Worldcrunch
Today, Venezuela is barely recognizable as the prosperous and liberal state of the late 20th century that gave refuge to regional dissidents, thanks to the resolve of the late Carlos Andrés Pérez — the “roguish” president whose commitment to democracy has put his socialist successors to shame.
Updated August 23, 2024 at 12:30 p.m. Italian anarchists Ferdinando Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed on this day in 1927. Why were Sacco and Vanzetti executed? Sacco and Vanzetti were executed for the murder and robbery of a shoe factory paymaster and his guard in South Braintree, Massachusetts, in 1920. However, their guilt […]
Over the past decade, the number of American fast-food chains arriving in France has accelerated. After the return of Burger King in 2014, the land of gastronomy has seen Chipotle, Popeyes and Krispy Kreme arrive — now Dunkin’ and Wendy’s are eyeing the market, which has become key, but also risks saturation.
Summer Special – Innovation Edition – August 26- September 1, 2024
Fighting in the Kursk Oblast — following Ukraine’s incursion into the region — is not abating, and volunteers from across Russia are coming to help: bringing goods and food, evacuating residents and providing medical assistance. Kommersant correspondent Alexander Chernykh visited a makeshift clinic and observed how volunteer doctors are saving wounded soldiers near the front line.
The smallest country in Africa, Gambia is a net importer of plastics. About 84% of this waste is not managed properly, with dire consequences for the people and the environment.
Year after year, the Camino trails leading to Santiago de Compostela have been setting new records for visitor numbers — and are now among France’s most popular walking routes. Behind this craze, a small ecosystem has grown up to serve today’s pilgrims.
Tim Walz speaks Mandarin. But don’t expect to hear Kamala Harris’ running mate deploying his Chinese language skills on the U.S. election campaign trail.
Hundreds of thousands of migrants are in limbo in Tunisia, which has in recent years become a major transit point for migrants fleeing conflicts and poverty in Africa and the Middle East for better lives in Europe. Women in particular lack basic rights, including sexual and reproductive health services.
Updated August 22, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Michael Collins, Commander in Chief of the Irish Free State, is shot in an ambush on this day in 1922. What was Michael Collins’ role in Irish history? Michael Collins was a key figure in Irish history. He played a significant role in the Irish War of Independence […]
Activists in Poland, a country known for having some of the most restrictive laws on abortion in all of Europe, plan to open the country’s first abortion clinic in Warsaw. As they gather funds to make their dream a reality, they explain the legal loopholes that will help them to provide safe abortions for Poland in a physical, non-judgemental space.
Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest person who has just passed away at age 117, once talked about the importance of socializing in old age. Even if the aging and elderly tend to wind up confined to family circles, studies have shown the often untapped benefits of friendship in our later years.
Over the past five years, tuk-tuk prices have soared because of a government ban on importing the vehicle, and the inflation waves that rocked the Arab world’s most populous country. But tuk-tuks are not only a preferred system of transport, they are also a source of income for a large part of the Egyptian population — and the price hikes are crushing many young people’s dreams.
In some school and work environments, hairstyles associated with blackness, such as dreadlocks, are still prohibited. One family is embracing a radical change in attitude.
Updated August 21, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Brazil reports fires burning in the Amazon Rainforest at unprecedented rate on this day in 2019. How extensive were the fires in the Amazon rainforest? The fires in the Amazon rainforest of 2019 were widespread, affecting multiple countries in the region. The exact extent of the fires varied, […]
No other African country was dominated by men to the same extent as Somalia. Yet women have been fighting against male control: whether in parliament, where there is now a quota for female representatives, in journalism or in beauty contests. But they are coming up against dangerous opposition.
While most of its competitors, crushed by competition from Asia, have closed their doors, this family company founded in Limoges in 1863 has never been doing so well thanks to to collaborations with artists and starred chefs, as well as some unexpected uses.
As the world marks International Hawaiian Pizza Day (yup!), Worldcrunch’s cuisine lover Agnese Tonghini extends an olive branch to Hawaiian makers of the world’s favorite Italian invention and shares deep reflections on the marriage of sweet and savory — in what is also a plea for understanding to la famiglia back home in Cremona.
It’s been weeks since Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh’s killing in Tehran. Will Iran end up striking Israel, as it promptly said it would, or persist in an unnerving waiting game, leaving the rest of the word in the dark as to its plans, resolve and capabilities?
As demonstrations spread across India after the rape and death of a doctor in Kolkata, women from a Mumbai slum were asked to leave a protest site by residents of a high-rise complex. A sign that caste and class issues may be getting in the way of solidarity?
