February 4, 2025

Monarchs in Peril, Grown-Up Teen Moms, and Wingspan’s Worthy Successor

Ten Picks for Today, Curated by Our Editors

1

In the News

What Is USAID? Explaining the US Foreign Aid Agency and Why Trump and Musk Want to End It

President John F. Kennedy established the U.S. Agency for International Development, known as USAID, during the Cold War. In the decades since, Republicans and Democrats have fought over the agency and its funding.

The Associated Press
Ellen Knickmeyer

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2

No Big Deal!

UN Monitors Asteroid With a Tiny Chance of Hitting Earth

The asteroid named YR4 has a 1% chance of hitting Earth in 2032.

BBC
Pallab Ghosh

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3

Ugh

California’s Monarch Butterfly Population Plummets; Fire Wipes Out Topanga Habitat

The Western population of the monarch butterfly hit a near-record low with fewer than 10,000 found living in California this winter, a foreboding sign.

Los Angeles Times
Clara Harter

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4

Palate Cleanser

The Best Board Game of the Decade Finally Has a Worthy Sequel

Finspan may not always reach the heights of Wingspan, but it seems sure to reveal hidden depths.

Slate
Dan Kois

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5

Behind the Scenes

The Motley Vermont Town Trying to Tell Its Own Story

At the Civic Standard, in Hardwick, community building is a kind of performance art, where the usual tales of a fractured America are quickly upstaged.

The New Yorker
Chelsea Edgar

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6

“Declutter, Add a Flat Sheet & Turn Down the Heat”

Hoteliers Reveal How to Get the Best Night’s Sleep…at Home

Hospitality experts, sleep consultants and interior designers share their tips for creating dream conditions in your bedroom.

The Guardian
Lucy Pavia

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7

Pop Culture

Teen Moms, All Grown up

Sixteen years after ‘16 & Pregnant,’ these stars are navigating adulthood while still reliving their adolescence.

The Cut
Fortesa Latifi

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8

How Do You Do, Fellow Kids