The fact that there are more than 100 different types of kimchi should tell you something about the pride Koreans have in their food.

Korean cuisine has evolved over time because of cultural changes, but it remains a major aspect of the national identity.

Here are 39 dishes that are essential to the Korean heart, soul and digestive tract.

Hangover stew (해장국)

Given South Korea’s dedicated drinking culture, it’s not surprising that its hangover-curing culture is equally as developed, from pre-drinking drinks to post-drinking drinks to a glorious array of spicy and steamy stews and soups.

Made from a beef broth, with cabbage, bean sprouts, radish and chunks of congealed ox blood, the deeply satisfying taste does wonders to kick-start your sluggish brain in the morning.

Kimchi (김치)

Dating to the Silla Dynasty (around 2,000 years ago), kimchi is the beloved spicy sidekick at every Korean table. It’s made by salting and preserving fermented cabbage in a bed of red chilli pepper, garlic, ginger and scallion.

Feeling adventurous? Exchange your regular red cabbage kimchi for ggakdugi (chopped radish kimchi), a popular side at gimbap restaurants.

Yeolmumul kimchi is a less spicy kimchi made with young radish stalks floating in a tangy soup.

Soft Tofu Stew (순두부찌개)

Soft tofu, clams and an egg in spicy broth? This popular stew is a classic example of unexpected flavor combinations yielding delightful sensations.

The soft tofu – which breaks into fluffy chunks in the stew – holds the flavor of the clam and serves as a relief from the overall spiciness.

Proper sundubu-jjigae comes in a traditional earthenware pot designed to retain heat. The egg is cracked into the stew after serving, and cooks inside the bowl.

Samgyeopsal (삼겹살)

Samgyeopsal is the Korean word for pork belly, and it’s a staple at what many Westerners know simply as Korean BBQ restaurants.

The best part of eating in a samgyeopsal restaurant is the atmosphere – a rollicking party punctuated by soju shots, pork strips sizzling on a grill and shouts for “one more serving, please!”

Served with lettuce, perilla leaves, sliced onions and raw garlic, the meat is smudged in ssamjang (a mix of soybean paste called ‘doenjang’ and chili paste called ‘gochujang’) or salt and pepper in sesame oil.

Jjajangmyeon (짜장면)

Although originally a Chinese dish, Koreans have taken the noodles and created a thicker, sweeter version that holds only a vague resemblance to its Chinese predecessor. (Think of New Yorkers and the wonders they’ve done with pizza.)

It would not be an understatement to say Korean diets would not be the same without this dish – most Koreans eat it regularly, and have their favorite jjajangmyeon delivery shop on speed dial.

Chimaek (치맥)

Chimaek, short for “chicken, maekju (beer)” is actually not a dish, but an institution. This glorious pairing features two surprisingly mundane foods: fried chicken and beer.

Neither half, chicken nor beer, is particularly remarkable on its own. But their popularity as a joint entity demonstrates a glorious combination devoured by millions of Koreans every weekend.

Instant noodles (라면)

Anyone can follow the directions on the back of the ramyeon package to boil water and sprinkle in the spice packet, but connoisseurs will add extras like canned tuna, eggs, and cheese for enhanced flavor.

Kimchi Stew (김치찌개)

A lesser-known fact about kimchi is its versatility as an ingredient in a whole slew of derivative dishes, which comprise a category of their own.

In kimchi-jjigae, red cabbage kimchi is chopped, sauteed in oil, and cooked with tofu, pork (sometimes tuna), and other vegetables.

Despite the stew’s debt to kimchi, you know it has come into its own when it’s served with kimchi as a side dish.

Army Stew (부대찌개)

This hodgepodge stew of sausages, Spam, American cheese, instant noodles, tteok, and assorted vegetables dates back to the aftermath of the Korean War.

Because meat was scarce, cooks found creative replacements in the surplus foods from the American army base stationed in Seoul, hence the stew’s name.

Although meat has since then become plentiful, a buddae jjigae without Spam is unimaginable.

Soy sauce crab (간장게장)

Ganjang gejang, or crab marinated in soy sauce, can be so addictive that it’s often affectionately called “rice thief,” the joke being that you keep eating more rice just so that you can have more gejang since it’s just that good.

Slightly tangy, tantalizingly bitter, pungent and cold, the taste may come as a shock for first-timers. But among South Koreans, gejang has been carving out a niche for itself as more of a centerpiece than a sideshow to other seafoods.

Tteokbokki (떡볶이)

This iconic red-orange street food is so popular there’s an entire part of Seoul just devoted to the steamed and sliced rice cakes (tteok), cooked with fish cakes (oden) and scallions in a sweet and spicy sauce made of chili paste.

Chefs have been known to put all sorts of things inside the sauce, from the black soybean paste to plain old ketchup. Call us masochists, but one thing is certain: the more pepper, the better.

Gopchang (곱창)

Gopchang refers to the small intestines from pork or cattle, which, chopped into rounded sections, can be cooked into soups, stir-fried, or grilled.

Grilled, gopchang is yet another important aspect of Korean barbecue culture. Chewy without being rubbery, it’s a bit more festive than samgyeopsal, although it’s still a staunchly earthy food.

And as most office workers in South Korea can tell you, it’s divine with soju.

Samgyetang (삼계탕)

Continuing along the masochistic strain, Koreans have a saying that goes, “fight heat with heat.” What that means is they love to eat boiling hot dishes on the hottest summer days.

