The Globalist (April 30, 2024): Egypt and Qatar flex their mediator muscles as a Hamas delegation arrives in Cairo for ceasefire talks, Greece pledges €2bn to build its own ‘Iron Dome’, Germany’s far-right is on trial and we hear about the continuation of Ukraine’s global relief programme despite the ongoing war.
Plus: newspapers, aviation news and Madonnamania takes over Brazil.
International development agencies have been meeting with Middle East business interests and urban planners to map out an economic future for the territory.
Hope Rises for New Talks on Gaza Cease-fire as Israel Scales Back Demands
Israel reduced the initial number of hostages it wants released to 33. If Hamas agrees to attend, negotiations on a cease-fire could resume in Cairo this week.
MIT Technology Review (April 29, 2024): The new issue features ‘The Robots Are Coming’ – And they’re here to help; A brief, weird history of brainwashing; Office space in space; AI comes for bodycams…
The Build issue
Who says we can’t still build things? In this issue: a look at the robots we’ve always wanted; a new model for space exploration; and efforts to flood-proof Louisiana’s coastline. Plus a wild, weird history of brainwashing; designing cheese with AI; and glow-in-the dark petunias.
Apollo Magazine (April 29, 2024): The new May 2024 issue features ‘How national is the National Gallery?’; Alvaro Barrington’s winning hand; Fossil-fuelled: art and the oil industry…
The New Yorker (April 29, 2024): The new issue‘s cover featuresFaith Ringgold’s “Sonny’s Bridge, 1986” – The late artist’s work recalls her pioneering spirit through vivid, inventive designs.
Also: Kamasi Washington, “The Outsiders” reviewed, Bang on a Can’s Long Play Festival, and more.
The Return, Again, of the Power Lunch
Four Twenty Five, a luxe new dining room from the mega-restaurateur Jean-Georges Vongerichten, takes square aim at the expense-account crowd.
Donald Trump’s Sleepy, Sleazy Criminal Trial
The most striking aspect of the former President’s hush-money trial so far has been that, for the first time in a decade, Trump is struggling to command attention.
The Globalist (April 29, 2024): Hannah McCarthy joins us to discuss the latest from Gaza. Also in the programme: Tara O’Connor explores the IDA for Africa Heads of State Summit in Nairobi, where leaders are meeting to discuss the continent’s financing and security.
Also in the programme: we speak to Sebastian Conran, designer in residence at Habitat, as the company celebrates its 60th anniversary. Plus: a flick through the day’s papers.
As they return with physical and psychological wounds stemming from torture by their Russian captors, soldiers are being sent back to active duty — often without adequate treatment.
The former president has spent decades spewing thousands and thousands of words, sometimes contradicting himself. That tendency is now working against him in his Manhattan criminal case.
Israeli Officials Believe I.C.C. Is Preparing Arrest Warrants Over War
The officials said they believed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israelis could be charged, and that the court was also considering warrants for Hamas leaders.
The Local Project (April 26, 2024): Nestled on the beach in one of Australia’s most serene coastal enclaves, Border Street is an expensive home and eloquent response to the pristine Byron Bay environment where it resides. Artfully conceived by Workroom, the residence shuts out the rest of the world in its contemplation of place, form and materials.
Video timeline:00:00 – Introduction to Byron Bay’s Most Expensive Home 01:00 – A Unique Location 01:35 – A Walkthrough of the Home 02:23 – Framing the Surrounding Landscape 03:01 – The Opportunities and Constraints of the Site 04:16 – The Material Palette 05:22 – Workroom’s Design Approach
“I like the sense of calm that you feel when you walk into the house; it’s not busy, it’s not loud, it’s not contrived either – it’s very relaxed,” says John Bornas, architect and creative director at Workroom. Perched on a dune hugging a rainforest that falls straight onto Belongil Beach in Byron Bay, the expensive home taps into Byron Bay’s breezy state of slumber without neglecting a sense of refinement. From the street, the house is concealed by a series of screens. “The idea was to try and create a sense of wonder; you don’t really know what’s going on behind that screen,” notes John.
Walking through the front gate, there is a substantial walk to the front door, allowing one to really experience the landscape the home is set in, rather than “just simply walking through a front door,” says John. One then enters the main living and dining areas, which are bounded by the pavilions that open up to the dune and the rainforest. As with many expensive homes, designing it was not without challenges.
The Globalist (April 26, 2024): Monocle’s Hannah Lucinda Smith on Mark Rutte’s visit to Istanbul to meet Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he seeks to woo support to become the next Nato chief.
Also in the programme: Ed Stocker sits down with Lufthansa CEO Jens Ritter as the airline prepares to launch its new premium cabins known as Allegris. Plus: we discuss why the Indian city of Bengaluru is offering incentives for those who head to the polls and the latest news in film.