Lemon Herb Quinoa Salad

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.

Lemon Herb Quinoa Salad

Introduction

Brighten up your day with a refreshing and wholesome Lemon Herb Quinoa Salad. Perfect as a light lunch or a side dish, this salad is packed with fresh herbs, vibrant veggies, and a zesty lemon dressing. It's both easy to make and deliciously satisfying!

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes or until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed. Remove from heat and let it cool.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to create the dressing.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled quinoa, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, parsley, and mint.
4. Pour the dressing over the quinoa mixture and toss to coat everything evenly.
5. Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese.
6. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper, if desired.
7. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld before serving.
8. Enjoy your vibrant and zesty Lemon Herb Quinoa Salad!