The most representative of these is samgyetang, a thick, glutinous soup with a whole stuffed chicken floating in its boiling depths.

The cooking process tones down the ginseng’s signature bitterness and leaves an oddly appealing, aromatic flavor in its stead – a flavor that permeates an entire bird boiled down to a juicy softness.

Bibimbap (비빔밥)

This Korean lunch-in-a-bowl mixes together a simple salad of rice, mixed vegetables, rice, beef, and egg, with sesame oil and a dollop of chili paste for seasoning.

Although Korean kings from yesteryear would probably be shocked at how the royal dish has become so ingrained into the palate of the masses, we love how cheaply and quickly we can devour our favorite lunch.

Gimbap (김밥)

The process of making gimbap resembles the Italian glasswork technique of millefiori, and indeed, the finished gimbap often looks too pretty too eat.

Sauteed vegetables, ground beef, sweet pickled radish, and rice, rolled and tightly wrapped in a sheet of laver seaweed (gim), and then sliced into bite-sized circles.

Bingsu (빙수)

In this delectable summer dessert, sweetened red beans (pat) and tteok are served on a bed of shaved ice (bingsu). Variations will include condensed milk, misutgaru, syrup, ice cream, and corn flakes.

Then there are, of course, the variations on the bingsu, where the pat is sometimes entirely replaced by ice cream or fruit.

Classic patbingsu, however, is too beloved to lose ground to the newcomers – come summer, every bakery and fast food restaurant in Seoul will have patbingsu on its dessert menu.

Gamjatang (감자탕)

Gamja in Korean means potato, but in the case of this hearty dish, it translates to pork bone soup.

Most gamjatang places are open 24 hours, because South Koreans tend to crave this stew in the early hours of the morning as an alternative to hangover stew.

This hearty dish features potatoes (gamja), scallions, ground perilla seed, and bits of pork cooked in a pork bone broth. The real appeal of this stew lies in the unique taste of the perilla seed, which is perhaps more important to the flavor than the meat.

Haemul Pajeon (해물파전)

Crunchy and filling, Korean pancake tastes best when it comes studded with shellfish, cuttlefish, and other varieties of seafood, to make haemul (seafood) pajeon.

And with its traditional companion of Korean rice wine, makgeolli, pajeon makes the perfect meal for a rainy day.

Jjambbong (짬뽕)

This dish is the soupier, spicier counterpart to jjajangmyeon and together they form the core of Korean Chinese home delivery cuisine.

But although noodles dominate in terms of sheer quantity, the onions and chili oil that flavor the soup are what really demand your attention. With copious amounts of chili oil-saturated onions and other vegetables on top of the noodles, few are able to finish this dish in its entirety, but many try.

Sundae (순대)

Another street food, sundae is a type of sausage, similar in content to blood pudding, with roots in Mongolian cuisine. “Real” sundae is pig intestine with a stuffing of cellophane noodles, vegetables, and meat, but even if you eat the street vendor version, which uses a synthetic replacement for the pig intestine, you will still be able to enjoy the lungs and liver on the side. Yum.

Kongguksu (콩국수)

This seasonal dish might taste bland to some, but once you learn to enjoy the subtle flavor of the bean, you will acquire a taste for this cold, creamy, textured noodle dish that no other dish will be able to satisfy in the summer.

And if the pale, spring green julienne cucumbers placed on the hand-ground, snow-white soybean doesn’t tip you off, kongguksu is a highly nutritious dish that also happens to be vegetarian-friendly.

Kalguksu (칼국수)

Bad kalguksu can be very bad. But good kalguksu is divine.

Although most kalguksu places will add mushrooms, sliced pumpkin, and seafood or chicken to the basic ingredients of noodles and broth, at the end of the day kalguksu is about the pleasure of the plain.

Ox Bone Soup (설렁탕)

This ox bone soup is easily recognizable by its milky white color and sparse ingredients. At most, seolleongtang broth will contain noodles, finely chopped scallions, and a few strips of meat.

Yet for such a frugal investment, the results are rewarding. There is nothing like a steaming bowl of seolleongtang on a cold winter day, salted and peppered to your taste, and complemented by nothing more than rice and kkakdugi kimchi.

Tteokguk (떡국)

Originally tteokguk was strictly eaten on the first day of the Lunar New Year to signify good luck and the gaining of another year in age. The custom makes more sense if you think in Korean: idiomatically, growing a year older is expressed as “eating another year.”

But this dish of oval rice cake slices, egg, dried laver seaweed, and occasionally dumplings in a meat-based broth is now eaten all year round, regardless of age or season.

Doenjang jjigae (된장찌개)

This humble, instantly recognizable stew is one of Korea’s most beloved foods.

The ingredients are simple: doenjang, tofu, mushrooms, green peppers, scallions, and an anchovy or two for added flavor. Add rice and kimchi on the side and you have a meal – no other side dishes necessary.

While its distinctive piquancy might throw some off, that very taste is what keeps it on the South Korean table week after week.

Galbi (갈비)

Galbi, which means “rib,” can technically come from pork and even chicken, but when you just say “galbi” sans modifiers, you’re talking about thick slabs of meat marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, chopped garlic, and sugar and grilled over a proper fire.

Of course, beef galbi can be used to make soup (galbitang) and steamed galbi (galbijjim). But these dishes, while excellent in their own right, are overshadowed by their grilled leader.

Chuncheon dakgalbi (춘천 닭갈비)

On the other end of the galbi spectrum is the low-budget student favorite Chuncheon dakgalbi.

