Pope praises monogamy, shuts down Gen Z’s ‘polyamory trend’

The New York Times describes the new work reality of the ageing US president in a piece entitled “Shorter Days, Signs of Fatigue”. The paper notes that Donald Trump’s online posts and interactions with reporters could make us believe that he is super energetic and at work all the time. “But the reality is more complicated,” it says. The paper analysed Trump’s schedule and found out that Americans see him less than they used to and that he has fewer public events scheduled. He is often sleepy and most of his public appearances are between noon and 5pm. Trump is the oldest person to be elected to the presidency. He is now 79 years old. 

In more news from the US, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been personally linked to the “brutal ICE raids sweeping America”, The Daily Beast reports. Her nephew’s mother, Bruna Ferreira, is in custody at an ICE facility and could be deported to Brazil. 

Next, Wired magazine reports on a famous YouTuber who used to track down child predators on the online game Roblox, where they merge with the young players. He was banned from the game that’s already facing multiple lawsuits over child safety. An attorney general participating in one said that “the game is trying to silence those who raised security risks”.

The papers are also discussing love and relationships. The BBC asks “Is winter the season for romance?” It definitely is and there’s actually a name for it: cuffing season. It comes back each year, starting in the late autumn, when single people try to get into a relationship for the “cold, dark winter months”. And the Vatican approves! The pope has published a note in praise of monogamy, saying “monogamy is not a limitation but a promise of the infinite”, Vatican News tells us. The Daily Beast has the same story in a different tone: “Vatican shuts down polyamory trend”. The pope definitely isn’t “riding the Gen Z wave” of having multiple partners.

Finally, new research has managed to map out very precisely the different phases of life, The Times reports. Scientists at the University of Cambridge say that people experience key turning points at the ages of nine, 32, 66 and 83. Phase two, adolescence, begins at nine and only ends at 32.

Speaking of teenagers, five young Scottish lads between the ages of 10 and 11 have become a media sensation, notably in The Scottish Sun and The Telegraph, with their rendition of “Last Christmas” and their festive cheer. 

Finally, research published in The Times shows that famous singers tend to die four years earlier compared to non-famous people in the same age group. Fame and its lifestyle can be seen as a “serious health threat”. Celebrities may make us dream of fame, but The Times says it’s “as bad for your health as smoking”.

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