New York Times - Top Stories

Megan Specia

Ireland’s long tradition of neutrality has made defense spending unpopular there, but with security risks growing in Europe, and criticism that it is too weak on defense, the government has embarked on a plan to change that.

Megan Specia

In May, I joined the Irish Naval Service on a patrol, alongside my photographer colleague Paulo Nunes dos Santos, to understand what the country’s efforts to revamp its maritime security program look like.

Megan Specia

We patrolled the Irish Sea with Capt. Maria O’Callaghan and the crew of the George Bernard Shaw, monitoring vessels that pass through the busy waterway that is also home to critical undersea infrastructure.

Megan Specia

We were there as they questioned one passing research vessel. She explained that after 20 years in the naval service, they were now questioning vessels at a level she’s never before seen.

Megan Specia

Some 75 percent of all trans-Atlantic cables pass through or near Irish waters, giving it outsized importance. But it long ignored its waters, described by Capt. O’Callaghan as “sea-blindness.” Now, it’s making strides to change that.

Jennifer Valentino-DeVries

I’ve been looking into social media’s infiltration of schools, reading hundreds of internal documents from lawsuits filed by 1,400 school districts.

Jennifer Valentino-DeVries

The documents show how tech giants pushed to keep children glued to their screens, a strategy that schools say has undermined education.

Jennifer Valentino-DeVries

Snapchat sent phone alerts to teens during school. Meta paid “teen ambassadors” to hand out swag. TikTok paid millions to the National PTA.

Jennifer Valentino-DeVries

The companies say that they offer safety features for teenagers, and that parents and schools are responsible for children’s phone use.

Jennifer Valentino-DeVries

Legal experts told me the lawsuits present a substantial financial risk for the companies, with settlements that could reach billions of dollars.