Brave New (Trump) World

Happy Friday, folks!

Ready for today’s dose of the strange and intriguing? I've got spy sagas shaking up Hollywood, Uber with guns (yes, really), and more surprises from Washington. Grab a seat (or stand if you like drama!) because this lineup will raise a few eyebrows.

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Your daily lens on the world starts here:

There's a gold-framed mug shot of President Trump outside the Oval Office—just one more sign that old norms aren’t exactly at play in Washington. America's power projection is changing, and perspectives can't be more divided. Supporters applaud a clampdown on big spending, which they say keeps America out of endless entanglements. Critics warn that slashing USAID and dialing back refugee resettlement could undermine U.S. influence and abandon vulnerable communities worldwide.

Now, we have to decide if a leaner, more self-focused foreign policy is overdue pragmatism or a costly retreat from America's global leadership. The question is, do we even notice?

Kiss of Death

Move over, Neymar drama—this scandal’s got an actual guilty verdict! Former Spain football federation boss Luis Rubiales just got convicted of sexually assaulting star player Jenni Hermoso with that infamous kiss.

It seems that kissing a woman forcibly carries an $11k fine—no jail time, but plenty of penalties, a stay-away order, and a permanently tarnished rep. She can now shine without an unwanted kiss hogging the spotlight—call it a win for soccer and consent.

Escalades & Escapades

Today's surprise: a new rideshare app called Protector pairs you with an armed guard (ex-military or law enforcement) and a shiny Escalade. Think “Uber with guns” at a cool thousand bucks for a five-hour minimum.

As of now, it’s only in L.A. and NYC, where, apparently, the next big flex might just be a SWAT-ready chauffeur. There's no denying it—rush hour has just gotten a whole lot more interesting.

UnBonded

James Bond has a new boss—and it's not MI6. The Broccoli family has helmed 007 onscreen for decades, but Amazon MGM is taking over creative control. It's the end of an era for a franchise that's been in the same hands since "Dr. No."

We can only guess how the tech giant plans to use cinema's most debonair secret agent. Spy spinoffs? A Bond-iverse? One thing's sure: It's clear that 007's world just might never be the same.

💬 Beyond the Core

Born to Be Wild: Here's what you need to know about Trump's birthright citizenship order.

Wallace's Bull: For over a month, a Scottish Highland bull has evaded capture in western Connecticut despite frigid temperatures.

Analyze This: There are bad therapists out there, and here are some of the signs.

💡 Core Wisdom

📸 Lens to Life

Here are the winners of the Rest of the World's photography contest.

🧮 Core Count: 42

The answer to the question, "What is the meaning of life, the universe, and everything?" in Douglas Adams's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy."

.🗓️ Flashback:

1173 - Pope Alexander III canonizes Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury.

1613 - Michael Romanov, son of the Patriarch of Moscow, is elected the first Russian Tsar of the House of Romanov.

1804 - The first steam locomotive runs along the tramway of Merthyr Tydfil's Penydarren Ironworks for the first time

1848 - Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels published "The Communist Manifesto" in London.

1916 - There were an estimated 1 million casualties in the Battle of Verdun, which became the longest battle of the war. (9 months)

1972 - In a meeting with Chinese leader Mao Zedong in Beijing, Richard Nixon becomes the first US President to visit China.

I'm glad we could get together here. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Fatih Taskiran