Chuncheon is a city in Gangwon province, which developed its own unique method of grilling marinated chicken.

In this dish, chunks of chicken are marinated in a sauce of chili paste and other spices, and stir-fried in a large pan with tteok, cabbage, carrots and slices of sweet potato.

Because of the tendency of the red dakgalbi sauce to splatter, it’s common to see many diners wearing aprons over their clothes as they cook and eat.

Bossam (보쌈)

As is frequently the case with many South Korean meat dishes, Bossam at its core is simple: steamed pork.

But key to this dish is that the steamed pork is sliced into squares slightly larger than a bite, lovingly wrapped in a leaf of lettuce, perilla, or kimchi, and daubed with a dipping sauce. There are two traditional options: ssamjang, made of chili paste and soybean paste (doenjang), or saeujeot, a painfully salty pink sauce made of tiny pickled shrimp.

Wrapping and dipping are essential.

Agujjim (아구찜)

Agujjim, also known as agwijjim, is a seafood dish that consists of anglerfish braised on a bed of dropwort and bean sprout. It is as spicy as it looks: the entire dish is a bright reddish color, from the chili powder, chili paste, and chili peppers used in the seasoning.

The white, firm flesh of the anglerfish, which is quite rightly called the “beef of the sea,” is meaty and filling. And the tangle of dropwort and bean sprout that make up the majority of the dish aren’t just there for decoration: the dropwort is tart and the bean sprouts crunchy.

Japchae (잡채)

Japchae, a side dish of cellophane noodles, pork, and assorted vegetables sauteed in soy sauce, makes its most frequent appearances at feasts and potlucks.

There are no precise rules governing the precise assortment of vegetables in japchae, but most recipes won’t stray far from the standard collection of mushrooms, carrots, spinach, onions, and leeks.

Dubu kimchi (두부김치)

This appropriate combination of blanched dubu (tofu), sauteed kimchi, and stir-fried pork is a threesome made in heaven. The dubu, which has the potential to be bland on its own, has the pork to add substance and the kimchi to add flavor.

Another stalwart companion to alcohol, especially at more traditional bars and restaurants, dubu kimchi makes soju almost palatable.

Hobakjuk (호박죽)

This viscous, yellow-orange juk, or porridge, gets its distinctive color and flavor from the pumpkin, its namesake and its main ingredient. The pumpkin is peeled, boiled, and blended with glutinous rice flour, and the result is a bowl of porridge so creamy, golden, and sweet that in some ways it seems more pudding than porridge.

Hobakjuk is often served as an appetizer to meals, or as a health food: it is supposedly beneficial to those suffering from intestinal problems. The specifics of medicinal science aside, it’s not difficult to imagine that this mellow, mildly flavored meal can heal.

Gyeranjjim (계란찜)

This side dish, in which an egg is beaten into a bowl, lightly salted and steamed into a spongy, pale yellow cake, is absolutely essential when eating spicy food.

Similar in consistency to soft tofu (sundubu), but with more flavor, gyeranjjim is sometimes made with diced mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, leeks, and sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Naengmyeon (냉면)

In South Korea we wait for summer just so we can start eating naengmyeon every week. The cold buckwheat noodles are great as a lightweight lunch option or after Korean barbecue, as a way to cleanse the palate.

Mul naengmyeon, or “water” naengmyeon, hailing from North Korea’s Pyongyang, consists of buckwheat noodles in a tangy meat or kimchi broth, topped with slivers of radish, cucumber, and egg, and seasoned with vinegar and Korean mustard (gyeoja).

Bibim naengmyeon, or “mix” naengmyeon, generally contains the same ingredients, but minus the broth. The noodles are instead covered in a sauce made from chili paste.

Dotorimuk (도토리묵)

This light brown jello, made of acorn starch, is served cold, frequently with a topping of chopped leeks and soy sauce as a side dish, or as an ingredient in Dotorimuk salads and dotorimukbap (dotorimuk with rice).

Like tofu, dotorimuk, while nutritious and vegan-friendly, can taste bland on its own. The flavor, which is unique, can only be described as acorn – bitter rather than nutty. But although dotorimuk may be an acquired taste, most dotorimuk dishes have a host of appetizing spices and condiments to help the process along.

Mudfish Soup (추어탕)

This spicy soup has a consistency closer to that of stew. Although mashed and boiled to the point where it is unrecognizable, chueotang is named for the freshwater mudfish (chueo) that constitutes the main ingredient.

But the selling point of this soup is the coarse yet satisfying texture of the mudfish and the vegetables – mung bean sprouts, dried radish greens, sweet potato stems, and most of all the thin, delicate outer cabbage leaves.

Bulgogi (불고기)

If galbi represents Korean barbecue, then bulgogi’s playing field is Korean cuisine as a whole. This well-known sweet meat dish, which has existed in some form for over a thousand years, was haute cuisine during the Joseon Dynasty.

The dish is also a fusion favorite: bulgogi-flavored burgers are part of the menu at fast food franchise Lotteria, and there have also been sightings of other adaptations like the bulgogi panini.

Ppeongtwigi (뻥튀기)

If you’ve ever been lucky enough to get stuck in daytime Seoul traffic, you will see the ppeongtwigi sellers emerge from nowhere and park themselves in the center of the highway. Their fearlessness is a sure sign that your car won’t be budging for a while yet.

Ppeongtwiti is onomatopoeic. The ppeong represents the sound that rice makes as it pops, and there really isn’t much else to the snack but that – popping.

