海角大神

Japan lifted a ban on lethal weapons exports to boost defense alliances. 鈥淣o single country can now protect its own peace and security alone,鈥� Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi posted on X on Tuesday, explaining the shift. Japan and its partners must shore up defense supply chains to help prevent conflicts, she said. The government lifted restrictions limiting Japanese-made arms exports to categories like search and rescue, allowing transfers of warships, fighter jets, and other weapons directly to 17 countries. A ban on transfers to countries in active conflicts remains, with narrow exceptions.

Tim Cook is exiting his CEO role at Apple. Mr. Cook is stepping down from the job that he inherited from the late Steve Jobs, ending a nearly 15-year reign that saw the company鈥檚 market value soar by more than $3.6 trillion. Mr. Cook will turn the CEO duties to Apple鈥檚 head of hardware products, John Ternus, on September 1 while remaining involved with the Cupertino, California, company as executive chairman. 鈥� The Associated Press

A Russia-friendly party won Bulgaria鈥檚 elections. Rumen Radev鈥檚 newly formed, left-wing Progressive Bulgaria coalition won the most votes of any single party since 1997. The country鈥檚 former president ran a campaign to combat political corruption, an issue that galvanized protests in December. 鈥淚 hope that we will develop practical relations with Russia based on mutual respect,鈥� said Mr. Radev, who is wary of Bulgaria getting involved in the war in Ukraine, but he also said the nation would 鈥渃ontinue its European path.鈥� He touted the electoral win as a victory of 鈥渉ope over mistrust.鈥�

The United States launched a tariff refunds website. On Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened a portal that allows businesses to apply for refunds on the $166 billion collected on tariffs,聽plus interest. In February, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority in levying tariffs without congressional approval. More than 56,000 businesses have applied for reimbursement, which, in its first phase, will cover most recent imports. CBP estimates that 330,000 paid duties are now eligible for refund. The process is not open to individual consumers.聽
Our coverage:聽From liberation to limbo: A year after 鈥楲iberation Day鈥� tariffs, what difference have they made?

Mexico sought clarification on U.S. involvement in a drug operation. President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo questioned the presence of U.S. Embassy employees in efforts to combat drug cartels in Chihuahua over the weekend. Two U.S. and two Mexican investigators were killed in a car crash after visiting clandestine drug labs. Ms. Sheinbaum said she was not aware of the state-level joint operation 鈥� a possible violation of Mexico鈥檚 national security law and a potential U.S. overstep. 鈥淭here is collaboration and coordination, but not joint operations,鈥� she said.聽
Our coverage:聽Amid record violence, more Latin Americans welcome US intervention.

Thousands of volunteers built 10,000 beds for children in 24 hours. The April 15-16 event hosted by Lowe鈥檚 and Sleep in Heavenly Peace 鈥� a nonprofit organization that builds and delivers bunk beds 鈥� attracted more than 6,500 volunteers in Charlotte, North Carolina. More than 140,000 children nationwide need a bed, according to Sleep in Heavenly Peace. The newly built bed frames, plus mattresses and pillows, will be distributed across 110 of the organization鈥檚 chapters in 36 states.

鈥� Compiled by Monitor writers around the world

As civilians displaced by the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon try to return to their war-damaged homes, a new Israeli occupation zone in the country鈥檚 south poses an obstacle for many. Meanwhile, the ceasefire has reduced but not eliminated the fighting.

It鈥檚 not a good time to be a small-business owner in Russia. With the financial costs of the war in Ukraine growing, the Kremlin has been raising taxes on and rolling back exemptions for entrepreneurs.

Retiring legislators, and some who have been on Capitol Hill a long time, say they can hardly recognize the institution in which they serve. The changes could lead to a very different type of candidate who seeks to join the House or Senate.

P茅ter Magyar is set to take Hungary鈥檚 reins with the powers of a supermajority at his disposal. Experts say that he鈥檒l need it to loosen the grip that Viktor Orb谩n established on the country聽鈥� and with the European Union demanding change.

Democrat-led cities protested ICE arrests. Now, conservative towns sited for massive immigration detention centers are also pushing back, pointing out infrastructure and budget strains and exposing a rift between federal enforcement and local concerns.

April鈥檚 top nonfiction titles include a revelatory take on Lewis and Clark鈥檚 Corps of Discovery expedition and a memoir with deep roots in West Virginia鈥檚 Allegheny Mountains. Fiction favorites cover the latest from Tana French and Ben Lerner, plus a canine charmer and a transformed 鈥渢rophy wife.鈥�

For at least a decade, Americans have wrestled with growing questions and doubts about their institutions of higher education and the value of a traditional four-year degree. The declining confidence has been driven by concerns over escalating costs and growing student indebtedness, uneven job prospects, and on-campus political polarization. These concerns have fed into calls by the current administration for changes to accreditation procedures and transparency in admissions processes, especially among elite institutions.

There are indications, however, that the downward trend in Americans鈥� trust in higher education and its outcomes is not irreversible. Universities are challenging themselves to ask hard questions and take actions to repair the breach. 鈥淎cademic introspection must begin with a clear-eyed appraisal of our failures around democratic education,鈥� Prof. Jonathan Zimmerman of the University of Pennsylvania observed in The Chronicle of Higher Education last week.

On the affordability front, private universities have continued to expand free tuition for lower- and middle-income students. Earlier this year, for instance, Dartmouth College raised the family income threshold to $175,000 a year, while Yale University upped its cap to $200,000. And, when it comes to the public鈥檚 return-on-investment concerns, it helps that prospects for new graduates are brighter than they were a year ago. On Monday, the National Association of Colleges and Employers reported that employers expect to increase new graduate hiring by 5.6% and internship opportunities by nearly 4% over a year ago.

But beyond dollars and cents, university leadership and faculty are engaging in honest and humble inquiry that acknowledges and addresses public concerns, which might be the most effective way to rebuild confidence. And, in doing so, they are modeling the very traits they seek to instill in the students as they prepare for work and civic life 鈥� genuine listening, reflection, transparency, and flexibility.

Last week, when announcing the public release of a special report on restoring trust in higher education, Yale University President Maurie McInnis highlighted the need to 鈥渢ake responsibility for our role in the erosion of public trust.鈥�

鈥淔or higher education to serve the public good, we need ... the American people to believe fully in [its] power and purpose,鈥� she wrote, noting that 鈥淭rust is dynamic, and the work that earns it is continuous.鈥�

In assessing the report鈥檚 recommendations 鈥� which include prioritizing academic achievement, pushing back against grade inflation, and enhancing open debate on campus 鈥� The Wall Street Journal praised Yale for 鈥渢he lack of defensiveness and arrogance that has been the typical academic response to criticism.鈥�

Dartmouth College President Sian Beilock is a proponent of a similar approach, as universities face government funding cuts and sanctions. 鈥淩eflection does not mean capitulation,鈥� she wrote to the college community last year. 鈥淲e owe it to our country,鈥� she said, to search for 鈥渟olutions that protect our fierce independence ... while improving who we are and what we offer.鈥�

鈥淭hat spirit of self reflection,鈥� Dr. Beilock said, 鈥済ives us an opportunity to look at ourselves and ask where we can be truer to our own ideals.鈥