February 5, 2023: Live from London – Emma Nelson, David Bodanis, Tessa Szyszkowitz and Monocle’s Bangkok correspondent, Gwen Robinson, unpack the weekend’s hottest topics. Plus: a check-in with our editorial director, Tyler Brûlé, in Tokyo.
Tag Archives: News
Front Page: The New York Times – February 5, 2023
Downing of Chinese Spy Balloon Ends Chapter in a Diplomatic Crisis
The balloon, spotted earlier this week over the western United States, was brought down when an F-22 fighter jet fired an air-to-air missile at it off the coast of South Carolina.
Muscle Cars, Balaclavas and Fists: How the Scorpions Rolled Through Memphis
Residents say the street crime unit was an intimidating and sometimes violent presence in the city. Five Scorpion officers are charged with murdering Tyre Nichols during an arrest.
In West Bank, Settlers Sense Their Moment After Far Right’s Rise
After a surge in violence, there are fears of a wider escalation in the occupied West Bank. Israeli settlers see an opportunity, and Palestinians fear what’s next.
Democrats Overhaul Party’s Primary Calendar, Upending a Political Tradition
The proposal radically reshapes the way the party picks its presidential nominees, putting more racially diverse states at the front of the line.
Front Page: The New York Times – February 4, 2023
Furor Over Chinese Spy Balloon Leads to a Diplomatic Crisis
The Pentagon called the object, which has flown from Montana to Kansas, an “intelligence-gathering” balloon. Beijing said it was used mainly for weather research and had strayed off course.
U.S. Hiring Surges With January Gain of 517,000 Jobs
The report defied expectations and underscored the challenges for the Federal Reserve, which is trying to cool the labor market to fight inflation.
‘We Are in Trauma’: Memphis Reels From the Latest of Many Blows
Tyre Nichols’s fatal beating took its place on a roster of traumatic events that have helped shape the story of Memphis as much as its world-famous musical innovations.
At Czech Spa Town, ‘Russia for Us Is the Past, and It Was Not Pleasant’
Since the 18th century, Russians have flocked to the healing waters of Karlovy Vary. Now, the Czech government has barred them from visiting the country, and the town must reinvent itself.
Reviews: ‘The Week In Art’
February 3, 2023: As we approach the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, The Art Newspaper has published an investigation that raises serious concerns that works of art taken by Russian troops from a museum in Kherson, Ukraine, in November 2022 may not be repatriated once the fighting ends.
Our London correspondent Martin Bailey tells us about his story. Plus, the Sharjah Biennial opens next week, and is the final biennial curated by Okwui Enwezor, who died in 2019, but set the blueprint for the show, entitled Thinking Historically in the Present. We talk to Nadine Khalil about the biennial and Sharjah’s place in the Middle Eastern art ecosystem.
And this episode’s Work of the Week is Invisible Man, Somewhere, Everywhere (1991) by the American photographer Ming Smith, a key piece in a new exhibition of Smith’s work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Oluremi Onabanjo, the curator of the show, tells us about the work.The Sharjah Biennial runs from 7 February to 11 June.Projects: Ming Smith, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 4 February-29 May. Ming Smith: Invisible Man, Somewhere, Everywhere, by Oluremi C. Onabanjo, Museum of Modern Art, New York, 48pp, $14.95/£17 (pb)
News: EU-Ukraine Summit, ‘Hello Hong Kong’, Chad Opens Embassy In Israel
February 3, 2023: The presidents of the European Commission and European Council, Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel, meet with President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
Plus: the new “Hello Hong Kong” campaign, Chad’s new embassy in Israel and Andrew Mueller’s irreverent round-up of the week’s news.
Front Page: The New York Times – February 3, 2023
Biden Aims to Deter China With Greater U.S. Military Presence in Philippines
U.S. officials say they are preparing to surge forces in the event of conflict with China, including over Taiwan, but do not intend to build up permanent bases.
As Russia Strikes Ukrainian Civilians, Putin Tells His People the War Is Just
Invoking World War II on the 80th anniversary of victory at Stalingrad, Mr. Putin repeated his false justifications for an invasion that has taken a staggering toll.
Nebraskans Are Sitting on Strategic Metals. Is Mining a Patriotic Duty?
One county has a wealth of minerals essential to defense and the green economy. Mining would transform the community, yet many say they feel a patriotic obligation to dig.
In Congo, a Pope and a Nation Revitalize Each Other
Francis has been slowed by age. But his enthusiastic welcome in Africa has proved a shot in the arm and provided a reminder of the papacy’s global reach.
News: EU-Ukraine Summit, Russian Diamonds, Vienna
February 2, 2023: A look ahead to the EU-Ukraine summit. Plus: Belgium’s crackdown on Russian diamonds, the return of the ball season in Vienna, a flick through today’s papers and the latest from Copenhagen Fashion Week.
Front Page: The New York Times – February 2, 2023
The Fed Raises Rates a Quarter Point and Signals More Ahead
America’s central bank has shifted into a new phase, raising rates more slowly as inflation shows signs of moderating.
Ukraine Fears New Offensive Is Underway as Russia Masses Troops
Russia is massing hundreds of thousands of troops and stepping up its bombardment, perhaps signaling the biggest assault since the start of the war. “I think it has started,” Ukraine’s leader says.
Memphis Gathers in Grief at Tyre Nichols’s Funeral
His death after he was beaten by the police inspired anger and sorrow across the country. His family remembers him as a “beautiful soul.”
The College Board Strips Down Its A.P. Curriculum for African American Studies
The official course looks different from a previous draft: No more critical race theory, and the study of contemporary topics — like Black Lives Matter — is optional.
News: Finland-Sweden NATO Debate, Nagorno-Karabakh, An Aging Italy
Finland’s Nato dilemma: will the country go it alone without Sweden? Plus: the blockade of the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, Italy’s ‘silver tsunami’ and what does the 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index reveal about the state of the world?
Front Page: The New York Times – February 1, 2023
Russia Sidesteps Western Punishments, With Help From Friends
A surge in trade by Russia’s neighbors and allies hints at one reason its economy remains so resilient after sweeping sanctions.
DeSantis Takes On the Education Establishment, and Builds His Brand
A proposal by Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida to overhaul higher education would mandate courses in Western civilization, eliminate diversity programs and reduce the protections of tenure.
Why Black Families Are Leaving New York, and What It Means for the City
Black children in particular are disappearing from the city, and many families point to one reason: Raising children here has become too expensive.
‘Terrorism Has Returned’: Pakistan Grapples With Attack That Left 101 Dead
The attack raised fears of a new wave of militancy from the Pakistani Taliban and sparked a heated debate over the government’s ability to meet that threat amid an economic and political crisis.
