Newsweek is reporting that a viral food trend involving pineapple spears pickled in Kool-Aid has become a "national character test." It said a young Florida man, Bubba Harrelson, gained tens of millions of social media views for his amusing reaction to sampling the "southern delicacy." The publication noted that this trend has generated both delight and disdain, prompting questions about its cultural significance in America.
Newsweek also announced the launch of two new newsletters. "China Decoded," led by World Editor Frances Mao, John Feng, and Deirdre Kirsten Tatlow, will offer insights into Beijing's global influence. The "Midterms Monitor" newsletter, headed by Daniel Orton and Alex Rouhandeh, will cover the 2026 U.S. midterms, described as the first national test of President Donald Trump's second term.