The World: Five stories you might have missed

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nytimes.com July 10, 2026 Here are some standout stories from this week, curated by The World editors and personalized for you. Illustration by James Zucco Our Bacteria Are Talking. We’ve Just Begun to Understand What They’re Saying. The human microbiome is essential to our health, but scientists still know very little about it. Two researchers set out to map this largely uncharted terrain. By Jeneen Interlandi China, Russia and Others Seek to Inflame Debate Over A.I. Data Centers State actors in China, Russia and Iran have sought to exploit the U.S. public debate over the effects of the technology. By Steven Lee Myers and Dustin Volz Cayce Clifford for The New York Times ‘Hysteria’ Grips San Francisco’s Housing Market as A.I. Wealth Pours In Even before OpenAI and Anthropic go public, they are distorting home sales in the San Francisco Bay Area, as people race to buy and sellers ask for stock instead of cash. By Emmy Martin Arash Khamooshi/Polaris for The New York Times Iran’s Supreme Leader Remains Absent, a Void at the Top of the Regime Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei did not appear at his father’s funeral this week, fueling speculation about his physical condition and leaving a power vacuum in a divided country. By Yeganeh Torbati The New York Times In Strike After Strike, Ukraine Is Bringing the War to Crimea Ukraine is engaged in a campaign in Crimea to take out Russian air defenses, sever vital supply lines, and cripple the peninsula's energy grid and fuel reserves. By Marc Santora, Aric Toler and Josh Holder Host: Katrin Bennhold Editor: Alicia Wittmeyer News Editors: Desiree Ibekwe, Carole Landry Associate Staff Editor: Parin Behrooz Photo Editor: Eli Cohen Deputy International Editor: Adam Pasick If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here. Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The World from The New York Times. To stop receiving The World, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018