Extraordinary People

An open letter from Iran addressed to people in the United States and the European Union is circulating widely on social media. Shared on Mastodon, the letter—published as a PDF by Iran's official news agency IRNA—touches on themes of war, corruption, Palestine, Israel and history. Those sharing it describe it as extraordinary and are urging Western audiences to read it in full.

Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke says his resignation will take effect once former prime minister Najib Razak begins serving house arrest, according to The Straits Times. The unusual linking of a cabinet resignation to the timing of Najib's sentence has drawn attention in Malaysia and Singapore, with readers questioning the political and legal circumstances connecting the two events.

The UN human rights office has highlighted the plight of the Marshall Islands, saying the Marshallese people have waited with extraordinary dignity for the world to keep its promise. The statement refers to longstanding commitments owed to the people of the Marshall Islands, who have endured decades of consequences from nuclear testing carried out in the Pacific and are still seeking justice and redress.

Elon Musk's fortune surged by an estimated $61 billion on Friday, according to Forbes, pushing the Tesla and SpaceX chief executive back toward the $1 trillion mark. The single-day gain puts him among the wealthiest people ever recorded, and reaction online has focused on the sheer scale of the jump and what it says about the valuation of his companies.

Israel's military says that 170 people killed in Gaza, whom it identified as media workers, were in fact militants posing as journalists. The claim has drawn intense scrutiny because of the high number of journalists killed in the Gaza conflict and ongoing debate over whether victims were legitimate media personnel or combatants. Critics and press freedom groups are demanding evidence, while Israel maintains the deaths were lawful strikes on fighters using press credentials.

A case being described as the world's largest kidney stone is circulating among science and medical enthusiasts online. The story highlights a striking example of urological pathology, with commenters expressing amazement at the size of the stone and sharing discussion about how such a case could develop and be treated.

A passenger on a FlyDubai flight has described an all-out effort to subdue a pilot who allegedly attacked people on board, according to a New York Times report. The account gives a first-hand picture of how travellers intervened to restrain the pilot mid-incident. Details about injuries, the flight's route and the pilot's condition have not been confirmed.

A 21-year-old student in the United States survived a fall from an eighth-floor window after a couch she was dancing on tipped over, according to reports. She told media she "can't believe I'm alive". The story is drawing widespread attention for the astonishing escape, with readers reacting to the freak nature of the accident and her recovery from a height most do not survive.