The Weekender

Jan 20, 2024

Times editors have handpicked 11 stories for you to enjoy. Welcome to The Weekender.

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Watching “Oppenheimer,” a journalist wondered: How did the president get the $2 billion secret project past Congress?

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For their unconventional adaptation of Isabel Wilkerson’s “Caste,” DuVernay and Ellis-Taylor tapped into the best-seller’s poignant back story.

Earth’s stratosphere has never seen the amounts of emissions and waste from rockets and satellites that a booming space economy will leave behind.

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FAFSA, S.A.I., N.P.C., CSS — the acronyms never end. And that’s just the beginning of the mayhem.

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The food industry has long touted its products as impossible to resist. But with a spotlight on the perils of compulsive eating, that tactic is getting another look.

Hvaldimir, a beluga whale, escaped captivity and became a global celebrity. Now, no one can agree about what to do with him.

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Around the globe, travelers are looking to go beyond superficial interactions with Native cultures for more in-depth experiences.

They quietly became the de facto spaces to share dumb jokes, grief or even plans for an insurrection.

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Colombia created its latest, and perhaps last, national park by befriending the traditional ranching culture that surrounds it.

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At the start of what promises to be a very busy year, we look ahead at what you’re likely to encounter.

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Make 2024 your most nourishing year yet with a week of guidance and recipes.

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Thanks for reading. I’ll see you next weekend.

This edition of The Weekender was edited by Jonathan Wolfe.