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1,400: North and South Korea have succeeded in a joint bid to have traditional Korean wrestling recognized as a cultural gem by the United Nations, the latest sign of thawing relations between the two countries. The sport, which some sources say predates the two countries' 1950s-era partition by more than 1,400 years, is known as Ssirum in the North and Ssireum in the South.


100: More than half of all babies born in Japan today can expect to live to the age of 100. The country, which has the world's highest average life expectancy at 84 years, is facing a demographic crunch as it looks for ways to support a growing elderly and retired population with a shrinking number of working-age adults.

70: Elon Musk, the billionaire industrialist and space enthusiast, estimated there was a 70 percent chance that he would personally move to Mars by hitching a ride on one of his SpaceX rockets. The 47-year-old entrepreneur, who last year unveiled a detailed plan for colonizing the red planet, has stated that humanity must become a multi-planetary species in order to avoid extinction. His statement left us wondering how exactly he got to the number 70.

3: China has begun construction of its third aircraft carrier, state media confirmed this week. The as-yet unnamed warship is part of a broader push by Beijing to increase its naval might. China's navy last year became the world's largest by total vessels, though it still significantly lags the US in terms of firepower and overall budget.

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Workers are unloading coal from a cargo ship on the Turag River in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on May 06, 2024.

Iran conflict has Asia looking for coalMuch as Europe did when Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine four years ago, Asia is turning to a retro, highly-polluting fuel source as the Iran conflict limits the supply of liquefied natural gas: coal. The continent relies heavily on natural gas for its electricity, much of it imported – in the [...]
Venezuela outfielder Javier Sanoja reacts in the fifth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, USA, on March 17, 2026.

Venezuela outfielder Javier Sanoja during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, USA, on March 17, 2026.

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
3: The number of runs scored by Venezuela’s national baseball team in their stunning upset of top-seeded USA in the World Baseball Classic final in Miami last night. In an epic game fraught with geopolitical overtones – the US government abducted Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro in January – the arepa-powered pitching staff held the fearsome US [...]
​Explosions in Iran and gas prices increasing.

Explosions in Iran and gas prices increasing.

Natalie Johnson
Nearly a month ago, the US and Israel started a war with Iran. Over 2,000 miles away, one continent that wants little to do with the war is nevertheless uniquely impacted: Europe.European Union leaders met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss skyrocketing energy prices resulting from the conflict. It comes after US President Donald Trump issued a [...]
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March 13, 2026, Tehran, Iran: ALI LARIJANI (C), Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, participates in the Al-Quds (Jerusalem) Day rally, a commemoration in support of the Palestinian people on the last Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, in Tehran.

Supreme National Security Counci via ZUMA Press Wire
Israel says it has killed Iran’s security chief, as war drags onAli Larijani, who was head of the Islamic Republic’s influential security council and had effectively run the country since Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei’s death, was killed in a strike overnight, Israel has said. Tehran has not confirmed his death. If it is true, Larijani would be the [...]