THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: The 8.17.25 Issue features Trevor Quirk on how Hurricane Helene disconnected his community around Asheville, North Carolina from modern communication; Ben Austen on how Trump’s war on higher education is hitting community colleges; Bruce Schoenfeld on Stu Sternberg, the owner of the Tampa Bay Rays; and more.

They Want You to Get Off Your Couch, and Go Set a World Record

When it comes to mass-participation events, would-be record setters are finding it harder than ever to draw a crowd. But it’s still fun to try.

Strawberry Picking Is Thankless Work. That’s What Makes It Worth Watching.

On TikTok Live, workers stream video of themselves doing manual labor, providing glimpses of the human effort that powers our world. By J Wortham

I Never Understood Our Data-Saturated Life Until a Hurricane Shut It Down

When Helene disconnected my part of North Carolina for weeks, my neighbors and I had to relearn old ways of knowing what was happening — and what wasn’t. By Trevor Quirk

Putin Sees Ukraine Through a Lens of Grievance Over Lost Glory

After Friday’s summit, President Vladimir Putin of Russia again implied that the war was all about his country’s diminished status since the Soviet Union’s fall.

Ukrainians Fleeing Russia’s Attacks Say the Alaska Summit Was an Insult

Evacuees at a shelter in eastern Ukraine reacted angrily to talk that land that has long been theirs could be given to Russia in exchange for peace.

Trump’s Selective Stance on Justice: Redemption for Some, Scorn for Others

President Trump, himself a felon, has shown leniency to criminals he seems to identify with — people who are white or wealthy, or who rioted on Jan. 6, 2021.

Fox News Warrior Takes on Prosecutor Role in Trump’s D.C. Crackdown

Israel Says Iranian Agents Recruited Dozens of Its Citizens

Israelis have been cajoled into acts of sabotage and even assassination plots, the authorities say, raising questions about greed, gullibility and loyalty.