The Int'l Man's Hot Links Archive 2020 (1): Jan 1-June 30

Hot Links Archive 2017 - 2018 (1): - June 30	Hot Links Archive 2018 (2): July 1 - December 31
Hot Links Archive 2019 (1): January 1 - June 30	Hot Links Archive 2019 (2): July 1 - December 31
Hot Links Archive 2020 (1): January 1 - June 30	Hot Links Archive 2020 (2): July 1 - December 31
Hot Links Archive 2021 (1): January 1 - June 30	Hot Links Archive 2020 (3): Oct 1 - December 31
Hot Links Archive 2021 (2): July 1 - December 31	Hot Links Archive 2022 (1): January 1 - June 30
Hot Links Archive 2022 (2): July 1 - December 31	Hot Links Archive 2023 (1): January 1 -

Hot Links Archive 2020 (1): January 1 - June 30

June 30, 2020

• Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases - by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
• Coronavirus: A-Z - everything you need to know - "1900+ Coronavirus COVID-19 Advice, News & Resources." UPDATED DAILY!
• Flu virus with 'pandemic potential' found in China - "A new strain of flu that has the potential to become a pandemic has been identified in China by scientists."
• Gilead's $2,340 Price for Coronavirus Drug Remdesivir Draws Criticism - "The maker of a drug shown to shorten recovery time for severely ill COVID-19 patients says it will charge $2,340 for a typical treatment course for people covered by government health programs in the United States and other developed countries."
• No evidence that vitamin D prevents coronavirus, say experts - "Nice says topic is under review, but still advises taking supplements for bone health."
• US visitors set to remain banned from entering EU - "Agreed shortlist of permitted countries also excludes Russia, Brazil and India."
• Middle seats & packed planes are coming back as airlines prepare to ease restrictions - "The dreaded middle seat is coming back. US airlines had stopped selling them for months, both to ensure social distancing and because of a lack of passengers. But with a modest rebound in flying, that is changing."
• Kim Kardashian West's KKW cosmetics line is worth $1 billion - "Coty is doubling down on the Kardashians. After buying Kylie Jenner's beauty business last January, Coty (COTY) announced on Monday that it would acquire a 20% stake in KKW, Kim Kardashian West's cosmetics line, for $200 million. The deal values KKW at $1 billion - slightly less than the $1.2 billion valuation of Jenner's company, Kylie Cosmetics."
• China cosmetic surgery apps: Swipe to buy a new face - "A growing number of Chinese women are using cosmetic surgery to achieve bigger eyes, high cheekbones, narrow noses and skinny legs. Like Wu, many are seeking to emulate a beauty ideal inspired by elements of Japan's manga comics, South Korea's K-Pop and Western culture."
• Twitch temporarily bans President Trump - "A temporary suspension for ‘hateful conduct’."
• Democrats push to drop John Wayne’s name from airport over racist comments - "Democrats in Orange county, California, call for change in light of ‘racist and bigoted statements’ actor made in 1971 interview."
• The World’s Most Secluded Destination Wedding Venues - "Many secluded destination wedding venues have reported an uptick in requests for ceremonies and receptions as couples opt to recite their vows and celebrate with family and close friends in as much privacy as possible."
• Mercedes to race in black cars for 2020 in stand against racism - "Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One team has announced that their cars will don a black livery for the 2020 season as a statement that the reigning champions 'stand against racism and all forms of discrimination.'"
• Ayasofya: the mosque-turned-museum at the heart of an ideological battle - "Turkey’s decision to secularise the building was symbolic - so is Erdoğan’s support for reversing it."
• Dinosaurs wiped out by asteroid, not volcanoes, researchers say - "Study says surge in volcanic activity could not have caused Cretaceous/Paleogene extinction event."
• The fall of Quibi: how did a starry $1.75bn Netflix rival crash so fast? - "Jeffrey Katzenberg’s short-form content platform has struggled to make an impact with bad reviews, lack of interest and legal issues swirling."
• how long is an acceptable time to wait before discussing spoilers? - "Nobody watches anything at the same time, and everyone blurts their opinions on social media as soon as they’ve seen anything. It’s a free-for-all, and it’s untenable. This can only mean one thing: it is time to definitively locate the point when spoiling a film or TV show is OK."
• Beyond Pluto: the hunt for our solar system's new ninth planet - "Scientists think a planet larger than Earth lurks in the far reaches of the solar system. Now a new telescope could confirm their belief and change solar system science."
• Off their heads: the shocking return of the rave - "With clubs shut, thousands of young people are breaking the Covid-19 rules to attend parties organised on social media - and more are being set up every day."
• The BET Awards: from Beyoncé to Michelle Obama - in pictures - "From Megan Thee Stallion’s Mad Max inspiration to Tracee Ellis Ross’ cursive baby hairs it was a stylish (if socially distanced) night, one of the first award shows since the pandemic, with a conscious nod to black-owned fashion brands."

June 29, 2020

• Dr. Fauci says Covid-19 vaccine may not get US to herd immunity if too many people refuse to get it - "Dr. Anthony Fauci says he would "settle" for a Covid-19 vaccine that's 70% to 75% effective, but that this incomplete protection, coupled with the fact that many Americans say they won't get a coronavirus vaccine, makes it 'unlikely' that the US will achieve sufficient levels of immunity to quell the outbreak."
• Health secretary: ‘Window is closing’ to stop coronavirus as US cases pass 2.5m - "Alex Azar points to recent spike in infections, particularly in the south and says people have to ‘act responsibly’ in hot zones."
• COVID-19 death toll passes 500,000 worldwide - "Meanwhile, the number of confirmed cases is now over 10 million."
• Trump deletes tweet of supporter shouting ‘white power’ after outrage - "Deputy press secretary claims Trump had not heard the racist language of video he tweeted that was posted for nearly four hours."
• China promotes traditional medicine amid Covid-19 - "As scientists race to develop a vaccine for Covid-19, Beijing has been championing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as a way to treat the disease."
• Why a barista received nearly $80k in tips - "A Starbucks barista received nearly $80,000 in tips after being singled out for refusing to serve a customer not wearing a mask."
• The hidden risks of cooking your food - "From creating toxic chemicals to an increased risk of lung cancer, the latest evidence suggests that some types of cooking come with health risks. What can be done to avoid them?"
• These Are the Best Memes of 2020 So Far - "Although 2020 is far from over, it’s already in the books as a year that won’t soon be forgotten, in the midst of life-changing events like the spread of the coronavirus pandemic across the world and a global uprising of protests against racism and police brutality."
• Coronavirus Researchers Are Dismantling Science’s Ivory Tower - One Study at a Time - "Homebound scientists were looking for ways to help battle the pandemic. I put out a call on Twitter, and the Covid-19 Dispersed Volunteer Network was born."
• Fiji's unusual appeal to billionaires - "Fiji markets itself as retreat for billionaires during pandemic."
• Poker & the Psychology of Uncertainty - "The game has plenty to teach about making decisions with the card we've been dealt - on and off the table."
• British state 'covered up plot to assassinate King Edward VIII' - "Historian says papers challenge official version that George McMahon was a fantasist."
• French Revolution: remains discovered in walls of Paris monument - "Experts believe up to 500 people guillotined in period may be buried in Chapelle Expiatoire."
• High levels of arsenic found in US Whole Foods’ bottled water brand - "Tests by Consumer Reports find toxic metal in Starkey Spring Water, which was previously recalled for exceeding federal limits, and is sold on Amazon."

June 28, 2020

• Number of virus infections tops 10m worldwide - "Globally, the number of infections now stands at over 10m and nearly 500,000 people have died - Johns Hopkins University."
• US cuts its ties to the rest of the world - "The US is more alone than ever, just at the moment the world needs its leadership."
• 'Escape the pandemic in paradise': Fiji opens its borders seeking billionaires - "Prime minister looks to attract ‘VIPs’ to help restore country’s battered economy which is heavily dependent on tourism."
• 'Ethnicity is authenticity': how America got addicted to racist branding - "As brands like Aunt Jemima and Uncle Ben face an overhaul, Jason Chambers sheds light on why it took so long."
• We are what we eat, so we’re right not to trust what goes into American food - "Forgoing our links with European suppliers makes no sense economically or health-wise."
• Google's Phone app will tell you why businesses are calling - "It could help you decide whether or not to pick up."

June 27, 2020

• US has 'serious problem' with virus, says Dr. Fauci - "US infectious disease chief Dr Anthony Fauci says the nation has a 'serious problem' as 16 states reel from a spike in Covid-19 cases."
• Measures to protect Trump from coronavirus scale up even as he seeks to move on - "President Donald Trump appears ready to move on from a still-raging coronavirus pandemic -- skipping the first White House task force briefing in months and moving the event out of the White House itself. But the measures meant to protect him from catching the virus have scaled up dramatically."
• How did America become a pariah nation of super-spreaders? - "The EU is considering excluding US travelers from visiting when borders open up on July 1. Sadly, they have a point."
• iOS 14 first look: Apple tries to do more but still keep things simple - "Apple's latest software is a fascinating balancing act."
• The surprising truth about the hot dog - "The truth about the US' most iconic food. A sizzling symbol of Americana eaten at stadiums and barbecues, the humble hot dog originated in a very unlikely place: the beach."
• Gold prices spike to highest level in nearly 8 years on coronavirus fears - "The price of gold, the essential safe haven asset, has climbed above $1,776 per ounce, its highest level in nearly eight years."

June 26, 2020

• US sees record number of new Covid-19 cases - "The US recorded a daily high for new cases on Thursday, partly driven by spikes in California, Florida and Texas. There are fears of 'apocalyptic' surges in major Texas cities if the trend continues: Houston could be the hardest-hit city in the country, with numbers rivaling those in Brazil."
• Bill Gates: US 'not even close' to doing enough to fight pandemic - "Microsoft founder Bill Gates said Thursday that the current coronavirus picture, both globally and in the US, is 'more bleak' than he would have expected."
• CDC Head Estimates U.S. Coronavirus Cases Might be 10 Times Higher Than Data Show - "In a press briefing on June 25, Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said that the current official count of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. may actually be a drastic underestimate."
• data shows 10 countries risking coronavirus second wave as lockdown relaxed - "Of the 45 countries to have recorded more than 25,000 coronavirus cases to date, 21 currently have relaxed responses to the pandemic. Of these, 10 are reporting a rising number of cases."
• From miracle cures to slowing testing: how Trump has defied science on coronavirus - video explainer - "Donald Trump told thousands of supporters at a rally in Oklahoma he wanted to slow down testing for Covid-19 - despite experts saying the opposite."
• Trump's brother fails in bid to block niece's tell-all book - "Robert Trump’s lawsuit dismissed by court in New York. An attempt to block publication of a book claiming to tell the inside story of the Trump family by the US president’s niece has been dismissed by a court in New York."
• How to stop your glasses from fogging up when you wear a mask - "Keep your vision clear. Many people are faithfully wearing masks in order to prevent others from being infected with COVID-19. But while mask-wearing is important for public health, it’s also a big adjustment for a lot of Americans who are adapting to a new garment and sweaty faces. Those of us with glasses have to deal with another problem: fogged-up lenses. When you wear a mask and your warm breath hits the relatively cool surface of your glasses, the result will be fog."
• How do you deal with people who refuse to wear a mask? - "Courtesy on the part of both parties may be the only strategy available. You’d think that months of reading about overflowing hospitals and mounting death statistics would scare almost anyone into following the current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations: wear a mask in public spaces to protect others from possible infection, especially since there is no current way to be sure who may be an asymptomatic transmitter - particularly in relatively crowded urban areas."
• COVID-19 killed the era of 'big' flying - "The future of flying is smaller, more efficient planes."
• Swedes rapidly losing trust in Covid-19 strategy, poll finds - "Political parties demand Sweden’s strategy be reviewed before next election in 2022."
• 50 Smart Money Moves You Can Make Right Now - "If there's one lesson to be learned from the financial devastation wrought by coronavirus, let it be this: Help is out there, but it's not just going to come to you."
• What it's like to visit Paris right now - "What it's like to visit Paris post-lockdown."
• Apple Ditching Intel Could Mean Big Changes Ahead for Mac Desktops & Laptops - "Apple’s first-ever virtual Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) came with the usual slew of mostly predictable announcements, like upgrades to the iPhone and iPad operating systems, new features for its AirPod earbuds, and more. But its most striking news was a decision to shift from powering its Mac devices with Intel processors in favor of its own homemade chip, which it’s calling 'Apple silicon.'"
• When statues are no longer welcome - "Can you remove a statue without erasing the past? When a country has statues of people that no longer reflect its values, what is the best solution? Is there a way of addressing the past without erasing it? And is doing nothing an option?"
• The Arctic heatwave: here's what we know - "It’s 38C in Siberia. The science may be complicated - but the need for action now couldn’t be clearer."
• The iconic look that changed festival fashion - "Glastonbury Festival fashion history: Remember when Kate Moss wore rain boots?"
• 7 Coolest Innovations Coming To Apple Watch In watchOS 7 - "Apple Watch Series 5 is a tremendous smartwatch. And this Fall, it will get a software update, watchOS 7, that adds a lot of new features. The same applies to Apple Watch Series 4 and Apple Watch Series 3, which are also compatible. In other words, if you have an Apple Watch released in 2017 or later, you’re golden."
• Want to start cycling to work? Here's how - "Cycling is being backed as an alternative to public transport and the government has said it will put hundreds of millions into creating this infrastructure. However, if recent surveys are anything to go by, many people think cycling on the road is too dangerous. The Bikeability Trust's Paul Robison breaks down how to hit the road with confidence."
• Almost 1 in 3 pilots in Pakistan have fake licenses, aviation minister says - "More than 30% of civilian pilots in Pakistan have fake licenses and are not qualified to fly, the country's aviation minister revealed Wednesday."
• Che Guevara's birthplace put up for sale - "The birthplace of the 20th Century leftist revolutionary icon Ernesto 'Che' Guevara has been put up for sale in the Argentine city of Rosario."
• The ‘Return’ Of The Loch Ness Monster Feels Amusingly Appropriate - "'If this is a genuine picture of a creature in Loch Ness, it would easily rank in the top three of all time.'"
• A. Lange & SÖhne Unveils The Latest Lange 1 Time Zone Watch - "A. Lange & Söhne, has unveiled the latest version of its Lange 1 Time Zone watch. The big change is that it has a new caliber, which makes it the 65th caliber produced by the German luxury watch brand. There are design changes as well that the company says makes the two time zone timepiece more legible and user friendly."
• Arthur Conan Doyle’s estate sues Netflix for giving Sherlock Holmes too many feelings - "The estate of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has sued Netflix over its upcoming film Enola Holmes, arguing that the movie’s depiction of public domain character Sherlock Holmes having emotions and respecting women violates Doyle’s copyright."
• Hey email app open to all after Apple 'definitively' approves it - "Basecamp skirted Apple’s requirement that developers use in-app purchases."
• How one bird's epic migration stunned scientists - "When Onon the common cuckoo took off from Mongolia last June no one expected him to make a 26,000km round trip to southern Africa."

June 25, 2020

• Covid-19 'spiraling out of control' in 3 US states with the most population - "California, Texas and Florida all set records for the number of new coronavirus cases in one day, which one expert said is not due just to increased testing."
• Daily U.S. Coronavirus Infections Reach Two-Month High, Returning to Levels at Peak of Outbreak - "The U.S. on Tuesday reported 34,700 new cases of the virus, according to a tally compiled by Johns Hopkins University that was published Wednesday. There have been only two previous days that the U.S. has reported more cases: April 9 and April 24, when a record 36,400 cases were logged."
• New York imposes quarantine on 8 US states - "New York, New Jersey and Connecticut have asked people travelling from states where virus cases are rising to go into self-isolation for 14 days."
• How the COVID-19 Pandemic Could Be Messing With Your Sleep - "COVID-19 and its associated quarantine have messed with pretty much every aspect of our lives. Work time, meal time, family time, play time; our moods, our stress level, our tolerance; our ability to spend so much as one more minute staring at the same four walls of the same den or living room or home office in which we spend most of our days."
• More Young People Are Testing Positive for COVID-19 in the U.S. Here's What That Could Mean for the Outbreak - "Young, healthy people who get mild or asymptomatic disease can still be carriers, potentially transmitting the virus to someone who goes on to have a much more severe case."
• Has Covid-19 brought us closer to tackling climate change? - "Has the pandemic helped individuals, industry and government get any closer to tackling the environmental crisis?"
• WHO warns of global shortage of oxygen equipment - "As 1 million new cases of coronavirus are confirmed worldwide per week, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that hospitals are facing a shortage in oxygen concentrators needed to support the breathing of Covid-19 patients suffering from respiratory distress."
• Food brands are phasing out racist mascots. Will sports teams follow? - "As support for Black Lives Matter spreads, attention has turned to how stereotypical images of people of color are an inherent facet of mainstream culture, right down to our breakfast option."
• How The Billionaire Behind The Movie ‘Contagion’ Is Working To Stop This Pandemic - And The Next One - "Jeff Skoll has been funding pandemic preparedness for more than a decade, even longer than Bill Gates. In recent months, he’s increased his philanthropic giving to help combat Covid-19."
• The Value of an Emergency Fund Has Never Been More Clear. How to Start Saving Today - "It can be tough to build an emergency fund, but it's one of the most essential resources in your financial toolkit. Here's how to get started."
• St. Barths Reopens For Summer Travel - "While the European Union seems to be planning to bar American travelers from visiting the continent this summer, the island of St. Barths, the most glamorous of France’s Caribbean islands has just reopened its borders to all visitors. As of this week, the island is reachable from North America through San Juan, P.R. only, but the airport of nearby St. Martin is poised to reopen on July 1st."
• Apple announces digital car keys for wirelessly unlocking your car with an iPhone - "It works over NFC and will support the new BMW 5 Series."
• WITH IOS 14, APPLE IS FINALLY LETTING THE IPHONE HOME SCREEN GET COMPLICATED - "Widgets, hideable pages, App Library, and App Clips: a lot of new concepts for one update."
• China's GPS rival Beidou is now fully operational after final satellite launched - "To date, there are only four major GNSS networks: GPS (US), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (European Union) and now Beidou. India and Japan operate smaller systems."
• 6 things you may not know about the Korean War - "The US Army once ruled Pyongyang and 5 other things you might not know about the Korean War. Seventy years ago this week, more than 135,000 North Korean troops invaded South Korea, starting a war that cost millions of lives and left scars that linger to this day."
• Tattoos, karaoke & a touch of film noir: What it was like to work with Anthony Bourdain in Thailand - "No food celebrity was more widely loved than Anthony Bourdain at the time, and his posthumous fame and recognition have only grown since. In an era where chefs are the new rockstars, he was Johnny Cash, keeping it raw and real."
• Seasteading - a vanity project for the rich or the future of humanity? - "Beloved by Silicon Valley tycoons and tyranny-fearing libertarians, are cities atop the waves Earth’s next frontier?"
• Castle couple flushes 160 toilets each day - "Castle employees play house -- and clean toilets -- in grand estate closed to visitors."
• Roundup: Bayer to pay $10.9bn to settle weedkiller cancer claims - "Chemical firm Bayer is to pay up to $10.9bn to settle cancer claims linked to its Roundup weedkiller."
• Olympus quits camera business after 84 years - "Olympus, once one of the world's biggest camera brands, is selling off that part of its business after 84 years."
• Former Kennedy Palm Beach Compound Reportedly Sold By Billionaire Jane Goldman For $70 Million - "The storied seaside Palm Beach estate that big daddy Joseph P. Kennedy bought in 1933 has had three owners since the Kennedy clan sold it in 1995."
• This Airbus A220 private jet is a true apartment in the sky - "With a sitting room, dining area, relaxation zone, workspace, bedroom and en-suite bathroom and shower, you may as well live here."

June 24, 2020

• Dr. Anthony Fauci Tells Lawmakers He Is Cautiously Optimistic There Will Be a COVID-19 Vaccine by Late 2020 or Early 2021 - "But, speaking before a House committee, Dr. Fauci also warned that the next few weeks will be critical to tamping down coronavirus hot spots around the country."
• Covid-19 vaccine may not work for at-risk older people, say scientists - "Lords committee told children may have to be immunised to protect their grandparents."
• Covid-19 has brought US 'to its knees': CDC chief - "Covid-19 has 'brought this nation to its knees,' Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Tuesday."
• millions of Americans can’t afford water as bills rise 80% in a decade - "Exclusive: analysis of US cities shows emergency on affordability of running water amid Covid-19 pandemic."
• Clean water is a human right. In America it’s more a profit machine - "When it comes to water infrastructure, America’s challenges resemble those of a developing country. It’s time for that to change."
• Top US health official Fauci warns of 'disturbing' new US surge - "America's top infectious disease expert has told lawmakers that the US is seeing a 'disturbing surge' in coronavirus infections in some states."
• The country where hundreds of thousands of people haven't heard of Covid-19 - "Hundreds of thousands of people trapped near fierce fighting in Myanmar's far west may know nothing of Covid-19 thanks to a yearlong internet shutdown, according to rights groups."
• how to stay cool when home-working in a heatwave - "Overheating without workplace air conditioning? These essential tips from one seasoned home-worker will make the rising temperature a breeze."
• Barcelona opera house reopens with performance to 2,292 plants - "It's not uncommon for performances at Barcelona's Gran Teatre del Liceu opera house to be sold out, but musicians played to an unusual audience on Monday to mark Spain's lifting of lockdown -- as thousands of plants filled its seats."
• The Covid-19 medics staying in luxury hotels - "What happened when luxury hotels swapped tourists for medical workers."
• The Year of Living Danishly: Uncovering the Secrets of the World's Happiest Country - Amazon.com.
• 'Virtually no demand' for coins in Covid-19 era as Australia's shift from cash to digital hastens - "As a result of the trend, the Royal Australian Mint and the Reserve Bank are considering producing less physical money."
• Novak Djokovic has used his influence irresponsibly & now reality has struck - "The ill-fated Adria Tour is the latest hit to the world No 1’s diminished reputation during lockdown."
• A new threat to global trade: Exhausted crews want off cargo ships now - "Global trade is facing another coronavirus crisis just as economies begin to reopen: 200,000 seafarers stranded for months by port closures and the collapse in long-haul aviation could refuse to keep working."
• In The Age Of Zoom Happy Hours, Addiction Treatment Goes Online Too - "Drinking has gone digital. As the Covid-19 pandemic shuttered restaurants and bars and grounded everyone at home, Zoom happy hours have become the new venue to catch up with friends and blow off steam."
• Will the 'War on Terror' ever end? - "Last weekend's deadly knife attack in Reading, west of London, has been an uncomfortable reminder that the threat of terrorism has not gone away. But what about the so-called War on Terror, as declared by US President George W Bush in 2001? Is it still going on? And if not, has it been a triumph or a massive waste of money?"
• William v Harry: why the royal rivals really fell out (maybe) - "It’s less about Kate and Meghan and more about Elizabeth and Philip - or so says the new book Battle of Brothers."
• Japan Just Knocked The U.S. Off The Top Of A Ranking Of The World’s Most Powerful Supercomputers - "A widely followed ranking of the world’s most powerful supercomputers has put a Japanese machine called Fugaku at number one, ousting Summit, a U.S. supercomputer at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory."
• The Segway is officially over - "The Segway PT, which earned a place in pop culture but never realized its creators' world-changing ambitions, will come to an end this summer."
• NVIDIA & Mercedes-Benz Join Forces In An Autonomous Car Power Play - "The race for autonomous driving is on and today NVIDIA and Mercedes-Benz are announcing an agreement to advance the entire fleet of the German Automaker’s premium vehicles, with AI-enabled technology powered by NVIDIA’s autonomous vehicle compute platforms."
• Apple will extend the lifespan of your AirPods by choosing when they charge - "Apple previously released a similar feature on iPhones and MacBooks."
• iOS 14 will respond to taps on the back of your iPhone - "Your AirPods will also charge intelligently to maximize battery life."
• Bill Cosby granted right to appeal against sexual assault conviction - "Decision could test legal framework of #MeToo cases. Cosby, 82, serving three- to 10-year sentence in prison."

June 23, 2020

• Apple WWDC 2020: the 18 biggest announcements - "Catch up with everything that happened right here. Apple’s WWDC 2020 was unique before it even began. It’s the first time Apple’s developer conference has been streamed exclusively online with no in-person event. Regardless, there were some big announcements, including some you might have been expecting and others that might catch you by surprise."
• 5 Most Exciting Things Apple Announced at its Virtual WWDC 2020 - "Apple just announced big updates for the iPhone and iPad, a major internal change for Macs, and more."
• iOS 14 has a new home screen with widgets, a redesigned Siri, and more - "Apple is showing off iOS 14, which is expected to arrive sometime this fall alongside the next iPhone. There’s also a new Translate app and new group chat features."
• iOS 14 finally adds widgets to the iPhone home screen - "It's been a long time coming. For 13 years, the iPhone’s home screen has been a relatively inflexible grid of apps and, since iOS 4, app folders. That’s finally changing this year, as Apple is adding a few new ways to view your content and make the home screen more useful. It starts with something called the App Library, which makes finding where your apps are stored a lot easier. Apps are automatically grouped by categories; in a lot of ways, it seems like automatic folder creation."
• Apple Announces Real-Time Translation For 11 Languages With Siri - "Apple just announced that iOS 14 will offer live real-time translation for 11 languages, even offline, at its World Wide Developer Conference being held online this week. But the third-most spoken language globally, Hindi, is not one of them."
• Big Sur is officially macOS 11.0 as Apple finally leaves OS X behind - "Mac OS X is finally finished, with Apple confirming that it’s officially moving to macOS 11 with the newly announced Big Sur update after almost 20 years of OS X (or macOS 10.) That means that this fall, users will finally be upgrading from the 10.X versions that Apple has been using for nearly two decades to version 11.0."
• Here are all the devices that can run iOS and iPadOS 14, macOS Big Sur, and watchOS 7 - "Some older devices won’t get the upgrade this year."
• Apple opens up its network of iPhones to help you find Tile-like lost gadget trackers - "It will even support offline devices."
• iOS 14 & iPadOS 14 will let you set default email and browser apps - "Apple is finally giving iPad and iPhone users some choice."
• iOS 14 will let you search for emoji from the emoji keyboard - "Mac has had a way to search emoji for years."
• Apple TV 4K will at last play YouTube in 4K with tvOS 14 update - "A big frustration with the Apple TV 4K is about to be history."
• Trump pays price for pandemic denial - "Trump's pandemic failing is now directly impacting his campaign."
• Fear mounts Trump may pressure FDA to rush Covid-19 vaccine by election - "Concerns rise after White House attacked agency for reversing itself on an experimental drug treatment."
• Trump likened diplomacy with Kim Jong-un to dating, Bolton says - "Donald Trump compared his courtship of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un to dating and 'always wanted to be the one who broke up with the girl first', his former national security adviser John Bolton has claimed."
• 9 hand sanitizers may contain a potentially fatal ingredient, FDA warns - "The US Food and Drug Administration is advising consumers not to use hand sanitizer products manufactured by Eskbiochem SA due to the potential presence of a toxic chemical."
• The Difficulty Of Counting the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Full Death Toll - "Without widespread testing, officials must sort through presumed COVID-19 deaths and those who died with infections rather than from them."
• Fugaku, world's fastest supercomputer, searches for coronavirus treatment - "Japanese machine can perform more than 415 quadrillion computations a second and has already worked out how breath droplets spread."
• Airline By Airline - What Will It Be Like When We Can Fly Again? - "When we can take to the skies once more, airports and flights will look and feel very different thanks to the safety measures that have been put in place as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. From masks and social distancing measures, to food and drink onboard, we detail what you need to know ..."
• Most Americans Are Feeling Anxious About Their Money - "51% of Americans feel at least somewhat anxious about their finances amid the coronavirus pandemic."
• So Gen Z-ers hate millennials now? A handy guide to the generation wars - "Those under 25 no longer want to be compared to millennials, and have been vocal about it on social media for some time."
• 6 Phrases You Won’t Hear Successful People Say - "Your thoughts and the things you say to yourself and others are more powerful than you know. These phrases define how you think, how you act and how others perceive you. What you might think is a flippant, non-committal remark could frame your entire day and career without you even realizing. Here are six phrases that will undermine your success, that you won’t catch successful people using."
• The plague writers who predicted today - "Survival, isolation, community and love are explored in these plausible, prescient books. Jane Ciabattari on the novels that tell us ‘we’ve been through this before and we’ve survived’."
• Saudi Arabia bars international pilgrims for Hajj - "Saudi Arabia has banned international visitors from making the Islamic pilgrimage, or Hajj, this year in a bid to control coronavirus."
• Wildlife scientists examine the great 'human pause' - "A UK-led team has launched an initiative to track wildlife before, during and after lockdown."
• how to barbecue every food perfectly - from steak to fish to tender veg - "Now that lockdown rules have been relaxed, here’s how to avoid shredding your salmon, serving raw chicken or giving your cauliflower too much crunch."
• Why pigs have got slimmer as humans get fatter - "The average pig now has only 16% body fat - lower than the average for people in the UK. How has this happened?"
• This airport has no passengers, but it's running out of space - "The busiest airports in Spain? Madrid and Barcelona spring to mind and, under normal circumstances, they'd be the right answer. Yet when Aragon's Teruel Airport recently topped Spain's airport activity rankings, it became clear these are anything but normal times -- but then, Teruel isn't your typical airport."
• Asia's richest man, Mukesh Ambani, is now among the world's 10 wealthiest people - "Ambani is the chairman and chief executive of one of India's most valuable companies, Reliance Industries. His net worth recently surged to $64.5 billion, edging out Oracle's Larry Ellison and French L'Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers for the No. 9 spot on the list, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Ambani is the only person from Asia on the list."
• Joel Schumacher's life in pictures - "The American film director, screenwriter, and producer has died at the age of 80. He was best known for St Elmo’s Fire, Flatliners, The Lost Boys and the Batman films. Here we look back at his career."
• The Eagle Lightweight GT Is The Most Beautiful Car Of 2020, And It’s Not Even Close - "Eagle, the British Jaguar E-Type specialist, has revealed its latest creation, called the Lightweight GT."
• 'A chain of stupidity': the Skripal case & the decline of Russia's spy agencies - "The unmasking of the Salisbury poisoning suspects by a new digital journalism outfit was an embarrassment for Putin – and evidence that Russian spies are not what they once were."
• Experts call for regulation after latest botched art restoration in Spain - "Immaculate Conception painting by Murillo reportedly cleaned by furniture restorer."

June 22, 2020

• WHO reports record daily increase in coronavirus cases - "The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported the largest single-day increase in coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, with more than 183,000 new cases detected in the past 24 hours."
• Apple WWDC 2020: iOS 14, ARM Macs, hardware rumors, and what else to expect - "The future of Apple starts now. Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) keynote is happening on Monday, June 22nd, but in a very different form than usual, due to the COVID-19 pandemic."
• Winning by a nose: the dogs being trained to detect signs of Covid-19 - "In the battle against the virus, we have an unlikely ally. Already used to detect drugs and weapons, dogs are now being trained to sniff out when humans have the virus."
• How lockdown is being lifted across Europe - "Across Europe, lockdown measures are being lifted cautiously, in phases."
• Could the pandemic lead to happier times? - "What lessons can we learn from Laurie Santos, the Yale professor whose ‘happiness’ course became a global hit? And could the current health crisis lead to a wellbeing revolution?"
• Fiji plans to create a post-coronavirus travel bubble with New Zealand & Australia - "Prime Minister Josaia 'Frank' Voreqe Bainimarama told parliament his plan for a 'post-Covid society' included a slow resumption of the tourism industry the country relies heavily on."
• What is Elite TikTok & what has it got to do with Donald Trump? - "Members of something called Alt or Elite TikTok have been credited with ruining a Trump rally. But who are they?"
• The best short stories for every taste & mood - "The perfect lockdown reading choices for whatever your state of mind."
• Can you learn to navigate uncertainty? - "Why you are better at predicting the future than you think."
• Italy's remote villages now make an ideal escape - "With Italians holidaying at home post-lockdown but wary of busy hotspots, the country’s historic but often half-empty villages are emerging from the shadows."
• ‘The wondrous map’: how unlocking human DNA changed the course of science - "Thanks to the success of the Human Genome Project, 20 years ago this week, scientists can track biology and disease at a molecular level."
• Optimism, friendship & tidy socks - the secret to living to 100 - "Marta Zaraska’s book debunks some of the myths of longevity and suggests how to really live a long life - from avoiding loneliness to eating with others."

June 21, 2020

• Where are coronavirus cases & deaths still rising? - "Key maps and charts explaining how the respiratory virus has spread around the world and how it is being dealt with. Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world, with more than 8.8 million confirmed cases in 188 countries. More than 460,000 people have lost their lives."
• America's Long Overdue Awakening to Systemic Racism - TIME Magazine.
• How Trump's return to the campaign trail went from bad to worse - "Sick staff and empty seats: How Trump's triumphant return to the campaign trail went from bad to worse."
• Summer solstice 2020: Sensual traditions on the longest day of the year - "Call it love. Call it romance. Call it sensuality. Go ahead and call it old-fashioned lust if you want."
• National Selfie Day: An expert's guide to taking epic selfies - "There are selfies -- and then there are selfies that make people say 'Jesus Christ!'."
• Greta Thunberg says Covid-19 response shows world can 'suddenly act with necessary force' - "The coronavirus pandemic proves the world can 'act with necessary force' when faced with a global emergency, teen climate activist Greta Thunberg says."
• Are You Rich? A New Study Defines What It Means To Be Wealthy - "If you’ve ever wondered what it means to be rich and at what point you might think that you’re well off, a new report from L’Observatoire des Inégalités, an independent organisation which studies inequality in French society, has come up with a number."
• What It's Like to Be an Advice Columnist During a Global Pandemic - "Advice columnists' mailboxes are now a window into COVID-19's effects on the interpersonal and emotional lives of people coming to grips with the pandemic."
• 'No Lessons Have Been Learned.' Why the Trillion-Dollar Coronavirus Bailout Benefited the Rich - "When Congress passed the $2.2 trillion dollar Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) in late March, lawmakers were quick to tout its egalitarian guardrails."
• How Iceland is undoing carbon emissions for good - "Carbon emissions are causing climate change - so rather than sending carbon dioxide into the sky, in Iceland, some are turning it into stone."
• The Bezos of Black Wall Street - "A century ago, O.W. Gurley built an empire of African American businesses in Tulsa. Though it all came burning down in the massacre of 1921, new generations of entrepreneurs rose from the ashes."
• 3-Carat Blue Diamond Could Fetch $6.3 Million At Sotheby’s Geneva Auction - "Live jewelry auctions are returning with the first one being held in Geneva by Sotheby’s on June 23 offering a diverse collection of statement diamonds, colored gems and historic jewels."
• Woman hatches ducklings from supermarket eggs - "A woman has hatched three ducklings called Beep, Peep and Meep from eggs she bought in Waitrose."

June 20, 2020

• Is the pandemic getting worse in the US? - "The news in the US has been dominated by anti-racism protests for the past couple of weeks, but coronavirus is now back in the headlines."
• Brazil becomes second country to hit one million coronavirus cases - "Brazil has become the second country in the world to confirm more than one million cases of Covid-19, as the disease continues to spread."
• Private jet flights surge on health fears, lower prices - "While commercial airlines are having a slow recovery, private-jet companies are seeing a surge in business from new customers. Commercial traffic is running about 15+ to 17+ of last year’s totals, but private flights are running at up to 70+ or more of normal, according to industry data and Private Jet Card Comparisons."
• Could this invisible air shield protect fliers from Covid-19? - "A simple device that fits on to the existing air vents inside an airplane cabin could help reduce the risk of inflight Covid-19 infections."
• Air travel during the pandemic: what should I know - and how safe is it? - "As many countries begin to ease travel restrictions, we spoke to three experts for their views on the risks of traveling by plane."
• The Boeing 747: The plane that shrank the world - "It became an icon of long-haul travel and exotic holidays; Boeing’s 747 could fly more people further than any plane before. Stephen Dowling looks back at an aviation classic 50 years after it was first unveiled."
• 12 Of The Best RosÉ Wines You Can Enjoy Way Beyond Summer - Forbes.
• Why you should go animal-free: 18 arguments for eating meat debunked - "Unpalatable as it may be for those wedded to producing and eating meat, the environmental and health evidence for a plant-based diet is clear."
• What to expect from Apple's WWDC this year - "More options to pick your default iPhone apps. New bets on augmented reality. And improved battery life for Mac computers."
• The trampling of Venice shows why tourism must change after Covid-19 - "Coronavirus has given hotspots like the besieged Italian port breathing space - and a vision of a new, greener kind of tourism."
• How microaggressions cause lasting pain - "Microaggressions are everyday slights and indignities some people encounter all the time - while others aren’t even aware they’re committing them."
• Anyone Can Teach Anything on This Education Site - And That's Why Its Worth Billions - "With 150,000 courses ranging from how to win at online poker to principles of quantum mechanics, online education startup Udemy is thriving during the pandemic."
• Madeleine McCann case: tabloids and trolls fill vacuum as wait goes on - "Two weeks after Germans identified a suspect, there is no further clarity but much slander and speculation."
• Ian Holm: a life & career in pictures - "We look back over key performances from Ian Holm, who has died at the age of 88."
• Denon rolls out the first 8K-ready receivers with its 2020 X-Series - "Even if you don't need 8K, these receivers also have some key new gaming features."

June 19, 2020

• Four reasons why this was a bad week for Trump - "It's been a trying week for Donald Trump on a number of fronts, as his political challenges appear to be multiplying."
• 10 biggest claims in John Bolton's book - "The presidency of Donald Trump has already generated a long reading list, but the latest offering from former National Security Adviser John Bolton has attracted more attention than most, given the author's high-ranking status and the nature of his claims."
• The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir - "As President Trump’s National Security Advisor, John Bolton spent many of his 453 days in the room where it happened, and the facts speak for themselves. The result is a White House memoir that is the most comprehensive and substantial account of the Trump Administration, and one of the few to date by a top-level official. With almost daily access to the President, John Bolton has produced a precise rendering of his days in and around the Oval Office." Amazon.com.
• Beijing's new outbreak is a reminder that coronavirus can return at anytime - "Until last week, Beijing seemed to have all but moved on from the coronavirus pandemic. For 55 days, the Chinese capital had not reported any locally transmitted infections and life had been returning to normal. But that facade of normality was shattered last week, when a fresh cluster of coronavirus cases emerged from a sprawling wholesale food market in the city, infecting more than 180 people as of Friday."
• The country where it feels like Covid-19 never happened - "Iceland now feels like the coronavirus never happened."
• I Thought I Was Doing Pretty Well. Then Came the Pandemic - TIME Magazine.
• Who is to blame for climate change? - "We know that climate change is caused by human activity, but pinning down exactly who is responsible is trickier than it might seem."
• Did the vikings predict an apocalypse? - "A recent study of a mysterious stone in Sweden revealed Vikings were already concerned about a climate catastrophe more than 1,200 years ago."
• Twitter will let you tweet with your voice - "Twitter has spent years trying to combat misinformation and abuse on its platform. Now it's introducing a new feature with the potential to complicate that effort: audio tweets."
• The largest electric plane ever to fly - "As electric planes pass another milestone, Future Planet asks how long will it be before they are ready for everyday aviation? And just how far can they go?"
• A beginner's guide to Asia's best noodles - "An unsung hero, noodles give texture and substance to a dish."
• B&O Unveils Its First Pair Of Sporty True Wireless Earphones - "Achingly cool audio brand, Bang & Olufsen, has announced that it is releasing a brand-new pair of true-wireless sports earphones. The Beoplay E8 Sport in the Danish company’s first pair of true-wireless sports earphones and is aimed at professional athletes and casual runners who need music to keep them going while they train."
• Test-Driving The Mercedes AMG GT R Roadster - "Getting Together, Staying Apart With The Mercedes AMG GT R Roadster."
• The Macallan Is Now Selling Rare Scotch Online For The First Time - "Single malt scotch fans, rejoice! The Macallan has just launched its first ever E-Boutique. It will enable consumers across the US to purchase bottles directly from the brand’s website."
• AI recreates the painting techniques of famous artists - "It's as close as you'll get to seeing a masterpiece in progress."
• Barclays, HSBC & Lloyds among UK banks that had links to slavery - "Many bank directors received compensation after slavery was made illegal in 1833."
• Dame Vera Lynn: a life in pictures - "Vera Lynn has died at the age of 103. The singer became known as the ‘forces’ sweetheart’ because of her popularity during the second world war, and went on to become one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers."/li>

  June 18, 2020

• John Bolton: Trump sought Xi's help with re-election - "US President Donald Trump tried to get China's Xi Jinping to help him secure re-election, ex-National Security Adviser John Bolton's new book says."
• Trump did not know UK had nuclear weapons, Bolton says in new book - "US president reportedly said: ‘Oh, are you a nuclear power?’ during meeting with Theresa May in a way that was not a joke, Bolton recalls."
• Trump Expands His War on Washington - "'There’s the threat that people who are not loyal are going to blow up something right before the election,' says a former White House official."
• Bully, coward, victim? Inside the sinister world of Trump mentor Roy Cohn - "In a new documentary, film-maker Ivy Meeropol discusses the dark legacy of Roy Cohn and how his nefarious work affected her family."
• Going to a Protest? Here's How to Protect Your Digital Privacy - "Protestors should be mindful of the data they generate before headed to a demonstration—police can issue warrants for a person’s search history, chat logs and social media posts, experts say. (Social media companies, including Facebook, have dedicated pages for police 'to gather evidence in connection with an official investigation,' giving the police an easy way to access information.)"
• Dying for an iPhone: Inside the factories that produce Apple’s bestselling product - "Suicides, excessive overtime, and hostility and violence on the factory floor in China. Drawing on vivid testimonies from rural migrant workers, student interns, managers and trade union staff, Dying for an iPhone is a devastating expose of two of the world’s most powerful companies: Foxconn and Apple."
• World has six months to avert climate crisis, says energy expert - "International Energy Agency chief warns of need to prevent post-lockdown surge in emissions."
• Solar eclipse 2020: When & where to see the annular eclipse - "This weekend, stargazers in the Eastern Hemisphere will be treated to an annular solar eclipse on the heels of the summer solstice. This type of eclipse is characterized by its stunning "ring of fire" since it's not a total eclipse and edges of the sun can still be seen around the moon."
• What outdoor space tells us about inequality - "Whether it's a small balcony, a home garden, or access to a park, outdoor space has long been a luxury for many – not a given. And the pandemic's made it even worse."
• Covid-19 Is Bad. But It May Not Be the ‘Big One’ - "Health experts want a 9/11 Commission-style report on the US pandemic response. They say we must forecast and prepare for outbreaks as we do for wars or weather."
• What if all viruses disappeared? - "If all viruses disappeared, the world would be very different - and not necessarily for the better. But what exactly would happen?"
• Dexamethasone may be part of the Covid-19 puzzle, but it's no magic bullet - "If this cheap steroid reduces deaths in critically ill patients that’s great news, and one small step towards managing coronavirus."
• The end of tourism? - "The pandemic has devastated global tourism, and many will say ‘good riddance’ to overcrowded cities and rubbish-strewn natural wonders. Is there any way to reinvent an industry that does so much damage?"
• Is this double-decker seat the future of airplane travel? - "A design that reconfigures airplane cabins with double-decker lie-flat seats in premium economy is being touted as a possible solution for fliers looking for more protection from the spread of Covid-19."
• US stockpile stuck with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine - "The federal government is stuck with 63 million doses of hydroxychloroquine now that the US Food and Drug Administration has revoked permission for the drug to be distributed to treat coronavirus patients."
• The secret language of sniffs - from ‘I have bad news’ to ‘This toilet is occupied’ - "Forget hay fever or colds - there are less obvious reasons for noses to twitch."
• An unexpected upside to lockdown: men have discovered housework - "With families under lockdown, men are doing more housework and childcare. Experts suggest this could lead to a lasting change in gender norms."
• Body Cameras Haven't Stopped Police Brutality. Here's Why - Wired.
• How a California gym is using plastic pods for workouts during coronavirus - "As states across the country allow restaurants, shops and gyms to reopen, questions around safety remain. Experts are especially worried about gyms; it's hard to maintain social distancing in close, sweaty quarters, and research has demonstrated that workout classes can be major sources of spread."
• Van Gogh & Gauguin letter about brothel visit sells for €210,000 - "‘Exceptional’ correspondence sent from Arles in 1888 is bought by Van Gogh Museum."
• Tesla Model S Becomes The First EV With A 400-Mile-Plus Range - "The company says that represents a nearly 20 percent increase in operating range over a 2019-vintage Model S 100D that featured an identical battery pack array."

June 17, 2020

• Americans Are the Unhappiest They Have Been in 50 Years: Poll - "This bold - yet unsurprising - conclusion comes from the COVID Response Tracking Study, conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago. It finds that just 14% of American adults say they’re very happy, down from 31% who said the same in 2018. That year, 23% said they’d often or sometimes felt isolated in recent weeks. Now, 50% say that."
• 'Ground-breaking' find for treating Covid-19 - "Commonly used steroid reduces risk of death in sickest coronavirus patients, preliminary study results suggest."
• How our brains are processing the pandemic - "Self-isolation, job loss and fear of getting Covid-19 are just some of the factors affecting our mental health during the pandemic. This is how our brains are responding."
• NBA restart plan includes using Oura rings to catch COVID-19 symptoms - "At least one study showed signs they can help detect symptoms early."
• Obesity is a major risk factor for dying of Covid-19. We need to take it more seriously - "Health officials need to emphasize the relation between obesity and Covid-19, and we need to treat it like other chronic diseases."
• $1.1m hospital bill after surviving the coronavirus? That's America for you - "It shouldn’t take a once-in-a-century pandemic to make policymakers understand the tragic absurdity of healthcare in the United States of America."
• We Can Protect the Economy From Pandemics. Why Didn't We? - "A virologist helped crack an impossible problem: how to insure against the economic fallout from devastating viral outbreaks. The plan was ingenious. Yet we're still in this mess."
• How to Clean and Disinfect Yourself, Your Home, and Your Stuff - "These are our in-depth best practices for keeping yourself (and just about everything else) clean and virus-free."
• 'People fear what they don't know': the battle over 'wet' markets, a vital part of culinary culture - "Amid the coronavirus, calls have grown to ban the diverse markets that stock and slaughter live animals. But is that wise?"
• Europe's safest place for a holiday? - "The battle to become Europe's safest holiday destination."
• Plastic superhighway: the awful truth of our hidden ocean waste - "Solving the issue of waste in our seas turned out to be more complex than scrounging for bottles off the beach."
• Less waste, low effort: simple kitchen swaps to cut down on single-use items - "From plastic wrap to wooden skewers, our kitchens are filled with reducible waste - and sometimes, the alternatives can be just as cost-effective."
• Turns out your favorite movie is racist. What now? - "Last week, novelist, director and television writer John Ridley -- an Academy Award winner for his screenplay for the movie '12 Years a Slave' -- wrote a brief but compelling op-ed in the Los Angeles Times, asking HBO (a sister company of CNN under the ownership of WarnerMedia) to take the movie 'Gone With the Wind' off of its much-hyped new streaming platform HBO Max."
• 10 Exclusive Resorts Perfect For Private Vacations - "Absolutely Private Vacations: 10 Prime Resorts To Take Exclusively."
• US airlines may ban passengers if they don’t wear face masks - "United and American Airlines announce new consequences for passengers who buck the industry’s policy."
• Will the world be quieter after the pandemic? - "With fewer people on the streets, cars on the roads, businesses closed and flights grounded, the daily noise that fills our lives has reduced. Can we hope to keep the hubbub down?"
• Hummingbirds can see an array of colors invisible to humans - "When hummingbirds make decisions regarding food, evading predators or choosing a mate, they're influenced by the diverse colors they can see that are invisible to human eyes, according to a new study."
• Oscars 2021: how shifting the awards later favours the old guard - "Embracing streaming was a step in the right direction, but the calendar shift has given distributors an extra two months to get their big-ticket releases into cinemas."
• Boxing remains silent on role of 'criminal mastermind' in Tyson/Fury deal - "Tyson Fury vs. Anthony Joshua: Irish government concerned by involvement of 'organized crime figure' in deal."

June 16, 2020

• China's new coronavirus outbreak sees Beijing adopt 'wartime' measures as capital races to contain spread - "Beijing is reintroducing strict lockdown measures and rolling out mass testing after a fresh cluster of novel coronavirus cases emerged from the city's largest wholesale food market, sparking fears of a resurgence of the deadly outbreak."
• Deadly heat is killing Americans: A decade of inaction on climate puts lives at risk - "Heat now causes more deaths than hurricanes, tornadoes or floods in most years, creating a new public health threat. An investigation reveals why the CDC’s prevention efforts have faltered."
• How to Soothe Your 'Re-Entry Anxiety' as COVID-19 Lockdowns Lift - "Since the coronavirus is still spreading and still poses health risks, experts say some anxiety is probably healthy as society reopens."
• The FDA Revoked Emergency Use Authorization for Hydroxychloroquine, Citing New Evidence - "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that it is revoking the emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, citing a lack of evidence that these drugs are effective for COVID-19."
• Trump's wish for an end to the pandemic contradicts reality - "President Donald Trump has no intention of accepting any new normal dictated by the coronavirus pandemic."
• Why has Trump's niece written a damning memoir? - "Mary Trump: Why has president's niece penned damning memoir? US President Donald Trump's niece is set to publish an unflattering tell-all memoir about him. So who is she and why has she come forward now?"
• Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man - Amazon.com.
• Pressure on Good Science During a Pandemic Is Leading to Confusing & Conflicting Advice on COVID-19 - "Research is normally a plodding, tedious process. Scientists check and recheck their data; review and re-review their conclusions; then submit their hard work to a scientific journal for publication, where their peers put it through further scrutiny. But a viral pandemic doesn’t adhere to a cautious timeline."
• Covid-19 pandemic is 'fire drill' for effects of climate crisis, says UN official - "Lise Kingo says social equality issues must be part of sustainable development agenda."
• A Seattle Man Received a $1.1 Million Bill for His COVID-19 Treatment - "fter spending months hospitalized for COVID-19 at Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah, Wash., Michael Flor, 70, says that he knew his stay would be pricey. He’d spent 62 days in an intensive care unit, including weeks in an induced coma, and come so close to death that his family had called to say goodbye. But he says it was still 'heart-stopping' to read the hospital’s bill - for $1.1 million."
• Barbra Streisand buys Disney shares for George Floyd's daughter - "The actor and singer is the latest celebrity to try to help ensure financial security for the family of Floyd, purchasing stocks for six-year-old Gianna."
• Apple says the App Store created $519 billion in commerce last year - "Apple is defending the App Store amid ongoing anti-trust investigations."
• HEY IS A WILDLY OPINIONATED NEW EMAIL SERVICE FROM THE MAKERS OF BASECAMP - "Get less email, and respond to it faster - for a price."
• 9 Best Watches From The 2020 Watches & Wonders Digital Fair - "With the world economy reeling from the coronavirus pandemic and public events shut down throughout the world, Watches & Wonders Geneva 2020 (formerly SIHH), was moved to a digital platform. Overall, the concept was well received from those in the industry."
• What it's like to fly on Europe's biggest airline right now - "European travelers have begun returning to the air as border restrictions ease, but the experience of a flight on the continent's biggest airline reveals just what's in store for those willing to fly in the wake of the pandemic."
• Voter Suppression Is Still One of the Greatest Obstacles to a More Just America - "One of the greatest obstacles to a more just and equal America is the continued efforts at voter suppression across the country."
• The Pandemic Closed Art Galleries' Doors. But Who Said a Gallery Needs Four Walls and a Ceiling? - "From video games to snail mail, artists and museums have seized upon this difficult moment to expand possibilities for interacting with art."
• There could be 36 communicating intelligent civilizations in our galaxy, study says - "Earth has proven unique in its ability to host life in the universe so far, leading us to question if we're truly alone. Maybe we're not."
• Tencent is building a Monaco-sized 'city of the future' in Shenzhen - "Dubbed 'Net City,' the 2-million-square-meter (22-million-square-foot) urban development will prioritize pedestrians, green spaces and self-driving vehicles, according to its designers."
• Why Finnish people tell the truth - "In Finland, people are assumed to be honest all the time, and trust is implicit unless proven otherwise."
• The plane too ahead of its time - "The record-breaking jet which still haunts a country. A decade after the end of World War Two, Canada built a jet which pushed technology to its limits. But its demise showed why smaller nations found it difficult to compete in the Jet Age."
• How to manage app updates in macOS - "Your Mac can update apps automatically, or you can update them when you want."
• 5 Ways to Sell or Trade In Your Old iPhone - "If you're planning to upgrade to a new device, don't forget to cash in on your old one."
• Psycho at 60: the enduring power of Hitchcock's shocking game-changer - "In 1960, audiences were unprepared for the director’s devious rug-pulling thriller and years later, its impact still reverberates."
• Oscars 2021 ceremony pushed back & eligibility period extended - "The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to push back next year’s Oscars ceremony by two months. Awards ceremony to be held on 25 April next year. Majority of new releases paused amid coronavirus pandemic."

June 15, 2020

• America Is Done With COVID-19. COVID-19 Isn’t Done With America - "The U.S. federal government, as well as the American public, have started to ignore the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic - but it's far from over."
• Trump's showmanship is now backfiring on him - "Donald Trump's showmanship -- a key ingredient in his unorthodox reality show-style approach to the presidency -- is beginning to fail him, increasingly emphasizing his disconnect with many Americans and struggles to manage crises besieging the White House."
• How American Power Dynamics Have Shaped Perceptions of Looting, From the Boston Tea Party to Today - "s Black Lives Matter protests have forced a political and cultural reckoning in the wake of the death of George Floyd, advocates and officials alike early on faced the question of how to talk about the incidents of looting that accompanied some early demonstrations."
• France lifts curbs for 'summer unlike any other' - "France announces significant lifting of restrictions. French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a number of coronavirus restrictions are being lifted."
• How Covid-19 could change plane boarding - "In virus terms, boarding is one of the riskiest parts of flying. How can airlines keep passengers apart - and still take off on time?"
• It's time for museums to return their stolen treasures - "No less than 90% of African cultural property resides in European museums, according to a report commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron, who has decided that much of it must be returned. However, the British Museum has refused to give back to Greece the half of the Parthenon Marbles stolen by Lord Elgin."
• How laundry is spilling plastics into the ocean - "Experts are studying the samples to examine a growing but almost invisible threat to our seas: plastic microfibers. Microplastics (those measuring up to 5 millimeters in diameter) make up almost a fifth of the 8 million tons of plastic that end up in the oceans each year."
• How to Clean Up Your Old Social Media Posts - "These tips will help you safely tidy up your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts - or give your profile a fresh start."
• How to help the world during lockdown - "From searching for missing people to helping to catch criminals, there are growing numbers of people who are using their sleuthing skills while at home during the pandemic."
• The Mystifying World of TikTok Home Tours - "The infinity pools are no surprise, but TikTok also gives a platform to the ordinary."
• Gone With the Wind Should Not Be Erased, Argue Film Historians. But It Should Not Be Watched in a Vacuum - "HBOMax removed 'Gone With the Wind' from its platform. Here's the historical context you need to know before you watch the film."
• 'Jaws,' the ultimate summer movie, meets the age of coronavirus - "Remember the mayor in 'Jaws,' coaxing that family to go in the water, before they grab their raft and tentatively wade into the ocean? That image -- introduced 45 years ago this month -- keeps coming to mind as entertainment options, including movie theaters, gradually reopen in the age of coronavirus."
• Shopify - the good shop to Amazon's bad shop - "It is the second-largest e-commerce platform in the US, yet remains anonymous. Will its new app change all that?"
• We rule OK: England's independent island kingdoms - "Piel Island in Cumbria and Sealand off the coast of Essex are sovereign monarchies with their own laws, stamps ... and enemies."

June 14, 2020

• Another police shooting in the US - "A charred Wendy's, an officer fired and a police chief steps down in the aftermath of Rayshard Brooks' death."
• History says Trump's low approval rating is unlikely to move - "A new national Gallup poll finds that 39% of Americans approve of the job Donald Trump is doing as president, while 57% disapprove."
• Trump postpones rally to avoid slavery date - "Juneteenth: Trump changes Tulsa Oklahoma rally date 'out of respect'. US President Donald Trump is postponing his first post-coronavirus lockdown election rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma so it does not fall on a holiday commemorating the end of US slavery."
• How To Stop Instagram From Tracking Everything You Do - "Though the Facebook-owned app doesn't give users complete control, there are ways to limit the data it collects and the types of ads you see."
• The Hideous Truths Of Testing Vaccines On Humans - Forbes.
• Zoom Promises To Do Better After Banning Tiananmen Square Protests - Then Builds Tech To Help China’s Censorship - "Already under fire for security lapses and facing scrutiny over its links to China, Zoom made the startling decision earlier this month to ban three users organizing memorials to mark the Tiananmen Square massacre at the request of Beijing. It’s now reversed the decision, according to a company post released late Thursday. But it’s still going to help China block accounts of users in the country."

