Sacrifice

A worldwide daily minute of silence is being held each morning at 9 AM Kyiv time to honour Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war with Russia. Organisers are calling on people in São Paulo, Cape Town, Manila, Sydney and other cities to pause at the corresponding local hour, saying the sacrifice of the fallen for freedom will never be forgotten. The call to join the daily tribute is spreading across international communities.

A feature report explores what it is like to run for Congress when the odds are heavily stacked against a candidate. It looks at the personal experience of launching a long-shot campaign, the costs and sacrifices involved, and the motivation behind contesting races with little realistic chance of winning. It is prompting discussion about why people still run despite near-certain defeat.

A new 2025 sculpture by Pakistani-American artist Humaira Abid, titled 'The Shape of Parenting', has been listed for sale on the art marketplace Artsy. Abid is known for intricately carved wooden works exploring motherhood, sacrifice and family life, and the listing marks the release of one of her latest pieces to collectors.

Author Min Jin Lee, best known for 'Pachinko', has released a new novel centred on the question of whether education is worth sacrificing for. The book explores what people give up — family, identity, opportunity — in pursuit of learning, continuing her focus on sacrifice and ambition across generations.

A writer describes giving up their smartwatch and going back to a traditional clock with hands, arguing that being free of constant notifications has become the real luxury. The piece frames disconnecting from wearable technology as a deliberate lifestyle choice rather than a sacrifice, echoing a wider debate about screen fatigue, digital minimalism and whether always-on devices actually improve daily life.

Policymakers face a difficult trade-off between lowering household energy bills and protecting long-term climate and infrastructure goals. The Boston Globe highlighted the challenge, noting that short-term relief measures such as bill subsidies or rate cuts risk undermining investments needed for the energy transition. Analysts are debating how governments can ease cost pressures on consumers without derailing decarbonisation plans.

A Japanese blogger wonders why Amazon's recommendation section keeps ranking "The Devil Wears Prada" first among suggested items, citing an odd reference to the film "Constantine" as the reason for the pairing. The writer uses Amazon's suggestions as one criterion when choosing DVDs to rent, and questions whether the film's theme — success demanding sacrifice — is behind the push.