J.D. Capelouto

1 week ago | semafor.com | J.D. Capelouto

An exhibition in Japan highlights supernatural spirits imbued with the fears and anxieties of everyday life. Yōkai are objects of Japanese folklore going back centuries: A spider-woman spirit was especially feared in the Edo Period, but yōkai have since evolved to be more playful and cute. The Yokai Art Museum runs an open competition for contemporary entities, which were recently compiled in a book. The submissions show “what’s keeping people up at night in Japan,”The Japan Times wrote.

1 week ago | semafor.com | J.D. Capelouto

Oil prices surged along with safe-haven assets like gold and the US dollar, as markets reeled amid the Israel-Iran conflict. Middle East stocks largely fell on Sunday, and analysts expect other world markets to slide Monday over fears that rising oil prices will cause global economic disruption and lead to stagflation. A worst-case scenario is a complete disruption to the Iranian supply and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

1 week ago | semafor.com | J.D. Capelouto

Military celebrations in the US and Germany reflected the two countries’ changing relationship to their respective armed forces. Germany on Sunday held its first ever veterans day; past attempts to commemorate Berlin’s forces “received timid support in a country still fundamentally ashamed by its militarist past,” War on the Rocks wrote. But the Ukraine war made support for Germany’s troops more acceptable, and the new government is pushing a massive rearmament effort.

1 week ago | semafor.com | J.D. Capelouto

The G7 summit began in Canada on Sunday, as the conflict between Israel and Iran loomed over the already fraught gathering. This year’s meeting, which brings together the leaders from the seven largest industrialized democracies, is widely seen as the “G6 versus Trump,” Politico wrote, with officials expected to pressure US President Donald Trump on trade and Russia: “It’s like preparing the red carpet for Godzilla,” one Canadian official said.

1 week ago | flipboard.com | J.D. Capelouto

A Vietnam veteran died, leaving his dog homeless. His mailman took immediate action. He stood outside the shelter before it even opened. Mail carriers become fixtures in the communities they serve and are often the first people to …