June 13, 2020

• Week in pictures: 6-12 June 2020 - "A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week."
• Trump 'generally' supports ban on police chokeholds - "US President Donald Trump has said the controversial chokehold method for restraining some suspects should 'generally speaking' be ended."
• Dalai Lama: Seven billion people 'need a sense of oneness' - "The leader of Tibetan Buddhism sees reasons for optimism even in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. People are helping one another, he tells the BBC's Justin Rowlatt, and if seven billion people on Earth develop 'a sense of oneness' they may yet unite to solve the problem of climate change."
• 'Revenge spending' in China is giving luxury brands some hope - "Chinese shoppers are finally starting to snap up high-end handbags, shoes and jewelry again, giving the luxury goods industry hope that a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is on the way."
• A mutation shows why the coronavirus is such a formidable foe - "All living organisms mutate and adapt to maximize survival in their ecologic niche. For months, scientists have been looking into whether the novel coronavirus -- known as SARS-CoV-2 -- is mutating and becoming more transmissible or more lethal."
• Europe is re-examining its colonial history - "At an old stone harbor in the English city of Bristol, young people gather at a bent railing by the water and peer into the murky deep. They're looking for the defaced statue of the 17th century slave trader Edward Colston. And just maybe, they're looking at an era gone by."
• Leopold II: Belgium 'wakes up' to its bloody colonial past - "Inside the palatial walls of Belgium's Africa Museum stand statues of Leopold II - each one a monument to the king whose rule killed as many as 10 million Africans."
• Why are people so angry about statues? - "Black Lives Matter protests: Why are statues so powerful?"
• The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump - Amazon.com.
• 'The Art of Her Deal': Melania Trump's prenup renegotiation - "Melania Trump was in no rush to move into the White House. That’s when she renegotiated her prenup, a new book says."
• Remove YouTube Ads With This Stupidly Simple Trick - "The trick - first reported on Reddit and subsequently by Android Police - involves simply placing a period (or full stop) after the .com in the URL of the video you’re watching. This seems to remove all pre-roll ads, ads that might appear midway through the video and advertising overlays."
• How anxiety affects your focus - "Feel like you can’t concentrate on anything at the moment? You’re not alone. The extra anxiety caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has impaired our working memory, experts say."
• A frozen graveyard: The sad tales of Antarctica’s deaths - "Beneath layers of snow and ice on the world’s coldest continent, there may be hundreds of people buried forever."
• Why litter is surging as lockdowns ease - "Recent visitors have left mounds of rubbish at public spaces and beauty spots across the UK and beyond. What’s driving this behaviour?"
• Taiwan airport offers 'pretend to go abroad' airport tours amid Covid-19 pandemic - "With planes grounded and most tourism on hold during the coronavirus pandemic, one Taiwanese airport has come up with a unique solution to help citizens get their travel fix."
• Quarantined cruise ship employee creates incredible outfits out of paper bags - "Australian dancer Ashleigh Perrie was thrilled to start working on board the MS Zaandam. The cruise ship was due to travel through Antarctica -- past penguins and sea lions -- and onward to South America, while Perrie spent her days doing what she loved: performing."
• Elon Musk's tunnel project hit a milestone. But the future is unclear - "Three years ago, Elon Musk pitched a grandiose vision for the future of intracity vehicle travel: layers of tunnels that would efficiently speed vehicles through cities. Drivers would maneuver their own Teslas to street-level elevators, which would lower them to be whisked away on autonomous electric sleds at speeds up to 120 mph. Pedestrians and cyclists would ride in an autonomous electric vehicle that resembled a glass-plated train car."
• Secret Cold War past of a Spanish tourist hotspot - "This quiet beach resort of Platja de Pals, Spain, tucked between the Mediterranean Sea and the greenery of pine groves and rice paddies, makes for an unlikely Cold War front line, but this is exactly the role it played for nearly half a century."
• Why do so many Egyptian statues have broken noses? - "The ancient Egyptians, it's important to note, ascribed important powers to images of the human form. They believed that the essence of a deity could inhabit an image of that deity, or, in the case of mere mortals, part of that deceased human being's soul could inhabit a statue inscribed for that particular person. These campaigns of vandalism were therefore intended to 'deactivate an image's strength,'.
• Jacob & Co. Unveils $580,000 Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti 300+ - "Since entering into a partnership with Bugatti just about a year ago, Jacob & Co. has been creating some spectacular watches that honor this legendary car company. The newest is the Twin Turbo Furious Bugatti 300+ ... in honor of the car that broke the 300 mile-per hour barrier: the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+."

June 12, 2020

• 'An American fiasco': US hits grim milestone of 2m Covid-19 cases - "Pandemic has devastated US, but experts warn lack of testing and early reopening mean ‘we’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg’."
• Dow sinks 1,800 as virus cases rise, deflating optimism - Asia shares drop after Wall Street rout as virus cases rise. Fear that a so-called 'second wave,' is already coming has punctured bubbling optimism that a quick economic recovery was already underway. That pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average down almost 7% on Thursday."
• Wall Street's party is over. Coronavirus fears are back - "The runaway train on Wall Street has been derailed by a force nearly as powerful as easy money: a healthy dose of reality."
• Queen takes part in first ever video call for royal duties - "The 94-year-old British monarch and her daughter Princess Anne spoke to a group of carers to mark Carers Week, according to a post from the official Royal Family Twitter account on Thursday."
• How to safely use someone else's toilet - "New lockdown toilet rules everyone needs to know: Experts share their advice for guests visiting someone else's home - including waiting 30 minutes between uses and leaving the seat UP."
• Why is Scouts founder Robert Baden-Powell controversial? - "Statue of Scouts founder to be removed. Who is Robert Baden-Powell and why is he controversial?"
• The secret of immersive travel - "The celebrated writer, Pico Iyer, reflects on how this once-in-a-lifetime experiment of global stillness can teach us to see the world with new eyes."
• What's Confusing about Calling Covid-19 Cases ‘Asymptomatic’ - "There’s a difference between people who never develop symptoms and people who just don’t have them yet. And that matters when calculating public health risk."
• Cinquefrondi: the 'Covid-free' Italian town selling $1 houses - "The global pandemic has put a halt to many travel experiences, including the rush to snap up Italian homes at bargain prices, but now that some places are emerging from restrictions, the country's one-dollar home bonanza seems to be back on."
• Fawlty Towers 'Don't mention the war' episode removed from UKTV - "BBC-owned streaming service takes down episode that also features racial references."
• Expats buy Japanese country house for a song and get way more than they bargained for - "In a country known for sky-high real estate prices, buying a large country home (or 'kominka') in Japan is still affordable. There are no restrictions on foreigners buying land or property in the country, and no citizenship or resident visa is required. That said, without a work visa or permanent resident status, obtaining a loan can be difficult. Foreign buyers typically opt to pay cash for this reason."
• China building a ‘new London’ every year - "With half of the world’s new buildings to be constructed in China - how can it build them better?"
• Life after lockdown in Bordeaux: Les Bassins de LumiÈres - "The world’s largest digital arts centre opened this week in a former submarine base, its cavernous chambers and dazzling visual effects providing exactly what visitors need after nearly three months in confinement."
• The Best Hearty Mail-Order Meats - "While many restaurants remain closed and social distancing is still an important concern, a virtual dinner date with dad may be the most viable option. Shipping all the components of a perfect steakhouse dinner might be the perfect way to mark the occasion."
• Breguet Unveils High-Jewelry Marine Poseidonia Watches Fit For A Queen - "Swiss watch brand Breguet - a master at complicated timepieces - pulls out all the stops with its new high-jewelry Marine Poseidonia watches for women. Focusing on the beauty of the seas for this Marine series, the brand deftly reinterprets the Posiddonia Oceanica aquatic plant found in the Mediterranean on the dial."
• This is the PlayStation 5 - "Sony’s next-gen console is here."
• WORKING FROM HOME, WITH ROBOTS - "How Boston Dynamics’ engineers are upgrading the company’s four-legged Spot from their basements and backyards."
• Adobe officially debuts Photoshop Camera for iOS & Android - "It combines Insta-ready filters with AI, custom lenses and other tricks."

June 11, 2020

• U.S. Response to COVID-19 is Worse than China’s. 100 Times Worse - "The hard truth in the U.S.’s sobering death rate during this pandemic is that a great many of those deaths were preventable."
• City Officials Scramble to Prepare as Mass Protests Threaten a Resurgence of COVID-19 - "This dynamic - a bump in COVID-19 infections due to reopening, combined with another expected rise due to protests - means that states are again scrambling to prepare."
• Coronavirus has stolen our most meaningful ways to connect - "Before emojis, before writing, before speech, there was non-verbal communication; body language, touch and use of physical space. Of all ways we communicate, the roots of non-verbal communication run the deepest. To show it and to know it is part of being a human."
• ‘Are you immune?’ The new class system that could shape the Covid-19 world - "Experts suspect - but there is no proof - that antibodies will confer immunity. The implications could be wide-ranging."
• The Growing Value Of Wearables - Forbes.
• Trump rejects calls to drop Confederate base names - "US President Donald Trump says he will 'not even consider' renaming military bases named for Confederate generals."
• Why were black cowboys erased from pop culture? - "The untold story of the Wild West's black cowboys."
• Tesla becomes most valuable automaker as more workers contract COVID-19 - "Its factories are open again, which is boosting the stock price - and the COVID-19 risk."
• A Martian city will be built in the desert outside Dubai - "Architects have designed a Martian city for the desert outside Dubai. Dubai is a city where firefighters use jetpacks, archipelagos are built from scratch, and buildings climb into the clouds; a slick metropolis in the middle of a vast red desert. First-time visitors would be forgiven for thinking they had stumbled onto a film set for a sci-fi movie."
• The 'narrowest place on Earth' - "A sleepy island paradise's most showstopping sights."
• 5 Simple Steps To Your Perfect Skin At Home - "After months at home, skincare routine may have slipped together with your workout and diet plans, and you are desperately in need of some extra help."
• Plastic Powers On, Setting Payments Record In 2019, Raising Fears For Cash - "The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the use of cards, with many retailers declining cash or stating they prefer contactless payments for hygiene reasons."
• The world’s first smartwatch had the same issues we have today - "Seiko's Ruputer had terrible battery life and a limited UI."
• Scientists confirm the basis of Einstein’s Theory of Relativity - "They measured the light from a pulsar down to the nanosecond to do so."
• Anna Wintour apologises for not giving space to black people at Vogue - "Editor of fashion bible says sorry for printing ‘hurtful and intolerant’ stories and images."
• Coachella & Stagecoach festivals cancelled due to coronavirus fears - "As the US passes 2m positive tests for Covid-19, the major festivals - already postponed - have now been called off."
• Gone With the Wind dropped from HBO Max over depiction of slavery - "Temporary move followed call by 12 Years a Slave scriptwriter John Ridley for streaming services to review content that is ‘blatant in its demonisation’ of race."

June 10, 2020

• Covid-19 is Dr. Anthony Fauci's 'worst nightmare' - "Coronavirus is 'my worst nightmare,' in some ways more than Ebola or HIV, Dr. Anthony Fauci said Tuesday."
• Australia's Great Barrier Reef suffers most extensive coral bleaching - "Australia’s Great Barrier Reef suffered its most extensive coral bleaching event in March, with scientists fearing the coral recovers less each time after the third bleaching in five years."
• Russian Arctic oil spill pollutes big lake near Norilsk - "Diesel oil from a huge spill in Russia's Arctic north has polluted a large freshwater lake and there is a risk it could spread into the Arctic Ocean, a senior Russian official says."
• World's most expensive cities for expats in 2020 revealed - "Spot the odd one out in this list of global cities: Hong Kong, Zurich, Singapore and ... Ashgabat?"
• North Korea's sand bank - "North Korea might be making millions -- and breaking sanctions -- selling sand. Yes, sand."
• The stories behind the statues targeted in protests - "When anti-racism protesters in England pulled down the statue of a 17th Century slave trader and promptly dumped it in the deep waters of a harbour, the message was clear."
• Glass-bottom deck opens atop China's 'horizontal skyscraper' - "It's easy to see why 'The Crystal' is one of the most highly anticipated new attractions in China."
• iPhone & Samsung Galaxy Beaten By ‘Holy Grail’ Smartphone Design - "Despite fierce competition, the Chinese OLED manufacturer, Visionox is first to develop a front-facing smartphone camera concealed entirely beneath the screen. This paves the way for a new generation of all-screen smartphones, without unsightly bezels (Google Pixels), notches (Apple iPhones) or punch-holes (Samsung Galaxies)."
• How to choose the right printer for your home office - "What you choose depends on what you need."
• The world's first Freddie Mercury museum is on an African island - "Down a small, narrow alley in the historic Stone Town neighborhood of Zanzibar, an old building beckons to visitors. Faded photographs are pinned outside the door while inside, a gallery of glossy pictures and old newspaper clippings lead the way to the room's centerpiece: a black piano with an interesting history."
• Sean Connery's former Nice seafront home, Villa Le Roc Fleuri, for sale - "Live and let buy: Inside Sean Connery’s former luxury seafront villa in Nice as it goes on sale for £27million. The luxurious property located in the green hills of the Cap de Nice boasts views over the French Riviera. The villa is complete with a spa and gym, which also features plunging views of the sea, and an infinity pool."
• Apple has been granted a patent for software that would allow for socially distant group selfies - "With people around the world self-isolating at home in order to curb the spread of Covid-19, Apple has received a patent for software that would allow people to take group selfies while socially distancing from one another."
• Now Signal on iOS can securely transfer your data to a new device - "You can move your account and messaging history to a new iPhone or iPad."
• Billionaire David Geffen Behind Purchase Of $68 Million Los Angeles Home - "Earlier this year billionaire David Geffen cemented himself as a record holder in Los Angeles real estate when he sold his $165 million home to Amazon founder (and world’s richest man) Jeff Bezos—beating out all other California home sales to date."
• SpaceX's next Starlink launch will help improve satellite imagery of the Earth - "Planet's six new skysats will photograph the Earth up to 12 times a day."
• Remains of earliest purpose-built playhouse found in east London - "Location of the Red Lion, which predated the Globe, has been subject of debate for years."

June 9, 2020

• World Bank says the global economy will shrink by 5.2% this year - "The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown measures have thrown the world economy in turmoil. Even as countries are reopening, the World Bank predicts this year, the globe will have its deepest global recession in 80 years."
• US has officially entered first recession since 2009 - "National Bureau of Economic Research says economic growth in the US peaked in February and has since entered its first downturn since 2007 to 2009."
• US stocks surge, erasing 2020 losses - "US stocks rallied again on Monday, pushing the Nasdaq to an all-time high and the S&P 500 into positive territory for the year, signaling growing optimism about the pace of recovery after Friday's better-than-expected jobs report. The Dow (INDU) finished up 461 points, or 1.7% higher. The S&P 500 (SPX) ended up 1.2%, erasing its losses for the year. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP) ended up 1.1%, its first record close since February."
• Here’s how Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri answer the question, ‘Do black lives matter?’ - "They can also answer ‘do all lives matter?’"
• 10 Most Expensive Cities In The World Just Became Pricier - "Ashgabat is the second most expensive city in the world, according to this year's Mercer Cost of Living Survey. Hong Kong remains in first place, despite almost continuous protests since it was crowned 'most expensive' last year."
• COVID-19 Is a Symptom of a Bigger Problem: Our Planet’s Ailing Health - "The biggest lesson is that COVID-19 is more than an illness. It is a symptom of the ailing health of our planet. Humanity’s dysfunctional relationship with nature has caused this wider disease."
• 12 lockdown habits we're going to keep - "Life in lockdown has been an exercise in patience, but for some, there have been rewards worth bringing into their ‘new normals’."
• The Pandemic Is Transforming the Rental Economy - "The spread of Covid-19 has made people think twice about what they rent. But that hasn’t destroyed the rental marketplace - just changed it."
• Who should wear a face mask or face covering? - "Face coverings are to become compulsory for people using public transport in England from Monday 15 June."
• Are we underestimating how many people are resistant to Covid-19? - "Scientists are racing to work out why some populations have fared better than others during the pandemic."
• Monuments of Slave Traders, Genociders & Imperialists Are Becoming Flashpoints in Global Anti-Racism Protests - "Protesters in Bristol pulled down an Edward Colston statue—and now there's a movement to get rid of other monuments that serve as reminders of racial injustice."
• Luxury hotels in Asia offering stellar deals for travelers amid coronavirus - "As the world continues to ease lockdown measures, opportunities abound for the first wave of intrepid travelers who are willing -- and legally able -- to hit the road again."
• Prince Andrew 'falsely portraying himself as willing', US prosecutor claims - "The Duke of York has 'sought to falsely portray himself' as eager to co-operate with an inquiry into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the US prosecutor in charge of the investigation has said."
• The birth & death of the A380 superjumbo - "Airbus A380: The wondrous giant that never quite took off."
• How To Return To The Doctor’s Office - "TOPLINE Connect with your healthcare provider first via phone or video visit to determine whether you should come into the office. Make sure you understand new check-in procedures, including who can accompany you and mask requirements. Don’t be afraid to get in-person medical care."
• Why Rolls-Royce Says The New Luxury Age Is Post-Opulence - Forbes.
• A Wi-Fi 6 mesh router is the easiest way to get the most from gigabit internet - "To really use your high-speed service, you’re going to have to pay up."

June 8, 2020

• World Oceans Day: Save our seas - "June 8 is World Oceans Day, the United Nations day for celebrating the role of the oceans in our everyday life and inspiring action to protect the ocean and sustainably use marine resources."
• Blue-sky thinking: how cities can keep air clean after coronavirus - "Many urban dwellers have gazed in awe at their newly clean cities over the last few months. But three - Copenhagen, Oakland and Mexico City - are leading the way in making such transformations permanent. How?"
• Olof Palme: Who killed Sweden's prime minister? - "On a Friday night more than thirty years ago, Sweden's prime minister went to the movies."
• Paris returns to cafe life with new normal - "Fear isn't something 88-year-old Mathilde gives in to easily. Sitting on the terrace of her local bistro in Paris, hours after it reopened this week, she sipped a fizzy drink, as the morning sunshine drew perspiration from her glass."
• Apple Just Made A Striking New Security Move That Will Impact All Users - "Apple has made a striking password security move that will impact all users, for the better."
• The Verge’s 17 favorite kitchen gadgets - "Get your inner chef going with these devices."
• Apple gets a patent for taking group selfies while you're socially distant - "If you can't be there in person, you can get the next best thing."
• Banksy supports Black Lives Matter with latest artwork - "People of colour are being failed by the system, says graffiti artist in Instagram post."
• $1m treasure in Rocky Mountains has been found, says Forrest Fenn - "Artifacts dealer claims treasure he buried a decade ago has been found, Santa Fe newspaper reports."
• Boris Johnson lays out visa offer to nearly 3m Hong Kong citizens - "UK prime minister says all eligible for BNO passport can apply if China cuts freedoms."
• New Zealand says coronavirus 'eliminated' & life can resume without restrictions - "New Zealand has eliminated transmission of the coronavirus domestically and will lift all containment measures except for border controls, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday, making it one of the first countries to do so."
• Police in New York Are Defying State & City Orders to Wear Masks - "Many police officers are flouting state orders by not wearing face masks, frustrating city leaders and protesters who say the decision is deliberate."
• 'I’m Not Sugarcoating Anything for the Camera.’ Naomi Campbell Talks About Her Social Media Rise During the Pandemic - "Iconic supermodel Naomi Campbell discusses her airplane health precautions, her YouTube channel and her social distancing routine."

June 7, 2020

• Global coronavirus death toll passes 400,000 - "The number of people confirmed to have died of coronavirus globally has passed 400,000 - Johns Hopkins."
• The insider's guide to reopening America - "Expert advice for behaving responsibly during the next phase of the pandemic. As America emerges from its coronavirus lockdown, safety is crucial: as of late May, over 1.8 million Americans have tested positive for Covid-19. More than 100,000 have died. But the great reopening is confusing: there’s a patchwork of evolving rules as states, counties and even cities take different approaches. In addition to being inconsistent, guidance can also be frustratingly vague, leaving both business owners and customers at a loss about how to behave."
• Trump reaches for Nixon playbook after protests that have rocked America - "Styling himself as the ‘law and order’ candidate, as Nixon did in 1968, is a re-election strategy in Trump’s comfort zone."
• The world's most orderly nation? - "For centuries, Germany has been synonymous with order. So how can a rule-abiding nation also have an anything-goes spirit?"
• Gardens of the galaxy: can you grow vegetables on Mars? - "With a mission to Mars on the horizon and astronauts spending longer than ever in orbit, scientists are looking for ways to grow vegetables in space ..."
• 'Everyone is in that fine line between death and life': inside Everest's deadliest queue - "A year on from the loss of 11 people on the world’s highest mountain, survivors talk about what went wrong and why."
• The great outdoors... top tips for alfresco living - "Here’s how to make the most of your outside space this summer."

June 6, 2020

• WHO advises to wear masks in public areas - "The World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its advice on face masks, saying they should be worn in public to help stop the spread of coronavirus."
• Candace Owens gives George Floyd Facts - "Candace Owens, a conservative commentator and political activists share facts on George Floyd criminal record and police killing statistics." YouTube.
• 'NOT MY MARTYR' - Who is Candace Owens & what did she say about George Floyd? - "Conservative activist Candace Owens has been accused of 'slandering' George Floyd after saying that he 'is neither a martyr or a hero', while detailing the dead man's criminal history."
• 12 Movies to Watch to Educate Yourself About Racism & Protest History, Recommended by Experts - "The killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and Tony McDade have once again brought the urgent need for racial justice to the forefront of conversation in America. While there are many worthwhile books about race and anti-racism, there are also plenty of resources to be found in other mediums, like film, with much to teach viewers about this history."
• The anatomy of a pandemic - "What have scientists uncovered six months on?"
• Should you fly yet? Here's what experts say - "Should you fly yet? Here's what an epidemiologist and an exposure scientist say."
• How to hide faces & scrub metadata when you photograph a protest - "Record what’s happening without endangering identities."
• If you see the cops, start recording - "You have a right to record the police - and right now, a responsibility."
• Teargassed, beaten up, arrested: what freedom of the press looks like in the US right now - "As protests spread across the US, journalists are being attacked by police forces and even sustaining serious injuries."
• Facebook Cannot Fix Itself. But Trump's Effort to Reform Section 230 Is Wrong - "The President’s Executive Order calls for changes to Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act of 1996, a law created to protect the nascent Internet’s ability to moderate extreme, harmful and inflammatory content without fear of litigation. Internet platforms have interpreted Section 230 as providing blanket immunity, and the courts have concurred even in cases where their platforms directly facilitate terrorism, defamation, false information, communications between adolescents and alleged sexual predators, violations of fair-housing laws, and a range of other issues."
• Vitamin K found in some cheeses could help fight Covid-19, study suggests - "Scientists in Netherlands explore possible link between deficiency and Covid-19 deaths."
• How to become a wine connoisseur on Zoom - "With many retailers offering online tastings and masterclasses, the lockdown presents a rare opportunity to swot up on viniculture."
• what will TV look like after coronavirus? - "As the rush of nostalgia subsides and television enters a new, more complicated era, how much should art imitate life?"
• Safaris go virtual as coronavirus hits tourism - "As coronavirus continues to hit the tourist industry, some companies are coming up with new solutions. Millions usually visit the Kalahari to go on safari. But as lockdown stops people from travelling, technology means people are still able to enjoy the wildlife."
• Combat drone to compete against piloted plane - "The US Air Force will pit an advanced autonomous aircraft against a piloted plane in a challenge set for July 2021."
• The hunt for the fish pirates who exploit the sea - "For 10 years, a rogue fishing vessel and its crew plundered the world’s oceans, escaping repeated attempts of capture. Then a dramatic pursuit across the high seas finally netted the one that got away."
• WhatsApp Users To Get This Radical New Update: Just Perfect Timing - "This next update is the most radical, stretching the bounds of end-to-end encryption and forcing decisions as to how WhatsApp handles the secure storage of our message and media histories."
• French winemakers to turn unsold wine into hand gel - "Distilleries authorised to collect 2m hectolitres of unsold wine in EU-backed scheme. French winemakers are to turn unsold wine into hand gel and ethanol to make room for this year’s production, the country’s farming agency has said."
• He wears short shorts: why are men showing more leg? - "The subversive, suggestive and skimpy garment has made a comeback during lockdown thanks to Paul Mescal and Harry Styles."
• Retracted studies may have damaged public trust in science, top researchers fear - "Retractions by two of the world’s leading journals could do lasting harm in an environment where many already distrust scientists."
• Tiger King: Sheriff says missing husband's will 'a forgery' - "The will of Carole Baskin's husband was '100% a forgery', according to the Sheriff investigating his disappearance."

June 5, 2020

• George Floyd: 'Pandemic of racism' led to his death, memorial told - "A lawyer for George Floyd has told a memorial service that a 'pandemic of racism' led to his death."
• WHO Resumes Study of Hydroxychloroquine for Treating COVID-19 - "On June 3, the World Health Organization (WHO) resumed a study looking into whether the malaria drug hydroxychloroquine could be effective in treating COVID-19."
• Is coronavirus changing the world of cleaning? - "'Before, we had basic cleaning standards when handling luggage but sanitation was not a priority,' says Stasher's co-founder and chief executive, Jacob Wedderburn-Day. 'It absolutely will be now.'"
• European unemployment is half that of America. Here's why - "Unemployment in the European Union ticked up in April as job losses tied to the coronavirus pandemic mounted. But short-time work programs - which are far more common than in the United States - helped cushion the blow."
• Is Covid-19 changing our relationships? - "As many countries around the world begin to emerge from lockdown, what can we learn from how people’s relationships and friendships have fared in China, where coronavirus began?"
• What to do with friends who don’t social distance - "‘Stay at home’ is a simple message, but as countries open up with social distancing guidelines, there’s more room for interpretation - especially among friends."
• Hong Kong restaurant group's Covid-19 bible sweeps the world - "During this global crisis, one valuable resource is now making the rounds among restaurateurs: the "Covid-19 Playbook," by Black Sheep Restaurants."
• US billionaires have become $565 billion richer during the pandemic - "The past three months have been financially painful for many Americans -- but not for billionaires."
• Italian village underwater since 1994 could resurface - "The village of Fabbriche di Careggine, in Tuscany, Lucca province, was flooded in 1946 to build a hydroelectric dam and lake Vagli, according to the local tourism board. It has not been seen since 1994, when the dam was last emptied."
• The best book covers ever? - "What makes an iconic book cover?"
• The messages hidden in famous logos - "Follow the arrow: Hidden designs in famous logos."
• SONOS ARC REVIEW: AN IMMERSIVE SOUNDBAR THAT HOME THEATER ENTHUSIASTS CAN LOVE - "One of the best soundbars you can buy - if your TV supports Dolby Atmos."
• 10 Outstanding Cognacs That You Have Probably Never Heard Of - Forbes.
• Cartier Drops Three New Complications For Watch Collectors Who Love Mystery - "Cartier is famous for its classics like the Panthère and the Santos, yet its lower-profile fine watchmaking department is celebrated among true aficionados. A trio of new pieces in the Rotonde de Cartier collection demonstrates the insider appeal of these rare high watchmaking creations."
• Bernie Madoff fails in bid for compassionate release from prison - "The 82-year-old convicted fraudster has less than 18 months to live, but judge says he should die in jail."
• How well do you know the world's famous hikes & walks? Take our quiz - "Put your best foot forward and have a go at navigating our quiz."

June 4, 2020

• Why The Killing of George Floyd Sparked an American Uprising - "The killing of George Floyd was shocking. But to be surprised by it is a privilege African Americans do not have."
• Trump 'tries to divide us', says ex-defence chief - "James Mattis: Trump's former defence secretary denounces president."
• Scientists alarmed as Trump embraces fringe views & extreme theories amid pandemic - "Trump has a history of defying scientific findings but his actions during coronavirus have startled even his most vocal critics."
• Seth Meyers on Trump: 'The worst-case scenario is here' - "Late-night hosts address Trump’s threat to turn the military on US citizens and his teargassing of peaceful protesters for a photo op."
• 'He wears the armor of God': evangelicals hail Trump's church photo op - "The president’s appeal to his base amid protests was derided by some Christians. Others saw a victory in a world of evil."
• Obesity & coronavirus: how can a higher BMI increase your risk? - "Experts call for more weight loss treatment in UK as studies show obese people are more vulnerable."
• How a small Spanish town became one of Europe's worst Covid-19 hotspots - "In the northern region of La Rioja, one medieval town has suffered a particularly deadly outbreak. And in such a tight-knit community, suspicion and recrimination can spread as fast as the virus"
• The Seychelles has reopened to tourists - but only to those travelling by private jet - "The Indian Ocean destination is welcoming back the 1 per cent."
• 'It's an exciting beginning': Venice opens to tourists - "As Italy eases restrictions further, we report from Venice, where hotels and restaurants are eager to welcome back overseas visitors but some fear a return to mass tourism."
• Cafe culture returns to France after lockdown - in pictures - "In Paris, contented customers sit outside cafes and sip their morning espressos for the first time in 11 weeks. There are, however, strict rules: bars and restaurants have permission to sprawl across pavements but tables must be 1m apart. In the rest of France, customers can now be served inside while maintaining the same distance."
• Austria is giving Hitler's birthplace a $5.6M facelift - "Austrian architects will transform Hitler's birthplace into a police station."
• Are human beings naturally lazy? - "The current pandemic is forcing much of the world’s population to stay at home and take it easy. But we may not be wired that way."
• 'Netflix made all the money': who gets paid for our favourite TV shows? - "While not paying the stars of Tiger King may be justified by its billing as a documentary, the rules around payment for reality TV stars remain opaque."
• Madeleine McCann: German paedophile identified as new prime suspect - "Man in jail on another charge was living near where toddler vanished in Portugal in 2007."
• Unknown Hemingway short story Pursuit As Happiness published - "Autobiographical tale tells of hunt for ‘the biggest goddam marlin that ever swam in the ocean’ and has strong echoes of The Old Man and the Sea."
• The space world’s blind spot is race - "A rocket launch can’t unite us until the space world acknowledges our divisions. Spaceflight seems to exist in a bubble."
• Lotus Tailors Bespoke Menswear Line With Savile Row’s Norton & Sons - "Two names most stir up the image of James Bond - Savile Row and Lotus. Ian Fleming’s fictional British agent’s suits were almost always cut to perfection by the traditional tailors of this this famed corner of Mayfair, London."
• How to make caesar salad - recipe - "A guide to making the classic American salad that was, in fact, invented by an Italian restaurateur in Mexico."
• Patek Philippe To Lead Phillips Hong Kong Watch Auction - "Four rare Patek Philippe watches will lead the upcoming Phillips with Bacs & Russo Hong Kong Watch Auction: X, being held July 10 at the JW Marriott Hong Kong."
• Zoom's End-to-End Encryption Will Be for Paying Customers Only - "The videoconferencing company says it wants to be able to work with law enforcement to catch bad actors on its platform."
• Everything You Need to Know Before Buying a Gaming PC - "Prebuilt gaming computers are more affordable and more powerful than ever. Before you shell out for one, here's some advice."
• Inside Kylie Jenner’s Web Of Lies - And Why She’s No Longer A Billionaire - "This story has been updated to include a statement from Kylie Jenner’s representatives."
• This mountainous region produces some of Asia's best cheese - "Once the mist clears over the hilly mountaintops, green is all you can see in Dalat, a mountainous region in the Central Highlands of southern Vietnam. The country's top agricultural producer, it's a popular vacation destination for both Vietnamese and international tourists. But Dalat is also earning fame for a rather unexpected reason -- it's the source of some of the best cheeses produced in Asia, including creamy mozzarella, burrata and camembert."
• My lockdown fantasy: I wish I was back in the bustling, mind-blowing beauty of Phnom Penh - "From its sublime palaces and museums to its divine art deco markets, the city’s glorious architecture is lovingly captured in a thrilling new book. But can it survive a tidal wave of foreign investment?"

June 3, 2020

• Trump has reached the 'mad emperor' stage, and it's terrifying to behold - "He incites violence from the safety of a bunker, then orders peaceful people tear-gassed for the sake of a surreal photo op."
• What do we know about Trump's love for the Bible? - "The president appeared in images holding the Bible backwards and seemingly upside down."
• Does Trump have authority to send military troops into states? Here's what to know - "Trump cited the Insurrection Act of 1807 as legal justification for sending troops into states. Here's what to know about the 213-year-old law."
• Trump Questions Render Canada Prime Minister Trudeau Speechless for 21 Seconds - "Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that Canadians are watching what’s unfolding in the United States with 'horror and consternation' and he paused for 21 seconds when asked about U.S. President Donald Trump and the use of tear gas against protesters to clear the way for a photo opportunity."
• Scientists say they have found the cleanest air on Earth - "Scientists believe they have identified the world's cleanest air, free from particles caused by human activity, located over the Southern Ocean, which surrounds Antarctica."
• Coronavirus: Ibuprofen tested as a treatment - "Scientists are running a trial to see if ibuprofen can help hospital patients who are sick with coronavirus."
• China delayed releasing coronavirus info, frustrating WHO - Associated Press.
• Fauci says his contact with Trump has 'dramatically decreased' - "Comments likely to raise fears he is being squeezed out of White House as coronavirus continues to ravage US."
• Can this airplane seat keep you safe from Covid-19? - "As conversations continue about if, when and how it's safe to be flying, airplane seat designers continue to sketch out concepts for what the future of aviation might look like."
• Facebook's Zuckerberg accused of setting dangerous precedent over Trump - "Mark Zuckerberg is setting a 'dangerous precedent' by allowing a post by Donald Trump to remain on Facebook, a group of civil rights leaders has warned."
• 'The new toilet paper:' Bikes are flying off shelves, overwhelming shops - "Eric Attayi, owner of the Urban Bicycle Gallery in Houston, Texas, has watched the pandemic transform his shop in a way most businesses can only dream of."
• Carole Baskin awarded the zoo once owned by 'Tiger King' Joe Exotic - "Carole Baskin, whose longstanding feud with Joe Exotic was chronicled in the hit Netflix docuseries 'Tiger King,' has been awarded the zoo once owned by her nemesis."
• Adolf Hitler house to be 'neutralised', Austria says - "Austria has unveiled plans to 'neutralise' the building where Nazi German dictator Adolf Hitler was born, by turning it into a police station."
• The psychology behind why people think 5G makes them sick - "The rise of new technologies often brings up fears."
• Vegan seafood: The next plant-based meat trend? - Seafood is difficult to veganise well, but some companies are betting on new technologies and customers to overcome the challenges.
• Legendary Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola On Winemaking - "An Interview With Francis Ford Coppola: Master Filmmaker And Major Wine Producer."
• Block your distractions. Focus on what matters most - website and app blocker that’s supremely customizable and works on all major platforms: Windows, Mac, Chrome, iOS and Android.
• Grindr dating app removes ethnicity filter to support Black Lives Matter - "Feature will not be part of app’s next release following accusations of hypocrisy."
• Zoom booms as teleconferencing company profits from coronavirus crisis - "The teleconferencing company made $27m in the first quarter and expects sales to double despite security and privacy fears."
• Ancient DNA is offering clues to puzzle of Dead Sea scrolls, say experts - "Study may shed light on material and debated origins of some of the 25,000 fragments."
• Hublot made a $5,800 Wear OS smartwatch - "Hublot is taking another crack at the smartwatch market with the Hublot Big Bang e, a high-end watch running Wear OS that will set you back thousands of dollars. Release date yet to be announced."
• Hublot Unveils The ‘Big Bang E’ Connected Watch - "Hublot unveiled the 'Big Bang e,' connected watch on Tuesday with the luxury watch brand describing it as its latest display of its 'Art of Fusion,' spirit by combining traditional watchmaking with cutting-edge materials and digital technology."

June 2, 2020

• Protests in photos | Thousands around the world demonstrate - "Thousands around the world protest George Floyd's death in global display of solidarity."
• Watch military vehicles move near White House - "Military-style vehicles filled with national guard troops were seen rolling onto Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House."
• It's time for white people to understand their whiteness - "Black and Brown People Have Been Protesting for Centuries. It's White People Who Are Responsible for What Happens Next. As protests spread across America, it's time for white people to look and listen and learn how to fight for racial justice."
• 99 years ago today, America was shaken by one of its deadliest acts of racial violence - "As Americans' rage over racial injustice boils over into a sixth day of protests, Monday also marks the 99th anniversary of one of the worst acts of racial violence the country has ever seen."
• The power of crowds - "Even before the pandemic, mass gatherings were under threat from draconian laws and corporate seizure of public space. Yet history shows that the crowd always finds a way to return."
• Apple releases iOS 13.5.1 to fix the flaw behind a well-known jailbreak - "It’s also releasing iPad OS 13.5.1 and watchOS 6.2.6."
• Apple Warns Looters With Stolen iPhones: You Are Being Tracked - "Apple, among other high-end retailers, has seen its fair share of attacks and has now taken action to protect staff and prevent further damage."
• Here's Everything New on Netflix in June 2020 - And What's Leaving - TIME Magazine.
• iOS jailbreaking - is the privilege escalation of an Apple device for the purpose of removing software restrictions imposed by Apple on iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and bridgeOS operating systems.
• Should you fly yet? Here's what experts say - "Should you fly yet? Here's what an epidemiologist and an exposure scientist say."
• Coronavirus: The mystery of asymptomatic 'silent spreaders' - "As the crisis has unfolded, scientists have discovered more evidence about a strange and worrying feature of the coronavirus. While many people who become infected develop a cough, fever and loss of taste and smell, others have no symptoms at all and never realise they're carrying Covid-19."
• WHO warns overuse of antibiotics for Covid-19 will cause more deaths - "Director general says 'worrying number' of bacteria are becoming resistant to medicines."
• Could nearly half of those with Covid-19 have no idea they are infected? - "As studies confirm many infected people show no symptoms, contact tracing and face masks assume even greater importance."
• Why can't we leave them alone? The troubling truth about selfies with sloths - "How the trappings of fame are causing problems for the placid mammal that has become a star of internet memes and Instagram."
• The world’s most sustainable country? - "The road to the world’s first zero-carbon country. Costa Rica has the high ambition to become the world’s first zero-carbon country. It’s gone a long way already, but how will its polluted capital clean up?"
• World-famous beach emptied by coronavirus - "Copacabana beach. If you've never been, you probably want to. If you know it, wherever you are in the world right now, you probably fancy a day there now. But the world's best known beach, has slammed into its best known virus."
• The Simple Joys Of Establishing A Daily Quarantine Cocktail Hour - Forbes.
• Understanding the Origins of American Gun Culture Can Help Reframe Today’s Gun Debate - "The famous saying about Colt’s guns - 'God created man, but Sam Colt made them equal' - captures the very real way the gun changed life for 19th century Americans."
• To cap off his amazing week, Elon Musk just made $770 million - "The CEO of Tesla (TSLA) and SpaceX achieved his boyhood dream of launching two American astronauts into space for the first time. He also just got 1.68 million stock options that provided him with a $770 million payday."
• How much of your body is actually you? - "Our bodies are extraordinary. They contain elements that have a commercial value, megabytes of data, and trillions of cells, most of which aren't our own."
• Taiwan's 2,000-year-old knife massage - "Quick chopping motions are expected in many types of massage. But in daoliao, or knife massage, the chopping is done with real blades."
• LG OLED65CX OLED TV Review: Home Cinema Hero - "While the LG OLED65CX could certainly be described on one hand as more of an upgrade to last year’s excellent OLED65C9 than something that rewrites the OLED rulebook, its suite of subtle tweaks improves things sufficiently in enough areas of previous weakness to make it truly something special."
• Christo: an appriciation. 'His gorgeous abstractions made you gawp with disbelief' - "From a curtain across Colorado to the wrapping up of everything from the Sydney coast to the Berlin Reichstag, his grandiose art caused wonder all over the world."
• Christo's Wrapped Coast: how the monumental Australian work was made - and changed art history - "Australian artist Imants Tillers was among more than 100 volunteers who helped wrap 90,000 square metres of plastic fabric around a Sydney coastline in 1969. It was not the easiest job, he remembers - or the safest."
• Cecil Beaton's sublime portraits - in pictures - "From Salvador Dalí in a fencing mask to Coco Chanel in her luxurious Paris flat, everyone who was anyone in the early 20th century had their portrait taken by Cecil Beaton."
• Colosseum reopens to tourists: 'With so few of us we can enjoy it more' - "Roman site begins admitting small groups as Italy scrambles to salvage its tourism sector."

June 1, 2020

• Coronavirus changes how doctors deal with death - "During the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors have had to deal with death more often than many are used to, and due to restrictions in place over hospital visitors, they are often the last person to spend time with a terminally ill patient."
• The greatest decade in cinema history? - "The era that began 100 years ago brought more change and produced more influential films than any other. Luke Buckmaster makes the case for the Roaring Twenties."
• The Best Movies of 2020 So Far - "From Emma, a sly and sweet new Jane Austen adaptation, to The Half of It, a teenage love triangle with echoes of Cyrano de Bergerac."
• Obituary: Christo Javacheff, the artist who wrapped the world - "Once a penniless painter on the boulevards of Paris, nobody did art like Christo."
• Separated from Your Barbells? Try Wearing Your Weights - "Why the weighted exercise vest is the best piece of home workout gear you're not using."
• Covid-19 has given us the chance to build a low-carbon future - "Lockdown won’t save the world from warming, but the pandemic is an opportunity to pursue a green economic recovery."
• What Exactly Is A Single Malt Whisky? - "It’s a term heard far and wide, especially in recent years, as the whisky industry continues to boom. Single malt whisky is often associated with Scotland and the whisky made there, yet many are unaware that single malts can be made anywhere in the world. Single malt, single barrel, single cask, single grain. The whisky world enjoys many diverse categories, but the terms can often get confusing. So, let’s take a look at the everpopular category of single malt whisky, and define it."
• Total Recall at 30: a thrilling reminder of Paul Verhoeven at his best - "The 1990 adaptation of a Philip K Dick short story slickly combined biting satire with a deliriously entertaining Arnold Schwarzenegger action thriller."
• Yes, Your iPad Can Replace Your Desktop or Laptop. Here Are 5 Things to Know First - "Apple’s latest souped-up iPads, along with accessories like the Magic Keyboard and software enhancements in iPadOS, have turned the company’s tablets into bona-fide desktop and laptop replacements."
• Apple 13in MacBook Pro review 2020: going out on a high? - "Apple perfects its current laptop design, with great power, battery life and now an excellent keyboard."
• Which kind of face mask is the best protection against coronavirus? - "Your questions answered on what type of mask to wear to cut the risk of getting Covid-19."
• 10 tips to make cycling a delight - "Coronavirus is driving more and more of us on to bikes. Here’s how to take the pain out of the commute or a night out."
• Herbert Stempel, Who Blew the Whistle on Rigged 1950s Quiz Show, Dies at 93 - "Herbert Stempel, a fall guy and whistleblower of early television whose confession to deliberately losing on a 1950s quiz show helped drive a national scandal and join his name in history to winning contestant Charles Van Doren, has died age 93."

May 31, 2020

• coronavirus cases pass 6 million as Donald Trump postpones G7 - "Trump hopes to expand G7 in delayed summit; Brazil’s death toll passes France; Mexican health care workers to march."
• Which international destinations are reopening to tourists? - "Although most governments are still advising against 'nonessential' international travel, a host of popular destinations are beginning to ease their Covid-19 lockdown measures and border restrictions and are moving toward welcoming tourists back."
• How to watch SpaceX’s first crew dock with the International Space Station - "On Saturday afternoon, SpaceX launched its first human crew to space for NASA on the company’s new Crew Dragon spacecraft - but the mission isn’t over yet. After spending nearly a full day in orbit, the two passengers on board SpaceX’s vehicle, NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley, will attempt to dock with the International Space Station this morning."
• The best online workout classes to keep fit at home - "The world’s most in-demand fitness instructors are ready to raise your pulse. Push back the sofa, pump up the volume and move your body."
• F1 gets green light to start season with Austrian GP double-header - "The coronavirus-hit Formula One season will finally get underway with the Austrian Grand Prix on July 5, the Austrian government announced Saturday."
• US's only private island available for buyouts starting at $250,000 - "For $250,000, Little Palm Island, a resort off the coast in Florida, can be yours. The entire island -- at least, for a limited period."
• The best TV shows you’ve never heard of - "If, after the last few weeks of lockdown, you’ve run out of things to watch, then it’s time to try something more unfamiliar. Here our editors pick some lesser-known masterpieces."
• 5 robots helping to tackle coronavirus - "Automatons have been chipping in with the effort to beat Covid, from disinfecting hospitals to delivering groceries."
• Elephants flee to survive coronavirus starvation - "With the collapse of the tourism industry due to coronavirus, many of Thailand's captive elephants are now at risk of starvation."
• Zoom paid accounts reportedly will get strong encryption for calls - "End-to-end encryption won’t be coming to all customers’ video calls, however."
• Kylie Jenner in row with Forbes over billionaire status - "Kardashian family member reacts angrily to magazine’s claim she spun ‘a web of lies’."
• The Hawaii navy base fueling Trump's quest for 'super duper' missiles - "Kauai has one of the Pentagon’s most valued testing sites. It’s an economic driver, but some residents say the military shouldn’t be on the islands at all."
• Asian billionaire who made a fortune from war - "Stanley Ho's escape to Macao in World War II laid the foundation for his fortune. But it wasn't without controversy."
• Belgian Prince Joachim tests positive after lockdown party - "A Belgian prince has contracted coronavirus after attending a party during lockdown in Spain, the country's royal palace says."
• 24K Gold Plated iPhone Seller Sues Apple For $2.6 Billion - "Some news stories have it all, and this is one of them: former Columbian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar's brother, Roberto, whose company is advertising 24K gold plated iPhones for sale, is suing Apple for $2.6 billion over a security vulnerability."
• The Verge’s favorite hobbies to do while stuck at home - "What to do when you’re tired of Netflix."

May 30, 2020

• Week in pictures: 23-29 May 2020 - "A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week."
• Why Kylie Jenner is no longer a billionarie - "Inside Kylie Jenner’s Web Of Lies. Earlier this year, Kylie Jenner sold half of her cosmetics company in one of the greatest celebrity cash outs of all time. But the deal’s fine print reveals that she has been inflating the size and success of her business. For years."
• Trump terminates US relationship with WHO - "US President Donald Trump has announced that he is terminating the country's relationship with the World Health Organization (WHO). The president has accused the WHO of failing to hold Beijing to account over the coronavirus pandemic."
• The world's highest paid athletes in the world 2020 - "Roger Federer is the highest-paid athlete in the world as only two women make top 100."
• How Vietnam kept its coronavirus death toll at zero - "The country of 97 million people has not reported a single coronavirus-related death and on Saturday had just 328 confirmed cases, despite its long border with China and the millions of Chinese visitors it receives each year."
• The secret to a long & healthy life? Eat less - "Permanently cutting the daily calories you consume may turn out to have a profound effect on your future life, according to some tantalising scientific studies."
• LET’S GO THROUGH TRUMP’S TERRIBLE INTERNET CENSORSHIP ORDER, LINE BY LINE - "Spoiler: you can’t nationalize Twitter."
• Zuckerberg finally explains why Facebook is doing nothing about Trump's posts - "Within two-and-a-half hours of the post, Twitter had placed a warning label on it saying it glorified violence. Facebook, by contrast, remained silent on the matter for 18 hours until Zuckerberg's post appeared."
• Bill Gates ‘microchip’ conspiracy theory & other vaccine claims fact-checked - "Speculation about a future coronavirus vaccine is ramping up and social-media posts from anti-vaccination campaigners are gaining more traction online."
• George Floyd death: Why has a US city gone up in flames? - "Tensions between Minneapolis' black community and the police did not start with the death of George Floyd. They have been years in the making."
• SpaceX's Starship rocket prototype explodes during test - "394ft rocket designed to carry humans and cargo to moon and Mars."
• The Most Stressful Job In The World? What it’s Really Like To Be An Air Traffic Controller - "Controllers train for many years to qualify for the job, and only around 1% of applicants make it through to qualify."
• Private Rail Cars Will Soon Become The Ultimate Social Distancing Escape - "A new resurgence of the Golden Age is on the horizon as interest in private rail travel in a post-pandemic world is increasing. More than pure elegance, travelers can take extraordinary voyages all in the lap of luxury. The privacy and social distancing allowed within your private rail car could soon become the ultimate luxurious adventure."
• How A Former Ballerina Turned Mirror Into A Buzzy $300 Million Exercise Phenomenon - "Peloton isn’t the only home fitness equipment prospering in the coronavirus era. Brynn Putnam has redefined sweat equity with her interactive workout device that turns any room into an elite gym."

May 29, 2020

• Trump signs order targeting social media giants - "Trump signs executive order targeting Twitter after fact-checking row."
• EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SECTION 230 - "The most important law for online speech."
• How will we party post-pandemic? - "In nightclubs around the world, once-crowded dance floors have remained empty for months. If you need reminding, clubbing is close contact activity: People share drinks, hug, kiss and generally invade each others personal space until the early hours of the morning."
• How to have a low-risk coronavirus summer - "While it’s still safest to stay home, experts say soaking in some summertime sun is possible if it’s done with caution."
• 'Do I really care?' Woody Allen comes out fighting - "The 1992 accusation that the film-maker sexually assaulted his young daughter has made him a pariah, yet he was never charged. In this exclusive interview, he explains why he is done with treading carefully."
• the 30 Most Anticipated Luxury Hotel Openings For 2021 - "From a spectacular island beach resort on a private bay in Greece, a historic ski property in the Alps, or a modern sculptured art hotel in Scotland."
• 'Transhumans': Portraits of biohackers & real-life cyborgs - "Transhumanism: Meet the cyborgs and biohackers redefining beauty."
• Twitter now lets you schedule tweets from its web app - "You can also save draft tweets."
• a beginner’s guide to running - "Start slow, wear what you like, watch out for zombies. There’s a replacement to your pre-lockdown workout right outside your door. Experienced runners explain how to get started."
• The Digital Nomad Handbook - "Learn how to live and work on the road with the latest addition to Lonely Planet’s Handbook series, a practical guide inspiring and motivating people to achieve their goal of travelling more, starting a whole new way of living and creating a flexible work/life balance."
• Ai Weiwei creates 10,000 masks in aid of coronavirus charities - "Humanitarian groups to receive artist’s eBay income from masks bearing sunflower seeds - or a middle finger."
• Gogoro’s Eeyo 1 is the ‘sports car’ of e-bikes - "With sports car prices, starting at $3,899."
• Uber sends thousands of Jump e-bikes to the recycling heap - "The move comes after Uber sold its bike division to Lime."

May 28, 2020

• US passes 100,000 coronavirus deaths as states relax lockdown measures - "US recorded more deaths from the disease than any other country in the pandemic."
• Coronavirus deaths in US top 100,000 - "The US has passed 100,000 deaths in the coronavirus outbreak in less than four months."
• Trump Lashes Out as His Election Prospects Darken - "As the toll of the coronavirus pandemic mounts and the economy craters, the President is punching wildly at his critics."
• From 'We've shut it down' to 100,000 US dead - "It's an uncanny and almost tragically perfect piece of symmetry. The number of US servicemen and women killed in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan - over an aggregate 44 years of fighting is almost exactly the same as the number of Americans who've now lost their lives to coronavirus in just three months of America's war against the hidden enemy, as Donald Trump likes to refer to Covid-19."
• Trump & Biden trade barbs over wearing a mask - "President Donald Trump has not worn a mask for public engagements during the coronavirus pandemic. He mocked his likely presidential challenger, Joe Biden, for wearing a face covering on Memorial Day. The Democrat hit back."
• Leading by example: world leaders wearing face masks - in pictures - "The issue of wearing a mask to reduce spread of Covid-19 is contentious."
• Antibody Tests Were Hailed as a Way to End Lockdowns. They're Causing Confusion Instead - "Some communities considered antibody testing as a way out of lockdown. But they've pulled back as they realized its flaws."
• How long does coronavirus survive on different surfaces? - "As shops prepare to reopen, attention is turning to the period of time the virus remains present on materials."
• The Coronavirus Killed the Handshake & the Hug. What Will Replace Them? - "Even if you hate being hugged outside of intimate relationships or despise shaking hands, losing social touch completely - as we have during COVID-19 - still may not feel normal."
• How the free press worldwide is under threat - "From Mexico to Malta, attacks on journalists and publishers have proved deadly to individuals and chilling to broader freedoms. And now Covid-19 is being used as an excuse to silence more voices."
• He's the prodigy who became an all-time great. Now he wants to revolutionize chess - "Magnus Carlsen: 'My emotions are usually outside my body and that's not what you usually connect to a chess player.'"
• What life is like in an Amsterdam without tourists - "With tourists gone, Amsterdam locals reclaim their city."
• The 10 Safest European Beaches To Visit Post-Lockdown - "Europe Summer Travel? The 10 Safest, Longest, Socially-Distancing European Beaches To Visit Post-Lockdown."
• Professional athletes train in lockdown - in pictures - "In the UK and beyond, professional and Olympic athletes have been striving to maintain their strict training regimes, whilst adhering to lockdown restrictions."
• Perfectly preserved ancient Roman mosaic floor discovered in Italy - "A beautiful and remarkably well preserved mosaic floor from ancient Rome has been discovered by archaeologists in northern Italy."
• Stormy Weather Delays Historic SpaceX Launch - "Just 17 minutes before takeoff, NASA called off the historic launch of a crewed SpaceX rocket due to potentially stormy weather in the shuttle’s flight path - but officials hope to reschedule the launch on Saturday or Sunday."
• Nasa SpaceX launch: Evolution of the spacesuit - "The spacesuits that will be worn by astronauts on Wednesday's Crew Dragon launch have been getting a lot of attention. How do they differ from other attire worn by astronauts down the years?"
• The Worst deal Ever - "Fifteen years after Eric Baker was fired from StubHub, the ticketing giant he cofounded, he bought it back for $4 billion—weeks before coronavirus utterly wrecked the business. Revenge isn’t always sweet."
• Social media bias lawsuits keep failing in court - "So why do conservatives keep filing them?"
• 954-Foot-Long Ship Touted To Be The ‘Ultimate Private Superyacht’ - "The philosophy behind the design of the 954-foot-long NJORD may have been inspired by some of the largest and most luxurious superyachts in the world."
• Pablo Escobar’s brother is trying to sell refurbished iPhone 11 Pros for $499 - "Yes, it is most likely a scam."

May 27, 2020

• Twitter tags Trump post with fact-checking warning - "A post by US President Donald Trump has been given a fact-check label by Twitter for the first time. President Trump tweeted: 'There is NO WAY (ZERO!) that Mail-In Ballots will be anything less than substantially fraudulent.' Twitter put a warning label under the post and a subsequent tweet under its new policy on misleading information."
• First Google/Apple-based contact-tracing app launched - "The team developing Switzerland's coronavirus contact-tracing app says it has become the first to have launched a product incorporating a technology provided by Apple and Google."
• The human cost of virus misinformation - "A BBC team tracking coronavirus misinformation has found links to assaults, arsons and deaths. And experts say the potential for indirect harm caused by rumours, conspiracy theories and bad health information could be much bigger."
• Europe's rebound from coronavirus is threatened - "The EU is still divided over coronavirus relief. That could tear it apart."
• Why Thailand isn't reopening to international tourists yet - "'It is still dependent on the outbreak situation, but I think at the earliest, we may see the return of tourists could be the fourth quarter of this year,' Yutasak Supasorn, governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), tells CNN Travel."
• Denmark allows cross-border 'sweethearts' to reunite -- on one condition - "Denmark allows cross-border 'sweethearts' to reunite -- if they can prove they've been in a relationship for 6 months."
• Life & death on coronavirus ward - "One week in one hospital."
• Grocery Workers Fear Confrontations With Shoppers Over Mask Rules - "Many shoppers are currently required by state, city or local regulations to wear masks or other facial coverings. But it's largely been left to grocery store employees to enforce those rules."
• Boris Johnson's Top Adviser Traveled Over 500 Miles Despite Lockdown. The Scandal Is Rocking the British Government - "British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a full-blown political crisis after his most senior aide admitted to multiple instances of travel while the U.K. was under coronavirus lockdown measures."
• Iconic celebrity portraits to be auctioned for Covid relief - "US photographer Mark Seliger is to auction off portraits of famous names such as Brad Pitt and Amy Schumer to raise money for the fight against coronavirus."
• SpaceX & NASA Are Set for a Historic Crewed Launch This Week. Here's How to Watch - "Astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley are scheduled to take off aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft. TIME has a team on the ground."
• Elon Musk’s First Astronaut Launch Is One Giant Leap For Space Capitalism - "SpaceX will send a NASA crew into orbit this week, marking a major milestone in the mission of entrepreneurs to reclaim the galaxy from big government."
• Why Is 3sYqo15hiL Such A Popular Password? - "Improving your password hygiene is one of the most important things you can do to strengthen your security, so why is 3sYqo15hiL such a popular choice?"
• Dubai Set To Open Heart Of Europe With 6 Outrageous Themed Islands - "Based on six islands that bring the best of Europe to Dubai, The Heart of Europe is located 2 miles from the coast of Dubai and will offer up a variety of European cultural, dining, and hospitality experiences across resorts, cafés, bars, boutiques, and entertainment."
• A Golden Toilet Roll? Welcome To Quarantine Jewelry - "Probably the last thing we want to remember about the COVID-19 quarantine is the panic buying, notably, hoarding toilet paper. While it has been a joke for months, it has recently become high culture, as well."
• The Story Behind the Netflix Docuseries Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich - "Netflix’s latest true crime documentary, Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich, examines how a wealthy and well-connected financier got away with crimes of sexual abuse and sex trafficking for decades. But just as crucially, it provides a space for his survivors to share their own stories."

