Por Nadeen Ebrahim y el equipo de CNN

Tras una semana de las mayores manifestaciones a nivel nacional en años, las calles de Irán han vuelto a quedarse en silencio, sometidas por la fuerza.

Un residente de Teherán comparó el ambiente en la capital con los días alrededor de Nowruz, el Año Nuevo iraní, cuando muchos abandonan la ciudad y las tiendas cierran temprano.

Pero no hay alegría festiva, solo un silencio inquietante, dijo. La vida continúa bajo la sombra de una represión mortal contra los manifestantes y bajo el espectro de un posible nuevo enfrentamiento militar con EE.UU. La República Islámica espera celebrar el próximo mes el 47º aniversario de la revolución que la llevó al poder. Saldrán multitudes y sonarán himnos revolucionarios. Sin embargo, el ambiente en los pasillos del poder en Teherán probablemente sea mucho menos festivo, ya que el régimen enfrenta la mayor amenaza a su supervivencia hasta ahora.

Puede que haya logrado aplastar la última ola de protestas utilizando su conocido manual de represión. Pero las quejas fundamentales que animan a los manifestantes no han desaparecido.

El jueves y viernes pasados se perfilan como algunos de los días más decisivos en la historia reciente de Irán.

Las protestas económicas que comenzaron en los bazares de Teherán se transformaron repentinamente en lo que podría convertirse en la mayor amenaza para la República Islámica desde su creación en 1979.

Grandes multitudes salieron a las calles en todo el país coreando “muerte al dictador”, pidiendo la caída del régimen y, en un desarrollo relativamente nuevo, algunos pidiendo el regreso de Reza Pahlavi, hijo exiliado del último Shah de Irán.

La magnitud de la represión que siguió indica que el régimen iraní, herido por la guerra del verano pasado con Israel y Estados Unidos, y desprovisto de sus aliados regionales, no estaba dispuesto a ceder.

El inédito apagón digital, que ha aislado a los iraníes del mundo, significa que la verdadera magnitud de la brutalidad aún no se comprende completamente. Más de 2.400 personas han muerto desde el inicio de la represión de Irán contra la disidencia, según la Agencia de Noticias de Activistas de Derechos Humanos (HRANA, por sus siglas en inglés), con sede en Estados Unidos.

En las últimas semanas, el presidente de EE.UU., Donald Trump, amenazó repetidamente con atacar Irán si el régimen usaba la violencia contra los manifestantes.

Sin embargo, el jueves Trump dijo a los periodistas que “fuentes muy importantes del otro lado” le habían informado que las matanzas habían cesado en Irán, lo que sugiere que no habría una acción militar estadounidense inmediata. Funcionarios del Golfo también dijeron a CNN que Qatar, Omán, Arabia Saudita y Egipto instaron a Estados Unidos a evitar ataques contra Irán, advirtiendo sobre riesgos de seguridad y económicos que podrían afectar tanto a Estados Unidos como a la región en general. Estos esfuerzos diplomáticos parecen haber llevado a una desescalada.

Pero eso podría ser temporal. Los analistas dicen que la amenaza de ataques estadounidenses o israelíes contra Irán aún no ha terminado.

“No se ha encontrado una solución a la raíz real de las tensiones”, dijo Trita Parsi, vicepresidente ejecutivo del Instituto Quincy para la Gobernanza Responsable, a CNN, y agregó que las tensiones de Israel con Irán nunca fueron sobre las protestas.

Una fuente dijo a CNN el jueves que las Fuerzas Armadas de Estados Unidos están moviendo un grupo de ataque de portaaviones al Medio Oriente. Se estima que llegará al Golfo Pérsico

AlexDreamliner // Shutterstock

Despite the disputed (and largely refuted) notion that the Inuit people of Alaska have dozens of different words for the white stuff that falls from the sky when moisture freezes, if you live in the northern U.S. you know there really isn’t just one kind of snow. There’s the powdery variety, which skiers and snowboarders love. Toward the end of winter, you get that gray, slushy mess that’s no one’s favorite. And then, occasionally, there’s wet, heavy snow that’s great for building snowmen — but bad for backs and building.