If you’re feeling tired of all the greasy, barbecue-flavored, chocolate-covered, and over-packaged snacks that most stores stock today, try a handful of this relatively Spartan treat. It’s unexpectedly addictive.

The best places to find it are at the local seller down the street.

Nakji bokkeum (낙지볶음)

In this enduring favorite, octopus is stir-fried with vegetables in a sauce of chili paste, chili powder, green peppers, and chili peppers – ingredients that would be spicy enough on their own, but which all congregate to create one extra fiery dish.

When it’s done right, the chewy, tender octopus swims in a thick, dark red, caramelized sauce, so good that you can ignore the fact that it sets your mouth aflame to keep eating.

Editor’s note: This article was previously published in 2012. It was reformatted and republished in 2023.

In the hushed, ornate St James cathedral in the Armenian Quarter, one of Jerusalem’s most famous photographers Garo Nalbandian is at work, straddling a ladder as he photographs a massive Armenian carpet from above.

As his camera flash illuminates the hundreds of hanging lanterns and precious paintings on the walls, two assistants scurry around wearing only socks for the artifacts’ protection.

But Nalbandian is not only one of Jerusalem’s most sought after photographers. He’s also Armenian, a member of the dwindling Christian community still living in the Armenian quarter of Jerusalem.

A quarter he fears will soon be Armenian in name only.

Armenians first settled in Jerusalem over 1,600 years ago, with their community growing in the early 20th century as Armenians from other parts of the Ottoman Empire fled from genocide. One hundred years later, however, the Armenian presence in their quarter has shrunk significantly.

This property controversy comes as Christian Armenians have felt squeezed by Jewish extremists and the ongoing and worsening Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Among the Jerusalem Old City’s four quarters, the Armenian is the smallest. But now Armenians say they’re facing an existential crisis that could be the beginning of the end of the Armenian presence in the Old City. And it’s being perpetrated, they allege, by their own religious leadership.

A deal has been signed by the Armenian Patriarchate that will hand up to 25% of the quarter to a commercial entity for a 99-year lease, according to lawyers working to stop the deal. According to the lawyers and residents, the reported intention is to build a luxury hotel on some of the land that is currently a parking lot, but is on prime real estate nestled just within the Old City walls.

Few have seen the contract itself, and those who have are not commenting publicly on how much the deal is worth.

The drama has pitted the Armenian community against its religious leader, the Armenian Patriarch Nourhan Manougian. Regular protests have been held, with Armenian residents and supporters creating a human chain around the part of the quarter allegedly part of the deal.

‘Nightmares every night’

Nalbandian’s centuries-old home, which he and his family have lived in for more than 50 years rented from the Armenian church, is part of the land transfer, he says.

Sitting in his living room with his wife and granddaughter, his own stunning photographs line the wall, as well as a massive painting of Jesus’ last supper, Nalbandian grows emotional as he describes what he fears is happening.

“I’m having nightmares every night,” he said. “Where am I going to live with my family, with my children. We are 11 people around, you know. They’re putting us into parts and we are losing our culture.”

Nalbandian and his family’s small compound is directly across from the Armenian convent and within the shadow of the Old City walls. A steady stream of tourists and priests pass the front door every day.

“I love it here. I like to be here, forever. It’s our homeland. It’s most important for me, as an Armenian to be next to the Armenian convent next to the school, next to our culture, clubs, everything between Armenians, you know, all the friends,” he said.

Nalbandian says they’ve been betrayed by their own leadership, who he also accuses of not being forthright. Nalbandian said when he went to the Patriarch’s office to inquire what happened, a secretary told him his house is included in the deal but that they are “working to bringing it back.” But he says he has yet to be shown the contract or a full map of what has been handed over.

“They are hiding the contracts. They’re hiding all the maps and everything. They’re not telling they’re selling they say they gave 99 years. Okay, you give 99 years. Show. Show us, we don’t know what our future,” Nalbandian said.

Yeretzian said the contract is with Xana Capital and its chairman Danny Rothman, and was signed in 2021 with the intent to “secure future financial stability for the patriarchate.”

In recent months Yeretsian left Jerusalem for the United States, at the request of the patriarch he says, his exit marred by angry protestors furious over the deal. Videos from the evening show Yeretsian leaving the Armenian quarter under Israeli police protection.

Yeretsian said he was acting on the Patriarch’s orders. “The patriarch is the ultimate authority,” he said. Yeretsian added he feels like he’s now being used a scapegoat.

But many of the residents say they don’t care who leased the land.

“It’s not important who bought it, I’m not blaming who bought it. I’m blaming why they sell it,” Nalbandian said. “This property is a property for all Armenians, all Armenians in the world.”

Taking action

Earlier this month a group of volunteer Armenian lawyers from Armenia and the United States arrived for a seven-day fact-finding mission to help understand the situation and suggest remedies. A full report on the situation is expected to be published in the coming days.

At a community meeting on Sunday, the lawyers said it’s not just some homes that are at risk: The Armenian heritage museum as well as the Armenian cemetery are “possibly threatened.”

Garo Ghazarian, an attorney from Los Angeles, told the community meeting the deal “is more than just about the use of commercial purposes.”

“The task and challenge for everyone, the Armenian Church, the community, the clubs and Armenian organizations alike, is to overcome all risks which threatens the integrity and the indivisibility of our community within the Old City of Jerusalem,” he said.