May 26, 2020

• Coronavirus is like a war -- but not in the way Trump thinks - "This year, Memorial Day comes as the US quickly approaches 100,000 deaths from Covid-19, surpassing the number of US military members who died in Vietnam. Soon, it may approach the number of American soldiers who died in World War I. President Donald Trump has ordered the flags to be flown at half-staff at federal buildings and monuments through Memorial Day to honor the nation's victims of the virus."
• Call for clear face masks to be 'the norm' - "It's now part of daily life now for many of us - struggling to work out what someone in a supermarket or at work is saying when they're wearing a face mask."
• Research reveals gene role in both dementia & severe Covid-19 - "Having two copies of e4 variant of ApoE gene linked to double risk of severe Covid-19, study suggests."
• WHO halts hydroxychloroquine trial for coronavirus amid safety fears - "Malaria drug taken by Trump could raise risk of death and heart problems, study shows."
• Why we’ve created new language for coronavirus - "From ‘covidiots’ to ‘quarantine and chill’, the pandemic has led to many terms that help people laugh and commiserate."
• 'This makes Chinese medicine look bad': TCM supporters condemn illegal wildlife trade - "Experts warn the exploitation of endangered animals such as pangolin and tiger is tarnishing the industry."
• China's discrimination against Africans - "China says it has a 'zero-tolerance policy' for racism, but discrimination towards Africans goes back decades."
• Elon Musk & Grimes change baby's name: 'Roman numerals look better' - "Tech entrepreneur and musician have changed their child’s name from X Æ A-12 to X Æ A-Xii, without much explanation."
• Watch laser destroy aircraft mid-flight - "Navy tests laser that can destroy aircraft mid-flight."
• How to reverse-engineer a rainforest - "Can scientists figure out how to replant the Amazon –– before it's too late to bring back?"
• Everyone you know uses Zoom. That wasn't the plan - "Zoom grew into a vastly profitable business selling software to businesses that could enable a venture capital firm to seamlessly take virtual pitch meetings from around the globe or an executive to deliver an all-hands to a remote workforce."
• The tiny airport that became the world's busiest - "This is now the world's busiest airport... on certain Saturdays."
• Washing Your Hands Triggers Trillions Of Tiny Molecular Explosions - "There once was a Coronavirus that landed on a human’s hand with a few hundred thousand of its colleagues. It sat, idle, waiting for the right environment to enslave its new host’s cells into making copies of itself. Unfortunately for the virus, the first liquid it encountered was not a human circulatory system but rather a molecular Molotov cocktail: soap."
• Virtual dating: Help! I think I'm falling in love over Zoom - "I vowed to spend the coronavirus quarantine focused on looking inward. Then I went on one virtual date and everything changed."
• 3D PRINTERS ARE ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC - "Massive PPE shortages pushed DIY volunteers to get creative."
• Apple iOS app updates are being re-issued for unknown reasons - "Fixing a bug? Patching an error? We’re not sure."
• The best grilling gear - "Grills, gadgets and a... vacuum sealer?"

May 25, 2020

• Why we might not get a coronavirus vaccine - "Politicians have become more cautious about immunisation prospects. They are right to be."
• US announces new travel restrictions on Brazil - "Brazil records more than 15,000 new cases in 24 hours."
• Trump aide claims China guilty of cover-up akin to Chernobyl - "The White House on Sunday accused China of a cover-up that will 'go down in history along with Chernobyl', ramping up efforts to deflect attention from a Covid-19 death toll in the US fast closing on 100,000."
• How coronavirus is reshaping Europe in dangerous ways - "From green backlash to reimposition of border controls, pandemic is accelerating tensions that could unravel the EU."
• Let's Put an End to Annual Physicals - "Health care providers have the tech to replace ineffective, wasteful checkups."
• Now’s The Perfect Time to Start Using a Password Manager - "Time has no meaning, and we’re all stuck in front of screens. You may as well secure your life while you’re always online."
• Rare natural event happens amid virus crisis - "On the hunt for rare seeds in the middle of a pandemic."
• Can the world's oldest profession survive the age of social distancing? - "An old economics axiom claims that investments in 'vice' and 'sin' like gambling, alcohol, drugs and sex trades weather economic downturns well, because people turn to them whether they're sad or happy. Some vices are even thought to be countercyclical, rising when economy takes a nosedive."
• Elon Musk’s SpaceX to launch first astronauts from US soil since 2011 - "Falcon 9 rocket to make history as billionaire seeks to commercialise space travel."
• From wonky tables to broken printers: how to solve the most irritating household problems - "There has never been a better time than lockdown to fix things around the house. The Repair Shop’s Jay Blades and other experts offer tips on how to do it yourself."
• 7 Best Portable Grills You Can Buy - "We barbecued for weeks to find the right charcoal and propane gas grills for wherever you are, and whatever your living situation might be."

May 24, 2020

• Why coronavirus lockdown is disastrous for women - "Coronavirus is killing more men. But the lockdown is disastrous for women and their rights."
• New York Times publishes names of 1,000 lives lost to coronavirus - "The most important word on the front page of Sunday's New York Times is 'incalculable.'"
• Race, wealth & public spaces: US beaches are a new flashpoint of the lockdown - "Beaches are a polarizing issue amid the pandemic. Experts say that’s because a ‘frenzy of privatization’ led to smaller, more crowded public spaces."

May 23, 2020

• How Remdesivir Moved From Back Shelf to Best Hope for Treating COVID-19 - TIME Magazine.
• The pandemic could reshape the world order. Trump's chaotic strategy is accelerating US losses - "Covid-19 has shocked the world by the speed of its spread, but it is also accelerating another global change in the balance of power -- and not in America's favor."
• How Remdesivir Works to Fight COVID-19 Inside the Body - "On May 1, the U.S Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency-use authorization of remdesivir, an experimental anti-viral drug. With this clearance, doctors in the U.S. are now allowed to use the drug to treat patients with severe cases of COVID-19."
• What 'Jaws' can teach us about our coronavirus response - "Today, too, we are on a mission to thwart an organism that can kills us. Our intrepid 'shark hunters' are health care workers and scientists, as well as the responsible governors who have been warning about the gravity of the pandemic. These heroic characters want to reopen society in ways that will guarantee the safety of consumers and workers, while creating confidence for all Americans to reenter public spaces -- even if some risks remain."
• The advice you would give your pre-lockdown self - "With the benefit of hindsight, it's easy to think of things we wish we'd done before coronavirus uprooted our lives."
• Iceland's Prime Minister KatrÍn JakobsdÓttir's Key to Leading Through Coronavirus: ‘Put Your Ego as a Politician Aside’ - "As part of the TIME100 Talks: Finding Hope series, Iceland's Katrín Jakobsdóttir spoke to Katie Couric about leading her country through the coronavirus pandemic."
• Famous Statues Around The World Wearing Face Masks - "See the Fearless Girl, Buddha, Rocky Balboa, Rosa Parks and other landmarks covered up for Covid-19. Whether you consider a face mask to be a serious fashion statement or an affront to your inalienable right to breathe freely, there is no doubt that wearing one protects against the spread of Covid-19."
• No masks allowed: stores turn customers away in US culture war - "Shops around the US make headlines for denying entry to those wearing masks as protesters argue against preventative measures in the name of freedom."
• Can you identify the city from its skyline? - "The CNN Travel quiz: Who, what, why, when and where in the world?"
• The Shenzhen effect: Why China's original 'model' city matters more than ever - "By 2035, China's government expects over 70% of the country's population -- around a billion people -- to be living in cities."
• $870m 'city' built for online shopping - "A 'city' for online shopping is being built in Dubai."
• Large Study Finds No Benefit - and Potential Harm - in Using Hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19 - "The study found people receiving either chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine alone were 16% to 18% more likely to die in the hospital compared to those not receiving the medications."
• Hertz files for bankruptcy, a victim of Covid-19's effect on economy - "Hertz filed for bankruptcy Friday night, the latest victim of the sudden economic downturn sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic."
• Canada v US: Loon stabs eagle through heart - "As with global affairs, nature has its pecking order."
• This 160-Foot All-Carbon Superyacht Is Like a Bond Villain Lair That Floats - "The Palmer Johnson 'Khalilah' may not be the largest yacht on the water, but she is arguably the flashiest. Here's an exclusive tour."
• ‘There are too many’: bones of 60 mammoths found in Mexico - "Archaeologists face surfeit of mammoths after bones found at airport under construction north of Mexico City."
• The Weird Psychology Behind Why We Hate Follow People On Instagram - "Why do we waste our precious internet data looking at pictures posted by people we don't like?"
• The best fitness trackers you can buy - "Smartwatches aren't your only options."

May 22, 2020

• He closed his country before a single case of Covid-19. Is he a savior, or a strongman? - "Savior or strongman? El Salvador's millennial president defies courts and Congress on coronavirus response."
• Which countries does US think handled it best? - "Americans have praise for South Korea and Germany's handling of the coronavirus pandemic but give poor marks to Italy and China."
• How staying indoors effects your immune system - "While staying inside our homes is helping to shield us from the pandemic, missing out on time outdoors might be effecting our risk of catching diseases in other ways."
• Why time seems to be going faster while we are in lockdown - "To some, our days in lockdown seem to be slipping past faster than usual. But why?"
• Facial Recognition Firms Pitch Covid-19 ‘Immunity Passports’ For America & Britain - "When the world economy reopens and populations want to traverse borders again, some governments are going to want proof people aren’t coming in or leaving with Covid-19. Employers are also going to want to know their workforce isn’t going to be the epicenter of another outbreak. And so a handful of companies are bidding for business that will help the Trump and Johnson administrations on either side of the Atlantic keep tabs on travel (or attempted travel) of the infected."
• What airports will look like when we can travel again - "Here's how Covid-19 could change the way we fly."
• Former White House butler dies of coronavirus - "A former White House butler, who worked for 11 presidents in a career that spanned five decades, has died of coronavirus aged 91."
• Scientists say they may have found a skinny gene - "We all know the type. They can eat all they want, spend zero time at the gym and don't put on an ounce."
• Can We Just Work From Home Forever? - "While some companies, like Twitter, have announced that they will allow employees to work remotely forever, other companies have taken the opposite approach."
• MARK ZUCKERBERG ON TAKING HIS MASSIVE WORKFORCE REMOTE - "‘We’re going to be the most forward-leaning company on remote work at our scale’."
• Don't stand so close to me: top tactics for Covid-era socialising - "From dining mannequins to tables with bumpers, restaurants and attractions around the world are using creative ways to ensure guests keep their distance."
• More than 30,000 pubs & restaurants 'may not reopen after lockdown' - "Coronavirus crisis could prove final straw for some businesses in hospitality sector, poll finds."
• Buffett Sells More Stocks, Including Goldman Sachs, With No ‘Elephant-Sized’ Acquisition On The Horizon - "Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, who told investors earlier this month that he had made a 'mistake' betting on airlines, is continuing to sell stocks amid the coronavirus pandemic, the latest regulatory filing from Berkshire Hathaway shows."
• J.K. Rowling stupefies fans by revealing the truth around the origins of 'Harry Potter' - "'If you define the birthplace of Harry Potter as the moment when I had the initial idea, then it was a Manchester-London train,' Rowling tweeted."
• The Empire Strikes Back at 40: did the Star Wars saga peak too early? - "A thrilling sequel opened up the Star Wars universe back in 1980 for better or worse with many underwhelming chapters then following."
• When this was the densest place on Earth - "Kowloon Walled City: In Hong Kong, it was the densest place on Earth."
• Crashing 3D waves create unreal optical illusion - "Giant 3D wave sweeps over Seoul's Gangnam District."
• Get ready for the 'holy grail' of computer graphics - "Ray tracing has always been the 'holy grail' of computer graphics, says Jason Ronald, head of program management for the gaming console Xbox."
• Microplastic pollution in oceans vastly underestimated - study - "Particles may outnumber zooplankton, which underpin marine life and regulate climate."
• Lori Loughlin: US actress to plead guilty in college cheating scam - "US actress Lori Loughlin, of the sitcom Full House, and her husband, designer Mossimo Giuannulli, will plead guilty to college admissions scam charges."
• Will coronavirus change Germans’ love of cash? - "‘Cash is king’ has long been the motto of German consumers and small business owners - but Covid-19 is bringing rapid change."
• Top Whiskey: 7 New Releases To Try, Before They Sell Out - "From Taiwanese whisky to superb single barrel bourbons, here are some of the most exciting new whiskies to look out for."
• Jacob & Co. Unveils The $360,000 Opera Scarface Watch - "Understanding the power of having cult-like followers, Swiss watch brand Jacob & Co. unveils the powerful-looking Opera Scarface Musical watch."
• How This Billionaire-Backed Crypto Startup Gets Paid To Not Mine Bitcoin - "It’s everyone’s dream to get paid to do nothing. Bitcoin miner Layer1 is turning that dream into reality - having figured out how to make money even when its machines are turned off."
• One year on, the Oculus Quest is the VR headset to get - "If you can actually find one in stock, of course."

May 21, 2020

• Apple rolls out iOS 13.5 with COVID-19 features - "iOS 13.5 is out now with a faster way to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask. It also has support for Apple and Google’s exposure notification API."
• Apple Releases iOS 13.5: Must-Have Release With Possible Life-Saving Upgrades - "The latest iOS update has been much-anticipated: its central updates are timely and important. It’s just gone live."
• Apple & Google release phone technology to notify users of coronavirus exposure - "Software can be used to develop apps that detect when a user has spent time near another user who later tests positive for the virus."
• don't count on vaccine, US scientist warns, as cases near 5 million - "William Haseltine, the groundbreaking cancer, HIV/AIDS and human genome projects researcher, has said the best approach to the pandemic is to manage the disease through careful tracing of infections and strict isolation measures whenever it starts spreading."
• WHO reports biggest single-day jump in global cases - "The WHO reported the highest total of Covid-19 cases recorded in a 24-hour period on Wednesday as worldwide infections approach 5 million."
• Unusual Symptoms of Coronavirus: What We Know So Far - "While most people are now familiar with the hallmark symptoms of COVID-19, a new crop of medical conditions are emerging from the 4 million confirmed cases of the disease around the world."
• Black Americans dying of Covid-19 at three times the rate of white people - "New figures from non-partisan APM Research Lab show staggering racial divide in coronavirus death rate across US."
• Face mask rules more political than scientific, says expert - "Study reveals cloth coverings reduce airflow but Covid-19 effectiveness remains unproven."
• How to safely avoid sunburn in the age of coronavirus - "The danger of skin cancer certainly hasn't disappeared during the age of coronavirus, and using sunscreen is more important than ever, experts say."
• Sean Conley: the doctor who agreed to Trump taking hydroxychloroquine - "The US navy veteran who is qualified in osteopathic medicine concluded the ‘potential benefit outweighed the risks’."
• The Scientist Behind Some of the World's Best Coronavirus Images - "From her laboratory in the far western reaches of Montana, Elizabeth Fischer is trying to help people see what they’re up against in COVID-19."
• Tinder boss says 'dramatic' changes to dating - "Coronavirus has had a 'dramatic' effect on the way people use the dating app Tinder, its boss has told BBC News, though the changes may suit plans he already had in store for the platform. Tinder users made 3 billion swipes worldwide on Sunday 29 March, the most the app has ever recorded in a single day."
• The link between animals & Covid-19 - "The wild animals at risk in lockdown. There has been a spike in poaching in many countries during lockdown - as well as being bad for wildlife, that raises our risk of exposure to new viruses."
• Amanpour: 'Holdster' is a handbag for our time - "Designer Anya Hindmarch has created a 'holdster' for frontline workers to carry personal items while treating patients of the pandemic."
• They bought a $1 house in Italy, then Covid-19 struck - "When Italian towns began offering houses for sale for little more than $1, they inspired legions of dreamers to take a gamble on moving to a remote corner of Italy."
• Why do we think cats are unfriendly? - "Cats are the only asocial animal we have successfully domesticated. We’re disappointed that we don’t bond with them as easily as dogs. But are we just missing the signs?"
• How To Switch iPhones Without Losing a Thing - "Everything you need to know to successfully transfer your contacts, music, photos, and apps from one iOS device to another."

May 20, 2020

• Taiwan Says It Tried to Warn the World About Coronavirus. Here’s What It Really Knew and When - "When they heard about patients falling sick with a mysterious pneumonia in the Chinese city of Wuhan on Dec. 31, Taiwan’s health officials fired off an email to the World Health Organization asking for more information."
• 10 Indoor Places To Avoid Due To Covid-19 Coronavirus - "Now that various places are re-opening after being closed to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, it’s time to treat your favorite locations like high school crushes whom you haven’t seen in years. Times have changed and the virus is still circulating, so don’t go running into their open arms just yet."
• The last time the sun was this quiet, Earth had an ice age - "The sun is experiencing a less active phase called 'solar minimum,' but it won't cause an ice age. Scientists at NASA say we're currently in a 'Grand Solar Minimum.' The last time this occurred was between 1650 and 1715, during what's known as the Little Ice Age in Earth's Northern Hemisphere, 'when combination of cooling from volcanic aerosols and low solar activity produced lower surface temperatures.'"
• 10 things Trump would like to distract you from focusing on - "President Donald Trump is going to say something either totally outlandish, verifiably false or completely ridiculous soon. Maybe all three. Maybe multiples of all three."
• The story behind Trump's 'miracle' drug hydroxychloroquine - "The drug has been used to treat a number of diseases in the past half-century but after a French study claimed it was effective against coronavirus it has been hailed by the US president as a cure. But there is scant evidence it is effective - and it could actually be harmful."
• Trump claims about WHO fact-checked - "President Trump has threatened to withdraw funding from the World Health Organization, accusing it of mismanaging the coronavirus pandemic, particularly in its early stages as it emerged in China."
• Coronavirus & hydroxychloroquine: Is there evidence it works? - "US President Donald Trump has said he's taking the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine as a preventative measure against Covid-19, although scientists have warned about side effects."
• The European countries that are opening to tourists - "Europe promises to reopen for summer tourism in wake of coronavirus."
• Lockdowns trigger dramatic fall in global carbon emissions - "Responses to coronavirus crisis cause sharpest drop in carbon output since records began."
• Qatar Airways cabin crew to wear hazmat suits - "Flight attendant uniforms have evolved considerably over the years, with styles adapting to reflect fashion trends, along with the changing world. However, it's unlikely any designer could have predicted its latest incarnation. Qatar Airways is one of several airlines to introduce Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits for its cabin crew in light of the coronavirus pandemic."
• Your car knows secrets about you. Here's how to protect yourself - "Cars increasingly resemble a smartphone on wheels, storing personal information such as our location, how we drive, who we talk to and how to reach them. Some even hold a way to join our home WiFi network. If you've ever sold an old smartphone or laptop, you probably thought to wipe the hard drive first, to protect your privacy. When we sell a car, or return a rental car, a similar thought may not cross our minds, but cybersecurity experts say it should."
• Artist makes millions on Instagram with photorealist drawings - "How CJ Hendry used Instagram to make millions from her art -- and sell Kanye to Kanye."
• Apple reveals what might be next for your screen - "This week, Apple gave its customers an idea about what might be next, and it could help change the way people interact with their screens and their environments forever."
• Why we're seeing a letter-writing boom in lockdown - "Letter-writing: Connection in disconnected times. 'This Zoom stuff doesn't cut it.'"
• How your TV could treat Alzheimer’s - "How flashing lights could treat Alzheimer’s disease. Could a potential new treatment for the most common form of dementia be delivered by simply watching television?"
• The World’s Most Expensive Scotch Whiskies - "Here Is A List Of The World’s Most Expensive Scotch Whisky."
• MICROSOFT’S NEW FLUID OFFICE DOCUMENT IS GOOGLE DOCS ON STEROIDS - "Fluid is coming to Office.com and going open source. MicrosoftMicrosoft is creating a new kind of Office document. Instead of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, the company has created Lego blocks of Office content that live on the web. The tables, graphs, and lists that you typically find in Office documents are transforming into living, collaborative modules that exist outside of traditional documents."
• Google’s app is getting a dark mode starting today - "Rolling out on both Android and iOS devices."
• Watch a Boston Dynamics robot herd sheep in New Zealand - "Robotics company Rocos shows how Spot might advance precision agriculture."

May 19, 2020

• Vaccine trial shows positive early results - "Early results from Moderna coronavirus vaccine trial show participants developed antibodies against the virus."
• Age-proof your brain by keeping your heart healthy, study says - "If you want to keep your brain sharp and focused as you age, it's important to keep your heart healthy. People with more risk factors for heart disease - such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity - experienced more cognitive decline than people with healthier hearts."
• Coronavirus: Low vitamin D levels linked to greater risk of contracting disease - "It found that vitamin D levels among white people were around 53 per cent higher than among people of black and ethnic minority (BAME) backgrounds, while people of healthy weight had 25 per cent more than people who are overweight."
• How singing can make you feel better in tough times - "Whether you have the voice of a songbird or sound like some ball-bearings in a blender, singing can have some remarkably positive effects."
• Trump says he is taking hydroxychloroquine though health experts question its effectiveness - "Trump's unorthodox treatment choice flies in the face of evidence. The fragile foundation of evidence-based reality shoring up Donald Trump's life and presidency just got even more tenuous."
• Nancy Pelosi fears for 'morbidly obese' Trump after hydroxychloroquine admission - "The US House Speaker says president should not be taking a drug that has not been approved to ward off coronavirus."
• Why is Elon Musk telling us to 'take the red pill'? - "A cryptic tweet from the Tesla billionaire that referenced the first Matrix movie has garnered approval from Ivanka Trump - but not everyone is happy."
• Trump gives WHO ultimatum over Covid-19 handling - "US President Donald Trump has sent a letter to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) threatening to pull US funding permanently over Covid-19."
• How Donald Trump wins again, in 3 sentences - CNN Politics.
• Gold nears an eight-year high - "Gold prices have soared this year, and some experts think they could eventually pass the all-time high north of $1,900 an ounce."
• This is why the billionaires have all of the money & you do not - "Their money is a cake the size of the moon - a lot of money."
• Coronavirus leads to food industry crisis in Europe - "Many of the warehouses that store fresh food across Europe are now reaching capacity."
• Delirium 'may be common' in Covid seriously ill - "Delirium and confusion may be common among some seriously-ill hospital patients with Covid-19, a study in The Lancet suggests."
• America's new shortest airline route - "Want to fly across Colorado today on the 29-mile route between the mountain communities of Eagle-Vail and Aspen? A one-way trip will costs you $251 on American Airlines, but we'd hope you'd have a very good reason for booking."
• 3 Stress-Free Ways to Share Your TV or Computer With Your Quarantine Companions - "But just because you’re all stuck inside with one TV to share among yourselves, doesn’t mean you’ve got to sit there and fume while your significant other watches fan-free German soccer when you’d rather be watching movies or gaming. Thanks to some clever streaming technology embedded in your gadgets, you’ve got options to enjoy the content you want while letting others keep their fun going, too."
• Killer Kicks: the secret in your sneakers - "The sneaker industry has tripled in the last 10 years, now accounting for almost half of global footwear sales. They are a fashion phenomenon. Watch the full documentary on BBC iPlayer."
• How to Set Up Your Kid’s Virtual Work/Play Space - "Children need some room of their own, just as much as their parents. Here’s how to help them get into the Zoom zone."
• Tony Soprano's Robes Are My Quarantine Fashion Inspiration - "Get the robe. Don't ask questions."
• After months of elasticated waistbands, will we ever give up comfortable clothes? - "Lockdown has changed almost everything about our lives – including the way we dress. But for fashion, there may be no ‘back to normal’."
• What Happened When I Switched From Mac to Windows - "Fed up with the rising cost and declining quality of Apple laptops, I migrated to Microsoft. It has been both a total joy and a complete pain in the neck."
• Silly Billy: what the Ikea bookcase tells us about the true cost of fast furniture - "A Billy bookcase is made every three seconds. But with a third of people admitting to throwing away furniture that they could have sold or donated, does the cheap furniture boom have a heavy environmental price?"
• Tropy - since 2017. "Research Photo Management." Free and open-source desktop knowledge organization application that helps users manage and describe photographs of research materials. Tropy does not seek to be photo editing software, a citation manager, a writing platform, or an online exhibit platform. Tropy seeks to address the challenges of the now-common experience of researchers photographing objects in archives. Tropy allows users to group a collection of photos into a single document, apply multiple tags to photos to allow for organization, and provide annotations and notes to individual items and groups of items. Material in Tropy can also be exported to JSON-LD and Omeka to allow collaboration with others. Currently, the platform accepts JPEG, PNG, or SVG file formats. Tropy currently does not support PDF, TIFF, or other file formats.

May 18, 2020

• 100 countries want a probe into China's handling of Covid-19 - "China has been trying to avoid fallout from coronavirus. Now 100 countries are pushing for an investigation."
• European countries set to further relax restrictions - "Italy and Spain are among a number of European countries that are set to further ease their coronavirus lockdown restrictions from Monday."
• Yes, staying at home works: debunking the biggest US coronavirus myths - "Where did the virus come from? And can hydroxychloroquine treat it? Some answers to fight the misinformation out there."
• Covid-19 prompts world's cities to free public space of cars - "Campaigners call for schemes for cyclists and pedestrians across the globe to be made long-term."
• ‘I can just glide through traffic’: how e-bikes could answer our commuting problems - "Demand has rocketed as people consider how to get into work after lockdown. They enable riders to avoid car use and the close contact of public transport - but just how safe, affordable and healthy are they?"
• Is the Covid-19 crisis the catalyst for greening the world's airlines? - "Aviation is struggling and seeking support, but there are demands for it to give something in return."
• Covid-19 Masks Are Not Toxic. But Babies Shouldn’t Wear Them - Forbes.
• 'Weird as hell’: the Covid-19 patients who have symptoms for months - "Researchers keen to work out why some people are suffering from ‘long tail’ form of the virus."
• Why Conspiracy Theories Are Running Rampant Amid the Coronavirus Outbreak - "Misinformation surrounding the coronavirus is spreading online around the world, Dr. Emily Vraga explains in a video with Katie Couric."
• As the Rest of the World Plans a Green Recovery, America Is Once Again Falling Behind - TIME Magazine.
• International Museum Day: Which museums around the world have reopened? - "Since its founding in 1977, International Museum Day has been held every May 18 to celebrate museums as valuable spaces for cultural exchange."
• Experts discover why Edvard Munch's 'The Scream' is fading - "Mystery solved: How to preserve 'The Scream,' Edvard Munch's iconic painting, for generations to come."
• Michael Jordan's signature Air Jordan shoes from 1985 sell for record-breaking price, Sotheby's says - "A pair of Michael Jordan's game-worn shoes from 1985 sold for more than three times the estimated auction price on Sunday, breaking the world auction record for sneakers, according to Sotheby's."
• Deserted Venice contemplates a future without tourist hordes after Covid-19 - "'When the city reopens next week, it will still be much like it looks today,' he told CNN in an eerily empty Venice this week. 'Tourists won't really start coming back until the borders are reopened and international travel is allowed.'"
• Experience The Met, Anywhere - 5,000 years of art online. How do you want to experience it today? The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, New York City.
• Fashion tycoon tops Scotland's rich list - "A Danish fashion tycoon who is Scotland's biggest private landowner has gone straight to number one in Scotland's rich list."
• The Sunday Times Rich List 2020

May 17, 2020

• How China Could Emerge Even Stronger After COVID-19 - "The Chinese economy, built on manufacturing expertise, connectivity and first-class infrastructure, already appears to be bouncing back from the pandemic."
• Coronavirus has devastated Moscow. Now it's spreading across Russia's 11 time zones to ill-funded regions - "Russia hit a grim Covid-19 milestone this week: According to Johns Hopkins University, the country now ranks second in the world for confirmed coronavirus cases."
• 'Llamas are the real unicorns': why they could be our secret weapon against coronavirus - "Researchers hope llama antibodies could help protect humans who have not been infected."
• Barack Obama attacks Trump administration's response to coronavirus pandemic - "Former president breaks tradition of refraining from criticism of successor, while also highlighting the high-profile killing of Ahmaud Arbery."
• Did You Lose Your Health Insurance Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic? You May Have Other Options - "If you're one of the millions of Americans who have lost their employer-based health insurance, don't panic. Here are your options."
• How to Find Emergency Money - and Avoid Tax Problems in the Future - "While it's not easy to think long term in emergencies, financial experts say it's important to plan ahead even when taking drastic steps."
• 'A License for Neglect.' Nursing Homes Are Seeking - and Winning - Immunity Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic - TIME Magazine.
• How face masks are becoming fashionable - "Face masks have become a necessity during the coronavirus outbreak and now the fashion world is ensuring that they become trendy."
• How innovative design is reshaping the sex tech industry - "While these products may be new, sex tech is anything but. Unbound CEO Polly Rodriguez, who defined it as 'any technology that enhances, aids or supports human sexuality,' explained: 'It's been around since human beings were around -- the oldest dildo is 30,000 years old.'"
• Denmark's Noma restaurant turns into burger bar - "Noma, one of the world's best restaurants, to return as a wine bar."
• New Apple Security Blow: If You Have An iPhone, Look Away Now - "Apple had been hoping to move past its recent run of security warnings - but no such luck. After a dreadful April, here we are in May with yet another security blow for the hundreds of millions of iOS users around the world. And this time, it’s more than just an overblown exploit that can be downplayed, this time it’s confirmation that a glut of new security exploits are targeting iOS users."
• This was once the most glamorous way to fly - "Revisiting the luxury and glamour of Concorde."
• What was Europe 1000 years ago - "Periodis Web - A Historical Atlas and Gazetteer of Europe from Year 1 to 2000."

May 16, 2020

• The week in 41 photos - CNN Photos.
• Trump says US reopening 'vaccine or no vaccine' - "President Donald Trump has promised the US will reopen 'vaccine or no vaccine', as he announced an objective to deliver a coronavirus jab by year end."
• There Are Sensible Ways to Reopen a Country. Then There's America's Approach - "This brutal spring, the U.S. faces two great crises. Over the past 14 weeks, 84,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. That’s 28 times the death toll of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, more than the U.S. combat deaths in the Vietnam War, and one-quarter of the total global casualties from the coronavirus pandemic."
• What happened when Vietnam reopened - "Life after lockdown in Vietnam: This is what it's like when an entire country reopens."
• Taiwan's coronavirus success has infuriated China - "Taiwan's success in fighting coronavirus has bolstered its global standing. This has infuriated Beijing. As of Saturday, Taiwan has recorded 440 coronavirus cases and seven deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. By comparison, Australia -- with a population of 25 million -- has reported more than 7,000 infections and 98 deaths."
• How Russia's Coronavirus Outbreak Became One of the World's Worst - "Russia has recently scaled up coronavirus testing, with 170,000 tests reportedly being conducted daily. However, questions over their reliability remain."
• German cafe tells customers to wear pool noodles to enforce social distancing - "A cafe in Germany has celebrated its grand reopening to customers after lockdown by handing out pool noodles to maintain social distancing."
• How coronavirus is reshaping Europe in dangerous ways - "From green backlash to reimposition of border controls, pandemic is accelerating tensions that could unravel the EU."
• Read the small print: some health insurance excludes ‘pandemics’ - "The high cost of US healthcare means international travellers often buy travel insurance before visiting. But the policies don’t always cover health crises like the coronavirus."
• Apple reveals what might be next for your screen - "This week, Apple gave its customers an idea about what might be next, and it could help change the way people interact with their screens and their environments forever."
• Ikea's instructions for building the best pillow forts are what every parent needs right now - "After what feels like a lifetime in quarantine and isolation, parents may be running out of ideas to keep kids entertained. So for everyone looking for ways to have fun within four walls, Ikea Russia has some ideas."
• 'People still need to laugh': how lipsyncing spoofs saved lockdown - "From a drunk Donald Trump to storytime with Boris Johnson, women are skewering the absurdity of Covid-19 life."
• the once-disappearing phone call is making a comeback - "Picking up the phone and calling people reconnected me to everybody on a level that I had lost through texting."
• The new wave of fine jewelers bringing African luxury to the world - "Africa is often seen as the home of precious gemstones and metals, with the world's leading jewelry houses sourcing a steady stream of diamonds, gold and other minerals from the continent."
• The dangers of idolising successful people - "Trying to emulate very successful people can be perilous - and it comes down to something called survivorship bias."
• How to Set Up & Get the Most From Your Echo Speaker - "What does an Amazon Echo do, exactly? Here's all the tips and tricks you need to get going."
• The world's best food delivery service - "The unsurpassed 125-year-old network that feeds Mumbai. Dabbawalas deliver hundreds of thousands of meals on foot and by bike in one of India's busiest cities every day. The new wave of food-delivery start-ups wants to know how they do it."
• Best Private Beach Vacations For Post-Lockdown Luxury Travel - Forbes.
• Dying to go out to eat? Here's how viruses like Covid-19 spread in a restaurant - "As US states begin loosening restrictions, a recent viral video from Japan gives an idea of how easily coronavirus might spread."
• Two-thirds of US believers see Covid-19 as message from God, poll finds - "Poll found 31% feel strongly that God is telling humanity to change with the same number feeling that somewhat."
• UK researchers hope dogs can be trained to detect coronavirus - "£500,000 government funding for project that ‘could revolutionise’ screening."
• Legendary Paris bookshop reveals reading habits of illustrious clientele - "Newly digitised lending cards from Shakespeare and Company uncover the choices of luminaries including Ernest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein."

May 15, 2020

• Coronavirus global death toll passes 300,000 as countries wait in lockdown - "More than 300,000 people around the world have now died globally from the coronavirus, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University, as the pandemic passed yet another bleak milestone on Thursday."
• Whistleblower Warns of 'Darkest Winter in Modern History' Without Viable Coronavirus Vaccine Plan - "'There will be a resurgence of [COVID-19] this fall,' Dr. Rick Bright testified before Congress, which he says will likely put 'an unprecedented strain on our health care system'."
• How 'overreaction' made Vietnam a virus success - "Despite a long border with China and a population of 97 million people, Vietnam has recorded only just over 300 cases of Covid-19 on its soil and not a single death."
• Chinese ridicule Trump's China 'cut-off' threat - "'Is Trump totally insane?' Experts and the international community couldn't help but ask this question after US President Donald Trump threatened to 'cut off the whole relationship' with China on Thursday in an interview with FOX Business. Observers said that Trump's word would never deter China, but may shock US political and business circles and its own people, and may put world peace in a dangerous position."
• How the super-rich spent lockdown - "From castles and private islands to luxury underground bunkers with pools and home cinemas, we take a look at how the super-rich have spent lockdown."
• The bunker builders preparing for doomsday - "For some, the current crisis is a dummy run for long-term lockdown. Across the world, luxury bunkers are being built for a lucky few to survive calamity and collapse."
• What eating in a restaurant may look like during the pandemic - "Given the safety precautions that will need to be put in place, post-pandemic dining is going to look very different than a couple of months ago."
• You can now view every exquisite detail of this Rembrandt masterpiece virtually - "With many galleries closed to the public as the world grapples with the coronavirus crisis, a museum in the Netherlands has found a way to bring a masterpiece straight into people's homes."
• Everything you need to know about cutting your own bangs, with Farrah Fawcett's hair stylist - "Of all the hairstyles, few are as instantly transformational as snipping bangs (called a 'fringe' in the UK and other parts of the world), which can instantly frame your face in a whole new way."
• See controlled explosion destroy two cooling towers - "A spectacular controlled explosion has demolished the two cooling towers of a disused nuclear power plant in southwestern."
• VanMoof’s S3 e-bike is better, cheaper, and just as stylish - "The best VanMoof yet."
• Coronavirus Baking Boom Has Made It Hard to Find Flour. Here’s How Americans Coped With ‘Wheatless Wednesdays’ in WWI - "As the Coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep across the globe, many Americans confined at home have enthusiastically turned bread-baking into the de facto new hobby of social isolation."

May 14, 2020

• Coronavirus may never go away, WHO warns - "Experts say the disease may become embedded in populations in the same way that HIV has."
• The doomsday bunker market is thriving amid the coronavirus pandemic - "Home, sweet, home? COVID-19 is fueling a boom in the doomsday bunker market, thanks to some dubious marketing claims."
• Black light experiment shows how quickly a virus like Covid-19 can spread at a restaurant - "A viral video from Japan aims to show how easily germs and viruses can spread in restaurants when just one person is infected."
• Five of the world's other looming crises - "A world in crisis even without the pandemic: Five looming problems. Perhaps understandably, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many other international stories off the news agenda."
• the rise of mutual aid under coronavirus - "Amid this unfolding disaster, we have seen countless acts of kindness and solidarity. It’s this spirit of generosity that will help guide us out of this crisis and into a better future."
• The ingredients for a longer life - "A handful of small towns have remarkable longevity. What is it about their lifestyle that can increase your chances of living to 100?"
• Is Flying Safe With COVID-19 Coronavirus? When Should You Fly Again? - Forbes.
• Future Air Travel: Four-Hour Process, Self Check-In, Disinfection, Immunity Passes - "Once airports and borders open again and people are able to fly freely - a process already in play as airports of all sizes around the world ready strategies to ensure healthy air travel - how much are you ready to change your flying habits?"
• How expensive will air travel be after the Covid-19 crisis? - CNN Travel.
• Say hello to the world's new greetings - "As social distancing lingers, many cultures around the world are adapting their distinct greetings to fit the new normal."
• The Pandemic Is Changing How We Die - And Not Just for COVID-19 Patients - "We are only starting to understand the reverberations of our patients’ isolated deaths and the complicated grief we will be processing for years to come."
• All 54 African Countries Now Reporting Coronavirus Cases - "The coronavirus has been slow to spread in Africa but cases are rising across the continent. More than 69,500 cases have been confirmed with more than 2,400 deaths, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
• which airlines are flying where and why? - "As the coronavirus pandemic continues, which airlines are flying where and why?"
• How can tourism recover from catastrophe? - "2020 is a catastrophe for tourism businesses. Here's what the industry needs to get back on its feet."
• What do our dreams mean? - "In these strange times, many are reporting experiencing more vivid dreams than usual. Cath Pound asks psychotherapist Philippa Perry how art can help us understand them - and ourselves."
• How AI can make us all work smarter - "How AI can help us harness our 'collective intelligence'. Collaborating usually makes our work better - but keeping a team on task is not easy. Now, researchers are finding that machines can bring out the best in group work."
• France's boom city Toulouse shaken by pandemic - "As you head up the motorway from the Mediterranean to Toulouse, there is a big sign outside the city that shows an aircraft and orbiting satellites and the words in bold letters: 'Toulouse, capital of the aerospace industry.'"
• Lessons From The Past: Comparing Stocks During Great Depression To The 2020 Recession - "There has been a lot of talk comparing this economic downturn to the Great Depression of the 1930s. Is this a valid comparison? What might we expect from stocks going forward?"
• Phillips To Hold Cross-Category Online Auction Of Watches, Jewels & Art - "The auction is titled 'Refresh: Reload,' and it will be managed at Phillips Hong Kong location. Bidding opens May 20 at 5 p.m. Hong Kong time and will begin closing on May 28 at 10 p.m. Hong Kong time. There will be a total of 180 lots."
• The Hotels Sharing Drinks Recipes For World Cocktail Day - "Just as certain flavors transport you across the globe, taste has the ability to take you straight to your favorite venues. With this in mind, some of the world’s great hotels are sharing their cocktail bars’ signature drinks recipes, giving you a taste of what they offer on World Cocktail Day."
• The 10 rules for freezing food - from berries to beef - "Scared to find out what’s lurking at the back of your freezer? Here are expert tips for how to get it organised - and what you should never put in there."
• Why we’re obsessed with Zoom backdrops: from Anna Wintour to Meryl Streep - "The pandemic has forced us to make our private spaces into public ones. Here’s how to get it right."
• Woody Allen's A Rainy Day in New York tops global box office - "Film shunned by cast and studio in wake of sexual assault allegations against director finds audience beyond United States."
• World’s First Megayacht, Lady Moura, Reveals Its Secrets After 30 Years - "Few superyachts in the world are as famous, as photographed and - it turns out - as beautiful as Lady Moura. Delivered back in 1990, the world’s first megayacht has been listed for sale for the first time and, in the process, its well-guarded secrets have been revealed."

May 13, 2020

• Asia Is Slowly Beginning to Reopen Travel. Here’s What the World Could Learn - "Hong Kong and mainland China are lowering some travel restrictions, allowing certain groups to be exempt from quarantine."
• Covid-19 isn't just a respiratory disease. It hits the whole body - "The virus also seems to attack some organs directly. One of the most troubling is its assault on the lining of the blood vessels, which in turn causes unnatural blood clotting."
• Prices tumble at an alarming rate - "Falling prices might sound like a good thing, but economists agree that deflation -- the opposite of inflation -- would be very bad news."
• Fauci tells Congress that states face serious consequences if they reopen too quickly - "Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key member of the White House's coronavirus task force, warned senators Tuesday that states and cities face serious consequences if they open up too quickly, urging states not to reopen until they know they have the capabilities to handle an inevitable uptick in cases once they relax stay-at-home orders."
• What South Korea's Nightclub Coronavirus Outbreak Can Teach Other Countries as They Reopen - "Officials began relaxing some social distancing restrictions in early May, but dozens of new cases have been confirmed in the last week, nearly all of them linked to nightclubs in Seoul."
• Wuhan to Test All 11 Million Residents After Handful of New Infections - "Authorities in the Chinese city where the coronavirus pandemic began were moving forward Wednesday with efforts to test all 11 million residents for the virus within 10 days after a handful of fresh infections were found there."
• The people waiting out Covid-19 in dark, frozen Antarctica - "While the rest of the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic, one continent has managed to remain entirely free of the infection."
• How big tech plans to profit from the pandemic - "As the coronavirus continues to kill thousands each day, tech companies are seizing the opportunity to extend their reach and power."
• Maria Branyas: 'Oldest woman in Spain' beats coronavirus at 113 - "A 113-year-old woman - believed to be the oldest woman in Spain - has recovered from the coronavirus, officials have said."
• Australia's 'gray nomads' hit coronavirus speed bump - "For many retired Australians, home is not always a fixed address. Dubbed 'gray nomads,' an increasing number of older Aussies are scrapping their suburban setups to spend months, if not years, on the road."
• How to use your high-end camera as a webcam - "If you’re lucky, you might not need to buy anything extra."
• Specialized's latest e-bike is a super-light all-rounder - "It's a beaut, but it'll cost you."
• Quibi, Netflix's weirdest rival, is off to a rough start - "The streaming service, which offers mobile videos and series that are cut into segments shorter than 10 minutes, garnered a lot of attention when it launched on April 6. But the payoff has been muted, and the service's growth is anemic."
• Virgin Galactic has its eye on supersonic flights - and there's a difficult road ahead - "Taking a meeting in London at noon and returning to New York in time for dinner? Even before coronavirus, that was just a dream - but a dream business travelers and companies that serve them have clung to for decades."
• Twitter announces employees will be allowed to work from home ‘forever’ - "The company said those who want to return to the office won’t likely do so until at least September and reopening will be ‘careful’."
• Saudi Arabia: Just how deep are its troubles? - "Once famous for being tax-free, Saudi Arabia has announced it is trebling its Value Added Tax (VAT) from 5% to 15% and cancelling the monthly living subsidy from next month."
• Rare Japanese Whisky Sells For Over $60,000 At Sotheby’s Auction - Forbes.
• Dogs endure emotional difficulties in puberty like humans, says study - "Research finds animals are less responsive to instructions from their carer during adolescence."
• Why A Private Equity Firm Backed By Bernard Arnault Is Putting $400 Million Into Norwegian Cruise Line - Forbes.
• How Florence Nightingale Paved the Way for the Heroic Work of Nurses Today - TIME Magazine.

May 12, 2020

• The lost six weeks when US failed to contain outbreak - "Having watched Asian and European countries struggle against Covid-19, the US was slow to ramp up testing and order its residents to stay at home. We look at this crucial time period and what exactly was done to prevent the outbreak."
• Trump storms out of press briefing as US deaths pass 80,000 - "'Don't ask me. Ask China': Trump clashes with reporters then abruptly leaves press briefing."
• Coronavirus Pandemic Can Lead Us to a Smarter Future. Let's Make Sure It Does - "After 9/11 we responded in ways that still shape the world. Now another emergency is giving us a chance to respond differently and better."
• Trump's financial records case heads to the supreme court this week. Here's what's at stake - "President Trump has refused to release his tax returns since he hit the campaign trail five years ago, breaking with a tradition of financial transparency for presidents and presidential candidates."
• Trump's tax return case could alter the US presidency forever - "The stakes of Trump's tax return case couldn't be higher."
• Even as Trump Urges Reopening, White House Requires Stricter Safety Measures After COVID-19 Cases - "COVID-19 cases in the White House have staffers nervous, and undermined the Administration's message that its safe to reopen."
• How a COVID-19 Testing Model No One Is Talking About Could Save Thousands of Lives - "Economist Andrea Galeotti argues that our approach to coronavirus testing is all wrong, and simple—and affordable - changes could save lives."
• Why Comparing the Fight Against COVID-19 to War Is Ethically Dangerous - "Presenting frontline hospital workers as soldiers whitewashes the nature of their sacrifice, write Elliot Ackerman and Allan S. Detsky, and normalizes their deaths as the inevitable consequence."
• White House staff ordered to wear masks - "White House staff have been ordered to wear masks when entering the West Wing after two aides tested positive for coronavirus."
• What Jesus Really Said About Heaven & Hell - TIME Magazine.
• Covid-19: why are some people losing their taste & smell? - "As the coronavirus pandemic swept around the globe, anecdotal reports began to emerge about a strange symptom: people were losing their sense of taste and smell. To find out whether this effect is really down to Sars-CoV-2, and if so, why, Ian Sample talks to Carl Philpott."
• Who Discovered Soap? What to Know About the Origins of the Life-Saving Substance - TIME Magazine.
• World's best airports for 2020 announced - "The world's best airports for 2020, according to Skytrax."
• The best films of 2020 so far - "Adam Sandler is a gem of jewellery dealer, Dev Patel is inspired casting as David Copperfield, while Keira Knightley disrupts the 1970 Miss World contest in these top picks from the UK release schedule this year."
• Luxury Is About To Become More Sustainable & Inclusive: Here Is How - "Executives across luxury sectors have been working around the clock to mitigate the immediate effect of the downturn and to articulate what will change."
• Twiggy: 'I don't think high fashion will ever move completely away from slimness' - "As a model, she was the face of the 60s, and went on to have a busy acting career. She discusses her new podcast, and life in swinging London."
• Why you might be drinking too much during lockdown - "Confined to our homes with little else to do, it is tempting to turn to the bottle for entertainment, but rather than making us feel better, it may be doing us harm."
• COVID-19 is reminding everyone that PCs aren't going anywhere - "PCs are crucial for work, education and conferencing."
• Brazilian skateboarder lands historic move - "Skateboarder Gui Khury, 11, lands historic 1080-degree turn."
• Barcelona without the tourists: ‘We've reclaimed our city but inherited a ghost town’ - "Last year Barcelona received 30 million visitors - now there are none. Emerging from Europe’s strictest coronavirus lockdown, how do its tourist-weary residents feel about getting their city back?"
• Solar-Powered Yachting: A Look Inside ‘The Tesla Of Yachts’ - "With new fully electric and hybrid boats, the yachting industry is making strides toward an eco-friendly, solar-powered future."
• Anna Jarvis: The woman who regretted creating Mother's Day - "The woman responsible for the creation of Mother's Day, marked in many countries on the second Sunday in May, would have approved of the modest celebrations likely to take place this year. The commercialisation of the day horrified her - to the extent that she even campaigned to have it rescinded."
• The $60,000 Telegram That Helped Abraham Lincoln Abolish Slavery - TIME Magazine.

May 11, 2020

• Trump is culpable in deaths of Americans, says Noam Chomsky - "Professor argues US president is stabbing citizens in back while pretending to be saviour."
• Can antibody testing deliver on promises to lift lockdown? - "As hundreds of test kits claim to offer accurate results on previous Covid-19 infection, scientists around the world are working hard to assess their accuracy."
• Scientists concerned that coronavirus is adapting to humans - "Researchers have observed mutations in some strains that may help the virus spread."
• We might never travel in the same way again - "The future of tourism in the coronavirus era: Asia may hold answers to what's ahead."
• Coronavirus anxiety: How to cope with life after lockdown - "As some countries ease coronavirus restrictions, mental health experts are noticing an emerging phenomenon; anxiety about life after lockdown."
• How Much Is a Human Life Actually Worth? - "As the US economy reopens amid a deadly pandemic, a dire question looms. Let's weigh the risks - and do the math."
• World's most famous helipad turns 20 - "Set above the 59th floor of the Burj al Arab hotel, this helipad watches over the Dubai coastline. Since 1999, it has hosted an impressive line-up of international sporting stars."
• Mount Everest is now 5G enabled - "5G network will support re-measurement of world's highest peak."
• Stop what you're doing & watch this bear take a bath - "Staff at the Oregon Zoo released the video we all needed -- a black bear having the best time taking a bath."
• Why flats dominate Spain’s housing market - "Two-thirds of all Spaniards live in flats. What shaped the housing market and, amid lockdown, are people looking at their homes in a new light?"
• Setting the scene: a home with a dramatic flourish - "A theatrical background underpins this designer’s colourful home."
• Lockdown spurs 11-year-old skateboarder to make history with first 1080-degree turn - "Gui Khury lands holy grail of skating while in lockdown. Brazilian surpasses previous record first set by Tony Hawk."
• What's the woman in the blue apron selling? The great British art quiz - "The Bank of England Museum has set today’s quiz, which enables you to explore the art collections of museums throughout the UK while answering some tricky questions."

May 10, 2020

• How lockdown is being lifted across Europe - "Across Europe, people are already seeing an easing of lockdown measures, as businesses reopen and children start going back to school. Here is how Europeans are emerging from life under lockdown."
• Beaches are going 'business class' this summer - "You might need a reservation for the beach this summer."
• 747 might be having her finest time - "Queen of the skies: The Boeing 747 is playing a hero's role during Covid-19 crisis."
• Our cities may never look the same again after the pandemic - "From Auckland to Bogota, urban planners are already adapting our cities to lockdown. But will the changes last, and which more radical design proposals -- be it sewer monitors or 'epidemic skyscrapers' -- will shape the post-pandemic city?."
• For God and Country review: Christian case for Trump is a thin read indeed - "Amid the evasions and distortions lies evidence that Ralph Reed knows, really, that religion and politics can mix to noble ends - just not under this president."
• The Pandemic Makes Us Feel as If We Don't Have Control - But We Never Really Did - "When you realize your life is headed in a different direction than you'd anticipated, it’s disorienting, writes Stephanie Wittels Wachs. Grant yourself time to find your bearings."
• What to Know About Kawasaki Disease, the Pediatric Inflammatory Condition Possibly Linked to COVID-19 - "Kawasaki disease is a rare pediatric inflammatory condition that results in swelling throughout the body's arteries, including those that lead to the heart."
• 16 FAVORITE GADGETS TO HELP CARE FOR & ENTERTAIN KIDS - "Using tech to keep children safe and occupied."
• Apropos of Nothing review - Woody Allen's times & misdemeanours - "Dropped by the original publisher after a staff protest, the film-maker’s autobiography can be brutally honest but also a bore, and neither he nor Mia Farrow come out of it well."

May 9, 2020

• Trump abandons America's leadership role at a time of global crisis - "Allies despair as Trump abandons America's leadership role at a time of global crisis."
• Coronavirus has created a rift between the US & China that may take a generation to heal - "Coronavirus has sent their already strained relations on a downward spiral -- and fanned the flames of a potentially dangerous strain of nationalism."
• Coronavirus: What did China do about early outbreak? - "The US and other countries have raised questions about whether China was fully transparent when the virus first emerged there."
• McDonald’s Workers in Denmark Pity Us - "Danes haven’t built a 'socialist' country. Just one that works."
• Bernie Sanders on Twitter: "In Denmark, starting pay at ... - "In Denmark, starting pay at McDonald’s is about $22 an hour. The workers there get six weeks of paid vacation, a year’s paid maternity leave and a pension plan. Like all Danes, they enjoy universal medical insurance and paid sick leave. This is what a civilized society is about."
• How to understand Covid-19 antibody testing in 10 steps - "Inaccuracies in the testing, such as false negatives and false positives, are potentially harmful."
• IMF head warns global economic forecasts could worsen - "The head of the International Monetary Fund on Friday signaled a possible downward revision of global economic forecasts, and warned the United States and China against rekindling a trade war that could weaken a recovery from the coronavirus pandemic."
• Why Coronavirus Could Cause Millions of People to Go Hungry, Even Though There's Enough Food to Go Around - "Before coronavirus swept the globe, 135 million people in 55 countries faced acute hunger. If the pandemic is taken into account, that number nearly doubles."
• How much protein do we actually need? - "Many of us consciously eat a high-protein diet, with protein-rich products readily available, but how much protein do we really need? And does it actually help us lose weight?"
• COVID-19 Is Making America's Loneliness Epidemic Even Worse - "Even before the coronavirus pandemic, public-health experts were concerned about an epidemic of loneliness in the U.S."
• Train like the fittest athletes on Earth - "These CrossFit workout routines will allow you to train like the fittest athletes on Earth."
• Should I wear a mask when I'm exercising outside? - "It’s important to get fresh air and exercise - but do we need to wear masks while running, walking and cycling? We asked some experts."
• How to have fun during lockdown - "Ask yourself Carl Jung’s question: what did you do as a child that made the hours pass like minutes?"
• How to dress in lockdown - "The latest trends may not matter any more, but there is a whole new set of influences on what we wear."
• Climate change: Could the coronavirus crisis spur a green recovery? - "The Covid-19 lockdown has cut climate change emissions - for now. But some governments want to go further by harnessing their economic recovery plans to boost low-carbon industries. Their slogan is "Build Back Better", but can they succeed?"
• The Americans being hit hardest by the pandemic - "The coronavirus pandemic is hitting black and brown Americans especially hard on all fronts."
• 'Covid toes' may be sign you previously had coronavirus - "Dr. Gupta explains symptom called 'Covid toes'."
• Tara Reade details assault claim against Joe Biden in Megyn Kelly interview - "Former staffer discusses allegation in in-depth interview with the former Fox News and NBC host."
• Roy Horn of Las Vegas's famous Siegfried & Roy act dies from Covid-19 - "Horn was famed for introducing a pet cheetah to the magic show and was mauled on stage by a tiger in 2003."
• THE BEST LAPTOPS IN 2020 - "From ultraportables to high-powered editing machines, here are the best laptops to get right now."
• How to secure your video calls like a pro - "Zoom me, maybe."
• Soft robots can now run like cheetahs & swim like marlins - "It's all thanks to a more flexible spine."
• Whistleblower Laws Take Shape As Trillion-Dollar Global Cost Of Coronavirus Crisis Forces Rethink - "The need for whistleblowers is greater than ever. In the U.K. and the U.S. laws are beginning to take shape after the trillion-dollar cost of the coronavirus pandemic makes their value impossible to ignore."
• Facebook’s redesigned desktop site with dark mode is now available everywhere - "Toggle on the new Facebook now if you haven’t already."
• iPhone User Chaos: Here’s Why Your iOS Apps Are Crashing - "It was a chaotic afternoon for many iPhone users yesterday after many reported their apps were crashing at launch. Detailed in a GitHub thread, major iOS apps including Spotify, Tinder, Pinterest and Quora were apparently crashing due to an issue in the Facebook software development kit (SDK) used by many apps for sign in."

May 8, 2020

• Studies Have Found New Mutations in The Coronavirus. Here's What That Means - "Some viruses - like influenza - mutate a lot, meaning that we need to update vaccines yearly to remain on top of the spread of seasonal flu. Meanwhile, the coronavirus that has caused the current COVID-19 pandemic has stayed relatively stable, and it seems to be mutating much more slowly than influenza."
• Coronavirus Originated in Bats & Can Infect Cats, WHO Scientist Says - "The virus probably arrived in humans through contact with animals raised for food supply, though scientists have yet to determine which species, he said. Studies have shown that cats and ferrets are susceptible to Covid-19, and dogs to a lesser extent, he said, adding that it’s important to find out which animals can get it to avoid creating a 'reservoir' in another species."
• Trump puts political goals above facts in CDC & Flynn dramas - "President Donald Trump has spent three years discrediting and sidelining institutional sources of facts, truth and trust that threaten his political and personal goals. Rarely has that mission combined in a single day to such a grave result as it did this week."
• Americans Are Desperate to Go Back Outside. Can Rationing Access to Parks and Beaches Make That Safer? - "Policies that let Americans get the sunlight they so badly need while limiting crowd sizes could help slow the spread of COVID-19."
• COVID-19's Psychological Toll: Mental Distress Among Americans Has Tripled During the Pandemic Compared to 2018 - "Late last month, as the full weight of the COVID-19 crises was settling on the country’s shoulders, more than one in four American adults met the criteria that psychologists use to diagnose serious mental distress and illness. That represents a roughly 700% increase from pre-pandemic data collected in 2018."
• Hydroxychloroquine Fails to Help Coronavirus Patients in Largest Study of the Drug to Date - "In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, scientists led by a team at Columbia University found that people infected with COVID-19 taking hydroxychloroquine do not fare better than those not receiving the drug."
• 'First petri dish': Sundance film festival may have been Covid-19 incubator - "The Hollywood Reporter says numerous attendees returned from the late-January festival with coronavirus symptoms."
• Robert De Niro: 'I'd like to play Cuomo in pandemic movie' - "In another blistering attack on Donald Trump, the actor says the New York governor is doing what a president should do."
• Supermoon lights up night skies around the world - "Skywatchers around the world have enjoyed stunning views of this month's Supermoon, when the Moon appears larger and brighter."
• VE Day: The fall of Nazi Berlin in pictures - "After nearly four years of intense fighting, Soviet forces finally launched their assault on Berlin on 16 April 1945."
• Spy princess & Lady Death: Eight women of WW2 - "Some are legendary, others little remembered, but all eight of the women we profile here played a key role in the years surrounding World War Two."
• Tara Reade: Biden sex attack accuser urges him to quit race - "A woman who accuses Democratic White House candidate Joe Biden of sexually assaulting her 27 years ago has called on him to quit the presidential race."
• So that’s how you pronounce X Æ A-12 - "Turns out, it’s not that difficult."
• Watch today's Xbox Series X event in just 15 minutes - "Get your first look at 'Assassin's Creed Valhalla' and much more in action."
• 10 Best Xbox One X Games You Can Play Right Now - "Microsoft’s Xbox One X is the most powerful console available on the market. If you want to play a game in true 4K, with the clearest visuals and highest resolution, but don’t want to drop more than $1,000 for a high-end gaming PC, the Xbox One X will take care of your needs."
• Two piglets for a kayak: Fiji returns to barter system as Covid-19 hits economy - "Resurgence of bartering across the Pacific with similar Facebook pages in Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu, as people lose jobs."
• 75,000 Americans at risk of dying from overdose or suicide due to coronavirus despair, group warns - "As many as 75,000 Americans could die because of drug or alcohol misuse and suicide as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, according to an analysis conducted by the national public health group Well Being Trust."
• How hotels will change after Covid-19 - "Goodbye, breakfast buffets and bellhop service. Hello, temperature screening and keyless check-in."
• Tens of thousands of people are still stuck on cruise ships, some without an end in sight - "Cruise passengers have gone home, but the crews that looked after them are still stuck at sea."
• Of Course People Are Streaming Movies Right Now - That Doesn’t Mean It’s the New Normal - "Which is better, watching a movie in the comfort of your own home—with no noisy cellphones, smelly snacks or, worst of all, obnoxious fellow human beings - or going out to the theater, where you get to see a movie on the big screen but are also subject to all the vagaries of actual people, in all their terrible glory? To make decisions based on the current reality is a mistake - people are streaming like mad today not because streaming is our inescapable future, but because there’s nothing else to do."
• How they tried to curb Spanish flu pandemic in 1918 - in pictures - "It is dangerous to draw too many parallels between coronavirus and the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, that killed at least 50 million people around the world."
• 'We are living through the first economic crisis of the Anthropocene' - "Forget the butterfly effect, this is the bat effect - our stranglehold on nature has unleashed the coronavirus outbreak. And the pandemic is forcing us to rethink how to run our networked world."
• Listen To Hotel Playlists From Las Vegas To Lake Como - "Hotels know how to create a mood. Step into a hotel lobby and you can feel a sense of place through the décor, lighting, scent and, of course, music. And when it comes to the latter, we don’t mean monotonous Muzak. Instead, you’ll hear relaxing island melodies in Maui and rousing Italian classics in Lake Como."
• 'His head wasn't in the world of reality': how the plot to invade Venezuela fell apart - "Deeply flawed from the start, the audacious plan to overthrow Nicolás Maduro unravelled spectacularly."
• Kraftwerk: their 30 greatest songs, ranked! - "From cycling soundtracks to anti-nuclear protest music, we celebrate the work of the late Florian Schneider and the groundbreaking group he co-founded."

