MIT

The German Olympic Committee has selected Munich as its choice to bid for a future Olympic Games. Munich previously hosted the 1972 Summer Olympics and now becomes Germany's candidate for a forthcoming edition. Attention now turns to whether the bid wins domestic public support and is formally confirmed for the international selection process.

President Donald Trump spoke before world leaders at the United Nations summit in New York, using the annual gathering to lay out his positions directly to the international community. The address drew wide attention, with large audiences following live coverage of the speech. Reactions are expected to focus on his tone toward allies and rivals and on what his remarks signal for US foreign policy going forward.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani used his address at the United Nations to sharply criticize Israel over its conduct in Gaza, telling Israeli leaders to stop invoking anti-Semitism to deflect criticism. The fiery speech drew wide attention across Middle East-focused media, with commentators highlighting it as one of the strongest statements on the Gaza crisis made from the UN podium this session.

A senior Russian diplomat has stated that Moscow remains committed to peace talks over Ukraine and rejected suggestions that Russia is avoiding negotiations. The statement comes as international pressure persists for a diplomatic resolution to the war, with questions over whether both sides are genuinely willing to negotiate. It highlights the ongoing dispute over responsibility for the stalled peace process.

A United Nations expert has criticized the investigative committee tasked with examining abuses in Sudan, according to The National. The criticism adds to mounting international scrutiny of Sudan's official bodies amid the ongoing conflict and widespread reports of human rights violations.

Scientists report the discovery of a so-called 'fire amoeba', a single-celled organism said to survive temperatures far beyond what was thought possible for life. The finding challenges established assumptions about the upper heat limit for living cells. Details beyond the headline remain scarce, but the claim is drawing attention because it could reshape understanding of how and where life can exist, including in extreme environments.

Members of the Orange Order have held a limited parade to Drumcree Church in Portadown, Northern Ireland, following a three-decade restriction on the contentious march. The event, long a flashpoint between unionist marchers and residents of the nationalist Garvaghy Road area, has historically triggered major security operations and unrest. The parade has drawn fresh attention to Northern Ireland's contested parading tradition and lingering sectarian sensitivities.

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for states to use the federal SAVE database to verify the citizenship status of voters, in a decision reported by CyberScoop. The ruling lets states tap the immigration-status system as part of voter roll checks, a move likely to intensify debate over election integrity measures and the treatment of eligible citizens during verification.

A new essay published by MIT Press Reader argues that proposed bans on teen social media use fail to address the real problems behind concerns about young people's wellbeing online. The piece is drawing attention among readers debating whether age restrictions or structural changes to platform design are the better response to worries about adolescent mental health.

Y Combinator, the influential Silicon Valley startup accelerator, has formed a political action committee that has already contributed to 66 campaign committees, marking a significant step into electoral politics. The move signals that the startup world, long wary of direct political spending, is becoming more willing to put money behind candidates and causes aligned with its interests.

MIT Technology Review's newsletter The Download argues that recent AI breakthroughs and the fears surrounding them are largely overblown, urging readers not to believe the hype. The piece questions how real the latest advances are, suggesting both the promises and the anxieties may be overstated.

Pope Leo addressed a crowd of around 150,000 pilgrims in Lourdes, France, calling on the Catholic Church to acknowledge and admit its mistakes. The remarks, delivered at one of the world's most famous Marian pilgrimage sites, are being read as a message of humility and institutional accountability, drawing wide attention from Catholics and observers of the Vatican alike.

A US Senate committee has voted to hold Anthony Fauci, the former top US infectious disease official, in contempt of Congress. The vote escalates a long-running standoff between Republican lawmakers and Fauci over documents and testimony connected to the federal response to Covid-19 and the origins of the pandemic. Fauci, who led the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for decades before retiring in 2022, remains a frequent target of congressional scrutiny, and the move is likely to deepen partisan fights over pandemic-era decisions.

Canada is pursuing new trade partners as Prime Minister Mark Carney works to diversify the country's economy away from heavy reliance on the United States. Reporting notes Carney is realistic about the limits of how far Canada can go in replacing its southern neighbour as its dominant trading partner.

Russian human rights activist Oleg Dmitriev remains in detention, prompting expressions of concern over his situation. Reports highlight his case among ongoing detentions of rights defenders in Russia, drawing attention from human rights observers who are calling for clarity on his legal status and conditions.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah was greeted with black flag protests during a visit to Kollam in Kerala, with demonstrators voicing opposition to his presence. The incident has also raised questions about a possible security breach, as protesters managed to get close enough to display flags during the minister's movement. Political reactions in Kerala are focusing on both the protest itself and the lapses in the minister's security arrangements.

News of a Congress sweep in Gujarat is circulating widely in India, with reports and commentary saying the party won 24 seats while the BJP won none — described in Hindi as a complete rout for the BJP. The results are being framed around senior figures Rahul Gandhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, with supporters of both parties debating the scale of the setback for the BJP in PM Modi's home state.

The Utah Wildlife Board has approved changes to the state's fishing regulations, elk hunting rules, and conservation permit policies. The decisions update how anglers and hunters can pursue fish and elk in Utah, and how conservation permits are allocated, with the measures taking effect for upcoming seasons.

A federal appeals court has sided with Hawaii's requirement that gun permit applicants complete the process within a set window and submit to inspection mandates. The ruling keeps in place provisions that gun rights advocates have challenged as burdensome, while state officials argue they are necessary for public safety. The decision is likely to fuel ongoing legal battles over the reach of Second Amendment protections following recent Supreme Court rulings on firearms rights.