Tag Archives: Books

THE NEW YORK TIMES – FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2026

172,000 Jobs Added in May as U.S. Labor Market Upswing Continues

Hiring was vigorous, a strong sign for the economy after last year’s weak patch. Unemployment remained steady at 4.3 percent.

A Job Market Leaving Young Graduates Behind Could Scar Them For Years

The labor market has improved but new entrants to the work force are having a harder time starting careers, a dynamic that has previously had permanent effects.

Senate Passes $70 Billion G.O.P. Immigration Bill

It was a victory for President Trump and his party, though the debate exposed fissures between Republican senators and Mr. Trump on a variety of issues.

House Passes Ukraine Aid in Defiance of Republican Leaders

How Gold Is Driving the Spread of Ebola

Mining has been the lifeblood of this remote Congolese hill town for decades. Now, it is fueling the spread of a devastating outbreak.

Hopes of Lebanon Cease-fire Falter as Israel and Hezbollah Fight On

The U.S.-brokered agreement requires Hezbollah, which Iran backs, to stop firing first. But the group, not party to the talks, rejected the conditions as a virtual surrender.

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY —- JUNE 5, 2026 PREVIEW

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY: The latest issue features ‘Fully Charged’ – Inside Australia’s Battery-Powered Energy Revolution….


Last week, as the war in Iran continued to choke global oil supplies, the UK government announced a 13% increase in the cap on energy prices. But it was another related story on the other side of the world that caught my eye.

In Australia, the energy minister announced a fall of up to 10% in the benchmark electricity price in parts of the country, driven by record levels of renewables and batteries in the power grid.

Australia was already a world leader in domestic solar power. But with little fanfare, it is also pioneering a revolution in home renewables and battery usage, proving that with the right policy initiatives, profound changes can be made to the ways energy markets work.

Five essential reads in this week’s edition

The big story | Is the Iran war Trump’s Vietnam moment?
The current Middle East conflict has been far shorter than the war that defined the 1960s and early 1970s, but it has rapidly revealed the strategic weakness of US firepower in an interconnected world, argues Patrick Wintour

Health | Cancer breakthroughs from the world’s largest oncology conference
From groundbreaking genomic tests to tumour-shrinking injections, health editor Andrew Gregory reports from the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting in Chicago

Feature | The people fighting back against pothole-riddled roads
The dire state of roads has provoked pothole vigilantes and become a political flashpoint from Manchester to Manhattan. How did we get here? Oliver Franklin-Wallis reports

Opinion | If you’re still on Elon Musk’s X, ask yourself this: why?
Some argue that quitting the platform formerly known as Twitter cedes the space to malign actors. But it’s an open sewer, beyond redemption, says Jonathan Liew

Culture | Children’s illustrators on the art of storytelling
From The Twits to The Gruffalo and an angry bear in search of his hat … famous illustrators talk to Stuart Heritage about how they bring children’s books to life

THE NEW YORK TIMES – THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2026

Republicans Begin to Test the Limits of Trump’s Power by Flexing Their Own

President Trump’s unilateral and retributive style of governing is starting to hit a wall in both chambers of Congress.

These Republicans Broke With Trump on the War in Iran

Israel Says It Targeted Hezbollah After New Cease-Fire With Lebanon

The talks which led to the deal did not include the Iranian-backed armed group, which said it fired rockets at Israeli targets hours after the truce was announced.

Hezbollah’s Fiber-Optic Drones Expose Cracks in Israeli Defenses

The Lebanese militant group’s attacks have caught Israel off guard, forcing its political and military leaders to scramble for solutions.

5 min read

THE NEW YORK TIMES – WEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 2026

Primary Races Are Close in California, With Many Votes Still to Count

In the governor’s race, a Trump-endorsed Republican held a narrow lead. In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass advanced, but her opponent was yet to be decided.

A Trump Endorsement Falls Flat: 4 Election Takeaways From Iowa and Beyond

President Trump’s pick for governor of Iowa lost his primary, while Democrats in the state chose a nominee for what they hope will be a competitive Senate race.

Kuwait Says Iranian Attack Has Damaged Its Main Airport

The U.S. and Iran accused each other of launching new strikes. President Trump told The New York Post that Iran’s supreme leader was involved in peace talks.

War Games and Warnings on Strait of Hormuz Went Unheeded by Trump

Over the past two decades, Iran repeatedly threatened to close down the waterway. President Trump underestimated Iran’s ability to do so.

Ukraine Strikes St. Petersburg on First Day of a Marquee Putin Event

As an annual economic conference was set to begin, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had targeted a navy base and an oil terminal in the region that includes Russia’s second-largest city.

THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS – JUNE 25, 2026

THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS: The latest issue features Fintan O’Toole on The Emptiness of Greatness….

Gulliver’s Warning

Like Gulliver in Lilliput, “greatness” in the political realm depends on the existence of a group deemed puny or weak.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2026

Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon After Pulling Back From Threat to Beirut

Under pressure from President Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel held off from attacking Beirut. But he vowed to continue Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah, which could threaten peace talks with Iran.

Russia Is Showing Signs of Weakness in Ukraine. So It Hits Harder.

The war has not been going the Kremlin’s way recently, with battleground losses and mounting casualties. With renewed strikes, Moscow hopes to gain a better position for negotiations.

After an Agonizing Week of Threats, Kyiv Is Finally Bombarded by Russia

Moscow’s repeated warnings of a major strike, combined with the delay before it happened, seemed intended to inflict a psychological toll on the Ukrainian capital.

Hospitals See Diseases Resurge as Vaccinations Decline

Doctors in the U.S. are encountering more children with bacterial infections and other serious illnesses, as well as more adults refusing tetanus shots.