May 7, 2020

• Trump says coronavirus worse 'attack' than Pearl Harbor - "US President Donald Trump has described the coronavirus pandemic as the 'worst attack' ever on the United States, pointing the finger at China."
• President Trump Is Trying to Get America Back to Normal. His First Big Trip Was Anything But - "As President Trump toured a factory producing N95 masks in Arizona, speakers blared songs often played at his rallies in the background - including the Guns N’ Roses anthem 'Live and Let Die'."
• Trump claims the virus was made in this lab. Here are the facts - "Questions about the Wuhan Institute of Virology have sparked a war of words between the US and China."
• Why Tuesday was the most important (and scary) day of the coronavirus fight so far - "Tuesday was the day that the Trump administration essentially admitted that they had done everything they could (or were willing) to do to contain the coronavirus and dampen its effect on the populace -- and that the only thing left to do now was start getting back to normal and hope for the best."
• No Income. Major Medical Bills. What Life Is Like for Millions of Americans Facing Financial Ruin Because of the Pandemic - "No income, major medical bills and an unknown end date. The coronavirus pandemic has exposed the fragility of America’s safety net."
• Scared to Return to Work Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic? These Federal Laws Could Grant You Some Protections - "Do you feel unsafe returning to work during the COVID-19 pandemic? Here’s what you need to know about your legal protections and rights."
• Black and Asian People Are 2 to 3 Times More Likely to Die of COVID-19, U.K. Study Finds - "A new U.K. analysis found that black, Asian and ethnic minority groups were two to three times more likely to die of COVID-19."
• Europe's Digital Czar Says COVID-19 Gives Big Tech a Chance to Redeem Itself - "One of the world’s most powerful advocates of digital privacy rights admits that people may need to yield some of those protections, at least for now, in order to keep the coronavirus at bay."
• The psychology behind why some people won't wear masks - "Most Americans have never had to wear a mask for their health before, let alone while they shop for groceries or go for a run. So, even as businesses or states increasingly require them, rebellion is natural -- to a degree, says Dr. David Aronoff, director of Vanderbilt University Medical Center's Division of Infectious Diseases and professor of medicine."
• Rashes, headaches, tingling: the less common coronavirus symptoms that patients have - "The World Health Organization lists the most common symptoms of Covid-19 as fever, tiredness and a dry cough. Others include a runny nose, sore throat, nasal congestion, pain, diarrhoea and the loss of sense of taste and/or smell. But there are also other more unusual symptoms that patients have presented. Studies have examined some of the more unusual signs of Covid-19."
• How Long Can The COVID-19 Coronavirus Live On Your Hair? - "It’s not clear how long the virus may be able to survive on that growing and increasingly unruly mound of stuff on your head. Or your beard if you happen to have one. There is the possibility that the virus could remain viable on your hair for a few hours or even a few days."
• Patterns of pain: what Covid-19 can teach us about how to be human - "We can expect psychological difficulties to follow as we come out of lockdown. But we have an opportunity to remake our relationship with our bodies, and the social body we belong to."
• How the Coronavirus Is Helping to Fix China’s Broken Healthcare System - TIME Magazine.
• What the History of Polio Can Teach Us About COVID-19 - "Welcome to two Americas: one during the coronavirus epidemic of 2020 and the other during the polio epidemic of 1916. Now, as then, there are no proven cures. Now, as then, there is no vaccine. And now, as then, an epidemic that is ranging across the nation is doing its worst damage and claiming its greatest number of victims in New York State - and particularly the city."
• Coronavirus Bankruptcy Tracker: These Major Companies Are Failing Amid The Shutdown - "Some of the biggest names in corporate America are in danger of going the way of Sears, Blockbuster and RadioShack."
• Do our faces hold the secret to human connection? - "Why the pressure to change our faces has never been higher. We have long tried to tweak the features nature dealt us, whether with magic creams, gadgets or exercise (even Cleopatra practiced face yoga). But today, when approximately two billion images are uploaded every day to social media -- nearly 100 million of which are estimated to be selfies, according to Helfand -- the pressure to appear beautiful has never been higher."
• Climate change & coronavirus: Five charts about the biggest carbon crash - "We're living through the biggest carbon crash ever recorded."
• How lockdown is helping bees - "Why bees are finally getting a break. Lockdowns have put a number of insect-harming practices on hold, creating a friendlier world for wild bees - and conservationists hope some of these changes could be here to stay."
• Would you report a lockdown rule-breaker? - "Much of the world is in some form of a coronavirus lockdown. So if you saw someone breaking the rules, would you report them? Is it a civic duty - or spying on your neighbours? And what determines this difference?"
• World's most epic scuba diving destinations - "Dreaming of the deeps: World's most epic scuba diving destinations."
• 'It's a tough island to live on': why coronavirus spells doom for Ibiza - "Clubs on the White Isle are starting to cancel their events, a disaster for workers who survive on summer income. Ibiza welcomes more than three million visitors during the summer months, pumping billions into its economy. Close to 75% of the island’s 147,000-plus population get their income from tourism, directly and indirectly – besides the fabled nightclub scene, there’s the hotels, Airbnbs, restaurants, bars, shops, taxis, and other businesses that exist because of the pull of the clubs. But a huge question mark hangs over them all, with the clubs beginning to cancel their summer seasons due to coronavirus."
• Our grooming habits are changing in lockdown - "Like so many of our regular habits, our morning grooming regimes may have changed because of the pandemic."
• Michael Jordan sneakers are going for crazy prices - "Buy! Buy! Buy! There's a bull market in Michael Jordan sneakers."
• Breakfast was a bright spot for America's biggest restaurant chains. Now it's a problem - "Last year, America's biggest chain restaurants went all in on breakfast. Companies ranging from Wendy's to McDonald's to Dunkin' invested heavily in the meal, testing out everything from new chicken sandwiches to plant-based options. Now, with people stuck at home because of the coronavirus pandemic, it's one of the industry's worst-performing segments."
• One box of eggs - 17 delicious ways to use them, from french toast to huevos rancheros - "If you’re tired of boiling or frying, there are plenty of other brilliant ways to use one of the world’s most versatile, affordable, tasty ingredients."
• How your passwords can end up for sale on the dark web - "Last month, Zoom joined a long list of companies whose user data has fallen prey to hackers. More than half a million account logins for the hugely popular video conferencing platform were discovered on the dark web, either offered for free or for next to nothing. Here's how your personal info ends up on the dark web -- and what you can do to protect yourself."
• How Florian Schneider and Kraftwerk influenced five decades of music - "Kraftwerk co-founder Florian Schneider, who has died at the age of 73, helped forge a new future for pop, changing the sounds and techniques of how music was made."
• Sonos announces the Arc, its first Dolby Atmos soundbar - "Sonos is finally making its long-awaited push into Dolby Atmos home theater audio. That effort starts with the new $799 Arc, a premium soundbar that replaces the Playbar in Sonos’ product lineup. The oddball Playbase speaker, designed to fit underneath some TVs, is also being discontinued today as Sonos simplifies your options to just the Arc and Beam."
• The new Sonos Five looks and sounds identical to the Play:5 it’s replacing - "Sonos is refreshing its best-sounding music speaker today, but the new product is so similar to its predecessor that there’s zero reason for anyone with a Play:5 to consider an upgrade. That new speaker is called the Sonos Five. And though it now shares branding with the Sonos One, which was the company’s first product with built-in voice assistant capabilities, the Sonos Five oddly does not include a built-in microphone for use with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. And it costs the same $499."
• Sonos will launch its new app & big S2 software update on June 8th - "The S2 app and operating system will introduce higher-fidelity audio and new features."
• iOS 13.5 can automatically share your Medical ID in an emergency call - "Apple is currently testing the feature with developers."
• Ferarri & Marc Newson Roll Out A Sleek, New Luggage Line - "This Is Ferrari And Superstar Designer Marc Newson’s Tailored Luggage Line."
• This $100 Million Resort-Like Estate Is The New Jewel Of Bel Air - "Majestically perched atop a canyon with unobstructed views of Bel Air, this newly built, hillside compound dubbed 'UNICA' spans over 40,000 square feet and completely redefines ultra-luxury living."
• A look inside George & Amal Clooney’s stunning homes - in pictures - "The actor has built up quite the stunning property portfolio since the start of his career. He has residences across the globe and we are taking a look inside some of George’s stunning homes."
• Julie Andrews: 'I was certainly aware of tales about the casting couch' - "The celebrated actor had a turbulent upbringing before becoming world-famous for playing two perfect nannies. Now she’s bonding with a new generation of children through her storytelling podcast."
• 10 Best PlayStation 4 Games to Play Right Now - "With more than 2,300 games for the system, it can be hard to pick which game to play. There’s nothing worse than getting five hours into a game and realizing it isn’t for you. But TIME has you covered."

May 6, 2020

• Pandemic Double Takes: Is It 1918 ... Or 2020? You Won’t Believe These Photographs - "See history repeat itself with images of the Spanish flu and COVID-19 outbreaks."
• Virus started in late 2019, spread fast - "New genetic analysis dispels speculation that Covid-19 was in circulation among human population long before it was recognized."
• White House plans to disband virus task force - "US President Donald Trump has confirmed the White House coronavirus task force will be winding down, with Vice-President Mike Pence suggesting it could be disbanded within weeks."
• Corporate America is in crisis - "In no particular order and with varying degrees of urgency, here's a list of companies that have just in recent days said they are under extreme stress as a result of the coronavirus shutdowns."
• Are You Experiencing COVID-19 'Caution Fatigue?' Here's What It Is, and How to Fight It - "As lockdowns drag on and on in many U.S. states, there are worrying signs that people’s resolve to continue social distancing is flagging."
• We Have to Decide Who Suffers Most in a Pandemic. That's Complicated - "It is by struggles such as those imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic that societies come to define themselves, writes Philip Bobbitt. How will we define ourselves?"
• Rural America Risks Letting Down Its Guard Just as Coronavirus Is About to Hit - "COVID-19’s arrival in rural America threatens a particularly vulnerable group of people. Many of these regions have an older, poorer population, and fewer hospital facilities and medical staff."
• If the Great Depression Is Any Indication, Things Won’t Just Go Back to ‘Normal’ After the Coronavirus Pandemic Ends - "In 1933, when FDR delivered his first inaugural address, U.S. unemployment stood at 25%, and 7,000 banks had folded in the last three years. Even as he cautioned his fellow Americans that 'the only thing we have to fear is fear itself,' he also conceded that 'only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment.' The realities of that moment still appear at this instant to be grimmer than those of the current one."
• Explain it to me quickly: did Elon Musk & Grimes really name their baby X Æ A-12? - "Is it a troll, a code or an actual name? And how do you pronounce it? One Guardian staffer asked another to explain the decision ... quickly"
• Billions of people could live in areas too hot for humans by 2070, study says - "If the planet continues to warm at current levels over the next 50 years, up to 3 billion people could be living in areas that are too hot for humans, a new study has found."
• NASA is working with Tom Cruise to shoot a film in outer space. Yes, really - "Tom Cruise wants to fly into outer space in the name of filmmaking, and NASA says it's happening."
• Conservation in crisis: why Covid-19 could push mountain gorillas back to the brink - "Once a step away from extinction, their survival was a rare success story. But groundbreaking gorilla conservation is now in peril."
• Zero-waste warriors: meet the people whose household rubbish fits in a jam jar - "From making their own toothpaste to foraging locally for edible plants, more and more people are learning to cut the amount of rubbish they throw out. Here’s how they do it."
• 10 of the world’s best virtual museum & art gallery tours - "The originals are out of reach for now, but you can still see world-class art - without the queues or ticket prices - with an online tour of these famous museums."
• Social distance cinema: drive-in theatres boom - in pictures - "With the widespread closures of cinemas as part of measures to stem the spread of Covid-19, drive-in movie theatres around the world, where social distancing is guaranteed, have been enjoying new-found popularity."
• The evolution of home fitness - "Covid-19 has forced us to exercise indoors. But home fitness has been shaping our lives for decades."
• Pantone expert reveals the best colors to use at home - "Color boost: How vivid hues in your home can lift your mood."
• The True Stories Behind Ryan Murphy's New Netflix Series Hollywood - "Many of the series' storylines and characters are drawn from, or inspired by, real events from the golden age of Hollywood."
• Forget Friends! The 25 greatest overlooked sitcoms - from Lovesick to Younger - "UK comedy viewing was up 40% in the first weeks of lockdown. If you really need a laugh right now - and are tired of all your usual favourites - here are the best shows to seek out."
• Video Games Are a Great Way to Pass the Time & Keep You Connected. Here's How to Get Started - "Video games are here to help. Not only are they a great way to stay entertained, they can also be an excellent group activity, whether you’re playing 'locally' on the couch with your immediate family, or online with friends to spend quality time together while social distancing."
• THE VERGE’S GRADUATION GIFT GUIDE 2020 - "Everything you’ll need and want when you leave one school and start another."
• The Zens Liberty is the AirPower wireless charger that Apple couldn’t make - "Zens Liberty wireless charger review."
• Seinfeld and chill: why the classic sitcom can help beat lockdown anxiety - "New York 25 years ago was no picnic - but the weird, narcissistic world of Jerry and co is strangely comforting to those of us living through a pandemic."
• Why I caved and finally bought a 4K Blu-ray player - "It’s a dead format, but one I still love."
• Why The $750,000 Genovation GXE Supercar Is The Real Deal. It Is Also A Real Deal Electric Supercar - "Dropping six digits on a car isn’t for the faint of heart, especially when the first digit is a seven. But that’s what it’s going to take - $750,000 - to slide into the driver’s seat of a Genovation Cars GXE pavement melter, a 200mph-plus C7 Corvette-based electric hypercar with the goods to go with the price. Only 75 will be made."

May 5, 2020

• Coronavirus model projects 134,000 deaths in US - "An influential coronavirus model often cited by the White House is now forecasting that 134,000 people will die of Covid-19 in the United States, nearly double its previous prediction. The model, from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, had predicted 72,433 deaths as of Monday morning."
• WHO, Fauci & intel sources reject China lab theory; global deaths pass 250,000 - "Australian PM says virus 'most likely' came from Wuhan market."
• White House Blocks Fauci and Coronavirus Task Force From Testifying Before Congress Without Approval - "A White House memo to congressional committees says no member of the administration’s coronavirus task force can agree to testify on Capitol Hill unless the invitation is expressly approved by the president’s chief of staff."
• Mikhail Gorbachev: When the Pandemic Is Over, the World Must Come Together - "The immediate challenge is to defeat COVID-19, writes Mikhail Gorbachev. But it's not too soon to think about life after it retreats."
• U.S. Intelligence Officials Believe China Covered Up Severity of Coronavirus Outbreak to Stock Up on Medical Supplies - "Chinese leaders 'intentionally concealed the severity' of the pandemic from the world in early January, according to a Homeland Security report."
• A tale of two cities: how New York police enforce social distancing by the color of your skin - "Outrage after juxtaposed images show officers handing out masks to white sunbathers, while video shows officer punching a person of color."
• Federal Stimulus Spending Is Giving the Lobbying Industry a Giant Windfall. This Firm Has Benefited the Most - "As lawmakers in Washington rushed to pass a historic, nearly $2.3 trillion stimulus package last month, lobbying firms of all stripes lined up at the trough, pushing to secure bailout money, tax breaks and sweetheart deals for their clients. But disclosure reports show that one firm in particular, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, emerged as the first quarter winner—both in terms of the number of new clients it registered and the amount it pulled in from existing ones."
• US to borrow record $3tn in pandemic spending - "The sum is more than five times the previous quarterly record, in the 2008 financial crisis."
• Why we should all be wearing face masks - "With some countries already emerging from lockdown, can wearing face masks in public help to keep coronavirus infection rates from rising again?"
• See how a mask affects how a cough travels - "A lab at Florida Atlantic University is simulating a human cough to understand how far and fast cough droplets can spread."
• 3 doctors in Russia fall out of hospital windows - "Three Russian doctors fall from hospital windows, raising questions amid coronavirus pandemic."
• Covid-19: the psychology of conspiracy theories - "With false information linking the coronavirus to 5G telecoms or Chinese labs being widely shared on social media, Ian Sample speaks to social psychologist Dr Daniel Jolley about why the pandemic is such fertile ground for conspiracy theories."
• No, How to Load the Dishwasher Isn't a Matter of Debate. Here's What You Need to Know - "As the novel coronavirus has forced us to stay home, eating from our own dishes, drinking from our own mugs and then cleaning them up afterward, like some old-timey pioneers, we’re making some interesting discoveries about our households. One of those is that the people we live with don’t know how to pack a dishwasher."
• The plane that's become a Covid-19 hero - "Queen of the skies: The Boeing 747 is playing a hero's role during Covid-19 crisis."
• In Sicily, the desperate receive offers they can't refuse - "As the Covid-19 death toll grows, Italy's organised crime gangs have been looking to make millions. Many Italians feel they have no option but to accept the lifeline the mob is offering."
• How to open a hairdressers after lockdown - "Germany has become the latest country to relax its coronavirus quarantine rules, but across Europe, hairdressers are feeling their way out."
• Carnival to resume cruises in August despite infections and deaths on ships - "Eight cruise ships to resume operations from 1 August, sailing from Texas and Florida."
• Facebook & Google are coming for Zoom - "If there's one company the pandemic has turned into a household name, it's Zoom. Amid the continued state lockdowns, the video conferencing platform has become a lifeline for schools and businesses and a gathering place for virtual cocktail hours, birthday parties, workout classes and even weddings. And that hasn't escaped the notice of some of the world's biggest technology companies, including Facebook and Google."
• Test-driving the Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan - "Rolls-Royce Reopens Today: Time To Commission A Black Badge Cullinan For A Slummin’ Summer In LA."
• Apple announces new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Magic Keyboard - "Sooner than expected, Apple has announced a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Magic Keyboard. It features optional Intel 10th Gen processors and starts at $1,299. In one sense, it is a minor spec-bump upgrade for the existing lineup of 13-inch MacBook Pros. But it also represents the end of an era: Apple no longer sells any new laptops with the much-maligned butterfly keyboard mechanism."
• Apple's iPad Pro & Magic Keyboard Are a Good Start - But I Can't Wait for the Next Version - "The Magic Keyboard isn't perfect, but it pushes the iPad toward the inevitable future of computing, writes TIME's tech critic."
• The Next iPhone Software Has A Brilliant Feature We Need Right Now - "There are a range of new features, which in itself is rare at this stage in the iOS cycle, and the contact-tracing is easily the most important. But another one also stands out: the improvement to Face ID in the wake of an increasing number of people wearing face masks."
• Five of the best online mapping apps - "Plan runs, rides and walks with this selection of navigation aids - all of which allow you create, follow and share hiking and cycling routes."
• Brilliant breakfasts: 10 delicious, healthy ways to start the day - from shakshuka to pancakes - "From a simple but tasty porridge to an Indian omelette, here are some great reasons to get out of bed in the morning."
• The good, bad and the wacky: the Met Gala's most memorable looks - in pictures - "With the industry’s most uber-fashionable night postponed, we recap some of the gala’s most memorable looks - from Rihanna’s papal getup to Madonna’s celestial cape."

May 4, 2020

• Trump believes there may be vaccine by end of year - "As you've heard, US President Donald Trump has said in a Fox News interview that he believes there will be a vaccine by the end of the year. Most experts, however, believe it will be closer to mid-2021."
• Trump's wealthy friends look to cash in during coronavirus crisis - "Watchdog groups say Trump’s close ties with donors and backers deserve scrutiny as trillions in federal funds are handed out."
• What global travel may look like ahead of a vaccine - "Sun loungers separated by plexiglass. Blood tests and sanitiser spray-downs before flights. These might sound extreme, but they are real measures some in the travel industry are looking at to keep holidaymakers feeling safe and comfortable in a post-lockdown world."
• US government report assesses China intentionally concealed severity of coronavirus - "Beijing did not reveal details about the coronavirus while it stockpiled imports and decreased exports, a Department of Homeland Security report found."
• Dossier lays out case against China bat virus program - "China deliberately suppressed or destroyed evidence of the coronavirus outbreak in an “assault on international transparency’’ that cost tens of thousands of lives, according to a dossier prepared by concerned Western governments on the COVID-19 contagion."
• 'Happy hypoxia': unusual coronavirus effect baffles doctors - "Some patients who appear not in distress are found to have dangerously low oxygen levels."
• Is air pollution making the coronavirus pandemic even more deadly? - "Dirty air is well known to worsen the heart and lung risk factors for Covid-19 - early research is cause for concern."
• Coronavirus health passports for UK 'possible in months' - "Tech firm Onfido in talks with government about system to help Britons return to work."
• ‘It’s being built on our blood’: the true cost of Saudi Arabia’s $5bn megacity - "With an artificial moon and flying taxis, Neom has been billed as humanity’s next chapter. But beneath the glitzy veneer lies a story of threats, forced eviction and bloodshed."
• New Zealand & Australia's 'travel bubble' could be a model for the future - "Politicians from Australia and New Zealand are discussing the possibility of opening up borders to each other, creating a travel corridor -- or "travel bubble" -- between the two nations."
• Museum of Covid-19: the story of the crisis told through everyday objects - "Scrawled signs, neon rainbows, flour mania ... the V&A’s ‘rapid response’ collectors are creating a show for our times, targeting the everyday objects taking on new meaning in the coronavirus age."
• How Instagram changed our world - "It started as a photo-sharing platform, but quickly rose to become the most influential app of our generation. Now, a forensic new book reveals the struggles and eccentricities of the men behind Instagram."
• An adult chocolate that’s still fun - "A new range of high cocoa, low sugar bars has launched with a range of interesting flavours, proving sophisticated isn’t dull."
• The billion-dollar move that Michael Jordan almost missed - "As old sayings go, not many have stood the test of time better than 'mother knows best.' But when faced with two of the most consequential decisions of his life, Michael Jordan listened to his mother only once. Heeding her advice would end up making the basketball icon rich beyond his wildest dreams; spurning it potentially damaged his legacy."
• 50 Cent on love, cash and bankruptcy: ‘When there are setbacks, there will be get-backs’ - "Curtis Jackson was shot nine times before becoming one of the world’s biggest rappers. He discusses growing up, getting rich and the art of the hustle."
• Britt Ekland on Peter Sellers: ‘He was a very tormented soul’ - "Married to the comedy actor in the 1960s, the former Bond girl talks for the first time about their fights and his controlling ways."
• Oddjob’s lethal bowler hat from Goldfinger valued at £30,000 - "Battered piece of Bond movie Goldfinger costume has Antiques Roadshow expert ‘shaking with excitement’."

May 3, 2020

• Possibility of no vaccine - Covid 19 worst-case scenario - "What happens if a coronavirus vaccine is never developed? It has happened before."
• Til’ Human Voices Wake Us: What If This Virus Can Teach Us to Change Ourselves? - "What if the coronavirus, which makes us tiny and epic, can teach us a little about holding contradictory ideas again writes Colum McCann."
• Here's Everything New on Netflix in May 2020 - And What's Leaving - TIME Magazine.
• We’re a Nation of HGTV Addicts. But Is Quarantine Changing the Way We Think About Home? - "The desire to surround ourselves with beauty, however we define it, is universal. What we don’t all possess are the funds to satisfy it."
• Loosening Public-Health Restrictions Too Early Can Cost Lives. Just Look What Happened During the 1918 Flu Pandemic - TIME Magazine.
• COVID-19 Meat Shortages Could Last for Months. Here's What to Know Before Your Next Grocery Shopping Trip - "America's farms are still packed with animals raised for meat production, but coronavirus has made it hard to turn those animals into store-ready packs of pork chops or ground beef."
• The world is paying a high price for cheap clothes - "When shoppers entered H&M's flagship store in central London last summer, the first thing they would have seen was a dark blue, flowery minidress hanging front and center. On sale for just £4 (or $4.80 US), the dress featured more than a low price tag. It also boasted a green label with the word 'CONSCIOUS.'"
• South Korea’s Health Minister on How His Country Is Beating Coronavirus Without a Lockdown - "South Korea’s health and welfare minister Park Neung-hoo explained to TIME exactly how his nation is beating coronavirus."
• Warren Buffett's company Berkshire Hathaway sells US airline shares - "Billionaire investor Warren Buffett says his company Berkshire Hathaway has sold all of its shares in the four largest US airlines."
• Italy's incredible 'floating ship' bridge reaches for the sky - "The bridge is a critical traffic artery for northern Italy. It connects two sides of the city of Genoa and serves its busy mercantile port, while being part of the E80 European highway that links Italy to France. It's also on a main route used by holidaymakers heading to the Ligurian Riviera from cities like Turin and Milan."

May 2, 2020

• Why Is COVID-19 Striking Men Harder Than Women? - "February data from China's CDC placed COVID-19's case fatality rate for men more than a percentage point higher than for women."
• US allows emergency use of experimental drug for coronavirus - "FDA says Remdesivir, which appears to help some recover faster, would be available for hospitalized Covid-19 patients."
• The scourge of 'I love you' - "How a badly-coded virus caused billions in damage and exposed vulnerabilities which remain 20 years on"
• Kim Jong Un makes public appearance, state media says - "North Korean state media reports Kim Jong Un made first public appearance in weeks."
• New York becomes Ground Zero again - "The headlines seemed to be crowding in on us. The coronavirus had reached American shores."
• US consumers empty shelves amid concerns over Covid-19 meat shortages - "Agriculture department reported beef production down nearly 25% compared to last year, and pork production down 15%."
• Will coronavirus spell an end to the great Chinese buffet? - "Designated serving spoons, no double-dipping and individual portions have all been floated as part of a new need for safety."
• Stocks Had Their Best Month In 33 Years, But Here’s Why Experts Are Skeptical - "Stocks have skyrocketed since their coronavirus low in late March, but experts are now warning that dismal economic data and lackluster corporate earnings are reasons to be skeptical of the market’s latest rally."
• In a Time of Pandemic, TV Doctors Wield Growing Influence. Is That A Good Thing? - "The phenomenon has been its own strange form of telemedicine - not the one-on-one Zoom sessions that homebound Americans are having with their GPs and specialists and psychologists, but national group therapy, live-streamed daily, from TV studios, from the field, from the rostrum of the White House press room."
• Is there any evidence for lab release theory? - "In April, US State Department cables came to light showing embassy officials were worried about biosecurity at a virus lab in Wuhan, China. The lab is in the same city where the coronavirus outbreak was first detected."
• The best alternatives to Zoom for videoconferencing - "If recent news has made you Zoom-hesitant, there are other apps available."
• Beyond lockdown: what to take with us into the new world? - "The Upside weekly newsletter on lessons of the pandemic and what might outlast Covid-19."
• Veggie boxes 101: how to use up everything from a mystery produce haul - "With restaurant-only producers now selling to the public, it’s a great time to try a vegetable box. Here’s what to do once you’ve opened it."
• I haven’t hugged anyone for 50 days: things you see when you live alone - "Amid the hell of the pandemic, isolation has brought moments of peace and beauty but also a longing for what has been lost."
• How the A380 superjumbo dream fell apart - "Airbus A380: The wondrous giant that never quite took off."
• Critics said the flu kills more than coronavirus - "Why that's not a fair comparison -- and now, it's not even true."
• WHO defends coronavirus outbreak response - "The World Health Organization says it 'didn't waste time' responding to the coronavirus after facing criticism for its handling of the outbreak."
• The world's smallest restaurant is opening in Sweden - "Table for one? Sweden pop-up restaurant to serve solo diners only."
• This was the most dangerous place in our planet's history - "The world feels like a scary place these days, but a recently published paleontology study helps put things in perspective."
• Harrison Ford: The ups & downs of his long flying career - "The film industry loves a franchise. And with that thought, we bring you the latest instalment in the long-running series, Harrison Ford's Aerial Mishaps."
• Michael Jordan was offered $100 million to appear at an event for two hours. He said no, his agent says - "NBA superstar Michael Jordan may have retired years ago, but his off-court appeal remains as strong as ever."
• DJI MAVIC AIR 2 REVIEW: GREAT PHOTOS WITHOUT THE PRO PRICE - "DJI’s latest midrange drone has a better camera, improved connectivity, and longer flight time."

May 1, 2020

• The last places on Earth which have no reported COVID-19 cases - "Some 215 countries and territories recognised by the United Nations have seen at least one case of COVID-19."
• Why we view pandemics like a war - "Covid-19: What we can learn from wartime efforts. Language more normally suited to wartime is commonly invoked around the Covid-19 pandemic, but can we learn anything from past conflicts in our battle against coronavirus?"
• How the real experts - scientists - are navigating the way out - "The U.S. urgently needs to restart, but no economy can function if an infectious disease like COVID-19 continues to sicken the work-force."
• Living in the future - "Lessons from China: How global business has changed forever."
• Simple ways you can help during the pandemic - "How can I help? There's a lot of bleak news in the world right now. From the outbreak to massive unemployment to vulnerable people being separated from their loved ones - it can be easy to feel helpless."
• Antibody tests: What are they and do they work? - "Coronavirus antibody tests explained: what are they and do they work? The tests seek to determine whether a person has been exposed to the virus, but many early versions are deeply flawed."
• What does the 'R' number of coronavirus actually signify? - "One figure in particular is being closely scrutinised as ministers decide when to end lockdown."
• Loneliness Is a Modern Invention - "Understanding That History Can Help Us Get Through This Pandemic. Loneliness has become a 'plague,' an 'epidemic' or 'pandemic' that afflicts young and old alike. Its intersection with another pandemic - COVID-19 - is creating widespread alarm."
• See Animals Around The World Enjoying Cities While You Can’t - "With humans on lockdown amid the coronavirus, animals around the world are enjoying the peace and quiet of cities and tourist destinations."
• The world's most beautiful streets - "From grand dwellings in uptown New York City to street art covered laneways in Melbourne, via historic crescents in Bath and tree-lined roads in Pretoria, these are the most beautiful streets in destinations around the world."
• Apple Is Making It Way Easier to Unlock Your iPhone While Wearing a Mask - "As many of us are wearing facial coverings while out of the house to curb the spread of COVID-19, it’s proving difficult to use the Face ID unlocking feature in newer iPhones, like the iPhone 11. Luckily, an upcoming software update from Apple is making it easier to deal with the frustration, though not in the way you might think."
• High microplastic concentration found on ocean floor - "Scientists have identified the highest levels of microplastics ever recorded on the seafloor."
• Your Virtual Guide To Palm Beach - "Palm Beach and its surrounding sunny towns conjure up images of rustling palms, rolling waves and a riot of vivid Lilly Pulitzer hues. While you can’t visit the glamorous Florida destination and its 47 miles of Atlantic coastline just yet, you can transport yourself there with a bevy of virtual offerings."
• Yoga With Adriene: how the YouTube star won lockdown - "With gyms and studios worldwide off limits, online exercise classes are booming – and one Texan teacher has become the ‘patron saint of quarantine’."
• Borgen is back: here's why you should catch up before its Netflix return - "A new series of the Danish political drama is in development, and its depiction of government is in stark contrast to our current, gloomy reality."
• How to make a delicious burger in lockdown - from searing the meat to placing your pickle - "It’s not difficult to create a top-quality burger in your kitchen - but you need to know what bun to use, how to properly sear the meat and the best cheese to pair it with. Here’s the expert guide"
• 25 delicious dishes to help you escape it - from quiche to quesadillas - "If you are tired of limp sandwiches, here is a host of affordable, simple, tasty recipes to expand your horizons, whether you fancy curry, omelette or a pasta bake."

April 30, 2020

• Remdesivir Shows Promising Results as a Coronavirus Treatment, According to Drug Manufacturer Gilead - "The biopharmaceutical company has released two encouraging reports about the experimental drug currently being tested as a coronavirus treatment."
• Dr. Anthony Fauci touts drug's 'clear cut' ability to aid Covid-19 recovery - "FDA reportedly will approve Covid-19 treatment remdesivir, which US-funded trial shows has 'positive effect' on recovery."
• WHO lauds lockdown-ignoring Sweden as 'model' for countries - "The World Health Organization lauded Sweden as a 'model' for battling the coronavirus as countries lift lockdowns - after the nation controversially refused restrictions."
• Wuhan shows the world that the end of lockdown is just the beginning of the Covid-19 crisis - "All around the world, people are waiting for the announcement that the coronavirus pandemic is contained and they can return to normal life. But the Chinese city at the center of the pandemic has shown that normal might still be a long way off."
• Singapore Was a Coronavirus Success Story - Until an Outbreak Showed How Vulnerable Workers Can Fall Through the Cracks - "Singapore's outbreak highlights what can happen if some of the lowest paid and most vulnerable people in society go unnoticed during a pandemic."
• Want to join my bubble? This is what your future social life could look like - "Never before have so many people in the world lived in such tiny bubbles. With billions across the globe now under coronavirus-related restrictions, it has been weeks - or even months for some - since we socialized with anyone outside our homes."
• Our Diets Are Changing Because of the Coronavirus Pandemic. Is It for the Better? - "People are cooking more during the coronavirus pandemic. But dietary shifts aren't affecting everyone the same way."
• Sex And The City's Chris Noth, 65, reveals his new quarantine buzzcut - "'I decided dealing with hair was superfluous during these times'."
• Why the '90s are back - "1990s fashion: A brief history of what we wore."
• The fascinating story behind one of Asia's favorite drinks - "The rise of bubble tea, one of Taiwan's most beloved beverages."
• Are we witnessing the death of the car? - "Cities around the world are seeing dwindling numbers of fossil-fuel powered cars on their streets, and many are planning to keep it that way after lockdowns ease."
• Which languages are easiest -- and most difficult -- for native English speakers to learn? - "With so much time on our hands during lockdown, many of us have entertained the idea of expanding our horizons. Learning a foreign language is an obvious option."
• A war, bones dealer and a desert expedition: The story behind learning Spinosaurus could swim - "Unlike most dinosaurs, it seems that spinosaurs liked the water."

April 29, 2020

• US confirms one million virus cases - "The US has confirmed one million virus cases, making up almost a third of the total global tally. With more than 58,000 deaths, more Americans have died with Covid-19 than died in the Vietnam War."
• How does India, a country of 1.3 billion people, have around 1,000 coronavirus deaths? - "As of Tuesday, India had reported 31,360 coronavirus cases and 1,008 deaths, or about 0.76 deaths per million. Compare that to the United States, where the number of deaths per million is more than 175."
• Has Sweden's Covid-19 strategy really succeeded? - "Sweden says its coronavirus approach has worked. The numbers suggest a different story."
• The new rules of air travel - "Masks on airplanes: Where things stand on personal protection and social distancing."
• Hong Kong airport provides glimpse of future - "Hong Kong airport brings in cleaning robots and disinfection booth."
• The pandemic is messing with our concept of time - "It's become a common refrain during the coronavirus pandemic, a reflection of both how all of the days seem to blur together and how lately, we find ourselves forgetting even the simplest of details. Our internal clocks are shot. Tuesdays are Thursdays are Wednesdays are Sundays. There are no weekdays, or weekends. There is only yesterday, today and tomorrow."
• Wild animals enjoy freedom of a quieter world - "Coronavirus lockdowns globally have given parts of the natural world a rare opportunity to experience life with hardly any humans around."
• Apple Maps now shows COVID-19 testing sites - "For all 50 states and Puerto Rico."
• From 'COVID Toes' to Hives, These Are the Skin Conditions Dermatologists Think Could Be Signs of Coronavirus - "Dermatologists around the world are gathering data on what may be largely overlooked symptoms of COVID-19: skin conditions ranging from rashes to 'pseudo-frostbite.'"
• What are COVID toes? - "This skin condition could be the 'new anosmia,' experts say, because it often appears in coronavirus patients without any other symptoms."
• The painful choices facing doctors - "The heart-wrenching choice of who lives and dies. Shortages of equipment, beds and staff means doctors have a dreadful decision to make in the midst of the current pandemic."
• Designing a multimodal haptic device for virtual kissing - "This article presents the design and applications of an innovative haptic kiss device, named Kissenger, which simulates realistic kissing sensations through haptic, smell and other sensory stimuli. The device has a lip-like interface that interacts with a human user and senses the lip pressure of the user during a kiss. A micro linear actuator array underneath the lip surface generates real-time dynamic force feedback on various points of the user’s lips to replicate the haptic sensations of kissing."
• Shave it or save it? The 11 big lockdown hair conundrums - answered by experts - "Should you cut your own hair, cover up your roots or forgo shampoo for the coming months? And what about growing out your pubic hair? Here’s everything you need to know about home grooming."
• What’s a pulse oximeter a& how can it tell if I have Covid-19? - "The device which measures blood oxygenation can be a lifesaver for patients who test positive for coronavirus."
• Quiz: How much do you know about the coronavirus? - "You’ve been bombarded with information about the coronavirus for weeks - how much have you taken in?"
• How the face mask became the world's most coveted commodity - "The global scramble for this vital item has exposed the harsh realities of international politics and the limits of the free market."
• Tara Reade: What are the sex attack allegations against Joe Biden? - "Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden faces mounting calls to respond to a sexual assault allegation against him by a former employee."
• The Dr. Fauci Of The 1918 Spanish Flu - "More than a century ago, epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Tuttle prescribed face masks and social distancing to slow the influenza pandemic. He made a lot of enemies - but it worked."
• 8 Ways To Virtually Travel To The Italian Riviera & Cinque Terre Until You Can Go There - "A visit to the Italian Riviera, a destination for millions of travelers each year, may not be in the offing for a while because of the pandemic, but you can keep its home region of Liguria front of mind through virtual tours and performances and by sampling some of its special flavors at home. Here’s what to do until the clouds break and you’re able to travel to Italy again."
• 14 FAVORITE GADGETS & HACKS FOR WORKING AT HOME - "From mesh networks to lap desks, here’s how The Verge’s staffers create their workspaces."
• How to buy a monitor in 2020 - "It’s one of the trickiest components to get for your PC."
• A €22m chair? Eileen Gray, the design genius who scared the pants off Corbusier - "Her ravishing interiors shocked Paris, thrilled the avant-garde and gave the world its most expensive chair. But the fast-living aristocrat wasn’t just overlooked – Le Corbusier actually vandalised her work naked."
• Dutch researchers coax secrets from Girl with a Pearl Earring - "Although offering insights into the artist’s technique, gallery has yet to solve Vermeer’s biggest mystery."
• The power of pickles: a guide to preserving almost everything - from jam-making to chutneys - "You don’t need a glut of garden apples or courgettes to create mouth-watering preserves that will last you through the months ahead."
• Survey of London: Oxford Street review - a bravura history, but also an obituary? - "From public hangings to Primark ... a lively account of the capital’s famous shopping street."
• What's behind Drake's $400,000 mattress? - "The Canadian rapper clearly knows the value of a good night’s sleep if his handmade Swedish mattress is anything to go by."

April 28, 2020

• The U.S. Has Flattened the Curve. Next Up Is 'Squashing' It - and That's Not Going Well - "A state-by-state breakdown of coronavirus data reveals the U.S. still has a long road ahead in the fight against COVID-19."
• President Trump Says He Knows Kim Jong Un’s Condition - But Can’t Talk About It - "President Donald Trump said he knows the health status of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and suggested that the world would be hearing additional details 'in the not too distant future,' but declined to elaborate further."
• Meteorologists say 2020 on course to be hottest year since records began - "Global lockdowns have lowered emissions but longer-term changes needed, say scientists."
• How to avoid Amazon: the definitive guide to online shopping - without the retail titan - "Amazon’s sales have hit $10,000 a second, while concerns persist about its tax affairs, treatment of staff and effect on small retailers. Here’s how to buy everything from technology to beauty to books without it"
• 'Stay Safe!' The Art of Emailing During the Coronavirus Pandemic - "When the pandemic hit this March, the normal rules about social interaction went out the window."
• She's been falsely accused of starting the pandemic. Her life has turned upside down - "Maatje Benassi, a US Army reservist and mother of two, has become the target of conspiracy theorists who falsely place her at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, saying she brought the disease to China."
• How air pollution exacerbates Covid-19 - "There’s a murky relationship between air pollution and coronavirus, which may mean that tackling air pollution will be a crucial part of easing lockdown."
• Why 3D printing is important during coronavirus - "Goodbye prototyping, hello mass production. Watch 3D printers churn out medical supplies to fight COVID-19."
• Why is video conferencing so exhausting? - "Zoom fatigue is a real thing."
• Is the pandemic driving us to drink? - "Alcohol sales have soared as people use drinking to relax during the Covid-19 crisis, and experts are raising concerns."
• 5 Cute Little iOS Tricks Have Transformed How I Use My iPhone - "The iPhone, whichever one it is, you use, has a consistent operating system, iOS. It turns out that one fundamental feature, something that’s been there since 2007, is much easier to use than most of us have been doing."
• 'Real People Keep Getting Re-traumatized.' The Human Cost of Binge-Watching True Crime Series - "With millions confined to their homes, TV viewership is up. That's good for the true crime genre, but not necessarily for victims' families."
• Why 2020 Could Be Another False Equivalence Election - "President Trump is skilled at the age-old political trick of blowing enough smoke at his opponents that voters assume there’s a fire, writes TIME's Charlotte Alter."
• Major film festivals to unite for YouTube event - "Major film festivals - including Berlin, Cannes, Toronto and Venice - are to join forces for an online event."
• Kim Jong Un’s Sister Is in the Spotlight. But Could a Woman Ever Lead North Korea? - "Kim Yo Jong, who is thought to be in her early thirties, is one of several children of the late North Korean leader Kim Jong Il."
• Pentagon officially releases UFO videos - "The videos show what appear to be unidentified flying objects rapidly moving while recorded by infrared cameras. Two of the videos contain service members reacting in awe at how quickly the objects are moving. One voice speculates that it could be a drone."
• Thousands of people pack California beaches despite coronavirus concerns - "Newport Beach city council now considering closing beaches after residents crowded beach during weekend heatwave."
• The world's biggest car factory just reopened. Here's what Volkswagen had to do - "The world's largest carmaker has made 100 changes to the way its plants operate as it tries to restart business without risking the health of hundreds of thousands of workers. Its experience underscores the daunting task ahead for manufacturers as they resume work in a world still reeling from the pandemic."
• Belgians urged to eat more chips by lockdown-hit potato growers - "Belgians are well known for loving chips (frites), often with a big dollop of mayonnaise, but hard-up farmers now want them to eat chips twice a week."
• Can a book make you vegan? - "The novel Tender is the Flesh imagines a world where carnivores have turned to cannibalism. It’s the latest artwork to fly the flag for plant-based diets, writes Elizabeth Sulis Kim."
• Many Of The World’s Largest Superyachts Are Still Scheduled To Appear At The Monaco Yacht Show - "'The 30th edition of the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) is still on course to take place from Wednesday 23 to Saturday 26 September 2020 at Port Hercule in Monaco,' they say."
• The Ultimate Quarantine: This Oil Billionaire Is Building The World’s Largest Superyacht - And Claims It Will Help Save The Oceans - "Rev Ocean is a floating contradiction. On one hand, it is the largest superyacht in the world - the apex of self-indulgence - at a cost of about $350 million. Yet Rokke prefers a different framing. Rev Ocean, he insists, is a research vessel."

April 27, 2020

• Meet Violet, the Robot That Can Kill the COVID-19 Virus - "Violet is a robot that can disinfect rooms and equipment with ultraviolet light, and shuts down when humans are around to keep them safe."
• Statement from F1 CEO Chase Carey: Target is to begin season in Austria on July 5 - Formula 1.
• A visual guide to the economic impact - "The coronavirus outbreak, which was first detected in China, has infected people in 185 countries. Its spread has left businesses around the world counting the costs."
• How do you build a city for a pandemic? - "The new coronavirus has spread rapidly in cities around the globe. How might the virus make us think differently about urban design in the future?"
• New Zealand has 'won battle' against community transmission of Covid-19 - "Ahead of move to level-3 lockdown, PM says country must remain vigilant."
• Bat-cave explorers hunt viruses - "The virus hunters who search bat caves to predict the next pandemic. The group found the ancestor to Covid-19 in a Chinese cave in 2013."
• Why We Should All Be Keeping Coronavirus Journals - "Historians, while busy now putting current events into historical context, will not begin actively studying our times for another 30 years or so. And they will need our help."
• Bill Gates explains how the US can safely ease coronavirus restrictions - "The ability for parts of the United States to safely and effectively begin to lift coronavirus restrictions will depend on the country's capacity to aggressively test for and trace new cases of the virus, Bill Gates told CNN's Fareed Zakaria Sunday."
• The coronavirus pandemic is getting the ‘total attention’ of the Gates Foundation - "The foundation has committed $250 million toward fighting the pandemic."
• The 'social bubble' approach to lockdown easing - "Is it too early to expand our 'social bubbles'? Drastically limiting people's contact with others seems to be helping many countries stem the spread of the coronavirus. But as economies slump and mental health frays, governments are realising that getting out of the lockdown is going to be even more of a challenge."
• Why so much US resistance to lockdown? - "The US resistance to a continued lockdown. In these times, the sight of a public gathering of hundreds of people mostly without face masks is alarming."
• How America's rich have turned pandemic into profit - "As 26 million Americans lose their jobs, the billionaire class has added $308bn to its wealth."
• Trump's outrageous suggestion comes with a dark history - "In the late 19th century, when the germs responsible for dangerous infectious diseases like cholera, typhoid fever, and tuberculosis were discovered, carbolic acid emerged as the first widely used disinfectant to combat the spread of disease."
• Saturday Night Live: Brad Pitt plays Dr Anthony Fauci in standout virtual episode - "In SNL cold open, Fauci (Pitt) clears up Trump’s false claims about the coronavirus and Miley Cyrus performs a killer cover of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here."
• how lockdown has triggered a wave of sexting - "From celebrities posting nude photographs to ordinary women sharing erotic challenges with each other, getting risqué online has become a welcome distraction."
• Does living in New York make any financial sense after this pandemic? - "I’ve perpetuated the illusion that my family lives a stable life, but that was an absurd delusion, and it feels insane to continue as we have."
• USGS releases first complete geologic map of the Moon - "You can study the lunar surface in unprecedented detail."
• The boy who photographed La Belle Époque of France - "Jacques Henri Lartigue, born in 1894 in Courbevoie, was given a camera as a boy by his father at the dawn of the 20th Century."
• Every Unmade James Bond Movie (And Why They Didn't Happen) - "James Bond has graced the silver screen 25 times; however, there are even more 007 stories that, for various reasons, never entered production."

April 26, 2020

• People who had coronavirus not necessarily immune: WHO - "WHO says no evidence shows that having coronavirus prevents a second infection."
• face masks: why covering up is becoming the new normal - "Even western countries are starting to accept that shielding our faces could save lives ... whether you live in New York or Berlin."
• What if Covid-19 isn't our biggest threat? - "Experts who assess global peril saw a pandemic coming, but they have worse worries for humanity."
• 5G, coronavirus & contagious superstition - "The attacks on phone masts and the spreading of anti-vaxx conspiracies are all part of the same strain of misinformation. But is evidence-based reality going to make a comeback?"
• Ingenious designs to fight coronavirus - "'Quarantent' and 'Farewell Suit' among the designs in a global competition to fight coronavirus."
• The truth about eating eggs - "Are eggs helpful to our health... or a cause of heart disease? BBC Future examines the evidence."
• One Cute Little iOS Trick Has Transformed How I Use My iPhone - "The iPhone, whichever one it is, you use, has a consistent operating system, iOS. It turns out that one fundamental feature, something that’s been there since 2007, is much easier to use than most of us have been doing. It’s all to do with the app icons and a cool way of moving them around."
• Watch the birdie: why birdcams are the new box sets - "Sex and violence, birth and death, family feuds and lots of feathers... The compelling dramas of live birdcams have us gripped."
• Best noise-cancelling headphones for working from home - "Owning a decent headset can really help if you need some peace during the coronavirus lockdown."
• Outcry as rich Saint-Tropez residents 'given coronavirus tests' - "Neighbourhood of Les Parcs de Saint Tropez reportedly screened as local hospital staff do without."
• Pompeii ruins show that the Romans invented recycling - "Excavations reveal that rubbish left outside the city walls wasn’t just dumped. It was being collected, sorted and resold."
• How to visit Amsterdam while stuck at home in lockdown - "You can still explore this unique city’s culture from your laptop, says Hans Rooseboom, curator of photography at the Rijksmuseum."

April 25, 2020

• Apple Confirms New Warning Affecting Almost All iPhone Users - "Apple has already released the best iPhone of 2020, but now millions of iPhone owners - both old and new - need to be careful because the company has just confirmed a massive iOS security hole which impacts almost every iPhone on the planet."
• States partly reopen as US virus deaths top 50,000 - "Three US states have allowed some shops to reopen after measures imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, as the country's death toll passed 51,000."
• Has Sweden got its science right? - "Sweden's strategy to keep large parts of society open is widely backed by the public. It has been devised by scientists and backed by government, and yet not all the country's virologists are convinced."
• Messenger Rooms are Facebook’s answer to Zoom & Houseparty for the pandemic - "Facebook is greatly expanding its video chat offerings to keep up with rising demand."
• MARK ZUCKERBERG ON HOW VIDEO CHAT NEEDS TO EVOLVE FOR THE PANDEMIC - "Facebook’s CEO on building Rooms now, virtual reality later, and the massive acceleration in virtual connections."
• 'We did it to ourselves': scientist says intrusion into nature led to pandemic - "Leading US biologist Thomas Lovejoy says to stop future outbreaks we need more respect for natural world."
• Contact tracing apps are coming whether we like it or not - "Still better than a hot bleach injection."
• is my constant lockdown snacking normal? - "As the weeks of living in lockdown take their toll, many of us are raiding the fridge for comfort food."
• Why you should ignore the pressure to be productive during lockdown - "During the coronavirus pandemic, we’re told to spend every minute focused on gig work or self-improvement. Think about whom that really benefits."
• Let's stop pretending billionaires are in the same boat as us during this pandemic - "While millions of Americans were being thrown out of work by the coronavirus, the super rich saw their wealth increase 10%."
• Why going without physical touch is so hard - "Although most of us can still see and speak to our loved ones, if we don't live with them we can no longer touch them."
• Post-Covid economy class may look like this - "What economy class could look like after virus. It's clear flying will be different after coronavirus, and while some airlines are discussing the removal of middle seats to maintain social distancing, one airplane interiors company has come up with concepts for adapting economy class cabins."
• Coronavirus exposes Singapore's class divide - "Foreign workers live cheek by jowl and 10 to 20 people a room, and they're suffering the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic in the city-state."
• A trip around the world through local radio stations - "Streaming means we can tune into breakfast shows, travel bulletins and local gossip on every continent - and revel in radio’s ability to create a sense of community."
• Jellyfish spotted in Venice as lockdown leaves canals clear - "A biologist captured mesmerising video of a jellyfish gliding between reflections of Venetian palaces on Easter Sunday."

April 24, 2020

• Trump's old West traveling medicine show - "Trump, ever the salesman, is peddling dangerous cures for coronavirus."
• Wuhan's new normal is anything but - "Wuhan is on a slow path back to normality after 76-day coronavirus lockdown."
• Hawaii is now paying for visitors to leave - "The Hawaii Tourism Authority is now paying for visitors to leave."
• Is old yeast OK? The 17 rules of expiry dates - from eggs to meat to oils - "Use-by dates are a food-safety matter so you should always take them seriously. Here’s a guide to where you do - and definitely don’t - have some leeway."
• Let them eat cake: New Zealand couple document luxury life in Covid-19 quarantine - "The pair’s blog about their enforced stay at an Auckland hotel, featuring high-class food and a mini-fridge full of treats, has caused envy worldwide."
• How Coronavirus Will Change Air Travel - "When the coronavirus pandemic eases, it won’t be a quick return to normal. New health screening and safety measures promise to further complicate travel, and airlines will be shrunken versions of their former selves, with reduced route networks and a transformed in-flight experience."
• Austrian 'Ibiza of the alps' vows to ditch party tourism after Covid-19 lockdown - "Ski resort that became European coronavirus hotspot plans to switch to a more ‘upmarket apres-ski culture’."
• The Best At-Home Fitness Ideas - "Missing Getting Out To The Gym: Here Are Some Of The Leading At-Home Fitness Ideas."
• 10 songs supporting the world through lockdown - "With around half the world's population living under social distancing rules, many of us are turning to our favourite tunes for comfort. They're helping us to reflect, grieve or even dance around while we follow orders to stay at home."
• Is the insect apocalypse really upon us? It's complicated, say researchers - "Several recent reports have warned of a crushing decline in insect populations that could have a catastrophic effect on our environment and food supply."
• Why Elon Musk's Starlink satellites are upsetting stargazers -- again - "Hundreds of satellites owned by Musk's company, SpaceX, have been launched as part of Starlink, a project to increase global internet coverage, but their presence is disrupting observations of the night sky."
• These Countries Have Gained The Most Billionaires In The Past Decade - "Between 2010 and 2020, the number of billionaires on Forbes’ annual list nearly tripled. Here are the 10 countries that gained the most."
• So you've been having weird dreams during lockdown, too? - "Since the coronavirus lockdown started, many have been having vivid dreams - but is there any point in analysing them?"
• We Can't Let the Virus Infect Democracy - "All around the world, leaders are gaining more power. That’s what this pandemic demands: a coordinated whole-of-nation approach with a powerful conductor at its center. We have to be careful, though, that the measures we are taking to tackle this global crisis don’t bring about another one: the death of democracy as we know it."
• Working Out at Home? Here’s the Smartest Exercise Gear You Can Use - "Stuck indoors thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak? That doesn’t mean you necessarily have to embrace your inner sloth. Instead, it’s a good idea to find ways to stay active, especially for the physical and mental health benefits of exercise. For home workout equipment that can really make sure each session counts, you’re going to want some smarter gear, preferably something that keeps track of how much work you’re putting in. Here’s some of our favorite high-tech home workout gear that can track every run, rep or whatever else you’re up to."
• Zoom releases security updates in response to 'Zoom-bombings' - "Company has struggled to meet security needs as user base has risen sharply amid coronavirus lockdown."
• Tom Hanks pens heartfelt letter to bullied Australian boy named Corona - "Eight-year-old Corona De Vries wrote to the Hollywood star after the actor and his wife Rita Wilson tested positive for Covid-19."
• Prickles the sheep is a self-isolation pro - "Prickles the sheep found after seven years of Tasmania self-isolation."
• As Lonely Planet closes its offices, a look back at the brand's early days - "Plenty of whiskey, few backpackers: The wild story behind Lonely Planet's first Thailand guidebook."
• Tom Selleck gives a rare interview on fame, family & why he quit 'Magnum P.I.' - "Tom Selleck was one of the hottest stars of the 1980s when he suddenly quit his hit show, Magnum P.I.."
• Why is Stanley Tucci making a negroni so hot? I decided to investigate - "The actor posted a video of himself making a negroni on Instagram - and shook the internet up."
• Test-Driving Audi’s Epic New S8 Sedan - "Can You Still Pull A Heist In Audi’s Epic New S8 Sedan?"
• Lady Gaga's 30 greatest songs - ranked! - "Following her triumphant One World: Together at Home charity concert - and before her album Chromatica - we rate the best of Stefani Germanotta’s gloriously OTT pop."
• Lions, tigers and bears: the US presidents who took animal ownership to extremes - "Using trophy animals as power symbols didn’t start with Tiger King. According to Mammoth author Chris Flynn, the American obsession dates back to the 1700s."

