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🇺🇦 Ukrainian drones ignite a Black Sea port as talks near. Ukrainian drones struck Russia’s Black Sea port of Taman and set off fires. Krasnodar governor Veniamin Kondratyev said 2 people were wounded. He said an oil storage tank, a warehouse, and port terminals were damaged. The attack landed as the war approaches its 4th year. Ukraine has leaned on long-range drones to squeeze Russian energy revenue. Russia has answered with drone strikes aimed at Ukraine’s power system. In Ukraine’s Odesa region, falling debris hit civilian and transport infrastructure. Officials said the damage disrupted electricity and water supplies. Diplomats are due for American-brokered talks in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday. The meetings come just before February 24th, the invasion’s anniversary.

🇰🇵 North Korea showcases new homes for families of war dead. North Korea unveiled a new Pyongyang district pitched as a reward for sacrifice. State media called the street Saeppyol Street and framed it as national repayment. Leader Kim Jong Un toured the area and visited residents’ homes. Photos also showed his daughter, Kim Ju Ae, appearing prominently beside him. The project spotlights North Korean troops fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine. South Korea’s National Intelligence Service estimates about 6,000 North Korean troops were killed or wounded. The agency earlier put deaths around 600, without a detailed breakdown. Analysts say the housing push is meant to harden loyalty and deter public discontent. Lawmakers briefed by the spy agency said the war offers combat experience and Russian technical support. The spectacle arrives ahead of a late-February ruling party congress expected to set a 5-year agenda.

🧳 The adult gap year goes corporate, and it is not just for trust funds. Extended work breaks are spreading from mini-sabbaticals to adult gap years. Kira Schrabram, a University of Washington business professor, studied 50 professionals who stepped away. She found many were driven by burnout, cynicism, and a thinning sense of purpose. Yet returnees often came back with clearer goals and firmer boundaries. Harvard Business School lecturer DJ DiDonna says a pause can reset attention and identity. He warns that vague breaks can become expensive drift without a plan. Matt Bloom of the University of Notre Dame says some employers are loosening leave norms. Many workers self-fund time off, while others negotiate unpaid leave. Travelers like Roshida Dowe and Stephanie Perry used months abroad as a restart. The pitch is simple: time off as strategy, not surrender.

🦷 Indian Health Service moves to mercury-free fillings by 2027. The Indian Health Service (IHS) says it will fully shift away from mercury dental amalgams by 2027. Agency data show use fell from 12% in 2005 to 2% in 2023. The IHS serves about 2.8M patients across tribal and Native communities. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) cited environmental and health concerns. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr called the change “commonsense” protection. Officials also pointed to treaty duties to 575 federally recognized tribes. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says amalgam can release small amounts of mercury vapor. FDA guidance flags higher-risk groups, including pregnant people and children under 6. The American Dental Association says evidence does not show long-term harm from fillings. Minamata Convention signatories agreed to phase out mercury amalgam globally by 2034.

🧠 New “profound autism” label sparks a high-stakes split. Momentum is growing to define “profound autism” as its own diagnosis. The term was introduced in 2021 by the Lancet Commission. It describes people who need constant lifelong support and have minimal speech. Researchers estimate about a quarter of autism cases fit that profile. Overall, about 1 in 31 children has autism spectrum disorder. Judith Ursitti of the Profound Autism Alliance says research often excludes this group. She argues the gap starves families of treatments and trained providers. Dena Gassner, a Drexel University senior research scientist, warns a new label could stigmatize. Andy Shih of Autism Speaks says the debate should not eclipse service needs. Since 2013, the American Psychiatric Association has used one broad spectrum diagnosis.

🗳️ Michigan Democrats turn “affordability” into a Senate tryout. Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary is becoming an affordability audition. Representative Haley Stevens is pitching herself as a kitchen-table pragmatist. She says instability, including tariffs, can ripple into grocery and housing costs. State Senator Mallory McMorrow argues families need direct help, not slogans. She backs cash grants for new parents and other cost-of-living relief. Physician Abdul El-Sayed, who ran for governor in 2018, goes broader. He calls for universal health coverage and an economy organized around care. At Detroit’s Batch Brewing, he urged union allies to “stand up for freedom.” The candidates disagree on scale, but affordability is the shared headline. In Michigan, ideology sells, but price tags decide.

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