| ‘A dystopian nightmare’ in Darfur |
| Deadly fighting between two military factions has swept across Sudan to the western region of Darfur, an area already blighted by decades of genocidal violence. In mid-May, at least 280 people were killed in two days after gunmen backed by paramilitary forces launched a frenzied attack on the city of El Geneina. |
| Displaced people, humanitarian workers, U.N. officials and analysts say that the region is now besieged by levels of violence unlike any in recent years. More than 370,000 people have fled Darfur in the past seven weeks, seeking refuge in neighboring countries. |
| “The situation is catastrophic in parts of Darfur,” said Toby Harward, the coordinator in Darfur for the U.N. refugee agency. “Its people are living in a dystopian nightmare where there is no law and order.” |
| Negotiations: Truce agreements have failed to end the fighting, and peace talks in Saudi Arabia were formally suspended last Thursday. |
| THE LATEST NEWS Around the World |
 Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times |
| The government in Hong Kong asked a court to ban public performances and online circulation of a song that had been popularized during pro-democracy protests.Rishi Sunak, the British prime minister, yesterday began a two-day visit to Washington.Even as Beijing moves closer to Moscow, most Europeans see China predominantly as “a necessary partner,” according to a new poll. |
| Other Big Stories |
 Cagla Gurdogan/Reuters |
| The Turkish lira plunged by more than 7 percent against the U.S. dollar after Mehmet Simsek, above, a newly appointed finance minister who has called for “rational” economic policy, took charge.Prosecutors informed Donald Trump’s legal team that he is a target of their investigation into his handling of classified documents, the clearest signal yet that he is likely to face charges.Chris Licht, the former television producer who oversaw a chaotic 13-month run as the chairman of CNN, was fired. |
| What Else Is Happening |
| In testimony, Prince Harry cast suspicion on tabloid stories that cited “palace sources,” but he struggled to produce conclusive proof of lawbreaking by journalists. |
| Entrepreneurs who fled San Francisco during the pandemic are returning, having been lured back by the A.I. boom. |
| Pope Francis is recovering from intestinal surgery to treat a hernia, the Vatican said.Scientists discovered a virgin birth in a stillborn crocodile that had only its mother’s genetic material. |
| A Morning Read |
 Christopher Lee for The New York Times |
| It’s never too late to travel with your best friend. Eleanor Hamby, 81, and Dr. Sandra Hazelip, 82, who have been referred to as “the TikTok traveling grannies,” have voyaged from the icy shores of Antarctica to the rocky majesty of the Grand Canyon — in 80 days. |
| Hazelip offered some advice to those dreaming of adventure: “Get up out of your easy chair,” she said. “Step out of your comfort zone. Make some plans and live.” |
| Lives Lived |
| Andrew Bellucci, a New York pizza visionary who tasted the highs of slice stardom and the lows of federal prison, has died at 59. |
| SPORTS NEWS FROM THE ATHLETIC |
| The battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf: Money won. Morality was always second. |
| How to stop soccer’s most unstoppable player: What Inter Milan might need to do in the Champions League final on Saturday to keep Erling Haaland quiet. |
| From The Times: The soccer star Lionel Messi confirmed that he had declined an offer to play in Saudi Arabia and instead planned to sign a contract with Inter Miami. |
| ARTS & IDEAS |
 Ryan Johnson |
| A history of insults |
| When King Saul said, “Thou son of the perverse rebellious woman,” he was effectively using the Old Testament version of the well-known “you S.O.B.” In “Titus Andronicus,” Shakespeare used a similar barb: “Villain, I have done thy mother.” |
| Deb Amlen unearthed those tidbits and many more in her exploration of the history of insults. She found that, over thousands of years, insults haven’t really evolved: They’re still highly personal remarks about a person’s status, appearance, sexual prowess or courage — or lack thereof. |
| PLAY, WATCH, EAT |
| What to Cook |
 Bobbi Lin for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Eugene Jho. |
| These lemony chicken cutlets are a crowd pleaser. |
| What to Watch |
| 10 movies that capture the essence of New York. |
| What to Listen to |
| The rocker John Mellencamp has a new album, “Orpheus Descending.” |
| Now Time to Play |
| Here’s today’s Mini Crossword, and a clue: Night hallucination (five letters). |
| And here are today’s Wordle and the Spelling Bee. |
