From the geopolitical powder keg of the Iran conflict to the strange spectacle of a U.S. president blaming a neighboring ally for its air quality, and from golfing tantrums at one of sport’s oldest championships to a deadly disease outbreak in America’s largest city, this has been a week defined by volatility and high stakes.
Even in lighter corners of the news, endings are the theme: Melbourne’s beloved Cafe Di Stasio is shutting its doors after 38 years, with its creator Ronnie Di Stasio reflecting on the chaos, hard times, and the St Kilda of old. And in the world of rugby, Australia’s Wallabies — mired in nine defeats from 10 Tests and plagued by soft-tissue injuries — are searching for answers about what’s gone wrong with player management.
The common thread? Everywhere, systems — military, environmental, sporting, public health — are being tested to their limits.
