Savory Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo

World

• Türkiye and seven nations condemn Israel’s settlement policies Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE jointly denounced Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, specifically rejecting the E1 plan east of East Jerusalem as illegal under international law. Source: Anadolu Agency.
• Trump says Iran is “still not ready” for the “right deal” amid tightening sanctions US President Donald Trump asserted that while Iran might want a deal, it is not prepared to make the correct one, as additional economic pressures are being applied. Source: Anadolu Agency.

United States

• AI agents become active control systems at Cloudflare Cloudflare is integrating AI into its software development lifecycle (SDLC), enforcing internal engineering standards through an AI-based control plane and agent tracing to manage code, configuration, and deployment. Source: The Art of CTO.
• Drone and missile attacks escalate in Ukraine Russian forces conducted a double-tap drone strike on a shopping mall, killing at least 15, and separate missile attacks near Kyiv killed 17. The UN warned that armed drones are escalating battlefield risks, including to aid workers. Source: The Art of CTO.

Technology

• Apple cuts over 200 roles in Siri and Vision Pro teams Bloomberg reports that Apple is reducing staff in immersive video, 3D video, and gaming teams as it shifts resources toward AI and new devices. Source: SpikePanel via Bloomberg.
• NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin systems reach Microsoft data centers Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed arrival of first production Vera Rubin units at Microsoft DCs, signaling accelerated AI infrastructure deployment. Source: SpikePanel via Microsoft/NVIDIA posts.

Science

• Colorado River water cuts announced Federal officials declared sharp water reductions over the next two years for three Western U.S. states, as supplies from the Colorado River continue to dwindle. Source: LA Post.
• Alfalfa sprout outbreak sickens 15 U.S. states Health authorities report a food-poisoning outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts has impacted individuals across 15 states. Source: LA Post.
• NASA sidesteps LINK mission extension Due to a commercial spacecraft attitude control issue, NASA and Katalyst Space announced that the LINK spacecraft will not boost or capture the agency’s satellite as originally planned. Source: NASA Science.

Entertainment

• ‘The Odyssey’ becomes highest-grossing R-rated film ever Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster has surpassed $1.35 billion globally, overtaking *Deadpool & Wolverine* as the top-grossing R-rated movie. Source: The Guardian.
• ‘Insidious’ franchise returns with new entry The long-dormant *Insidious* series is back with a new film titled *Insidious: Out of the Further* just three years after its last installment. Source: Us Weekly via News & Observer.
• Austrian film ‘Everytime’ wins top prize at Sarajevo Festival Director Sandra Wollner’s *Everytime*, previously honored at Cannes, earned the Heart of Sarajevo award for best narrative feature. Source: Daily Mail via Variety.

Savory Greek Lemon Chicken and Orzo

Experience the flavors of Greece with this delightful and hearty chicken and orzo dish. Infused with fresh lemon and herbs, it's a perfect one-pot meal that's bursting with tangy and savory notes.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup orzo pasta
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Lemon slices for garnish

Instructions:

1. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same skillet, add the onion and garlic, sautéing until the onion is translucent.
4. Add the orzo and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
5. Pour in the chicken broth and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Add the oregano and thyme.
6. Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, nestling them into the orzo. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo is tender.
7. Stir in the Kalamata olives and fresh parsley. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
8. Garnish with feta cheese and lemon slices before serving.