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In The News

Witkoff-Putin Talks, Pope In Beirut, Italy’s Statue Drama

👋 Lasso fyafulla!* Welcome to Tuesday, where Trump envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with Vladimir Putin in Moscow, Pope Leo XIV prays at the Beirut port explosion site and today’s quiz question is about an icy scandal in Italy. Meanwhile, Caroline Lumet for French daily Le Figaro meets with doctors prescribing books. [*Tamang, […]

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics In The News

An Ultimatum And Venezuela On Edge: Trump Escalates With Maduro

Donald Trump and Nicolas Maduro spoke on the phone, but the U.S. president gave him an ultimatum to resign and leave the country. The alternative is likely to involve military action, which would disregard international law.

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In The News

Could Ukraine Survive If Zelensky Is Pushed Out?

Ukraine’s president faces mounting pressure abroad and growing distrust at home, as corruption claims and battlefield fatigue collide with the country’s fight for survival.

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In The News

Tel Aviv Pardon Protests, Maduro Resurfaces, Diving Santa

👋 Shlamalokhoun!* Welcome to Monday, where protests erupt in Tel Aviv as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks presidential pardon, Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro resurfaces after disappearing for days amid tensions with the U.S., and today’s quiz question comes from Turkey. Meanwhile, Barbara Carnevali in Italian daily La Stampa invites us to rethink our approach to menopause. […]

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Geopolitics In The News Russia-Ukraine War

Facing U.S. Pressure And Domestic Turmoil, Zelensky Turns to Europe

While Vladimir Putin describes Volodymyr Zelensky’s authority as “illegitimate,” the French foreign minister asserts that he has “every right to lead his country toward peace.” The weakened Ukrainian president is in Paris at a decisive moment in the conflict.

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In The News Russia-Ukraine War

From Bucha To Mordovia And Back: The Long Captivity Of Serhiy Akhmetov

In the language of math or geography: two thousand kilometers and three and a half years — that’s five settlements. Bucha. Hostomel. Narovlya, Belarus. Novozybkov, Russia. Pakino, Russia. Udarnoye, Russia.

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In The News

An Italian Take On Menopause And The Male Gaze

Long dismissed or mocked, menopause is finally being seen as a profound transformation: an ending that opens onto freedom.

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Geopolitics In The News

Bias And Bad Information — What Explains Trump’s South Africa Snub

The U.S. president won’t invite South Africa to the next G20 on American soil and is cutting all funding to the country, accusing it of carrying out a genocide against Afrikaners. Official denials have changed nothing — Donald Trump is continuing to pursue South Africa with his absurd vendetta.

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In The News

Israeli Raid On Syria, HK Blaze Death Toll Rises, Pope On Tour

👋 Dumela!* Welcome to Friday, where the death toll in the Hong Kong fire climbs to 128, an Israeli raid on a Syrian village kills at least 10, and today’s quiz question features a surprising find about cats. Meanwhile, Veronica Rossa for German weekly Die Zeit examines how the war in Ukraine is forcing Europe […]

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In The News

How The War In Ukraine Is Forcing Europe To Rethink Its Railways

The EU’s new military mobility push is turning delayed infrastructure projects like Germany’s Murr Railway into potential defense assets, reshaping transport priorities across the continent.

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In The News

FBI Probes D.C. Shooting, HK Fire Under Control, Shrek Parade

👋 नमस्कार* Welcome to Thursday, where the FBI investigates the shooting near the White House that left two National Guard critically wounded, firefighters manage to contain a blaze that killed at least 55 in Hong Kong, and today’s quiz question sees strange things happen on Mars. Meanwhile, from Riyadh, Pauline Landais-Barrau of Le Figaro rides […]

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In The News Russia-Ukraine War

Why Peace In Ukraine May Depend On One Last Zelensky-Trump Meeting

Ukraine’s president must confront demands to concede occupied territories while navigating red lines set in Kyiv and mounting pressure from both Washington and the Kremlin.

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Geopolitics In The News Russia-Ukraine War

How The “U.S. Plan” For Ukraine Peace Was Concocted By Moscow

Exclusive reports by Bloomberg show transcripts of two secret phone calls involving the Trump administration’s apparent collusion with the Kremlin on the 28-point Ukraine plan Donald Trump seeks to impose on Volodymyr Zelensky.