According to the Weather Channel, this last type of snow is so heavy because it has a low snow-to-liquid ratio — meaning that there’s a lot of water compared to the volume of snow. It usually forms during early- or late-winter storms when the temperatures are warmer as the snow falls, allowing flakes to melt. This makes it the perfect consistency for packing snowballs. But if you’re trying to remove that wet, heavy snow from your roof or driveway, it can quickly become troublesome.

HomeServe shares a few tips and tricks to keep in your back pocket this winter:

Shovel Safely

You may not think of shoveling as a strenuous activity, but it can be. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the hard work of scraping and throwing snow can put some individuals at risk for a heart attack. It can also aggravate or produce lower back pain. Plus, there’s always the risk of slips and falls.

Because wet snow is so heavy, you have to exert even more force while shoveling. To avoid injury, the Cleveland Clinic recommends taking frequent breaks, working with others and staying hydrated while you shovel.

Choose the Right Snowblower

The name “snowblower” implies that the device can easily manipulate snow. But wet snow is hard to move — even for a piece of machinery. Landscaping-tool reviewers advise clearing the snow as soon as it falls, lubing the chute where the snow shoots out of the machine with silicone spray or ski wax, and working slowly. However, the most important thing is having the right kind of snowblower.

With single-stage snowblowers, the auger both picks up and expels the snow. For that reason, they’re best for shallow snowfalls and lighter types of snow. A two-stage snowblower is going to be a better buy if you often have to remove deep or heavy snow. This style has an auger that pulls snow up and an impeller that throws snow off to the side.

Look Out for Ice

According to AccuWeather, wet snow — due to its high water content — is also likely to accumulate an ice layer underneath. So, in addition to shoveling or blowing snow off your driveway, you might also need to de-ice. Sprinkle kitty litter, sand, salt or a

Freedom365day // Shutterstock

Mold may be microscopically small, but its impact on your home and health can be monumental.

Often prevalent in hard-to-see places and damp areas of your house, mold can spread quickly once it takes hold. After you have identified a mold infestation in your home, you must take the necessary steps to remove it, treat the affected surfaces and prevent it from returning. One of the best ways to do this is through a process called mold remediation.

This guide by Rhode Island Restoration provides an in-depth look at what you need to know about the mold remediation process, including the steps involved when hiring a specialist.

What Is Mold?

Mold is a microorganism and type of fungus that can spread easily in moist conditions and grows primarily on organic materials, such as wood, food and paper.

Mold grows when microscopic particles or spores land on moist organic materials, germinate and grow into multicellular structures called hyphae and mycelia.

In natural environments, mold plays an important role in the ecosystem, breaking down dead organic matter and returning essential nutrients to the soil. Some types of mold are even used in the production of certain foods, such as cheese and soy sauce, to create distinctive flavors. When present in buildings and homes, however, this natural decomposer poses a threat to structural integrity and health.

How to Identify Mold in Your Home

Rhode Island Restoration

It is important to recognize the signs of mold in order to catch the infestation quickly and prevent it from escalating.

You can identify mold in your home in a few different ways:

• Visual signs: These include material discoloration, stains, water damage, condensation, fuzzy spots of color and peeling wallpaper or paint.
• Smell: Mold tends to have a musty or earthy odor, which can help you identify it before you can see it.
• Allergic reactions: If someone in your household is persistently sneezing, coughing or suffering from other allergy symptoms with no apparent cause, mold could be the culprit.
• Dampness: If any surfaces feel damp, such as flooring, walls, cabinetry or upholstery, your home’s humidity levels are likely high enough to encourage mold growth.

If you suspect your home might have a mold infestation, there are some common mold-prone places you can check:

• Areas with high moisture: Clos

Courtesy of Sneakers.com

In the world of footwear, the pendulum of style rarely rests in the middle. After years of dominance by “maximalist” chunky soles and tech-heavy silhouettes, 2025 marked a sharp pivot toward the dance floor. Enter the ballet sneaker—a hybrid “sneakerina” that blends the athletic DNA of a trainer with the grace of a dance slipper.

What began as a niche “balletcore” aesthetic has transformed into a dominant market force. According to Google Trends, the shift has been quantifiable: Search interest for “ballet sneakers” saw a 211% increase between the start of 2025 and the beginning of 2026.

