World
Top Stories:- After year of war in Gaza, Hamas is mostly unseen. But it’s surviving.
Hamas’ attack on Israel a year ago sparked a war that has brought immense destruction and loss of life to Gaza, seriously degraded the militant movement, and sown the seeds for regional conflict. But it portrays its mere survival as a victory.
- Cover Story‘This is what the war has done’: How October 7 forever changed Israel and Gaza
One year after Oct. 7, on-the-ground reporting in Gaza, the West Bank, and Israel finds lives of Palestinians and Israelis forever altered.
- First LookOn eve of Oct. 7 anniversary, pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian crowds rally
Memorial events paying tribute to victims of Oct. 7 attacks took place in Paris and London. People took to the streets from Pakistan to Morocco in massive pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
- First LookOn eve of Oct. 7 anniversary, pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian crowds rally
Memorial events paying tribute to victims of Oct. 7 attacks took place in Paris and London. People took to the streets from Pakistan to Morocco in massive pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
- As Mideast emotions run high, is there room for restraint?
Israel and Iran may be on the brink of war, but past experiences of Mideast conflicts show that they rarely go as planned. Could that act as a brake?
USA
Top Stories:- Trump vs. Harris? In Florida, abortion is the biggest question on the ballot.
After Roe v. Wade was overturned, ballot measures for abortion rights have won voter approval and fueled Democratic turnout. Now Florida will test the long-term strength of this political backlash.
- On the plane with Harris – but is she really opening up to the press?
Our reporter traveled with Kamala Harris as she barnstormed two must-win states and began a media blitz, including with “60 minutes,” “Call Her Daddy,” and Howard Stern.
- First LookColorado judge receives threats after sentencing election denier official to prison
A Colorado county courthouse has stepped up security after threats were made against staff and a judge who sentenced former county clerk Tina Peters to prison in a data breach scheme tied to denial of 2020 election results.
- Focus‘Salaam. Shalom. Peace.’ How US interfaith groups work for peace in a time of war.
At a time when many people default to demonizing those who believe differently than they do, U.S. interfaith groups are working to acknowledge shared humanity and ask, What can we learn from one another?
- First LookMisinformation from Trump, far-right hampers Helene recovery efforts
Donald Trump and others have spread claims suggesting officials are withholding assistance from Republican storm victims. And that's forcing public officials, including members of Mr. Trump's own party, to set the record straight.
Commentary
Top Stories:- The Monitor's ViewThe force of contrition this Oct. 7
A year of conflict in the Middle East – and beyond – has led many to reflect on their roles in causing friction and on ways to end it.
- CommentaryAfter October 7, where do Israel and Gaza look for hope? History shows a way forward.
After decades of covering conflict in Israel and Gaza, our columnist finds hints of something unexpected: hope.
- The Monitor's ViewVibrant times for children’s rhymes
A British survey measures youthful joy in verse, establishing a basis for happiness that lasts a lifetime.
- The Monitor's ViewForgiveness in time of war
Despite its struggle with Russia, Ukraine seeks to reconcile with Poland over historical grievances.
- The Monitor's ViewCivility’s art of listening
A vice presidential debate brought out some respectful deliberation and a nudge toward civility by the journalist moderators.
Economy
Top Stories:- Harris and Trump spar over economic impact of taxes and tariffs
The Trump and Harris campaigns both feature low taxes for average Americans. The similarities largely end there.
- First LookSchool cafeterias went cashless. Lower income families ended up paying more.
School cafeterias going cashless has an unexpected consequence. Families who can load only a limited amount of money at a time end up paying transaction fees more often.
- How Fed’s aggressive rate cut may boost Harris’ prospects
The state of the economy influences elections. Will voters look backward to inflation under President Joe Biden or forward to hopes of finding tamer prices and avoiding a recession?
- First LookA group of autoworkers learned sign language. Then came an unexpected benefit.
With four hearing-impaired colleagues, the entire 25-member bumper-paint team at a Nissan plant in Sunderland, England, began learning to sign. Kindness in the workplace has been shown to improve productivity, some studies show.
- Trump joins the crypto boom. Will he or Harris also regulate it?
With cryptocurrency now bigger than Visa, and the Trump family launching a platform, the industry is also preparing for the rise of federal regulation.
Environment
Top Stories:- Points of ProgressThe renewable energy of bike-powered French children and a battery-powered Melbourne
Progress roundup: For a greener future, schools in France teach bike riding, Melbourne batteries store renewables, South Africa enacts a climate law.