April 23, 2020

• China coronavirus cases might have been four times official figure, says study - "More than 232,000 could have been infected in first wave, compared with then-official total of 55,000, as US envoy calls for rethink of US-China relationship."
• Germany's states make face masks compulsory - "All of Germany's states have announced plans to make face masks compulsory to combat the spread of coronavirus."
• Fox News falls out of love with hydroxychloroquine - "After weeks of unrelenting coverage hyping the antimalarial drug as a potential game-changing treatment for the coronavirus, the network has all but stopped mentioning it on its airwaves. So has President Donald Trump."
• Top vaccine expert says he was fired for resisting Trump on hydroxychloroquine - "Rick Bright, who directed key government agency, tells New York Times refusal to embrace unproven treatment led to departure."
• Hydroxychloroquine & coronavirus: a guide to the scientific studies so far - "The drug - now a partisan wedge issue - has fueled hype and hope, but evidence of its effectiveness remains limited."
• The new house rules of my life under lockdown - "Living with my parents under new house rules. What's life like under lockdown for a university student who has moved back in with her family?"
• Therapy under lockdown - "In a pandemic, the best we can do to take care of one another is to stay away from one another. Even Freud at his most misanthropic could never have come up with that."
• The pillow challenge: how celebrities found a new way to get naked in public - "Actors and influencers are coping with attention withdrawal symptoms by combining nudity with strategically placed bedding. That, and handstands."
• Brew your coffee this way & you might live longer - "The healthiest way to brew your coffee -- and possibly lengthen your life."
• The barista-approved gear you need to recreate the coffee shop at home - "Don't let the quarantine stop you from having the cafe experience."
• The digital spring clean: how to sort out your passwords, privacy and bulging photo folder - "From those 6,000 cloud-stored selfies to your most guessable and reused passwords, here is an easy, expert guide to wielding a virtual vacuum."
• 'Zoombombing' targeted with new version of app - "Zoom has said it will release an improved version of its hugely popular video conferencing app this week."
• Apple iPhone at risk of hacking through email app - "A flaw in Apple's mobile operating system may have left millions of iPhone and iPad users vulnerable to hackers."
• Real-Time world debt clock with country comparisons - "Who Owes The Most?"
• The secrets to stargazing from your backyard - "How to search the sky and what to see, from moon and stars to planets and the International Space Station. Go on a journey of billions of miles ... from your garden."
• The New $400,000 Bed That Already Has A Waiting List - "It’s the Birkin bag of beds. In collaboration with luxury interior designer Ferris Rafauli, renowned Swedish mattress company Hästens just debuted their pièce de résistance Grand Vividus model ($390,000), a veritable work of art with a price tag to match."
• 18 of the world's greenest buildings - "18 examples of sustainable architecture around the world."
• You Have To Make This Cocktail: Double Smoked Old Fashioned - Forbes.
• Netflix promises subscribers it won’t run out of new content while people are stuck at home - "The streamer’s 2020 slate won’t move around, exec says."

April 22, 2020

• Earth Day photos: The world's beauty is at risk - "For 50 years, Earth Day has brought attention to the impacts that people are having on the planet, and to serve as a rallying cry to protect the natural world -- from your neighborhood green space to bucket list destinations."
• Earth Day 2020 could mark the year we stop taking the planet for granted - "The 50th annual call for environmental reform falls at a time when the health of people and nature has never been more urgent."
• A 72-HOUR LIVE STREAM IS BRINGING EARTH DAY ONLINE - "The 50th anniversary of Earth Day marks a new chapter of digital resistance."
• Ai Weiwei on the coronavirus pandemic: 'China will never learn' - "Dissident artist Ai Weiwei says virus has only strengthened China's 'police state'."
• CDC chief: Virus outbreak's second wave may be more difficult - "A second coronavirus outbreak could emerge this winter in conjunction with the flu season to make for an even more dire health crisis, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told The Washington Post in an interview."
• World risks 'biblical' famines due to pandemic - UN - "The world is at risk of widespread famines 'of biblical proportions' caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the UN has warned."
• What the World Will Look Like in 2050 If We Don’t Cut Carbon Emissions in Half - "In our book, The Future We Choose, we outline two futures: one where we act to halve emissions in this decade, and one where we fail to do so, write Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac."
• How Greece avoided the worst of the coronavirus pandemic - "Despite its debt, high tourism and an elderly population, Greece has managed to avoid the worst of the coronavirus pandemic."
• How to grow a quarantine garden when you’re tight on space - "If you've got a window sill, you can start a garden."
• Lockdown learning: 10 great ways to be ready for your next holiday - "Discover online courses in languages, cookery and photography (even scuba and sailing) as you prepare for a future adventure."
• Planes grounded by coronavirus pandemic sit idle at airports around the world - in pictures - "As travel restrictions in response to the pandemic savagely cut the number of flights, airlines are scrambling to find places to park their redundant planes."
• 'Self-isolation is bringing out the worst in some. How do we avoid conflict?' - "These days of self-isolation are bringing out the worst in some people. With very little warning that can go off like a bomb. I fear that as these weeks of lockdown drag on, this sort of surprise misbehaving and mistreatment of others will only get worse. Not only by those loved ones who we are in quarantine with, but neighbours, colleagues and other acquaintances that we happen to cross paths with through email, Zoom, etc. How do we avoid conflict with people at this time?"
• How coronavirus spreads through a population & how we can beat it - "As the global effort to limit the pandemic’s impact gathers pace watch how subtle changes in social behaviour or the level of contagiousness of the virus can affect the battle to stop its spread."
• 'Bicycles are the new toilet paper': bike sales boom as coronavirus lockdown residents crave exercise - "Australia’s peak representative body for cyclists has called on governments to transform roads into cycleways to ease traffic on bike paths."
• Richard Branson's bailout plea proves there's no one more shameless - "Eyeing up the public purse from distant shores, 'Britain’s Best-Loved Businessman' is truly one of the global super-elite."
• Physical distancing will end era of cheap air travel, industry warns - "Iata says airlines will have to raise prices 50% or go bust if Covid-19 rules are enforced."
• Non-running of the bulls: San FermÍn festival suspended over Covid-19 - "Tomatina food fight also in jeopardy as physical distancing hits Spain’s tourism industry."
• Ramadan in a time of plague: 'The best thing is to stay home, stay quiet' - "For many the inability to pray and eat together will be keenly felt, while others are carrying on regardless."
• What lockdown loneliness taught me about climate change - "A fast-changing world can be a lonely place. But can isolation during the pandemic give us clues about how to overcome the slow-burning crisis of climate change?"
• Virus propels Netflix to huge subscriber gains - "Netflix added a stunning 16 million subscribers in the first quarter of 2020, as the coronavirus pandemic led people to stay at home and binge on hit docuseries, such as 'Tiger King,' and reality shows like 'Love is Blind'."
• Sonos launches its own streaming radio service - "Sonos Radio will now be the default service available for the company’s speakers."
• Zoom will soon let you report meeting participants to help bust Zoombombers - "The feature will be available starting April 26th."
• Where abandoned airplanes sit on Death Row - "Lleida-Alguaire, and other industrial airports like it, is where airplanes that have been taken out of service wait on remand. For some, like that 747, there will come a reprieve. For others, it's Death Row."
• What was it like to travel in Europe in the 1950s? - "Mavis Johnston and the 1950s travel revolution that shrank the world."
• The king of Pyongyang - The story of Kim Jong-un.
• Magnus Carlsen gets revenge on 16-year-old Iranian sensation in world's richest online chess tournament - "A few days after he was shocked by 16-year-old chess sensation Alireza Firouzja, world champion Magnus Carlsen has enacted his revenge on the Iranian."

April 21, 2020

• Why are international comparisons difficult? - "Everyone wants to know how well their country is tackling coronavirus, compared with others. But you have to make sure you're comparing the same things."
• Professor Heneghan hailed Sweden for 'holding its nerve' - "Professor Heneghan hailed Sweden - which has not enforced a lockdown despite fierce criticism - for 'holding its nerve' and avoiding a 'doomsday scenario'. The country has recorded just 392 new patients and 40 deaths today, approximately 10 per cent of the UK's figures."
• Coronavirus tests: how they work & what they show - "There's a lot of talk about testing at the moment, but some people are getting confused about what coronavirus tests actually are. How are the tests different? What do they do? And why are they important? Josh Toussaint-Strauss speaks with Professor David Smith to answer some of these questions."
• Facebook's interactive COVID-19 map displays symptoms by county - "The maps will launch in further countries this week."
• Why some people don’t wash their hands - "The reason why some people don't wash their hands."
• Why leaders ignore their own advice - "The subtle reasons why leaders ignore their own advice."
• Sewer systems are a window into the coronavirus pandemic - "People with COVID-19 shed the virus in their poop."
• AIRLINES PREPARING FOR FUTURE WITH FEWER PASSENGERS & HIGHER FARES - "Tickets could cost 50% more because of ‘de-densification’."
• Skin hunger: touch saved me from unbearable loneliness. What will we become without it? - "Touch is essential to our wellbeing, from the time we are babies. It’s how we transmit meaning, care, love and community. Our sudden loss of it has been agonising."
• US monitoring intelligence that North Korean leader is in grave danger after surgery - "Kim Jong Un recently missed the celebration of his grandfather's birthday on April 15, which raised speculation about his well-being."
• Kim Jong Un Fast Facts - "Here is a look at the life of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un."
• Everything we know about Kim Jong Un's sister - "Here are the few things we know about Kim Yo Jong, the sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong."
• No, oil below $0 doesn't mean the gas station will pay you to fill up - "Even though a historic decline for oil sent prices negative on Monday, don't expect to get paid to fill up your gas tank any time soon. There were some unique conditions driving oil prices below $0 for the first time ever. And more importantly, crude oil prices only have an indirect impact on the retail price for a gallon of gasoline."
• Richard Branson offers his island as collateral as Virgin Atlantic & Virgin Australia face collapse - "Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Australia will need government support if they're to survive the economic crisis triggered by the coronavirus pandemic."
• Don't turn your home into school... Lego professor of play on lockdown learning - "Coronavirus school closures are a chance to follow your child’s lead rather than formal study, says Cambridge academic."
• Outrageous Home Theaters Of The Rich & Famous Are The Perfect Pandemic Escape - "With the current Coronavirus pandemic forcing the public to stay at home, we are consuming more content than ever before, but for the rich and famous with private screening rooms in their homes, the experience is better than going to the neighborhood movie houses."
• WhatsApp Users To Get This Killer New Update: Just Perfect Timing - "The issue for users right now is the limit on the number of people who can join in a video call—currently just four. But that’s about to change. As discovered by the ever vigilant beta code detectives at WABetaInfo, the number of callers is about to increase. The code to expand video calling is buried in both the beta iOS and Android apps, so it’s a change for everyone, but only if all callers have the latest version of the app installed once it’s released."
• How to use your Android or iOS device as a webcam - "Useful if you have a spare phone and no webcam for your PC."
• MAGIC KEYBOARD FOR THE IPAD PRO REVIEW: THE BEST WAY TO TURN AN IPAD INTO A LAPTOP - "It’s what we’ve all been asking for - for better or worse."
• Apple ProRes RAW is coming to Panasonic's S1H 'Netflix' camera - "Users will be able to output 5.9K video to Atomos Ninja V 4K HDR recorders."
• How To Make PiÑa Coladas, According To The Hotel That Invented Them - "Made with coconut cream, pineapple and rum, the piña colada has made a name for itself as a popular vacation libation. But did you know that it very well could have gotten its start as a non-alcoholic sipper? Or, that a bartender in Puerto Rico likely invented it as a welcome drink for hotel guests?"
• Melting marvels: the top 10 toasties of all time - "Lockdown has made us obsessed with bread, and now it’s time to choose the best fillings for toasted sandwiches - from cheese and ham to Nutella and Snickers."
• 'Horrible hybrids': the plastic products that give recyclers nightmares - "From singing birthday cards to baby food pouches, a growing trend of mixing materials is making recycling even harder."
• Peter Beard (1938-2020): reckless playboy photographer whose life was as wild as his work - "He got trampled by elephants, swam in crocodile-infested waters and was painted by Francis Bacon - while making images revealing man’s plunder of the natural world."
• H&M tops 2020 fashion transparency index as 10 brands score zero - "C&A, Adidas/Reebok, Esprit and M&S round out top five as average scores increase year on year, but Max Mara, Pepe Jeans and Tom Ford fall flat."

April 20, 2020

• 'Prayer Is Not Enough.' The Dalai Lama on Why We Need to Fight Coronavirus With Compassion - "The coronavirus crisis shows we all must take responsibility to exercise compassion and help, the Dalai Lama writes."
• Trump shocks in time of crisis with his standard approach - "During the daily coronavirus task force briefings, the President tries to repair his own image by disguising his belated and faulty response to the emergency."
• What Trump’s WHO Funding Freeze Means for the Most Vulnerable Countries - "WHO supplies are badly needed across countries in Africa. But experts worry Trump's freeze could pose challenges in the fight against COVID-19."
• Coronavirus Could Hit the U.K. Harder Than Any Other European Country. Here's What Went Wrong - "While other European countries are lifting coronavirus lockdowns, the U.K. just extended theirs. Here's how Britain mismanaged its response to the crisis."
• Grocery stores struggle with customer demand, employee health - "Experts say it may be time for grocery stores to ban customers from coming inside because of Covid-19. Dozens of grocery store workers have died from the coronavirus, despite masks, temperature checks and capacity restrictions to keep them safe. So far, supermarkets have resisted the most draconian policy: banning customers from coming inside."
• From Ramen to Pancakes, Here Are 12 Meals Bringing Comfort to TIME 100 Leaders Right Now - "In times of uncertainty, a familiar recipe that reminds you of better days—sitting around the table with family or inhaling snacks alongside friends—can provide solace and strength."
• 7 digital libraries you can visit from your couch - "Check this out: You can still celebrate National Library Week, which begins Sunday, at home. Here are seven digital libraries with specialized collections you can visit to honor the contributions of our nation's libraries and library workers."
• Marie Kondo's Best Advice for Turning Your Home Into a Workspace Without Losing Your Mind - "The coronavirus is blurring the line between work and home. Here are tidying expert Marie Kondo's best strategies for creating a productive workspace."
• Thinking about shaving your head? Here's what you need to know - "The subversive buzz cut is back by popular demand. Here's how to get the look from home."
• Coronavirus journey: The 'last cruise ship on Earth' finally comes home - "The three last cruise ships still sailing will dock today. One of them has had an odyssey like no other."
• Two-Thirds of the World’s Passengers Jets Are Grounded Amid COVID-19 Pandemic. Here's What That Means - "More than 16,000 passenger jets are grounded worldwide, according to industry researcher Cirium, as the coronavirus obliterates travel and puts unprecedented strain on airline finances. Finding the right space and conditions for 62% of the world’s planes and keeping them airworthy have suddenly become priorities for 2020."
• What Might the Post-Pandemic World Look Like? - "How might a post-pandemic world look and feel? Let’s imagine a creative team at a New York City advertising agency pitching a campaign in 2050 for a new perfume (more than most products, perfumes are sold by attaching to the dreams and aspirations of their times). The Big Apple, thirty years hence, remains a vital hub, but the city is greener and quieter than it is today. The few pedestrians on the streets give each other a wide berth."
• When Will you Be Able To Travel To Europe Again? - "With utmost caution, slowly, carefully and nervously watched, the process of relieving lockdown restrictions has started country by country in Europe, each at its own pace and according to its own approach as the continent marks a turning point in its coronavirus crisis."
• Duty or score-settling? Rights and wrongs of corona-shaming - "Police are receiving thousands of reports a day of lockdown rules being broken as ‘Covidiots’ enters public lexicon."
• These 25 Technology Trends Will Define The Next Decade - "We may not be living on Mars or traveling to work using jet packs, but there's no doubt the coming decade will bring many exciting technological advances. In this article, I want to outline the 25 key technology trends that I believe will shape the 2020s."
• COVID-19 shutdown is making weather prediction more difficult - "Grounding all those flights reduces the accuracy of our weather models."
• Kneading to relax? How coronavirus prompted a surge in stress baking - "With the pandemic confining millions to their homes, bread baking has become a meditative and empowering act."
• Take me to your Lada: Cuba's passion for a little Russian box - "The rugged Soviet-era car is 50 years old - and in Havana, classic models still sell for the price of a house."
• Sweeten your tinned tomatoes - and 29 other tips for simpler, tastier home cooking - "A former chef shares what she learned over three decades, from how to keep your pans good as new to the virtue of storing ginger in the freezer."
• Haircut Booking Site Crashed Due to Demand - "Rolling Back Some Coronavirus Lockdown Restrictions, Denmark Opens Salons and Barbershops."

April 19, 2020

• Stars take part in One World: Together At Home concert "Some of the biggest names in music have joined forces to celebrate healthcare workers in a globally televised concert. Lady Gaga, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift, the Rolling Stones and Billie Eilish were among more than 100 artists who performed songs from their living rooms, due to the coronavirus lockdown."
• The Science Behind Your Weird Coronavirus Dreams (And Nightmares) - "Stress and anxiety can also cause us to remember more of our dreams, because they disrupt our sleep. Studies also suggest that our dreams are sensitive to our waking social environments."
• You've Cleaned Your House, Your Yard & Your Garage. Up Next? Your Computer - "If you’re one of the millions of people largely stuck at home during the COVID-19 outbreak, you may be trying to pass the time by cleaning up your house or your yard. But it’s also a good time to get your digital life in order, too."
• How Covid-19 affects men differently - "Why Covid-19 is different for men and women. Covid-19 has profoundly different outcomes for men and women - and not just in terms of their health. For a virus that infects people indiscriminately, why does gender have such an effect?"
• Online learning: how to acquire new skills during lockdown - "Millions of users are signing up for free courses taught by professors from Harvard and other top universities."
• The TV Shows, Movies, Books & Music to Get You Through Quarantine, According to TIME 100 Leaders - "To keep your Netflix queues and library wishlists from running dry, we asked members of the TIME 100 community to recommend the pieces of art—music, movies, TV shows, novels and so forth—that are getting them through the present moment. Here’s what some of the world’s most influential people are reading, watching, and listening to right now."
• $10,000 a second? Amazon’s results could be amazing - "The retailer’s quarterly figures will have received a huge boost from lockdown sales."
• Anger in Sweden as elderly pay price for coronavirus strategy - "Staff with no masks or sanitiser fear for residents as hundreds die in care homes."
• What the butler saw: sex secrets of French presidents' palace revealed - "For 300 hundred years staff at the Elysée witnessed men flaunting their power over women, but no longer, says author of a new book."
• Is the cruise industry finally out of its depth? - "Accidents, pollution, exploitation... cruise firms were in murky waters even before Covid-19."
• Living in our isolation bubbles can bring great rewards - "How I learned about the pleasures of withdrawing from life and living within myself."

April 18, 2020

• Death toll rises above 150,000 worldwide - "Covid-19 has killed more than 153,000 people around the world in less than four months, as the total number of infections rises to 2.24 million."
• 5 months on, what scientists now know about Covid-19 - "Medical researchers have been studying everything we know about coronavirus. What have they learned - and is it enough to halt the pandemic?"
• Trump defends tweets against US states' lockdowns - "President Donald Trump has defended his tweets in which he appeared to endorse protests against stringent lockdown measures in several US states."
• Coronavirus: contact tracing explained - "WHO says Covid-19 patient tracing should be ‘backbone of the response’."
• Could Donald Trump delay the presidential election? - "As the coronavirus pandemic grinds much of the US economy to a halt, it is also playing havoc with the American democratic process during a national election year."
• Star-studded One World: Together At Home concert to be aired - "A star-studded special concert is to be live-streamed and broadcast on TV to support frontline workers tackling the coronavirus outbreak."
• How long does it take to recover from coronavirus? - "Covid-19 only emerged at the end of 2019, but already there are signs it may take a long time for some patients to get back to full health."
• Is pandemic being used for power grab in Europe? - "Some of Europe's leaders have been accused of taking advantage of a public health crisis to clamp down on dissent and bolster their power."
• Caught in a superpower struggle: the inside story of the WHO's response to coronavirus - "Caught between the US and China, the world health body has been unable to enforce compliance or information sharing."
• No match for Dr Fauci - are TV Doctors like Dr Phil causing more harm than good? - "Dr Phil, Dr Oz and others appearing on cable news now exist in a bizarre realm halfway between fiction and authenticity."
• Bill Gates is now the leading target for coronavirus falsehoods, says report - "Lies about Gates outpace 5G conspiracies."
• Boris Johnson & coronavirus: the inside story of his illness - "Saga of rumours, denials and admissions took the nation on an emotional rollercoaster."
• Coronavirus has made Amazon a public utility - so we should treat it like one - "The tech giant has seized the opportunity to recast itself as a corporate saviour, but at the expense of its workers. It needs disrupting."
• More with less: How to adapt small homes for lockdown - "The difficulties of isolation and working from home during lockdown are most acutely felt by those in small apartments and other confined spaces. This may especially be the case in densely populated cities like New York and London -- and is almost a given in places like Hong Kong and Tokyo, where space comes at an eye-watering premium."
• 'Huge environmental waste' as US airlines fly near-empty planes - "A 96% drop in passenger numbers because of coronavirus restrictions has not been matched by cuts in flights."
• No spare time in lockdown? That's not such a bad thing - "Coronavirus is teaching us how to focus on the tasks that matter."
• Can chicken soup cure the common cold? - "Cold remedies: Old wives' tales... or legitimate science? From orange juice to zinc lozenges, chicken soup to garlic capsules, there are plenty of home remedies for the common cold. But is there any evidence that they work?"
• Apple iPhone SE 2020: 9 Things Nobody Told You About The New iPhone - "The new Apple iPhone SE has been revealed. It’s the same size and look as the iPhone 8, which it replaces, but at a lower price point. Here are nine of the things that might not have caught your attention when the announcement was made. Why nine? Well, until today many people thought the name of this new phone would be iPhone 9."
• Fitbit And Other Wearables Could Help Researchers Predict Coronavirus Before Symptoms Start - "As coronavirus cases surged worldwide in March, Fitbit observed a global decline in physical activity among its 30 million activity tracker and smartwatch users. As governments implemented shelter-in-place orders, the company recorded a nearly 20 percent decline in weekly step counts in New York and San Francisco. The pandemic may be hampering regular fitness routines, but now Fitbit is exploring whether its wearable devices could help researchers predict if users have a coronavirus infection before they even notice any symptoms."
• LVMH Group Abandons Baselworld, Leaving The Show Devoid Of Anchor Watch Brands - "The Baselworld Watch and Jewelry fair is indeed having an annus horribilis, one that is likely to lead to its final demise. The LVMH Group has announced all four of its watch brands, Bulgari, TAG Heuer, Hublot and Zenith, will leave Baselworld. The news is not surprising, following an announcement on Tuesday that Rolex, Patek Philippe, Chopard, Tudor and Chanel will ditch the show in favor of creating a new event in Geneva in April 2021."
• Self-isolate like a king: why Henry VIII is a role model for staying in - "Book tells how he was familiar with quarantine and drew comfort from confined spaces."

April 17, 2020

• 100 Leaders on finding hope in dark times - "The TIME 100 has always been a mirror of the world and the people who shape it. And as our world now looks far different than we expected, so too will our annual TIME?100 list and issue."
• A head start wasted - "As coronavirus spread through Asia, the West had a chance to be prepared to combat it. Why wasn't it used?."
• Trump Unveils His 3-Phase Plan to Reopen a Stalled Economy Amid Coronavirus - "New White House guidelines outline a phased approach to restoring normal commerce, but only for regions seeing a decrease in coronavirus cases."
• Trump unveils plan to reopen states in phases - "As Covid-19 continues to spread across the US, President Donald Trump has given governors guidance on reopening state economies in the coming months."
• White House defends Ivanka Trump's personal travel amid lockdown - "The White House has defended Ivanka Trump's personal trip to New Jersey last week even as federal guidelines advise Americans to remain at home."
• How California kept ahead of the curve - "After a resident of California died of coronavirus on 4 March, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency. It was the first Covid-19 related death in the US outside of Washington state."
• China's virus-hit economy shrinks for first time in decades - "China's economy shrank for the first time in decades in the first quarter of the year, as the virus forced factories and businesses to close."
• Profit over people, cost over care: America's broken healthcare exposed by virus - "There were 27.9 million people without health insurance in 2018, and record-high unemployment will increase that figure by millions."
• Coronavirus: The untold story of America's biggest outbreak - "How did the biggest cluster in the US emerge in a corner of South Dakota? Infections spread like wildfire through a pork factory and questions remain about what the company did to protect staff."
• Pope Francis Jokes That Scotch Whisky ‘Is The Real Holy Water’ - "Scotch whisky fans didn’t need any spiritual confirmation that their drink of choice is divine indeed. However, it doesn’t hurt that Pope Francis has actually declared Scotch whisky to be ‘the real holy water’."
• THE NEW IPHONE SE IS A SHOCKINGLY GOOD VALUE - "$399 for a phone that will last for years."
• Why Covid-19 Dreams Are Taking Over the Internet - "The coronavirus pandemic is causing some truly bizarre, and horrifying, night visions. Sharing them helps."
• Wuhan death toll revised up 50% as China's economy suffers worst fall on record - "Wuhan’s prevention and control taskforce have revised the death toll in Wuhan upwards by 50%, from 2,579 to 3,869. The updated figure comes after weeks of scepticism about the reported death toll, as other countries have seen fatalities reach more than 10,000."
• Should you be taking vitamin D? - "Vitamin D is said to help stave off fatigue, depression and even cancer. But some experts argue that for people with healthy levels, supplements are not helpful. What’s the reality?"
• Airline passengers undergo Covid-19 blood tests before boarding - "Perhaps a sign of what the future holds for air travelers, Dubai-based airline Emirates has begun carrying out Covid-19 blood tests on passengers at the airport prior to flights."
• Images of Venice from space show how coronavirus has changed the city's iconic canals - "The European Space Agency has released two images of Venice, taken one year apart, which highlight the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on its famous waterways."
• World Press Photo of the Year - 2020 Photo Contest.
• 'Learn to fold': Marie Kondo's lockdown tips - "Marie Kondo: Achieving calm through the art of organization."
• Netflix now worth more than ExxonMobil as value reaches $187bn - "Streaming company’s shares hit a record high as Covid-19 lockdowns boost subscribers."
• Roger Stone, longtime Trump adviser, denied bid for new trial - "Federal judge says there is ‘zero evidence’ that Stone’s guilty verdict was tainted by anti-Trump bias."
• These countries have more than one capital - "The wars, revolutions and fallen empires that transformed the world map in the 20th century have a surprising beneficiary: capital cities."
• how to spot 20 of the most common species from your window, walk or garden - "Now there’s no traffic noise to drown out their sounds, it’s a perfect time to learn how to distinguish birds by their songs."
• You can't leave that lion there: big cats nap on road in South Africa amid lockdown - "Pride of eight lions photographed snoozing on tarmac in Kruger National Park."

April 16, 2020

• Trump says peak is passed & US to reopen soon - "President Donald Trump says the US has 'passed the peak' of new Covid-19 cases and predicted some states would reopen this month."
• Trump's big show of opening the economy will hide the real story - "Even with coronavirus causing thousands of deaths daily, US President plans to release new guidelines that ease social distancing."
• China didn’t warn public of likely pandemic for 6 key days - "In the six days after top Chinese officials secretly determined they likely were facing a pandemic from a new coronavirus, the city of Wuhan at the epicenter of the disease hosted a mass banquet for tens of thousands of people; millions began traveling through for Lunar New Year celebrations. President Xi Jinping warned the public on the seventh day, Jan. 20. But by that time, more than 3,000 people had been infected during almost a week of public silence, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press and expert estimates based on retrospective infection data."
• Vaccines, Antibodies and Drug Libraries. The Possible COVID-19 Treatments Researchers Are Excited About - "Researchers are combing through currently approved drugs as well as taking creative risks by investigating never-before-tried therapies to combat this coronavirus."
• China is fighting the coronavirus with a digital QR code. Here's how it works - "Imagine your daily routine being entirely dependent on a smart phone app. Leaving your home, taking the subway, going to work, entering cafes, restaurants and shopping malls - each move, dictated by the color shown on your screen. Green: you're free to proceed. Amber or Red: you're barred from entry."
• Getting Back Pain While Working From Home? - "If you are already feeling the physical strain, the bad news is that you may be on the road to a potentially debilitating musculoskeletal injury."
• How to get & stay sober during the COVID-19 quarantine - "Just because you're isolated doesn't mean you're alone."
• Music can boost your productivity while working from home – here's how - "Music has been shown to improve both productivity and cognitive performance, especially in adults."
• Zoomed out: how can we politely tell people we’d rather not chat? - "Video fatigue is real, writes advice columnist Eleanor Gordon-Smith, and now is a good time to be candid about emotional needs."
• Apple announces the new $399 iPhone SE for 2020 - "It looks like an iPhone 8, but it has more modern specs."
• Even ‘small’ phones are big now - "Apple’s new iPhone SE 2 is the nail in the coffin of the small smartphone."
• The iPhone SE vs. the iPhone 11 lineup: The new low-end - "They all sport an A13 Bionic chip, so what's different?"
• WhatsApp debuts coronavirus fact-checking hub - "The company also donated $1 million to support fact-checking organizations."
• Waze updates its maps with COVID-19-related information - "The app has added COVID-19-related details to its maps with help from its community."
• New York City Exposes the Stark Disparity in How COVID-19 Affects Low-Income Communities - "Because NYC's data includes both confirmed cases and the number of tests administered, it shows the percentage of negative tests correlates strongly with income."
• US explores possibility that coronavirus started in Chinese lab, not a market - "US intelligence and national security officials say the United States government is looking into the possibility that the novel coronavirus originated in a Chinese laboratory rather than a market, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter who caution it is premature to draw any conclusions."
• What is a wet market? - "In China and Asia, most do not trade in exotic or wild animals and should not be confused with ‘wildlife markets’."
• letterbox-shaped products come into their own - "From flowers to wine, Britain is discovering a wave of goods that fit through your door."
• Are billionaires really self-isolating on superyachts? - "When entertainment mogul David Geffen shared an image of his superyacht 'Rising Sun' at sea alongside the caption 'isolated in the Grenadines' last month, it's fair to say the post ruffled a few feathers."
• The year's best photographs revealed - "Sony World Photography Awards 2020."
• Self-love in isolation: 'I hope people are using this time to explore their sexuality' - "Sex toy sales have spiked during the Covid-19 lockdown. For those curious about buying into the trend, experts advise how to get yourself started."
• Your cat's 'bad' behavior might mean they miss you, study says - "If your cat won't stop shredding the toilet paper and urinating on your couch, it could be a result of separation anxiety, a new study suggests."
• Five-thousand-year-old Egyptian tomb opens for virtual tour - "Egypt’s classical wonders are off limits but a royal tomb is one of four sites where 3D modelling gives us a fascinating glimpse of antiquity."
• 'It's catastrophic': Fiji's colossal tourism sector devastated by coronavirus - "Tourism employs about 150,000 people in the Pacific nation, but travel restrictions mean the work and the money are drying up."
• Forget drones, let a remote control person guide you round the Faroe Islands - "This is not a computer game but the islands’ latest tourism initiative – a camera-wearing local who responds to commands from people anywhere in the world to show them round their isles."

April 15, 2020

• All Your Coronavirus Questions, Answered - "Merely understanding a pandemic does not stop it, but an informed public can help curb its impact and slow its spread." TIME Magazine.
• US social distancing could last until 2022 - "US may have to endure social distancing until 2022 if no vaccine is quickly found, scientists predict. Measures such as stay-at-home orders and school closures may go on long-term unless a vaccine is found, Harvard researchers say."
• Standing Too Close. Not Covering Coughs. If Someone Is Violating Social Distancing Rules, What Do You Do? - "Deciding when to comment on someone’s behavior in society’s shared spaces has always been complicated. If someone doesn’t pick up after their dog, do you point it out? If someone cuts you off on the highway, do you yell out your window? What about that smoker on the corner - do you tell them cigarettes are bad for you? What if the smoker is a pregnant woman?"
• See The U.S. Slow Down As Coronavirus Spreads In This Interactive Map - Forbes.
• Trump seeks to mask his own stark failings - "Trump turns against WHO to mask his own stark failings on Covid-19 crisis. Dishonest decision to pull funding from World Health Organisation will endanger public health."
• Trump halts World Health Organization funding over handling of coronavirus outbreak - "President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he is halting funding to the World Health Organization while a review is conducted. Trump said the review would cover the WHO's 'role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of coronavirus.'"
• 'World faces worst recession since Great Depression' - "The global economy will contract by 3% this year as countries around the world shrink at the fastest pace in decades, the International Monetary Fund says."
• US economy can't reopen without schools - "It's not clear how any of this completely ends until the children are back in school. School is how we teach our children facts and figures. It's also how we take care of them in the middle of the day. Parents can't easily pick up and go back to work if they have no place to put their children. The reality is that nobody -- not governors or the White House -- can completely reopen the economy if the schools are still shut."
• China's wet markets are not what some people think they are - "If you have ever been to shopping area where butchers and grocers sell fresh produce straight from the farm, then you have been to something that would, in some parts of the world, be called a wet market."
• Facebook friendships can help predict Covid-19 spread, study finds - "Data from early hotspots in US and Italy suggests social network could help identify at-risk areas."
• It took a pandemic, but the US is finally discovering the bidet’s brilliance - "The stress hoarding is forcing Americans low on toilet paper and ‘bidet curious’ to finally purchase one - and to some, it’s even a pandemic lifehack."
• WHY 98.6 DEGREES ISN’T A ‘NORMAL’ BODY TEMPERATURE - "Your temperature might never be 98.6 - and that’s normal. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have worked a new routine into our lives: temperature taking. It’s understandable since fever is an extremely common symptom of the disease. But if you take your temperature regularly, you’ve probably noticed that your body is rarely 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (or 37 degrees Celsius). In fact, your temperature is probably all over the place. The tyranny of 98.6 must end."
• Notre Dame Was Meant to Reopen by 2024. Then Came Coronavirus - "An exclusive look inside the restoration of the cathedral shows it's clear that a true reopening will take far longer than the four-year time frame."
• Notre Dame restoration at a standstill on fire's anniversary - "A year after the blaze, Notre Dame's rebuild is on hold due to coronavirus."
• Notre Dame fire: Fragile old lady of Paris waits for rescue - "When the wind blows around Notre Dame these days, strange, whistling chimes fill the air. A ghostly harmony made by the gaping holes in the old medieval structure, left by the fire exactly a year ago."
• Cannes film festival not possible 'in original form’ - "The Cannes film festival will not take place 'in its original form' this year, due to the coronavirus pandemic."
• best of celebrity quaran-TV - "From Arnold Schwarzenegger to Naomi Campbell. With stars holed up at home during the coronavirus crisis, web series are back on trend. Here’s our pick of the savviest and the silliest, from model hang-outs to Arnie’s reality show."
• Do celebrities still matter in a crisis? - "Psychologist Donna Rockwell is an expert on celebrity culture and she takes us through the good and bad."
• Jeff Bezos Gets $6.3 Billion Richer As Amazon Stock Hits A New Record High - Already the world’s richest person, Jeff Bezos saw his net worth jump nearly 5% after Amazon’s stock hit a new all-time high on Tuesday, with the e-commerce giant experiencing unprecedented demand amid widespread coronavirus-related shutdowns.
• Apple tracks changes in travel behaviour - "Apple has launched a tool that reveals changes in the travel behaviour of people who use its Maps app."
• German zoo may have to feed animals to each other - "Zoos that should have been crowded in the sunny Easter holidays are now hard-up and asking for donations, as the coronavirus lockdown bites."
• OnePlus 8 Pro review: Speed is everything - "OnePlus wants to make the world's best phones. It's on the right track."
• Self-isolating animals: eight species that have mastered social distancing - "For many species in the animal kingdom self-isolation is not a new concept. It’s in their instinct. From land mammals to ocean species, many choose to live in solitude outside of essential activity: to eat and to breed."
• Test-Driving the Porsche Macan Turbo - "Quarantine Dreams Road Test: Porsche Macan Turbo Remains A Top Contender Among Middleweight Performance SUVs."
• The Best Cocktails For The Ultimate Taste Of Vacation - "Now is the time to travel by cocktail and make a happy hour drink that reminds us of the places we long to see again soon. The right cocktail has the power take you there so while we can’t be on a beach sipping a margarita, we can, for a moment, close our eyes and conjure the sun’s heat, sandy beaches, and the rustle of salty air in palm trees. The cocktails below are reflective of place and each recipe is designed to use taste and aroma to tap a cherished travel memory. And, any thorough travel drinking story must include a classic airplane cocktail to remind us of that marvelous anticipatory moment when the pilot announces our initial descent has begun. Start your travel by cocktail now."

April 14, 2020

• Covid-19 could threaten global food supply, UN warns - "As the novel coronavirus pandemic shuts down businesses globally and sends countries into lockdown, the disruptions are threatening to cut off supply chains and increase food insecurity."
• Apps, drones & CCTV Surveillance may be hard to scale back after pandemic, experts say - "Coronavirus crisis has led to billions of people around the world facing enhanced monitoring."
• Why we’re still relying on a century-old strategy to treat COVID-19 - "Science is moving fast, but it’s still not fast enough."
• Trump claims 'total' authority to lift lockdown - "President Donald Trump has claimed 'total' power to lift the nationwide coronavirus lockdown, contradicting governors and legal experts."
• The Coronavirus Is Changing How We Date. Experts Think the Shifts May Be Permanent - "Several singles TIME interviewed speculated that, even after social distancing rules are lifted, they would continue to use distance dating as a step in the courtship process."
• Ditching Zoom? Here Are 10 Video Chat Alternatives You Can Use Instead - "There are plenty of video chat services to choose from, whether it's to talk to grandma, play games with friends or connect with colleagues."
• Zumping: the rise of Zoom breakups - "The search for love continues - and so does the ending of once-promising relationships. Now, though, all this is happening via videoconference."
• Grains of truth: what the flour shortage tells us about who we are - "The current crisis has prompted a rush on baking ingredients. It shows the daily loaf retains its ancient, essential role - providing sustenance, social bonding and satisfaction."
• We Need to Rethink Our Food System to Prevent the Next Pandemic - "SARS-CoV-2, like the influenza virus and many other disease-causing microbes, initially infected an animal - probably a bat in the case of SARS-CoV-2. The term for when such a microbe jumps the species barrier into humans is 'spillover.' Spillover has always happened, but it was accelerated by the introduction of farming around 12,000 years ago, which brought humans and the animals they domesticated into close proximity - making the jump easier."
• How coronavirus almost brought down the global financial system - "The crisis has brought the economy to a near halt, and left millions of people out of work. But thanks to intervention on an unprecedented scale, a full-scale meltdown has been averted - for now."
• How to cope with living alone in self-isolation - BBC News.
• The audacious plan that could save a species - "The future of the northern white rhino is looking bleak. Only two are left in the world - both are female. But scientists have an outlandish plan to save them from extinction."
• How to Travel Virtually to U.S. National Parks - "Travel Virtually To U.S. National Parks, Including Ones You Probably Wouldn’t Otherwise Get To. With VR and 360-degree videos, you can now immerse yourself in environments that give you a real sense of place without actually being there."
• Chequers has offered recuperation to prime ministers for 100 years - "Boris Johnson is recovering from Covid-19 in 16th-century manor with 600-hectare estate and indoor pool."
• Exciting New Apple iPhone Feature Revealed, Report Claims - "The Apple iPhone 12 may come with a redesigned iOS, with wider use of widgets in the home screen alongside regular app icons and - even more excitingly - a whole new way to use the Control Center."
• Apple's next iPhone may look like a smartphone-sized iPad - "It's also developing a cheaper HomePod speaker, according to Bloomberg."
• How to wipe your iPhone before selling or trading it in - "Delete all of your data before getting rid of your old phone."
• No soil, seeds or space? No problem! A beginner's guide to growing vegetables - "It’s possible to help keep your household stocked with fresh greens, even if you don’t have a garden. Here’s how to get started."
• Man accidentally ejects himself from fighter jet during surprise flight - "Sixty-four-year-old lands in field after grabbing ejection handle to steady himself, French air investigators find."
• Where now for travel? Lonely Planet closures point to an uncertain future - "As the travel publisher closes its Melbourne and London offices, a guidebook writer asks what’s next for an industry in crisis."
• What travel writers are reading right now - "Tim Ecott asks fellow travel writers which books are helping them to spread their wings and escape the lockdown – in their imaginations at least."

April 13, 2020

• China reports highest daily cases for five weeks as New York deaths slow - "All but 10 of China’s 108 new infections are imported: WHO official warns Covid-19 will ‘stalk’ human race; global cases pass 1.8m."
• Why New York has been hit so hard by coronavirus - "New York state reached a tragic milestone this week: It now has more Covid-19 patients than any country in the world, aside from the United States. The state's total of 181,026 cases, as of April 11, is higher than Spain's (161,852 cases) and Italy's (152,271), countries with populations many times larger than New York."
• Coronavirus statistics: what can we trust & what should we ignore? - "The flurry of figures, graphs and projections surrounding the pandemic is confusing. Two experts guide us through the maze."
• Coronavirus Outbreak Keeps Humans from Touching. Here's Why That's So Stressful - "With people around the world practicing social distancing amid coronavirus, some individuals are experiencing a lack of human touch."
• Why Covid-19 is different for men & women - "Covid-19 has profoundly different outcomes for men and women - and not just in terms of their health. For a virus that infects people indiscriminately, why does gender have such an effect?"
• 'I owe them my life': how Boris Johnson's illness shook him, and the nation - "For a time, the prime minister’s life appeared to be in danger. Will this brush with mortality change his attitudes?"
• Is coronavirus stress to blame for the rise in bizarre ‘lockdown dreams’? - "Many people are reporting unusually vivid dreams – and scientists think they could be a key way we process emotion."
• The Ultimate Quarantine Self-Care Guide - "Here's how to take care of your nails, hair, and skin at home - because if there was ever a time to be kind to yourself, it's now."
• 70 Coronavirus Vaccines Are Under Development, With 3 in Human Trials, WHO Says - "here are 70 coronavirus vaccines in development globally, with three candidates already being tested in human trials, according to the World Health Organization, as drugmakers race to find a cure for the deadly pathogen."
• 'Now there is nobody': living in a tourist attraction under lockdown - "Ana Viladomiu lives in La Pedrera, Gaudí’s modernist masterpiece, and is used to thousands of visitors a day."
• Richard Branson facing backlash over plea for UK bailout of Virgin - "Campaigners and politicians point to tycoon’s wealth, while aviation industry backs him."
• US's global reputation hits rock-bottom over Trump's coronavirus response - "International relations expert warns policy failure could do lasting damage as president insults allies and undermines alliances."
• Extreme loneliness or the perfect balance? How to work from home and stay healthy - "More and more people are working where they live, attracted by the promise of flexibility, efficiency and no commute. But does this come at a cost to their wellbeing?"
• Working from home has a troubled history. Coronavirus is exposing its flaws again - "During the UK lockdown, home working has soared. But struggles with childcare, pay and conditions aren’t new."
• Smart lifts, lonely workers, no towers or tourists: architecture after coronavirus - "Is the open-plan office dead? Can skyscrapers survive? Will our phones control everything from the lights to ordering coffee? Our writer meets the architects already shaping the post-Covid-19 world."
• Being locked down with my family is making me panic - "Count your blessings and enjoy the lull this slower pace of life is providing."
• Forget sourdough! How to make 10 of the world’s easiest breads - "Keen to bake for your family or housemates, but put off by previous attempts? Here are delicious options – including some that don’t require yeast, and one that doesn’t even need an oven."
• Streaming the flow: 'Next yoga class I'll turn my webcam on' - "With studios closed due to coronavirus lockdowns, many teachers are leading classes online."
• How to mine precious metals in your home - "Our modern world is dependent upon natural resources extracted from the ground, but there could be another source of rare and valuable metals by giving our houses a spring clean."
• Goldie Hawn: ‘I was born with a high set point for happiness’ - "One of the biggest film stars of the 70s and 80s, Hawn left acting and producing behind for 15 years. She talks about Hollywood, patriarchy, dancing - and how meditation changed her life."
• When the party starts: a home to lift the spirits - "Festivities are on hold at this double-fronted home. But zingy colours, playful details and a bubbling hot tub mean it’s still a house of fun."
• The world's tallest hotel to open in Dubai ... again - "In 2018, the 356-meter (1,168 feet) Gevora Hotel in Dubai became the tallest hotel in the world, complete with certification as a Guinness World Record. But the Gevora's reign will be short-lived. The 75-story tower is to be eclipsed by a slender glass skyscraper under construction just a short drive away in Dubai's Marina district. The Ciel Tower will reach 360.4 meters upon completion, developer The First Group has confirmed, featuring 1,042 rooms and suites spread across 82 floors."

April 12, 2020

• US has most virus-related deaths in the world - "US overtakes Italy as country with highest number of coronavirus deaths. The country now has more than half a million cases, and New York state alone has more cases than any other country."
• Bill Gates: Few countries will get an 'A-grade' for coronavirus response - "Speaking exclusively to BBC Breakfast Bill Gates has said we are 'in uncharted territory' due to a lack of investment and preparation for such a pandemic."
• Why Denmark taking steps to open up again - "Denmark is about to make its first move to relax restrictions imposed to fight coronavirus."
• FM Global Resilience Index
• Coronavirus good news: we have many blessings to count - "Though our blessings may be well disguised in this pandemic, we must still count them."
• The cure for fake news: how to read about the coronavirus - "The outbreak has generated a tsunami of information. Here’s how to sift the fact from the fiction."
• how world leaders responded to the crisis - "While Jair Bolsonaro sabotaged quarantine efforts in Brazil, Jacinda Ardern was quietly impressive in New Zealand. Observer writers assess premiers’ reactions to the pandemic."
• how coronavirus felled the global economy in 100 days - "A singular event has economists asking the same questions as everyone else: how far is there to fall - and can we ever get back?"
• World's richest cities: the top 10 cities billionaires call home - "From Singapore To New York City, more than 26% of the world’s 2,095 billionaires live in just 10 cities on three continents."
• ANSWERING THE 12 BIGGEST QUESTIONS ABOUT APPLE & GOOGLE’S NEW CORONAVIRUS TRACKING PROJECT - "What the technical documents tell us about the project’s privacy and security measures."
• The cluster effect: how social gatherings were rocket fuel for corona - "Holding hands, kissing, sharing drinks from the same glass all helped spread the virus."
• Tech giants struggle to stem 'infodemic' of false coronavirus claims - "Critics say efforts are too little, too late as research reveals vast majority of false claims appear online."
• Smoking weed raises risk of Covid-19 - "Even occasional use raises risk of Covid-19 complications."
• What makes a restaurant a classic? - "During this grim, hopefully fairly brief time when it’s impossible to go out to eat, Jay ponders what it is that the really great places have in common."
• If You’re Looking For A New Amplifier... The Search Is Over - "The new Cambridge Audio CXA 81 is a powerful 80 Watt integrated amplifier that's packed with features, including a USB input and Bluetooth apt-X HD streaming."
• Amsterdam to Paris in 90 minutes? Dutch tout hyperloop as future of travel - "North Holland thinks unproven 600mph magnetic hovertrain could help replace air travel."
• Sir Stirling Moss has passed away aged 90 - "The racing legend was one of the most lionised figures in history of British sport. Moss's style and skill earned him the acclaim as the greatest all-round racer ever. His versatility won him 212 of his 529 races in every conceivable kind of car."
• Every James Bond Movie Officially Ranked From Worst To Best - "While some James Bond movies haven't aged all that well, others remain totally timeless."

April 11, 2020

• US death toll passes 2,000 in a single day - "The US has become the first country in the world to record more than 2,000 coronavirus deaths in a single day."
• US reaches half a million coronavirus cases - "The coronavirus pandemic has infected close to 1.7 million people and killed more than 102,000. New York state alone has more cases than any other country in the world."
• Sweden challenges Trump & scientific mainstream by refusing to lock down - "Much of Europe is still on coronavirus lockdown, with severe restrictions on movement and penalties for those who transgress. But not Sweden. Restaurants and bars are open in the Nordic country, playgrounds and schools too, and the government is relying on voluntary action to stem the spread of Covid-19."
• who will be winners & losers in new world order? - "Are state responses to the virus shifting the balance of power between China and the west?"
• Here's how your body gains immunity to coronavirus - "Unprecedented efforts and diverted resources mean we are fast learning about human defences against this new threat."
• Apple & Google team up to contact trace Covid-19 - "Apple and Google are jointly developing technology to alert people if they have recently come into contact with others found to be infected with coronavirus."
• How you’ll use Apple & Google’s coronavirus tracking tool - "There’s still a lot we don’t know."
• DIY beauty hacks you can do at home - "Try an avocado face mask, a home manicure or a jawline-enhancing beard."
• Zoom is now 'the Facebook of video apps' - "Yet another startup that takes our privacy. Seriously."
• Disbelief in big cities as air pollution falls - "Delhi is one of many capitals enjoying improved air quality since restrictions were introduced due to the coronavirus."
• 5 Employees on the Everyday Terror of Working in Grocery Stores During the Pandemic - "Increasingly, many grocery store and supermarket workers are weighing their need for a paycheck against perilous working conditions and unfair treatment."
• Leica & Olympus are offering free virtual courses & talks for photographers - "For creatives currently stuck at home."
• The work-from-home gear you should actually buy - "The right physical and digital tools can transform your makeshift workspace."
• Rain may soon be an effective source of renewable energy - "A generator can briefly light up 100 LED bulbs with a single drop."
• Princess Diana's Bahamas vacation home is up for sale - "Here's a home we wouldn't mind isolating in: a Bahamas beach house with a pool, five bedrooms, a terrace and 180 feet of private white-sand frontage."
• Berlusconi puts lavish superyacht on the market for $11 million - "With a list of past and present owners that includes media mogul Rupert Murdoch and controversial former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, superyacht 'Morning Glory' has a long history of playing host to the rich and famous."
• World’s Best Bourbons - According To The 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition - "Every year since 2000, a panel of 40 esteemed tastemakers convenes in San Francisco for the city’s annual World Spirits Competition."

April 10, 2020

• Christians face Good Friday on virus lockdown - "Passover, Ramadan and Easter: How to celebrate without leaving home."
• What To Know About The Vatican’s Unprecedented Virtual Easter Week This Year - "With the Eternal City turned into a stark De Chirico landscape because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Vatican will mark an uprecedented Holy Week as celebrations leading up to and including Easter, Christianity’s most important holiday, will allow only for virtual viewing."
• global deaths pass 95,000 as 1 in 10 Americans lose their jobs - "Coronavirus live news."
• Coronavirus is the greatest global science policy failure in a generation - "The warnings of doctors and scientists were ignored, with fatal results."
• Meet the Heroes of the Front Lines - "Read TIME's cover package: Stories of the courageous workers risking their own lives to save ours."
• Trump tries to push fast-forward on the pandemic - "Health experts have said from the beginning that only the virus sets the timetable for when the mass pause is over. President Donald Trump wants to fast-forward. He has specifically expressed interest in a "big bang" reopening, where the entire country comes back online at once, perhaps as soon as May 1."
• Trump’s chloroquine hype is a misinformation problem bigger than social media - "Social media sites are policing powerful voices."
• Why are coronavirus mortality rates so different? - video explainer - "How can we understand the risk of dying from Covid-19 when there are so many numbers flying around? There are actually three types of fatality rate, which are calculated in different ways and tell you different things. When we know what each means and how they work, we can learn more about how new infections such as the coronavirus affect us."
• Sweden's Relaxed Approach to the Coronavirus Could Already Be Backfiring - "As many public spaces throughout Europe empty out - with citizens only leaving home for essential groceries or medication - life in Sweden is carrying on, mostly as usual."
• ‘I Don’t Think We Should Ever Shake Hands Again.’ Dr. Fauci Says Coronavirus Should Change Some Behaviors for Good - "The coronavirus will be the end of the handshake as we know it, if Dr. Anthony Fauci has his way."
• Covid-19: Can 'boosting' your immune system protect you? - "Forget kombucha and trendy vitamin supplements - they are nothing more than magic potions for the modern age."
• How to Make a CDC-Approved Cloth Face Mask - "A fabric face covering won't protect you from getting Covid-19 but might help prevent you from spreading the virus if you must leave the house."
• Gear & Tips to Help You Get Through the Coronavirus Pandemic - "Don't: hoard toilet paper and medical masks. Do: make sure you have plenty of food, water, and indoor activities."
• 11 TV Shows With Many Seasons to Binge While Social Distancing - "From The Sopranos to The Simpsons, see TIME's picks for shows with five seasons or more to dive into now."
• best online resources for quarantine cooking at all skill levels - "They include beginner-friendly recipes and ways to use what you have on hand."
• No flour, pasta or eggs? The perfect substitutes for 20 common ingredients - "Getting your hands on everyday staples is not always as quick and easy as it used to be - but you can still rustle up delicious dishes by making a few judicious substitutions."
• How did coronavirus start & where did it come from? Was it really Wuhan's animal market? - "It’s likely Covid-19 originated in bats, scientists say. But did it then spread to pangolins and humans?"
• This website replicates the sounds of being in the office again - "There’s even a ping pong match sometimes."
• Love and dating during coronavirus - "Coronavirus: Love and dating in lockdown."
• People are luring Instacart shoppers with big tips -- and then changing them to zero - "Demand for grocery delivery is surging amid the Covid-19 pandemic, and many customers are struggling to get the items they want or even a time slot for a delivery. Some people are dealing with that by offering big tips, as high as $50 or more, to entice Instacart workers to pick up their orders."
• THE ANCIENT COMPUTERS IN THE BOEING 737 MAX ARE HOLDING UP A FIX - "The perils of fixing a hardware problem with software."
• Webcams have become impossible to find, and prices are skyrocketing - "Logitech is reporting resellers who are tacking hundreds onto webcam prices."
• Bob Dylan's 50 greatest songs - ranked! - The Guardian.
• Christie’s Set To Auction $12 Million Patek Philippe Collection, Including One-Of-A-Kind Pieces - "The largest single-owner collection of Patek Philippe timepieces to be offered in Asia goes hits the auction block in two separate sales at Christie’s Hong Kong, the first in July and the second in November."
• how animals teach each other to survive - "Cultural knowledge, passed from animal to animal, is key to how species adapt to change in the world around them."
• 'Key worker': how a 19th century term evolved into political rhetoric - "From burglars to upstanding - and vital - members of society."
• Tolkien was right: giant trees have towering role in protecting forests - "Study highlights importance of biodiversity as part of strategy to stop planet overheating."
• a history of British prime ministers who got sick in office - "Boris Johnson Isn't the First British Leader to Fall Ill While in Office. Here's What Happened When His Predecessors Took Time Off."
• How New Efforts Are Recovering the Stories of People Who Were Deleted From History - "Recently, a doctoral student at Duke University discovered that the oldest known copy of the Bible’s Gospel of John had been physically altered to reduce or remove the role of Mary Magdalene."

April 9, 2020

• global cases pass 1.5m as UK & US suffer worst daily death tolls - "Coronavirus live news."
• 100 days that changed the world - "It started with a warning. It turned into a pandemic that has transformed life as we know it."
• Proper rest and protect your lungs: doctors on what you should really do for your health right now - "There is a lot of confusion about how to protect yourself from illness - and what to do if do you contract coronavirus. Here is the expert advice."
• Racing to make coronavirus tests - "One lab's quest to test for COVID-19."
• 'We won't see coronavirus here' ... and other gems from Trump's new press secretary - "Kayleigh McEnany, who replaces Stephanie Grisham, has embraced birtherism and claimed Democrats were rooting for the pandemic."
• April’s Pink Supermoon Around The World, In Photos - "Last night’s ‘pink supermoon,’ astronomically known as perigee-syzygy, was the biggest and brightest full moon of the year as its orbit drew it closest to the earth at some 221,856 miles. In other words, it was the brightest lunar event on the 2020 calendar and it happens when the moon reaches the closest point to Earth on its 27-day orbit while it is full."
• top 10 richest women in the world 2020 - "There are 234 women on this year’s billionaires list." Forbes.
• How to look your best on a video call - "Five tips for looking (and sounding) great."
• Conversation Starters That Have Nothing to Do With the Coronavirus - "It’s important to stay informed on the latest pandemic news, but you may find yourself wanting to have a chat or four about non-coronavirus things."
• Classic films I've never seen - "The Shawshank Redemption. This enduring, much-loved classic about wrongful incarceration and dreams of liberation is an unlikely but irresistible joy in the lockdown era."
• Jacob & Co. Unveils $280,000 Bugatti Chiron 16-Cylinder Tourbillon - "It was just last year that Bugatti and Jacob & Co. signed an agreement to create timepieces that honor the power and performance of both brands. Initially, there were two timepieces created: the Twin Turbo Furious and the Epic X Chrono. Now, though the two companies introduce an all-new line: the Bugatti Chiron that honors Bugatti’s hyper cars."

