World

• With Gaza suffering, Europe and Arab states take big diplomatic steps – together

  For years, Arab states wanted Europe to recognize Palestine; Europe wanted Arab states to rein in Hamas. Now, they have stepped forward together to do something hard for each.
• With Gaza suffering, Europe and Arab states take big diplomatic steps – together

  For years, Arab states wanted Europe to recognize Palestine; Europe wanted Arab states to rein in Hamas. Now, they have stepped forward together to do something hard for each.
• Indonesia’s tariff deal could help save jobs. But will it ease youth discontent?

  In one of Asia’s fastest growing economies, millions of young people out of work. The crisis is fueling distrust and frustration with the government. 
• For this inspiring Ukrainian opera, the show must go on – underground

  Kharkiv, one of Europe’s great cultural centers, is regularly pummeled by Russian strikes. Yet its bomb-shelter national opera house serves as a beacon of stubborn faith.
• With cruise ships comes pollution. European ports search for ways to clear the air.

  Europeans have been pushing back on overtourism. For many, especially in places like Barcelona, the issue is not just crowds but also pollution. Is there a way for port cities to have needed cruise dollars and cleaner air?

USA

• The pandemic divided the US. Could a full accounting help the nation heal?

  Why a diverse range of voices says a pandemic reckoning is needed – and how to get there.
• Trump’s tariff map takes shape, reordering global trade

  After an era pushing the world toward open trade, the U.S. under President Trump has just pivoted toward higher tariffs and bilateral brinkmanship.
• Trump claims economic wins, as tariff policy defies naysayers – for now

  The president has recently touted a trade deal with the EU, strong second-quarter growth, and a new stream of tariff revenue coming into the U.S. Treasury. But the overall economic outlook is uncertain.
• Trump lands his former attorneys in top positions as he leans on the judiciary

  The judicial branch has consistently put checks on President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda. He now appears interested in molding the judiciary in the same way he’s already reshaped the Department of Justice, emphasizing personal loyalty.
• Braille libraries offer community. What happens when funding cuts close them?

  Braille and talking book libraries are a lifeline for people who are blind. But budget cuts mean these services face an uncertain future. How are staff working to help patrons stay connected to reading, education, and daily life?

Commentary

• The Monitor's ViewAn Arab light on a Hamas-free Gaza

  Much of the Muslim world has asked Hamas to end its governance, perhaps initiating freedom for a people who already embrace their individual sovereignty and right to self-governance.
• The Monitor's ViewStand-ups won’t sit down in China

  While overtly political comedy can spell trouble, stand-up comics – including an increasing number of women – are finding creative ways to question restrictive norms.
• The Monitor's ViewHeart-to-heart change in Afghanistan

  A tragedy of mass deportation has triggered mass charity among Afghans, opening doors for dialogue with the Taliban.
• The Monitor's ViewSocial media self-control among students

  Students are seeking to better manage their engagement with cellphone and social media use, with practical strategies and shared reflection.
• The Monitor's ViewUpturns and U-turns in Ukraine

  A rising civic maturity, forged by war, has driven young people to protest a law weakening safeguards against corruption. A shift in values has put the president on the spot.

Economy

• Trump’s tariff map takes shape, reordering global trade

  After an era pushing the world toward open trade, the U.S. under President Trump has just pivoted toward higher tariffs and bilateral brinkmanship.
• Trump’s tariff tension may be easing after deals with EU, Japan

  President Trump has challenged conventional trade policy, and the U.S. is agreeing to deals with the European Union, Japan and others. Whether America comes out ahead depends in part on what the details of the tariff agreements turn out to be.
• Embracing loose AI policies, Trump seeks edge in US race against China

  Under President Trump’s new AI plan, America’s strategy has moved from cautious to bold, though critics are concerned that key safeguards are missing.
• Bipartisan bills set rules for cryptocurrency. Will digital money go mainstream?

  Congress passed the first-ever major U.S. cryptocurrency legislation on Thursday, boosting the industry. But digital coins remain a risky investment.
• Tariffs boost inflation. But many economists see a recession as avoidable.

  The U.S. economy has defied dire predictions so far this year. Even with inflation rising and the potential for growth slowing, a recession does not look inevitable.  

