World
Top Stories:- In flooded Brazil, disinformation is eroding trust in the government and rescue efforts
Brazil is working quickly to respond to rising flood waters in the south that have forced more than 600,000 people from their homes. Compounding the problem is a flood of disinformation – making it hard for the government to deliver aid.
- Customer service: China’s quick EV battery swaps, and sidewalk story time in Pakistan
Progress roundup: EV company in China makes battery swaps faster than charging. And in Pakistan, volunteers spread the joy of books in an outdoor story time.
- For West Bank, an economy under siege is a Gaza ‘war dividend’
Palestinians in the West Bank have not been untouched by the war in Gaza. Now, with jobs in Israel lost and public sector wages unpaid, the weight of the conflict is dragging down the economy, too.
- He risked everything to uncover corruption in Venezuela. Will it topple Maduro?
An investigative reporter in Venezuela was forced to flee his country. A new documentary on that work helps explain why political change is in sight.
- ‘We can’t give up on humanity’: Ghanaians fight antigay law
In February, Ghana’s Parliament approved a law severely limiting the rights of LGBTQ+ people. Now, activists are lobbying the president to veto it.
USA
Top Stories:- Military sexual assaults significantly drop after Biden hires ‘prevention workforce’
Reports of sexual assault in the U.S. military are on the decline after a “prevention workforce” took up posts within the ranks. Senior defense officials say that the number of assaults is still too high.
- How the US floating pier in Gaza will make a difference in the growing hunger crisis
The U.S. recently completed a floating pier to deliver critical humanitarian aid to Gaza. Its capacity could reach 2 million meals per day.
- FAFSA ‘train wreck’ rollout makes it harder to get to college. What went wrong?
The new FAFSA application will, eventually, be easier. But the current process for federal student aid has stymied applicants, especially those from nontraditional homes.
- Why states are stepping in to help parents with child care costs
States are taking action to reduce child care costs for families. Their solutions offer a path for keeping parents in the workforce – and helping local economies.
- Want to combat male loneliness? Start by helping boys connect with their emotions.
Many boys struggle with loneliness, violence, and poor academic standing. Parents and educators are finding ways to help them cultivate emotional connections.
Commentary
Top Stories:- Kindling trust, reducing risk
Despite sparring over tariffs and myriad security disputes, the U.S. and China forge ties on two shared threats with touches of personal warmth and respect.
- A revolution of respect in France
Open, honest debate about sexual violence sets a European society on a new course of equality and individual dignity.
- Respecting enemies to protect civilians
The rising humanitarian toll of global conflicts masks a quieter trend of nurturing peace among foes through empathy.
- Field notes: How one Monitor photographer focuses on the big picture
On a police ride-along, a photographer has to get creative to illustrate the scene while protecting the privacy of the people seen through her viewfinder. The result is all the more interesting.
- Eurovision shapes the Continent’s identity
The annual singing contest endures geopolitical winds by focusing on the values that help build the European project.
Economy
Top Stories:- After GameStop debacle, Roaring Kitty is back – and meme stocks soar once more
GameStop stocks had a meteoric climb this week in a moment reminiscent of 2021 and some say Roaring Kitty may be behind it all. But this time Wall Street isn’t caught off guard.
- With vote at Alabama plant, UAW challenges South’s antiunion tilt
If Mercedes employees in Alabama vote to join the United Auto Workers, it may signal a power shift in America’s most union-resistant region.
- In this Spanish town, capitalism actually works for the workers
Mondragón, Spain, is the home of an innovative cooperative that uses capitalism to provide a different and more equitable vision of economic success.
- AI may take away jobs – but it’s creating some, too
The impact of AI on America’s economy is more limited than previously thought. Some now say it could help low-skill workers be more productive.
- ‘Divest from Israel’: Easy slogan, challenging for universities
Getting universities to divest from companies that support Israel is not as simple as many student protesters hope.