April 8, 2020

• Wuhan Has Reopened After a Brutal Coronavirus Lockdown. But Is China Ready? - "As Wuhan reopens after coronavirus lockdown, many fear the political considerations that allowed COVID-19 to take hold could play out once again."
• Pink Moon: Europe illuminated by lunar light show - "Stargazers have enjoyed the emergence of what is known as a pink moon in the night skies of Europe."
• Coronavirus symptoms: 10 key indicators & what to do - "Scientists are learning more each day about the mysterious novel coronavirus and the symptoms of Covid-19, the disease it causes. Fever, cough and shortness of breath are found in the vast majority of all Covid-19 cases. But there are additional signals of the virus, some that are very much like cold or flu, and some that are more unusual. Any or all symptoms can appear anywhere from two to 14 days after exposure to the virus, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
• Saliva spray during speech could transmit coronavirus - study - "US scientists say findings add to case for wearing masks in public to control outbreak."
• Learning to breathe again: the long road to recovery from Covid-19 - "From muscle wastage to PTSD, patients discharged from critical care face tough convalescence."
• Why Does Covid-19 Make Some People So Sick? Ask Their DNA - "Consumer genomics company 23andMe wants to mine its database of millions of customers for clues to why the virus hits some people harder than others."
• Coronavirus hits men harder. Here's what scientists know about it - "The early evidence leaves little doubt that Covid-19 poses a greater risk to men - but are the reasons biological or cultural?"
• what coronavirus can teach us about hope - "In the midst of fear and isolation, we are learning that profound, positive change is possible."
• In it together: how to share space & resolve flatmate rows when you can't storm out - "All the places you once used to escape your flatmates are closed, so how do you keep your cool? And what about when you fancy one of them?"
• Human impact on wildlife to blame for spread of viruses, says study - "Increased contact with animals likely cause of outbreaks such as Covid-19, say experts, as conservationists call for global ban on wildlife markets."
• Hydroxychloroquine: how an unproven drug became Trump’s coronavirus 'miracle cure' - "With help from Fox News and Elon Musk, a misleading French study prompted a wave of misinformation that made its way to the president."
• How to use FaceTime for group calls - "Yes, you can FaceTime more than one person at a time."
• How the Coronavirus Death Toll Compares to Other Deadly Events From American History - "It is already clear that this 'war' with an invisible enemy will be as deadly as, and in some cases deadlier than, some of the worst battles in U.S. history."
• The Surprisingly Long History of the Ventilator, the Machine You Never Want to Need - "Modern ventilators were a hundred years in the making. Those generations of engineering have never been more important."
• How do you celebrate a religious festival while social distancing? - "The evening of 8 April is the beginning of Passover, one of the most important religious festivals of the Jewish calendar."
• life in one of the only countries without coronavirus - "The Pacific nation of Vanuatu is one of the few places that is coronavirus-free, but efforts to stop its arrival have been hampered by a category five cyclone."
• Forbes world's billionaires list 2020 - "The richest people on Earth are not immune to the coronavirus. As the pandemic tightened its grip on Europe and America, global equity markets imploded, tanking many fortunes. As of March 18, when we finalized this list, Forbes counted 2,095 billionaires, 58 fewer than a year ago and 226 fewer than just 12 days earlier, when we initially calculated these net worths. Of the billionaires who remain, 51% are poorer than they were last year. In raw terms, the world’s billionaires are worth $8 trillion, down $700 billion from 2019."
• Apple Releases iOS 13.4.1: Surprise Update With Important Fixes - "Last month, Apple released iOS 13.4, a big update with lots of features, as you’ll see below. But now, there’s another update. Latest Apple iOS 13 update has just dropped and it’s one that is primarily designed to squish bugs, including an important one that impacted FaceTime."
• 10 easy DIY tasks to transform your house quickly - "From hanging pictures to resealing the bath, now is the time to tackle the jobs you have been ignoring - many of them much simpler than you think."
• best games for Xbox One 2020 - engadget.
• How to Upgrade Your Home Audio While You're Quarantined - "Here's the audiophile's guide to exile in style, now that you have plenty of time to listen."
• What happens when Michelin restaurants do takeouts - "Fine dining restaurants find comforting ways to set the table at home."
• vets recommend keeping pet cats indoors - "Veterinary scientists have recommended cat owners keep their pets indoors to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus."
• WhatsApp tightens limits on message forwarding to counter coronavirus misinformation - "WhatsApp is trying to stem the rapid spread of coronavirus misinformation by placing new limits on the number of times a forwarded message can be shared simultaneously."
• Few Doctors, Fewer Ventilators: African Countries Fear They Are Defenseless Against Inevitable Spread of Coronavirus - "Many sub-Saharan countries share the same underlying conditions that make them even more vulnerable to collapse when an outbreak hits."
• The dark world of my billionaire lifestyle - "Life with a Russian billionaire: money and death threats. They would stay in his chateau in the south of France and had homes across the world. It was an idyllic life, beyond anyone's imagination."
• Red Sea Diving Resort: The holiday village run by spies - "Arous was an idyllic holiday resort in the Sudanese desert, on the shores of the Red Sea. But this glamorous destination was also a base for Israeli agents with a secret mission. The events inspired a newly released Netflix film, Red Sea Diving Resort - and the real story is in many ways more remarkable."
• Bentley Mulliner Coachbuilt Shows Six Samples Of Its New Unique Hand-Built Bacalar - "The Bacalar marks a return to Bentley coachbuilding, a tradition largely lost since the 1950s. The circa $1.8 million, 659hp W12 grand tourer is completely unique since it refrains from sharing a single exterior panel with any other Bentley."

April 7, 2020

• This Week’s ‘Super Pink Moon’ Will Be The Biggest And Best Of 2020. Here’s How To See It From Home - "That’s the astronomical term for a supermoon, which will occur for the third time this year on Tuesday, April 7, 2020 and Wednesday, April 8, 2020."
• Virus hunters zero in on a possible culprit - "The origins of the coronavirus are debated. But genetic detective work is leading scientists to point to one animal suspect."
• Ethics of Wearing (or Not Wearing) a Face Mask During the Coronavirus Pandemic - "Americans have not always done selfless well, with a focus more often on highly prizing personal freedom even at the expense of the public good."
• How to make a non-medical coronavirus face mask - no sewing required - "The CDC now recommends all Americans wear a face mask in public - you can make your own using a T-shirt or handkerchief."
• Coronavirus is revealing how broken America’s economy really is - "We are told by everyone from the United Nations to Donald Trump that the US is a ‘developed’ economy. The statistics suggest otherwise."
• Coronavirus Phone Tracking Now Impacts Us All - And This Is Just The Start - "It has become just one more factor in the new normal we are living with today—after an escalating backlash in months gone by against phone tracking technologies, a backlash that promoted location privacy responses from Apple and Google, we’re now all being tracked to help stem the spread of the coronavirus and apparently we’re fine with it. The slight twist, of course, is that we were still being tracked anyway, it’s just that our governments are now tapping into that data."
• US tops 10,000 deaths, many more expected - "Coronavirus hitting some African American communities extremely hard."
• a visual guide to the world in lockdown - "Coronavirus has now infected more than one million people worldwide, but its impact extends far beyond just those who have had it."
• How lockdown redefines our weekends - "Leisure time is important - particularly in stressful periods. How can we make weekends feel fulfilling under coronavirus lockdown?"
• Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish & Paul McCartney to play coronavirus benefit - "One World: Together at Home, streamed live on 18 April, will support UN response fund."
• In Desperation, New York State Pays Up to 15 Times the Normal Prices for Medical Equipment - "State data shows that New York is paying enormous markups for vital supplies, including almost $250,000 for an X-ray machine. Laws against price gouging usually don’t apply."
• Coronavirus art challenge: how a pan turned me into the Duke of Urbino - "The Getty Museum is challenging people to recreate masterpieces during self-isolation. Could my wife and I become a Piero della Francesca painting using tinfoil and headphones?"
• Lockdown succeeds where zoo failed for 10 years: Getting pandas to mate - "A zoo has been trying to get two pandas to mate for 10 years. When coronavirus shut the zoo down, the pandas finally did. It seems all these giant pandas needed was a little privacy."
• Why smart people believe coronavirus myths - "From students to politicians, many smart people have fallen for dangerous lies spread about the new coronavirus. Why? And how can you protect yourself from misinformation?"
• Can spices really benefit your health? - "Are there benefits to eating turmeric and other spices? Spices have been eaten for millennia. Turmeric and chilli, in particular, have been researched extensively in recent decades. And while consuming them is correlated with some health benefits, those benefits – and the reasons for them - are not what you might think."
• 24 of the world's most unusual landscapes - "While there are plenty of awe-inspiring man-made destinations around the globe, nothing is as creative as nature."
• We Watched Every New Show on Quibi. Here's What to Watch - and What to Skip - "The new streaming platform, launching April 6, offers short-form content - 'quick bites,' hence the portmanteau - that run 10 minutes or less."
• James Bond actress Honor Blackman dies aged 94 - "Honor Blackman, the British actress who played Pussy Galore in the James Bond film Goldfinger, has died at the age of 94."
• No flour, eggs or butter? No problem! 23 cake recipes for when you're missing an ingredient - "On lockdown and feeling the urge to bake, but missing something apparently vital? Then pinch some ideas from great bakers past and present."
• Formula One could lose four teams due to lost income, says McLaren chief - "The McLaren chief executive, Zak Brown, has warned of potentially devastating effects for Formula One from the coronavirus pandemic."
• Tears, trauma and reality TV: inside Kim Kardashian West's legal crusade - "The Justice Project follows the reality star as she moves from influencer to legal advocate - but it leaves us wondering exactly what change she wants to see and why."
• Arts Society to launch online lectures for over-70s - "Lineup includes online lectures, films and live Q&As over the next few months."
• Zoom is being sued for allegedly handing over data to Facebook - "A Zoom user has filed a class-action lawsuit against the video-conferencing company for passing on data to third parties like Facebook without properly notifying users."

April 6, 2020

• US surgeon general warns of 'Pearl Harbor moment' as Americans face 'hardest week' - "The US surgeon general warned the country on Sunday that it will face a 'Pearl Harbor moment' in the next week, with an unprecedented numbers of coronavirus deaths expected coast to coast."
• Can You Be Re-Infected After Recovering From Coronavirus? Here's What We Know About COVID-19 Immunity - "Some COVID-19 patients are testing positive after recovering, but experts say the presence of antibodies should guarantee immunity."
• How science finally caught up with Trump's playbook - with millions of lives at stake - "The president’s failure to heed the warnings about coronavirus and act quickly has set in train a domino effect that now imperils large swathes of the US."
• Have I already had coronavirus? How would I know and what should I do? - "Covid-19 symptoms, when they occur, vary widely and undertesting means many people have probably been unwittingly infected."
• Can I have sex? A guide to intimacy during the coronavirus outbreak - "What are the risks associated with intimacy in the time of coronavirus? Three experts weigh in."
• What happens to people's lungs when they get coronavirus? - "Respiratory physician John Wilson explains the range of Covid-19 impacts, from no symptoms to severe illness featuring pneumonia."
• How the very rich are different in the Covid-19 fight - "While the wealthy may not be immune, their affluence makes it easier for them to insulate themselves."
• A tiger at the Bronx Zoo tests positive for coronavirus - "Nadia, a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York, has become the first of her kind to test positive for the coronavirus."
• 'We’re Definitely Spreading It.' Flight Attendants Fear They Are Losing the Fight Against the Coronavirus - "Fight attendants describe a shortage of basic protection and a lack of guidance over how to do their jobs without spreading the coronavirus."
• Japan expected to declare state of emergency - "Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will speak to experts this afternoon."
• Queen tells UK 'we will succeed' in fight - "The Queen has said the UK 'will succeed' in its fight against the coronavirus pandemic, in a rallying message to the nation."
• Trump sees 'light at the end of tunnel' in virus fight - "President Donald Trump has expressed hope coronavirus cases were 'levelling off' in US hotspots, saying he saw 'light at the end of the tunnel'."
• Why do some young people die of coronavirus? - "Covid-19 hits the old hardest, but young people are dying too. Scientists say it may be down to genes or ‘viral load’."
• US far right seeks ways to exploit coronavirus & cause social collapse - "‘Accelerationist’ groups aim to sow chaos to hasten the collapse of society and build a white supremacist one in its place."
• YouTube moves to limit spread of false coronavirus 5G theory - "Decision comes as four more phone masts are attacked."
• Google's COVID-19 reports show where people are obeying stay-at-home orders - "'Community Mobility Reports' show where we're going amid the lockdown."
• could summer heat help beat Covid-19? - "Experts are watching carefully to see if this virus will follow the seasonal pattern of flu, but warn differences may be minor."
• Disrupting the disruptors: how Covid-19 will shake up Airbnb - "Airbnb created an industry and changed the face of many neighbourhoods. Now it’s facing the challenge of the coronavirus."
• How to Keep Your Zoom Chats Private & Secure - "Trolls. Prying bosses. Zoom's a great video chat platform, but a few simple steps also make it a safe one."
• Warning: Zoom shares encription keys with China - "Zoom, the videoconferencing giant that’s been both hero and villain of the coronavirus age, sends user data to China, according to researchers."
• Walk on by: why do we ignore bad behaviour? - "It’s a familiar scenario: a packed train or bus, an unpleasant loudmouth picking on a lone passenger... and nobody does anything. What drives us to look away - and can we change?"
• Tech supply chains are still a complete mess - "Coronavirus lockdowns are wreaking havoc on our fragile manufacturing system."
• Living on a rock in the North Atlantic - "Tales from the far-flung Faroes."
• F1 in very fragile state, says McLaren boss - "Formula 1 is 'in a very fragile state' as a result of the coronavirus crisis and needs big changes to survive, McLaren boss Zak Brown says."
• QUIBI APP REVIEW: A MOBILE-ONLY VIDEO SERVICE IS A HARD SELL - "After investing $1 billion in star power and content production, Quibi is about to find out whether consumers are willing to pay $4.99 (with ads) or $7.99 (ad-free) for shows that last 10 minutes or less."
• 9 new trailers you should watch this week - "New trailers: Snowpiercer, Normal People, The Innocence Files, and more. It seems Quibi is almost here."
• The Best Pizza Ovens to Make the Perfect Slice - "In times of trouble, our nation turns to carbs. We picked our favorite portable pizza ovens for backyards, countertops, or camping."
• The Marquess of Bath obituary - "Eccentric aristocrat and chatelain of the Longleat safari park who was a favourite of newspaper gossip columns."

April 5, 2020

• Comprehensive Guide to What to Watch, Read & Listen to During Quarantine - "From rewatching all of 'Game of Thrones' to bingeing history podcasts, here's what you should watch, read and listen to while you stay home."
• Should Healthy People Wear Masks to Prevent Coronavirus? The Answer May Be Changing - "If you have no symptoms of the coronavirus, should you wear a mask? It’s one of the most-asked questions during this pandemic."

April 4, 2020

• CDC recommends people wear cloth masks to block the spread of COVID-19 - "Surgical masks and N95 respirators should be reserved for health care workers."
• 'I'm not going to do it': Trump rejects his own administration's advice on masks - "The CDC has issued new guidance on wearing non-medical masks as a voluntary public health measure - and the first lady supports it."
• The True Impact of Underlying Health Conditions on Coronavirus Severity - "A new CDC study looks at what underlying health conditions are likely to make a case of COVID-19 so severe that it leads to hospitalization."
• How to see the world without leaving your home - "Airlines around the world have grounded their flights. Countries have shut their borders, and ordered everyone indoors. The age of coronavirus has restricted our movement in every way, but it doesn't have to restrict our imagination. Here are 10 ways you can still see the world - all through the wonder of the webcam."
• Everything You Need to Work From Home Like a Pro - "Do you need a monitor, desk, webcam, or pair of headphones? Here's our ultimate laundry list of recommended gear to improve your new home office."
• How is the coronavirus affecting global air traffic? - "Data shows more and more airlines are cancelling flights, but thousands of planes remain in the air."
• Where has all the hand sanitiser gone? - "Shelves all over the world are empty, there's slim pickings online and the few suppliers that are selling are pricing at way over the odds. We're being told to wash our hands and use hand sanitiser - but a lot of people are struggling to find any."
• US accused of ‘piracy’ over mask ‘confiscation’ - "The US has been accused of redirecting 200,000 Germany-bound masks for its own use, in a move condemned as 'modern piracy'."
• Fitness tips: three exercises to do in a confined space - "An ex-prisoner shows how to exercise when your freedom of movement is curtailed."
• Why Zoom became so popular - "Its selling points also introduce privacy and security risks."
• Skype rolls out 'Meet Now' calls that don't need a sign-up or installation - "Is this enough to pull anyone away from Zoom?"
• Why supermarkets won't run out of food - "Why grocery shelves won't be empty for long. While the sight of empty supermarket shelves may lead shoppers to fear food shortages, experts in the food supply chain say the system is built to endure."
• How pets are helping us through the coronavirus crisis - "Animals are proving a lifesaver for many, providing companionship and consistency in uncertain times."
• immunity passports: an idea whose time has not come - "A phone app seems better than a passport as a way out of the lockdown. This system will need to be temporary, installed at users’ discretion and have privacy at its core."
• Masked statues around the world - in pictures - "As the medical importance of face masks has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, so has their symbolic value. Statues from Melbourne to Buenos Aires have been decorated with protective masks."
• rightwing Christian preachers in deep denial over Covid-19's danger - "A number of American religious leaders have endangered their flock by holding services - and by claiming the virus can be defeated by faith in God."
• Trump administration cut pandemic early warning program in September - "The Trump administration decided to end a $200m early warning program designed to alert it to potential pandemics just three months before it is believed Covid-19 began infecting people in China. Predict project wound down three months before outbreak. Project had identified 160 potentially dangerous coronaviruses."
• David Hockney urges us to escape lockdown through a pencil - "The artist, who has splashed joyous spring colours over our anxieties, is on a roll, sequestered in France."
• Is sugar really bad for you? - "People who eat more sweets are at higher risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer… but that may not actually be sugar’s fault. BBC Future investigates the latest findings."
• A place that makes you ask the questions that really matter - "Visitors to Antarctica are often awed and humbled by its size, and its extreme climate. But it also caused the BBC's Justin Rowlatt to reflect on the human ability to solve problems together - and to feel hope for the future."
• WHY AMAZON GOT OUT OF THE APPLE APP STORE TAX, AND WHY OTHER DEVELOPERS WON’T - "Apple needs Amazon to help its TV ambitions."
• Tiger King is a viral success because Netflix rules the jungle - "The first viral show during the world’s lockdown period."
• 10 years in, a look at the iPad killers that weren't - "None were runaway hits, but that doesn’t mean they didn’t belong in the race."
• Apple's latest acquisition could help Siri understand what you're saying - "Voysis focused on AI that could respond to natural language requests."
• A Hacker Found a Way to Take Over Any Apple Webcam - "The Safari vulnerabilities have been patched, but they would have given an alarming amount of access."
• Hotspot resorts face coronavirus crisis as rich escape to holiday hideaways - "Ski towns and luxury retreats report rising number of cases amid concern hospitals could be overwhelmed by coronavirus patients. Resort towns favored by the rich and famous are facing a coronavirus crisis as the 1% have fled cities for their holiday hideaways."
• Why Celebrities Flock to This Tiny Town in Idaho - "Since the 1930s, celebrities have escaped to Sun Valley, Idaho. But how did this region earn such a star-studded reputation?"
• H. Moser & Cie Creates Vantablack(R) Watches Based On April Fools Joke - "A think-outside-of-the-box brand, H. Moser & Cie. has, in the past, created fun April Fools Day social media posts that draw a lot of attention. Now, the independent Swiss watch brand unveils an all-new Vantablack(R) watches based on last year’s April Fools joke post."
• Slavery in New Zealand: inside the story of the Samoan chief who abused power for profit - "Joseph Auga Matamata lured villagers to his adoptive country promising work and study, reaping ‘bags of cash’ from their unpaid forced labour."
• Watch the Snowden-inspired thriller Wild by Mike Bartlett - video - "Written by Doctor Foster’s Mike Bartlett, the gripping drama Wild, staged at Hampstead theatre in 2016, is now available to watch online until 10pm on Sunday 5 April." 1:48:14.

April 3, 2020

• Global infections have passed one million - "Number of daily US deaths reaches new peak."
• the BEST GRAPHS & DATA FOR TRACKING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC - "Where to find the curve and how to see if it’s flattening."
• The (Political) Science Behind Trump's Approval Bump - "The president is presiding over a public health nightmare and a mounting economic crisis. So why are voters warming up to him?"
• 9 Future Predictions For A Post-Coronavirus World - "As the ripple of COVID-19 careens around the globe, it’s forcing humankind to innovate and change the way we work and live. The upside of where we find ourselves right now is that individuals and corporations will be more resilient in a post-COVID-19 world. Here are nine predictions of what our world may look like once we have left the pandemic behind."
• Your Doctor's Appointments Have Been Canceled. Are At-Home Tests a Good Solution? - "As the COVID-19 outbreak worsens in the U.S., at-home test kits for the virus have been a source of both hope and controversy."
• Everyone In Iceland Can Get Tested For The Coronavirus. Here's How The Results Could Help All Of Us - "The small island nation’s large-scale testing strategy includes people who don’t have any symptoms."
• Will coronavirus reverse globalisation? - "Globalisation has been one of the buzzwords of the past 25 years."
• Google reveals travel habits during the pandemic - "Google is to publicly track people's movements over the course of the coronavirus pandemic."
• Where will be the last place to catch Covid-19? - "On 12 January - less than three months ago - the coronavirus was confined to China. Not a single case had been found outside the country where it emerged."
• Alaska's Remote Villages Are Cutting Themselves Off to Avoid Even 'One Single Case' of Coronavirus - "Alaska's small, isolated villages, which have little medical infrastructure, are cutting themselves off even further to avoid COVID-19."
• 'No One Mentions the People Who Clean It Up': What It's Like to Clean Professionally During the COVID-19 Outbreak - "Janitors, housekeepers and sanitation workers are at new risks because of coronavirus. What it's like to clean during the COVID-19 outbreak."
• coronavirus pandemic is making Earth shake less - "Once-crowded city streets are now empty. Highway traffic has slowed to a minimum. And fewer and fewer people can be found milling about outside. Around the world, seismologists are observing a lot less ambient seismic noise -- meaning, the vibrations generated by cars, trains, buses and people going about their daily lives. And in the absence of that noise, Earth's upper crust is moving just a little less."
• Italy Appears to be Flattening the Curve. What Did the Country Do Right? - "The growth rate of total COVID-19 cases in Italy has been slowing since March 8, according to the Italian Civil Protection Department."
• ‘Zoom is malware’: why experts worry about the video conferencing platform - "The company has seen a 535% rise in daily traffic in the past month, but security researchers say the app is a ‘privacy disaster’."
• How U.S. Presidents Have Tried to Use Legal Action to Stop People From Insulting Them - "It is a common, and very human, response to be stung by insults. Yet Presidents and politicians recognize that being insulted is part of their profession. Almost all presidents brood in private about the insults aimed at them. George Washington complained about press 'outrages on common decency.' Richard Nixon kept an enemies list."
• 16 Top Spas Offer Tips To Help You Relax At Home - "To make your new normal more serene, we consulted some of the world’s best spas. Whether you seek self-care or more spa-like surroundings, these home wellness tips will deliver."
• Ranked: The 10 Countries Most Dependent On Tourism - "Over the past month the global travel industry has slowed to a stop thanks to the coronavirus pandemic. With planes grounded, ships docked and trains running stripped back services to promote self-isolation, the countries most dependent on tourism to survive and prosper are among those being hardest hit."
• The At-Home Cocktail To Make, Based On Your Favorite Vacation Spot - "With travel on hold for the foreseeable future, you’re missing out on those champagne sabering rituals in hotel lobbies, rum punches served at the swim-up bars and finely crafted Italian cocktails."
• Tiger King Popularity Leads Sheriff to Reopen the Case of Don Lewis's Disappearance - "There’s some news in the wild world of Netflix’s new docuseries Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness: The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has reopened the case of Carole Baskin’s missing husband, who disappeared in 1997."
• New studies reveal intriguing details about ancient humans - "Ancient humans are having a moment. Here are the fascinating new things we've learned this week about our ancestors."
• Cats may get coronavirus. Experts say it's nothing to worry about - "Our furry feline friends appear to be susceptible to catching Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Even worse, the cats in the study were able to infect each other, although they showed no signs of illness."
• Is this AI-powered 'mirror gym' the future of home exercise? - "This month, entrepreneur Trent Ward and designer Yves Behar are unveiling their sleek design for a mirror fitness system, Forme. Forme is reflective like Putnam's design, uses machine learning to optimize workouts like Tonal, and offers accessories including ankle straps, rope handles and a heart rate monitor. When not in use, the two arms that form the resistance pulley system fold behind it and the display screen disappears, turning Forme into a simple full-length mirror."
• How well do you know the foods of the world? Take our national dish quiz to find out - "Are you hot stuff or just cold leftovers? Find out in our food and travel quizathon."
• Mexico stops brewing Corona beer, deemed non-essential in epidemic - "Mexico’s Grupo Modelo said on Thursday it will temporarily stop brewing Corona beer and other brands exported to 180 countries after its business activities were declared non-essential under a government order aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus."
• Ecuador's largest waterfall has disappeared - "San Rafael Waterfall on the Coca River was a prominent tourist attraction for the country, and according to NASA, drew tens of thousands of people every year. The water dropped 150 feet into a crater-like opening on the other side."

April 2, 2020

• Everything New on Netflix in April 2020 - and What's Leaving - "While many movies’ theatrical releases have been postponed because of coronavirus, there’s no lack of great movies and shows to stream on Netflix while practicing social distancing and self-isolation this month."
• World close to a million virus infections - WHO - "WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the number infected globally will reach a million within days. The WHO is to discuss whether to change its advice and promote wider use of face masks."
• global coronavirus cases near million mark as US federal stockpile of medical equipment dwindles - "Trump says personal protective gear has nearly run out; Florida, Georgia, Mississippi ordered to shelter in place; record daily fatalities in UK. Follow the latest updates."
• Should more of us wear masks? - "Should more of us wear face masks to help slow the spread of coronavirus? Expert panel to assess face mask use by public."
• Things the US has got wrong - and got right - "It has been more than two months since the first case of coronavirus was diagnosed in the US. Since then, the outbreak has spread across the nation, with more than 200,000 cases and nearly 4,000 deaths."
• DIY Alternatives for When Stores Are Out of Coronavirus-Fighting Products - "The cyclone of panic buying that accompanied the arrival of COVID-19 continues to leave store shelves swept clear of all manner of basics. Disinfectant wipes? Gone. Toilet paper? Scarce. Hand sanitizer? Please. But in the case of most of these, there are substitutes you can buy or even do-it-yourself alternatives you can make. Here are some handy workarounds in a time of shortage."
• Lockdown living: how Europeans are avoiding going stir crazy - "People across Europe are finding increasingly inventive ways to protect themselves against the psychological risks of isolation."
• Russia sends plane full of medical supplies to US - "Russia has dispatched a cargo plane with masks and medical equipment to the US after Donald Trump accepted an offer of humanitarian aid from Vladimir Putin to fight the coronavirus outbreak. Critics likely to claim Moscow will exploit goodwill gesture as public relations coup."
• China Says It's Beating Coronavirus. But Can We Believe Its Numbers? - "Chinese authorities' claims that the country's battle against the novel coronavirus is all but won are clouded by a fog of skewed data and unreported cases."
• Global Air Pollution Has Fallen Due to the Coronavirus Outbreak, but Experts Warn It Isn't a Silver Lining - "Across the world, an unexpected impact of the economic shuttering due to the coronavirus outbreak is striking blue skies and clear water in places where only weeks ago pollution dominated."
• How We Will All Solve the Climate Crisis - "We only have one Earth. And we have the technology to save it."
• Why Iceland decided against a lockdown - "Iceland lab's testing suggests 50% of coronavirus cases have no symptoms."
• Postcard From Luxembourg: Life At The Center Of A Coronavirus Epicenter - "Despite the coronavirus epidemic sweeping through Europe, spring has arrived with its explosion of colors - even if, like here in Luxembourg, the Grand Duchy at the heart of Europe - it seems unappreciated in parks and streets void of human presence."
• After recovering, COVID-19 patients struggle to know when to stop isolating - "Guidelines are based on the limited available data."
• Tiger King is a show about how the internet eats us all - "Netflix’s documentary series will hook you immediately and leave you feeling queasy when it’s over."
• Hunting, meth & big cats: Tiger King's rarely seen version of southern queerness - "Who could have guessed that a mullet-wearing, polyamorous exotic animal owner would become TV’s most talked-about gay star?"
• $94 billion fitness industry is reinventing itself as Covid-19 spreads - "As the coronavirus continues to spread, fitness studios around the country are shutting their doors and adjusting to a new reality. The sudden shift has inspired creativity and flexibility for gyms and studios, which are largely dependent on physical locations and on-site staff."
• The godfather of fake news - "Meet one of the world’s most prolific writers of disinformation."
• The Secret To Self-Care & Why You Should Prioritize It Today - "As stress and anxiety play a significant role in many Americans’ lives, the national corporate wellness market could reach an estimated $15.5 billion by 2024. But how effective are costly meditation retreats, goat yoga classes and scented candles when it comes to quieting our minds and relaxing our bodies in today’s fast-spinning world?"
• 10 of the best places to revisit after lockdown - "Some places stand as monuments to recovery, others inspire our readers with their beauty - or the wisdom of the ancients."
• Dell XPS 13 review (2020): Tweaked to near-perfection - "The XPS 13 is more polished than ever."

April 1, 2020

• Should you or shouldn't you wear a mask right now? - "It's the debate heard 'round the world: Should you or shouldn't you wear a face mask during the coronavirus pandemic?"
• White House Projects 100,000 to 240,000 U.S. Deaths From Coronavirus - "President Donald Trump on Tuesday warned Americans to brace for a 'hell of a bad two weeks' ahead as the White House projected there could be 100,000 to 240,000 deaths in the U.S. from the coronavirus pandemic even if current social distancing guidelines are maintained."
• Working From Home? Here Are 8 Ways to Boost Your Internet Speed - "As more people work from home to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19, they’re using their home internet networks for activities usually reserved for the workplace. But your home network may not be equipped to handle all the video conferencing and file-uploading you may be doing at the moment."
• Covid-19: beware online tests and cures, experts say - "The Food and Drug Administration has not authorized any online tests for the virus, while experts warn of scams selling fake cures and masks."
• the good that can come out of upside-down world - "Our world has changed immensely in the last few weeks but amid the upheaval and distress, there are reasons to believe we can emerge from the crisis with some human qualities enhanced."
• Why Life During a Pandemic Feels So Surreal - "The study of the surreal has mostly concerned Dali's paintings and Kafka’s writings. But there are psychological reasons why every day seems so otherworldly."
• What will travel look like after coronavirus? - "As movement around the world grows more and more restricted, it's hard to imagine what travel will look like when it eventually ramps back up."
• The unusual ways countries are managing lockdowns - "Countries across the globe are taking unprecedented measures to prevent the coronavirus spreading, ranging from the extreme to the relaxed to the creative."
• Here's what comfort food looks like around the world - "Mac and cheese? Noodle soup? Top chefs share their go-to comfort foods."
• How Mr Motivator and other fitness gurus stay healthy at home - "How do you stay active when the gyms are shut? Davina McCall, Lizzie Webb and others explain the secrets to staying motivated."
• coronavirus crisis has exposed the ugly truth about celebrity culture & capitalism - "The rich and famous are desperate to prove we are all in this together - in fact, the outbreak has highlighted just how false that is."
• MICROSOFT’S SKYPE STRUGGLES HAVE CREATED A ZOOM MOMENT - "Skype is missing out to Zoom and others during the coronavirus pandemic."
• Why movie villains love radical architecture - "Why movie villains love modern architecture. 'Modern domestic architecture has become identified almost exclusively with characters who are evil, unstable, selfish, obsessive, and driven by pleasure of the flesh,' Joseph Rosa writes in an essay."
• MUTO E-BIKE REVIEW: MULTIPURPOSE EXCELLENCE - "A near-perfect city bike with innovative ‘Click & Roll’ accessory system."
• Superyacht Owners Escape For Open Waters With Hospital Rooms & Private Nurses - "Most yachts over 300 feet contain mini-hospitals, or secure medical rooms, and yacht nurse staffing agencies can barely keep up with the increase in demand following the coronavirus outbreak. As yacht owners find themselves virtually isolated in their foreign locations, the need for onboard medical protection is an urgent necessity."

March 31, 2020

• ‘We can’t go back to normal’: how will coronavirus change the world? - "Times of upheaval are always times of radical change. Some believe the pandemic is a once-in-a-generation chance to remake society and build a better future. Others fear it may only make existing injustices worse."
• It's Time to Face Facts, America: Masks Work - "Official advice has been confusing, but the science isn't hard to grok. Everyone should cover up."
• Why Is Germany's Coronavirus Death Rate So Low? - "With more than 67,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of March 30, Germany is one of the countries worst-affected by the pandemic."
• In Singapore, Quarantine Comes With Sea View, Room Service - "Some returning Singapore residents are placed in hotels."
• Spanish princess becomes first royal to die from coronavirus - "Spain's Princess Maria Teresa of Bourbon-Parma has become the first royal in the world to die from coronavirus. The princess, a distant cousin of King Felipe VI, was 86 and died in Paris on Thursday, her brother said."
• Christianity Offers No Answers About the Coronavirus. It's Not Supposed To - "There is a reason we normally try to meet in the flesh. There is a reason solitary confinement is such a severe punishment. And this Lent has no fixed Easter to look forward to. We can’t tick off the days. This is a stillness, not of rest, but of poised, anxious sorrow."
• Trump Administration Rules Gun Shops Are 'Essential' Businesses During Coronavirus Closures - "Gun control groups are balking, calling it a policy that puts profits over public health after intense lobbying by the firearms industry."
• Joggers v walkers: the battle for our pathways during the coronavirus crisis "Relations are turning fractious as runners and pedestrians compete for dominance of the nation’s footpaths. Where will it all end?"
• How to set up a Slack account - "Slack your co-workers from six feet away or more."
• I went to a sneaker launch in VR because of the coronavirus - "Asics' new sneaker launch was in VR... it could be the start of a trend."

March 30, 2020

• New dates for Olympic Games confirmed for 2021 - "The Tokyo Olympics will be held from July 23 to August 8 in 2021, according to Tokyo 2020 Organization Committee President Yoshiro Mori, who said he had reached agreement on the dates with International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach following a Monday phone call."
• Coronavirus cases top 721,000 globally - "US has more than 139,700 cases, the most of any country | More than 33,000 have died worldwide | Moscow to begin a citywide quarantine Monday."
• Trump says keeping US Covid-19 deaths to 100,000 would be a ‘very good job’ - "President extends social distancing rules to 30 April, saying open for Easter plans were only ‘aspirational’."
• Lockdown, what lockdown? Sweden's unusual response - "While swathes of Europe's population endure lockdown conditions in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, one country stands almost alone in allowing life to go on much closer to normal."
• Could the Swedish lifestyle help fight coronavirus? - "Swedes are used to living alone, following rules and championing innovation. How much will these social norms help during the coronavirus crisis?"
• Can Your Relationship Survive the Togetherness of a Pandemic? Here Are 11 Things Couples' Therapists Recommend - "Staying at home due to coronavirus concerns is recommended for public health. But what does it do to a relationship?"
• Why Our Affluent Society Is Facing Shortages in the Face of the Coronavirus Pandemic? - "How come the world's richest country doesn't have enough face masks? Economist Joseph E. Stiglitz on how private markets are failing."
• Timelapse: The streets of London during the coronavirus pandemic - "In the heart of London, a city home to more than nine million people, it’s rare to see the streets so empty."
• 10 virtual tours of the world’s most famous landmarks - "They’re closed for now but you can still take an interactive online tour, to gaze over the edge of Machu Picchu and marvel at the Pyramids from every angle."
• A viral text warns taking Advil could make COVID-19 symptoms worse, but experts say it’s unfounded - "The information claims to be coming from ‘Vienna’s laboratory studying COVID-19’."
• 11 NEW TRAILERS YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS WEEK - "New trailers: Killing Eve, Upload, Murder House Flip, and more."
• Looking for a distraction? Here are 25 of our favourite long reads - "If you feel like reading about something other than coronavirus - and filling some more time during lockdown - then dive into a few of these highlights from the long read archive."
• Coronavirus has exposed the reality of a world without work - "This pandemic is throwing into stark relief a treacherous fact: we depend on employment, both for survival and a sense of self."
• 10 Ways to Stay Sane & Active While Social Distancing - "There’s no denying that the Coronavirus (COVID-19) has put a stop to almost all outdoor activities. With increased home quarantines and social distancing measures, cancelling outdoor adventures has become the new norm. This may leave you bored, anxious, and searching for ways to stay fit. We feel ya! That’s why we’ve put together this guide with ways to stay sane and active during the pandemic."
• Amid our fear, we’re rediscovering utopian hopes of a connected world - "The coronavirus blitz spirit has focused our interest on networks that make us stronger - the NHS, the BBC and the internet itself."
• 'Impossible to comprehend': Stephen King on horrors of Trump & coronavirus - "Years after his pandemic novel, bestselling author tells CNN he is mystified that US was not better prepared."
• Is fake meat getting too much like the real thing? - "From the bleeding Impossible Burger to ‘full-muscle’ mushroom steaks, we’ve entered the uncanny valley of meat alternatives."
• Bernie Ecclestone sees little hope for F1 in 2020 - "The 89-year-old former F1 supremo, speaking to Reuters from the seclusion of his locked-down farm in Brazil, Bernie Ecclestone, holds little hope of Formula One racing this season due to the coronavirus pandemic and said he would have declared it game over already."
• Trump Tweets That U.S. Won't Pay for Meghan and Harry's Security - "Unconfirmed reports say the couple and their 10-month-old son Archie recently flew to Los Angeles, where Meghan was raised."
• Helvetica: The font that changed the world - "The game-changing typeface made to go unnoticed." Even if you've never heard of it, Helvetica has been part of your life. This typeface is, very literally, everywhere: computer screens, billboards, buildings, street signs and posters.
• Woody Allen's memoir is the most damning indictment yet - "The film director’s own words reveal him to be a scheming, sexist, creepy adventurer."

March 29, 2020

• Bill Gates makes prediction about coronavirus peak - "Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation co-founder Bill Gates says that the US should shutdown the entire country for a short period of time to control the spread of the coronavirus and predicts that the number of cases will peak in late April."
• 5 best chat apps for your coronavirus quarantine - ranked! - "Group video platforms are making a heroic rise from last resort to daily routine as people stay indoors. We tried five of the most popular ones out there."
• The two tests that will help to predict spread of Covid-19 - "One detects past infection, the other finds current viral load - but there’s a shortage of staff trained to carry them out."
• When Did You Know You Had Cabin Fever? - "Now that folks are sheltering in place, they're spending a lot more time online - talking about being sheltered in place."
• 14 Apps & Tools to Stave Off Cabin Fever - "Millions of people are staying inside for the indefinite future. Here are a few apps to help you socialize, exercise, and meditate from your own home."
• 20 learning apps for stir-crazy kids - "These fun-filled educational apps provide perfect brain food for children while schools are closed"
• A new COVID-19 test can return results in 5 minutes - "It can run at urgent care clinics and doctors’ offices."
• How to Help - Or Get Help - in the Coronavirus Pandemic - "Here are some ways to give or get help during the coronavirus pandemic, from taking action in your local community to giving money or donating to health care workers."
• Coronavirus Pandemic May Be Causing an Anxiety Pandemic - "It's too early in the pandemic to know the exact extent to which anxiety disorders are on the rise. The clinical cases are lost in the noise of the global panic."
• NOW IS A GREAT TIME TO BUY AN E-BIKE - "Social distance over greater distances."
• The entire world is streaming more than ever - and it’s straining the internet - "Governments and ISPs are trying to manage strain."
• Dyson to manufacture 15,000 ventilators following UK call for help - "It developed the 'CoVent' in just 10 days using its digital motor technology."
• The surveillance profiteers of COVID-19 are here - "1: collect data; 2: track virus; 3: ??? -- 4: profit."
• You Are Not ‘Essential’ - As The Coronavirus Cripples Our Economy The Definition What’s Really Essential Has Already Changed - "In guidelines released this week, food shops (including takeaways), health shops, pharmacies, banks, post offices and petrol stations have unsurprisingly been named as essential. Slightly more surprising included on the list are bicycle shops, hardware shops, laundrettes and dry cleaners, garages, car rentals, pet shops and corner shops."
• 'He didn't even pretend to let us win'... Growing up with the world's biggest stars, by their children - "The sons and daughters of John Wayne, John Lennon, Caitlyn Jenner and others tell us what it was like to grow up with a world-famous dad."

March 28, 2020

• Coronavirus: Why You Must Act Now - "Politicians, Community Leaders and Business Leaders: What Should You Do and When?"
• How safe is takeaway food & grocery shopping? - "How can I shop or get deliveries and takeaways safely? Remember a time - just a few weeks ago - when a trip to the supermarket wasn't restricted to the 'basic necessities' to be done 'as infrequently as possible'?"
• Air pollution drops as Europeans stay at home - "Most Europeans are currently living under severe restrictions, stuck at home, desperately hoping for the coronavirus pandemic to pass soon. On the flip side: the air is cleaner than it's been in a long time."
• Solitary refinement: a lockdown survival guide - "How do you adapt to working from home, keep fit, maintain a social life - and maybe even cut your hair?"
• The bill for saving the world economy is $7 trillion & rising "The United States, Europe, Japan, China and India are unleashing trillions of dollars in government spending and newly created money as they desperately attempt to keep the global economy from sinking into depression."
• McDonald's & other brands are making 'social distancing' logos - "It's not just people that are social distancing. Brands are doing it too. McDonald's, Coca-Cola, Audi and Volkswagen are just a few of the corporate conglomerates that are interpreting "social distancing" with logo redesigns."
• We're Online More Than Ever Right Now. Can the Internet Itself Keep Up? - "With so many people online, home Internet speeds have slowed down just slightly due to the increased network congestion."
• We're Always Behind on Coronavirus. We Need to Start Planning Ahead to Beat It - "If it’s anything we’ve learned from the COVID-19 pandemic thus far, it’s that we will always be behind if we only react to what’s happening."
• Loneliness Was a Public Health Crisis Long Before Social Distancing. Here’s How We Can Solve It - "Loneliness is a universal condition. The irony is that its antidote - human connection - is also a universal condition, writes former surgeon general of the United States Vivek Murthy."
• Inside the Survivalist Bunker Where Some Wealthy People Hope to Ride Out Coronavirus - "The Kansas-based Survival Condo is built to withstand a nuclear attack - but a virus, they believe, can be kept outside too. A pandemic, like any other crisis, has a way of exposing the chasm between the haves and have-nots, and perhaps the deepest trench right now is the one between the one percenters self-quarantining in dramatic and expensive fashion—and the rest of humanity. While most of us scroll social media and stay glued to cable news, Peter Thiel has a New Zealand hideaway and Jeff Bezos reportedly rules over 300,000 acres in West Texas. We’ve all probably heard about them, but did we ever really think we’d see them put to use?"

March 27, 2020

• US overtakes China with most coronavirus cases - "The US now has more confirmed cases of coronavirus than any other country, with more than 85,500 positive tests."
• UK prime minister Boris Johnson tests positive for Covid-19 - "In a video posted on Twitter minutes ago, the prime minister confirmed he had developed mild symptoms over the last 24 hours and tested positive for coronavirus."
• Panic At The Gun Shop: Coronavirus Fears Cause A Run On Ammo & Firearms - "Toilet paper, hand sanitizer and now bullets."
• You’ve Tested Positive for COVID-19. Who Has a Right to Know? - "In a pandemic, privacy concerns must be balanced with the need to protect others, but there are infinite variables."
• 13 Things on the Internet to Lift Your Spirits Right Now - "As the coronavirus' continuing spread contains us in our homes, good citizens of the Internet have stepped up to help fill the void of physical human connection."
• Blood Plasma Treatment for Coronavirus Set to Get Its First Trial Run in New York - "Doctors are eager to start infusing sick coronavirus patients with plasma from people who have recovered from the disease."
• Prince Charles may help us keep calm & stay home - "Many will be able to relate to the experience of separation from their loved ones during the current outbreak. At least, the royals have provided a conspicuous example of how seriously everyone should treat the coronavirus."
• How to keep 2m social distancing - "What two metres looks like."
• 7 ways you can stop viral misinformation - "Coronavirus misinformation is flooding the internet and experts are calling on the public to practice 'information hygiene'. What can you do to stop the spread of bad information?"
• How COVID-19 is changing public perception of big tech companies - "The backlash against tech giants may not be over - but at the very least it’s on pause."
• Super-rich jet off to disaster bunkers amid coronavirus outbreak - "‘Self isolate’ for some of world’s richest means Covid-19 tests abroad, personal medics and subterranean hideouts."
• Why infectious diseases are on the rise - "Covid-19: The history of pandemics. Throughout history, nothing has killed more human beings than infectious disease. Covid-19 shows how vulnerable we remain - and how we can avoid similar pandemics in the future."
• Isolation will fuel gambling addiction - "For so many businesses, quarantine means a downturn. Not for the online gaming industry."
• inside the race to develop a coronavirus vaccine - "Around the world, more than 40 teams are working on a vaccine for Covid-19. We followed one doctor in the most urgent quest of his life."
• Best Ways To Keep Your Car’s Interior Virus-Free - "It’s best practice to keep the interior of you car, truck, or SUV sanitized under normal circumstances to help prevent to spread of cold and flu germs, but it’s more crucial than ever with the coronavirus (COVID-19) hanging over our heads like the proverbial sword of Damocles."
• How ventilators work and why they are so important in saving people with coronavirus - "A shortage of ventilators will put lives at risk, so health authorities around the world are doing everything they can to get more."
• how the hazmat suit came to represent disease, danger - and hope - "On the one hand faceless and frightening, on the other a symbol of heroic resistance to deadly viruses, here’s how the hazmat suit became a symbol of our times."
• 20 of the best travel films - "From Rome to the Amazon, in these 20 films stunning locations play a starring role - and they’re all on now at a laptop or TV near you."
• Zoom is 2020’s hottest yoga studio - "Instructors move online as studios shut down."
• WhatsApp Upgrade Warning: Here’s What 2 Billion Users Need To Know - "Users are now being exposed to a recurring security risk. That risk revolves around a warning that spread about a malicious WhatsApp message that first appeared back in 2016. The warning, which spread virally as these things have a habit of doing, involved a supposed WhatsApp invitation to upgrade to WhatsApp Gold. Accept the invite, and users would be asked to click a download link, which in turn would install malware on their device."
• Japanese Whisky Declared ‘World’s Best Single Malt 2020’ At The World Whisky Awards - "Every year, the winners of the World Whisky Awards, organized by Whisky Magazine, are announced at a very nice gala dinner event. This year however, with the coronavirus pandemic looming large, the usual pomp and circumstance had to unfortunately be stripped back to a live social media feed on Facebook and Twitter announcing the best whiskies, its Icons of Whisky, and its newest Whisky Hall of Fame members."
• Apple iPad Pro 12.9 review - "The rest is yet to come." Can trackpads, LiDAR and a (slightly) better GPU make this a laptop killer?
• APPLE MACBOOK AIR (2020) REVIEW - "The best Mac for most people." All it needed was a totally new keyboard and faster processors.
• The Best Compact Cameras You Can Buy - "Your phone's portrait mode is no match for a real point-and-shoot camera's portrait lens."
• Zip it, Kim Kardashian - Taylor Swift is the Marmite we're all coming to love - "It’s true the singer isn’t everyone’s favourite, but the online pasting she’s been subjected to leaves a very nasty taste in the mouth."
• Why revamping your wardrobe is the perfect lockdown distraction - "Need to exert a little control in these chaotic times? Streamlining your clothes is the ideal project for when you are staying in - and will set you up for working from home."
• Abbey Road zebra crossing repainted in coronavirus lockdown - "Council workers take advantage of the empty streets to spruce up the crossing featured on the cover of the 1969 Beatles album."
• Scientists find bug that feasts on toxic plastic - "Bacterium is able to break down polyurethane, which is widely used but rarely recycled."
• Bob Dylan releases first original song in eight years, 17-minute track about JFK - "Singer says Murder Most Foul, ‘recorded a while back’, is a gift to fans for their support and loyalty over the years."

March 26, 2020

• The scariest aspects of the coronavirus are what we can't see on TV - "We're not able to see inside the emergency rooms and intensive care units where this invisible demon is being fought. We're not able to see the front lines. Or the full extent of the human suffering. We only hear about the battle through the testimonies of doctors and nurses; though the pleas of governors and mayors; and through interviews with patients who are well enough to call in via Skype."
• Men are much more likely to die from coronavirus - but why? - "Trend has been replicated in all nations, but scientists cannot yet fathom the cause."
• 4 easy steps to keep coronavirus out of your house - "Covid-19 tips: How to clean your home. The coronavirus can live on surfaces for several days. Here's how to clean and disinfect your home properly to stay safe."
• Don't use the microwave; top tips for speedy broadband - "Internet connections are under increasing strain as millions of people self-isolate due to coronavirus, and it turns out your microwave could play a role in keeping your household online."
• An At-Home Coronavirus Test May Be on the Way in the U.S. - "In about two months if the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives Emergency Use Authorization to the first blood-based COVID-19 test in the U.S. Scanwell Health, an at-home test company based in California, licensed the rights to a test developed by Chinese company Innovita, which was used extensively at the height of country’s epidemic earlier this year."
• What Coronavirus Isolation Could Do to Your Mind (and Body) - "Social distancing can lead to adverse psychological and physiological effects. But there are things you can do to maintain your overall health."
• President Trump's Dangerous & Foolish Impatience on Coronavirus - "President Trump’s statements betray a fundamental ignorance about our nation’s federalist system."
• Spain’s death toll surpasses China’s - "Spain’s death toll from the coronavirus has surpassed the official figure from China, becoming the second highest in the world."
• Capital by capital, coronavirus shuts Europe down - "How are Europeans coping with shutdown? Across the Continent, Europeans are facing a barrage of restrictions on their freedoms as the authorities struggle to stop the new coronavirus spreading further. BBC correspondents describe the challenges faced in the cities where they live."
• Today's luxury hotel is tomorrow's coronavirus hospital - "With global travel at a standstill -- and millions of people projected to contract Covid-19 in the coming months -- governments around the world are looking to otherwise closed hotels as a way to alleviate stresses on overburdened health systems."
• 14 Podcasts for Social Distancing, From Home Cooking to Homeschooling - "Here’s a list of podcasts that will help to keep you sane, informed and entertained during these trying times."
• Why some countries wear face masks and others don't - "Step outside your door without a face mask in Hong Kong, Seoul or Tokyo these days, and you may well get a disapproving look."
• Amazon warehouses are getting hit with coronavirus cases - "Amazon warehouses are facing a growing tide of coronavirus cases with at least 10 facilities hit so far, according to Amazon and local media reports."
• 5 Lessons From Coronavirus That Will Help Us Tackle Climate Change - "Could the devastating impact of the new coronavirus pandemic destroy the momentum that the climate movement has built up over the last year? Some say so, fearing that the economic fallout will push climate down the list of priorities for governments, and that travel restrictions will force a delay to the U.N. climate conference."
• Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Jolie, Kardashians self-isolating at their luxury mansions - "Coronavirus has imposed lockdown in several countries of the world and affected a large number of people across the globe. But if you have a million dollars to spare it can be an ideal self-isolation like the sparkling Hollywood A-Listers."
• Everything new in iPadOS & iOS 13.4 - "Apple has officially released iOS 13.4 which brings a huge array of new features to uses as well as a few enhancements for developers. Now that it is available to download, let's take a look at what you can expect with the newest update for iPhone and iPad."
• 10 Virtual Book Clubs You Can Join Now - And How to Start Your Own - "With movies, concerts, bar trivia night and other live events canceled due to the coronavirus crisis, more and more people seem to be turning to literature to pass the time."
• Tom Hanks' 25 best films - ranked! - "The actor was one of the first celebrities to contract coronavirus. To celebrate his recovery, we round up his finest performances."
• Comfort viewing: our favourite shows to rewatch in lockdown - "From Tony Soprano’s ever-expanding waistline to Buffy’s student army, 10 writers tell us the TV they are most likely to rewatch - and why."

March 25, 2020

• Prince Charles was at an event with Prince Albert of Monaco days before he tested positive for the coronavirus - "Prince Albert of Monaco sat across from Prince Charles at a charity event days before testing positive for the coronavirus."
• Welcome to the Golden Age of Live-Streaming - "Coronavirus has the over-30 set not only understanding Gen Z’s love of YouTube stars and live streams - we’re relying on the same platforms to stay sane."
• Why Losing Your Sense of Smell Could Be a Symptom of COVID-19 - "As more and more people around the world are becoming infected by the new coronavirus, there has been a spike in people reporting a loss of smell, and by extension taste, according to doctors."
• Understanding the Coronavirus Pandemic, in 5 Charts - "By now, it has become clear that COVID-19 is not -just the flu. Without a vaccine or treatment available, the novel coronavirus has spread through communities around the world virtually unchecked, prompting entire cities and countries to go into lockdown - their best defense against the fast-moving illness."
• India goes quite as 1.3nb told to stay at home - "India's 1.3 billion people went into lockdown at midnight."
• How to go for a walk safely, without getting shamed - "There's now a new phenomenon - known as 'quarantine shaming' - to try to keep people indoors."
• Why soap, sanitizer & warm water work against Covid-19- "Tired of washing your hands for 20 seconds each time? Fingers starting to prune or feel like sandpaper? Please don't stop."
• Why we all need to be social distancing - "As countries around the world implement measures to keep people from mixing, BBC Future looks at the evidence behind why it is such a crucial step in the fight against Covid-19."
• What to know before you make summer vacation plans - "Will it be safe - and acceptable - to travel come June and July? And is now a good time to start planning summer travel?"
• The Moral Dilemma of Coronavirus Quarantines - "A coronavirus quarantine causes two of our more primal impulses, selfishness and altruism, to bump up against each other."
• Backyard chickens in huge demand as coronavirus shopping frenzy empties supermarkets - "First they came for the toilet paper, then the pasta. Now chicken breeders are being inundated as more householders turn to backyard chooks for egg supplies while supermarket shelves empty of staple food products."
• What Astronauts Can Teach Us About Isolation & Quarantine - "One thing astronauts who are not actually in space at the moment have on the rest of us is that, given their experience with quarantine and isolation, they’re far less likely than we are to go stir-crazy while stuck at home during the corona crisis. As a result, they have a lot to teach us. One thing we share with them is that staying occupied always helps."
• What Can History Teach Today's Leaders? Doris Kearns Goodwin Shares Presidential Lessons for the Coronavirus Pandemic - "When historian Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote Leadership: In Turbulent Times, she could not have known just how turbulent the upcoming times would be. The 2018 book is an examination of the lessons gleaned from her study of four American Presidents - Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson - and how they approached the most trying moments of their year in office."
• Taking a bath isn't just relaxing. It could also be good for your heart, study says - "Ending your day with a hot bath might have more benefits relaxation. It could also lower your risk of heart disease and stroke, a new study finds."
• Tokyo Olympics Officially Postponed Until 2021 Due to Coronavirus Outbreak - "The International Olympic Committee made the decision after speaking with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and local organizers."
• Spies Working From Home: How Coronavirus Is Impacting U.S. Intelligence Networks Across the World - "While the coronavirus is exacting a far larger toll on people losing income, jobs and even lives, it also poses an unprecedented problem for intelligence officers."
• Taylor Swift’s fury at ‘four years of hell’ at the hands of Kim Kardashian & Kanye West - "With massive fame and even bigger fortunes, they are three of the hugest stars on the planet."

March 24, 2020

• Tokyo Olympics to be postponed to 2021 due to coronavirus pandemic - "Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, will propose a one-year postponement for the Tokyo Olympics during talks with IOC president, Thomas Bach."
• President Trump Is Already Considering Defying Health Experts to Boost the Economy - "At a press conference Monday evening, Trump appeared to lean towards reopening businesses as soon as possible against the advice of medical experts."
• Will the Coronavirus Ever Go Away? Here's What One of the WHO's Top Experts Thinks - "Dr. Bruce Aylward has almost 30 years experience in fighting polio, Ebola and other diseases. Now he's turned his attention to stopping the spread of COVID-19."
• Why the West is failing on coronavirus. A behavioral expert explains - "People in the West are ignoring advice to stay home. That's because it's too confusing, one expert says."
• Coronavirus pandemic is 'accelerating', WHO warns as cases pass 300,000 - "It took 67 days from the first reported of Covid-19 to reach 100,000 cases, 11 days for the second 100,000, and just four days for the third 100,000."
• Did the new coronavirus come from bats or pangolins? - "Wait, What’s a Pangolin? This highly endangered and frequently trafficked creatur might be the source of COVID-19."
• Africa's Mountain Gorillas Could Also Be at Risk From Coronavirus - "As the coronavirus infects more people around the world, conservationists are warning of the risk to another vulnerable species: Africa’s endangered mountain gorilla."
• Is There Actually a Link Between Vaping & Coronavirus? - "Experts say it’s impossible to say for sure."
• Will Warmer Weather Stop the Spread of the Coronavirus? Don't Count on It, Say Experts - "Infectious disease experts say while the factors that cause other viruses to retreat during the summer months could affect this coronavirus in a similar way, there’s no way to be sure. And, even if the virus’ spread does slow as temperatures rise, that doesn’t mean it will be gone for good."
• How an Austrian ski resort helped coronavirus spread across Europe - "Four days after his return home, Lerfeldt tested positive for the coronavirus, or Covid-19, as did one of his friends he was traveling with. But they are just two among hundreds of people from all over Europe whose infections are traced back to Ischgl, some of them directly to Kitzloch, according to European authorities."
• Coronavirus Job Opportunities Put Workers on the Front Lines of the Epidemic - "Grocery stores, delivery companies and others are urgently seeking workers. But many open jobs put workers at risk of contracting the virus."
• Have the Olympics Ever Been Canceled? Here's the History - "When planning began for the 2020 Olympics, 10,000 athletes were scheduled to march into Tokyo’s national stadium for the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics. An estimated 600,000 overseas visitors were expected to flock to the Japanese capital for the world’s largest sporting event, set to run July 24 through August 9."
• Man runs length of a marathon on his balcony - "A man ran the length of a marathon all from his balcony during France's coronavirus lockdown. Last week, Elisha Nochomovitz, a 32-year-old furloughed restaurant worker, ran the length of a marathon (26.2 miles) -- on his 23-foot long balcony."
• How bookshops are reacting to the global pandemic - "As more countries go into lockdown, bookshops around the world are having to think of creative ways to serve their customers and communities."
• In the battle against coronavirus, personal privacy is at risk - "As countries around the world fight the spread of the coronavirus, several governments are using technology to monitor quarantines - particularly of people coming in from overseas. Israel this week approved the use of cellphone tracking technology to monitor suspected coronavirus patients - an option normally used only for counterterrorism. Thailand is reportedly giving all new arrivals at its airports a free SIM card and making them download an app that tracks their location for 14 days."
• Coronavirus is 'the great equalizer,' Madonna tells fans from her bathtub - "In the clip posted to her Instagram and Twitter accounts Sunday, the singer shared her somber thoughts on the global pandemic, which has killed more than 14,700 people worldwide, saying it doesn't discriminate."
• Everything you Need to Know About Superyacht Charter - "With the worldwide outbreak of coronavirus causing uncertainty across the travel market, the superyacht industry shares travel advice if you are planning a luxury superyacht charter amid COVID-19."
• Parking in a pandemic: Grounded planes scramble for storage space - "At any given time -- pre-coronavirus era -- there were usually as many as 20,000 planes swirling around the planet at altitude. The system isn't designed for that amount of planes to be anywhere else apart from in the air -- the only place they generate revenue. Parking at airports is also pricey. Major European hubs can charge in the region of $285 an hour."
• why there is no such thing as 'natural' talent - "Our simple steps to mastering any skill."
• Now Is the Perfect Time to Revisit the Movies That Brought America Comfort in the Past - "We aren’t the first humans to have faced hardship and uncertainty, and those who came before us have left all sorts of survival manuals. The movies of Depression-era Hollywood - melodramas and gangster stories, comedies and musicals - constitute just one of those guides."
• WATER CAKE: A DAIRY-FREE, EGG-FREE, MAGIC CAKE - "This magic cake that doesn’t use any milk, eggs or butter is perfect for self-isolation."
• easy meals from a handful of ingredients - "Need something simple that doesn't require many ingredients? We've put together our most basic recipes for when supplies are low and your time is in demand."
• Burlesque star Dita Von Teese opens door to her stunning home - "Inside the maximalist LA home of burlesque star Dita Von Teese."
• Billionaires seek sanctuary from coronavirus aboard superyachts - "Vessels are being booked for months-long charters in remote locations as the rich luxuriously self-isolate in remote destinations."