Updated August 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. The Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact troops in an invasion of Czechoslovakia on this day in 1968. Why did the Soviet Union invade Czechoslovakia? The Soviet Union, along with other Warsaw Pact countries, invaded Czechoslovakia to suppress the reforms of the Prague Spring. The Prague Spring was a […]
Since Oct. 7, the Israel-Hamas conflict has continued to spread, deepening divisions within Israeli society and radicalizing a section of public opinion. Radicals both in Israel and Hamas are taking advantage of the chaos of war to prevent peace — just as they did in the 1990s. For how long will the world allow them to do so?
The Hungarian prime minister has long been known for his conflictual relationship with the European Union. But Viktor Orbán’s recent diplomatic world tour, together with his proximity to Donald Trump, shows that he should not be underestimated.
Updated Aug. 19, 2024 at 11:20 a.m. Paris was liberated from Nazi Germany occupation on this day in 1944. How did the liberation of France unfold? The liberation of France involved a series of military campaigns and battles. It began with the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, when Allied forces landed on the beaches […]
Uganda’s anti-homosexuality laws offer plentiful reasons for transgender, gay and other gender and sexual minorities to seek asylum abroad. But some heterosexual people have seen an easy ticket out for themselves.
Updated August 18, 2024 at 11:50 a.m. Steve Biko, a leader of the Black Consciousness Movement, is arrested on this day in 1977 in South Africa. Why was Steve Biko arrested? Steve Biko was arrested at a police roadblock under the Terrorism Act, for breaching a banning order. As an anti-apartheid activist and the co-founder […]
Is there anyone among us who can live with the guilt of turning away those who escaped death and sought refuge in Egypt? Can our conscience bear the death of an individual because we closed our door and let him die?
As the Worldcrunch Today crew takes a week of break, we offer a series of thematic articles straight from the Worldcrunch vault. Out With The Car, In With The Urban “Super-Island” There’s no pristine white sand and palm trees framing turquoise water on Ton Salvadó’s “super-islands.” When the Barcelona architect uses the term, what he’s […]
Updated August 17, 2024 at 11:50 a.m. Indonesia declared its independence on this day in 1945. Who declared Indonesia’s independence? Indonesia’s independence from Dutch Colonial rule was declared by Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta, who were the leaders of the Indonesian nationalist movement at the time. Did the declaration lead to immediate independence? While the declaration […]
A father goes back to the role of son for a while and discovers things about his parents: their music, habits and upbringing. Is it harder now to be a parent than it was before? What will the author’s children be left with from their upbringing?
Climate change has become an inevitable issue in the Middle East and North Africa — which may soon experience 200 days of extreme heat annually — and with those changes come questions of environmental justice.
The cities of Amsterdam and Bruges may inspire the Portuguese capital to reinvent its approach to tourism. As Porto launches an experimental new vision map designed to disperse tourist flows, could Lisbon do the same?
As the Worldcrunch Today crew takes a week of break, we offer a series of thematic articles straight from the Worldcrunch vault. How Grown Children Of Narcissist Parents Can Break Free, Finally -Analysis- BUENOS AIRES — “I’ve got a narcissistic mom with psychopathic traits. She’s 83, and I have to take care of her. Zero […]
Updated August 16, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. Usain Bolt set a new world record of 9.58 seconds for the 100-meter dash on this day in 2009. Who is Usain Bolt? Usain Bolt is a Jamaican former sprinter and widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters in the history of athletics. He specialized in the […]
Italian authorities have uncovered another story of caporalato gangmastering in Piedmont’s Langhe vineyards. Matteo Borgetto, the author of this article, comes from a family of wine producers — the product that made the area famous worldwide. He warns against associating the incident with a place that has always valued human dignity and respect for others.
For years, evidence has grown that school body-mass index screenings aren’t helpful and can even be harmful. Why do they persist?
As the Worldcrunch Today crew takes a week of break, we offer a series of thematic articles straight from the Worldcrunch vault. How Democracy Slips Into Dictatorship — A Warning From The Turkish Playbook Approximately 45% of the world’s population will vote in elections this year. The elections will not only determine current world politics […]
Updated August 15, 2024 at 8:50 a.m. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, mostly known as Woodstock, opened on this day in 1969. The famous music event took place on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, in the United States. How many people attended Woodstock? Estimates vary, but it is believed that approximately 400,000 […]
A patient has our Naples-based psychiatrist reflect on trades and their assorted skills.
Married shortly before ISIS militants began their genocide of Yazidi people in northern Iraq, Samia Samu was later abducted and held captive for nine years. Upon her recent release, she and her husband, Dakhil Hassan, celebrated by renewing their wedding vows.