A selection of recent and most read stories from The Atlantic to start your day

Support fearless independent journalism and gain unlimited access to The Atlantic, starting at less than $2 a week.

Bashar al-Assad Exploited Alawites’ Fear

To move forward, Syria needs to guarantee their safety.

Even Barry Jenkins Can Only Do So Much

Mufasa: The Lion King, from the Moonlight director, doesn’t transcend its cynical origins as a Disney product.

America’s Bird-Flu Luck Has Officially Run Out

Bird flu has spread so widely that it was always going to make someone seriously sick.

Musk Makes a Mess of Congress

The billionaire may have just tanked a bipartisan bill to fund the government. All he needed was a few hours on X.

Postpone Your Pleasures

And enjoy them all the more.

Did someone forward you this email? Sign up here.

Explore all of our newsletters.

The Atlantic’s Crossword

The Atlantic’s crossword puzzle gets a little more challenging every day: Mondays are the easiest, with the biggest, most difficult puzzle on Sunday.