'The next German government enters a new, uncertain phase of history'

Opinion, comment and editorials of the day

CDU's chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz, speaks following snap elections in Germany on Feb. 23, 2025
CDU's chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz, speaks following snap elections in Germany on Feb. 23, 2025
(Image credit: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

'Germany drifts right — but not that far right — in election'

Sudha David-Wilp at Newsweek

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'Here's what a measles outbreak looks like'

Leana S. Wen at The Washington Post

Most "Americans today have never experienced a measles outbreak," but "measles is notoriously difficult to control," says Leana S. Wen. The "virus can also have devastating consequences, particularly in young children." That "parents have to discover this the hard way when they have access to a safe and effective vaccine is a public health tragedy." These "horrific consequences have been relegated to the history books because of the measles" vaccine, but "these hard-won gains have been slowly eroding."

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'I'm a therapist, and I'm replaceable. But so are you.'

Maytal Eyal at Time

Therapy is a "field ripe for disruption," says Maytal Eyal. Bad therapists are, "unfortunately, a common phenomenon." If "you do manage to find a good therapist, they often don't take insurance and almost always charge a sizable fee." With the "help of AI, any person could access a highly skilled therapist, tailored to their unique needs, at any time." But "AI therapists, when normalized, have the potential to reshape how we understand intimacy, vulnerability, and what it means to connect."

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'America needs a sovereign wealth fund'

Steve Bowsher and Sarah Sewall at Foreign Affairs

Trump's sovereign wealth fund order has been "overlooked amid the flurry of other executive actions, but it nonetheless presents an unprecedented opportunity for American technological innovation," say Steve Bowsher and Sarah Sewall. American "innovation often proceeds too slowly for a country seeking to lead the next technological revolution," but the "right kind of American SWF could efficiently address this problem." It "would catalyze additional private investment toward areas of critical innovation and the supply chains that secure them."

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Justin Klawans, The Week US

Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.