海角大神

Prominent Republican voices have risen in support of Ukraine. But the party鈥檚 voters in Ohio reveal an American mindset that far predates Trumpism: a wariness of engaging in foreign conflicts.

Ukraine鈥檚 resilience in the face of Russia鈥檚 military onslaught has caught Syrians鈥� attention. They recall how relentless and brutal Russian tactics wore down their own resistance.

Though known for gridlock lately, the U.S. Senate by unanimous consent this week approved making daylight saving time permanent. Its consensus isn鈥檛 shared across the nation, though.

When society labels different dialects as good or bad, it affects how we see ourselves 鈥� and each other. Speakers of Black English understand that more than most. Here鈥檚 Episode 4 of our podcast series 鈥淪ay That Again?鈥�

Young people are often helped by seeing depictions of their experiences on film. The latest Pixar movie, 鈥淭urning Red,鈥� covers familiar ground in the exploration of identity, but also experiments with more directly addressing puberty.聽

As in many professions, architects are hunting for new ways of thinking to help solve the climate crisis. Material solutions in building design, such as recycled steel or reflective paint, are fine but finite in their influence. Their efforts received a boost this week after the annual Pritzker Prize, otherwise known as the Nobel Prize for architecture, was awarded to someone who brings 鈥渂rilliant, inspiring and game-changing ways鈥� toward sustainability in structures.

He is Francis K茅r茅, the first African to win the prize and whose origin from a small village in the heart of the Sahel in Burkina Faso accounts for his refreshing approach in a profession still famous for grand cultural icons than for environmental leadership.

鈥淗e knows, from within, that architecture is not about the object but the objective; not the product, but the process,鈥� reads the Pritzker jury鈥檚 citation.

His early fame came in helping design a school in his village after an education in Germany. He let the whole village participate in the design, drawn on sand for all to see. Then he enlisted them to construct the Gando Primary School, using local wood to compact the stone floors and local clay to make bricks mixed with cement. The people learned skills that they could later use to find work, showing that good architecture can transmit ideas widely.

The result was a welcoming structure with a 鈥渇loating鈥� roof that allows passive ventilation in a hot climate and wall openings that bring filtered light for students to learn even without electricity. The school鈥檚 design is also a work of art built on vernacular motifs. 鈥淓veryone has the right to beauty; it should be a human right!鈥� Mr. K茅r茅 told Radio France Internationale.

Mr. K茅r茅聽showed the villagers that ideas to deal with climate or other challenges are always at hand. 鈥淚t is not because you are poor that you should not try to create quality,鈥� he said in a statement after receiving the prize.

By starting his profession in one of the world鈥檚 poorest places, he challenged the notion that climate solutions start with big institutions. 鈥淲e cannot say that we do not have a voice; everyone can contribute to tackling the major issues of our time,鈥� he told Dutch magazine De Groene Amsterdammer. 鈥淏y acting locally, you can generate a global impact. For example, you can choose to build a school building with clay and inspire people all over the world, instead of waiting for the government.鈥�

The Pritzker jury found his body of work, which now extends with designs from Africa to China, is rooted in the 鈥渦nique鈥� aspects of each community. His buildings 鈥渉ave presence without pretense and an impact shaped by grace,鈥� it stated. For his profession, those types of qualities can be a guide in responding better to the world鈥檚 biggest challenges.