May 17-18
- Netanyahu’s weakness
- Airbnbing with the stars
- AI audiobooks
- … and much more.
🎲 OUR WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ
1. Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to attend peace talks with Ukraine which took place in which city?
2. As part of his Gulf tour, U.S. President Donald Trump lifted years-long sanctions of which Middle Eastern country?
3. The co-founder of which food company was arrested for disrupting a U.S. Senate hearing to protest humanitarian conditions in Gaza?
4. Two teams of scientists at Kyushu University and Stanford University say they have solved the genetic mystery behind:
why some cats are ginger / why cats like tuna / why cats purr / why cats ignore commands
[Answers at the bottom of this newsletter]
#️⃣ TRENDING
Pope Leo XIV is back on social media after a (completely reasonable) hiatus for the conclave that selected him, and the whirlwind of events that followed. The Holy Father posted Tuesday on Instagram the first thing he had said as pope from the balcony of St. Peter: “Peace be with you!” This isn’t his first foray into social networks — the pontiff had caught some attention after being chosen to lead the church for his past posts on X criticizing U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s defense of the Trump administration’s immigration policy.
🎭 5 CULTURE THINGS TO KNOW
• Depardieu found guilty of sexual assault. French cinema star Gérard Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set at a trial in 2021 and was handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence. The Paris court also ordered that the 76-year-old actor be inscribed on the sex offenders’ register. Depardieu had denied the allegations, and his lawyer said he would appeal. The actor is the highest-profile figure caught up in France’s response to the #MeToo movement.
• Cynthia Erivo to play Dracula and 22 supporting characters. Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo will play Bram Stoker’s Dracula as well as 22 supporting roles in a theatrical production of the famous gothic novel from Australian director and writer Kip Williams. The one-woman adaptation will make its international debut on London’s West End in February 2026 and will meld theater with live and prerecorded video.
• De Niro slams Trump during Palme d’Or acceptance speech at Cannes. Hollywood icon Robert De Niro did not mince words when presented with the honorary Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony of the 78th Cannes Film Festival, lambasting the “philistine president” and his proposed film tariff. “All these attacks are unacceptable,” the 81-year-old said, calling on “everyone who cares about liberty” to protest against Trump. The French film festival will run until May 24, concluding with the Palme d’Or being awarded to the successor of Sean Baker’s Anora, last year’s winner.
• Audible to use AI to narrate audiobooks. Amazon-owned audiobook provider Audible announced plans to use artificial intelligence technology to narrate audiobooks, making its technology available to certain publishers via “select partnerships.” The latter will be able to choose from more than 100 AI-generated voices across English, Spanish, French and Italian to narrate their books. AI translation of audiobooks is expected to follow later this year. The announcement was met with criticism from writers, translators and voice actors, with author Joanne Harris saying: “I can’t think of anything more likely to put people off listening to audiobooks altogether.”
• First Asian music director chosen to lead Italy’s La Scala in 2027. Maestro Chung Myung-whun will become the first Asian to hold the post of music director of Italy’s Teatro alla Scala in its 247-history. Chung, one of South Korea’s most celebrated conductors, will assume the role in 2027 and serve for approximately three years. The 72-year-old maestro holds the record for the highest number of appearances at La Scala, apart from its official music directors.
🦆🚨 SMILE OF THE WEEK
In Koeniz, central Switzerland, a mallard duck was caught speeding at 52 km/h (32 mph) in a 30 km zone on April 13 — well above the local limit. Authorities noted this was not the fowl’s first foul: A similar event occurred in 2018 on the exact same date, at the same speed, suggesting a repeat offense by the same duck. Despite prank speculations, officials now confirmed the radar images are secure and unalterable, but are yet to comment on how they planned to quack down on this sort of criminal.
🏠 BRIGHT IDEA
Airbnb’s latest innovation, “Airbnb Originals,” aims to redefine travel by offering immersive experiences hosted by celebrities. A standout example is Megan Thee Stallion’s “Otaku Hottie Quest,” where 12 lucky fans will join the rapper in Los Angeles for a day filled with anime-inspired activities, including cosplay, gaming and cooking her favorite ramen. One other host is NFL star Patrick Mahomes, with whom you can learn to throw the perfect spiral and enjoy authentic Kansas City barbecue.
⏩ LOOKING AHEAD
• South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House next week in a bid to “reset” strained relations. The visit follows Washington’s decision to grant refugee status to dozens of white Afrikaners, reigniting controversy over Trump’s past claims of “genocide” against white farmers in South Africa.
• Voters in three EU countries will cast their ballots on May 18 in an electoral “super Sunday”: In Romania, the far-right challenger is the frontrunner in a presidential runoff; in Poland, polls suggest a tight race between Warsaw’s liberal mayor and a conservative historian in the first round of the presidential election; and Portugal is holding a snap legislative election just 14 months after the last vote.
• Japan is set to enter a third round of trade talks with the United States next week, aiming to resolve mounting tensions over tech exports and tariff rules. The negotiations come amid growing pressure from Japanese industry to secure more stable trade terms with Washington.
• Saturday’s Eurovision final follows a turbulent lead-up marked by protests, disqualifications and surprise eliminations of fan favorites. Dark horses like Luxembourg and Croatia have upended expectations, making this one of the most unpredictable contests in years.
News quiz answers:
1. Direct peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, the first since 2022, were held in Istanbul — although Russian President Vladimir Putin declined to participate.
2. During his Gulf tour, where he met with new Syrian leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, U.S. President Donald Trump announced the lifting of long-standing U.S. sanctions on Syria. The decision, framed as part of regional stabilization efforts, drew strong criticism from lawmakers and human rights groups.
3. Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen was arrested after disrupting a U.S. Senate hearing to protest the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A longtime activist, Cohen called for a ceasefire and criticized Washington’s support for Israel, bringing renewed attention to the crisis.
4. Researchers from Kyushu and Stanford have uncovered the genetic mutation responsible for ginger cats. The trait, linked to the X chromosome, explains why orange coats are more common in males.
✍️ Newsletter by Worldcrunch
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