December 7-8
- Reclaiming the Russian flag
- IDF “Wrapped”
- Sewer robot
- … and much more.
⬇️ STARTER
Trump heads to Paris with Ukraine hoping for a Notre-Dame miracle
It was supposed to be a grand ceremony with royals and heads of state – it has become the most sought-after diplomatic event of the year. The reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris on Saturday has taken on a new dimension with the announcement of Donald Trump’s attendance, which has electrified diplomatic circles.
Trump is obviously not yet the president of the United States; he will have to wait until Jan. 20 for that. It will, in fact, be First Lady Jill Biden, who will represent her husband, who has just returned from Africa and no longer has any reason to endure another trip.
And above all, in fact, Trump is already more than just the president-elect, far more so than during previous presidential transitions. That is what makes his trip to Paris — the first abroad since his election a month ago — truly exceptional. His return to the White House is feared by many, hoped for by others. But everyone knows the world will be different after Jan. 20.
Since his election, he has had many phone calls and received a few rare foreign visitors. But in Paris, on the sidelines of the formal Notre-Dame ceremony, Trump will certainly have brief meetings with some of the around 50 heads of state and rulers present.
That starts with his host, French President Emmanuel Macron. Although the political crisis has weakened France’s voice, the diplomatic and social “coup” at Notre-Dame shows that French soft power still has strong influence.
Trump will feel how ambivalent the world is toward him, especially U.S. allies. They fear this unpredictable billionaire, surrounded by a perplexing inner circle; yet at the same time, all consider the United States as the indispensable power for their security and will make the necessary concessions to ensure that nothing changes.
In an anxiety-inducing world, it’s a lifeline. [...]
— Read the full article by Pierre Haski for France Inter, translated from French by Worldcrunch.
🎲 OUR WEEKLY NEWS QUIZ
What do you remember from the news this week?
1. Which world leader has pledged his “unconditional support” to President Bashar al-Assad as Syria faces insurgency?
2. What surprise measure did South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol announce before backtracking just hours later amid backlash?
3. Which African country elected its first female president, in an election marred by technical difficulties?
4. What was the most-read page on Wikipedia this year?
Deaths in 2024 / Kamala Harris / ChatGPT / Wikipedia’s homepage
[Answers at the bottom of this newsletter]
#️⃣ TRENDING
An Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) post spoofing Spotify’s yearly “Wrapped” sparked outrage online. Using the listening platform’s iconic "year-in-review" theme and visuals, the IDF shared a "playlist" about their 2024 military actions: Titled "Your Top Songs 2024," the mock playlist included entries like “Dead” for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and “Dead Pt. II” for Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, or referenced Charli XCX’s “365” hit to highlight a year of “protecting our civilians.” The trivialization of violence has shocked many, leading users and organizations to create their own versions of Wrapped to highlight Israeli crimes in Gaza and sharing grim statistics of Palestinian casualties and displacement.
🎭 5 CULTURE THINGS TO KNOW
• Iran releases rapper jailed for supporting 2022 protests. Toomaj Salehi was freed after completing a one-year sentence for speaking out against the Iranian regime and backing demonstrations triggered by Mahsa Amini’s death in September 2022. The hiphop artist faced a death sentence, which was issued by a Revolutionary Court but eventually overturned in June following international outcry.
• UK and Ireland hold first TikTok awards. The ceremony in west London celebrated 72 shortlisted content creators across 12 categories including fashion, travel, food and education. The winners included Miles Laflin, better known as The Pool Guy, who creates oddly satisfying pool cleaning videos, Maddi Neye-Swift, who snatched the award for food creator of the year for her pickling food video series, and Iain Ward, a 31-year-old diagnosed with terminal brain cancer who picked up the Voice for Change award.
• Ed Sheeran to make history with Bhutan’s first international concert. The British singer-songwriter will perform at Changlimithang Stadium in Bhutan’s capital of Thimphu on January 24, 2025 as part of his “+ – = × ÷ (Mathematics) Tour,” becoming the first-ever Western artist to hold a concert in the landlocked Buddhist monarchy. While tickets were priced as low as $10, as part of Sheeran’s commitment to making his music accessible to fans worldwide, international travelers will have to pay a $100-per-day fee as part of the country’s “high value, low impact” tourism model.
• First African woman appointed as curator of 2026 Venice Biennale. Swiss-Cameroonian Koyo Kouoh becomes only the second African-born curator to lead the world’s foremost contemporary art exhibition after Okwui Enwezor, who curated the 2015 Biennale. “It is a once-in-a-lifetime honor and privilege,” said Kouoh, who works as the executive director and chief curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary African Art (MOCAA) in Cape Town.
