South Korea elected a new president. Liberal opposition candidate Lee Jae-myung was voted in on Wednesday. His victory caps months of political turmoil triggered by the stunning but brief imposition of martial law by now-ousted conservative leader Yoon Suk Yeol. – The Associated Press
Related: Watch for Ann Scott Tyson’s full report tomorrow from Seoul.

A far-right European leader quit his coalition over immigration. The Dutch government collapsed Tuesday when Geert Wilders withdrew his far-right Party for Freedom. The country is headed for new elections less than a year after the coalition took power. The Party for Freedom’s victory in the last election was a historic high-water mark for the Dutch far right, but Mr. Wilder has criticized the coalition for failing to deliver “the strictest asylum policy ever.” Other leaders in the coalition accuse Mr. Wilders of making unrealistic demands and abandoning the effort to find practical answers. – Staff

Elon Musk blasted President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill.” The tech billionaire disparaged the legislation he says will increase the “already gigantic” national debt. Mr. Musk, who has spent big to influence recent elections, warned on his social platform X: “In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people.” The comments may test the remaining limits of his influence, in the wake of his role at the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency. – Staff

Meta secured nuclear power to meet AI demand. The parent company of Facebook cut a 20-year deal with Constellation Energy to help meet surging demand for artificial intelligence and other computing needs. The agreement will expand the output of a nuclear plant in Clinton, Illinois, and is the latest in a string of tech-nuclear partnerships. – AP
Related Monitor podcast: Our climate writer talked about the rising power demand of AI and data centers. Listen here.

Spain cancelled an arms deal with an Israeli firm. The Ministry of Defense withdrew from a $325 million contract for anti-tank missile systems that were to be fabricated in Madrid by a subsidiary of Israeli defense technology company Rafael. The move comes as European patience with Israel’s conduct in Gaza is wearing thin, with public support for Israel hitting the lowest levels recorded by pollster YouGov in May. Food distribution centers in Gaza paused on Wednesday to improve operations after 80 Palestinians were reportedly killed in recent days trying to reach the aid. – Staff

Airlines renewed their pledge on emissions. CO2 output occurs across interlinked industries. So setting joint goals can seem overly optimistic, even suspect. At a session that ended Tuesday in New Delhi, the International Air Transport Association, representing about 350 airlines, confirmed its commitment to going net-zero by 2050. While intentions matter, especially with environmentalism under pressure, it won’t be easy. The association points to a shortage of efficient jets and a shortfall of plant-based sustainable aviation fuels – which can’t be imported over distances without negating the emissions gains. – Staff

Ukraine’s successful drone strike on air bases deep within Russia marked a radical evolution in modern warfare. A year and a half in the making, Operation Spider’s Web reportedly damaged 30% of Russia’s long-range aircraft. The offensive was carried out by remotely piloted drones smuggled into Russia in modified container units. It has raised hard questions among military analysts about everything from the future of air defense to the nature of nuclear deterrence.

Residents in the city of Kherson provide compelling testimony of an apparent Russian tactic to annex four regions in eastern Ukraine. Two new reports by a United Nations panel and the nongovernmental group Human Rights Watch conclude that Moscow is intentionally targeting civilian populations with drone strikes and glide bombs. “The way I see it,” Mykhailo Kovalsky, a chief surgeon in the city, tells the Monitor, “the Russians realize by now that they won’t take Kherson militarily, so their strategic goal is to terrorize the civilian people until they reach breaking point.”

When the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) laid off tens of thousands of federal workers this spring, the job market became saturated with tens of thousands of highly specialized workers. Some states and nonprofits saw an opportunity to fill a demand for talent in state and local government. “We now have this really incredible opportunity to reimagine what public service looks like and in particular where it happens,” says Caitlin Lewis, executive director of Work for America. “And I really think cities and states are the answer to that.”

In many respects, Poland is Europe’s greatest postwar success story, with booming economic growth rates and a robust military strongly committed to NATO. But this week’s presidential election continued a trend of voters endorsing seesawing visions of its future – and revealed a nation deeply divided about its role on the continent. The new president, Karol Nawrocki, and his allies in the opposition Law and Justice party see the European Union as a meddlesome bureaucracy with a liberal agenda that threatens Polish sovereignty. That contrasts with a ruling party that sees a close alliance with Europe as a source of strength.

Thirteen countries in Latin America either gained tree coverage or halted losses between 2015 and 2023. C-suites in the United States are becoming more diverse: Last year, 30% of the top 50 CEOs were either people of color or white women, while 24% were foreign-born. At least 18 European communities have adopted bear-smart measures as part of a rewilding strategy on the continent. Kenya is on its way to achieving universal access to electricity by 2030. And China has harnessed wind, solar, and hydrogen power to curb roughly 100 tons of fossil fuel consumption annually at its base in Antarctica.

In an East Asia worried about aging societies, the landlocked nation of Mongolia has the youngest population: About half its people are under 30 years old. Its Generation Z individuals (born between 1997 and 2012) are digital natives with a democratic bent. If they still live a traditional nomadic life, they might use a Prius or perhaps a drone to herd their livestock. On Tuesday, they showed the power of their numbers – and the power of their ideas – to shape honest governance.

After weeks of youth-led protests in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai was forced to resign. Allegations that his son had given luxury gifts to his girlfriend – which triggered the street protests – led to a vote of no confidence in Parliament. In a country with immense mineral wealth but with about a third of its people living under the poverty line, even the appearance of corruption can evoke distrust – and awaken the ideals of Gen Z.

“Parliament showed they can put the public interest above party needs,” protester Erchissaran Ganbold, age 28, told Agence France-Presse (AFP). “This demonstration is a strong reminder for politicians to be accountable and transparent in the future.”

While Mongolia’s parties now must regroup in anticipation of early elections, its Gen Z citizens have shown they are “willing and able to be a politically engaged, mature and active electorate,” Munkhnaran Bayarlkhagva, a political analyst, told AFP.

What makes all this worth noting is that Mongolia, which is more than twice the size of Texas but has only 3.5 million people, is sandwiched between two autocratic giants, China and Russia. It is an island of democracy, struggling to shed an economic dependency on its overbearing neighbors while figuring out how to tap its resource riches for the greater good.

It is also a model for relying on the optimism of its youth to push back against a deep culture of corruption and other abuses of power. In addition to the recent protests, nearly 60,000 people signed a petition asking for Mr. Oyun-Erdene’s dismissal, citing his government’s lack of checks and balances as well as paltry transparency in budget spending.

In Mongolia, the honesty of young people has real power. Perhaps that helps explain why some of its less-democratic neighbors in Asia are in demographic decline.