A growing unease in Moscow | Top 10

+ fame and fortune aren't all fun and games for NBA draftees US Edition - Today's top story: As Ukraine takes the fight to Russians, signs of unease in Moscow over war's progress [View in browser]( US Edition | 25 June 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Happy Sunday – and welcome to the best of The Conversation. Here are a few of our recently published stories: - [The Wagner Group mercenary revolt in Russia could give Putin an exit ramp from Ukraine]( - [Supreme Court rules the US is not required to ensure access to water for the Navajo Nation]( - [A year after Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, Black women still struggle for access to reproductive health care]( With the dramatic events going on this weekend in Russia, it's fitting that our most-read story of last week concerned Russia President Vladimir Putin. The story, written by Wesleyan Russia expert Peter Rutland before the Wagner mercenary army turned its guns on the Russian army, explains [why Putin has increasingly found himself on the defensive over the past several weeks](. In another reader favorite, Janet Bednarek, a professor of history at the University of Dayton, explains why U.S. airlines have long controlled how they treat passengers whose flights are canceled or delayed – and she introduces us to the consumer advocates who have [worked with mixed success to get that changed](. Later this week, we’ll bring you stories about how meat is grown in a lab, why the pandemic tanked kids’ math scores and the states passing “right to charge” laws. Emily Costello Managing Editor Readers' picks Facing harder questions at home. Contributor/Getty Images [As Ukraine takes the fight to Russians, signs of unease in Moscow over war’s progress]( Peter Rutland, Wesleyan University Putin was put on the defensive during an increasingly rare Q&A over the war’s progress. Meanwhile, disquiet among potential rivals is growing. - [Ocean heat is off the charts – here’s what that means for humans and ecosystems around the world]( Annalisa Bracco, Georgia Institute of Technology Drought in Europe, dwindling Arctic sea ice, a slow start to the Indian monsoon – unusually hot ocean temperatures can disrupt climate patterns around the world, as an ocean scientist explains. - [Southern Baptists expel churches with women pastors – but the debate’s not just about gender]( Andrew Gardner, Baylor University In Southern Baptist history, rules on women and sexuality are often entwined. A scholar writes about the first congregation to be expelled from the SBC over LGBTQ+ issues - [The US will send depleted uranium munitions to Ukraine – a health physicist explains their military, health and environmental effects]( Kathryn Higley, Oregon State University Depleted uranium munitions are bad news for enemy tanks, but are not nuclear weapons, and studies have shown that they pose low risks of radiation or chemical exposure. - [The Global South is forging a new foreign policy in the face of war in Ukraine, China-US tensions: Active nonalignment]( Jorge Heine, Boston University Brazil and India are among the countries pointedly not taking sides over the war in Ukraine. But this is not the nonaligned movement of yesteryear. Editors' picks Researchers are increasingly using small, autonomous underwater robots to collect data in the world’s oceans. NOAA Teacher at Sea Program,NOAA Ship PISCES [Titan submersible disaster underscores dangers of deep-sea exploration – an engineer explains why most ocean science is conducted with crewless submarines]( Nina Mahmoudian, Purdue University Dramatic improvements in computing, sensors and submersible engineering are making it possible for researchers to ramp up data collection from the oceans while also keeping people out of harm’s way. - [Passengers whose flights are canceled or delayed may soon get better treatment in the US – where airlines have long set their own rules]( Janet Bednarek, University of Dayton Consumers and politicians are pushing for greater protections for air travelers. A historian explains why the US trails the EU and Canada when it comes to passenger rights. - [US national parks are crowded – and so are many national forests, wildlife refuges, battlefields and seashores]( Emily Wakild, Boise State University Crowding is increasingly affecting all kinds of public lands. Adjoining communities need to find ways to manage it, or risk harm to the attractions that make them a destination. - [Heists Worth Billions: An investigation found criminal gangs using sham bank accounts and secret online marketplaces to steal from almost anyone – and little being done to combat the fraud]( David Maimon, Georgia State University; Kurt Eichenwald, The Conversation Check fraud is one of history’s oldest financial crimes and criminals are finding new ways to use it to steal billions from banks. - [For some NBA draftees who overcame adversity, making the transition to fame and fortune is no slam dunk]( Rob Book, University of Southern Denmark With newfound fame and fortune, NBA rookies who come from poverty face a bevy of challenges that threaten to derail their success. News Quiz 🧠- [The Conversation U.S. weekly news quiz]( Test your knowledge with a weekly quiz drawn from some of our favorite stories. Questions this week about bank fraud, China, authors, heat waves, and the mysteries of American brides. Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our other weekly emails: [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( About The Conversation: We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](