World

• In Israel’s democracy battle, an added front: Politicized police

  How central is an independent police force to democracy? In Israel, the politicization of the national police is seen as part of the hard-line government’s revived judicial overhaul.
• ‘We cannot rest yet’: South Koreans react to deepening political crisis

  More than a month after President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched martial law attempt infuriated a nation, South Koreans are still in the street, demanding he step down. The Monitor caught up with some people we spoke with in December about their views on the evolving political crisis.
• Key question as Venezuela prepares for inauguration: Who is the next president?

  Venezuela is meant to inaugurate its next president Jan. 10. But with a contested election, who exactly will take power?
• World leaders try to sway Trump on trade and Ukraine

  A wary world is treating Donald Trump as if he is already U.S. president. International leaders are seeking his favor, making nice, but buckling up.
• First LookLebanon army commander Joseph Aoun is sworn in as president, filling two-year void

  Following 13 attempts to elect a president, Lebanon’s parliament has sworn in army commander Joseph Aoun as the head of state. Mr. Aoun is the preferred candidate of the United States and Saudi Arabia.

USA

• The ExplainerPublic safety or free speech? What’s at stake in the TikTok case.

  The Supreme Court will hear the TikTok case Friday, ahead of a Jan. 19 ban. What’s at stake for the media platform and its users in the United States?
• Elon Musk aims his digital megaphone at Europe. Why?

  Elon Musk’s efforts to influence European politics raise questions about the degree to which he speaks for himself or President-elect Donald Trump.
• Jimmy Carter and Demetrius Young died the same day. Georgia will miss them both.

  Jimmy Carter and Demetrius Young both died Dec. 29. The two men shared a life of service, a love of Georgia, and a care for the needs of everyday people.
• Four years after Jan. 6 Capitol riot, polls show some attitudes softening

  Polls show Americans’ views have softened toward Jan. 6 rioters and Donald Trump’s role that day. But his vow to issue pardons doesn’t sit well.
• Why Indian Americans are shifting right – and poised to serve in top Trump roles

  President-elect Donald Trump’s nominations of Indian Americans to high-profile roles underscores a rightward shift among this voting group.

Commentary

• The Monitor's ViewAn opening for equality in Lebanon

  The election of a new president after years of political division marks the next step in a region shedding old patterns of violence.
• The Monitor's ViewSunlight on hidden fees

  U.S. states are driving a robust legal trend toward transparency in pricing, measuring the value of goods and services in honesty and respect for consumers.
• The Monitor's ViewDefeating fear in Venezuela

  Opposition leaders marshal honor, dignity, and conscience in a South American country striving to restore democracy.
• The Monitor's ViewWhen compassion rings louder than guns

  While mediators seek a ceasefire in Gaza, ordinary Israelis and Palestinians are increasingly aligned in rejecting violence and hatred.
• The Monitor's ViewThe art of Poland’s diplomacy

  The country at the helm of the European Union for the next six months makes youthful creativity a key part of its focus on regional security.

Economy

• The Explainer$1 extra fries? McDonald’s value menu marks how chains are adapting or closing.

  Restaurants are grappling with inflation and a changing consumer, a mix that has pushed some eateries into bankruptcy. Analysts expect more to come.
• First LookAmazon workers are on strike. Will your gifts arrive on time?

  The strike – spanning seven facilities across the United States – is the largest against Amazon in U.S. history, according to the Teamsters. More are “prepared to join,” says the union, which represents nearly 10,000 workers at the online retailer.
• First LookJapanese automakers want to fend off China. But Nissan and Honda deny merger rumors.

  Nissan and Honda said they are considering collaboration but denied rumors of a merger. The Japanese automakers announced in August that they, along with Mitsubishi, will share components for electric vehicles as Chinese EVs cut into their market share.
• The ExplainerWhy is the US in a housing crisis, and what can be done about it?

  More people are seeking homes than there are places to buy or rent, which contributes to high prices. Here’s what led to the housing crisis, and some potential solutions.
• In UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing, industry frustration crowds out empathy

  The shooting of the CEO of UnitedHealthcare has put a spotlight on frustrations over medical debt and lack of security for threatened executives.

