Tag Archives: Opinion

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 ECONOMIST MAGAZINE – JUNE 6, 2026 PREVIEW

THE ECONOMIST MAGAZINE: The latest issue featuresThe rise of Gen-Z socialism‘….

How to fight back against Gen-Z socialism

The me-first doctrine is a threat to prosperity

India’s surprise baby bust is a warning to the world

It is not just rich places that are becoming less fertile

Europe needs Ukraine’s help just as badly as the other way round

The EU should start drafting a full accession treaty now

America’s decaying Treasury market needs a fix

High debt, disjointed markets and pugnacious trade policy all threaten the world’s safe asset

How to make football more exciting

The World Cup is wonderful. It could be even better

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

SKEPTIC MAGAZINE —– SUMMER 2026 PREVIEW

https://shop.skeptic.com/products/conspiracy-grift-vol-31-no-2

SKEPTIC MAGAZINE: The latest issue features ‘The Conspiracy Grift’

Skepticism and the Attention Economy

We founded Skeptic magazine and the Skeptics Society in 1992, partially in response to a market demand from consumers and the media for a scientific and rational response to increasingly tantalizing claims of the paranormal and supernatural, ESP and Psi, telepathy and telekinesis, NDEs and OBEs, ghosts and poltergeists, astrology and psychics, cryptozoology and strange creatures, haunted houses and mysterious places, UFOs and aliens, conspiracy theories and cults, and a litany of anomalous psychological experiences people reported.

Anti-Woke, or Just Wounded? A Typology of Two Types of Anti-Woke Intellectuals

I’m a humanistic weirdo, and as such I’m not sure where I belong in this modern culture war. I love truth and reason — I’ve built a career on them — but I belong to a humanistic tradition that refuses to stop at the head and leave the heart out of it. And these days there aren’t many of us. So when I look at the people we’ve come to call “anti-woke intellectuals”—many of whom have written for Skeptic or appeared as guests on The Michael Shermer Show podcast—I don’t see them the way either side wants me to.

Christian Nationalists, Christian Dominionists, and Women’s Rights

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 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.

THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE – JUNE 8, 2026 PREVIEW

The cover of the June 8 2026 Fiction Issue of The New Yorker on which there is a cutaway view of a library filled with...

THE NEW YORKER MAGAZINE: The latest issue cover features ‘Sergio García Sánchez and Lola Moral’s “The Secret Life of Books” – A living library. By Françoise Mouly

Maggie O’Farrell and the Art of Inventing the Past

Why read historical fiction? A new novel by the author of “Hamnet” offers one answer: because it’s fun. By Katy Waldman

Why the American Novel Refused to Grow Up

For the critic Leslie Fiedler, the country’s best and worst fiction was shaped by visions of escape from society—and therefore from maturity. By Becca Rothfeld

The World Cup According to Gianni Infantino

FIFA’s powerful president is remaking global soccer in his own image. Can the sport survive him? By Sam Knight

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 MAGAZINE- MAY 31, 2026

Current cover

THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE: The 5.31.26 Issue features Taffy Brodesser-Akner on the A.I. actress Tilly Norwood; Daniel Waite Perry on sperm racing; Jeffrey Toobin on how to get a pardon in Trump’s Washington; and more.

I Profile Celebrities for a Living. Nothing Prepared Me for Tilly Norwood.

The A.I. actress on her craft, the future of film and how she definitely does not intend to murder us.

Want to ‘Optimize’ Your Happiness? This Happiness Expert Says: Don’t.

Laurie Santos on what will really bring meaning and fulfillment to your life, and what won’t.  By Lulu Garcia-Navarro

What Happens After Deportation? A Family Leaves Their American Dream Behind.

After being removed from the United States, a family tries to rebuild their life back in Colombia. Photographs by Juan Arredondo

My Partner’s Dependence on Chatbots Is Becoming a Problem. How Do I Tell Him?

One reason I love my partner is his sharp mind and critical thinking. Using A.I. for every decision is something I don’t understand. By Kwame Anthony Appiah