
July 16, 2014
China's annual "Dog Meat Feast" in the southern city of Yulin has sparked disputes between dog eaters and dog lovers, some cases even turning physical.
Read the full story here.
China's annual "Dog Meat Feast" in the southern city of Yulin has sparked disputes between dog eaters and dog lovers, some cases even turning physical.
Read the full story here.
Smoking a cigarette in Paris
July 2-3
So Anna came by the office this week.
It was a warm and sunny Wednesday, and the first time we’d seen her in person since the war began. Anna had taken the train up from Avignon, where she’d told us it was much warmer than Paris. Summer, we’d all seen on TV, has also arrived in Kyiv.
Six months ago, back in the dead of winter, Anna was in touch nearly every day from Avignon — the southern city where she and her French husband had moved two years earlier — to recount and write stories about her native country. Among other things, she was deep into the psychological-profiling parlor game that the whole world was playing: What was going through Vladimir Putin’s mind? Would he do the unthinkable? Here’s an excerpt from a Jan. 12 piece she wrote for Worldcrunch:
Of course, no one knows what Putin will do. Maybe he simply hasn't made up his mind yet. But I can tell you what Ukraine would do. My countrymen have already decided.
When I look back, I realize that this happened almost unconsciously when my generation was growing up. We, who were born at the end of the Soviet era and never lived with its shackles, witnessed the birth of this new history and the idea that Ukraine can never return to the Soviet past, that the Russian flag over Kyiv is worse than death.
Such statements are steeped in growing populism, if only they were not true. And I personally have sadly embraced this new patriotism.
The idea of freedom was born out of fear of returning to the Kremlin's blind machine.
It seems to me that this idea of freedom has nothing to do at all with the long history, the former glory of Kievan Rus', before the Russian Empire even began to exist. The idea of freedom was born out of fear of returning to the blind machine of the Kremlin shuffling people around in prisons, mental hospitals and gulags. Fear of becoming part of a system where oligarchs, cops, priests, journalists and bureaucrats would become untouchable, invincible, superhuman.
Return to such a reign would again make any and every Ukrainian lesser, second-rate, mute, powerless. We recognize Putin's new Russia looks too much like Stalin's regime. And the fear of it, by now, is built into our DNA.
To me, at the time, Anna’s words were abstract, perhaps even a bit overwrought. I clearly didn’t understand how true they were. And it is what Putin himself failed to factor in most of all with his evil and arrogant invasion. The response of the Ukrainians, to defend both their national sovereignty and democratic self-determination, is still the single most potent factor in the war that conditions all others: the West’s unity, the Russian doubts, the moral clarity for so many both inside and outside of Ukraine.
Still, on the day the war began, Anna was thinking of only one thing: getting Sofiia, her teenaged daughter, her nephew and aging mother out of Kyiv.
After a failed attempt to meet up with them near the Polish border, a subsequent trip would be a bittersweet success to bring them all safely back to Avignon. Two weeks later, with Anna’s help, Sofiia, fleeing home halfway through her final year in high school, would share the story of her escape from Ukraine, closing with this image:
If you believe in the theory of parallel worlds, there must be a place somewhere where I graduate high school. Where the weather in Kyiv starts to warm and the days get longer. My school is flooded again with sunlight, winter is finally over and I am wearing the skirt I’d bought in January to wear to school when spring arrives.
After discussing the latest piece Anna was working on, we walked downstairs so she could catch her train back to Avignon. The late afternoon sun was strong in our faces, as we smoked a cigarette on the Parisian sidewalk.
It had been a tough few days. The Russians had bombed Kyiv for the first time in weeks, and the temptations her mother was feeling about moving back home were squashed, permanently perhaps, until the war is over.
And Sofiia? I asked.
Not great.
Her teacher back in Kyiv had recently sent around a video of the impromptu graduation ceremony for the students who had remained. It triggered plenty of tears, plenty of questions that have no answers.
And those questions circle back to the parlor game about Putin: what he’ll do next, what he’ll accept, what Zelensky and Ukrainians will accept. More questions without answers. I told Anna to come back soon to visit the crew again. She smiled and nodded, and said next time she’d bring Sofiia along.
