May 24-25
- Israel’s civil deserters
- Yerba mate to-go
- Selling unused mobile data
- … and much more.
🎲 OUR WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ
1. North Korea’s Kim Jong-un slammed a “serious accident” that happened during what kind of military event?
2. Which African leader was “ambushed” by U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House with claims of “white persecution”?
3. The UK has announced it will roll out a “world-first” vaccine against which STD?
4. What rumor made Starbucks’ Iced Passion Tango Tea drink go viral? It was said to:
turn your teeth extra white / induce labor naturally / serve as alternative fuel / contain traces of LSD
[Answers at the bottom of this newsletter]
#️⃣ TRENDING
A new sculpture in the scenic center of New Zealand’s North Island has prompted heated debate among locals just days after its installation. “Boom Boom,” a 7-meter high long-necked dinosaur with a mirror finish sitting atop a large geometric rock, was commissioned by the Taupō Sculpture Trust and created by Slovenian-born artist Gregor Kregar. While some have called the shiny sauropod an “eyesaur,” the artist — and the team that commissioned it — say broadening the conversation about art is exactly the point.
🎭 5 CULTURE THINGS TO KNOW
• In memoriam: Legendary Russian ballet figure Yuri Grigorovich, who served as artistic director of Moscow’s famed Bolshoi Ballet from 1964 to 1995, died aged 98; U.S. actor George Wendt, who earned six consecutive Emmy nominations for his performance as Norm Peterson on comedy series Cheers, passed away at the age of 76; Scottish actor and writer Gawn Grainger, a prolific performer with the National Theatre for several decades, died at 87 years old; U.S. actress Kathleen Hughes, known for her role as the shocked blonde in the 1953 3D sci-fi classic It Came From Outer Space, died at 96; prominent U.S. music agent Dave Shapiro, who co-founded Sound Talent Group and represented artists like Hanson, Vanessa Carlton and Sum 41, died in private jet crash in San Diego at 42 years old, along with five other people; Sebastião Salgado, Brazilian photographer known for his striking Amazon rainforest images, died aged 81.
• Nigeria’s first film in Cannes, Iranian film director Jafar Panahi back at festival. Nigeria’s first film in the Cannes Film Festival’s official selection was presented this week, as part of the second-tier “Un Certain Regard” category. Director Akinola Davies Jr. hopes that the inclusion of My Father’s Shadow, which explores the themes of masculinity and family dynamics, at Cannes will pave the way for more African films at the festival. Meanwhile, Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi appeared on the red carpet for the first time in over 20 years, for the premiere of his competition entry It Was Just An Accident. Panahi, who has been arrested several times for his filmmaking, was barred from traveling by the government in Tehran for 15 years.
• Jim Morrison’s stolen bust found by accident after 37 years. The mythical bust that once sat on top of Jim Morrison’s grave in Paris and that was stolen 37 years ago was found by chance, French police reported. The statue of The Doors frontman was recovered in the French capital city “during a search carried out in connection with a case of fraud,” the public prosecutor’s office said. It remains to be determined whether the sculpture, which had been installed for the tenth anniversary of Morrison’s death in 1981, will be given back to Père-Lachaise cemetery.
• Balenciaga appoints Pierpaolo Piccioli as creative director. Italian fashion designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, who left Valentino last year, has been named creative director of the renowned Spanish couture house Balenciaga — the latest in a series of moves across the upper echelons of the fashion industry. Piccioli replaces controversial former creative director Demna, who moved to Gucci in March, and will officially take over the position on July 10.
• Indian author makes history by winning International Booker Prize. Indian author Banu Mushtaq and translator Deepa Bhasthi were awarded the International Booker Prize for fiction for Heart Lamp, a collection of 12 short stories written over a period of more than 30 years which speaks of “women’s lives, reproductive rights, faith, caste, power and oppression.” This marks the first time a book written in the Kannada language and a collection of short stories win the prestigious prize.
🏍️🧉 SMILE OF THE WEEK
Sipping tereré — an infusion of yerba mate — while riding your motorcycle? Not a problem for this man in the city of Itauguá, Paraguay, thanks to an ingenious thermos dispenser attached to his scooter handlebars. While social media platforms abound with different ways of making your own DIY bottle or cup carrier to drink while riding your motorcycle, those may not necessarily be approved by the road safety authorities…
📲 BRIGHT IDEA
Christophe Bureau from Isère, France, won gold in the category “connected objects” at the Lépine invention competition in Paris this year, with dotdot: an app that lets users resell or donate unused mobile data. Paired with a small device the size of a car key, which acts as a WiFi repeater, dotdot allows users to create open networks that anyone nearby can access through a small payment instead of a password. The goal is to make mobile internet more accessible, especially for the 20% of the French population who struggle to afford subscriptions.
⏩ LOOKING AHEAD
• Japan’s Economic Revitalization Minister Ryosei Akazawa is set to visit the U.S. again next week, signaling intensified trade talks amid ongoing economic tensions sparked by President Donald Trump’s tariffs. The visit could pave the way for updated agreements or new negotiations on sensitive import policies.
• Chinese Premier Li Qiang will travel to Malaysia next week to attend the first-ever China-GCC-ASEAN summit. The event, held in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, aims to deepen regional cooperation and strengthen Beijing’s influence in Southeast Asia and the Gulf.
• The 2025 Cannes Film Festival concludes this weekend. Dissident Iranian director Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident is seen as a strong contender for this year’s Palme d’Or.
News quiz answers:
1. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un criticized a “serious accident” that occurred during the botched launch of a warship. The incident, which saw a destroyer ship on the verge of capsizing during its inaugural ceremony in Chongjin shipyard was deemed “a criminal act” by the strongman, who blamed it on “absolute carelessness.”
2. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was caught off guard when U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly raised the widely discredited claim that “white persecution” during a tense White House meeting. After an initial exchange of pleasantries, Trump had television monitors wheeled in to display videos purportedly showing South Africans chanting “Kill the Boer,” in an attempt to support allegations of genocide against white Afrikaners.
3. The UK has announced it will introduce the world’s first vaccine targeting gonorrhea. Health officials hope the rollout will curb rising infection rates and combat antibiotic-resistant strains.
4. Starbucks’ Iced Passion Tango Tea went viral due to a rumor claiming it could naturally induce labor. Expectant mothers began flocking to stores hoping the drink would help them start childbirth, prompting OB-GYNs and specialists to debunk the claim.
✍️ Newsletter by Worldcrunch
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