2: He’s got a thirst for power. Keeping your tea hot is a symbol of political relevance in China, and President Xi Jinping is setting himself apart at this year’s National People’s Congress by having … two tea cups placed before him (and just one for everyone else).
7: A shooting late Thursday at a Jehovah’s Witness church in Hamburg, Germany, claimed the lives of at least seven people, reportedly including the perpetrator. Police in the northern German city arrived on the scene quickly — before the last gunshot was fired inside — and are looking for a motive.
36: An attack in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has left 36 people dead. Authorities believe the ISIS-affiliated group Allied Democratic Forces, which has killed an estimated 6,000 people since 2013, is responsible.
85: A new Levada poll shows that 85% of people in Russia view China positively, the highest of any foreign nation. The US and EU unsurprisingly rank low, at 14% and 18%, respectively, though both are seen slightly more favorably by Russian youth, reflecting the influence of disparate information channels.
48,500: Get ready for World Spore Z … Scientists have revived a 48,500-year-old virus in an effort to test the potential infectiousness of long-preserved diseases that are now being exposed by receding Arctic permafrost. Scientists have reason to worry: There’s a history of humans being infected by ancient illnesses previously hidden beneath the ice.Elections have been taking place around the world in recent weeks – and if there’s one thing they have in common, it’s this: voters are fired up.
Airlines across the continent have been affected by threats, now in their second week, with some planes making emergency landings or being escorted by fighter jets.
On The Debrief, Clayton Allen explains why the vice president’s ties to Trump—and dependence on a fractured MAGA coalition—could make 2028 a race he chooses to skip.
From shopping to services, consumer spending is showing strength across categories. Holiday shopping got an early start, and it’s not just higher earners filling their carts. Bank of America Institute sees continued spending growth recovery for lower- and middle-income households. See what’s driving the trends.