Alongside the fallout from the community the Palestinian Authority as well as Jordan, which oversees Christian and Muslim religious sites in Jerusalem, has withdrawn recognition of the patriarch as a result of the real estate deal.

A missing Patriarch

Last Sunday, a ceremony was held at St. James’ cathedral to install new Deacons. Typically, the Patriarch would attend such events, but he was not in attendance.

“We have rented it to the other company that is all. But about 99 years there. But we are doing our best to cancel it if we can,” he said.

Gharibian said he did “not know” why the land was leased in the first place but defended the Patriarch’s relative silence on the matter.

“We don’t answer to any, every question, every talking. Let them talk. Later we will see who is right. Because these people also have their personal trouble with the Convert, you know they want something for some reason, revenge, I don’t know,” he said. “The body is working about these things. Not everybody must know what they are doing. They will spoil it or destroy it what we are doing,” he said.

But even if the deal is canceled, the damage has been done.

“They don’t have a God. They have money,” Nalbandian said of the Patriarchate. “If they have one blood of Armenia, they don’t do this.”

A new suspect has been named in the racist murder of Black teenager Stephen Lawrence in southeast London over 30 years ago.

Matthew White, who died in 2021, was named by London’s Metropolitan Police Service (Met) in a statement Monday which apologized for a “significant and regrettable error,” that meant key information about White was not properly followed up on.

The statement, issued in response to a BBC investigation released Monday into the Met’s mishandling of key inquiries, added that too many “mistakes” were made in the initial investigation of the murder.

Two men were sentenced to life in jail in 2012 for the murder, but “three or four other killers of Stephen Lawrence (are) at large,” according to the statement from the Met’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Matt Ward.

“Only when police officers lose their jobs can the public have confidence that failure and incompetence will not be tolerated and that change will happen,” she said.

Lawrence, an 18-year-old architecture student, was fatally stabbed at a bus stop by a gang of youths in April 1993. His friend, Duwayne Brooks, was also attacked but managed to escape.

Five teens were identified as being involved and were arrested, but none was successfully prosecuted at the time.

It took years of campaigning by Lawrence’s family until an inquest into his death in 1997 found that he was unlawfully killed in a “completely unprovoked racist attack by five white youths.”

Institutional racism uncovered

A wave of protests forced the then-government to commission an inquiry into the killing in 1999.

It found that the initial police investigation into the murder had been “marred by a combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership.”

In their statement Monday, the police said they had previously misidentified a relative of White who held key information into the killing and apologized for the “significant and regrettable error.”

The statement went on to outline how White was arrested twice, in 2000 and 2013, and stated that on both occasions prosecutors said there was no realistic prospect of conviction.

In February 2020, White was spoken to again by the investigation team but there was “insufficient witness or forensic evidence to progress further,” the statement said. He died in August 2021, months before the police declared the murder investigation inactive and said there were no further lines of inquiry.

In May 2023, the Met commissioned a forensic review into the case.

Ward acknowledged in the Met’s statement Monday that “the impact of the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence and attack on Duwayne Brooks, and subsequent inquiries, continues to be felt throughout policing.”

He added: “On the 30th anniversary of Stephen’s murder, Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley apologized for our failings and I repeat that apology today.”

Baroness Lawrence said: “What is infuriating about this latest revelation is that the man who is said to have led the murderous attack on my son has evaded justice because of police failures and yet not a single police officer has faced or will ever face action.”

“It is too late for me and my family but at least I hope that victims in the future will not go through what we did,” she added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the most controversial aspect of his government’s proposed judicial reform, a provision allowing the national legislature, the Knesset, to overturn Supreme Court rulings, has been dropped and will not be returning.

Pressed on whether the provision to allow a “supermajority” in the Knesset to override Supreme Court decisions was also now excluded, Netanyahu responded, “I said that it’s out.”

A supermajority would be greater than a simple parliamentary majority, but no specific margin was included in the government’s proposals.

“I’m attentive to the public pulse, and to what I think will pass muster,” Netanyahu said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, published Thursday.

“We cannot move the pendulum from one side – the most activist judicial branch on the planet … to the other side, where you would have the parliament essentially overriding with a simple majority the decisions of the Supreme Court,” Netanyahu told Zakaria.

Initial plans to overhaul the country’s judicial system had sparked widespread protests and fueled fears that the overhaul would strip away powers of the country’s judiciary. Another protest is planned for next week.

Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets across the country earlier this year to protest the proposed changes, which many felt threatened Israel’s democratic foundations.

The change would have been the most significant shakeup to Israel’s judiciary since its founding in 1948. Israel has no written constitution, only a set of quasi-constitutional basic laws, making the Supreme Court even more powerful. But Israel also has no check on the power of the Knesset other than the Supreme Court.

Netanyahu and his supporters argued that the Supreme Court has become an insular, elitist group that does not represent the Israeli people. They argued the Supreme Court has overstepped its role, getting into issues it should not rule on.

Critics said Netanyahu was pushing the overhaul forward because of his own ongoing corruption trial, where he faces charges of fraud, bribery and breach of trust. He denies any wrongdoing.

His opponents also said the initially proposed overhaul would have gone too far, and would have completely destroyed the only avenue available to provide checks and balances to the Israeli legislative branch.

Netanyahu has defended the overhaul plans, telling Zakaria earlier that “The big challenge is to bring it back to a balance that is accepted in most democracies… without going to the side that would indeed remove checks and balances on the power of the majority.”

For the first time, Essence Fest – which has been celebrating African American culture in the United States for more than two decades – is devoting a day to Nigeria’s Nollywood film industry – the most prolific in Africa.

