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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: President Donald Trump will learn Friday whether his long and unusually public campaign to win the Nobel Peace Prize has succeeded
• Trump claims to have resolved seven global conflicts and brokered an eighth — the recent Israel-Hamas ceasefire — just ahead of the Nobel announcement
• Despite his insistence that his motivations are apolitical, Trump has repeatedly raised the topic in public and private, including lobbying foreign officials and referencing the prize during peace negotiations
🔭 The context: Unlike previous laureates, Trump has actively campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize throughout his presidency and into his second term — a sharp break from the tradition of quiet deliberation and humility expected of candidates
• He has been nominated by several governments and allies, including Pakistan, Israel, and Cambodia
• His campaign appears partly driven by a desire to match former President Barack Obama, who won the prize in 2009 — a decision that remains controversial in Nobel circles
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: The credibility of international institutions like the Nobel Committee plays a vital role in legitimising global cooperation, including on climate, peace, and sustainable development
• A high-profile award driven by political lobbying rather than impartial merit could undermine trust in such institutions
• More broadly, the politicisation of peace diplomacy risks overshadowing multilateral efforts on sustainable security — such as environmental peacebuilding, refugee resettlement, and climate-resilient reconstruction in conflict zones
⏭️ What's next: The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Friday, October 10, in Oslo
• While Trump’s team and supporters have mobilised nominations and symbolic gestures — including a mock award ceremony in Tel Aviv — the official shortlist reportedly includes humanitarian groups like Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms and watchdog organisations such as the International Criminal Court
• Regardless of the outcome, Trump’s public push is likely to remain a flashpoint in debates over the prize’s purpose and politicisation
💬 One quote: “If I were named Obama, I would have had the Nobel Prize given to me in 10 seconds.” – President Donald Trump
📈 One stat: 300,000 tons of CO₂ — the amount Trump claims to have offset through international peace deals (a symbolic reference; not a verified climate impact)
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