Flagship

Venezuela opposition leader wins Nobel

The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize went to the Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado. The committee said that Venezuela, once a relatively prosperous and free country, had devolved into “a brutal, authoritarian state” under President Nicolás Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chávez. Machado has been a central opposition figure: Her 2024 candidacy was blocked, she was prevented from leaving the country, and she has been forced to live in hiding. In other years, Machado’s victory might be uncontroversial, but US President Donald Trump has openly campaigned for the prize, fueling fears that Washington may lash out at Norway — even though the government has no influence over the award — and thrusting Oslo into “an uncomfortable spotlight,” Bloomberg reported.

Trump’s unorthodox policy win

US President Donald Trump’s unorthodox foreign policy approach was crucial to securing the Israel-Hamas ceasefire, analysts said. Israel’s cabinet ratified the agreement last night, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu notably defying his hard-right coalition allies in supporting the deal. Both Netanyahu and Hamas have been under significant pressure from Trump, who has gambled that “no one, including hard-liners on both sides” would defy him, The Wall Street Journal reported. Trump even forced Netanyahu to apologize to Doha after Israeli strikes on Qatar. But his strategy of “declaring victory first and forcing others to fill in the details” may not secure the longer-term goal of disarming Hamas and introducing a multinational peacekeeping force in Gaza.

Trump critics face legal pressure

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted following pressure from US President Donald Trump on charges critics said were politically motivated. The indictment alleging mortgage fraud came after former FBI Director James Comey pleaded not guilty to lying to Congress. The president had urged the Justice Department to bring charges against both: James had brought a civil suit against Trump during the 2024 campaign, Comey initiated an investigation into Trump’s links to Russia ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is likely to pursue more adversaries: Semafor reported that his former National Security Adviser John Bolton could face charges, though convictions in any of the cases may be tricky.

Unpopular Peruvian president sacked

Peruvian lawmakers impeached President Dina Boluarte and removed her from power, ending an unpopular presidency during which crime rates soared and the economy sputtered. During Boluarte’s time as leader — which she inherited after a former president was removed over a coup attempt — the homicide rate rose by almost 40%, while economic growth cooled to the lowest level in years apart from a pandemic rebound, bringing her approval rating to around 3%. (No, that’s not a typo.) To replace her, Congress elected Jose Jerí, a 38-year-old conservative lawmaker and Peru’s seventh president since 2016. Jerí vowed to take a severe approach on crime in the run-up to the elections in April.

Cameroon’s Biya seeks reelection

Cameroon’s President Paul Biya looks set to prolong his four-decade rule in elections this weekend, likely ensuring the world’s oldest leader can run the country until he is almost 100. Despite heightened instability in the central African nation, the 92-year-old autocrat has benefited from a fractured opposition: Nine contenders will try to unseat him. His unwillingness to name a successor is fueling fears of impending political chaos, World Politics Review said, and arguably holding back progress in the country. Biya and other long-serving African leaders are blocking “the fresh thinking that could unlock economic development” in the world’s youngest continent, Semafor’s Africa managing editor wrote.

Japan’s political fracturing

Sanae Takaichi’s bid to become Japan’s first female prime minister was put at risk by a split in the governing coalition. Takaichi was appointed head of the Liberal Democratic Party, and since the LDP has been in government for most of the last 70 years, she appeared likely to become premier. But the party’s coalition partners said they were ending their 26-year alliance with the LDP, citing a disagreement over political donations. The break means the LDP lacks the parliamentary votes to appoint Takaichi and must court opposition parties. Takaichi is a self-declared fan of Margaret Thatcher, but if confirmed is expected to revive the late premier Shinzo Abe’s strategy of loose monetary policy and structural reforms.

Discord hack targets user IDs

Hackers stole copies of users’ government-issued ID from the popular social media site Discord, sparking fears that age verification laws requiring such data are putting users at risk. Discord, a chat app originally built for gamers but which is now used by an array of businesses and media outlets, saw information from 70,000 users stolen for an extortion attempt. The site had recently begun asking UK users to upload both a selfie and their ID to meet the country’s new age verification law. Other countries have enacted similar laws, intended to prevent minors from accessing adult material online, but 404 Media argued that “the privacy risks involved in handing over one’s ID to a platform… outweigh any supposed benefits.”

Alison Roman was one of digital media’s first food stars — she’s had recipes go viral since 2018 and an infamous “cancellation” in 2020. Now, with her latest cookbook, Something From Nothing, she’s trying to move away from life on the internet. This week, Ben and Max bring on the chef and author to talk about food media, the value of a physical cookbook in a digital world, and how AI is influencing her recipes. They also talk about why cooking, and her new book, are the “antithesis of the internet.”

China’s latest anti-US penalties

Beijing imposed new penalties on US-linked ships, the latest in a growing list of retributive measures against Washington over restrictions targeting China’s economy. The additional fees come into effect next week, and mirror US charges on Chinese ships docking at American ports, an effort by the Trump administration to bolster domestic shipbuilding and counter Beijing’s growing dominance of global shipping. They come days after Beijing unveiled its own version of Washington’s “foreign direct product rule,” requiring those who buy rare earths from China to get Beijing’s approval before selling them — or products containing them — on to third parties. “This raises the risk of further disruptions for… global business more broadly,” analysts at the China-focused research firm Trivium warned.

China’s holiday spending down

Lackluster spending during China’s Golden Week holiday period raised renewed concerns over the prospects for the world’s second-lar