1779094921 Trump’s Approval Sinks Amid Unpopular War, Darkening G.O.P. Prospects https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/politics/poll-trump-republicans-midterms-iran.html With the midterms nearing, President Trump’s approval rating has hit a second-term low as voters question his handling of the economy, according to the latest New York Times/Siena poll. html Lisa Lerer, Ruth Igielnik and Camille Baker 1779095919 A Crack in the Polling Floor Puts Trump in New Territory https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/upshot/trump-poll-times-siena-analyis.html A 37 percent approval rating in a new Times/Siena poll suggests the G.O.P. is facing a big midterm problem despite recent redistricting gains. html Nate Cohn 1779094917 The Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Decision Spurred Swift Action in Louisiana and Alabama https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/politics/supreme-court-voting-rights-act-timing.html The timing brought the court into the middle of a fight to redraw voting maps across the South, even as some primaries were underway. html Abbie VanSickle 1779102244 Trump’s Approval Rating Hits New Low, and Ebola Outbreak Declared a Global Health Emergency https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/podcasts/the-headlines/trumps-approval-rating-ebola-outbreak.html Plus, inside the closed-door talks over Greenland. html Will Jarvis, Margaret Kadifa, Jake Lucas, Ian Stewart, Tracy Mumford and Matthew Mpoke Bigg 1779094733 L.I.R.R. Riders Stranded by Strike Have Few Commute Alternatives. Here’s What To Know. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/nyregion/lirr-strike-update-shuttle-bus.html New York transit officials say the alternate travel options they’ve arranged for the Long Island Rail Road strike could not accommodate all commuters. html Stefanos Chen 1779094915 In Closed-Door Talks, U.S. Demands a Major Role in Greenland https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/europe/us-greenland-talks-trump.html Greenlandic officials worry about the direction of the negotiations aimed at defusing President Trump’s threats to seize their island. But they have little leverage. html Jeffrey Gettleman, Maya Tekeli, Anton Troianovski and Eric Schmitt 1779094955 Brookings Institution Report: Over 100,000 Family Separations in Trump Crackdown https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/brookings-institution-report-family-separations.html The Brookings Institution suggests that federal statistics are an undercount because immigrant parents are not being asked about or not disclosing their American children. html Miriam Jordan and Jeff Adelson 1779098015 Catastrophe Is Emerging in the World’s Most Vulnerable Places https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/business/iran-war-somalia-usaid.html The humanitarian relief system, decimated by cuts, faces a grave challenge as the Middle East war causes soaring costs for food, fuel and fertilizer. html Peter S. Goodman and Finbarr O’Reilly 1779094842 How the Music of ‘Schmigadoon!’ Echoes Broadway’s Past https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/theater/schmigadoon-broadway-music.html The composer Cinco Paul discusses the clever references to classic musicals everywhere you look (and hear) in his new Broadway show. html Alexis Soloski 1779084137 What to Know About the Latest Ebola Outbreak https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/world/africa/what-to-know-ebola-africa.html The World Health Organization declared a global health emergency after about 80 people died from the virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo. html Ephrat Livni 1779093391 Americans Are Among Those Affected by Ebola Outbreak, C.D.C. Says https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/ebola-outbreak-congo-uganda-americans-cdc.html A small number of U.S. citizens have been directly affected by the outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda, the C.D.C. said on Sunday. html Yan Zhuang 1779105338 Trump Warns Iran the ‘Clock Is Ticking’ as Tensions Surge Again in Middle East https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/middleeast/trump-iran-war-talks.html The president has sought to force Iran to accept his terms on its nuclear program or else face renewed war. An emboldened Iran has rebuffed Trump’s demands. html Aaron Boxerman 1779098124 Blocked Strait of Hormuz Leads to New Opportunities for Syria https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/middleeast/strait-hormuz-blockade-iran-war-syria-oil.html The latest war in the Middle East has created new economic opportunities for Syria thanks to its geography. html Raja Abdulrahim 1779092888 Oil Prices Climb and Bonds Falter as Iran War Raises Inflation Fears https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/business/oil-gas-price-iran-bonds.html Stocks and bonds wavered after President Trump issued a new warning to Iran. html The New York Times 1779094899 Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/americas/actually-democracy-dies-in-hr.html New research sheds light on how mediocre employees help would-be authoritarians maintain power. html Amanda Taub 1779106287 NextEra Energy to Acquire Dominion, Creating a Utility Giant https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/business/nextera-dominion-deal.html The deal combining the companies in Florida and Virginia comes as demand for power is soaring, largely because of the rapid growth of A.I. data centers. html Lauren Hirsch and Ivan Penn 1779094816 He Shut Liquor Stores and Banned Abortion, All for the Glory of Russia https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/europe/russia-governor-vologda.html A firebrand governor aims to transform his region into a laboratory for the Kremlin’s reactionary ideals. html Ivan Nechepurenko and Mary Gelman 1778922060 Josh Tyrangiel book excerpt: How OpenAI and Khan Academy Made a Chatbot https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/16/business/tyrangiel-ai-book-openai-khan-academy-khanmigo.html Inside a collaboration to bring artificial intelligence into the classroom. html Josh Tyrangiel 1779094837 When Tornado Weather Hits, These Scientists Break Out the Colored Pencils https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/weather/nws-storm-prediction-center-maps-forecast.html With a battery of modern technology at their fingertips, meteorologists often turn first to an old-fashioned tracking technique. html Judson Jones and Desiree Rios 1779095517 Severe Weather, Including Hail and Tornadoes, Could Rattle the U.S. Midwest https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/weather/storm-tornado-forecast-kansas-nebraska-iowa.html Some of the most severe weather in days could hit Monday afternoon, meteorologists said. Tornadoes and large hail are possible. html Erin McCann and Nazaneen Ghaffar 1779094929 MAGA Women Are Leading a #Me2.0 in Washington https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/opinion/maga-women-congress-metoo.html These G.O.P. crusaders might be the perfect people to fight sexual misconduct on Capitol Hill. html Michelle Cottle 1779101884 The Fighting Never Ends https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/briefing/the-fighting-never-stops.html We look at what happens when countries say they’re going to stop shooting at each other. html Sam Sifton 1779056182 The Quest for Clean Hydrogen Moves Underground https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/17/climate/geologic-hydrogen-clean-energy-underground.html The dream of clean hydrogen has tantalized energy experts for years, but producing it has been tough. Many start-ups think the answer could lie beneath our feet. html Brad Plumer and Ian Willms 1779104007 Mamdani’s First City-Owned Grocery Store Is Planned for the South Bronx https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/nyregion/mamdani-grocery-store-bronx-hunts-point.html Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to announce that the store will open in the Hunts Point neighborhood next year. Some merchants are pushing back. html Emma G. Fitzsimmons 1779105316 Bodies of Four Italian Divers Found in Maldives Cave https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/asia/maldives-divers-accident-bodies-found.html The discovery comes after days of searching by an international team of rescue divers. A fifth body was recovered last week. html Ali Watkins 1779100330 Soccer Star Kylian Mbappé Faces Off Against France’s Far Right https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/world/europe/kylian-mbappe-national-rally-france.html Kylian Mbappé, the captain of France’s national team, set off a storm a month before the World Cup by suggesting that the National Rally party was a threat to France. html Mark Landler