California Heads to the Polls Amid a Turbulent Primary Season

The race to replace Gov. Gavin Newsom has been unpredictable for months. In Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass is trying to fend off two challengers.

LITERARY REVIEW MAGAZINE – JUNE 2026 PREVIEW

LITERARY REVIEW : The latest issue features Peter Moore on George Forster * Anne Perkins on the Balfour family * William Whyte on British dons * Ian Thomson on the fall of the USSR * Joe Moshenska on Spinoza * Jeremy Treglown on Juan Carlos of Spain * D J Taylor on Henrietta Moraes * Howard Davies on recession * Martin Vander Weyer on Goldman Sachs * Piers Brendon on disinformation * Richard Vinen on Kissinger * Bettina Bildhauer on medieval health * John Mullan on Emily Brontë* Joseph Hone on Jonathan Swift * Duncan Fallowell on Lady Chatterley * 

The Traveller: The Revolutionary Life of George Forster and his Search for Humanity

By Andrea Wulf

An exemplary tour of the High Enlightenment might go something like this. You’d begin in the streets of 1760s London to feel the pulse of Georgian commerce. You’d then hop aboard one of Captain Cook’s colliers and cruise through the Pacific, having encounters every day. Returning to Europe you might watch Benjamin Franklin in diplomatic action at Passy and dine with Casanova in Vienna, before sailing up the Rhine with Humboldt. Having inspected the Soho Manufactory in Birmingham and admired the picturesque scenery of the Peak District, you’d cross the Channel just in time for the grand and bloody finale in Paris. 

Twilight of the Dons: British Intellectuals from World War II to Thatcherism

By Colin Kidd

Arriving as an undergraduate at Cambridge in 1961, Terry Eagleton was both overawed and underwhelmed by his supervisor, a man he calls Greenway in his memoir. ‘Greenway was the first truly civilised man I had ever encountered,’ Eagleton recalls.

This Dark Night: The Life of Emily Brontë

By Deborah Lutz

We know so little about Emily Brontë. There are just a few snapshots, like the vivid recollection of her sister Charlotte’s great friend Ellen Nussey: ‘Her extreme reserve seemed impenetrable, yet she was intensely loveable … one of her rare expressive looks was something to remember through life, there was such a depth of soul and feeling..

THE NEW YORK TIMES – MONDAY, JUNE 1, 2026

U.S. Military Says Iran Targeted American Forces in Kuwait

The U.S. military intercepted two Iranian missiles early Monday and no American personnel were harmed, Central Command said. The attacks threatened to further complicate talks to end the war.

How Lebanon’s Best Chance to Disarm Hezbollah Failed

Lebanon’s government has long wanted the powerful militia to give up its weapons. Before the Iran war began, there were signs of progress toward that goal.

Are Texans Ready for Talarico’s Kind of Christianity?

Jim Rigby, who does not much care for the word “God,” is a key to understanding the Senate candidate trying to pull off something unusual in Texas.

He Was the Muscle Behind Zelensky. Now He’s Crowdfunding Bail Money.

Volodymyr Zelensky’s onetime right-hand man is accused of embezzling millions of dollars and consulting a fortuneteller on political decisions.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – SUNDAY, MAY 31, 2026

Inside the Deal to Drop Trump’s $10 Billion Suit Against the I.R.S.

Talks among lawyers with allegiance to President Trump were so closely held that some senior White House officials told others that they were blindsided.

Trump Administration Sees Striking Exodus of Legal Talent

The departure of more than 10,000 lawyers has left some agencies without sufficient staff and has boosted the ranks of state attorneys general offices.

Trump Sends Tougher Terms to Iran for Peace Framework, Officials Say

His changes to the proposed deal were potentially designed to speed up the process by pressuring Iran to accept the current framework, one official said.

Ukraine’s Military Doesn’t Always Welcome Criticism. But That’s Her Job.

Olha Reshetylova has been tasked by the government with overseeing soldiers’ rights. Some commanders resent her, but she says her work makes the armed forces stronger.

BARRON’S MAGAZINE ———- JUNE 1, 2026 PREVIEW

Barron's | Financial and Investment News

BARRON’S MAGAZINE: The latest issue features ‘Chip Stars’ – The rally for chip makers will eventually end. Five stocks will be left standing.

The Chip Rally Has Gone Parabolic. It’s Time to Separate the Pillars From the Pretenders.

A furious rally for chip stocks has raised fears of a new bubble. If and when the party ends, five stocks will be left standing. They all remain undervalued.

Walmart and 5 More Consumer Stocks to Buy After a Solid Retail Earnings Season

Walmart and Target are among the retailers that should be capable of finding their niche in an ever-shifting consumer landscape. 

Private Credit Really Is More Than Loans to Leveraged Buyouts

Investors are worried about loans that private-credit funds have made to fund buyouts, but the funds do a lot more than that.

How AI Could Kill Charles Schwab and the Brokerage Industry’s Cash Cow

Shares of Charles Schwab and other firms have swooned on concerns that AI tools could erode the profit they derive from cash that clients hold in so-called sweep accounts.

If It Walks Like a Bubble and Quacks Like a Bubble, Then It’s Probably a Bubble

When looking at the stock market right now, the increasingly obvious question is to paraphrase that catchy 1940s tune: “Is you is, or is you ain’t, in a bubble?”

Indisputably, there are signs—some of which hark back to the dot-com era—that it is. For instance, take a gander at this not-so-little equation: $1.75 trillion divided by $18.674 billion equals 93.71 times.

That’s the expected midrange market capitalization of SpaceX’s initial public offering ($1.75 trillion), divided by the company’s 2025 revenue ($18.674 billion), with the quotient of 93.71 being SpaceX’s price-to-sales ratio. Which is ridiculous. (The S&P 500 index’s ratio is just 3.38—and that’s with stocks at record highs.)