—Jeff Israely
1. Finland and Sweden moved closer to integrating NATO this week after which country lifted its veto?
2. “Bongbong,” as he is nicknamed, was sworn in as the 17th president of the Philippines. Who was his father?
3. What occasion prompted Xi Jinping to leave the Chinese mainland for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic?
4. An 8-year-old German boy was found alive, after he’d been missing for a week. Where was he found: on top of a water tower, in a sewer, or in Switzerland?
[Answers at the bottom of this newsletter]
Journalists were surprised to discover that the venue hosting the NATO summit in Madrid this week topped its menu with a “Russian Salad.” The summit named Russia as the primary security threat to Western nations, while its invasion of Ukraine justified a number of expansions by the international organization. Although its inclusion may have been in poor taste, the salad reportedly sold out within hours.
• U.S. artists condemn Roe v. Wade overturn: Prominent U.S. artists and entertainers have used their platforms, both physical and virtual, to protest against the overturning of Roe v. Wade by the Supreme Court. Singers Phoebe Bridgers, Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Kendrick Lamar, who were performing at the Glastonbury music festival in England, all sent strongly-worded messages to the conservative Supreme Court judges. Rock band Green Day’s frontman Billie Joe Armstrong announced that he would renounce his U.S. citizenship during a show in London. At the BET Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, host Taraji P Henson and singers Janelle Monae and Jazmine Sullivan all used their time on stage to speak out in favor of women’s rights.
• Germany to return looted artifacts: The German government announced this week it would give back 1,130 Benin Bronzes that were looted during the colonial era to Nigeria. The artifacts were stolen in 1897 by British forces from the Benin Palace, now southwestern Nigeria, and were ultimately shared between 20 German museums.
• “Big Eyes” painter dies: American painter Margaret Keane, who was famous for her portraits of people with haunting “Big Eyes,” has died at the age of 94. Her ordeal to have her artworks legally recognized as her own, after her husband took credit for them, was adapted in a Tim Burton movie starring Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz in 2014.
• Controversial Hong Kong museum opens: The Hong Kong Palace Museum is opening to the public Saturday, just as Chinese President Xi Jinping celebrates the 25th anniversary of Britain’s handover of the territory to China. But the museum is sparking controversy as it borrows multiple items from the Beijing Palace Museum, which pro-democracy advocates fear is another example of China’s growing assimilation of Hong Kong.
• A Space Odditoy: Mattel has released a Barbie doll inspired by British singer David Bowie’s look in the music video for the song “Life On Mars”. The collectible, available for $50, marks the 50th anniversary of Bowie’s fourth studio album, Hunky Dory.
What happens when both the U.S., and its two main rivals Russia and China, renounce the power to convince in favor of the power to coerce? As Russia flexes its military muscle in Ukraine, tensions in the South China Sea flare and the U.S. strips abortion rights, Dominique Moïsi of Les Echos asks: Is soft power dead?
Read the full story: Is Soft Power Dead?
When Roe v. Wade was overturned last week, it sent shockwaves around the world. For the anti-abortion movement, it was a chance to celebrate the Supreme Court’s decision and look to the American Pro-Life movement a model to follow. From the turning tides in Latin America to the possibility of debate against the taboo of political correctness in France, we take an 360° look at the anti-abortion momentum around the world.
Read the full story: End Of Roe v. Wade: Will It Spark Anti-Abortion Momentum Around The World?
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city has pushed back Russian invaders before. But the Russian army is putting more and more pressure on this “gateway to Ukraine,” as it is referred to, with missile and infantry attacks over the past two weeks — pushing for a clear path to Kyiv and the Donbas. Follow Ukraine’s “hero city” as German newspaper Die Welt reports from the frontline.
Read the full story: Kharkiv Revisited: Inside Russia's New Assault On The "Hero City" Of Ukraine
Air New Zealand recently announced plans to remove five of its economy seats to make room for six bunk bed-style sleeping pods, called “Skynest”, across eight of the airplanes it expects to receive by 2024. Premium and regular economy passengers will be able to book four-hour sessions in the pods in addition to their seats, though the company is still working on a booking system. The airline hopes the new feature will bring more passengers to its ultra-long, 17-hour haul flights.
Two policemen escorted a female duck and its ducklings in the streets of Paris, helping them cross a busy road, stopping traffic before leading them to the nearest park. The moment was captured by a passerby who then posted the video on social media.
