Trump. Indian food. Matthew Perry. And books, books, books. Excerpts from letters obtained by The Times show Mr. Navalny’s active mind, even amid brutal prison conditions.
NOWNESS (February 19, 2024): A historically niche sport, predominantly known in an Olympic context, ski jumping has gone through waves of popularity in the U.S.
Yet, while huge grassroots communities foster the development of a new generation of young ski jumpers, the sport is at a critical point in its lifecycle – with no college programs, limited spots at international level, and a recent reduction in Olympics categories
The New Yorker (February 19, 2024): The new issue‘s cover featuresMarcellus Hall’s “Winter Wonders” – The artist depicts an array of invigorating, comforting, and delightful cold-weather activities.
Representative Matt Gaetz arrived at the White House in the last days of 2020, amid a gathering national crisis. President Donald Trump had lost his bid for reëlection the previous month, and his allies were exploring strategies to keep him in office. Though only thirty-eight years old, Gaetz, the scion of a political family in Florida’s Panhandle, had become one of the Republican Party’s most prominent and divisive figures. His dark hair styled in a kind of bouffant, his lips often curled in a wry smile, Gaetz bore a resemblance to Elvis Presley, or, in the description of a Florida friend, “either Beavis or Butt-head.” He was quick-witted and sometimes very funny, and he loved to taunt his enemies, who were numerous, especially in his own party. “He’s the most unpopular member of Congress, with the possible exception of Marjorie Taylor Greene, and he doesn’t care,” a fellow-congressman told me.
The Globalist (February 19, 2024): We discuss the latest from the Japan-Ukraine Conference for Promotion of Economic Growth and Reconstruction, and Andrew Mueller sits down with Greece’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, at the Munich Security Conference as it becomes the first Orthodox-Christian nation to legalise same-sex marriage. Plus: TV highlights with critic and broadcaster Scott Bryan.
Toward the end of Russia’s long assault, hundreds of civilians still remained in Avdiivka. Those who escaped in the last weeks spoke of relentless devastation.
DW Travel (February 18, 2024): Madrid is one of the most visited cities in Europe and a popular travel destination for the LGBTQAI+-Community. The Spanish capital also boasts spectacular architecture, delicious cuisine and a relaxed, inclusive atmosphere.
Video timeline:00:00 Intro 00:32 Churros 00:53 The Royal Palace of Madrid 02:22 Plaza Mayor 03:12 Retiro Park with Palacio de Cristal 04:20 Chueca district, Madrid’s queer neighborhood 04:44 Meeting @enriquealex06:46 San Anton food market
Diana Piñeros shows you how to get the very best out of a day in Madrid: from the Royal Palace and the Plaza Mayor, to the queer-friendly Chueca neighborhood.
A huge penalty for deceiving lenders about the value of his properties and his own net worth, if upheld, leaves Donald J. Trump in a perilous financial position.
THE NEW YORK TIMES MAGAZINE (February 17, 2024): The new issue features ‘Actors in the Wild’ – The best performers of the year, when they’re not on film….
The best performers of the year — when they’re not on film.
James Nachtwey, an eminent photojournalist known for his intimate depictions of the front lines in places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Ukraine, had never photographed a movie star before. So for this year’s Great Performers issue, we asked him to capture a dozen of the world’s best actors away from the red carpets and awards ceremonies that often define how we see them. “My work has focused almost exclusively on conflicts and critical social issues, the polar opposite of what might be thought of as celebrity photography,” Nachtwey says. But he was intrigued by the challenge: “Art takes talent, but it’s also hard work, and exploring what actors practice in their daily lives to strengthen their art would be fascinating.”
Tubi Is Reviving a Lost Joy: Watching Really, Really Bad Movies
Their films have gone viral for their awful production values. But their success says fascinating things about what comes after prestige TV.
By Niela Orr
There’s a 2008 movie that offers an odd preview of today’s entertainment. In Michel Gondry’s “Be Kind Rewind,” a bizarre accident demagnetizes the entire inventory of a video rental store, so a clerk and his eccentric friend decide to remake all the films themselves, from “The Lion King” to “Driving Miss Daisy” to “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Their versions are 20 minutes long (at most), shot on an old hand-held video camera and produced in a delightfully quirky, ad hoc way: handcrafted props and sets, buddies working as extras, costumes from the local dry cleaner.
Monocle on Saturday, February 17, 2024: Isabel Hilton, international journalist and founder of China Dialogue, joins Georgina Godwin for a round-up of the week’s news and culture.
This week, we look back at the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, the UK by-elections and fake Chinese accounts on Elon Musk’s X. Plus: Professor Suzannah Liscomb, award-winning author and broadcaster, joins Georgina Godwin to talk about the first-ever Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.
The ruling in Donald J. Trump’s civil fraud case could cost him all his available cash. The judge said that the former president’s “complete lack of contrition” bordered on pathological.
The president visited the Ohio town over a year after a devastating train derailment. He faced a divided community anxious over the long-term health consequences of an environmental disaster.
Trump Privately Expresses Support for a 16-Week Abortion Ban
In supporting a 16-week ban with exceptions, Donald Trump appears to be trying to satisfy social conservatives who want to further restrict abortion access and voters who want more modest limits.
News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious
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