A dire year of drought

July 30, 2026

Today’s Big Question

Should the Senate be abolished?

Advocates say ‘teardown’ would ‘rank among great democratic advances’

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

AI: China’s ‘open-weight’ models might be the future

They are cheaper than US products, but the White House could block access

quote of the day

‘We hope our music can be heard and loved for what it is, rather than being divided by region or language.’

The members of K-Pop group BTS in a shared statement on why they will not be submitting any entries for the 2027 Grammy Awards, after the Recording Academy unveiled a new Best Asian Pop Music Performance category

the explainer

The true cost of Sony’s future without physical games

Players hoping to pass down old games got a rude awakening

under the radar

Couples are embracing the ‘airport divorce’

Time apart before time together

Picture of the day

Playing it cool

A polar bear rolls in a pile of ice cubes inside its enclosure at Prague Zoo, with temperatures in the Czech capital set to reach up to 98 degrees today. Keepers have already distributed 10 tons of ice throughout the zoo.
Michal Cizek / AFP / Getty Images

the week recommends

Movies to watch in August: dystopia, dinos and existential angst

‘The Purge’ for sex, suburban dinosaurs and lovelorn Alaskans lead this month’s movie options