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In The News

Russian Influence Exposed, Record Thai Floods, New World Biggest City

👋 Håfa adai!* Welcome to Wednesday, where the Kremlin confirms U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin next week, amid reports of Russian sway over the U.S.-backed Ukraine peace plan, Taiwan pledges an extra $40 billion in defense spending to deter China, and today’s quiz question centers on an unusual embezzlement case. […]

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In The News

Climate Crisis Hits Housing Market — Anatomy Of A Looming Global Financial Crash

As natural disasters intensify, insurers are withdrawing from high-risk regions, mortgages are failing, and real estate values are weakening. Analysts fear a chain reaction that could resemble, or surpass, the 2008 crisis.

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Eyes on the U.S. In The News Israel-Palestine War Russia-Ukraine War

Ukraine To Gaza To Vaccines, The “Experts” Have No Seat At The Table

“Peace won’t be made by failed diplomats or politicians living in a fantasy land” tweeted Vice President Vance to explain why professionals are being dismissed, both on Gaza and Ukraine. The delegitimization of expertise is a major trend of our time.

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In The News

U.S.-Russia Meet In Abu Dhabi, RSF Truce, Drone Troll

👋 Yáʼátʼééh!* Welcome to Tuesday, where major Ukraine talks are underway as Moscow and Kyiv trade strikes, Sudan’s RSF declares a unilateral three-month ceasefire, and today’s quiz delivers a dose of good news to the operating room. Meanwhile, María Laura Chang in Distintas Latitudes unpacks what it takes to make an intercultural relationship work. [*Navajo] […]

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In The News Israel-Palestine War

One Year After U.S.-French Ceasefire, Lebanon Caught Between War and Collapse

The reality is that Hezbollah no longer poses a threat to Israel, but rather to the Lebanese state itself; whereas Israel represents an existential threat to the state, to Hezbollah, and to Lebanese society as a whole.

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In The News

Zelensky Warning, RIP Jimmy Cliff, Great Ice Wall Of China

👋 Salibonani!* Welcome to Monday, where Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky warns against giving Ukrainian territory to Russia after talks on a U.S.-backed peace plan, Jamaica mourns the death of reggae icon Jimmy Cliff, and today’s quiz question is about a plastic bottle record in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Andres Izarra for Spanish-language weekly Confidencial examines the Venezuelan […]

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Geopolitics In The News Russia-Ukraine War

Can Europe And Kyiv Resist Washington’s Kremlin-Friendly Peace Plan For Ukraine?

To Kyiv and the Europeans, the American 28-point plan for Ukraine looks like a demand for surrender, but Sunday’s negotiations in Geneva with the Americans attempted to amend it, at the risk of making it unacceptable to the Russians. The Trump method is once again in question.

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In The News

Short Nap, Big Claims: What Science Says About “Non-Sleep Deep Rest”

A sharp mind despite little sleep, and easier nights ahead? Non-sleep deep rest, or “sleep yoga,” promises just that. But what does science actually say about this latest wellness trend?

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In The News

Ukraine Under U.S. Peace Pressure, Angry Tunisian Journalists, Frida Record

👋 ආයුබෝවන්* Welcome to Friday, where Volodymyr Zelensky says he is ready to work with Washington after a U.S.-drafted peace draft leaked, Israel announces plans for a new settlement in the West Bank and today’s quiz question is about an EU culinary crime. Meanwhile, Marina Sardiña and Marco Dalla Stella in La Marea expose how […]

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Geopolitics In The News

We May Lose Our Children — French General’s Stark Warning For A Europe Facing Russian Aggression

A controversial warning from France’s Army Chief of Staff coincides with sabotage in Poland and a divisive Russian-American plan for Ukraine, raising concerns about Europe’s security.

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In The News

Delirium Of Omnipotence: When AI Tries To Replace God

From embryo editing to dreams of eternal life, Silicon Valley’s new faith in machines blurs the line between progress and eugenics, raising the question of what humanity is willing to sacrifice for perfection.

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In The News

Israel Strikes Gaza, Zelensky-U.S. Talks, Father Frost Express

👋 Ǹdéèwō!* Welcome to Thursday, where at least 33 Palestinians are killed in some of Israel’s deadliest strikes in Gaza since the start of the ceasefire, Zelensky is meeting U.S. Army officials in Kyiv amid rumors of a new U.S.-brokered peace plan and today’s quiz question is a French historical item. Meanwhile, Carlos Álvarez Teijeiro, […]

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In The News

Elon Musk, AI And Holocaust Denialism — A Stress Test For Europe

An investigation has been opened into Grok, Elon Musk’s generative AI, after it gave Holocaust-denying answers. The problem comes from the reference data it uses and from differences between Europe and the United States. This raises questions about digital regulation at a time when Europe wants to ease the few rules that currently exist.