• Turner Prize goes to Scottish Sikh artist. Jasleen Kaur, 38, was awarded with one of the UK's most prestigious art prizes for Alter Altar, a multidisciplinary exhibition that evokes her upbringing as part of the Indian community in Glasgow. Kaur used her acceptance speech, at a ceremony in London’s Tate Britain gallery, to “echo the calls of the protestors outside,” referring to an open letter she signed that demands that Tate cut ties with donors who are linked to Israel over its war in Gaza.
🧁 SMILE OF THE WEEK
Now in its eighth year, the UK’s annual Gingerbread City exhibition has become one of London’s favorite Christmas attractions. Hosted by the Museum of Architecture, the design contest invites leading architects, engineers and designers to create “a fantastical world where imagination meets innovation, and gingerbread becomes the canvas for future-forward city planning.” This year’s theme is “Recycled City,” with all the sugary buildings designed in ways that show how recycling can be innovative and exciting — the sustainable icing on the gingerbread, if you will.
📰 IN OTHER NEWS
💥 Following the rebel offensive on Syria's government, many are wondering which side to support. But neither the Syrian regime nor the Turkish-backed terrorist groups will help end the civil war in Syria and restore the country's stability.
— AL-MANASSA
🇫🇷 France's “drama” comes after the government of Prime Minister Barnier collapsed. But even as Emmanuel Macron hopes for another distraction with the reopening of Notre-Dame, the president’s political future is looking increasingly impossible.
— LES ECHOS
🇷🇺 Many in the opposition to the Kremlin have renounced the “tricolor” flag. Yet the white-blue-red flag is a symbol of a free Russia, not of war.
— HOLOD
🎙️ Joe Rogan is considered America's king of podcasters and the voice of hyper-masculinity in the U.S. But what's behind this world of hyper-masculine podcast bros? Berlin-based author Norman Ohler writes about his experience as a guest on Rogan's show.
— DIE ZEIT
💼 More countries recently have passed laws that allow for a four-day workweek to employees seeking greater work-life balance. And what began as a few pilot projects is slowly turning into a new reality around the world.
— WORLDCRUNCH
🤖🚽 BRIGHT IDEA
Meet Amphibot, an amphibious robot introduced by the REISAR project under the France 2030 umbrella for the inspection of 380,000 kilometers of sanitation pipes both on land and in water. REISAR (French acronym for Advanced Robotic System for the Inspection of Sanitation Networks and Water Preservation) aims to detect leaks, prevent contamination and save water resources. Funded by the French National Research Agency, Amphibot uses screw-like tracks to navigate pipes and will be developed over two years, focusing on integrating robotics, sensors, and AI for future operational deployment.
👓 WORLDCRUNCH MAGAZINE
Our weekly digital magazine is live — Check it out: full access for subscribers!
⏩ LOOKING AHEAD
• South Korea’s National Assembly is set to vote at 7:00 p.m. (Seoul time) on Saturday, on whether President Yoon should be impeached — a procedure started after he tried to impose martial law on Tuesday.
• Ghana’s nearly 18.8 million registered voters will take part in the West African nation's general election on Saturday to elect the president and members of parliament. Amid economic woes and rising tensions, polls favor opposition leader and former President John Mahama.
• Paris’s Notre-Dame Cathedral is reopening this weekend after more than five years of reconstruction following the devastating 2019 fire. Invite-only ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday will include religious rituals, performances and speeches by key figures. About 50 world leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, are expected to attend amid high security.
• Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” concludes on Sunday in Vancouver, Canada, after shattering records, grossing an astounding $2 billion.
News quiz answers:
1. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin pledged “unconditional support” to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, as insurgents led by Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and Turkey-backed opposition fighters made surprise advances near Hama, Syria.
2. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared martial law, triggering a political crisis in Seoul. Lawmakers scaled fences to enter the blocked parliament building to convene an emergency session — resulting in a unanimous vote against the degree. By Wednesday morning, Yoon had lifted the impromptu measure and now faces calls for impeachment in South Korea.
3. After an election marred by technical challenges and ballot paper shortages, vice-president and governing party candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of the ruling SWAPO party will become Namibia’s first female president. Nandi-Ndaitwah led both the presidential and parliamentary races with more than 57% of the vote.
4. Gathering more than 44 million views in 2024, the most-visited Wikipedia page this year was Deaths in 2024. People also searched for politicians Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, Netflix famous murderers Lyle and Erik Menendez, British singer Liam Payne (who fell to his death in October) and the 2024 Indian general election.
✍️ Newsletter by Worldcrunch
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*Photo: International Art Centre