Started in the mid 1990s, the Essence Festival of Culture has evolved into one of the world’s largest celebrations of Black music and culture, bringing tens of thousands of attendees to New Orleans each year.

Toyosi Etim-Effiong is leading a delegation of Nigerian actors and filmmakers to the festival, set to run from June 29 to July 3.

“This year is nothing like (what) has ever been seen before at Essence,” says Etim-Effiong, who runs a talent management and content creation and distribution company in Lagos.

“Nigeria will have its own day in terms of the film and TV industry, where we are front and center. We’re going there to show the world how they can collaborate with the film and TV industry in Nigeria.”

The “Nigeria Day” will be held on July 1 featuring movie screenings and panel discussions on topics such as “Creating and Promoting Globally Relatable Content,” and “How to Partner with Nollywood,” organizers say.

“The Nigeria Day is definitely the best part of the entire event,” says Nigerian actor Shawn Faqua. “It’s such an honor to be part of this inaugural official Nollywood delegation to the Essence Festival. The joy of connecting with other amazing Black creatives from other parts of the globe and what possibilities it promises.”

“As the world continues to explore more African stories, I believe the time is right for Nollywood to make a push for global recognition,” says actor and film director Daniel Etim Effiong, who is Toyosi’s husband. “It’s time to reach out to our cousins across the Atlantic for more collaborations and opportunities for partnerships.”

A booming creative industry

Nigeria’s creative economy has witnessed a boom in recent years with the rise of Afrobeats, a West African music genre popularized internationally by Nigerian entertainers. However, the filmmaking component of the industry has yet to catch up.

“Over the years, we have seen how Afrobeats has grown in leaps and bounds and how it has become mainstream. So, you see now there’s an Afrobeats category in the Grammys and other awards worldwide (and there are) monetary rewards. These things are lacking right now in Nollywood,” she said.

The rewards and recognition are trickling in with streaming giants discovering new growth opportunities in Nollywood. Last year, Amazon Prime Video secured exclusive streaming agreements with two Nollywood film studios in its hunt for African content.

The Amazon deal followed earlier investments by US streaming giant Netflix, which began distributing Nollywood films in 2015 and also announced its presence in Nigeria three years ago.

The Nigerian filmmaking hub currently sits second among the world’s most prolific film industries, producing thousands of movies every year and contributing millions of dollars to the country’s GDP.

Toyosi Etim Effiong says she’s grateful for Nollywood’s streaming deals but wants its productions showcased better to the world.

“I’m really super thankful for the streamers who are here because they’ve given us a platform to show our content to the rest of the world. (But) we have to take our stories out … by participating in international events like the Essence Festival and the Cannes Film Festival.

“Go to the American Film Market, go to the rest of the world. Push your content out. That way you’re whetting the appetite of those people more when they watch a story that they can identify with.”

They are some of the most skilled athletes in the world, but like the rest of us, golf is proving to be the ultimate leveler.

This is group that includes two NFL MVP awards, two NBA MVP gongs, 13 Pro Bowl appearances and 14 All-Star attendances and some have turned to online learning to avoid embarrassment on TV.

Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson admitted as much in the lead up to The Match 2023 which begins on Thursday which sees him and his teammate Steph Curry – nicknamed the ‘Splash Brothers’ – tee off against Kansas City Chiefs duo Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce in a 12-hole golf event all in the name of charity.

“I try not to overcomplicate things, especially this close to The Match, you just want to play your game,” Thompson explained to reporters. “But I am a millennial. I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube.

“Last night I watched Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy’s tutorial on the scoring shots, so I learned some things. I’ve just been trying to pick up little tips from the pros.

“We’re so lucky in the age of the internet with all the information out there, I’ve just been trying to get in golf mode and have not watched any basketball in the last few weeks … a lot of Tiger (Woods) highlights too because we were blessed to grow up seeing his whole peak and do his thing and it’s very motivating just to learn from these guys and kind of try to do their job for a day.”

The all-NFL vs. all-NBA clash is being staged at the Wynn Golf Club in Las Vegas.

The pairs will compete in a scramble format, with each player teeing off but then choosing their team’s best ball to play as their next shot. This format continues until each team putts the ball home and the lowest score will win the hole.

In what is the eighth edition of the contest, Thursday’s match will once again feature the participants wearing microphones and a star-studded commentary team, including host Ernie Johnson, basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley as co-commentator, 2008 Masters champion Trevor Immelman as analyst, and a cart commentator pairing of four-time NBA champion Draymond Green and two-time Super Bowl winner Von Miller.

Mahomes and Curry are making their second appearances in the event, both hoping to have better results having lost in their first attempts.

And like previous editions of The Match, there has been plenty of trash talking between the two parties already.

It first began when Curry posted a video on social media showing him watching videos on YouTube of Chiefs defeats in recent years, in particular the team’s loss in the Super Bowl in 2021.

“Getting real inspired by what I see on the TV, Pat,” a laughing Curry says while swinging a golf club. “It’s going to be the same thing in Vegas, baby.”

And Kelce said he and Mahomes are feeling confident too. “I don’t think we’re underdogs in this at all. I don’t know about Steph and Klay, but me and Pat have never lost in Vegas, and that’s not a shot at the (Las Vegas) Raiders at all,” he told reporters.

“We’ve won Pro Bowls, we’ve won golf tournaments. I’m not sure if the Wynn wants to see us on the roulette table or the craps table as much as they want to see us on the golf course. We just like to have fun and Vegas has been real good to us.”

