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Society

U.S. Schools’ Anti-Obesity Policies May Do More Harm Than Good, Experts Say

For years, evidence has grown that school body-mass index screenings aren’t helpful and can even be harmful. Why do they persist?

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This Happened

This Happened — August 15: Woodstock Kicks Off

Updated August 15, 2024 at 8:50 a.m. The Woodstock Music and Art Fair, mostly known as Woodstock, opened on this day in 1969. The famous music event took place on a dairy farm in Bethel, New York, in the United States. How many people attended Woodstock? Estimates vary, but it is believed that approximately 400,000 […]

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Economy Geopolitics Ideas Society

How Taxing The Super-Rich Can Calm Global Tensions

The biggest firms and richest people in the world have the money states need to invest in services that can improve the lives of billions of people. That could help stop a collective slide into acute social and political tensions.

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This Happened

This Happened — August 13: First Brick In The Berlin Wall

Updated August 13, 2024 at 11:50 a.m. The construction of the Berlin Wall began on this day in 1961. It was constructed by the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) to prevent residents from escaping to West Berlin. It was intended in particular to halt the mass exodus of skilled laborers, professionals, and intellectuals from East […]

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Geopolitics Ideas

What The European Phoenix Can Teach The World About Decline — And Rebirth

As the “American Century” and the West’s time at the center of the world draws to an end, Europe — which has died and been reborn many times — may have a new role as the wise teacher of decline, therefore also a teacher of limits and temperance.

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This Happened

This Happened — August 9: The Atomic Bombing Of Nagasaki

Updated August 9, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Nagasaki was bombed on this day in 1945, towards the end of World War II. Was Nagasaki the first choice for the bombing? The primary target for the second atomic bomb was the city of Kokura. However, due to poor visibility caused by clouds and smoke from a […]

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This Happened

This Happened — August 8: President Nixon Announces Resignation On TV

Updated August 8, 2024 at 11:50 a.m. In the wake of the Watergate scandal, Richard Nixon resigned from the U.S. presidency on this day in 1974. Why did Richard Nixon resign? Nixon resigned due to the Watergate scandal, which was a series of illegal activities conducted by members of his administration. The scandal involved a […]

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This Happened

This Happened — August 6: U.S. Detonates A-Bomb Over Hiroshima

Updated August 6, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. The atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima by the United States on this day in 1945, during World War II. Why was Hiroshima a target for the atomic bomb? Hiroshima was chosen as a target for the atomic bomb due to its military significance and its dense population. […]

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Israeli Assassinations: Did Netanyahu Get Green Light During Washington Visit Last Week?

A series of strikes occurred just days after Netanyahu returned from the United States, which will have difficulty denying a role in the targeting of three capitals in the region in 24 hours, and may spark a much wider war in the Middle East.


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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics

Why Latin Americans Are Bracing For Another Whack Of Trump

The former U.S. president and Republican nominee Donald Trump is threatening to revive his choice policies of curbing immigration and trade, and nobody would suffer as a result quite as much as the hundreds of millions of Latin Americans who may be forced to turn toward China and the Global South.

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics In The News Society

How Kamala Harris Could Crush The Machismo Of Political Communication — With A Laugh

Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have starkly different communication styles, starting with laughter v scowls. Would a Harris victory in November usher in a new era of more feminine form of political communication? asks Italian writer Nicoletta Verna.

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This Happened

This Happened — July 24: Lance Armstrong Breaks Tour de France Record

Updated July 24, 2024 at 11:15 a.m. Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France for the 7th consecutive time on this day in 2005 and announced his retirement from professional cycling. He initially returned to the sport in 2009 but failed to replicate his previous success. In 2011, he retired for the second time, marking […]

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics Migrant Lives

Darién Gap: A Migrant’s Journey Through Central America They’ll Never Forget

Antonio, Ibrain, Victoria, Lizeth, Xiomara and Zaira. All six have etched in their memory the people they were able to help and those they couldn’t while crossing the Darién Gap, one of the most dangerous points on the Central American migration route to the United States.

