Worldcrunch
The Islamic Republic of Iran recently sent Ismail Qaani, the Revolutionary guards general who keeps ‘resurrecting’ after being reported as killed or maimed, to Baghdad to discuss rearming its proxy militias. This appears to be Tehran’s first act of regional interference since Israeli strikes in June.
Tehran’s revolutionary regime is suddenly turning to Iranian nationalism hoping to rustle up public support for itself as it faces Israeli and U.S. threats. But who in Iran could believe it now, when everything it has done for years has shown its contempt for the very notion of historical roots and national interests.
The intervention of American bombers in Iran has strengthened Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s position, allowing him to assert military supremacy over the Middle East. What comes next will be more difficult, as no solution is on the horizon for Gaza, and the Saudis are growing more skeptical than ever of Israel.
After a week of unprecedented conflict between sworn enemy states, Israel and Iran may actually be holding back in the coming days, as the White House mulls its options. But surprises are no doubt in store with so much at stake.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, which Israel has been battering with increasing intensity, were inevitably a prime target after decades of violent subversion often enacted with the aid of that other enemy of the West: Russia. The IRGC may be in its final throes.
Brazilian journalist Maria Martha Bruno shares the intimidation she faced at the airport in Houston, Texas, where she writes that she was targeted as a non-white woman traveling alone from Colombia.
Sources say Hezbollah is in such dire financial shape, as Israel and Lebanon are successfully cutting off funding from Iran, it puts the organization at existential risk.
Playing to defeat their male opponents — and gender division in sports.
Also: a look inside the slippery world of stand-up comedy in China and Ukraine’s clandestine online school network.
From an Italian take on Hawaiian pizza to gay rodeo, Sam Altman’s eye-scanning “orb”… and more!
Profanity is a kind of national sport in Turkey. But it can also be risky business, sometimes leading to lawsuits or even death. One political scientist researching Turkey’s unique way of conjuring curse words explains what the country’s inventive slurs reveal about its fears and prejudices.
? Ahoj!* Welcome to Thursday, where Boris Johnson faces rising calls to resign, an ex Syrian colonel is convicted in a landmark torture trial, and the U.S. finds loopholes in the Gruyère cheese label. We also mark 10 years since the Costa Concordia disaster off the coast of Tuscany. [*Czech] SIGN UP This is […]
For years, evidence has grown that school body-mass index screenings aren’t helpful and can even be harmful. Why do they persist?
Psychologists call it “moral decoupling” when people continue to support notable people in politics, media and sports even when they believe these leaders have significant moral failings outside of their professional vocation.
The UK government wants its farming sector to transition to a more sustainable model. But farmers fear the complex post-Brexit agricultural policy and lack of EU subsidies are threatening their livelihood.
All informal workers face climate change and it impacts their livelihood — reduced income as well as reduced hours of work. Workers talk about fatigue and dehydration, excessive sweating, and general mental stress and anxiety.
Camels’ resilience to climate change and increasingly sought-after milk make them more and more attractive for intensive farming in the Middle East. But this shift could prove detrimental to both the environment and the region’s traditional camel herding.
The unlicensed workers use what they have to combat health fears in Uganda’s top salt-producing lake. A new law is supposed to offer protections. So far, little is on the way.
Netflix’s latest anime adaptations Avatar: The Last Airbender and One Piece have received positive reviews from fans and critics — exceptions in a long line of live-action failures. Why is it so difficult to get it right? And are Western fans too harsh?
An endeavor to retrieve samples from the red planet is in the works. Some scientists wonder if it’s a wise investment.
Costly treatments, no appointment available, “dental deserts,” minority discrimination, mass exodus from the workforce… While UK dentists warn that so-called dental tourism is dangerous, the crisis in NHS dentistry is forcing more and more British patients to travel to brand new clinics in Turkey — not for cosmetic procedures, but basic treatment. In Turkey, medical tourism is booming more than ever.
On paper, the river-rich Karnali province is perfect for hydropower. In reality, the disaster-prone and far-flung region struggles to turn on the lights.
Something is awry with daylight savings time. Can research and policy changes help us reset the clocks?
A former member of the Hungarian Parliament warns the U.S. about the potential re-election of Donald Trump, which could mirror Hungary’s slide toward authoritarianism under strongman Viktor Orbán, as the two meet in Florida.
The nomination of three non-English films at this year’s Academy Awards reflects demographic changes in the movie industry and within the Oscars’ institutions themselves.
An exhibition of Indian commercial posters from the 1920s to the 1960s at Le Méridien in New Delhi offers a “time capsule” into the rapidly evolving society of that time.
The phenomenon of retranslation is both paradoxical and inherent in every culture but it’s also a true source of vitality for literature, as well as pleasure for the readers.
While men take center stage in the fresh round of Indian farmers’ protests, the difficulties experienced by female agriculture workers are still largely overlooked.
Some movies portrays a character’s bisexuality as a temporary identity, a stop on the journey towards “true” homosexuality, mirroring the biphobic idea that it is not a “real” sexuality in itself.
Will the Bard, Taylor a poet…
Injuries are on the rise in the United States’ NBA, but also in sports in general. Now a growing body of scientific research is studying new approaches to improve player safety.
Prabowo Subianto’s campaign team has heavily promoted him as a baby-faced cute grandpa on the internet, overshadowing the former army general’s dark authoritarian past and potential intent to dismantle Indonesia’s fragile democratic system.
From Reggaeton and Dembow to Dancehall, Latin hip hop and others, Spanish-language music makes up almost a quarter of the charts on a global level.
As the far-right propagates a simplified and emotionally resonant message, the lack of coordination and a shared vision among the “non-far-right” strengthens the far-right’s illusion of representing the entirety of “the people.”
Are Bob Marley’s artistic and cultural values now clouded in a haze of rampant commercialization?
The incumbent has achieved enormous popularity with his state of emergency ironclad rule, which has largely curbed gang violence
Some pastors are teaching the gospel in Johannesburg communities plagued by gang violence and murder, even trying to win the souls of gangsters and helping some to rehabilitate. But this makes them a target for rival gangs.
The pandemic brought a massive effort to limit the spread of bad health information. Did it do more harm than good?
Whether portrayed as heroes or villains, fight attendants increasingly find themselves the unwilling stars of viral videos. And sudden TikTok notoriety can take a considerable toll on the cabin crew’s wellbeing.
It is no joke that in a country which is itself inching towards full blown satire each day, comedians have taken on the mantle of relaying news.