Ph. As sweeping as the bill is, its impact is likely to be modest. Ilia Yefimovich/Picture Alliance via Getty Images Kirk McClure, University of Kansas and Alex Schwartz, The New School A sweeping housing measure, which became law on July 11, 2026, is being widely celebrated as a crucial step in addressing the
Keith Rathbone, Macquarie University The World Cup has entered its quarter-finals, and so far the tournament has had it all: a strong team ousted early (Germany), debate over whether an ageing superstar (Lionel Messi) still “has it”, and an underdog in the form of a tiny nation (Cabo Verde) making it through to
Jessica Genauer, UNSW Sydney The United States has launched a series of strikes on Iran in response to the Iranian targeting of vessels in the Strait of Hormuz. These are the most severe violations yet of the Memorandum of Understanding that came into effect on June 17, and may signal an end to
Ph. The founding generation: James Madison, left, and Thomas Jefferson, both proponents of the separation of church and state. Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Steven K. Green, Willamette University The Trump administration’s Religious Liberty Commission released its report on June 26, 2026, on the state of religious freedom in the United States,
Ph. Life went on in the late 18th century, regardless of your everyday ailments. Archive Photos/Getty Images Katherine Ott, Smithsonian Institution Trade the tricorn hats, bonnets and homespun shirts for flip flops, sneakers and soccer jerseys, and the intrepid revolutionaries of 1776 would have looked a lot like the people of 2026. But
Marta Khomyn, Adelaide University US President Donald Trump once called cryptocurrency a “scam”. It’s now a major moneymaker for him: his just-released annual financial disclosure shows he made more than US$1 billion from cryptocurrency last year. This news has raised the ire of Trump’s critics. Juliana Stratton, the Illinois lieutenant governor and a
Ph. A statue of Alexander Hamilton on the campus of Columbia University in New York. Spiroview Inc / Shutterstock Sam Edwards, Loughborough University The plans for the 250th anniversary of the American revolution, which kicks off in earnest on July 4, have drawn media scrutiny in the US. One issue has been the
Ph. Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP via Getty Images Clare Corbould, Deakin University It’s almost the Fourth of July and Donald Trump is making the most of the 250th anniversary of American independence. He has all but declared himself Patriot-in-Chief. He’s putting his face on commemorative $250 bills and passports. A giant
Ph. Israeli soldiers patrol near the border with Lebanon on June 9, 2026. Jalaa Marey/AFP via Getty Images Amy McAuliffe, University of Notre Dame A lot hangs on whether the United States can compel Israel to cease operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. After all, an end to the Israeli military offensive was a
Ph. The Dames Point Bridge spans a river in Jacksonville, Fla. Jonathan Zander/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY Alex Krasnok, Florida International University Every bridge has parts that drivers never see: steel buried in concrete, welds tucked under girders, and soil packed around foundations below the waterline. A bridge can look fine from the road