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics Ideas

Democracy In Crisis: Risks Multiply Inside Everyone’s National Bubble

The current unprecedented political crises in France and the United States — two very different systems and political cultures — have points in common, notably that partisan issues are still taking precedence over the need to rethink the democratic system and its practices.

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This Happened

This Happened — July 20: Bruce Lee Dies

Updated July 20, 2024 at 4 p.m. Bruce Lee died on this day 50 years ago, at the age of 32. His sudden death was attributed to a cerebral edema, although some conspiracy theories and controversies have surrounded his passing. Where was Bruce Lee born? Bruce Lee was born in San Francisco, California, in the […]

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Green

A Major Earthquake Is Due In The Middle Of The U.S. — And Scientists Can’t Explain Why

The Central U.S. is at risk for major disaster. But scientists don’t know why — or when — the next big one will strike.

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This Happened

This Happened — July 16: Trinity, First Atomic Bomb

Updated July 16, 2024 at 11:15 a.m. The first atomic bomb explosion, code-named “Trinity,” occurred on this day in 1945, near Alamogordo, New Mexico, in the United States. What was the purpose of the Trinity test? The Trinity test was conducted as part of the Manhattan Project, a research and development program during World War […]

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Economy Geopolitics Ideas

Javier Milei And The Destructive Art Of Anti-Diplomacy

Argentina’s rabidly neo-liberal president, Javier Milei, is downsizing the state at home and curbing diplomacy to the bare minimum of promoting the free market, lambasting communism, and nurturing ties with just two, cherished states, Israel and the United States.

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Geopolitics Russia-Ukraine War

At 75, NATO Faces Existential Questions

As the alliance’s 32 countries celebrate their 75th anniversary at a summit in Washington, uncertainties over the possible reelection of Donald Trump in November, and dark clouds over Europe and France are raising serious questions about NATO’s future.

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This Happened

This Happened — July 4: Statue Of Liberty, A Gift From Paris To New York

Updated July 4, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. On this day in 1884, a ceremony was held in Paris marking the official unveiling and presentation of the Statue of Liberty to the United States before it was shipped across the Atlantic. The ceremony was known as “Presentation of the Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World.” Why […]

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This Happened

This Happened — June 30: Trump Enters North Korea

Updated June 30, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, visited North Korea on this day in 2019. Trump and Kim Jong-un met at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), specifically at the Joint Security Area (JSA) in the village of Panmunjom. This location is a historic site where previous meetings […]

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Geopolitics

How The Far Right Capitalizes On Social Media To Capture The Youth Vote

There is real generational disaffection that is pushing some young voters to the far right in Europe and the U.S.. But their skills, including on social media, is a real advantage for success among the youth.

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Geopolitics

Iran Elections: Lessons In How To Disguise A Voter Boycott

Iran’s regime has selected six candidates for the presidential elections due in late June, and possibly even a winner, just as millions of Iranians may have made their own choice, to no longer vote in a dictatorship.

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This Happened

This Happened — June 26: JFK “I’m A Berliner” Speech

Updated June 26, 2024 at 1 p.m. President John F. Kennedy delivered his famous “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech on this day in 1963. Where did President Kennedy deliver his speech? President Kennedy gave his “Ich bin ein Berliner” speech in West Berlin, at the Rathaus Schöneberg (Schöneberg City Hall) in front of a crowd […]

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Geopolitics

Battle Of The Sierra Madre: The U.S.-China Cold War Just Got Hotter

The Sierra Madre, a World War II cargo ship grounded 300 kilometers off The Philippine coast, was involved in an incident between the Philippine and Chinese navies on Monday. It’s the focus of a tug-of-war between Beijing and Manila, against the backdrop of the U.S.-China Cold War.

