Front Page: The New York Times – December 30, 2022

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Russian Missile Barrage Staggers Ukraine’s Air Defenses

Cruise missiles and exploding drones from Iran swept across the skies of Ukraine, wreaking havoc and once again knocking out power.

How Bad Is China’s Covid Outbreak? It’s a Scientific Guessing Game.

In the absence of credible information from the Chinese government, researchers around the world are looking for any clues to determine the size and severity of the surge.

Israel’s Hard-Line Government Takes Office, Testing Bonds With Allies

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition will likely test ties with the United States and Europe, amid fears that it will undermine the country’s democracy and stability.

Pelé, the Global Face of Soccer, Dies at 82

Pelé, who was declared a national treasure in his native Brazil, achieved worldwide celebrity and helped popularize the sport in the United States.

Books: New York Review Of Books – Jan 19, 2023

January 19, 2023 issue cover

The New York Review of Books – January 19, 2023 issue:

Alphabet Politics

What prompted the development of systems of writing?

The Greatest Invention: A History of the World in Nine Mysterious Scripts by Silvia Ferrara, translated from the Italian by Todd Portnowitz

Inventing the Alphabet: The Origins of Letters from Antiquity to the Present by Johanna Drucker


The Instrumentalist

At the heart of Todd Field’s new film is a conductor who cannot see beyond her generation’s field of vision.

Tár a film written and directed by Todd Field


Dress Rehearsal

Trump’s attempt almost two years ago to undermine the 2020 election reads today like a blueprint drawn for a future autocrat.

Feinting Spells

The thesis of an exhibition on the inspiration a subset of Cubism took from trompe l’oeil is convincingly built with objects made across four centuries.

Cubism and the Trompe l’Oeil Tradition – an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, October 20, 2022–January 22, 2023


Ukraine’s Volunteers

Even more impressive than Ukraine’s will to fight is the vast network of citizens who are supporting the armed forces and helping those in need of food and supplies.


Previews: New Scientist Magazine – Dec 31, 2022

ISSUE 3419 | MAGAZINE COVER DATE: 28 December 2022 | New Scientist

New Scientist Magazine – December 31, 2022:

Largest ever animal may have been Triassic ichthyosaur super-predator

New fossil discoveries show predatory marine reptiles from 200 million years ago may have been bigger than today’s blue whales – and that they evolved astonishingly rapidly

In 2023, we have many opportunities to build a better future

The coming year will be a turning point for the Amazon rainforest, artificial intelligence and even our diets. Let’s choose a more hopeful direction for humanity

Achieving nuclear fusion would be building on the shoulders of giants

It took generations of work by engineers and scientists to reach this month’s nuclear fusion milestone, but there are big challenges ahead

Front Page: The New York Times – December 29, 2022

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U.S. Scrambles to Stop Iran From Providing Drones for Russia

As the war in Ukraine grinds on, some officials have become convinced that Iran and Russia are building a new alliance of convenience.

Hard-Line Positions by Russia and Ukraine Dim Hope for Peace Talks

Both Moscow and Kyiv say they are ready to talk, but their terms for sitting down at a negotiating table suggest otherwise.

How a Windfall of Special Education Funding Benefited Hasidic Schools

New York has paid companies millions of dollars to help children with disabilities in religious schools. But the services are not always needed or even provided.

China’s Easing of Travel Rules Met With Joy, and Some Anxiety

Many welcomed Beijing’s plan to loosen quarantine rules for travelers, but concerns linger about the country’s Covid wave.

Photography: National Geographic – January 2023

Picture of an older man skydiving surrounded by a yellow border and the words "Living longer–and better. How science could change the way we age."
At 69, skydiving instructor Arnold Camfferman stays active, one of the keys to longevity. As the world grows older, research into the field is soaring.

National Geographic Magazine – January 2023 issue:

• ​Can aging be cured? Scientists are giving it a try.
• A detailed look at how we age—at the cellular level
• We rallied to save manatees once. Can we do it again?
• How manatees eat 100 pounds of food a day
• This ancient Himalayan kingdom has been isolated from the world—until now
• Inside a 15th-century kingdom’s treasure-filled temple
• Bolivian skateboarders use Indigenous attire to battle discrimination

Venezuela Rainforests: A 2022 Trek To Angel Falls

DW Travel (December 28, 2022) – Hidden deep in the rainforest and reachable only by plane and boat: The Salto Àngel waterfall, or ‘Angel Falls’ in English. It’s the world’s highest, uninterrupted waterfall, and locals say its waters have healing properties. Join DW’s @joeldullroy on an adventurous journey of discovery in Venezuela’s Canaima National Park!

Global Review: Five Top Stories To Watch In 2023

The Economist – From India becoming the world’s most populous country, to an illegal drug that might be approved as a medicine, The Economist offers its annual look at the year ahead.

Video timeline: 00:00 – The World Ahead 2023 00:35 – India’s population potential 04:30 – Psychedelic medicines 08:06 – Japan’s markets mayhem? 12:45 – Repairing the world 15:50 – The coronation’s colonial concerns

Front Page: The New York Times – December 28, 2022

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‘Tragic Battle’: On the Front Lines of China’s Covid Crisis

Medical staff are outnumbered and working sick as the nation’s health care system buckles under the strain of a spiraling crisis.

Southwest’s Debacle, Which Stranded Thousands, to Be Felt for Days

Bad winter weather led the company to cancel more than 60 percent of its flights for Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving many travelers frustrated.

‘It Was Just a Crying Day’: Families Mourn Those Killed in the Storm

Western New York is still digging out from a punishing holiday blizzard

Mickey’s Copyright Adventure: Early Disney Creation Will Soon Be Public Property

The version of the iconic character from “Steamboat Willie” will enter the public domain in 2024. But those trying to take advantage could end up in a legal mousetrap.

Alaska Views: ‘Salmon Reflection’ (BBC Earth)

BBC Earth – A unique relationship is changing in Alaska. In her film ‘Salmon Reflection’ Norwegian and Unangax̂ filmmaker Anna Hoover explores the effects of a changing world on the communities of Bristol Bay, one of the last surviving wild salmon ecosystems.