Semafor unveils its live journalism team, focusing on expediting the development and global growth of its World Economy platform
In a series of developments around the world, Finland and Poland are considering restoring peat wetlands along their Russian borders as a defense against possible invasion and a carbon sink. Critics argue that Thailand's military and royalist establishment undermine political parties and elected governments through court cases, while the Trump administration's efforts to deport undocumented migrants faced further legal setbacks.
In health-related news, researchers used artificial intelligence to spot hidden signs of consciousness in comatose patients long before they were noticed by doctors, according to a new study. Another study found benefit for patients with impaired heart function, but a separate one disagreed over the impacts of beta blockers for heart attack patients.
Political changes are taking place as well. Israel is reportedly considering annexing parts of the occupied West Bank in response to several Western countries' plans to recognize a Palestinian state. In Thailand, the constitutional court sacked the country's prime minister, throwing the country into renewed political turmoil.
International relations are also in flux. New Delhi and Beijing are drawing closer as a result of US President Donald Trump's trade salvo, reversing "decades of US cultivation of the South Asian giant as a democratic counterweight to China." China this weekend welcomed more than a dozen world leaders, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and India's Narendra Modi, for a summit aimed at countering a Western-led world order.
Meanwhile, the World Economy Summit will expand to a five-day program, expected to draw more than 400 global CEOs. The summit offers a chance for Chinese President Xi Jinping to "further his image as leader of a new global world order," but the exact goals of the summit remain unclear.
In other news, Afghanistan is already facing a major drought, and the UN told Sky News that the Taliban made it extremely difficult to mobilize resources, creating a "perfect storm" of devastation. About 800 people have been killed after an earthquake struck near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.
In Europe, several governments are considering reviving drained peat bogs. Peat bogs can serve as a natural defense, as demonstrated by Ukraine's flooding of a marsh plain to render it impassable to Russian armor. Peat bogs cover only 3% of the planet but hold a third of its carbon, making their restoration an important step in combating climate change.
In the technology sphere, Chinese scientists turned succulents into glow-in-the-dark, rechargeable lights that shine in a variety of colors. To make the fluorescent succulents, the team injected the plants with phosphor particles that can absorb energy from light at one wavelength, store some of it, and then re-emit it at another wavelength, similar to how glow-in-the-dark paint works.
Young children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are being prescribed drugs too readily, research suggested. Concerns have been rising over the rate of diagnosis, as well as of prescription.
In the business world, Semafor has announced a major expansion of its live journalism business, anchored by the growth of its World Economy platform. The company has appointed Lyndsay Polloway, Nino Gruettke, Andy Browne, and Clay Chandler to lead the expansion and international growth. Maggie Soergel will oversee a new team focused on delivering successful integrated event and digital solutions for Semafor's largest brand partners.
Finally, an airplane carrying the European Commission president was the target of a suspected Russian interference operation. In response, Ursula von der Leyen was on her way to Bulgaria when the plane's navigation systems were disabled, forcing the jet to land using paper maps.