The competition is once again taking place in the name of charity, with contributions this year raising money for the ‘No Kid Hungry’ campaign, which aims to end childhood hunger in the United States.

Over the previous seven editions, ‘The Match’ has raised more than $35 million for various organizations and has donated more than 27 million meals.

These NBA and NFL stars, who have had extreme success in their respective fields, will be hoping that their chemistry together will help bring them success in Thursday’s event.

“I’m going to take the same formula we do on the court,” Thompson says. “Steph attracts all the attention, but I could sneak in there, put one on the pin playing best ball, so I’m just going to get in where I fit in and help Steph out as much as he needs me.”

Mahomes says he’s learned a lot about how Kelce likes to play. “I have a good feel for his game. We’ll know when to go for it, when to kind of hit one in the fairway and let each other kind of be the best at what we’re the best at.

“As far as the pace of play, it’s perfect for Travis because that’s how, that’s how he usually plays anyways. He likes to take his time. For me, I’m not to kind of keep my mind busy maybe get a few Coors lights kind of calm me down.”

The action begins on Thursday at 6.30 p.m. E.T. with all the action being exclusively televised on TNT.

The Chicago Blackhawks selected Connor Bedard with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The 17-year-old Bedard is considered a generational talent among NHL scouts, boasting an elite skill set and hockey IQ. According to NHL Central Scouting, his offensive instincts with vision, read/react, exceptionally quick hands and moves all combined with his inherent ability to utilize these skills and assets at top speed, place him in the category of being a “special” NHL prospect.

“It’s really hard to put into words,” Bedard said on what was going through his mind when putting on the Blackhawks sweater. “Growing up in an era where they were so dominant and so good with all the players they had, it’s incredible looking down and seeing it on myself. Couldn’t be happier and can’t wait to get started.”

In his final year in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Regina Pats, the right-shot center finished atop the league in goals (71), points and points per game (2.51), including going on a 35-game point streak (44-46—90).

His 71 goals scored last season were the most by a player in the WHL in 24 years and 21 more than the second-place player.

As a result, Bedard became the first player in the Canadian Hockey League’s history to sweep Player of the Year, Top Prospect and Top Scorer awards. No player had won all three since the Top Scorer award was introduced in 1994.

Internationally, Bedard further established himself as a top prospect at the 2023 World Junior Championship, leading all players in goals (9), assists (14) and points (23), while leading Team Canada to a gold medal. He was named the Most Valuable Player, Best Forward and a Tournament All-Star at the competition.

The Blackhawks open the season on October 10 against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“That will be unreal,” Bedard said on the ESPN broadcast about facing Crosby in the team’s opening game. “He was my favorite player growing up and a big idol of mine. You couldn’t have scripted it any better.”

Bedard is the Blackhawks’ second-ever first overall selection in the NHL Draft’s 60 years after London Knights (OHL) forward Patrick Kane in 2007.

After being traded to the New York Rangers last season, Kane left the Blackhawks as a three-time Stanley Cup champion and ranked top-five in franchise history for regular-season goals (3rd), assists (2nd) and points (2nd), as well as postseason goals (4th), assists (3rd) and points (3rd) in his 16-year tenure.

The rest of the top five

Meanwhile, with the second pick in the NHL Draft, the Anaheim Ducks selected top-ranked international skater Leo Carlsson.

While playing with Orebro in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), the 18-year-old Carlsson was named the SHL Junior Hockey Player of the Year last season after leading the league in assists (15) and points (25) and finishing second in goals (10) in his age category.

At No. 3, the Columbus Blue Jackets drafted Adam Fantilli out of the University of Michigan.

The 18-year-old Fantilli finished his lone season in college by becoming the third freshman in NCAA history to win the Hobey Baker Award, given to the top men’s player in NCAA ice hockey. He led all players in points and points per game and was also tied for first with 30 goals in 36 games played.

“I’m super excited,” said Fantilli on joining the Blue Jackets. “Obviously you guys have a lot of Michigan men there already and they’re doing tremendous things for the team so hopefully I can have somewhat of an impact like them.”

With the fourth pick in the NHL Draft, the San Jose Sharks selected William Smith – a center from the U.S. National Team Development program (NTDP).

Smith ranked second on the NTDP under-18 team with 127 points in 60 games during the 2022-23 season. A Boston College commit for the 2023-24 season, Smith was named as the 2023 Under-18 World Championship MVP after leading the tournament in goals (9) and points (20) and helping Team USA to capture the gold medal.

The Montreal Canadiens rounded out the top five, selecting defenseman David Reinbacher from Austria with the fifth pick.

Reinbacher, 18, is the first defenseman ever to be drafted out of Austria and ties compatriot Thomas Vanek as the highest drafted player from the country. Vanek was drafted No. 5 by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2003 NHL Draft.

England’s swimming authority will stop the weighing of children at its clubs following athlete criticism of “unacceptable behaviour.”

New guidance released by Swim England, the country’s national governing body for swimming, stated that “athletes under the age of 18 should not be weighed, unless they are on a nationally supported talent pathway,” the body said in a press release Wednesday.

All clubs and coaches must comply with the policy which covers “all aquatic disciplines,” Swim England noted, adding that it aims to tackle the “psychological distress which may come from weighing athletes such as disordered eating, anxiety and depression.”

The governing body’s new policy follows guidance issued in 2021 recommending children should not be weighed.