March 23, 2020

• 7 Best UNESCO World Heritage Sites You Can Visit Without Leaving Home - "The coronavirus has brought travel to a standstill. The good news is that there are ways to indulge your wanderlust and exercise your mind without leaving the house. Thanks to Google and UNESCO, you can visit many of the world’s most awe-inspiring official World Heritage Sites without the crowds or the jet lag."
• the films to get through tough times - "Cinema has always been a tool for escapism, so in these extremely challenging times, Nicholas Barber selects some cinematic gems to help you feel better."
• Why the world's happiest countries are better prepared for a pandemic - "During a pandemic, what does being the world's happiest country mean? It's about the social safety net and other supports systems the country has in place before trouble strikes."
• Our best hope for fighting coronavirus - CNN Opinion.
• More coronavirus myths to ignore - "Holding your breath and drinking cow urine? Reality Check's Chris Morris busts more health myths about Covid-19 being shared online."
• Why does Russia, population 146 million, have fewer coronavirus cases than Luxembourg? - "Russian President Vladimir Putin said this week his country managed to stop the mass spread of coronavirus -- and that the situation was "under control," thanks to early and aggressive measures to keep more people from getting the disease."
• How firms move to secret offices amid Covid-19 - "From 9/11 to coronavirus, big emergencies call for big responses - like how some firms move to secret empty offices in undisclosed locations to stay safe."
• 5 superpowers ruling the world in 2050 - "In 30 years, most of the world’s largest economies will be those that are emerging today, surpassing current behemoths such as the US, Japan and Germany."
• Coronavirus is bringing a plague of dangerous doomsday predictions - "Government and public health officials have issued all sorts of guidelines to help people protect themselves against the spread of Covid-19. But there's another contagion that experts seem helpless to stop: The plague of prophets warning that the coronavirus is a sign we're at the 'end of days.'"
• Taylor Swift & Kanye West’s 2016 Phone Call Leaks: Read the Full Transcript - "Swift fans believe it vindicates her of charges she lied about not being told all the 'Famous' lyrics. Either way, the 25-minute call diverges fascinatingly into West's relationship with his wife, Drake rivalry, debt load and confidence of becoming 'a multi, multi, multi-billionaire.'"
• Why is polyamory stigmatised? - "The people redefining faithfulness. We often see a relationship as an exclusive understanding between two people. But this norm is increasingly coming under scrutiny as people find other ways to redefine romantic love."

March 22, 2020

• How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer - "No Purell? No problem! When disinfecting gel sells out everywhere, you can just make some yourself with stuff you (maybe) already have at home."
• Step-by-step guide: How to video call your family - "If you are self-isolating at home, video-chatting can help you stay in touch with your friends and family."
• Experts’ tips on surviving - even enjoying - life under lockdown - "Missing the pub? Invite friends to online cocktails. That’s just one tip from our panel of experts on how to make the most of enforced downtime."
• Top tips for staying positive online during the coronavirus crisis - "Even at the best of times, the way we use the internet and social media can add stress to our lives and leave us feeling overwhelmed. In the midst of a global pandemic, this risk is even greater."
• Germany's low coronavirus mortality rate intrigues experts - "Some query data methodology while others say high testing rates are giving more accurate picture."
• What happens when everyday life suddenly changes? - "Lessons from the lockdown."
• Google launches educational coronavirus website - "COVID-19 Information & Resources."
• WIRED’s Video Guide to Extreme Indoor Activities - "To beat back the boredom of isolation, take a spin through our backlog of videos featuring world-class pastime enthusiasts."
• Why drinking water won't stop Covid-19 - "A rumour about Covid-19 has been spreading - that drinking water regularly and keeping your mouth moist can protect you. Here BBC Future examines the evidence."
• Stuck at home? Look to the skies - "Observing celestial sights could connect us during a time when we're forced to be physically apart."
• how to manage coronavirus anxiety - "We are not wired to tolerate uncertainty - and these are the most uncertain of times. But while increased anxiety is only natural, we can all adopt strategies to control it."
• Ai Weiwei: ‘An artist must be an activist’ - "The Chinese artist answers questions from Observer readers and art world luminaries on creativity and protest, Chinese politics - and why he never cooks the same dish twice."
• Why this color is controversial - "Refined, rebellious and not just for girls: A cultural history of pink."
• Old tech’s new wave, or why we still love faxes, pagers & cassettes - "Once seen as cutting edge, many of yesterday’s gadgets are - surprisingly - still in use or are making a comeback."

March 21, 2020

• Five reasons to find hope amid chaos - "Creativity, kindness and canals offer hope amid outbreak. We appreciate that these are dark times for people around the world, as the coronavirus continues to spread. Numbers of infections and fatalities are rising, cities and even countries are shutting and many people are being forced into isolation. But amid all the worrying news, there have also been reasons to find hope."
• One in five Americans ordered to stay at home - "A number of US states have ordered shutdowns with one in five Americans soon set to be under a 'stay at home' order."
• All the Gear You Might Need During a Pandemic - "Gear and Tips to Help You Get Through the Coronavirus Pandemic. Don't: hoard toilet paper and medical masks. Do: make sure you have plenty of food, water, and indoor activities."
• How to debunk COVID-19 conspiracy theories - "The novel coronavirus was not created in a lab."
• Data from China shows the majority of people with Covid-19 only suffer mild symptoms, then recover - "Most people who contract the novel coronavirus experience mild symptoms, according to data from China, where the worst of the epidemic now appears to be over."
• Trump Refashions Himself as a Wartime President - "Trump’s rhetorical shift to saying the country is at war reflects a strategy to blunt criticism and push blame for the tumbling economy onto a foreign power."
• What's a ‘Shelter in Place’ Order, and Who’s Affected? - "The spreading coronavirus prompts public officials in several states and cities to order residents to stay inside, except for 'essential' business."
• COVID-19 Testing Is Supposed to Be Free. Here's Why You Might Still Get Billed - "Congress has passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which requires insurers to cover services relating 'to the furnishing or administration' of a COVID-19 test."
• Millennials Aren't Taking Coronavirus Seriously, a Top WHO Official Warns - "The age range of the millennial generation varies, with some sources defining it as 1981 to 1996, though the U.S. Census has said it includes those born between 1982 and 2000."
• Facebook has a coronavirus problem. It's WhatsApp - "Governments and medical officials are scrambling to provide the public with accurate and timely information about the novel coronavirus. But those efforts are being undermined by the spread of medical misinformation and fake cures on one of the world's most popular messaging platforms."
• Police take action on Bondi Beach crowds - "Police in Sydney have closed Bondi Beach after crowds exceeded Australia's outdoor gathering limit."

March 20, 2020

• 10 Movies About Social Distancing to Watch While Practicing Social Distancing - "There are plenty of ways to stay entertained while practicing social distancing - and one of the best is to update your streaming queue with films that make the case for the humor, the beauty and occasionally even the profound life lessons learned from time spent alone."
• 5 ways to bring art into your home while museums are closed - "Find ways to bring art and culture into your home virtually. Under the Instagram hashtag #MuseumFromHome, cultural institutions have shared several informative posts about their collections and other artworks in an effort to continue to share knowledge and culture with the public, despite the closings."
• Ways to stay social online while in self-isolation - "Everyone should avoid non-essential contact with others to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the prime minister has said."
• When will the outbreak end and life get back to normal? - "The world is shutting down. Places that were once teeming with the hustle and bustle of daily life have become ghost-towns with massive restrictions put on our lives - from lockdowns and school closures to travel restrictions and bans on mass gatherings."
• COVID-19 Scams Are Everywhere Right Now. Here's How to Protect Yourself - "Here’s what to know about the COVID-19 scams out there, as well as some precautionary measures you can take to avoid being scammed during the coronavirus outbreak."
• The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio - at Amazon.com.
• The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann - at Amazon.com.
• Best Home Gym Equipment For Your Remote Workout Routine - "You can stick to your workout regimen, even as gyms and studios close due to the coronavirus. While there’s nothing quite like a live instructor and group class to keep you motivated, cutting-edge exercise equipment can elevate your home gym experience, especially as our lives become increasingly remote."
• See how the coronavirus spreads so easily - "How the coronavirus hitches a ride around your life. An isolation demonstration."
• Italy Passes China in Coronavirus-Related Deaths - "The death toll in Italy from the coronavirus overtook China’s on Thursday, and infections in the United States climbed past 10,000, in a stark illustration of how the crisis has pivoted toward the West."
• Coronavirus: How bad information goes viral - "There's a huge amount of misleading information circulating online about coronavirus - from dodgy health tips to speculation about government plans. This is the story of how one post went viral."
• The Trump Administration Fumbled Its Initial Response to Coronavirus. Is There Enough Time to Fix It? - "The virus has been rapidly spreading across the United States for months. If we can’t slow the infection rate now, our hospitals will be overrun."
• First U.S. Company Has Announced an Upcoming Home COVID-19 Test - "If a telemedicine doctor decides to prescribe an Everlywell COVID-19 test, the company says it will send the $135 kit in two days."
• Olympics 2020: What happens if the Tokyo Games don't go ahead? - "The Olympic flame arrived in Japan on Friday, marking the beginning of official celebrations for a global sporting event that could still be derailed by the novel coronavirus pandemic."
• Netflix is slowing down in Europe to keep the internet from breaking - "Netflix will reduce streaming quality in Europe for at least the next month to prevent the internet collapsing under the strain of unprecedented usage due to the coronavirus pandemic."
• During a pandemic, what does being the world's happiest country mean? - "For Samuel Kopperoinen, living in the world's happiest country during the coronavirus pandemic isn't about short-term happiness. It's about the social safety net and other supports systems his country has in place before trouble strikes."
• Can Whisky Strengthen Your Immune System? - "Whether moderate whisky consumption will help bolster your immune system is debatable. In reasonable quantities, it probably won’t hurt."
• Apple finally admits Microsoft was right about tablets - "The iPad Pro now looks even more like a Surface Pro."
• No, 5G didn't start a pandemic - "Do we really have to talk about this? The advent of COVID-19 has sparked a whole new wave of paranoia among people who believe in the 5G conspiracy theory. Folks are suggesting newfangled wireless signals are somehow acting as a shepherd for the global pandemic. Or, worse, that 5G and the coronavirus are the tools of a shadowy new world order to turn us all into mindless zombies. Suffice to say, here's a patient explanation on why they're very, very wrong."
• Outrage after picturesque Wanaka tree attacked with saw - "Wanaka's world-famous willow tree - whose crooked branches are captured in camera lenses from across the globe - has been attacked with a saw."
• EUROPEAN RADIO STATIONS TO PLAY ' YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE' FRIDAY MARCH 20 AT 8.45AM TO SHOW UNITY IN TIMES OF CRISIS - "This is an initiative from Dutch radio presenter Sander Hoogendoorn (radio station 3FM) who asks all his colleagues around Europe to join him by playing the same song at the same time to show unity in times of crisis."

March 19, 2020

• When the world stops. What to Know and What to Do About the Global Pandemic - "In less than three months COVID-19 has claimed more than 8,000 lives and changed millions more and countries and regions around the world have taken unprecedented actions."
• The City Where the Coronavirus Outbreak First Took Hold Reports No New Cases - "Last month, Wuhan was overwhelmed with thousands of new cases of coronavirus each day. But in a dramatic development that underscores just how much the outbreak has pivoted toward Europe and the United States, Chinese authorities said Thursday that the city and its surrounding province had no new cases to report."
• China has no new domestic virus cases - BBC News.
• Prince Albert of Monaco, 62, tests positive for coronavirus - "Authorities in the tiny state said the 62-year-old ruler had been tested for the pathogen at the start of this week. The palace said Albert's health 'does not inspire any concern', saying he was continuing to work from his private apartments."
• Asian nations face second wave of imported cases - "South Korea, China and Singapore are among the Asian countries facing a second coronavirus wave, spurred by people importing it from outside."
• Coronavirus and how it's changed our world - "When the coronavirus pandemic broke out it changed the way we interact with social distancing encouraged to prevent the spread of the virus. From clearer water in Venice to emptier trains in London, how has coronavirus changed everyday life around the world?"
• The Plague by Albert Camus - at Amazon.com.
• How to stay happy in troubling times - "By dwelling less on stress and reflecting on the positives, BBC Future’s guide to happiness will help you to feel less overwhelmed by world events."
• Coronavirus shows off Donald Trump's single greatest accomplishment as President - "Let's be clear: his success isn't at leading a desperate nation. Instead, coronavirus has exposed the real success of the President's unyielding assault on the media during his time in office."
• Ferrari Purosangue SUV Coming 2021 - "In three years, we’ve gone from no hope of a Ferrari SUV to one Packing a V-12 by 2021."
• Actions The World’s Wealthiest Are Taking In Response To The Coronavirus Pandemic - "As the coronavirus pandemic has reached nearly every corner of the world, some of the planet’s wealthiest are helping the global effort to combat the COVID-19 outbreak and do what they can for the economy."
• Netflix urged to slow down streaming to stop the internet from breaking - "The European Union is urging Netflix and other streaming platforms to stop showing video in high definition to prevent the internet from breaking under the strain of unprecedented usage due to the coronavirus pandemic."
• These Fitness Apps Just May Make You Give Up The Gym Permanently - "Sure, social distancing means fitness classes are cancelled and gyms are closed. But that doesn’t mean you have to stop working out. In fact, experts believe it’s more important than ever."
• How we ended up with the 9-5 - "The evolution of the modern workday. The '9 to 5' workday we know today draws from thousands of years of history. Discover the most impactful people, technologies and ideas that have shaped our modern world of work."
• What Will Travel Be Like After The Coronavirus? - "What will France be like in May? What will travel be like after the coronavirus peaks? Will anyone be traveling at all? A new survey suggests travel is alive and well. More than half of Americans (58%) are planning to travel between May and September 2020, as long as their destinations aren't in quarantine."
• Stocks Lose Nearly All Gains Under Trump Presidency As Market Falls Another 6% - Forbes.
• Norway Hands Out $2,000 Fines Or Jail For Ignoring Coronavirus Quarantine - "Criminal justice measures are 'required'."
• World's most expensive cities to live in revealed - "The global economic landscape could be very different this time next year, but 2020's most expensive cities have been revealed -- and the number one spot belongs not to one single city, but to three destinations."
• Is this Japan's miracle drink? - "Uncovering amazake: Japan's ancient fermented 'superdrink'. Both a beverage and a health and beauty product, amazake’s easy-to-digest, gluten-free nutrients have earned it the nickname 'drinkable IV'."
• Oprah Winfrey denies 'awful, fake' arrest rumors - "Oprah Winfrey has denied reports she was arrested and her home raided by law enforcement."
• 24 of the world's most unusual landscapes - "While there are plenty of awe-inspiring man-made destinations around the globe, nothing is as creative as nature."
• For $750,000, travelers can visit the deepest spot in the oceans - "For the first time ever, travelers can join an expedition to the deepest spot in the oceans."
• French Open criticized for 'selfish, arrogant' rescheduling amid coronavirus outbreak - "The second grand slam of the tennis season was moved Tuesday from its original May 18 start date to run between September 20 & October 4."
• One Of The World’s Largest Superyacht Catamaran Concepts Unveiled By Sunreef Yachts - "Demand for Sunreef yachts has always been high. In fact, the company has built over 160 large sailing and power cats since production began in that historic, communist-era shipyard. But I think with the announcement of this new Sunreef Power Superyacht, may drive demand even more."

March 18, 2020

• Covid-19's deserted landscapes - then and now - "As countries close borders and bring in curfews, photographs reveal the impact of coronavirus."
• How Covid-19 affects the human body - "The science of how Covid-19 affects the human body. As the medical community races to understand how coronavirus spreads and what it does to the body some clear patterns are emerging. In this episode of Full Story reporter Graham Readfearn and specialist respiratory physician Tom Kotsimbos break down what it’s like to get covid-19, and what emerging research tells us about this virus."
• Toilet paper makers: 'What we are dealing with here is uncharted' - "Toilet paper has a become the ultimate symbol of the panic buying; it's seemingly scooped up as soon as new rolls hit the shelves."
• CORONAVIRUS TESTING SHOULDN’T BE THIS COMPLICATED - "Engineers have the technology to make it better."
• Coronavirus hits all 50 US states as death toll rises - "The deadly coronavirus has now hit all 50 states in the US as West Virginia reported its first case of the infection on Tuesday."
• The global coronavirus recession is beginning - "As restaurants, shops, airlines and factories shut down around the world, from New York to Paris and Madrid, economists are warning that a global recession is no longer a looming threat. It's here."
• Watch Mel Brooks's light-hearted social distancing PSA - "93-year-old comedy legend Mel Brooks and his son Max shared a light-hearted video to explain the importance of social distancing to protect older generations amid the coronavirus pandemic."
• How long does the coronavirus last on surfaces? - "We can pick up the Covid-19 by touching surfaces contaminated with the new coronavirus, but it is only just becoming clear how long the virus can survive outside the human body."
• How can we stay in virtual touch with older relatives? - "As the government encourages "social distancing" in the fight against coronavirus, older people are facing the prospect of being told to stay at home for weeks."
• Keep it clean: The surprising 130-year history of handwashing - "Until the mid-1800s, doctors didn’t bother washing their hands - they would go from dissecting a cadaver to delivering a child. Then a Hungarian medic made an essential, much-resisted breakthrough."
• When I am working at home, no distraction is too small - "I am avoiding my shared office for fear of potentially infecting my colleague, but how am I meant to get anything done when there is an old bag of lentils to finish off?"
• Virus creates world's longest passenger flight - "On March 14, French airline Air Tahiti Nui flew the longest ever scheduled passenger flight by distance -- transiting 9,765 miles across the world from Papeete, in Tahiti, French Polynesia, to Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport. This one off milestone was a direct consequence of the coronavirus-induced US travel restrictions."
• China to restrict US journalists from three major newspapers - "China has effectively expelled journalists from three US newspapers in retaliation for restrictions on its news outlets in the US."
• Euro 2020 postponed until next summer - "Euro 2020 has been postponed by one year until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. European football's governing body made the decision during an emergency video conference involving major stakeholders on Tuesday."
• Are things only worth what people will pay? - "Auctions seem to be almost as common as the marketplace itself. You can imagine the idea being endlessly rediscovered around the world, whenever some trader offered to pay three obols per jar for a shipment of olive oil and the man next to him said: 'Don't take that offer - I'll pay four'. From such simple moments evolved the theatrical event we call the 'open outcry' auction."
• Apple unveils iPad Pro with 3D scanner in major redesign - "Top tablet has lidar tech found in self-driving cars in system designed for augmented reality."
• Sonos will release a new app and operating system for its speakers in June - "Sonos is today detailing the future of its multiroom home audio strategy, which revolves around a new app and operating system called Sonos S2 that will run on many current Sonos products and be the foundation for all of the company’s future devices."
• That quirky e-reader you could draw on is back - "The second-gen model is available for pre-order now."
• Google Translate’s real time transcription feature is out now for Android - "From spoken language to translated text."

March 17, 2020

• Everything You Need to Know About Coronavirus Testing - "How it works, why we need it, and why it's taking so damn long for the US to get people diagnosed."
• Why Can’t I Get Tested for Coronavirus? - "As more cases of COVID-19 are reported around the world, medical advice about who should be tested for the coronavirus infection is constantly changing to reflect changing levels of risk for infection. Here’s how doctors are deciding who to test, and when."
• The big question over coronavirus - can a person get it twice? - "Definitive answer not yet known, but experts say reinfection seems unlikely."
• The lockdown larder: an expert guide to a healthy, sustainable store cupboard - "What’s the best way to keep your meals varied and interesting? Chefs and food writers on their store cupboard essentials."
• Coronavirus pandemic sends countries into lockdown - "Live updates."
• California: Millions told to 'shelter in place' to stop spread of coronavirus - "Drastic Bay Area move, first of its kind in the US, comes following a 14% increase in cases in the state."
• Cash Is King In The Time Of Coronavirus - "With global stock markets plunging, investors have sought the safety of cash. U.S. money market funds experienced $87.6 billion of inflows in the seven days prior to Wednesday, according to Lipper. Bank of America reported that last week investors plowed a total of $136.9 billion into cash."
• Coronavirus: US volunteers test first vaccine - "The first human trial of a vaccine to protect against pandemic coronavirus has started in the US."
• Kind Canadians start 'caremongering' trend - "Just a few days ago, the word 'caremongering' did not exist. Yet just three days later what started as a way to help vulnerable people in Toronto has turned into a movement spreading fast across Canada."
• celebrities issue their own coronavirus PSAs - "Arnold Schwarzenegger and his donkey urge fans to stay home."
• Is Ordering Takeout Unethical? - "A Medical Ethicist Answers Some of the Most Common Moral Questions Around Coronavirus." An epidemic is a test not just of our mettle but our morals. In a time of lockdowns and quarantines, restaurant closings and shuttered schools, the temptation is often to bend the rules, relying on the familiar just-this-once or it-couldn’t-hurt dodge. Even when we’re trying to behave well, there are moral conundrums that present themselves—situations in which we have to choose between one of two options and neither one is risk-free.
• If coronavirus scares you, read this to take control over your health anxiety - "A pandemic is fertile ground for those who suffer from anxiety - here’s a short guide on how to manage it."
• Travel updates: which countries have coronavirus restrictions and FCO warnings in place? - "The latest details of UK government advice on travel to countries across the globe. We will update this information as the situation changes."
• dystopian reading list: Books to enjoy while in quarantine - "From tales of pandemic to reflections on isolation, here is a shelf’s worth of books to keep you going during a quarantine."
• Exposure therapy: why we're obsessed with watching virus movies - "Streaming numbers for Contagion and Outbreak have been huge, suggesting people are choosing exposure over escapism."
• More than half of American jobs are at risk because of coronavirus - "It's not just jobs at airlines, hotels, amusement parks and sporting events that are at risk. It's the food trucks that serve office workers or school students who are now staying home. It's the dry cleaners who clean the dress clothes that will not be worn as workers stay away from their offices. It's hair stylists, dog walkers, babysitters, restaurant workers and others who provide services that people no longer need or can't afford."
• Dow had its worst point drop ever as stocks tumbled again - "US stocks ended sharply lower on Monday, with the Dow posting its worst point drop in history and falling to its lowest level in nearly three years."
• Amid Coronavirus Uncertainty, World's 20 Richest Billionaires Shed Nearly $300 Billion In One Month - "When the Dow Jones reached its all-time high on February 13, the top 20 fortunes combined for more than $1.4 trillion - a figure that has since crashed to $1.1 trillion. Monday alone accounted for $68 billion in losses as the S&P and Dow plunged 12% and 13%, respectively."
• Climate change: The rich are to blame, international study finds - "The rich are primarily to blame for the global climate crisis, a study by the University of Leeds of 86 countries claims."
• 8 Ways Coronavirus Will Drastically Alter Boomer Retirements - "Eventually, the economy and the stock market will recover and COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, will be contained. Yet the current pandemic and its economic consequences could devastate the retirement prospects of some Baby Boomers, while permanently changing the attitudes of many more."
• Virus could be final call for A380 superjumbo - "Popular with air travelers but expensive to operate at the best of times, the gigantic Airbus A380 passenger plane could be one of the first major airplane casualties of the coronavirus."
• Venice's canal water looks clearer as coronavirus keeps visitors away - "As the world continues to grapple with coronavirus, the pandemic is having some unexpected side effects."
• Vietnamese coffee is taking over the world - "Why the world is waking up to Vietnamese coffee. Vietnam is the world's second largest exporter of coffee (after Brazil)."
• 5 Scotch Whisky Choices For Coronavirus Self-Isolation - Forbes.
• Tokyo’s incredible path to redevelopment - "As extensive preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games steam ahead, we look at the city’s history of urban redesign and rapid development."
• How Hawaii's Japanese Population Was Spared Internment During World War II - TIME Magazine.

March 16, 2020

• This pandemic risks bringing out the worst in humanity - "A woman at an Australian supermarket allegedly pulls a knife on a man in a confrontation over toilet paper. A Singaporean student of Chinese ethnicity is beaten up on the streets of London and left with a fractured face. Protesters on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion welcome cruise passengers by hurling abuse and rocks at them."
• How to protect your mental health - "Coronavirus has plunged the world into uncertainty and the constant news about the pandemic can feel relentless. All of this is taking its toll on people's mental health, particularly those already living with conditions like anxiety and OCD. So how can we protect our mental health?"
• 7 Essential Investor Coping Strategies For The Coronavirus Market - "Here is a list of things you should do during the coronavirus stock market volatility."
• How To Win Against Coronavirus: Wealth Managers Take Their Positions - "In the midst of sending employees home following outbreaks of coronavirus, banks and wealth managers are frantically rearranging clients' portfolios as COVID-19 hits markets worldwide. Here's how they are protecting, if not profiting from coronavirus."
• How To Invest Safely Amidst The Coronavirus Market Meltdown - "First, you need to think about events, including the coronavirus-induced market panic, in terms of ranges, not point outcomes. Nobody knows exactly how this will play out. However, we can bracket the vast majority of the probability between the following two scenarios."
• People without symptoms may be driving spread of coronavirus - "Infected people without symptoms might be driving the spread of coronavirus more than we realized."
• This chart is critical to fighting coronavirus - "One chart explains how the sacrifices we're making and 'social distancing' could be the most powerful solution we have in fighting epidemics."
• Airbnb changes its cancellation policy - "As coronavirus spreads across the globe, the vacation rental company Airbnb expanded its extenuating circumstances policy yesterday, allowing almost all travelers to cancel their reservations penalty-free."
• Master List Of Hotel Coronavirus Change & Cancellation Policies - "In these precarious times, the last thing you need as you’re scrambling to rearrange your travel plans is to worry about your hotel reservation. Thankfully, many luxury properties around the globe understand your plight and are easing restrictions that typically come with changing (or even canceling) your booking."
• The 'climate doomers' preparing for society to fall apart - "An article by a British professor that predicts the imminent collapse of society, as a result of climate change, has been downloaded over half a million times. Many mainstream climate scientists totally reject his claims, but his followers are already preparing for the worst."
• Dior & Givenchy are switching from perfume to hand sanitizer - "Luxury perfume makers Dior and Givenchy will produce free hand sanitizer for French health authorities."
• Louis Vuitton owner to start making hand sanitiser - "Louis Vuitton owner LVMH will use its perfume production lines to start making hand santiser to protect people against the coronavirus outbreak."
• How Birghton became an epicentre of freedom - "The English city got the royal stamp of approval as a place to go for hedonism and escaping social restrictions – and has been imbued with inclusivity and tolerance ever since."
• Spain's King Felipe VI renounces father's inheritance - "Spain's King Felipe VI has renounced the inheritance of his scandal-hit father Juan Carlos."

March 15, 2020

• A GUIDE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC - "The science, the tech response, and what you can do."
• The experts are back in fashion as Covid-19’s reality bites - "Trump’s war on science and Johnson’s civil service purge may be on hold but their politics of polarisation lives on."
• Trump 'offers large sums' for exclusive access to coronavirus vaccine - "German government tries to fight off aggressive takeover bid by US, say reports."
• From yoga to CrossFit: the 10 best online home workouts - "Need to keep up an exercise routine - or start a new one - while working from home? Here’s a guide to the best free resources."
• Here's Why Americans Are Hoarding Toilet Paper - "There’s nothing quite like the behavior of panicky humans - especially when it comes to hoarding. Let a blizzard approach or a hurricane churn toward shore, and we descend on stores, buying up more batteries, bottled water and canned foods than we could use in a lifetime. We’re seeing the same thing again as America hunkers down against the novel coronavirus, and of all of the products that are being snatched up the fastest, there’s one that’s in special demand: toilet paper."
• Why we touch our faces & how to stop it - "Several medical officials across the world have warned people to avoid touching their face as a key way to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Often when issuing the warning, they've gone on to - you guessed it - put their hands on their face. But why do we touch our faces in the first place? And is it that easy to just stop doing it all of a sudden?"
• Europe empties its streets to slow coronavirus - in pictures - "Several European governments have ordered partial or complete lockdowns to stem the spread of Covid-19, leaving once-buzzing streets all but silent."
• These Are The Best Cities In The World For Wellbeing - "European cities are the well-est. But U.S. cities are not so well, according to a new ranking of city wellbeing by the Knight Frank Wealth Report."
• A Guide to the Most Calming, Anxiety-Free Content You Can Stream Right Now - "It can be overwhelming trying to decide what to stream when you need a distraction from endless anxiety-inducing tweets about the spread of COVID-19. Do you catch up on the modern classics people have been telling you to watch for years - The Sopranos, Mad Men, The Leftovers?"
• Meet The Investor Who Is Up 62% Amid The Coronavirus Chaos - "With global financial markets erupting in a panic that rekindles memories of the financial crisis era, some traders who were on the frontlines of the credit bust are now enjoying a renaissance."
• China’s Draconian Lockdown Is Getting Credit for Slowing Coronavirus. Would It Work Anywhere Else? - "The most dramatic measure was the lockdown of tens of millions of people in what is believed to be the largest quasi-quarantine in human history."
• How forgers fooled the Bible museum with fake Dead Sea Scroll fragments - "Last year, the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, said five of its most valuable artifacts -- once thought to be part of the historic Dead Sea Scrolls -- were fake."
• Stopping the rot: the fight to save fresh food - "An American firm has developed an organic coating that extends the shelf-life of fruit and vegetables. Might it save the world?"
• Did Spanish spies harass ex-king's 'lover'? - "A woman claiming to be a former lover of Spain's retired King Juan Carlos is accusing the country's intelligence services of waging a campaign of threats and intimidation against her aimed at protecting the interests of the monarchy."
• How to reduce your energy bill (in any season) with a single device - "A smart thermostat is worth the upgrade."
• Trouble in paradise: Family, feuds & fraud in Jersey - "The wealthy Dick family are set for a court battle that could shine an unwelcome light on the world of offshore trusts."

March 14, 2020

• Coronavirus latest: at a glance - The Guardian.
• who’s most at risk, what we can do & will we see a vaccine soon? - "Dr Tom Wingfield of Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine answers our questions on Covid-19."
• Trump's State of Emergency Is an Admission of Failure by the U.S. Government - "The warning signs that America was unprepared for a pandemic have been blinking red for more than a decade. But too little was done to fix them."
• Everything travelers need to know about coronavirus - "Need to travel? Read this first."
• what the US is getting right - and wrong - on coronavirus - "John Swartzberg, an infectious disease expert, says the US has ‘completely bungled’ Covid-19 testing. But panic won’t fix things."
• Coronavirus lifestyles of the rich & famous: how the 1% are coping - "While the rest of us face the pandemic, the wealthy are donning face masks, boarding private jets and heading for the hills."
• How to clean your smartphone safely - "While you may want to clean your smartphone, some substances can damage the device. Dr Lena Ciric, a microbiologist from University College London, says you can effectively clean your phone using just household soap and water. VIDEO."
• What life is like inside a coronavirus ‘red zone’ - "'You cannot leave the house except for basic necessities and for work issues.'"
• Here's how much Europe's royal families really cost - "Of the 10 main royal families in Europe, nine still receive public funding for carrying out their duties -- the only exception being the Princely House of Liechtenstein, which doesn't get any taxpayer money to cover its expenses. Monaco's royals are the most expensive to their citizens."
• Here's what could really sink the global economy - "$19 trillion in risky corporate debt. Companies have spent the years since the global financial crisis binging on debt. Now, as the coronavirus pandemic threatens to push the world into recession, the bill could come due - exacerbating damage to the economy and feeding a meltdown in financial markets."
• Meet the man building a human zoo in China - "For decades, humans have ripped up the natural landscape in Asia, chopping down trees to build luxury resorts in the most beautiful locations and caging wild animals to attract tourists. Bangkok-based hotel architect Bill Bensley is saying 'no more.'"
• Cosmetic surgery apps are booming in China - "China cosmetic surgery apps: Swipe to buy a new face."
• One man lost his life savings in a SIM hack. Here's how you can try to protect yourself - "Robert Ross was sitting in his San Francisco home office in October 2018 when he noticed the bars on his phone had disappeared and he had no cell coverage. A few hours later, he had lost $1 million."
• Christmas Island: 'A giant robber crab stole my camera' - "Researcher Annabel Dorrestein set up a thermal imaging camera to study flying foxes, or bats, at night on Australia's Christmas Island. But when she returned one morning to collect the camera, she discovered it had been stolen - almost certainly by the island's famous robber crabs."
• Will millions more trees really stop climate change? - "From Greta Thunberg to Donald Trump and airlines to oil companies, everyone is suddenly going crazy for trees."
• 'It almost destroyed me': behind New York's greatest nightclub, Studio 54 - "In a new exhibition, Studio 54 co-founder Ian Schrager goes back to the late 70s to explore the highs and lows of the celebrity-packed hotspot."

March 13, 2020

• Here's How Fast the Coronavirus Could Infect Over 1 Million Americans - "The purpose of this visualization is not to predict what will happen, but rather forecast what could occur under a variety of conditions."
• Is it allergies, the flu or the coronavirus? How to tell the difference - "The coronavirus has infected more than 100,000 people worldwide. With all of the news of event cancellations, empty flights and health precautions (wash your hands!), it's natural that people may get a little anxious every time they feel a tickle in their throat or the beginnings of a bad cough."
• 11 common coronavirus questions, answered - "More than 110 countries have now reported coronavirus cases and the World Health Organization has declared the spread of the virus a pandemic."
• What Is 'Social Distancing?' Here's How to Best Practice It as Coronavirus Spreads - "'Social distancing' is the idea of people staying away from others in large crowds, at schools, at their jobs and at social events."
• China’s first confirmed Covid-19 case traced back to November 17 - "Government records suggest first person infected with new disease may have been a Hubei resident aged 55, but ‘patient zero’ has yet to be confirmed."
• The science of soap - here’s how it kills the coronavirus - "Alcohol-based disinfectants are also effective, but soap is a highly efficient way of killing the virus when it’s on your skin."
• 6 Trump claims about Coronavirus fact-checked - "President Donald Trump has been defending his handling of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States and has now introduced travel restrictions on most of Europe."
• Donald Trump is the very worst person to handle the coronavirus crisis - "The president responded to the pandemic with denial and blaming foreigners. His incompetence and selfishness will be lethal."
• Why President Trump Wants to Frame COVID-19 as a 'Foreign Virus' - "Facing criticism for his handling of COVID-19 inside the U.S., President Donald Trump has repeatedly resorted to a familiar reflex: blame foreigners."
• How Coronavirus Could Set Back the Fight Against Climate Change - "This year was supposed to be a big one in the international fight against climate change. But the fast spreading new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, is posing a triple-threat to action that could derail the Paris Agreement effort to combat global warming, worried experts say."
• If Ever There Was a Celebrity for This Moment, It’s Tom Hanks - "Tom Hanks, who announced that he and wife Rita Wilson tested positive for coronavirus, isn’t just a calming presence, but a reminder of something else."
• TikTok helps teens cope with the coronavirus pandemic - "Gen Z-ers are posting memes showing their reactions to the fallout from the virus, while the app is helping to educate users."
• Can a face mask stop coronavirus? Covid-19 myths busted - "The truth about how you can catch coronavirus, who is most vulnerable and what you can do to avoid infection."
• How hackers are preying on fears of Covid-19 - "Security experts say a spike in email scams linked to coronavirus is the worst they have seen in years."
• How do coronavirus containment measures vary across Europe? - "Countries have announced a range of restrictions from public gatherings to flight bans to school closures."
• Nepal closes Mount Everest for climbers because of coronavirus fears - "Nepal has closed all of its Himalayan peaks including Mount Everest this climbing season because of fears of the coronavirus outbreak."
• The Best Tech For Working Remotely During The Coronavirus - "Companies are shuttering their offices in response to the coronavirus and for many, the prospect of working remotely is now a way of life - or seems inevitable. From setting up a VPN to access work files to getting a good workout indoors, Forbes has advice on using your tech during the epidemic."
• How The Rich Are Protecting Themselves Against Coronavirus - "Money cannot by immunity, but it can help stave it off. Here's how some are spending to both avoid and protect themselves against coronavirus disease (COVID-19)."
• Inside the hedonistic '70s surf scene - "Sun-drenched photos capture the golden age of surfing."
• The first foldable phone with two hinges - "TCL’s new foldable and rollable concepts imagine a wild future of phones."
• 5G confirmed safe by radiation watchdog - "No scientific evidence that technology poses threat to human health, say experts."
• How Electric Elevators Transformed the Modern City - "The 14-story-high Postal Telegraph Building deserves special stature in the history of skyscrapers. It was at 253 Broadway that one of the greatest - but least-known - inventors in American history, Frank Sprague, deployed the first bank of electric elevators. By doing so, more than perhaps anyone else, Sprague fueled the rise of the vertical city."

March 12, 2020

• World Health Organization Declares COVID-19 a 'Pandemic.' Here's What That Means - "The World Health Organization last used the label during the 2009 H1N1 - or 'swine flu' - outbreak, but got pushback for that choice."
• How to improve your chances against coronavirus - "We don't have to be helpless in the face of coronavirus."
• How to Take Care of Your Hands When You’re Washing Them So Much to Prevent Coronavirus - "Frequent hand washing, though a reliable way to ward off illness, can lead to and exacerbate dry skin issues, according to dermatologists."
• How to keep your workplace clean -- and yourself healthy -- during the novel coronavirus outbreak - "You may spend more waking hours at work than you do at home, but when was the last time you really, really cleaned your workspace? Offices provide hundreds of microscopic hiding spots for viruses and bacteria -- the crevices in your keyboard, the button for your floor on the elevator, the communal fridge handle."
• Consumers snap up PhoneSoap to sanitize cell phones as coronavirus outbreak spreads - "PhoneSoap's products, which kill germs on phones by bathing them in UV light, haven't been tested against COVID-19. But revenue so far this month is about 20 times higher than in the same period last year, co-founder Dan Barnes told CNN Business on March 10."
• Amazon restricts sales of face masks & hand sanitizer due to coronavirus price gouging - "Amazon is escalating its fight against coronavirus-related abuse on its platform."
• The Coronavirus Outbreak Is Forcing Couples to Rethink Their Weddings - "Many of the qualities that make weddings joyful events also make them potentially excellent means of spreading coronavirus."
• Is it Ethical to Order Delivery During a Pandemic? - "People are being encouraged to stay home to avoid exposure to the coronavirus. Should they ask others to bring them food?"
• Trump suspends travel from 26 European countries to US - "Europe appears to have been largely blindsided by President Trump’s announcement earlier today that the US was suspending travel from 26 European countries."
• The Queen is making her most serious misstep here - "In her close to seven decades on the throne, the Queen of England has rarely faltered in her sense of duty or made a serious misstep."
• This could be the world's next great wine destination - "Why Uruguay could be the world's next great wine destination."
• Naomi Campbell wears hazmat suit to airport amid coronavirus outbreak - "Naomi Campbell has long been an advocate of staying germ-free while traveling."
• How much of your body is your own? - "Our bodies are extraordinary. They contain elements that have a commercial value, megabytes of data, and trillions of cells, most of which aren't our own."
• Foldable phones are the future, but their software is stuck in the present - "It's still early days for these largely experimental devices."
• Logitech's 3-in-1 dock charges your iPhone, Apple Watch & AirPods - "The 'AirPower replacement' bandwagon is getting pretty full."
• Rose Ball 2020 postponed - "Monaco Société des Bains de Mer announced yesterday that the 2020 Rose Ball will be postponed. As a response to the tightening of precautionary measures surrounding COVID-19, this year’s Rose Ball will be rescheduled as developments in the outbreak follow. As of yet, no new date has been set."

March 11, 2020

• WHO declares Coronavirus covid-19 a pandemic - "World Health Organization chief says number of cases reported and number of countries affected ‘doesn’t tell the full story’."
• What measures are countries taking to stop it? - "Countries around the world are taking different measures to try to stop the spread of coronavirus."
• The art of Skype set-dressing: how to video-call the office when in quarantine - "Coronavirus or not, don’t let colleagues see the squalid reality of your home. An artfully placed pot plant or stack of books may help."
• Coronavirus: Could the US do what Italy has done? - "As coronavirus sweeps across the US, American officials have warned that mandatory prevention measures may be necessary to stop its spread. But is the US willing to go as far as Italy - another democracy - or even authoritarian China?"
• A Glossary of Terms to Help You Understand the Unfolding Crisis - "Two of the most widely felt symptoms of the coronavirus are uncertainty and confusion. Part of this is about jargon. A doctor can make bad news even more alarming by using scientific terms that the patient doesn’t understand. TIME has assembled a glossary for navigating this crisis, along with some context about where these words come from."
• Airbnb introduces more flexible reservation policies due to coronavirus - "Hosts and guests won’t be stuck with cancellation fees now through June 1st."
• Global travel slowdown means lots of deals - "Coronavirus has no doubt put the travel industry into a tailspin. Airlines alone could lose $113 billion in sales if the virus continues to spread, according to the International Air Transport Association."
• Island encourages locking your phone in a box for an old-school, analog vacation - "The Isle of Man encourages locking your phone in a box for an old-school, analog vacation."
• Private jets are taking off because of coronavirus - "While much of the travel industry has been suffering as the infection spreads globally, the private jet industry has apparently been on a roll."
• Why the tech world is waging war on bezels - "It's about more than good looks."
• Polar ice caps melting 6 times faster than in 1990s - "Losses of ice from Greenland and Antarctica are tracking the worst-case climate scenario, scientists warn."
• Making a killing: what can novels teach us about getting away with murder? - "From Agatha Christie to Gillian Flynn, readers love an untraceable method or a villain who wins. Author Peter Swanson says there are eight examples of the perfect murder."
• Are laboratory-grown diamonds the more ethical choice to say 'I do'? - "In addition to cost savings and supposed environmental benefits, lab-grown diamonds have the same chemical and physical properties as mined diamonds."

March 10, 2020

• What's the risk on public transport? - "Coronavirus: What's the risk of flying or taking the train?"
• How To Prepare To Stay At Home - "Experts advise stocking up on enough non-perishable food to last about two weeks."
• Tricks & tools for better working from home - "When one of Louise Halford's staff members returned from a ski trip with flu-like symptoms, she advised him to work from home rather than risk bringing the coronavirus into the office."
• Trump scare shows no American is immune from coronavirus risk - "The White House insists President Donald Trump doesn't need a coronavirus test, despite several members of his political circle self-quarantining after they came into contact with a man later diagnosed with the disease."
• All of Italy is being placed on lockdown due to coronavirus - "It’s an expansion of Lombardy’s lockdown announced yesterday."
• HOW CITIES ARE FIGHTING CORONAVIRUS ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - "Our subways and buses are about to get the delousing of their lives."
• Apple’s iPad & Keyboard Folio is all I need - "It’s my go-to machine for ... everything."
• Apple says it's safe to clean your iPhone with disinfectant wipes - "Just don't submerge it in any cleaning agents."
• Reset Your Computer Once a Year for a Happier Life - "It's easier than ever to restore your Mac, PC, or Chromebook to factory conditions—and you'll be surprised at how much zip it'll add."
• The Best New Supercars, Roadsters And Three Cool Concepts From The 2020 Geneva Motor Show - "Every year, Europe’s automakers head to the Geneva International Motor Show to roll out their latest and greatest creations. Though not the largest auto expo of the year, Geneva is by far the most opulent. There are always plenty of head-turning supercars, glamorous luxury roadsters and lots of sleek concept cars to lust after."
• Drink To Your Health With These 15 Immune-Boosting Cocktails - "There’s a whole lot of scary germs in the world. Stopping for a cocktail won’t change that, but a little boost to the immune system via the right ingredients never hurt!"
• 8 Radical Ideas for a More Equal America - "Some of the biggest, most innovative and, in some cases, controversial ideas for making the U.S. a more perfect union."

March 9, 2020

• coronavirus challenge: How to stop touching your face - "It took a coronavirus outbreak to remind us that we touch our faces way too many times. And cutting down on that will help stop the spread of the virus, health officials say."
• Wash Your Hands - but Beware the Electric Hand Dryer - "'Electric towels' were supposed to prevent the spread of contagious disease. What if they've been doing the opposite?"
• How to keep your hands clean - without getting dry skin - "Repeated hand-washing is leading more of us to complain of cracked or chapped skin. Here’s what the experts recommend."
• How to boost your immune system to avoid colds & coronavirus - "You’re washing your hands 10 times a day and have stopped touching your face. What else can you do to improve your health and avoid bugs?"
• How to escape the tyranny of the clock - "In our modern lives, every minute of our day is a valuable and precious commodity. But is it possible to abandon the clock altogether?"
• Apple iOS 13.4 Can’t Come Soon Enough. Here’s Why - "The wait is almost over. Apple will releases iOS 13.4 in the next few weeks - maybe within days. Here are a handful of the reasons it can’t come quickly enough."
• Stunning photos capture the bond between humans & animals - "Steve McCurry's photos show the complex relationship between humans and animals."
• How to instantly boost your self-control - "Resisting momentary temptations is a tough task - especially when they’re right in front of you. How can you upgrade your self-control to get closer to your long-term goals?"
• The WIRED Guide to Virtual Reality - "Everything you ever wanted to know about VR headsets, Oculus, Vive, and simulator sickness."
• How the chip changed everything - "All our complex and connected modern electronics would be nothing without pure, white sand."
• Super-high sky deck opens over New York - "Highest sky deck in Western Hemisphere dares visitors to live on the edge."
• Best place on Earth for stargazing - "Niue: World's first country to receive Dark Sky designation."

March 8, 2020

• Coronavirus: The fake health advice you should ignore - "Coronavirus is emerging in more countries around the world and there's currently no known cure. Unfortunately that hasn't stopped a slew of health advice, ranging from useless but relatively harmless, to downright dangerous."
• How to stop your smart home spying on you - "Everything in your smart home, from the lightbulbs to the thermostat, could be recording you or collecting data about you. What can you do to curb this intrusion?"
• Hit delete, ditch reply-all & other ways to manage your work emails - "It’s easy to feel swamped, but how do you decide what to keep and what takes priority? And should you be checking out of hours?"
• Bentley unveils $2 million roofless car with trim made from 5,000 year-old wood - "Bentley has unveiled the Mulliner Bacalar, a $2 million open-topped car with interior trim that's made from trees that fell 5,000 years ago. Only 12 of these cars will be made, Bentley said."
• 9 best workout headphones - "From our friends at The Strategist, here are the best workout headphones, according to athletes."
• F1 race to be held without spectators - "Bahrain Grand Prix to be held without spectators due to coronavirus concerns."

March 7, 2020

• Should You Avoid the Gym During the Coronavirus Outbreak? - "As coronavirus cases - and related anxiety - accumulate in the U.S., many people are looking at exercise with new eyes. Typically a pillar of health and wellness, the gym in the age of coronavirus seems to many like a petri dish of contagion."
• Coronavirus Could Put an End to Handshakes - "The rate of change in everyday rituals is accelerating, in part because we’re living in an era of heightened disease awareness."
• Is coronavirus mutating into a more deadly strain? Covid-19 myths busted - "The truth about the protective value of face masks and whether it’s easy to catch Covid-19."
• Want to cancel your trip? This is when you can -- and can't -- get your money back - "You've booked an amazing trip and even bought travel insurance, but now as coronavirus spreads across the globe, you're wondering whether it's a good idea to travel."
• Smartphones may make your headaches worse, study finds - "If you think the time spent on your smartphone could be contributing to a relentless headache, you might be right, a new study finds."
• How To Keep Your Smartphone Virus-Free & Clean Without Damaging It - "Like it or not, our smartphones harbor plenty of germs, yet many of us fail to clean them properly. You can probably remember the last time you cleaned your hands, but what about objects including your smartphone that you touch many times throughout the day?"
• Low-carb diet may reverse age-related brain deterioration, study finds - "Researchers say brain pathways begin to erode in late 40s, but can be repaired through dietary changes."
• Woody Allen book pulped after walkout at publisher - "A US publishing house has cancelled plans to publish a memoir by Woody Allen, the award-winning film director who has been accused of sexual abuse."
• 17 airlines that no longer exist - "In the little more than 100 years of commercial air travel, thousands of airlines have come and gone as casualties of oil prices, politics, mismanagement or financial loss. Some closures are more memorable than others, such as Pan Am's fall from grace and the recent collapse of Thomas Cook, but each of these 17 airlines managed to make an impression on the industry, and on their passengers, before flying their final flights."
• Our Europe: 27 things we love about the continent - "To celebrate Europe, writers in all 27 EU countries share a favourite place that evokes the spirit of their nation."
• KOENIGSEGG GEMERA IS THE WORLD’S MOST WICKEDLY WEIRD HYBRID - "Three electric motors, one combustion engine, and 1,700 horsepower."
• Bianca Jagger: ‘I believe marriage is for life. We failed’ - "The human rights advocate on rainforests, perfectionism and saying sorry to Jade."
• Inside story: handbags that made history - "Delve into the background of bags, and you’ll find they were just as coveted in the 1500s as they are now. Emma Cook unpacks the rich inner life of the ultimate accessory."

March 6, 2020

• Coronavirus information: How to stay safe - "Public health experts have been giving out lots of advice to try to stop the spread of the virus."
• Here's a list of disinfectants you can use against coronavirus - "The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is arming consumers with a list of disinfectants that people can use to protect themselves from the novel coronavirus."
• Should You Cancel Travel Plans Amid COVID-19 Concerns? Here's What to Consider - "Guidelines around travel have become increasingly complex as more than 92,000 COVID-19 cases and 3,000 deaths have been reported across 79 countries and territories. Several airlines have suspended or reduced service to countries with some of the highest number of cases, such as China, and grounded flights to South Korea, Iran and parts of Italy, where more than 2,000 cases have been reported in each country."
• the coronavirus challenge: how not to not touch your face - "Scarves, friends, the example of the US president, can any of them help you follow the latest health advice?"
• Everything you wanted to know about self-isolation, from a person who’s living it - "My generation was made for this."
• Why we need worst-case thinking to prevent pandemics - "Threats to humanity, and how we address them, define our time. Why are we still so complacent about facing up to existential risk?"
• The Time for Containment Is Over. Welcome to the Next Phase of Coronavirus - "There comes a point in the unfolding of every epidemic when public health officials acknowledge that despite their best efforts, an invisible microbial foe has managed to outwit them."
• travel industry is suffering its worst shock since 9/11 because of coronavirus - "It's one of the largest industries in the world, with $5.7 trillion in revenue. It is responsible for an estimated 319 million jobs, or roughly one in 10 people working on the planet. And no sector is more at risk from the novel coronavirus."
• Coronavirus: Tourist hotspots deserted as virus spreads - in pictures - "The outbreak of coronavirus is having major repercussions on the movement of people across the world, affecting many popular tourist attractions."
• White House concedes US lacks enough test kits - "The White House has acknowledged the nation does not have enough coronavirus test kits as cases of the disease ticked upwards on both US coasts."
• Using olive oil instead of these foods could add years to the life of your heart, study says - "The health benefits of the Mediterranean diet are renowned: Lots and lots of veggies, fruit, fish and olive oil have been shown to strengthen bones, improve brain health and reduce the risk for some cancers, diabetes, high cholesterol, heart disease and stroke."
• How to buy a compact camera in 2020 - "These cameras can easily outperform your smartphone, for a price."
• The best microSD cards - "SanDisk and Samsung are your best bets."
• 'Who is the real person?': inside a revealing docuseries on Hillary Clinton - "In the four-hour series Hillary, hours of interviews are coupled with behind-the-scenes footage for a look at the woman behind the divisive persona."
• Sheikh Mohammed Al Maktoum: Who is Dubai's ruler? - "Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum is the 70-year-old billionaire ruler of Dubai and vice-president of the United Arab Emirates."

March 5, 2020

• TIME's 100 Women of the Year - "From Amelia Earhart to Michelle Obama, Frida Kahlo to Malala Yousafzai, meet 100 women who defined the last century. In 1999, Man of the Year gave way to Person of the Year. While the name rightly changed, too often the choice was the same. With this 100 Women of the Year project, we’re spotlighting influential women who were often overshadowed."
• Why are some people at greater risk from coronavirus? - "People with diabetes or heart disease are more likely to face complications from Covid-19."
• Fish oil supplements linked to lower risk of heart disease and death, study finds - "Taking fish oil as a dietary supplement has a history dating back centuries, but whether it really has a positive effect on our health has been a subject of heated debate."
• the food that should never be kept in a fridge - "Refrigerating food helps it last longer and reduces waste. But there are always exceptions to the rule ..."
• Dirty streaming: The internet's big secret - "With the launch of streaming services from Disney and Apple, the rollout of 5G and the growth in cryptocurrencies, experts are warning about the impact this huge rise in data use could have on the environment."
• Chef's creations almost too beautiful to eat - "Japanese chef carves food into incredible pieces of art."
• How the humble potato changed the world - "A staple food for cultures across the globe, the tuber has emerged as a nutritional giant and the friend of peasants, rulers and sages. Even today, its possibilities are endless."
• The nasty truth about trainers - "More than 23 billion pairs of shoes are made every year, of which a large proportion are trainers; more than 300 million pairs are thrown out in the same time period. Most trainers are made from problematic materials including nylon, synthetic rubber and plastic. They are shaped by energy-intensive processes such as injection moulding, foaming, and heating - and then bound together with environmentally damaging chemical solvents."
• BMW redesigns its iconic logo - "BMW's round logo is receiving its first redesign in more than two decades."
• BMW’s new flat logo is everything that’s wrong with modern logo design - "Why would you make your logo harder to see?"
• Can you feed cats & dogs a vegan diet? - "Some vegan pet owners don’t just want to give up animal products - they want their pets to as well. But can cats and dogs really go meat free?"
• TCL's concept device folds twice to fit a 10-inch screen in your pocket - "It's unwieldy, but at least the company is trying something different."

March 4, 2020

• Coronavirus v Influenza: How do the two viruses compare? - "What is coronavirus, and what makes it different to something like influenza?"
• How to Work From Home Without Losing Your Mind - "No matter why you're WFH, snack breaks and boundaries are your friends."
• Private Planes, Secluded Homes, and Vaccine Pleas: Here's How Wealthy Americans Are Preparing for COVID-19 - "One investor may fly to Idaho with or without family. A doctor in a Colorado ski town is soothing wealthy clients who want a cure. And one New Yorker called up the hospital with his name on it."
• How the Coronavirus' Effect on the Fashion Industry Reveals Flaws in the Global Economy - "What’s happening to Italy’s fashion industry is likely a preview of the coronavirus’ impact on the global economy more broadly. Companies in a wide range of industries are dependent on China as both a manufacturing behemoth and billion-plus-consumer market."
• Google cancels I/O 2020, its biggest event of the year - "Google’s developer event scrapped due to coronavirus spread."
• New James Bond film release put back by seven months - "The release of the new James Bond film has been put back by seven months as coronavirus continues to spread."
• Aston Martin supercar costs $950,000 & has no roof or windshield - "Elite, high-performance British cars with no roofs and ultra-high price tags seem to be all the rage these days."
• Why women feel pressured to shave - "The rise of gender fluidity, the body-positivity movement and the beauty sector's growing inclusiveness have all contributed to the new wave of hirsuteness."
• Why are people stockpiling toilet paper? - "Coronavirus panic: Perhaps the worst doomsday scenario is this: being stuck on the toilet and finding you're down to the last square."
• Why Bernie Sanders Flies By Private Jet - "For Bernie Sanders, It’s Not ‘Boxers Or Briefs’ But ‘Gulfstream Or Global Express’."
• Bond fans ask for No Time to Die delay due to coronavirus - "The founders of two of the most popular James Bond fan sites are asking the studios behind the next Bond film to delay its release due to coronavirus."
• 2020 Geneva Motor Show: Introducing The Powerful McLaren 765LT - Forbes.
• YouTube Music's redesigned playback screen includes lyrics - "It's also much easier to shuffle or repeat tracks."
• The gadgets that refuse to die - "Goodbye doesn't mean forever."