This momentum reached its highest points during the spring season and again during Black Friday sales. Sneakers.com examines the rising trend of ballet sneakers.

The Anatomy of the Sneakerina

The trend is defined by a move toward a low-profile, grounded aesthetic. The substantial, multi-layered midsoles that dominated the last decade are being replaced by streamlined, ultra-slim outsoles, often wrapping up the heel in a nod to both martial arts and heritage-driving shoes. The slim suede trend rose during the holiday gifting period as shoppers looked for premium, textured versions of these minimalist shapes. Here are some key characteristics.

• Elasticated Straps: replacing or complementing traditional laces for a secure, slip-on feel.
• Ribbon Lacing: often extending up the ankle to mimic traditional dance attire.
• Satin and Mesh: utilizing lightweight materials that prioritize breathability and a soft, slipper-like texture.
• Almond Toes: a softer, more tapered alternative to the aggressive, rounded toe-boxes of standard performance trainers.

The Silhouettes Defining the Trend

1. The Martial Arts Influence: adidas Taekwondo and Taekwondo Mei

The adidas Taekwondo and its lace-up sister, the Taekwondo Mei, were the catalysts for this movement. Originally designed for precision on the mat, their glove-like fit and slip-on nature made them the ultimate “off-duty dancer” shoe.

2. The Split-Toe Pioneer: Nike Air Rift and Air Rift Ballet

The Nike Air Rift has long been the “if you know, you know” choice for avant-garde fans. Its split-toe “tabi” design and minimal strap system naturally align with the ballet aesthetic. In early 2026, Nike leaned further into this with the Air Rift Ballet, which strips away the chunky outdoor sole in favor of a flat, flexible bottom—adding satin-finished straps that mimic a dancer’s ribbons.

3. The Motorsport Pivot: Puma Speedcat and Speedcat Ballet

The Puma Speedcat originally found fame in the world of F1 driving, but its thin, flexible sole made it the perfect candidate for a ballet makeover. The Puma Speedcat Ballet merged these worlds, adding dainty satin finishes and softer lines to a shoe once meant for the pedal.

4. The Designer Collaboration: Salomon RX Marie-Jeanne

Proving that “gorpcore” can be “coquette,

Eamonn Fitzmaurice // The74; Getty Images

An AI-powered tutor, paired with a human helper and individual-level data on a student’s proficiency, can outperform a human alone, with near-flawless results, a new study suggests.

The results could open a new front in the evolving discussion over how to use AI in schools — and how closely humans must watch it when it’s interacting with kids, The 74 reports.

In a randomized controlled trial involving 165 British secondary school students, ages 13-15, the ed-tech startup Eedi.com put a small group of expert human tutors in charge of a large language model, or LLM, offered by Google’s LearnLM. As it tutored students on math problems via Eedi’s platform, it drafted replies when students needed help. Before the messages went out, the human tutors got a chance to revise each one to the point where they’d feel comfortable sending it themselves.

Students didn’t know whether they were talking to a human or a chatbot, but they had longer conversations, on average, with the “supervised” AI/human combination than simply with a human tutor, said Bibi Groot, Eedi’s chief impact officer.

In the end, students using the supervised AI tutor performed slightly better than those who chatted online via text with human tutors — they were able to solve new kinds of problems on subsequent topics successfully 66.2% of the time, compared to 60.7% with human tutors.

The AI, researchers concluded, was “a reliable source” of instruction. Human tutors approved about three out of four drafted messages with few to no edits.

Eedi Labs

Students who got both human and AI tutoring were able to correct misconceptions and offer correct answers over 90% of the time, compared to just 65% of the time when they got a “static, pre-written” response to their questions.

And the AI only “hallucinated,” or offered factual errors, 0.1% of the time — in 3,617 messages, that amounted to just five hallucinations. It didn’t produce any messages that gave the tutors pause over safety.

The results suggest that “pedagogically fine-tuned” AI could play a role in delivering effective, individualized tutoring at scale, researchers said. Interestingly, students who received support from the AI were more likely to solve new kinds of p