British Olympic bronze medalist Cassie Patten, who was recently appointed to Swim England’s new Oversight Committee as an athlete representative, welcomed the change in policy, saying in a statement: “There have been too many instances in the past of unacceptable behaviour around weighing athletes and this policy sets out the parameters to prevent that inappropriate conduct happening in the future.”

“Performance is a key part of an athlete’s development but we also need to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing.”

She added that the policy would help to reduce athletes from developing an eating disorder or suffering from other mental health issues.

Patten previously revealed that she suffered “disordered eating” after becoming “fixated” with losing weight on her coach’s instructions, telling the BBC that a “massive disproportionate amount of focus” had been put on how she looked after competing in the Olympics.

“I was broken, mentally a shell of who I was and a very unhappy person. I hated swimming, I couldn’t put on a swimming costume for years,” she said.

“I’ve spent years getting over it and working on my relationship with food.”

Patten is just one of many athletes to have spoken out about developing an eating disorder after time in the sport.

Swim England added that the weighing of eligible athletes such as those over 18 or on the “talent pathway” should “only be undertaken with clearly documented reasoning, specific to that athlete, and with the athlete’s optimal long-term development in mind.”

At least 112 people have died in Mexico as a result of “natural extreme temperatures” since March, according to the country’s health secretariat.

The Mexican state of Nuevo León was hardest hit, with 64 deaths confirmed, according to the report. Dozens of deaths were also reported across Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sonora, and Campeche.

At least 1,559 people received medical treatment for temperature-related problems in the same period, the report also said.

Over the past ten days in particular, Mexico has seen record-breaking temperatures, with some locations seeing monthly or even all-time records: temperatures have topped 45 degrees Celsius in places (113 degrees Fahrenheit).

In Tamaulipas, local authorities announced Wednesday that dozens had died in the current heatwave, prompting governor Américo Villarreal Anaya to order the formation of a working group to develop a response plan.

Tamaulipas’s Secretary of Health tweeted on Tuesday afternoon that high temperatures will continue across the state, advising people to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun and to stay in cool, well-ventilated areas.

Scorching temperatures in both Mexico and the southern US states are being brought on by a “heat dome,” which is created when a ridge of high pressure builds over an area, trapping air inside as temperatures warm – often to uncomfortable or even dangerous levels.

The heat domes that drive record-setting temperatures are expected to become more frequent – and hotter – due to the climate crisis.

Some Russians greeted the weekend’s armed insurrection led by the head of the Wagner paramilitary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, with sympathy, appearing to welcome the mercenary fighters.

In the southern Russian city Rostov-on-Don, which was briefly occupied by Wagner troops, videos showed residents cheering them on, taking pictures with fighters, and flagging down Prigozhin’s car just to shake his hand.

Videos circulating online also showed crowds in Rostov-on-Don applauding and chanting “Wagner is strength!” and “You are the best!”

Prigozhin’s so-called “march of justice” – which stopped short of capital city Moscow – was harshly condemned by the Kremlin on Saturday, with a furious President Vladimir Putin vowing to punish those “on a path to treason.”

But least one Rostov-on-Don resident seemed curious why they did not go further.

“What kind of demands are you making to the authorities? Why are you not doing it in Moscow? Why did you not go to Moscow?” the resident asks in another social media video.

“I always admired you, always. I always admired how you fought,” the resident added.

Locals were also seen booing police cars that arrived as the Wagner fighters vacated Rostov-on-Don on Saturday, in an abrupt de-escalation.

One civilian could be heard shouting “traitors” as the police convoy arrived, a video posted to social media showed.

“There are very serious problems in the country, and they need to be solved. People who can no longer tolerate it, they come to such radical methods as Prigozhin,” Rostov resident Dmitry said to Reuters.

Further north, in Moscow, there was a sense of relief as the anticipated confrontation was called off. Over the weekend, checkpoints had been set up on Moscow’s outskirts, and residents braced for Wagner fighters to enter.

“It was really uneasy yesterday,” Moscow resident Andrey told Reuters, “But look now, people are walking in the streets and it’s all good. Let’s hope it will stay peaceful.”

Some Moscow residents signaled that Prigozhin’s tirades against the conduct of Russia’s campaign in Ukraine struck a chord.

“I think it was an expression of an opinion,” Oleg, another resident of Moscow, said. “An opinion of a powerful person who wants some justice and clarity.”

The belief Prigozhin should be listened to is widely shared here.

But that sentiment runs counter to the messaging from the Kremlin, which has painted Prigozhin and his Wagner fighters as traitors to Russia.

Throughout the weekend, anchors on state television repeatedly decried Prigozhin’s “betrayal” of his country. “What happened is a real stab in the back for all of us, which still needs to be comprehended,” television anchor Irada Zeynalova said on Russia’s NTV channel.

The uprising seemed to defuse as the Kremlin announced that Prigozhin had agreed to leave Russia for Belarus, and that his troops would register with the Russian military, in a deal that it said was brokered by Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

But the details of Prigozhin’s fate remain unclear.

Images from Rostov-on-Don suggested that the town had returned to normal on Sunday, with people sweeping up rubbish that remained on the quiet streets.

Putin himself hasn’t appeared in public since Saturday, when he made his pledge to punish those responsible for what he called an “armed mutiny” – the biggest challenge to his authority in 23 years of power.

But now that a challenge has been made, there are growing concerns about what it may unleash, and what a defensive President Putin – stung by the events of the weekend – may do next to stay in power.