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This Happened

This Happened — June 20: IRA Strikes Two London Parks

Updated June 20, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. The Hyde Park and Regent’s Park bombings were two separate attacks that took place in London on this day in 1982. The bombings were carried out by the Irish Republican Army (IRA), an Irish nationalist paramilitary group, as part of their campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland. […]

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This Happened

This Happened — June 19: Execution Of The Rosenbergs

Updated June 19, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. On this day in 1953, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for espionage, accused of providing classified information about atomic bomb technology to the Soviet Union. What was the charge against Julius and Ethel Rosenberg? Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, a New York couple, were charged with conspiracy to […]

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This Happened

This Happened — June 18: Sally Ride Goes To Space

Updated June 18, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Sally Ride became the first American woman to go into space on this day in 1983. She was a mission specialist on the space shuttle Challenger, during the STS-7 mission where she spent a total of six days, two hours and 23 minutes in space. What was the […]

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics Russia-Ukraine War

What The Return Of Trump Would Mean For Ukraine, And Beyond

As the U.S. presidential election draws closer, independent Russian-language media Vazhnye Istorii spoke with American politics specialists about the possibility of a second Trump term and what it would mean for the Russia-Ukraine war, traditional U.S. allies and China.

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Future

Placenta, That Mysterious-Yet-Crucial Organ We Know So Little About

A better understanding of the placenta may help curb maternal and fetal mortality rates, but progress is slow.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War

Why The Hostage Rescue Has Dug Netanyahu’s Hole Deeper

Israel’s special forces rescued four hostages on Saturday, an apparent major success of the war in Gaza. Yet, paradoxically, the operation has created a political crisis for Benjamin Netanyahu, leading to protests and the resignation of several war cabinet ministers.

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This Happened

This Happened — June 12: Terror Hits Orlando LGBTQ+ Nightclub

Updated June 12, 2024 at 11:45 a.m. The Orlando nightclub shooting took place in the early morning hours on this day in 2016, carried out by an Islamic terrorist targeting LGBTQ+ people. Who carried out the Orlando attack? The shooting occurred at the Pulse nightclub, a popular LGBTQ+ nightclub in Orlando, Florida, United States. The […]

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War Russia-Ukraine War

When Comparing The Ukraine And Gaza Wars Makes Sense — And When It Doesn’t

Comparisons between the wars in Europe and the Middle East tell us a lot about the standpoint of those who compare. They also signal to a new world order that has yet to be shaped.

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This Happened

This Happened — June 11: Thich Quang Duc, Vietnam’s Burning Monk

Updated June 11, 2024 at 12:00 p.m. On this day in 1963, Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thích Quảng Đức self-immolated to protest the persecution of Buddhists by the South Vietnamese government. Why did the monk self-immolate during the Vietnam war? Buddhists were facing religious discrimination, and the South Vietnamese government had imposed various restrictions on them. […]

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Geopolitics

On Venezuela’s Last, Best Hope For Free Elections Under Maduro

Venezuela and its neighbors are nervously waiting to see if President Maduro and his clique will soon hold a fair election, or cling onto power, fueling more despair and unleashing yet another migratory wave over the region.

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Geopolitics

Far Right Surge In Europe: A Prelude To Trump’s Victory?

Can the surge of the far right in Europe pave the way for Donald Trump’s victory in the United States in November? Or will a majority of Americans reject a convicted former president running for office? Though political patterns are hard to detect, young voters play an important role in what comes next, writes political scientist Dominique Moïsi in French business daily Les Echos.

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Food / Travel Geopolitics Ideas

A Traveler’s Paradise, And The Impact Of The Gaza War On Jordan

Just across the border from Israel, the Kingdom of Jordan is feeling the effects of the war with both the most personal and economic ramifications.

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In The News Society Weird

A Weird Week Indeed: “Waterfall Gate” In China, Silly Faces In Congress, Porn In The Rainforest

While busy delivering the best international journalism, the Worldcrunch team also stumbles on a fair deal of downright strange stuff happening around the world, reported in every language.

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Geopolitics Russia-Ukraine War

Behind Macron’s Calculated Escalation, As France Steps Up Military Aid To Ukraine

French Mirage jets and training of pilots on Ukrainian soil: these two announcements by Emmanuel Macron last night, as his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky was in France for the June 6 ceremonies, mark an increased commitment — to help Ukraine restore the balance of power.

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This Happened

This Happened — June 6: D-Day, 80 Years Ago

Updated June 6, 2024 at 12:20 p.m. The major military operation during World War II, also known as “D-Day”, occurred 80 years ago on this day in 1944, marking the beginning of the end of Nazi Germany’s control over Western Europe. Why was D-Day significant? D-Day was a significant turning point in World War II. […]

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