how it used to. The system seems brittle and unresponsive. Making a difference starts with understanding mistrust.
- Writing workshops offer a refuge in Oregon’s prisons
A literary journal called ponyXpress, featuring poetry and prose, is helping incarcerated writers in Oregon develop their talents.
- From Africa to Alabama: Stories of survivors of the last slave ship
Captives on the ship Clotilda survived the middle passage and enslavement. After Emancipation, they carved out lives and towns in Alabama. But they struggled to escape poverty.