- In mountainous North Carolina, residents are the first responders after Hurricane Helene
Residents here in rural Henderson County, North Carolina, share their stories of pitching in after Hurricane Helene, including ferrying food to stranded neighbors.
- Helene’s powerful floods prompt urgent relief efforts – and a wake-up call
First a hurricane and then a tropical storm, Helene left its severest damage inland, where people weren’t expecting, or prepared for, such a deluge.
- First LookHow to fight urban warming? Detroit chooses to plant green spaces.
Urban areas trap heat due to heat-absorbing surfaces like asphalt and concrete. More cities are adding trees and green spaces to cool the air temperature while heat waves become longer and hotter.
- Junior the bear settled under a suburban LA home. Why that’s a conservation win.
The proliferation of bear sightings in Los Angeles results in viral videos that charm humans. Underlying the excitement is an environmental victory.
Technology
Top Stories:- 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
Top Stories:- First LookOne small walk for a tech billionaire, one giant leap for ultra wealthy space tourists
Emerging from the hatch into the cold vacuum of space, tech billionaire Jared Isaacman joined an elite group of professional astronauts from a dozen countries. He tested SpaceX’s new spacesuits, clinging to a spacecraft going farther than any since 1972.
- First LookAs Boeing falters, can SpaceX go where six far-reaching Apollo missions went before?
The SpaceX rocket, blasting off early Sept. 10, will take astronauts farther than any other since 1972, when Apollo 17 completed the final NASA mission. The third day will bring the first privately funded spacewalk.
- Can plants talk and think? Some scientists say yes.
“The Light Eaters” gives insights into how plants communicate, while “Alien Earths” explores the search for intelligent life on other planets.
- First LookNASA: Astronauts stuck on ISS must wait for SpaceX ride home in 2025
After months of tests and debate, NASA decided test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will come back in a SpaceX capsule in February. Their empty Boeing Starliner capsule will attempt to return on autopilot in early September.
- First LookWhat’s old, long, and green? Meet Gnatalie, Los Angeles’ new dinosaur.
A 75-foot-long sauropod is the only green dinosaur fossil in the world and it’s on display in Los Angeles. Researchers discovered the bones in 2007 in the Badlands of Utah.
Culture
Top Stories:- At these interfaith dinners, Palestinians and Israelis share hope for peace
Our annual interfaith dinners bring together Muslims, Jews, and Christians. After all, hate can’t survive across a dinner table we build together.
- After $1 billion and 2 Oscars, ‘Joker’ is back (with songs). Our team weighs in.
“Joker” broke box-office records in 2019 and raised questions about violence in storytelling. Five years later, with the debut of “Joker: Folie à Deux,” the Monitor’s film critic and chief culture writer consider, Will it succeed?
- How Netflix’s ‘Rebel Ridge’ turned ‘civil asset forfeiture’ into a No. 1 hit
The film, with more than 70 million views on Netflix, takes its cues from “Rambo” – and police reform.
- Old Dhaka is noisy and crowded. It’s just the jolt of life a traveler needs.
Bangladeshis don’t see solace in spaces less crowded than their bustling capital’s historic district. They see emptiness.
- Paddling down memory lane: Our big fish story
The dip and plunk of paddles, the ripples on the lake. For Dad and me, fishing is a beloved family ritual. Our biggest catch? Time spent together.
Books
Top Stories:- This chef is fighting a culinary battle for Ukrainian identity
In “The Authentic Ukrainian Kitchen: Recipes from a Native Chef,” Yevhen Klopotenko celebrates the foods that separate Ukraine from Russia.
- His father fled China. It took years for him to talk about it.
In “At the Edge of Empire: A Family’s Reckoning With China,” Edward Wong traces the roots of his father’s flight from China – and the country’s evolution.
- ‘Turning off the porch lights’ to reveal nature’s hidden marvels
How often do you venture into the dark? Author Leigh Ann Henion shares her journey in ‘Night Magic: Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark."
- Bohemian rhapsody: Two writers celebrate Greenwich Village of the ’60s
Greenwich Village in the ’60s attracted musicians like Joan Baez. Novelist Sarah Seltzer (“The Singer Sisters”) and music journalist David Browne (“Talkin’ Greenwich Village”) chat about the Village’s enduring appeal.
- Kick off fall with the Monitor’s 10 best books of September
As summer fades into fall, our picks for September’s best books offer the perfect contemplative page-turners for chilly autumn days.