Here’s the latest Dottoré! piece from the notebook of Neapolitan psychiatrist and writer Mariateresa Fichele:
Now with COVID, everyone thinks they’re experts in antibodies — even my patients.
“Dottoré, I've been taking drugs for 20 years because you say I'm sick, but couldn’t it be that maybe I'm cured, that now I have the antibodies, and you don't know?
"Gennà, unfortunately your disease is not caused by a virus, so you can't develop antibodies to fight it."
"But Dottoré, are you really sure?"
"Quite sure — that's where research stands at the moment."
"But could it be that one day, if they start looking for a virus as a cause for my disease, they might actually find one and also find a vaccine?"
"Why not! Maybe, who knows?"
"Then there’s hope, Dottoré! I am old, but for young people it could be a great thing! Three doses, you wash your hands well, use sanitizer, and you’re no longer schizophrenic!"
Read more from Dottoré!’s notebook here
• Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov will participate in the G20 foreign ministers’ meeting that will take place in Bali, Indonesia, on July 7-8.
• Monday marks the 4th of July, or U.S. Independence Day. As celebrations continue to return to in-person events, they aren’t safe from inflation, with figures placing the cost for barbecue 10 to 11% up this year, while firework prices have skyrocketed 35%.
• The University for the Creative Arts in England announced that mysterious street artist Banksy will be made an honorary professor. Although the artist acknowledged the university’s intention to grant the award, through his representatives, Banksy will not attend.
• According to former AS Roma midfielder Angelo Di Livio, the soccer club is trying to sign Cristiano Ronaldo and could announce a deal next week. If true, Ronaldo could be reunited with longtime coach Jose Mourinho.
News quiz answers:
1. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lifted a veto on Finland and Sweden joining NATO at the alliance’s summit in Madrid after the three countries agreed on a series of security measures. States members’ parliaments will then have to approve their membership, a move prompted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
2. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. was sworn in as Philippines president, replacing Rodrigo Duterte after winning a landslide election on May 9. During his inauguration speech, the new president praised his late father, dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who ruled over the country from 1965 to 1986.
3. Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first trip to Hong Kong in two years to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Britain returning the city to China. This was the occasion for the president to defend China’s “one country two systems” principle and increased control over Hong Kong.
4. An 8-year-old boy was found alive in sewers eight days after he went missing — on June 17 — in the German city of Oldenburg. The boy was rescued by a passerby who heard noise coming from the sewer system and called the emergency services.
✍️ Newsletter by Worldcrunch
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A young American takes in the most personal and political moments of her life far from home. What will it feel like when she lands back in Idaho?
Central to the tragic absurdity of this war is the question of language. Vladimir Putin has repeated that protecting ethnic Russians and the Russian-speaking populations of Ukraine was a driving motivation for his invasion.
Yet one month on, a quick look at the map shows that many of the worst-hit cities are those where Russian is the predominant language: Kharkiv, Odesa, Kherson.
Then there is Mariupol, under siege and symbol of Putin’s cruelty. In the largest city on the Azov Sea, with a population of half a million people, Ukrainians make up slightly less than half of the city's population, and Mariupol's second-largest national ethnicity is Russians. As of 2001, when the last census was conducted, 89.5% of the city's population identified Russian as their mother tongue.
Between 2018 and 2019, I spent several months in Mariupol. It is a rugged but beautiful city dotted with Soviet-era architecture, featuring wide avenues and hillside parks, and an extensive industrial zone stretching along the shoreline. There was a vibrant youth culture and art scene, with students developing projects to turn their city into a regional cultural center with an international photography festival.
There were also many offices of international NGOs and human rights organizations, a consequence of the fact that Mariupol was the last major city before entering the occupied zone of Donbas. Many natives of the contested regions of Luhansk and Donetsk had moved there, taking jobs in restaurants and hospitals. I had fond memories of the welcoming from locals who were quicker to smile than in some other parts of Ukraine. All of this is gone.
Putin is bombing the very people he has claimed to want to rescue.
According to the latest data from the local authorities, 80% of the port city has been destroyed by Russian bombs, artillery fire and missile attacks, with particularly egregious targeting of civilians, including a maternity hospital, a theater where more than 1,000 people had taken shelter and a school where some 400 others were hiding.