Environment
Top Stories:- Customer service: China’s quick EV battery swaps, and sidewalk story time in Pakistan
Progress roundup: EV company in China makes battery swaps faster than charging. And in Pakistan, volunteers spread the joy of books in an outdoor story time.
- The wind industry is floating an idea: Building turbines on the ocean
As the world searches for new sources of renewable energy, one option is making waves – or at least riding them. Floating turbines could capture powerful offshore winds and generate electricity for millions of homes, as long as they can stay upright.
- The missing link: Energy panel opens the way for more renewables on the US grid
The U.S. power grid is facing a “make-or-break moment,” the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s chair said May 13. A new rule approved by the commission will make it easier to transmit renewable energy.
- Wildfire season in Canada has begun, after drought-fueled record blazes in 2023
Authorities are ordering people to evacuate as wildfires rage across British Columbia. In 2023, intense Canadian fires sent smoke drifting into cities across the northeastern United States.
- Michigan gets its first-ever tornado emergency as massive hail batters Southeast
Tornadoes have touched down in a handful of states across the U.S. this week, including three in Michigan. Severe storms and massive hail have caused three deaths, dozens of injuries, extensive property damage, and left 135,000 without power.
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:- 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.
- Howling at the moon on a Monday afternoon. Eclipse brings thousands to Vermont.
In a country seemingly fractured about most things, on Monday, Americans came together under one sky.
- Project ‘Frozen Dumbo’ helps boost dwindling African elephant populations
Factors such as poaching and habitat loss have decimated wild African elephant populations. Operation “Frozen Dumbo” aims to bolster the animals’ numbers in the wild and in zoos.
Culture
Top Stories:- Half of this taco stand’s area is the grill. It just earned a Michelin star.
El Califa de León is one of the smallest restaurants ever to receive a coveted Michelin star. But what it lacks in area, it makes up for in flavor: no one can get enough of its beef tacos, made the same way since the stand opened in 1968.
- The Sami people bring on spring – with reindeer and sleighs
For the Sami, spring isn’t announced by green sprouts or the chirps of birds. Instead, they sing folk songs around a fire and race reindeer.
- Nemo, Eurovision’s first nonbinary winner, gets a hero’s welcome in Switzerland
Eurovision has long been embraced as a haven for the LGBTQ+ community. This year’s competition struck a particular victory for acceptance, crowning the contest’s first nonbinary winner with an eclectic anthem about being true to oneself.
- A love letter to lilacs and the joys of fleeting pleasure
The mission to capture my lilac’s fleeting scent was a flop. What I gained instead was far greater: a reminder to be present during its brief season.
- In war-torn Haiti, Vodou draws thousands seeking comfort, protection from gangs
As gang violence grips their country, the ancient tradition of Vodou is experiencing a resurgence among Haitians. Followers find links in the religious practice to the nation’s history of resistance and endurance.
Books
Top Stories:- To craft Nordic Noir novels, Scandinavian authors draw on Viking tales
What is Nordic Noir? The genre is more than just tales of ice and fire. It recalls a rich literary tradition of Vikings, gods, and politics.
- The secret to Chinese civilization’s longevity? Exams and bureaucracy.
China is the world’s oldest continuous civilization, and in ancient times was a leader in technology. “In The Rise and Fall of the EAST,” Yasheng Huang probes why.
- Welcome to retirement. So, are you ready to catch your first killer?
While catching killers rather than putting together jigsaw puzzles has become the hobby for senior sleuths, these books are also showing people in their 70s and 80s as vibrant, brave, and clever.
- Behind the verse: Six Monitor poets share why they write poetry
It’s no secret that poetry is one of the least lucrative forms of writing. So what keeps poets returning to write poems? We asked six contributors where they draw their inspiration.
- Lithium is key to green technology. Where will the US source it?
“The War Below” examines the global competition for metals like lithium and nickel, which are needed for electric cars, solar panels, and wind turbines.