Environment

• With cruise ships comes pollution. European ports search for ways to clear the air.

  Europeans have been pushing back on overtourism. For many, especially in places like Barcelona, the issue is not just crowds but also pollution. Is there a way for port cities to have needed cruise dollars and cleaner air?
• Points of ProgressIn California and in Poland, new laws for who belongs where

  Progress roundup: A $56 million purchase doubles the Yurok tribe’s holdings along the Klamath River, and Shanghai bus riders create new routes.
• Cities scramble to make up for cuts in flood-safety funding

  With climate change predicted to bring more severe weather, many U.S. communities used federal grants to help prepare. President Trump’s funding cuts are kicking off a race to replace the money, or lose projects.
• Difference Maker‘Green time’ over screen time: The Greenagers group gets youths to love the outdoors

  A transformative program in western Massachusetts helps young people learn the value of stewarding the land, while also taking joy in conservation.
• Go, fish. How removing old New England dams is opening rivers to new wildlife.

  One Maine town, built on water-powered mills during the Industrial Revolution, is joining a dam-removal revolution moving across New England.

Technology

• 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.
• First LookInternet 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.
• First Look‘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

• FocusGod in the machine? People use chatbots as spiritual advisers.

  Could your next spiritual guide be artificial intelligence? AI is offering Christians, Jews, and others an alternative to priests, rabbis, and faith leaders.
• From retail to the military, ‘intelligent connectivity’ raises ethical dilemmas

  Artificial intelligence, 5G networks, and the Internet of Things are used increasingly often in spaces from retail to the military, raising privacy and ethical considerations. 
• The world’s bananas are at risk. A volcanic island might protect them.

  Cavendish bananas are under threat from a fungus that has wiped out other varieties. The island of La Palma may have the conditions to protect them.
• NASA astronauts’ return is near. Their long, unlikely trip puts focus on resilience.

  An eight-day mission for two astronauts to the International Space Station turned into nine months. NASA crews work to prepare for unforeseen events like this.
• US science funding was a bipartisan priority. Now it’s a target of federal cuts.

  The Trump administration aims to overhaul publicly funded science. Critics say cuts could undermine U.S. leadership that has fueled significant advancements.

Culture

• Should art be ‘patriotic’? Artist pulls her Smithsonian show, citing censorship.

  Artist Amy Sherald pulled her show from the National Portrait Gallery, citing efforts to censor her work. The decision comes as the Trump administration has railed against “wokeness” in federally funded museums and slashed funding for local cultural institutions.
• David Hockney’s world vibrates in living color

  In “David Hockney,” the artist’s work jumps off the page, pulsing with life. A retrospective and a book capture his vitality and inventiveness. 
• David Hockney’s world vibrates in living color

  In “David Hockney,” the artist’s work jumps off the page, pulsing with life. A retrospective and a book capture his vitality and inventiveness. 
• This long-running flea market in Massachusetts is the thrift that keeps on giving

  The oldest outdoor antiques flea market in the United States has built a dedicated community of buyers and sellers. 
• In Greece, I learned to taste my way through love and life. Opa!

  In one magical, midnight phyllo-making session on the island of Corfu in Greece, I learned that all I kneaded was love.

Books

• David Hockney’s world vibrates in living color

  In “David Hockney,” the artist’s work jumps off the page, pulsing with life. A retrospective and a book capture his vitality and inventiveness. 
• Alaska beckoned. A young adventurer trades screen time for wilderness savvy.

  Ben Weissenbach found himself tamed by the Alaskan wilderness, schooled by skilled outdoorspeople, and rescued from hubris by an eagerness to learn.  
• How Monopoly games rescued POWs from German prison camps

  In “Monopoly X,” Philip E. Orbanes explores the ingenuity and resourcefulness behind the creation of special game boards with hidden tools.
• The day that Unite the Right marched in Charlottesville

  Journalist Deborah Baker follows the trail of far-right agitators, city officials, and church leaders in ”Charlottesville: An American Story.”
• Cool midsummer reads to help you get by in July

  The Monitor’s 10 best books for July take you on a spin through humor, history, true crime, and nature.