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In The News

High-Tech Lemons: Why New Cars Keep Breaking Down

Packed with more and more digitally-powered features, today’s vehicles are more advanced than ever, and more prone to failure. As recalls surge, experts warn that the race for innovation may be pushing quality control to the limit.

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In The News

Ukraine On Nationwide Alert, Trump-MBS Meeting, Klimt Record

👋 Halò!* Welcome to Wednesday, where deadly Russian strikes across Ukraine put the whole country on alert, China says it will ban Japanese seafood amid an escalating diplomatic row, and today’s quiz question reaches back to our distant ancestors. Meanwhile, economist Tommaso Nannicini warns in daily La Stampa that the real danger for Italy doesn’t […]

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In The News

Blood Smartphones? Congolese Mining And The Human Cost Of High Tech

An accident in an illegal mine near Kolwezi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has left at least 70 people dead. It is yet another tragedy in a region where hundreds of thousands of people work with no rules or safety measures, extracting the minerals used in our digital devices. It’s the latest chapter of a recurring story of exploitation.

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In The News

Both Elon Musk And His Italian Critics Miss The Real Demographic Crisis

Economist Tommaso Nannicini argues that the true threat to the country is not low fertility, but the steady flight of young talent that weakens growth, innovation, and the future of the welfare state.

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In The News

The Science Of Unlearning Pain: A New German Approach To Chronic Suffering

Chronic pain affects millions and often resists medical treatment. German researchers are exploring how the brain’s pain matrix can be retrained, offering hope to those trapped in cycles of constant pain.

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In The News

UN Approves Gaza Plan, Epstein Vote, Guangzhou Lights

👋 Aссалом* Welcome to Tuesday, where Benjamin Netanyahu praises the UN adoption of the Gaza plan, the U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on the release of the Epstein files, and today’s quiz question features a delicacy Down Under. Meanwhile, France Inter’s Pierre Haski breaks down what’s behind France’s pledge to deliver 100 […]

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Geopolitics In The News Russia-Ukraine War

France’s 100 Rafales For Ukraine: The Stakes Behind A Spectacular Announcement

France has promised to deliver 100 Rafale fighter jets to Ukraine, but the planes won’t be appearing in Ukrainian skies for a long while. The real issue is Ukraine’s long-term military alignment within European defense cooperation. But the funding for such a program remains an open question.

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Geopolitics In The News

Inside Awaza: The Glittering Ghost Town Of Turkmenistan’s Gas Empire

This isolated Central Asian nation, ruled by a tightly controlled regime and sitting on vast natural gas reserves, is being driven to seek new energy markets as the war in Ukraine reshapes global supply routes.

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In The News

Ex Bangladesh PM Sentenced To Death, Zelensky In Paris, Disney Backlash

👋 Hei!* Welcome to Monday, where Bangladesh’s former prime minister has been sentenced to death, Ukraine signs fighter jets deal with France, and Disney fans aren’t happy about the answer to today’s quiz question. Meanwhile, Jordi Rabassa in Catalunya Plural shows how smartphones have changed our very sense of space. [*Norwegian] ✅ SIGN UP This […]

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Geopolitics In The News Israel-Palestine War

How U.S.–Saudi Dealings Are Triggering Tensions With Israel

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected in Washington on Tuesday, a visit that is preceded by a series of contradictory signals that reflect the kingdom’s current standing with the U.S. president. Every detail of the trip will be closely examined, especially in Israel.

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In The News Society Society

The Religion Of Scale, How America’s Evangelicals Measure Faith In Numbers

Why do a few U.S. megachurches boom while most barely survive? A decade of data reveals the secrets — and limits — of evangelical growth.

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In The News

Does That Feel Good? Rethinking How We Talk About Sex

Sex educator Joris Kern explains to German weekly Die Zeit why good sex is not about rules or performance, but about curiosity and the courage to ask and listen.

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In The News

Russia Strikes Kyiv, BBC Apologizes To Trump, Indigenous COP30

👋 Om Swastiastu!* Welcome to Friday, where Russia launches major strikes on Kyiv, the BBC apologizes to Donald Trump and today’s quiz question comes from South Korea. Meanwhile, Jakob Von Lindern for German weekly Die Zeit looks at how AI is now entering manual trades amid a skilled-labor squeeze. [*Balinese] ✅ SIGN UP This is […]

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Geopolitics In The News

Beijing’s “Evil Witch” Comment Is A New Low In China-Japan Relations

For declaring that a Chinese attack on Taiwan would be an “existential threat” to Tokyo, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been the target of a hostile campaign in China. The Taiwan issue remains explosive, especially given Donald Trump’s ambiguous stance.

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