Feb. 10-11
- Anti-gay hatred in Russia
- Taylor-mania in Tokyo
- Farmers to the cops’ rescue
- … and much more.
🎲 OUR WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ
1. Rejecting Hamas’ offer for a Gaza ceasefire, what did Benjamin Netanyahu argue instead was “within reach”?
2. What decision did Senegal's President Macky Sall announce that sparked protests in the country?
3. Sebastian Piñera died in a helicopter crash at age 74. He served twice as president of what Latin American country?
4. U.S. rapper Snoop Dogg was in court this week in a case that involved: plagiarism / cereal / jet skis / diamonds
[Answers at the bottom of this newsletter]
#️⃣ TRENDING
A clip showing French farmers using their tractor to rescue the very cops that were pursuing them through muddy fields and got stuck, was viewed more than 600,000 times on TikTok. The good-humored scene took place in Saint-Cyr, near Paris, in stark contrast with the protests and road blockades that have seen agricultural workers across France, asking for better working conditions, clash with police forces.
🎭 5 CULTURE THINGS TO KNOW
• Taylor-mania sweeps Tokyo as Swift resumes tour: Following her latest Grammy win, U.S. pop superstar Taylor Swift has resumed her Eras Tour with a run of concerts in Tokyo, kicking off a month of sell-out shows in Asia. Straight after the last gig in Japan’s capital city, Swift is expected to make a pit stop at this weekend's Super Bowl to watch boyfriend Travis Kelce play with the Kansas City Chiefs.
• Photo exhibition reveals unseen moments of Sanremo Festival: A new photography exhibition at Turin's renowned Gallerie d'Italia shines a light on back-stage moments of the Sanremo Music Festival’s early golden years, with 85 photos from the Publifoto Intesa Sanpaolo Archive. The exhibition entitled “No Age: The Sanremo Festival in Black and White 1951-1976” will run until May 12.
• New Netflix series puts spotlight on Saudi Arabia’s camel culture: A new six-episode docuseries entitled Camel Quest has debuted on Netflix, aiming to give viewers insights into the role of camels in Saudi culture. The show focuses on the journey of two childhood friends across the country, as they attempt to make it to the world-famous Crown Prince Camel Festival.
• RIP Toby Keith: Country star Toby Keith has died aged 62, more than two years after he was diagnosed with stomach cancer. The singer-songwriter, who released his debut album in 1993, was known for hits including “Red Solo Cup” and “I Wanna Talk About Me”.
• From Spider-Man to Romeo: British actor Tom Holland, known for his role as superhero Spider-Man in Marvel’s cinematic universe, will star as Romeo in a new West End production of the Shakespeare classic Romeo and Juliet at the Duke of York’s theater from May 11. This will mark the 27-year-old actor’s return to the London stage for his first major theater role since his debut in Billy Elliot: The Musical.
🇷🇺 Interview with a Chechen tortured in Russia on suspicion of homosexuality
“They beat me with pipes, tortured me with electric shocks and slammed my head against the floor. It seemed they were inflicting torture for sheer amusement.” After receiving asylum in Armenia, Salman Mukaev, a Chechen facing extradition to Russia, opened up to Vazhnyye Istorii about his ordeal, which started when Russian authorities accused him of being homosexual — and tortured him for it.
Read the full story: When The Police Torture Of A Straight Man Shows How Vile Anti-Gay Hatred Is In Russia
💬 When children step in to protect their mothers
A recent case of domestic abuse in Turin, Italy, saw a man sentenced to five-and-a-half years of prison for forcing his wife to sleep outside in the doghouse. The investigation started when one of the couple’s children, 11 at the time, reported the father. This is far from an isolated case of children stepping up against the domestic violence they witness. For Italian daily La Stampa, Monica Serra explains how controversial these cases can be within the family, and how similar situations are playing out internationally.
Read the full story: When Children Report Domestic Violence — And Their Mothers Deny Everything
🎉 ¡Fiesta time! Keeping up with Spain’s busy partying calendar
You may be familiar with the festival of San Fermín in Pamplona, but it is far from the only fiesta to be celebrated in Spain. This article in digital platform Ethic takes you through the southern European country’s full calendar of parties and revelries: starting with the San Sebastián festivities in January, through the many carnivals in February/March, followed by Holy Week — all the way to Christmas.
Read the full story: Spain, From One Fiesta To Another — And The Party Lasts All Year Long
⛷️ BRIGHT IDEA
French entrepreneur Lalée Pinoncély has developed a map app, called Skiif, that aims to be the “Waze of skiing.” It has successfully undergone testing in the Trois Vallées ski station in Savoie, France, and will be officially launched this Saturday in France’s major ski areas. The app utilizes open base maps, station information and user data to offer real-time navigation and information on queues, attendance, and accidents.
🎹📐 SMILE OF THE WEEK
As if playing the piano wasn’t hard enough, Swiss musician Alain Roche decided to take it up a notch, starting to play while hanging down from a crane, some 10 meters (32 feet) above the ground. His feat is part of an art exhibit titled “Piano Vertical.”
📹 THIS HAPPENED VIDEO — TODAY IN HISTORY, IN ONE ICONIC PHOTO
➡️ Watch the video: THIS HAPPENED
⏩ LOOKING AHEAD
• About 205 million people, half of them aged 17-40, will vote on Feb. 14 for the Indonesian presidential elections. Candidates include Prabowo Subianto, a 72-year-old former military general who is leading the polls, Anies Baswedan, a former academic and ex-governor of Jakarta, and Ganjar Pranowo, a democrat public servant campaigning as a man of the people.
• Today marks the start of Lunar New Year celebrated by billions around the world, kicking off the year of the Dragon. From lantern festivals to presents and traditional meals, the festivities aim to manifest good fortune and hope for the upcoming year and mark the end of winter.
• This year's Super Bowl will start on Sunday 11 with the defending champions Kansas City Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers. For the first time ever, the game is taking place in Las Vegas at the Allegiant Stadium. Many celebrities are scheduled to appear and U.S. singer Usher will perform at the halftime show.
👓 WORLDCRUNCH MAGAZINE
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News quiz answers:
1. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Hamas’s proposed deal. He characterized Hamas's demands as “delusional” and doubled down on Israel's commitment to continue military offensives in Gaza, insisting that “total victory” over Hamas was at hand.
2. Senegal’s leader Macky Sall’s decision to postpone the country’s presidential elections to December led parliament to convene to discuss what was labeled by critics as a coup. Violent street protests erupted in Dakar, denouncing Sall’s hold on power.
3. Sebastián Piñera, the successful businessman who served as president of Chile twice (from 2010-2014 and again from 2018-2022) died at age 74 in a helicopter crash in the south of the country.
4. American rappers Snoop Dogg and Master P have filed a lawsuit against Walmart and food manufacturer Post Consumer Brands, alleging intentional sabotage of their breakfast product, Snoop Cereal. Despite entering a partnership agreement, the lawsuit alleges Post did not honor their commitment, intentionally hindering Snoop Cereal's market reach in Walmart stores.
✍️ Newsletter by Worldcrunch
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*Photo: Camel Quest/Netflix