World

• Moscow sees broader Alaska summit goals than peace in Ukraine

  President Vladimir Putin's stance on peace in Ukraine could disrupt his summit with Donald Trump, but no one knows the U.S. president's thoughts.
• US-Pakistan relations are the best they’ve been in decades. Pakistanis aren’t thrilled.

  The budding U.S.-Pakistan friendship marks a seismic diplomatic shift in South Asia. But lingering distrust toward the American security establishment will color their cooperation. 
• Trump likes to wing it. Putin always plans. How will that work in Alaska?

  Allies are pressing President Trump to draw up a clear plan for his summit with Vladimir Putin on Ukraine's future, rather than just see what happens.
• Cover StoryIn Ukraine, swarms of Russian drones and missiles are transforming combat

  What Moscow’s summer blitz tells us about the irreversible evolution of modern war as inexpensive drones bring the front line directly to the Ukrainian people.
• Saying women must end war, Israeli mothers ‘take a stand’ on Gaza border

  Israel is seeing a groundswell of protest against the war in Gaza. Following the government’s decision to send ground forces into Gaza City, a new women’s group, including mothers of combat soldiers, set up a protest camp on the border.

USA

• First LookWest Virginia governor to send National Guard troops to D.C.

  West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced the deployment of hundreds of National Guard members to Washington, D.C., at the Trump administration’s request.
• First LookTrump and Putin end ‘productive’ summit, but with no ceasefire

  The high-profile summit in Alaska between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin ended without a deal to end, or pause, Russia’s war in Ukraine. The conflict has lasted for more than three years and is the largest land war in Europe since 1945.
• In Texas redistricting fight, are hardball politics proving a winning strategy?

  Redistricting has long represented zero-sum politics. But this summer has seen new heights in partisanship. The fight in Texas and efforts it has inspired in California and other states show that the gloves are off.
• Trump and Putin will meet in Alaska to seek end to Ukraine war. At what cost?

  The meeting between U.S. and Russian leaders could lead to peace. But both Presidents Trump and Putin face big challenges in achieving their objectives.
• As Trump’s approval ratings fall, Democrats are doing even worse. Why?

  Frustrated Democratic voters describe their party as “weak” and “tepid.” As Democrats try to regain their footing ahead of next year’s midterm elections, some call for fresh faces and fresh thinking.

Commentary

• The Monitor's ViewIn today’s wars, music is a universal balm

  From the conflict in Gaza to the war in Ukraine, civilians fight off fear and find unity in concerts performed amid the violence.
• The Monitor's ViewAfricans go all in on civic participation

  Rich or poor, rural or urban, citizens in many African countries are engaging at the ballot box – and with each other. Sustained joint action is deepening democracy’s roots across the continent.
• The Monitor's ViewUkraine’s big powers at big-power talks

  The purpose of the Trump-Putin summit has shifted as Ukraine shows how small countries can learn to play to their strengths.
• The Monitor's ViewAlbanians cheer corruption cleanup

  With popular support – and help from European neighbors – Albania’s leaders are making inroads against transnational crime and government graft, and deepening democratic roots.
• The Monitor's ViewWhen the going gets tough, the tough give

  An era of budget cuts and tax changes is a test for American generosity. Yet the spirit of giving finds its way.

Economy

• What’s next for US-China trade deal after Trump extends deadline

  President Trump has extended his tariff truce with China. But conciliatory moves suggest that America may not retain the upper hand.
• As Trump doubles down on tariffs, his tactics reflect distrust of trade norms

  Higher tariffs go into effect today as President Trump targets persistent U.S. trade deficits. But economists say patterns of saving and investment, not tariff rates, are at the root of trade imbalances.
• Trump’s firing of BLS official casts shadow on federal data gathering

  Donald Trump isn’t the first president to struggle over official data, with agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics. But trustworthy data is vital for financial markets, and the firing of BLS chief Erika McEntarfer has raised concerns.
• Tariffs may sting LA docks. Deeper changes are coming to this blue-collar bastion.

  President Trump’s tariffs have already affected economic activity at the LA docks, the nation’s largest. But automation and artificial intelligence are the challenges that could cause the most hardship for thousands of workers.
• 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.

Environment

• Rise in extreme heat spurs efforts to keep workers safe

  Summers have been getting longer and hotter, with more days of extreme heat. A pending federal rule would create safety guidelines for outdoor workers regarding breaks, water access, and more.
• Points of ProgressWhere a women’s tax is canceled, and businesswomen’s decisions valued

  Progress roundup: Malta brings free period products to schools, a study in Kenya and Senegal finds women’s decision-making superior to men’s, and more.
• Where did your shrimp dinner really come from? This reporter surfaces hard details.

  From shrimp to squid, seafood’s journey from ocean to table is often fraught with labor and environmental abuses. Journalist Ian Urbina's work is shedding light on a largely unpoliced realm.
• 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.

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

• Denzel Washington and Spike Lee unite for a fifth time. Film lovers rejoice.

  In their new film, “Highest 2 Lowest,” Spike Lee and Denzel Washington continue a partnership that began in the 1990s and still, more than 30 years later, represents a gold standard for Black Hollywood’s past and present.
• The first stop on the road to joy? Getting to know my feathered friends.

  When she learned about the birds in her backyard, a writer discovered that happiness lives right under your nose, if you know where to look.
• How ‘docufiction’ helped Kate Beecroft capture wild horses and teens on film

  Director Kate Beecroft lived with rancher Tabatha Zimiga, her daughter, and a cadre of teen cowgirls for three years. She describes documentary fiction as “an incredibly collaborative medium.”
• French film ‘The Musicians’ and its classical quartet hit the right notes

  The French comedy-drama “The Musicians” brings four classical artists on a journey that crescendos with, our reviewer says, “the unifying joy that great music-making can inspire.”
• A New Orleans studio paints the city’s contrasts, from struggle to rebirth

  Brandan Odums has painted in New Orleans’ forgotten places, driven by the city’s difficult experience during Hurricane Katrina and its struggle to rebuild.

Books

• Wagner wrote stunning operas. His political views have a tangled history.

  “The Ring” exudes dramatic power. Author Michael Downes tackles the controversies, while keeping the music front and center.  
• Seals have rebounded. Not everyone loves them.

  A number of seal species have been pulled back from near-extinction. But the animals are being blamed for attracting sharks to beaches and decimating fish stocks. 
• Bruuuce! The story behind the rock-star power of Springsteen’s ‘Born to Run.’

  In 1975, Bruce Springsteen was about to be dropped by his record label. But the album “Born to Run” changed everything – for him and for rock.
• Art theft or reclamation? A mystery of epic proportions.

  In “The Great Chinese Art Heist,” Ralph Pezzullo links a string of recent robberies with misdeeds of the colonial past.
• 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.