by Jonathan Spira

Your humble scrivener had an Uncle Leo growing up. He was an agreeable enough chap, married to my mother’s sister, Beatrice. The word “leo” of course means “lion” in Latin, and, and as our astute readership knows, that in turn derives from the Greek “λέων,” also meaning “lion.”
Come to think of it, your scrivener doesn’t think he ever saw his Uncle Leo roar. He was more of the quiet, unassuming …

George on Thursday: Qatari Camel-Herder Raped Woman in London Hospital, Severe Weather Forecast for Northeast U.S., Honda’s Precision Pinpoint Landing of its New Rocket, and an In-Depth Report on ‘Gas Station Heroin’

by George

Good morning! Today is Thursday, the 19th of June, 2025. In this issue, George looks at the unusual case of a young Qatari camel-herder who had previously had no contact with women and who accused in a London courtroom of rape, the extremely severe weather forecast for the Northeast United States, what Kraft Heinz is doing about artificial food coloring, changes in television viewing habits, Honda’s secret (until now) reusable …

George on Wednesday: Judge Blocks Trump’s Attempt to Fire Members of Consumer Product Safety Board, 40 Years of Schengen Agreement, Volcano Near Bali Discharges Seven-Mile-High Column of Ash, First Fully Robotic Heart Transplant in U.S.

by George

Good morning! Today is Wednesday, the 18th of June, 2025. In this issue, George looks at how the United States has begun to position ships and aircraft in the Middle East for a possible offensive against Iran, the first fully robotic heart transplant in the United States, why a judge blocked President Donald Trump’s attempt to fire Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Board, 40 years of the Schengen …

George on Tuesday: $7.4 Billion Purdue Pharma Opioid Settlement Reached, This Week’s G7 Meeting, Russia Launches ‘One of the Most Horrific Attacks’ on Kyiv Since War Broke Out, Trump Calls for an ‘Unconditional Surrender’ from Iran, Pianist Alfred Brendel – One of the World’s Greatest – Is Dead

by George

Good morning! Today is Tuesday, the 17th of June, 2025. In this issue, George looks at the $7.4 billion opioid settlement, this week’s Group of 7 Meeting,  Russia’s “horrific” attack on Kyiv, President Trump’s call for an “unconditional surrender” from Iran, and the deaths of pianist Alfred Brendel and cosmetics executive Leonard Lauder.
@IN BRIEF ON TUESDAY
All 55 attorneys general representing all 50 U.S. states and all U.S. territories signed onto …

George on Monday: Minnesota Shootings, Southern Europeans Protest Overtourism with Water Pistols, World’s Most Visited Museum – the Louvre – is Shuttered for Hours, Visionary Cosmetics Executive Leonard Lauder Dies at 92

by George

Good morning! Today is Monday, the 16th of June, 2025. In this issue, George looks at the latest on the Minnesota shootings, overtourism protests in southern Europe, why the world’s most visited museum didn’t open its doors, and the death of Leonard Lauder.
@IN BRIEF ON MONDAY
As the Trump administration geared up for Saturday’s military parade, which celebrated the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary and also fell on President Trump’s birthday, an …

George on Friday: Israel’s ‘Operation Rising Lion,’ Major Web Outage Takes Down Dozens of Marquee Brands, How New Steel Tariffs Will Impact Consumer Pocketbooks, Protests Against ‘Touristification’ Slated for Sunday in European Cities, Israel’s Latest Attacks Against Iran

by George

Good morning! Today is Friday, the 13th of June, 2025. In this issue, George looks at Israel’s new Operation Rising Lion attacks directed at Iran, how the latest web outage took down dozens of marquee branded websites, what residents are doing to combat the “touristification” of their cities, and the latest on the Air India Dreamliner 787 crash.
 
@IN BRIEF ON FRIDAY
Thanks to a Google system outage, multiple marquee Web …

George on Thursday: Israel Attacks Iran, Americans in Middle East on High Alert; Air India 787 Crash – Deadliest Aviation Accident in Decades – Kills 241; Trump National Guard Deployment Violates the Law, Says Judge; Cans of Dr Pepper Subject to Recall

by George

Good morning! Today is Thursday, the 12th of June, 2025. In this issue, George looks at Israel’s attack on Iran, the latest news in the Air India-Boeing Dreamliner crash, why U.S. citizens are now on high alert in the Middle East, why President Trump’s National Guard deployment violates the law, and why Dr Pepper soda-pop is subject to recall.
@IN BRIEF ON THURSDAY
Israel attacked Iran on Thursday after nuclear negotiations between …

Geporge on Wednesday: Trade Negotiations with China Are Back on Track, Mayor Imposes Curfew in Los Angeles, Musk Tries to Backpedal in Feud with Trump, Jetstar Asia to Operate Last Flight This Summer, The Death of Beach Boy Co-Founder Brian Wilson, CDC to Reinstate Employees

by George

Good morning! Today is Wednesday, the 11th of June, 2025. In this issue, George looks at how trade negotiations with China got back on track, Elon Musk tries to repair his relationship with Donald Trump, when Jetstar Asia will operate its last flight, the tragic death of Beach Boy co-founder Brian Wilson, and how many workers the Centers for Disease will be reinstating.
@IN BRIEF ON WEDNESDAY
Donald Trump announced that negotiations between …