Worldcrunch
👋 Sveiki!* Welcome to Tuesday, where Donald Trump kicks off his Middle East tour, French actor Gérard Depardieu is found guilty in a sexual assault trial and today’s quiz question honors 75 years of a global sport. Meanwhile, Ronald Cárdenas Krenz in Clarín explores the many ways Pope Leo expresses his Peruvian side. [*Latvian] 🗞️ […]
U.S. President Donald Trump is on a Gulf tour that is adding to Israel’s worries about its strongest ally: the U.S. has negotiated the release of an American hostage with Hamas, and a ceasefire with the Houthis, without involving Israel.
Pope Leo XIV’s Latin American connections and first-hand familiarity with the lives of the poor in Peru, will likely reinforce his predecessor’s social vocation and vigorous concern for migrants. But that’s not the only way he expresses his Peruvian side.
While place names often change in history — closely following power dynamics — there is very little geographical or historical justification for the Trump administration renaming the Gulf of Mexico.
Between ceasefire proposals and calls for negotiation, the war in Ukraine has, over the past 36 hours, moved to the rhythm of a bidding war. The goal: to convince Donald Trump of each side’s goodwill.
Here are the latest headlines.
I don’t want to be ‘rescued’ by Pakistan. I don’t want to be silenced by India. I want to grow in a space that allows me to be both Kashmiri and Indian without splitting my tongue in two. I want the world to know that patriotism can look like criticism, and loyalty can sound like longing.
The pre-conclave favorite, Italy’s Pietro Parolin had a good number of preferences in the first two votes, but his support dropped off in the third ballot. Meanwhile, the darkhorse candidacy of Robert Prevost had been gaining momentum, thanks to a well-organized U.S. campaign.
In Western Sahara, a small green revolution is being led by women in the harshest of conditions. Their goal: to build a network of gardens in the desert.
In electing Pope Leo XIV, the institution of the Catholic Church appears quite clear about the place it should occupy beyond its spiritual commitment.
Conclave speculation, urinal innovation, “Italian brainrot”… and much more.
As AfD grows in popularity, it gets potentially more dangerous — but also harder to ban. This could become a test for democracy and cripple his leadership from the outset.
Here are the latest headlines.
The inventor of the term “soft power,” Joseph Nye, has died at the age of 88, at a time when his concept of gentle influence is being destroyed by Donald Trump.
“HabemUS papam!” The global press covers the election of Chicago-born Robert Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the first North American to be elected pope.
The conclave in which Pope Francis was elected had as its task the salvation of the Church. At the conclave that chose Cardinal Robert Prevost to be Pope Leo XIV, we ask him to fill in where politics has failed.
May 9 – May 22, 2025
Italian novelist Viola Ardone reflects on childhood dreams, institutional patriarchy, and why the Catholic Church still silences women as 133 cardinals gather to elect the next pope.
Here are the latest headlines.
The 80th anniversary of victory in World War II shines a light on the world’s current fractures, because in addition to the war in Ukraine, which pits the allies of 1945 against each other, there’s Donald Trump wild card.
If a compromise was found in pre-Conclave talks, it would likely be a shorter wait for white smoke. Keep an eye on the Italians.
To be a stepmother or stepfather is to arrive late to a story that has already begun, yet still choose to help write a new chapter. It means adding another emotional thread to a family, without erasing what came before. It is a kind of bond that is becoming more common in today’s families and is finally starting to be acknowledged.
In the last hours before the Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel, a negotiation between powerful Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Luis Tagle, a favorite of the Church’s progressive wing from the Philippines could unblock the election for the next Pope.
Here are the latest headlines.
Israel is brutally asserting its plans to reoccupy Gaza and the “voluntary” expulsion of its inhabitants. France is attempting to make a modest counterpoint, in part by receiving Ahmed al-Sharaa the president of the Syrian transition.
There were several high-profile facilities linked to the Islamist terror groups Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, but Indian sources claim to have also targeted camps that the military believes are the ‘roots’ of various terror attacks, including last month’s Pahalgam massacre in in Kashmir.
As Argentina deregulates pesticide and herbicide drones, residents in Lobos fight the growing threat to health and the environment.
Friedrich Merz’s own coalition partners attempted to sabotage his path to the chancellorship. And although he was ultimately elected, just hours after a first-round debacle, he may never shake off the damage.
A personal reflection from Beirut capturing the quiet heartbreak of watching loved ones emigrate in search of stability and dignity. As friends and family disappear into the distance, what remains is a world shaped by absence, memory, and the lingering question: should I go too?
Latin American voters are turning to leaders seen as efficient and able to tackle endemic problems like crime and corruption. Does it mean they have also turned their back on party politics for good, and even their own rights or liberties?
Here are the latest headlines.
As the conclave approaches, Vatican intrigue intensifies, with Italian ambitions, global rivalries and conservative strategy shaping the next papal election.
The citizens of Gaza have borne the consequences of not only the Israeli occupation but the authoritarian rule of Hamas for nearly 20 years. Is it finally reaching a breaking point?
Each cardinal brings strengths and weaknesses, but a Vatican insider tells La Stampa that it is now clear: more time is needed.
Ukraine’s tragic geography has long made it the target of imperial ambitions, epitomized by the prize of Crimea. As the war drags on, the battle for Ukrainian sovereignty exposes not just Russia’s hunger for power — but also the West’s uneasy past and present complicity.
Israel is calling up tens of thousands of reservists as its military operations threaten to expand in Gaza and grow more significant in Syria. This escalation raises serious questions about the goals behind what has become one of the longest wars in the country’s history.
Here are the latest headlines.
When in doubt, outsource to the soldiers. The Kashmir debacle shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi retreating behind India’s armed forces, leaving it up to them to mop up the mess, calm the rage, and maybe even help the politician save face.
At the age of 60, you might think that friendships have weathered all storms. And yet, this period often marks a turning point. Some ties hold, others fray. For many — amid retirement, time speeding up, changing priorities — it’s time to sort things out. Should we hold on, or let go?
What’s happening today in Gaza goes beyond the bounds of human suffering, a complete eradication of dignity. The humiliation and despair has now reached a point where the living are forced to pay money for the right to bury their dead.