The official civilian death toll of Mariupol is estimated at more than 3,000. There are no language or ethnic-based statistics of the victims, but it’s likely the majority were Russian speakers.
So let’s be clear, Putin is bombing the very people he has claimed to want to rescue.
Putin’s Public Enemy No. 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, is a mother-tongue Russian speaker who’d made a successful acting and comedy career in Russian-language broadcasting, having extensively toured Russian cities for years.
Rescuers carry a person injured during a shelling by Russian troops of Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine.
Yes, the official language of Ukraine is Ukrainian, and a 2019 law aimed to ensure that it is used in public discourse, but no one has ever sought to abolish the Russian language in everyday life. In none of the cities that are now being bombed by the Russian army to supposedly liberate them has the Russian language been suppressed or have the Russian-speaking population been discriminated against.
Sociologist Mikhail Mishchenko explains that studies have found that the vast majority of Ukrainians don’t consider language a political issue. For reasons of history, culture and the similarities of the two languages, Ukraine is effectively a bilingual nation.
"The overwhelming majority of the population speaks both languages, Russian and Ukrainian,” Mishchenko explains. “Those who say they understand Russian poorly and have difficulty communicating in it are just over 4% percent. Approximately the same number of people say the same about Ukrainian.”
In general, there is no problem of communication and understanding. Often there will be conversations where one person speaks Ukrainian, and the other responds in Russian. Geographically, the Russian language is more dominant in the eastern and central parts of Ukraine, and Ukrainian in the west.
Like most central Ukrainians I am perfectly bilingual: for me, Ukrainian and Russian are both native languages that I have used since childhood in Kyiv. My generation grew up on Russian rock, post-Soviet cinema, and translations of foreign literature into Russian. I communicate in Russian with my sister, and with my mother and daughter in Ukrainian. I write professionally in three languages: Ukrainian, Russian and English, and can also speak Polish, French, and a bit Japanese. My mother taught me that the more languages I know the more human I am.
At the same time, I am not Russian — nor British or Polish. I am Ukrainian. Ours is a nation with a long history and culture of its own, which has always included a multi-ethnic population: Russians, Belarusians, Moldovans, Crimean Tatars, Bulgarians, Romanians, Hungarians, Poles, Jews, Greeks. We all, they all, have found our place on Ukrainian soil. We speak different languages, pray in different churches, we have different traditions, clothes, and cuisine.
My mother taught me that the more languages I know the more human I am.
Like in other countries, these differences have been the source of conflict in our past. But it is who we are and will always be, and real progress has been made over the past three decades to embrace our multitudes. Our Jewish, Russian-speaking president is the most visible proof of that — and is in fact part of what our soldiers are fighting for.
Many in Moscow were convinced that Russian troops would be welcomed in Ukraine as liberating heroes by Russian speakers. Instead, young soldiers are forced to shoot at people who scream in their native language.
Starving people ina street of Kharkiv in 1933, during the famine
Diocesan Archive of Vienna (Diözesanarchiv Wien)/BA Innitzer
Putin has tried to rally the troops by warning that in Ukraine a “genocide” of ethnic Russians is being carried out by a government that must be “de-nazified.”
These are, of course, words with specific definitions that carry the full weight of history. The Ukrainian people know what genocide is not from books. In my hometown of Kyiv, German soldiers massacred Jews en masse. My grandfather survived the Buchenwald concentration camp, liberated by the U.S. army. My great-grandmother, who died at the age of 95, survived the 1932-33 famine when the Red Army carried out the genocide of the Ukrainian middle class, and her sister disappeared in the camps of Siberia, convicted for defying rationing to try to feed her children during the famine.
On Tuesday, came a notable report of one of the latest civilian deaths in the besieged Russian-speaking city of Kharkiv: a 96-year-old had been killed when shelling hit his apartment building. The victim’s name was Boris Romanchenko; he had survived Buchenwald and two other Nazi concentration camps during World War II. As President Zelensky noted: Hitler didn’t manage to kill him, but Putin did.
Genocide has returned to Ukraine, from Kharkiv to Kherson to Mariupol, as Vladimir Putin had warned. But it is his own genocide against the Russian-speaking population of Ukraine.