👋 Moni moni onse!*
Welcome to Wednesday, where the UN warns of “tragedy beyond words” should Israel proceed with its Rafah offensive, violent clashes rock pro-Palestinian encampments at UCLA just hours after police cleared a similar protest in New York, and ancient scrolls may reveal the final hours of Greek philosopher Plato. Meanwhile, Aristóteles Moreno in Spanish-language magazine La Marea writes in praise of Morocco’s resilient clay homes, a tradition at risk of disappearing as mud-bricklaying techniques are gradually replaced and forgotten.
[*Chewa, Malawi and Zambia]
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🗞️ FRONT PAGE
Rome-based daily La Repubblica asks for “more work, more rights”, as the world celebrates International Workers' Day. In his editorial, Maurizio Molinari calls on European political forces to double down on initiatives for professional training and social protection to address the inequality challenges triggered by work, in Italy and beyond.
🌎 7 THINGS TO KNOW RIGHT NOW
• As attacks on Gaza continue and ceasefire talks intensify, UN’s humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths warns that an Israeli offensive on Rafah would be a "tragedy beyond words.” His comments come as overnight attacks on Rafah have killed at least two children, while fresh airstrikes on a residential area in Gaza City reportedly leave several dead. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken — on a visit to Tel Aviv to push Hamas to agree to a truce — says there should be “no delays, no excuses” in reaching a ceasefire deal. Read more about it here: Another Ceasefire Rejected? Why Gaza War Is Good For Netanyahu — And Hamas.
• Police arrest dozens of protesters at U.S. campus after pro-Palestinian demonstrations turn violent. Clashes erupted between pro-Palestinian groups and Israel supporters at the University of California, Los Angeles, just hours after police moved in and arrested more than 100 protesters at New York’s Columbia University and City College.
• At least 19 people have died as a highway collapsed in southern China's Guangdong province. Dozens were also injured in the collapse, which trapped people in 18 vehicles. Its cause is yet to be determined, but the region has experienced severe weather in recent weeks, including heavy rain, flooding, and a deadly tornado.
• The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is set to reclassify marijuana as a lower-risk drug. Hailed as a historic shift, the move from Schedule 1 (the most dangerous category, where heroin, ecstasy and LSD sit), to Schedule 3, would shift federal policy in line with many states. The proposal must now be reviewed by the White House Office of Management and Budget, and then undergo a public-comment period and review from an administrative judge, a potentially lengthy process. Read more about The United States Of Marijuana - America's "Green Rush" On Pot.
• Indonesia's Ruang volcano erupts (again), prompting the evacuation of more than 12,000 people. The eruption, the fourth of its kind within a month, involved projections reaching up to five kilometers, led authorities to raise the alert status and issue potential tsunami warnings. All residents of Ruang island and Tagulandang island were relocated to safer areas.
• Bestselling U.S. novelist Paul Auster has died of lung cancer at age 77. A major figure among postmodern American writers, Auster wrote more than 20 novels, including City of Glass, Leviathan and The New York Trilogy.
• Ancient scrolls may tell us the story of Plato’s final hours and reveal his resting place. Italian researchers think they have uncovered the burial place of the Greek philosopher and shed light on his death. Deciphered from charred Herculaneum papyrus scrolls, the text suggests Plato was buried near a sacred shrine in the Platonic Academy of Athens. It also reveals that despite previous beliefs, Plato was not fond of the music played at his deathbed, finding it lacking in rhythm.
📣 VERBATIM
"Smash their faces in, show them that you are a true Belarusian."
— Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko had a very personal way of encouraging Belarusian athletes who had qualified to compete under neutral status at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Belarus, a close Russia ally, is banned from participating in the Games due to its support of Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
📰 STORY OF THE DAY
How Morocco's traditional clay homes resist earthquakes, climate change
When a violent earthquake rocked the High Atlas in 2023, traditional earthen buildings resisted the seismic shocks better than other more modern ones. Yet despite its resilience and sustainability, this valuable cultural heritage is the victim of misperceptions and risks abandonment, reports Aristóteles Moreno in Spanish-language magazine La Marea.
🇲🇦 The first estimates put the death toll of the earthquake at almost 3,000 and 50,000 houses partially or completely destroyed. According to Faissal Cherradi, an architect at the Moroccan Ministry of Culture, 10,000 families may have been left without housing in the areas affected by the earthquake, mainly in the High Atlas. The reconstruction of all these homes is an arduous task for the Moroccan government, precisely because of their vast dispersion.
🛖 The architect is convinced that adobe and rammed earth have resisted seismic shocks better than other more modern buildings."I can assure you that earthen architecture absorbs earthquakes much better than reinforced concrete architecture." Why? Among other things, because the concrete that is manufactured in that area is low quality, usually poorly made and buildings have terrible foundations.
⚒️ The High Atlas is a territory secularly isolated, where building your own house is frequent. Traditional crafts have been slowly abandoned and specialized bricklayers are becoming increasingly scarce. Thus, in many homes, ancient and contemporary techniques are mixed with little skill but with dramatic consequences.
➡️ Read more on Worldcrunch.com
📹 THIS HAPPENED VIDEO — TODAY IN HISTORY, IN ONE ICONIC PHOTO
➡️ Watch the video: THIS HAPPENED
💬 LEXICON
保守国家秘密
China has implemented changes to its state secrets law, called 保守国家秘密 (Bǎoshǒu guójiā mìmì, Guarding State Secrets), expanding its scope to include "work secrets" and requiring internet companies to cooperate in investigations. Foreign firms have voiced their concern about potential compliance challenges, especially regarding vague definitions of what constitutes "work secrets." Taiwan has cautioned its citizens against traveling to China due to the increased risk posed by the new law, criticizing Beijing for its constant tightening of regulations on overseas visitors.
👉 MORE FROM WORLDCRUNCH
• An Iranian Rapper's Death Sentence And The "Selective Solidarity" Of Our Times — FRANCE INTER
• Red Cow Prophecy: Why Jewish Extremists Are Zeroing In On Jerusalem's Holiest Mosque — DARAJ
• Why No Local Criticism Can Stop Airbnb's Rise To Worldwide Travel Domination — LES ECHOS
✍️ Newsletter by Bertrand Hauger and Cory Agathe
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