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Iran and the United States are holding a second round of talks today in Geneva on Iran鈥檚 nuclear program, a day after Iran held naval drills in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping lane. President Donald Trump said he would be 鈥渋nvolved indirectly.鈥� A first round of talks took place earlier this month in Oman. Negotiations last year failed to produce an agreement that would have lifted U.S. sanctions in exchange for Iran curbing its nuclear program. Iran鈥檚 top diplomat met yesterday with the head of the United Nations鈥� nuclear watchdog.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reassured European leaders at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday that Washington is not abandoning the transatlantic alliance. Emphasizing shared history and culture, he said 鈥渙ur destiny is and will always be intertwined with yours.鈥� While reiterating concerns about immigration, deindustrialization, and military strength, the remarks came as a relief to many and earned a standing ovation, a year after Vice President JD Vance鈥檚 sharper rhetoric fueled fears of a transatlantic rupture.

Those shaping AI models are calling for more guardrails, including two researchers who quit their jobs last week. Mrinak Sharma, who led Anthropic鈥檚 Safeguards Research Team, wrote in his resignation letter that he had 鈥渞epeatedly seen how hard it is to truly let our values govern our actions.鈥� Zo毛 Hitzig resigned from OpenAI citing 鈥渄eep reservations鈥� about its ad-driven revenue strategy. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, meanwhile, warned against 鈥渄oomerism鈥� but measured intervention from companies and the government, while determining whether the evidence warrants more significant action.

Cold War icon Lech Walesa cautioned that democracy is 鈥渘ot about fear.鈥� The Polish leader whose anti-communist Solidarity movement helped end the Soviet Union through nonviolent resistance called this 鈥渢he most precarious moment in U.S. history鈥� in an interview with The Wall Street Journal published this weekend. Mr. Walesa said he agrees with President Trump鈥檚 goals but not his approach. Democracy is 鈥渘ot about force,鈥� he said, but about 鈥渁rriving at your goals in a peaceful way.鈥�

Gis猫le Pelicot released her memoir, 鈥淎 Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides.鈥� The French woman recounts for the first time surviving years of sexual assault at the hands of her ex-husband and dozens of men he invited into their home. Ms. Pelicot has been hailed as an icon in the fight against abuse after waiving her right to anonymity in last year鈥檚 trial. 鈥淲ithin us we have resources that we don鈥檛 even suspect,鈥� she told the BBC.

Rev. Jesse Jackson will be remembered by many for what his family called an 鈥渦nwavering belief鈥� in justice and equality. The civil rights leader, who was once close to Martin Luther King, Jr., spent a lifetime spent fighting for 鈥渢he disinherited, the disrespected, and the despised,鈥� as he said in a 1984 speech. That year he became the second Black person to run a nationwide campaign to become president. In a statement announcing his death this morning, his family asked for all 鈥渢o honor his memory by continuing the fight for the values he lived by.鈥�

鈥� From Monitor writers around the globe

Deteriorating conditions in Cuba, amid the Trump administration鈥檚 aggressive posture toward the Western Hemisphere, are feeding a debate in Washington: Regime change or a deal? Experts say the latter is more likely, while a bigger strategic goal might be to curb China鈥檚 presence on the island.

As America celebrates George Washington鈥檚 birthday, the results of the Revolutionary War period can feel inevitable when viewed from a 250-year distance. But historical reenactors aim to portray the complexity of the Founding Fathers and their times, encouraging deeper thought about the connections between then and now.

In more than 80 films over his long career, Robert Duvall stood out for his authenticity, our film critic writes. By respecting the characters he played, Duvall聽respected his audience 鈥� never playing down to us.

When our essayist received a parenting curveball 鈥� twins 鈥� life as he knew it changed for good. Over time, this dad and primary caregiver to four kids learned to embrace 鈥渢he life I鈥檓 being called to live.鈥�

If there is a bona fide kickoff moment for this year鈥檚 250th anniversary of American independence, it is Presidents Day. For the three-day holiday weekend, many institutions tied to the nation鈥檚 history offered some sort of event. George Washington鈥檚 Mount Vernon, for example, announced free admission on Feb. 16, along with a 鈥渟tirring reading鈥� of 鈥淲ashington鈥檚 Prayer for His Country.鈥�

Yet in addition to this year鈥檚 celebratory revelry, many Americans are seeking civic repair. Rising political polarization has led to a refreshing interest in civics education. And not just in schools nor merely by rote learning of historical facts and founding documents.

One example of a desire for understanding civic responsibilities is a bipartisan bill introduced last month in Nebraska. Since 2019, teens in the state have had to pass a civics requirement to graduate. But the bill would now require new members of the state Legislature to take a 20-question civics test, much like immigrants take for United States citizenship. And the scores would be made public.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 know where we鈥檙e going if we don鈥檛 know where we鈥檝e come from, right?鈥� said state Sen. Tanya Storer, a bill sponsor.

Another effort is America Gives, a project of the official America250 organization. The initiative aims to help Americans achieve the highest-recorded year of volunteer service in U.S. history. The premise is that 鈥済iving back鈥� is a form of patriotic gratitude that can bind people across political divides.

In schools, interest in improving civics education perked up after a 2022 survey of eighth graders found a steep decline in knowledge about the Constitution and how democracy works. A survey of adults in 2024 found 70% failed to name the three branches of government.

A new emphasis in schools, however, is less on accumulating knowledge than on qualities inherent to self-governance, such as restraint, reason, and respect. 鈥淭he declining trust in institutions, rising polarization, and youth鈥檚 growing disaffection with democracy cannot be fixed with civics course requirements,鈥� wrote education consultant Ross Wiener in the magazine for the National Association of State Boards of Education.

Civics training is being integrated into other academic topics, even math, or by involving students in community groups, government, or local history projects to develop curiosity, trust, and a sense of belonging. Some schools have caught on that civics skills are highly desired by employers.

In Illinois, which has been a pioneer in rethinking civics learning, one student responded to the state effort with this: 鈥淏efore this project, I thought democracy was just voting. Now I know it鈥檚 about listening, compromising, and making something better together.鈥�

The new civics is more about how citizens interact 鈥� with calm reflection and humility in a search for shared purpose. Thomas Jefferson, one author of the Declaration of Independence, said self-government requires 鈥渉abit and long training.鈥� Americans might honor his advice this year in marking the declaration鈥檚 anniversary between now and the Fourth of July.