Research: New Scientist Magazine – Feb 24, 2024
Politics: How Poland Is Changing Itself & Europe
The Globalist (February 22, 2024): Broadcast live from the Polish capital to assess the state of the fast-changing nation. We discuss the role that Poland has played in the diplomatic arena, take a look at Warsaw’s green ambitions with architect Marlena Happach and talk about the future of the media industry with voices from Polityka Insight and ‘Gazeta Wyborcza’.
Plus: Polish hospitality with Puro hotel.
The New York Times — Thursday, Feb 22, 2024
Biden Mulling Plan That Could Restrict Asylum Claims at the Border
The action under consideration could prevent people from making asylum claims during border crossing surges. The White House says it is far from a decision on the matter.
Arizona Refuses to Send Murder Suspect to New York Over Bragg’s Policies
The Maricopa County attorney in Arizona said she would fight to keep a man who authorities believe bludgeoned a woman to death in a New York City hotel.
In Latin America, Guards Don’t Control Prisons, Gangs Do
Intended to fight crime, Latin American prisons have instead become safe havens and recruitment centers for gangs, fueling a surge in violence.
Where Hostage Families and Supporters Gather, for Solace and Protest
A plaza in Tel Aviv has become a home away from home. “If I don’t know what to do, I come here,” one relative said.
Research Preview: Nature Magazine – Feb 22, 2024
Great ‘Stone Age’ wall discovered in Baltic Sea
Megastructure stretching nearly 1 kilometre long is probably one of the oldest known hunting aids on Earth.
The immune markers that predict who can keep SARS-CoV-2 in check
People infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 cleared the virus more quickly if they had high levels of certain immune cells.
Introducing meat–rice: grain with added muscles beefs up protein
The laboratory-grown food uses rice as a scaffold for cultured meat.
Health: Ultra-Processed Foods (UPF) Explained
An evaluation of global dietary guidelines highlights the need for clearer warnings on what common foods fall under the ‘UPF’ banner. Some of them may surprise you. Today, Decomplicated examines what exactly defines ultra-processed foods, the impact they have on both society and the environment, and what can you do to minimize your consumption of them.
Previews: Country Life Magazine – Feb 21, 2024
Country Life Magazine – February 21, 2024: The ‘The Fine Arts Issue’ – Artists who say it with flowers and the AI debate; Wig law, daffodils and how does your hedgerow grow?….
Artificial art
With the technology powering artificial intelligence advancing so rapidly, what can artists do to protect their original work?
Blooming marvellous
Michael Prodger examines how flowers have inspired artists for centuries, from the ancient Egyptians up to the present day
On a wig and a prayer
The periwigs that were a 17th-century status symbol are still a mainstay of our legal system, as Agnes Stamp discovers
Hedge of eternity
They have long been used to contain cattle or define boundaries, but hedges can be beautiful, too, argues Charles Quest-Ritson
Trumpet majors
Alan Titchmarsh takes a wander with Wordsworth as he dreams of spring daffodils ‘fluttering and dancing in the breeze’
Norman Foster’s favourite painting
The architect falls under the spell of a gritty, but humorous work
All in a day’s work
Jamie Blackett is ready to man the barricades to scupper plans for an unwanted national park
Brothers in art
John Goodall applauds the restoration of Leighton House in London, which formed the hub of a 19th-century celebrity circle
Man of the world
Mary Miers follows the globe-trotting Sir John Lavery from Ireland to Africa and beyond
Follow your art
An inspiring oil painting was at the centre of a heist with a happy ending, reveals Carla Passino
Where be dragons?
A protective force in China and Wales, but a symbol of greed and evil in England: Lucien de Guise delves into dragon lore
The good stuff
Hetty Lintell celebrates the best of the Art Deco era with earrings old and new, but always modern
Is this London’s most exquisite hotel room?
The astonishing King’s Lodge suite at The Connaught is fit for a monarch, finds Rosie Paterson
Interiors
Amelia Thorpe shares the very best of London Design Week
A seed of an idea
Tilly Ware meets the wild-seed pioneer ‘nurturing the future’
A tower of thorns
Ben Lerwill finds the salt of the earth on the coast of Scotland
Kitchen garden cook
Melanie Johnson on rhubarb
Love and marriage
A real-life couple are in harmony on stage, finds Michael Billington
Arts/Books: Times Literary Supplement – Feb 23, 2024
Times Literary Supplement (February 21, 2024): The latest issue features ‘The Unknown Leader’ – Fintan O’Toole looks for clues in a biography of Keir Starmer; Zelensky on the ropes; Ukraine’s rock star poet; Habermas and social media and The novel of the Year?….
News: G20 Meeting In Brazil, Burkina Faso-Mali-Niger Create New Alliance
The Globalist (February 21, 2024): G20 foreign ministers gather in Rio de Janeiro as a diplomatic spat engulfs Brazil and Israel. Then: Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger juntas confirm their commitment to form a new tri-state confederation, the Philippines conducts joint air patrols with the US and we hear from Portugal’s foreign minister, João Cravinho on Ukraine and Israel.
Plus: the commercial airport set to open on Italy’s Amalfi Coast this summer.
The New York Times — Wednesday, Feb 21, 2024
U.S. Vetoes Security Council Cease-Fire Resolution
The United States said the resolution could have disrupted its negotiations to free hostages and secure a temporary cease-fire, but its vote drew outcry from many diplomats and aid workers.
Supreme Court Won’t Hear New Case on Race and School Admissions
The decision, along with an order this month declining to block West Point’s admissions program, suggests that most justices are not eager to immediately explore the limits of its ruling from June.
Strongmen Find New Ways to Abuse Interpol, Despite Years of Fixes
The international police organization has toughened oversight of its protocols, which autocrats have used to pursue dissidents. But the autocrats have adapted.
Wife, Protector and Now Political Heir: Yulia Navalnaya Rallies Russians
The wife of Russia’s most famous opposition leader long shunned the spotlight, but his death in prison may make that impossible. “I have no right to give up,” she said.
Culture/Politics: Harper’s Magazine – March 2024
The Pentagon’s Silicon Valley Problem
How Big Tech is losing the wars of the future
“Artificial intelligence may indeed affect the way our military operates. But the notion that bright-eyed visionaries from the tech industry are revolutionizing our military machine promotes a myth that this relationship is not only new, but will fundamentally improve our defense system—one notorious for its insatiable appetite for money, poorly performing weapons, and lost wars. In reality, the change flows in the other direction, as new recruits enter the warm embrace of the imperishable military-industrial complex, eager to learn its ways.”
The Case Against Children
Among the antinatalists
“People would rather be enthusiastic collaborators in a global project than be skeptics of its fundamental integrity. Antinatalism implies or counts on our eventual extinction, and thinking this way is painful.”
Boomers Daily 