Environment

• What I saw in LA-area fire evacuations: Caring for people and their safety

  The wind-fueled fires around Los Angeles destroyed many homes. Our West Coast reporter reflects on finding safety and community amid the danger.
• Points of ProgressGrowing baby corals in the nursery and corn on steep hillsides

  Progress roundup: Success for coral raised in the nursery, corn grown on steep hillsides, and a new powder that captures CO2 from the atmosphere.
• The ExplainerCalifornia wildfires rage, forcing evacuations. How warm winds stoke risks.

  Thousands have evacuated as uncontained wildfires threaten populated areas near Los Angeles. Gusty Santa Ana winds come amid a dry start to the rainy season.
• FocusFlorida town’s climate reckoning: Storms so costly, homeowners may be forced out

  Hurricanes have left Englewood, Florida, homeowners struggling to afford repairs or insurance – putting the character of the town at risk.
• Points of ProgressGondolas solve a last-mile problem in Mexico City, and the fixer-uppers of Scotland

  Progress roundup: Electric gondolas bring commuters closer to the center of Mexico City, Scotland’s abandoned homes get makeovers, and more.

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

• First LookNvidia unveils new products from supercharged graphics chip to AI that trains robots

  Chipmaker and AI leader Nvidia revealed its most advanced consumer graphics processor unit, its first desktop computer, and artificial intelligence to better train robots and cars.
• Solar panels in space show potential for liftoff, despite cost concerns

  Technological advances mean space-based solar panels are edging closer to reality. Cost is the biggest hurdle.
• First LookAre the Boeing astronauts actually stuck in space? Nope. ‘Living in space is super fun.’

  Boeing’s new Starliner astronauts have had to combat rumors about their health and saftey after a forced extended stay on the International Space Station. However, the pair has taken the challenge in stride. “Mindset does go a long way,” said Butch Wilmore.
• Cover StoryMoody chickens? Playful bumblebees? Science decodes the rich inner lives of animals.

  New science shows that farm animals and other creatures exhibit signs of conscious experience. How should this make us see them – and ourselves?
• First LookA week ago, Tesla showcased futuristic robotaxis. Then a pedestrian got hit.

  One week after Tesla unveiled prototype robotaxis and promised fully autonomous vehicles by 2026, the company is once again under investigation. Tesla has twice recalled its “Full Self-Driving” system in the past after cars ignored stop signs and hurt pedestrians.

Culture

• The last of Estonia’s master canoe-makers are still carving their niche

  The traditional art of haabjas building, practiced by only five remaining master crafters, is threatened by the making of fiberglass or other modern – often motorized – boats.
• First LookGolden Globes makes a comeback with arthouse wins and plenty of first-timers

  “Emilia Perez” and “The Brutalist,” a pair of movies that sought to defy easy categorization, won top honors at this year’s Golden Globes. Despite a star-studded audience of nominees, most of this year’s winners hailed from smaller, less seen films.
• A private epiphany: How I came to revel in the pursuit of grace

  On Ephiphany Sunday and beyond, my challenge is to exude love. To remind myself, I wear it proudly around my neck.
• Resolved: To make my New Year’s promises (gasp!) public

  New Year’s resolutions are often soon abandoned. In recent years, I’ve stumbled on a not-so-secret solution to sticking to them.
• Chillax! Here’s your guide to conversing through the winter holidays.

  A guide to what you might hear from millennials and Generation Zers while you eat dinner, binge holiday movies, and laze around the fireplace.

Books

• Music unlocks secrets about the design of the universe

  Daniel K.L. Chua’s expansive, eye-opening book documents how music from China to Greece has underpinned humanity’s search for joy.
• Woodrow Wilson stood on the wrong side of history

  In “Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn,” former U.S. Rep. Christopher Cox examines how the president undermined rights for women and Black people.
• How Handel brought ‘The Messiah’ to life in bleak times

  In ”Every Valley,” Charles King compellingly recounts how the composer, in a mere three weeks, wrote the soaring music for which he is best known today. 
• Why J. Edgar Hoover’s biographer worries about Kash Patel running the FBI

  An author who studied J. Edgar Hoover’s complicated legacy at the FBI says she sees warning signs in the overt political statements by Trump nominee Kash Patel.
• Why J. Edgar Hoover’s biographer worries about Kash Patel running the FBI

  An author who studied J. Edgar Hoover’s complicated legacy at the FBI says she sees warning signs in the overt political statements by Trump nominee Kash Patel.