March 3, 2020

• Coronavirus: What can we learn from the Spanish flu? - "In the aftermath of World War One, a flu pandemic swept the world, killing at least 50 million people. What lessons can it teach us about Covid-19?"
• What airlines are doing to sanitize planes - "As you board the aircraft and sit in your seat, you might find yourself reconsidering inflight hygiene -- and wondering just how thoroughly the aircraft's actually been cleaned before you boarded."
• the Danish trick to “shock” your body into happiness - "A growing number of Danes choose cold water swimming as a way to invigorate the senses and combat their winter blues. Now, some companies are using it to create workplace bonds."
• How to make your own hand sanitizer - "Washing your hands is how you protect yourself, but this is second best."
• From banknotes to handrails: 10 objects that help spread coronavirus - "Banknotes could transmit the virus, says the World Health Organization. Here are some other things to watch out for."
• Elbow-bumps & footshakes: the new coronavirus etiquette - "Virus means handshakes, cheek-kisses, hugs may not be welcome."
• The potential mind-altering, life-extending benefits of spring cleaning - "There's something about a deep clean and purge of dust, dirt and clutter that inspires a sense of rebirth, which must be why we traditionally tackle our clutter in the spring, as new buds bloom and newborn creatures scurry."
• Peugeot 208, Car of the Year 2020 - "The new Peugeot 208 was proclaimed in Geneva the winner of the 57th Car of the Year 2020 contest."
• Study finds parrots weigh up probabilities to make decisions - "Researchers say it is the first time such skill has been shown outside of humans and great apes."
• How to delete Twitter’s storage cache from your iPhone - "Because every MB is precious."
• This is what ancient statues really looked like - "'Gods in Color' returns antiquities to their original, colorful grandeur."
• WhatsApp's dark mode rolls out on Android &iOS today - "Good news for tired eyes."
• Did you own one of these iPhones? Apple owes you $25 for slowing it down - "Apple will pay up to half a billion dollars to settle a class action lawsuit accusing it of slowing down older iPhone models to compel users to buy new ones."

March 2, 2020

• Inconvenient truths & the coronavirus - "China is struggling with coronavirus disinformation after writing off inconvenient truths as fake news."
• NASA images show a decrease in China's pollution related to coronavirus shutdown - "From January 1 to 20 the images show higher levels of nitrogen dioxide over China, but from February 10 to 25, traces of the gas are hardly visible."
• 6 Innovators Who are Shaping the World - "The editors of TIME for Kids spoke with six innovators who are making the planet a more sustainable and accessible place for future generations. From Saieshan Govinder’s work tackling the youth unemployment crisis in South Africa to Srilekha Chakraborty’s initiatives that help girls in rural India learn and talk about their health, these game-changers are leading the way to a better world."
• World's beaches disappearing due to climate crisis - study - "UK on course to lose a quarter of its sandy coast because of human-driven erosion."
• THE VERGE TECH SURVEY 2020 - "Ahead of the election year, we polled Americans about which big tech companies they trust with their personal information - and which ones should be broken up."
• Luxembourg makes all public transport free - "With a population of 602,000, Luxembourg is one of Europe's smallest countries -- yet it suffers from major traffic jams. But that could be about to change. As of March 1, 2020 all public transport -- trains, trams and buses -- in the country is now free."
• IMAGINE A WORLD WITHOUT YOUTUBE - "Fifteen years ago this month, one of the most important web domains in history was registered: youtube.com. Today’s teenagers have never known an internet that couldn’t host as much video as they want for free, server costs be damned. YouTube has helped elect politicians, create entire industries, and taught millions of people how to use eyeliner. It’s not a stretch to say it shaped the internet as we know it."
• Welcome to Botnet, Where Everyone’s an Influencer - "A social network populated entirely by adoring bots aims to mimic the experience of being a celebrity online - trolls not included."

March 1, 2020

• Will Warmer Weather Stop Spread of the Coronavirus? Don't Count on It, Say Experts - "As coronavirus continues to spread, a simple solution has been repeated by some leaders: Warm temperatures will stop the outbreak in its tracks."
• Epidemics expert Jonathan Quick: ‘The worst-case scenario for coronavirus is likely’ - "The former chair of the Global Health Council talks about the mentality that left the world vulnerable to the Covid-19 epidemic and what can be done to minimise its effects."
• Go on, spoil yourself: 20 of the best spa retreats - "Lakeside lodge or clifftop hotel? Designer detox or retro bathing hut? Here’s our pick of great spas to boost your wellbeing."
• Please be quiet: my search for a noise-free life - "Pinging mobiles, sniffling passengers, desk diners... The incessant noise of modern life never stops - and it’s infuriating Emma Beddington. So what’s the best way to find some peace and turn down the volume?"
• How To Taste Whisky Like A Pro - "The debate over the best way to taste and drink whisky is a timeless one. Decades ago, many Scotch drinkers passionately supported drinking whisky neat, perhaps with a drop of water, but nothing else. No mixers or ice, as that ruins the drink."
• The best dash cam - "A definitive guide."
• Unsealing of Vatican archives will finally reveal truth about ‘Hitler’s pope’ - "Historians can now pore over secret files from the papacy of Pius XII, who has long faced accusations of being a Nazi sympathiser."

February 29, 2020

• Coronavirus - everything you need to know - "Top 25 Best Coronavirus Advice, News & Resources."
• Coronavirus reaches 'highest level' of risk - "Risk of global spread 'very high' warns WHO as China situation stabilizes."
• GDC 2020 is officially canceled due to coronavirus - "Organizers hope to host another event in the summer."
• 50 simple ways to make your life greener - "Expert tips on how to be kinder to the planet - from cooking and cleaning to fashion and finance."
• How deadly is the Coronavirus? - "Coronavirus: What are the chances of dying? Researchers currently think that between five and 40 coronavirus cases in 1,000 will result in death, with a best guess of nine in 1,000 or about 1%."
• Here Are The Destinations Affected By Coronavirus Flight Cancellations & Travel Bans - "The rapid spread of new coronavirus cases in countries around the world prompted international airlines and governments to begin cancelling flights and instituting broader travel bans to the most affected areas in an attempt to curb the epidemic, while demand for flights has dropped."
• 10 Numbers That Show How Hard Coronavirus Hit The Stock Market This Week - "Global markets plummeted this week as fear over the potential impact of the coronavirus outbreak gripped investors. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 14%, the S&P lost 13% after falling from a record high just last week, and U.S. Treasury bond yields plummeted to new record lows as traders abandoned risky assets for safer ones."
• Why Coronavirus Isn’t Such Terrible News For The S&P 500 - "With the market already down nearly 15% from its recent high, the coronavirus-triggered plunge may turn into one of the fastest bear markets to hit U.S. stocks ever. But, believe it or not, a passive investment in the S&P 500 may be the best way to ride out and ultimately profit from the storm."
• Why 'Fake It Till You Make It' Is Terrible Advice - "In the long-term, posturing and faking it provides only temporary value, writes Harvard Business School professor Laura Huang."
• 9 Best Free Online Data Science Courses In 2020 - "You don't have to spend a fortune and study for years to start working with big data, analytics, and artificial intelligence. Demand for 'armchair data scientists' - those without formal qualifications in the subject but with the skills and knowledge to analyze data in their everyday work, is predicted to outstrip demand for traditionally qualified data scientists in the coming years."
• How to survive in the extreme cold - "The man who refused to freeze to death. Lost, wet and alone in a freezing, snow covered landscape, an Icelandic fisherman’s story of survival against the odds reveals the human body’s remarkable ability to adapt to the cold."

February 28, 2020

• Hand sanitiser or hand washing - which is more effective against coronavirus? - "Supermarkets are running out of hand sanitiser as people rush to protect themselves from Covid-19. But does it beat using soap and water?"
• There Aren't Enough Medical Masks to Fight Coronavirus. Here's Why It's Not Going to Get Better Anytime Soon - "Retailers on multiple continents are running out of masks, and prices for a box of masks on online retailers like Amazon have surged to hundreds of dollars."
• Stock Market Bloodbath: S&P 500, Dow Fall Over 4 Percent On Coronavirus Fears - "The Dow Jones Industrial Average plummeted nearly 1,200 points to close at 26,957 on Thursday, signaling that investor anxiety about the potential impact of the coronavirus continues to worsen despite signs that China’s economic activity is beginning to pick up."
• What Noma did next: how the ‘New Nordic’ is reshaping the food world - "In our time of climate crisis and inequality, as top chefs dream less of Michelin stars and more of changing the world, the New Nordic movement is reaching beyond haute cuisine into classrooms, supermarkets and parliaments."
• The forbidden images of the Chinese internet - "Nothing reflects the lasting potency of the iconic "Tank Man" photo quite like the dogged attempts to censor it on China's internet."
• 5 small smart devices that can prevent major home damage - "Smart smoke alarms, plus sensors for water, freeze, temperature and contact."
• From Disney+ to PB+J, How the Plus Sign Took Over the World - "For many, the aesthetic appeal of the plus sign is in its simplicity, which dovetails with a culture that fetishizes the raw, the elemental, the nostalgic."
• Overweight fliers fight back against discrimination - "Are fat fliers being discriminated against by airlines?"
• How Reno Became 'the Divorce Capital of the World' - And Why That Reputation Faded - TIME Magazine.
• Why Hit Movies Are Called Blockbusters - "The word first appeared in the pages of TIME in a Nov. 29, 1942, article on the Allied bombing of key industrial targets in fascist Italy; the bombs used for such missions were called blockbusters because of their ability to destroy an entire city block. As the term continued to appear in the context of media reports on Allied aerial bombings, it entered the American lexicon as a metaphor for something shocking an explosive and shocking."

February 27, 2020

• Coronavirus: Where are we with a vaccine? - "As cases of coronavirus increase around the globe, the focus is turning to finding a vaccine."
• Coronavirus: How to self-isolate - "The official advice if you suspect you have coronavirus, have been in contact with someone who has it, or have been to a place where there are a lot of cases of the virus, is to self-isolate."
• What are super-spreaders and how are they transmitting coronavirus? - "About one in five people transmit infections to far more people than the majority do - why?"
• China, Then And Now: Why Coronavirus Is A Bigger Threat To The Global Economy Than Previous Outbreaks - "The coronavirus is likely to have a bigger economic impact than previous outbreaks thanks to a rapidly growing Chinese economy and its deeper commercial ties to the U.S. In 2003, when the SARS virus hit, China’s GDP was $1.6 trillion. Today, China’s GDP sits around $13 trillion."
• Why your brain is not a computer - "For decades it has been the dominant metaphor in neuroscience. But could this idea have been leading us astray all along?"
• How to use filters to improve your Instagram photos - "Put a little style in your images."
• Tempo is a smart home gym that uses computer vision to track your form in real time - "Less about reps, more about form."
• The best English-language remakes - ranked! - "As Downhill - the underwhelming US remake of Ruben Östlund’s Force Majeure - hits the cinemas, we present the finest reimaginings of foreign-language films."
• From Nelson's apple to beef wellington: how war changes the way we eat - "Even if you lose the conflict, food can be an incredible propaganda tool - just look at General Lee’s cake."
• How virtual reality is changing the live music experience - "Just because your favorite band's live show sold out in minutes, it doesn't mean you have to miss out."
• 20 Outstanding Images, Nominees For 2020 World Press Photo Of The Year - "For its 63rd annual international photography competition, the World Press Photo Of The Year has selected the images by professional photojournalists that will compete for the overall prize and for best pictures - presented as single photos or stories - in eight categories on the issues that mattered most in 2019."
• Ancient buildings that have shape-shifted across centuries - "Christian Louboutin is CNN Style's new guest editor. He's commissioned a series of stories around the topic of 'Journeys.'"
• Norway wealth fund shrugs off Brexit, plans rise in UK investments - "Norway’s $1 trillion (£753 billion) sovereign wealth fund, the world’s biggest, said on Wednesday it planned to keep increasing its investments in Britain, and it shrugged off uncertainties about Brexit."

February 26, 2020

• Coronavirus has now spread to six continents - "Coronavirus fears spread across the world."
• The Top 10 Breakthrough Technologies For 2020 - "It’s the time of year when the MIT Technology Review releases its biggest breakthrough technologies for the year. These are technologies that are expected to have widespread consequences for human life in the coming year."
• How cutting your food waste can help the climate - "All food generates greenhouse gases to reach our plates, but when nearly a third of it is thrown away or wasted, does that mean we could be doing more to protect the climate?"
• Solari boards: The disappearing sound of airports - "As day turns to night in Singapore's Changi Airport, a queue of people wait patiently for a picture with an old star."
• Apple does not 'let bad guys use iPhones on screen' - "Director Rian Johnson lifts lid on brand’s controlling use of product placement, which saw it ensure villains used PCs."
• 12 famous buildings in India: From ancient wonders to modern marvels - "Here are 12 famous buildings from across one of the most historically and culturally rich places on Earth."
• Love it or hate it, Marmite is having a massive foodie moment - "The divisive spread is no longer just a toast topping. Now leading chefs are adding it to everything from scallops to pasta."
• Air New Zealand unveils economy-class sleeping pods - "On February 25, the airline filed patent and trademark applications for the 'Economy Skynest'".

February 25, 2020

• How to protect yourself from coronavirus - "World Health Organization recommends people take these simple precautions against coronavirus to reduce exposure and transmission."
• Do face masks help prevent coronavirus? – video explainer - "The Guardian's health editor, Sarah Boseley, gives the lowdown on the effectiveness of wearing face masks to protect against the coronavirus, explains how viruses are spread, and offers tips on staying healthy and safe as the outbreak that originated in Wuhan, China, continues to spread."
• Coronavirus Cases Outside China Are Accelerating Rapidly. Here’s What to Know - "Countries including South Korea, Italy and Iran are seeing a significant uptick in the number of COVID-19 cases."
• Coronavirus Could Cost World $1 Trillion If It Becomes a Pandemic, Analysts Predict - "The ghastly prospect that the coronavirus outbreak could become the first truly disruptive pandemic of the globalization era is renewing doubts over the stability of the world economy."
• Analysis: How close are we to a pandemic? - "Major outbreaks of the new coronavirus have suddenly been detected in both Italy and Iran in the past few days."
• Coronavirus closures reveal vast scale of China’s secretive wildlife farm industry - "Peacocks, porcupines and pangolins among species bred on 20,000 farms closed in wake of virus."
• A heat wave in Antarctica melted 20% of an island's snow in 9 days - "A nine-day heat wave scorched Antarctica's northern tip earlier this month. New NASA images reveal that nearly a quarter of an Antarctic island's snow cover melted in that time -- an increasingly common symptom of the climate crisis."
• Cutting salt likely to prevent future heart disease, even if you're not at risk now - "What's the leading cause of heart disease? High blood pressure, which is often triggered by high sodium (salt) intake in the food we eat. Hypertension is also the leading cause of stroke, heart failure and kidney disease."
• Best carnival parades & parties for 2020 - "Ash Wednesday is fast approaching (Wednesday, February 26). So you know what that means. Carnival festivals around the world: Join the parades and parties in 2020."
• The River Nile's greatest attractions from Aswan to Luxor - "Forget Cairo. This is the section of the River Nile you need to visit."
• The best Apple rumor right now is Gmail - "It’s past time for third-party default apps on the iPhone."
• How to cook the perfect pancake - "Does butter make a better batter, what’s the most ripping topping? Top tips for the perfect pancake recipe."
• How exactly does 5G work? - "5G arrives properly in 2020, but what's real, and what's hype?"
• How to win Monopoly in the shortest possible time - "Why Monopoly takes so long. One of the best-selling board games of all time makes several cardinal sins of good design, drawing a great deal of ire over the years about how long it takes to play."
• Warren Buffett finally traded in his flip phone for an iPhone - "Warren Buffett, one of Apple's largest shareholders, finally owns one of the company's most popular products."
• Do a DNA test to 'find out my roots'? That's complicated for a black woman like me - "I’ll never use a service like AncestryDNA or 23andMe. Here’s why."
• British royals offer a look inside Buckingham Palace's renovations, as the Queen's home gets a facelift - "The British royal family have offered a look inside the major refurbishment of Queen Elizabeth II's home, Buckingham Palace. In a series of videos posted to the royals' Instagram page on Monday, the family's social media team toured a few of the building's ornate rooms and hallways, which have been turned into construction sites as part of the £369 million ($458 million) project."

February 24, 2020

• Coronavirus: A visual guide to the outbreak - "A fast-moving virus originating in China and known as the 'new coronavirus' has infected tens of thousands of Chinese citizens and spread to about 30 countries."
• Don’t Fail Fast - Fail Smart - "'Fail fast, fail often' has become something of a mantra in modern business parlance, especially in the rapid-fire world of technology."
• Soreness is good and scales are pointless: the 10 biggest myths in fitness - "Advice for how to get fit and healthy is often confusing. But there are some simple truths"
• The 100-year life: how to prolong a healthy mind - "As concerns about dementia grow, more research is investigating how we can keep our brains fit and sharp."
• How to Share Your Online Accounts the Safe Way - "Be generous, but also be careful."
• Earth Harp: The man behind the unique instruments 'epic' sound - "William Close is the inventor behind the Earth Harp - the world's longest string instrument which uses architecture and landscapes to create a unique sound."
• The world's most underrated skiing destination? - "Why Georgia is one of the world's most underrated skiing destinations."
• The life-changing power of fog - "The ethereal art of fog-catching. In chronically dry regions around the world, communities are finding ways to live from the water suspended in the air - creating valuable drinking water from mist."
• Worrying About 'Work-Life Balance' Can Be a Trap. Here's What to Try Instead - "If you’re looking to reset your work-life balance, these expert tips can help."
• 'The world's most advanced police vehicle' - "W Motors is set to open the first hypercar factory in the Middle East."
• Better Call Saul is back after a two-year wait - and it's more masterful than ever - "The Breaking Bad prequel has kicked into high gear, as Jimmy McGill edges ever closer to TV’s most compelling baddie Saul Goodman. It was well worth the agonising hiatus."
• The upside-down headband - why back to front dressing is the latest fashion trend - "Wearing your pyjamas to work, showing your bra or doing your buttons up wrong once meant you probably got dressed in the dark. Now they are exciting new looks."

February 23, 2020

• What Internet Speeds Should You Really Be Paying For? Here's How to Decide - "f the new year brought some new gadgets - like a 4K TV, new streaming device, or even a new video game - into your life, you’re probably itching to get them hooked up and online. Just one problem, though: That 4K-quality stream you’re looking to extract from your Netflix subscription isn’t exactly in 4K, thanks to your less-than-stellar Internet connection."
• Beauty & the bloke: why more men are wearing makeup - "Foundation, concealer, a little eyeliner... More and more men now put on makeup on a daily basis. Priya Elan meets the influencers behind the trend - and has a makeover himself."
• The 13 best travel mugs - "From our friends at The Strategist, here are the best travel mugs, according to coffee snobs."
• This finance app can help you save up to $800 a year - "With state-of-the-art tech and bank-grade encryption, this $39 app can help you save up to $800 a year."
• The best GPS trackers for cats & dogs - "A GPS pet tracker, like most emergency gear, is something you hope you never have to use."
• Five ways to improve flexibility - "Try tai chi, pilates or yoga to boost strength, eat enough protein, and dissolve tension in a warm bath. And give it time – make it part of your life."
• Greta Thunberg’s mother reveals teenager’s troubled childhood - "Swedish opera singer Malena Ernman gives emotional account of daughter’s battles with autism and an eating disorder."
• Our House Is on Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis by Greta Thunberg - "An extraordinary account of how one family rose, with unshakable moral clarity, to the tremendous responsibility of being alive at the moment when our immediate collective decisions will determine the fate of life on Earth. They share their story of courage not because they want our accolades, but because they demand our company. Greta Thunberg has already inspired a global moment--this book is part of how we will win."
• The adoration of Ghent: art, history &flavours in Flanders - "Medieval and magical, vibrant and edgy - the Belgian city is a sensory overload."

February 22, 2020

• Why We're All So Worried About Having Too Little Time - TIME Magazine.
• Wikipedia Is the Last Best Place on the Internet - "People used to think the crowdsourced encyclopedia represented all that was wrong with the web. Now it's a beacon of so much that's right."
• Wallis Simpson's hard lessons for Harry & Meghan - "A popular, playful prince falls in love with a strong-willed US divorcee, who ends up vilified by a hostile British press. In Harry and Meghan, some royal watchers see echoes of Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, the couple at the heart of the abdication crisis eight decades ago. But does the comparison hold up? It could do if the Duke and Duchess of Sussex end up reliving the Duke and Duchess of Windsor's tormented exile."
• Friends to reunite for one-off special on HBO Max - "The cast of Friends is to reunite for a one-off special, more than 15 years since the show ended."
• How to turn $100 into a $1 million Picasso - "Want to own a Picasso? A $100 raffle ticket could make your dream come true."
• Can science cure a broken heart? - "New treatments involving anaesthesia drugs and neurofeedback could soon be used for getting over a breakup."
• Streaming with laughter: the 50 best standup comedy shows - "From Bill Hicks to Hannah Gadsby, Dave Chappelle to Josie Long - here are 50 specials you can watch right now."
• TikTok viral stars could make up to $1m per post, say researchers - "Video app’s most popular users could rake in millions by collaborating with brands."

February 21, 2020

• Could the 2020 Tokyo Olympics Be a Victim of COVID-19? - "The 2020 Olympics torch relay is due to begin next month, traversing all of Japan’s 47 prefectures and coinciding with its popular cherry blossom bloom."
• How AI Can Predict Heart Attacks & Strokes - "Artificial intelligence is making its way into health care, and one of its first stops is making sense of all of those scans that doctors order. Already, studies have shown that AI-based tools can, in some cases, pick out abnormal growths that could be cancerous tumors better than doctors can, mainly because digesting and synthesizing huge volumes of information is what AI does best."
• Travel Green: Discover Some Of The World’s Best Eco-Friendly Hotels - "Low-impact travel and luxury can coexist thanks to an ever-expanding list of properties striving to respect their guest’s desire for environmentally friendly accommodation. Here’s a look at some of the world’s top sustainable hotels."
• How to buy a mirrorless camera in 2020 - "Manufacturers are trying hard to lure you away from your smartphone."
• The secret to whisky’s global success - "The enduring mystique of Scotch whisky has been paramount to its global success."
• Deontay Wilder v Tyson Fury II: Fight preview & all you need to know - "Tyson Fury and Deontay Wilder will face each other again almost 15 months on from a controversial draw that left punters desperate for a re-run of their thrilling affair in Los Angeles."
• The best Android & iPhone gimbal - "A gimbal can replace an expensive tripod or dolly to make cinematic video effects accessible to anyone."
• iOS 14 is a chance for Apple to lower its walls - "Default app changes are small but significant."
• Have visitors finally overstayed their welcome in Hawaii? - "The world-famous Ha'ik? Stairs along Oahu's Ko'olau mountain range, known as the 'Stairway to Heaven,' has been closed to the public since 1991, but you wouldn't know that from Instagram."
• Benefits (and some surprising science) about owning a pet - "Higher survival rates, fewer heart attacks, less loneliness, better blood pressure, better psychological well-being, lower rates of depression and stress levels, fewer doctor visits, increased self esteem, better sleep and more physical activity, are just some of the recorded benefits of pet ownership."
• World's longest rail tunnel nearly finished - "Huge tunnel network creates new railway link through the Alps."
• The Stunning Viking Runestones Of Scandinavia - "The recent discovery of several Viking ship graves in Norway has lifted interest in Viking history to new heights. While there’s no doubting the fascinating discoveries being made, some truly remarkable Viking artifacts exist in plain sight throughout Scandinavia: runestones."
• 'What was that all about?': Donald Trump mocks Oscars winner Parasite - "US President Donald Trump has hit out at the Oscars for awarding Best Picture to Parasite, a dark South Korean comedy about class struggle and wealth inequality."
• The Enduring Mystery of Malcolm X's Assassination - "Friday marks 55 years since Malcolm X was assassinated at age 39 in Harlem, New York. What happened that day has remained the subject of debate."
• Richard Branson launches his luxury, adults-only cruise ship - "The Virgin founder launched the Scarlet Lady on Friday, hoping its modern design and adults-only rule will prompt younger vacationers to take a fresh look at cruises."

February 20, 2020

• Fist Bumps vs. Handshakes: How COVID-19 Does - and Doesn’t - Spread - "Can the newest coronavirus spread through a handshake? Or by sharing shopping carts or subway hanging straps? Here’s what you need to know about how COVID-19 spreads from person to person."
• Sinophobia: How a virus reveals the many ways China is feared - "Sammi Yang first realised something wasn't right when she showed up at her doctor's in Berlin, and was immediately barred from entering the building."
• The great snack divide: should you eat three square meals a day - or 17 tiny ones? - "Scientists are split on how often we should eat. Personally, I always have food in my pockets - fine when it’s rice cakes, less so when it’s cheese."
• Why owning fewer clothes makes you a better dresser - "There is a sartorial magic to the kind of streamlined wardrobe made famous by Audrey Hepburn and Sade. Here’s how to master it."
• How do I get my name to the top of Google’s search results? - "An academic shares his name with a notorious drug dealer. Here’s how he can raise his profile so his name appears first."
• What the world's most expensive Irish whiskey tastes like? - "On Tuesday night, a gathering of whiskey enthusiasts met in London's Old Sessions House to toast the launch of Midleton Very Rare Silent Distillery Collection, Ireland's oldest ever whiskey collection. The price tag for this rare wonder is $40,000."
• ‘It’s personally insulting’: 17 chefs on the customer antics that most enrage them - "The diner is always right - only that isn’t true. From heavy petting to no-shows, restaurateurs share their biggest bugbears."
• Am I plankton? Why older women feel they're at the bottom of the food chain - "Older women face a rude awakening upon divorce: we feel like we have ‘depreciated in value’ since we were last on the market."
• Aspirational pursuit of mates in online dating markets - "Romantic courtship is often described as taking place in a dating market where men and women compete for mates, but the detailed structure and dynamics of dating markets have historically been difficult to quantify for lack of suitable data. In recent years, however, the advent and vigorous growth of the online dating industry has provided a rich new source of information on mate pursuit."
• The most terrifying images in history? - "Paintings of the past depicted horror, dread and foreboding. But can art still frighten us into a new consciousness, asks Kelly Grovier."
• 'THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG': CYBER-FLASHING ON TRAINS ‘LARGELY UNREPORTED’ DESPITE HUGE RISE IN INCIDENTS - "Women are not reporting being cyber-flashed on public transport despite a massive rise in the number of incidents, new data has revealed."
• JÄgermeister logo does not offend Christians, Swiss court rules - "The logo for Jägermeister alcohol is not religiously offensive, a Swiss court has ruled."
• How tall can wooden skyscrapers go? - "Has the wooden skyscraper revolution finally arrived?"
• A jetpack company just reached a major milestone in our quest to fly like Iron Man - "The team at Jetman Dubai built a jet-powered wingsuit and say they just reached a major milestone with it -- a pilot took-off from the ground and then transitioned into a high-altitude flight."
• The computer pioneer who built modern China - "How China became a PC superpower. Isolated from the rest of the world, one woman pushed computing from a geeky obsession into a transformative industry."
• Larry Tesler: Computer scientist behind cut, copy & paste dies aged 74 - "Larry Tesler, an icon of early computing, has died at the age of 74."

February 19, 2020

• The 10 Best Jobs Working From Home For 2020 - "If you’ve been entertaining the idea of working from home, there are more opportunities than you might imagine."
• Take a Year Off & Travel Without Going Broke - "With a bit of planning, knowledge and frugal travel, you can take off a year, or more or less, and travel. If you want to get away - really away - you don’t need to be rich. Here’s how."
• Tourists flock to 'Parasite' filming locations - "'Parasite' filming locations you can visit in Seoul"
• Bill Gates bought a Porsche, and then Elon Musk talked trash about him - "Bill Gates bought an electric car. But while he’s given Tesla credit for pushing other carmakers to go electric, it does seem notable that he didn’t buy from the company that pushed the innovation. He bought a Porsche Taycan."
• THE BEST SMART DISPLAY TO BUY RIGHT NOW - "Smart displays for your kitchen, bedroom, or living room."
• Is Coffee Good for You? - "Yes! But it depends on the kind of coffee and the quantity."
• 10 of the best bars near Europe’s main railway stations - "Weary, bleary, or just plain thirsty, travellers can rest easy at this cool and cosy collection."
• Blockchain 50 - "Blockchain started as a way to move bitcoin from point A to point B, but it is now being used by a host of big companies to monitor and move any number of assets around the world as easily as sending an email."
• How to make the perfect kung pao chicken - recipe - "Tender chicken, spring onions, the fruity heat of Sichuan peppercorns, smothered with a subtly sweet-and-sour sauce: perfect dinner for one. But what’s the best recipe?"
• How Hollywood costumes shaped a fashion legend - "Alaïa and Adrian: Exhibition explores ties between two fashion greats."
• Soon You Can Wear Kim Kardashian's Butt For $450 - "You can always expect to see the unexpected at New York Fashion Week, and that’s on and off the runway. Over the top looks are par for the course, but one no one saw coming was a wearable model of Kardashian’s famous behind. Dubbed 'The Bum,' it’s the creation of New York-based Scandinavian conceptual artists."
• The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting - "I was skeptical, but it turns out there is something to be said for a daily fast, preferably one lasting at least 16 hours."
• He kept hitting her reclined seat. But that was only the start of her nightmare - "A passenger said she's hurt after her reclined seat was repeatedly 'punched.' She asked for help, but said a flight attendant threatened her."

February 18, 2020

• The health benefits of a random act of kindness - "This year, 'Random Acts of Kindness' Day falls on Monday, but the foundation behind it wants you to consider being kind every day."
• Why Amazon knows so much about you - "How Jeff Bezos built his data machine."
• A380 superjumbo pulled apart for souvenirs - "Own a piece of the first Airbus A380 to be retired."
• Why do we cry - and what can we learn from our tears? - "Weeping is informed by everything from culture and identity to social standing - and studying it could help us better understand ourselves."
• Leavism: the troubling truth behind the trend to keep working while on holiday - "Overworked employees are using their annual leave to catch up on tasks they should have left behind at the office. And it isn’t just precarity and smartphones to blame."
• UK climbs ranking of tax havens - "Tax Justice Network says UK is nearing top 10 most secretive financial systems."
• Why are there more women vegans? - "The mystery of why there are more women vegans. When women hold two incompatible beliefs, they’re more likely to change their behaviour to reconcile them. Men, by comparison, tend to dig themselves in."
• $400m ceramic skyscraper can 'breathe' - "The supertall ceramic tower that 'breathes'."
• Trust your nose: what rich people can learn from Parasite - "Bong Joon-ho’s savage Oscar-winning satire offers plenty of helpful insights into how the wealthy can avoid being preyed on by the less fortunate."
• The Finnish town that rations carbon - "Can rationing carbon help fight climate change? Experiments in setting individuals a carbon allowance have been trialled from Finland to Australia, and some have proved popular. But can carbon rationing ever be fair?"
• Are plastic containers safe for our food? Experts say it’s hard to know - "The plastics industry says its containers are safe but some experts advise consumers to avoid heating them and advocate using glass or metal instead."
• Pompeii's House of Lovers reopens to public after 40 years - "Jewel of ancient Roman city was severely damaged by destructive earthquake in 1980."

February 17, 2020

• Struggling to quit sugar? You might not be sleeping enough - "If you find yourself eating too much added sugar and unhealthy fats, it might be because you're not getting enough sleep, according to a study published Monday in the Journal of the American Heart Association."
• The price of wine is dropping fast - "Break out the tumblers. The price of wine is dropping fast."
• Why stocks keep moving higher. And higher. And higher - "Why do stocks continue to rise in the face of anxiety about the coronavirus? Ongoing support from the Federal Reserve, a stable outlook for corporate earnings and fear of missing out may have something to do with it."
• Your DNA is a valuable asset, so why give it to ancestry websites for free? - "DNA testing companies are starting to profit from selling our data on to big pharma. Perhaps they should be paying us."
• Listen to the new James Bond theme song by Billie Eilish - "With the song, Eilish becomes the youngest person in the history of the Bond franchise to write and record a theme song for one of the iconic films."
• New York's most famous buildings - "Famous buildings in New York City: 20 favorites the world knows and loves."
• The truth about Wallis Simpson, the woman accused of stealing a king - "For many decades, Wallis Simpson has been seen as a temptress, the woman who pulled a king away from his duty and thrust his younger brother into a stressful role."
• Greed is ... good? Why Hollywood can't make its mind up about billionaires - "Steve Coogan’s take on Philip Green is the latest in a long list of tycoons portrayed on screen, ranging from corrupt tax avoiders to smouldering heroes."

February 16, 2020

• how to turn yourself into a super-learner - "Whether you’re taking up the oboe or finessing your Finnish, scientific research offers tips to aid learning."
• Internet privacy: the apps that protect you from your apps - "Worried about the data collected about you? A new generation of startups is making apps to put your privacy settings straight."
• iPhone Users Finally Get Cool New Gmail Upgrade Right Now - "From today, iPhone and iPad users have access to a great new feature when they open the Gmail app. It’s part of Google’s continuous process of upgrading its apps, a process which sometimes makes its iPhone apps look and work better than its Android ones. Or at least catches them up when they’ve been lagging behind."
• All about Andy: extracts from Warhol - A Life As Art - "In his new biography, the former chief art critic of the Washington Post sheds new light on the late 20th century’s defining artist."
• Warhol - "The definitive biography of a fascinating and paradoxical figure, one of the most influential artists of his - or any - age." Amazon.com.
• 5 ways: Confront your fears ... and other ways to stop procrastinating - "Address your perfectionism, make a small starting step and break the cycle that is holding you back."
• The electric plane leading a revolution - "Is this the start of an aviation revolution? Aviation is one of the fastest rising sources of carbon emissions from transport, but can a small Canadian airline show the industry a way of flying that is better for the planet?"
• 16 best bikes for beginning commuters - "From our friends at The Strategist, here are the best commuter bikes, according to cycling experts."
• The best smart locks - "You have a few good options, including one for keeping your existing deadbolt."
• Love at first fold: 24 hours with Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip - engadget.
• Galaxy Z Flip durability test calls Samsung’s Ultra Thin ‘Glass’ into question - "The Z Flip’s display scratches as easily as plastic."

February 15, 2020

• Lessons from the ancient philosophers to help improve our lives today - "We are meant to have desires and should worry less, said Aristotle, while Epicurus cautioned that most of the stuff we think we want won’t make us happy."
• TikTok slammed for being too addictive in app's first 'I quit' essay - "It was the second most downloaded app of 2019 but in 2020 has acquired its first ‘why I deleted my TikTok’ essay."
• Windows 10 Alert: Microsoft Says Install THESE 3 Security Updates In THIS Order - "If you thought that updating Windows 10 was a problem that had long since been solved, then I congratulate you on your optimistic outlook."
• The Portable Bloomberg: The Wit & Wisdom of Michael Bloomberg - "Bloomberg has given varying responses over the years when asked about some of the quotes in the booklet. His spokesman said in 2001 that 'some of the things he might have said' and Bloomberg apologized to 'anyone that was offended by' the comments. Bloomberg at one point referred to them as 'a bunch of Borscht Belt jokes.'"
• Apple Reveals Dazzlingly Different Apple Watch Design & Features - "Apple’s smartwatch may be about to be radically rethought, with a completely different build designed to add flexibility and versatility. A new patent, published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office earlier today, suggests what may be possible."
• Apple Watch outsold the entire Swiss watch industry in 2019 - "The Apple Watch sold 31 million units worldwide, while all Swiss watch brands combined sold 21 million units, according to research from consulting firm Strategy Analytics."
• Insta360 One R review - "The company's latest shooter blends the best of action and 360-degree cameras into one sweet, modular package."

February 14, 2020

• The world's most romantic places - "Maybe you'd choose the white sands and turquoise waters of a deserted tropical beach. Perhaps it's the lure of iconic cultural cities such as Paris, Venice or Istanbul. Then again, the call of the wild from a safari is a pretty special way to spend time with your beloved."
• Valentine's Day: 6 things we learned from asking couples how they stay together - "From respecting each other’s independence to seeking professional help if needed, long-lasting couples share their wisdom on love."
• Is love just a fleeting chemical high in the brain? - "Romantic feelings rely on a complicated concoction of chemicals and psychology. But as part of our series on Life’s Big Questions with The Conversation, we ask, can they wear off?"
• Valentine's Day Deals - Amazon.com.
• Love skiing? Enjoy it while it lasts - "Skiing vacations be a thing of the past."
• There's a huge row over reclining your airline seat. Is capitalism to blame? - "Recline or don’t recline – it’s your call. But remember: the greed of airlines in shrinking space to reap profits makes them the true villains."
• Would you wear clothes made from rubbish? - "Goodbye mainstream fashion and hello menswear made of table linen, the founder of new publication TRASHmag thinks the future of style lies in the bin."
• This Cruise Ship Has the Highest COVID-19 Infection Rate in the World - "Cornonavirus cases onboard the Diamond Princess now account for more than one third of all those detected outside mainland China."
• Made for travel: When tourists demand something to see - "Tourist trap or travel dream?"
• Hawaiian, Gaelic, Yiddish: so you want to learn an endangered language on Duolingo? - "Languages do not become endangered peacefully. Duolingo’s efforts to teach such languages have entangled the company in often fraught historical contexts."

February 13, 2020

• 9 things that will make flying on an airplane better - "It's a miracle of science that we can jet from town to town to get our business done and get our fun on, but today's flying experience can leave a bit to be desired."
• The downsides to a plant-based diet - "Why the vegan diet is not always green. The vegan diet is widely regarded to be better for the planet than those that include animal products, but not all plant-based foodstuffs have a small environmental footprint."
• Earth just had hottest January since records began, data shows - "Average global temperature 2.5F above 20th-century average. Antarctic has begun February with several temperature spikes."
• How the coronavirus spread across China & the world - visual explainer - "Confirmed cases of the flu-like virus span 29 countries, with 1,300 deaths, all but three in mainland China."
• Food tastes better when you eat at a table with a tablecloth, study finds - "Cooking for someone special this Valentine's Day? Don't forget the tablecloth."
• Playing golf may help older adults live longer, study says - "President Trump has spent more than 260 days at one of his golf clubs during his first three years in office as of February 2, according to CNN's tally. Now he can rest easy knowing that time hasn't gone to waste, according to preliminary research, which found that playing golf at least once a month can lower older adults' risk of premature death."
• How ultra-processed food took over your shopping basket - "It’s cheap, attractive and convenient, and we eat it every day - it’s difficult not to. But is ultra-processed food making us ill and driving the global obesity crisis?"
• 'What is truly Scandinavian? Absolutely nothing. Everything is copied' - "A Scandinavian airline has pulled an advert after it was criticised by anti-immigration parties for belittling the region's history and culture."
• Nasa 're-masters' the greatest ever 'selfie' - "Nasa 're-masters' classic 'Pale Blue Dot' image of Earth. It is unquestionably one of the greatest space images ever."
• The world’s biggest phone show has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns - "MWC 2020 | Mobile World Congress is no more."
• Is the wooden skyscraper revolution here? - "Has the wooden skyscraper revolution finally arrived?"
• Jeff Bezos buys lavish Beverly Hills estate for record $165m - "The nine-acre estate originally belonged to Jack Warner, the late former president of Warner Bros Studios. Warner built up the estate’s 13,600-sq-ft Georgian-style mansion in the 1930s, reportedly with the wood floor that Napoleon was standing on when he proposed to Josephine."

February 12, 2020

• For A Dose Of Positivity, Reach For These Mood-Enhancing Foods - "A scoop of ice cream may seem like the salve to a cranky mood, but there are also a variety of more wholesome options to reach for when you’re in a funk. If you make the right selections, research shows that there are plenty of flavorful foods for boosting your mood—both in the moment and even down the road, if incorporated as a consistent go-to in your diet."
• Coronavirus: Chinese Grand Prix postponed over virus fears - "The Chinese Grand Prix has been postponed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak."
• The Goop rush: why celebrities are racing to build wellness empires - "Gwyneth Paltrow’s venture is worth $250m - and now Victoria Beckham, Elle Macpherson and Erykah Badu are following her lead. Vagina incense anyone?"
• 2,000 People Are Stranded on a U.S. Cruise Ship After 4 Countries Reject Entry Over Coronavirus Fears - "Roughly 2,000 passengers and crew aboard the Holland America Line Westerdam are stranded on the open seas. Fears of the novel coronavirus (now officially known as COVID-19) has prompted four different nations and the U.S. territory of Guam to deny them entry despite no one on board being diagnosed with the illness that has caused global panic."
• Samsung takes second crack at a foldable smartphone with Galaxy Z Flip - "Samsung has a new weapon in the flip phone wars."
• Why Clearview AI is a threat to us all - "The surveillance system offers police unprecedented surveillance power."
• Sunsets, supermoons and cold hard cash: 50 things you miss while staring at your phone - "The average British child spends almost two days a week gawping at a screen. Meanwhile, a lot is going on around them – from fireworks to fox fights."
• How do storms & hurricanes get their names? - "World meteorological agencies decide when a storm gets a name and what to call it."
• Home Office tells man, 101, his parents must confirm ID - "Request caused by apparent tech glitch came when Italian Giovanni Palmiero applied to stay in UK post-Brexit."
• Stupid Cupid: Valentine’s Day disasters, as seen by waiters - "From excessive canoodling to screaming rows, restaurant staff see the best – and the worst – of the annual night of romance."
• the leather trouser trend: Why the look of midlife crises and Theresa May is everywhere - "Three years after the then PM caused a row by sporting a pair of gold leather trousers in an interview, the once-shunned clothing is fashion gold."
• CIA controlled global encryption company for decades, says report - "Swiss government orders inquiry after revelations Crypto AG was owned and operated by US and German intelligence."

February 11, 2020

• We're live at Samsung's Galaxy Unpacked event in San Francisco! - "Get ready to learn all about Samsung's new Galaxy S phones."
• Oscars 2020: Next moves for the winning stars - "The Academy Awards 2020 are done and dusted and the winners are flying high on champagne bubbles."
• Oscars TV audience hits record low in 'driverless' ceremony - "The U.S. television audience for the 2020 Oscars fell to an all- time low for a ceremony that brought big wins for South Korean satire “Parasite” but was criticized by reviewers as long and haphazard."
• How to make the Oscars great again - a four-point plan - "Viewing numbers have tanked, but fear not - here’s how the Academy Awards can beat the bloat and compete in awards season."
• 'World's Largest' Firework Successfully Launches Over Colorado Town - TIME Magazine.
• Which is the best non-dairy milk? - "Which milk alternative should we be drinking? Milk drinkers are turning their backs on dairy in favour of plant-based milks billed as kinder to the planet. Are they all more sustainable than cow’s milk?"
• The Best Cars & Trucks (And One Cool Camper) At The 2020 Chicago Auto Show - Forbes.
• His stockpile of billions of our photos is even worrying major tech firms - "This man says he's stockpiling billions of our photos."
• What's the use of tofu? - "Tofu is nutritious, full of protein, and a superb stand-in for meat in many dishes."
• How Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra achieves its 100x zoom - "Taking a closer look."
• Second Best Thing: Marilyn, JFK, and a Night to Remember - Amazon.com.
• The psychology of the threesome: everyone wants one, but who's truly ready for it? - "A threesome is the most common sexual fantasy among Americans - as well as maybe the most misunderstood."
• The UK’s top five regrets - and how to tackle them - "We spend on average 110 hours a year considering what might have been – from loves lost to jobs we should have pursued. But it is possible to escape this cycle."
• Porsche-Designed Superyacht, Royal Falcon One, Hits the Market - "The 135-foot catamaran features space-age modernism and above-deck sleeping accommodations."

February 10, 2020

• 8 Powerful Examples Of AI For Good - "Amid the cacophony of concern over artificial intelligence (AI) taking over jobs (and the world) and cheers for what it can do to increase productivity and profits, the potential for AI to do good can be overlooked."
• Samsung’s Galaxy S20 is a make-or-break moment for 5G - "The first major 5G phone is about to arrive - but are customers ready?"
• 2020 Oscars: The Best Jewels On The Red Carpet - "As is often the case at the Oscars it was diamonds that ruled the red carpet as stars sparkled wearing Forevermark, Bulgari, Chopard, Harry Winston, Cartier and jewels from other international brands and acclaimed jewelry designers. The overall look of the evening was elegant and tasteful with a balance of earrings, necklaces and bracelets. Color was at a minimum."
• Hottest looks on the Oscars red carpet - "Oscars 2020 red carpet: Stars embrace sustainability and sleeves, while men's fashion falls flat."
• Oscars 2020 pictures: The best of the ceremony - "This year's Oscars made history with South Korean film Parasite being named best picture, making it the first non-English language film to take the top prize."
• Futuristic airplane promises greener travel - "Futuristic Her0 Zero airplane concept promises greener travel."
• 6 Tips For Solo Travelers By An Expert Globetrotter - "Saving money while traveling might be one of the biggest desires while making plans to globe trot, especially if you want to take a weeks or months-long vacation."
• British Airways breaks the New York to London subsonic flight record - "It had a little help from the wind."
• Bill Gates 'not buying our hydrogen yacht' - "Billionaire Bill Gates has not commissioned a hydrogen-powered superyacht from designer Sinot, the firm has told the BBC."

February 9, 2020

• Oscar winners 2020: the complete list - 92nd Academy Awards.
• Inside The $225,000 Oscars 2020 Gift Bag - "From An Antarctic Cruise To A Gold Vape Pen To A Smart Bra."
• Oscars 2020: how to watch the Academy Awards online - "Broadcasting Sunday, February 9th, at 8PM ET on ABC."
• What to watch out for at the Oscars - "Oscars 2020: 12 things to watch out for at Sunday's Academy Awards."
• Bill Gates orders $644m hydrogen-powered superyacht - "Microsoft billionaire’s innovative and eco-fuelled 112m Aqua vessel to launch after 2024."
• The search for sustainable diamonds - "The sparkling rise of the lab grown diamond. Young people are falling out of love with mined diamonds because of their high environmental and humanitarian costs. How do their alternative, lab-made diamonds, measure up?"
• The agony & ecstasy of being forced to give up our phones at Broadway shows and concerts - "More artists are banning smartphones at comedy shows, concerts. So get used to it."
• Hold the beef: how plant-based meat went mainstream - "With McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC and every major UK supermarket selling their own ranges of ‘authentic’ animal substitutes, fake meat now means big business."
• The lost art of having a chat: what happened when I stopped texting & started talking - "We are more connected than ever, but we rarely seem to really speak to each other. So, Rebecca Nicholson decided to try."

February 8, 2020

• Oscar nominations 2020: The complete list - 92nd Academy Awards.
• Our Oscars Algorithm Predicted the Best Picture Winner. Tell Us Your Guesses, Too - "We're using 47 potential predictors, 70 years of data, and your wisdom to predict Sunday night's winner. Will it be 1917, Parasite or Little Women?"
• 5 Things Successful People Don’t Care About - "There are many different versions of success and one person’s dream might be another’s nightmare. Regardless of how you define success, here are five things that truly successful people just don’t care about."
• Top 10 Cities In The World For Work-Life Balance - "An increasing amount of people are craving remote-work positions to allow for a better work-life balance."
• The bright stuff: a guide to interior lighting - "Ceiling pendants and floor lamps, dimmable LEDs and coloured bulbs ... Nothing changes the mood of a room quicker than a new lighting makeover."
• How millions use YouTube tutorials to perfect their trade - "From bike mechanics to baking, the video-sharing site offers a goldmine of knowledge."

February 7, 2020

• Thinking of going vegan? What you need to know first - "Adopting a vegan diet has grown increasingly mainstream in recent years. According to a 2017 study, as many as 6% of US consumers say they are vegan, compared to just 1% in 2014."
• Swag, charm and birthday party invites: how to win an Oscar in 2020 - "When a star gets their hands on a golden statuette on Sunday, it will be the results of meticulous planning, relentless charm - and millions of dollars. (Oh, and acting, too)."
• Oscars best original song winners - ranked! - "They span nine decades and cover umpteen genres, from power ballads to gangsta rap, and the Top 40 winners are ..."
• Who buys $100,000 dresses? - "Everything you need to know about haute couture."
• How Izzy Demsky became Kirk Douglas: the ultimate Hollywood makeover - "The scrawny son of Jewish immigrants transformed himself into an icon of US manhood – a narrative the nation is forgetting in the Trump era. Yet a darker side lurked too."
• Visiting Haida Gwaii, Canada's most mysterious islands - "Mysterious islands only allow 12 visitors."
• The best cellular GPS tracker - "It's the Samsung SmartThings tracker."

February 6, 2020

• Apple now sells more watches than the entire Swiss watch industry - "The Apple Watch continues to dominate the market."
• Trump suggests he’ll endure ‘4EVA’ in first post-acquittal tweet - "The 30-second clip, scored to Edvard Grieg’s 'In the Hall of the Mountain King,' slowly pans over the cover, which shows a series of Trump campaign signs with years in increasing increments of four."
• The race to create a new element - "The modern alchemists racing to create a new element. With the help of enormous atom smashers, scientists are hoping to start an eighth row of the periodic table and discover new atoms that have never been seen before."
• Why 'heaven on Earth' needs more tourists - "Sao Tome and Principe: Why Africa's 'heaven on Earth' wants more tourists."
• Tesla Stock Is Going Absolutely Bonkers - But Nobody’s Really Sure Why - "About $55 billion of Tesla Inc. shares were traded Tuesday as investors piled into a rally that has doubled the electric-car maker’s stock price since the start of the year."
• Kirk Douglas (1916-2020) - a life in pictures - "Kirk Douglas, the last great star of Hollywood’s golden age, once said he had ‘made a career playing sons of bitches’, a career that began in 1946 with the film The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. Douglas was Oscar nominated three times - for Champion, The Bad and the Beautiful and Lust For Life - but had to be content with the honorary award he was eventually given in 1995."
• Kirk Douglas' stunning political courage - "He never got an Oscar. But that is no matter -- he was bigger than any gold statuette."
• Samsung Galaxy S20 event: what to expect from the February 11th event - "A flagship, a foldable, and some new Buds."
• Bernie Madoff says he is dying of kidney failure & seeks early prison release - "Lawyer says 81-year-old behind history’s largest Ponzi scheme uses a wheelchair and has multiple serious conditions."
• Celebrating a nation that doesn't exist - "Most people haven’t even heard of Transnistria, the breakaway state of Moldova that hugs its border with Ukraine. And that’s partly what makes it so fascinating to visit."
• Signs of cancer can appear long before diagnosis, study shows - "Research into genetic mutations suggests possibility of tests that would detect cancer earlier. Early signs of cancer can appear years or even decades before diagnosis, according to the most comprehensive investigation to date of the genetic mutations that cause healthy cells to turn malignant."
• THE BEST STREAMING VIDEO PLAYER TO BUY RIGHT NOW - "Get the most from your 4K HDR TV and favorite streaming apps."
• iOS 13.4 could turn your iPhone & Apple Watch into car keys - "The software's first beta contains details on a 'CarKey' API."

February 5, 2020

• Here's Everything You Need to Know About the 2020 Oscars - "The 92nd Academy Awards kick off Sunday night, capping off an awards season that's celebrated achievements in television and film over the last year."
• The Oscars' 92-year gender gap, visualised - "This year’s all-male nominations for best director are just the latest episode in a long history of women being under-represented at the Academy Awards. We look at the data."
• Coronavirus: Five things you need to know - "Myths around the risks of coronavirus in the UK are doing the rounds. We put the facts straight."
• Marmite, 7Up, smoked butter ... chefs on how to improve your cooking for £5 - "Looking for a cheap way to perk up what you eat? Top chefs from Yotam Ottolenghi to Tom Kerridge reveal what they would buy for under a fiver."
• Top 10 tales about the rich - "From Scott Fitzgerald’s glamour to Edith Wharton’s high-society intrigue, the best of these seductive stories reveal uncomfortable secrets."
• Dawn choruses: are these the best five songs to wake up to? - "Scientists have found that upbeat music, rather than the shrill beep of an alarm clock, is the best way to rise and shine. But which tunes should you try?"
• How to spend £16M in Harrods - "Zamira Hajiyeva: How the wife of a jailed banker spent £16m in Harrods."
• Nancy Pelosi Ripped Up a Copy of Trump's State of the Union Address - TIME Magazine.
• What the airport of 2030 will look like - "Whether it's biometrics to get through security, an airline app that tells you if your flight is delayed or free Wi-Fi and charging areas for all travelers, there's no doubt technology this past decade has helped enhance the airport experience for fliers around the world."
• The new age of supersonic travel - "How soon will supersonic jets return to our skies?"
• The most sustainable way to heat homes - "Can we heat buildings without burning fossil fuels? The world is on average getting warmer, but we still need to keep buildings at liveable temperatures year-round. Is it possible to cut emissions while keeping warm in winter?"
• Your Philips Hue light bulbs can still be hacked - "- until recently, compromise your network. Might want to check if you’ve got firmware 1935144040."

February 4, 2020

• Life after Veganuary: the ethical guide to eating meat, eggs & dairy - "If you have slunk back to burgers after a month of avoiding meat, all is not lost. Here’s how British shoppers can track down high-welfare, eco-friendly produce."
• The many meanings of the pinched fingers emoji - "Is it a way to show disbelief, a way to ask others to be quiet, or a cute gesture popularised by a K-Pop star?"
• Why vegans inspire irrational hatred - "The hidden biases that drive anti-vegan hatred. People love to moan that vegans are annoying: research has shown that only drug addicts inspire the same degree of loathing. Now psychologists are starting to understand why - and it’s becoming clear that the reasons aren’t entirely rational."
• Too nice for the likes of us: why buying fancy stuff makes us miserable - "Luxury purchases should make us feel like a million bucks but impostor syndrome is at work even while we’re shopping."
• Android User Warning: Here Are 24 ‘Dangerous’ Apps With A Dark Secret - And 382 Million Installs - "Hidden within the all too frequent reports of malware-laced apps and adware lurking on Google’s Play Store, there is an ominous theme—networks of Chinese developers sharing code, resources and know-how."
• Phone Hacks Can Happen to Anyone. Here’s How to Protect Yourself - "Start by knowing what could expose you to an attack, like vacation clues, hotel Wi-Fi and inadequate verification procedures."
• Chopard Dresses Bond Girl In 140 Carats Of Diamonds - Forbes.
• Is Venice at war with itself? - "Overwhelmed and underwater, Venice fights for survival."
• Luxury floating hotel opens in Sweden - "Framed by abundant woodland, surrounded by icy water and bathed in the glowing winter sun, this new hotel in Swedish Lapland already sounds pretty special."
• L.A. considers bold makeover for Hollywood Boulevard - "Fewer cars, bike lanes, wider sidewalks."
• Relight the fire: how to fall back in love with your partner - "What happens if you love your other half, but are no longer ‘in love’? Here are eight ways to put the spark back."
• 'They know us better than we know ourselves': how Amazon tracked my last two years of reading - "Amazon knows more than just what books I’ve read and when – it knows which parts of them I liked the most."
• Teenage climate activist nominated for Nobel Peace Prize - "Two lawmakers in Sweden have nominated Swedish teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg for the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize."
• Inside Kim & Kanye's stunning Los Angeles mansion - "Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West have opened the doors of their California mansion to Architectural Digest magazine, which defines it as a 'wildly idiosyncratic family refuge in suburban Los Angeles.'"

February 3, 2020

• 20 of the world's best new restaurants for 2020 - "From Mexican dishes with a stellar view across the rooftops of London to Ethiopian cuisine in upstate New York, Mediterranean creativity in Bangkok to a Texas-inspired grill in Hong Kong, many of the most exciting new restaurants opening this year take their cue from global cuisines."
• Why are we obsessed with Instagram's ‘What are you?’ filters? - "Gimme some of that sweet risk-free quantifiable personality data."
• The best Super Bowl movie & TV trailers, from James Bond to Black Widow - "Outside of the main game, the night offered a look at some of the year’s most anticipated films and TV shows."
• Coronavirus: Could it become pandemic? - "New coronavirus has now reached more than 20 countries from China, where the epidemic or disease outbreak began over a month ago."
• Bezos added $8 billion to wealth in one day - "It was a good week for Jeff Bezos: The world's richest person got even richer."
• Stephen King quits Facebook over concerns of 'false information' - "Stephen King has quit Facebook after voicing concerns about false information and privacy."
• Mercenary 'Mad Mike' Hoare dies aged 100 - "Michael 'Mad Mike' Hoare, widely considered the world's most famous mercenary, has died aged 100."
• Eau so expensive! Chanel's £4,410 water bottle - "The eye-wateringly pricey accessory is selling out fast. But is it the costliest water bottle ever made?"
• The Best Password Managers to Secure Your Digital Life - "Keep your logins under lock and key. We picked our favorites for PC, Mac, Android, iPhone, and web browser."
• 12 Best Curb Your Enthusiasm Cameos of All Time - TIME Magazine.
• 'I'm naming this award Harry, because it's coming back to the US with me!' - "Brad Pitt's cheeky Megxit quip at BAFTAs."

February 2, 2020

• Today is 02/02/2020 -- the first global palindrome day in 909 years - "Today is a very special occasion -- the date is a palindrome, meaning it is the same when read forwards and backwards."
• #PalindromeDay: Geeks around the world celebrate 02/02/2020 - "Maths geeks around the world are celebrating a day so rare that - unless they're very, very young - it's certain to happen only once in their lifetimes."
• How to watch the Super Bowl - "You can stream the Big Game in 4K."
• These Are the Best Super Bowl 2020 Commercials - "From Pringles' Rick and Morty ad to that Google tearjerker, these are the 11 best commercials of Super Bowl 2020."
• Want to Protect Yourself From Coronavirus? Do the Same Things You Do Every Winter - TIME Magazine.
• Coronavirus: 10 days of hospital building in 60 seconds - "Time-lapse footage taken from above shows the construction of Huoshenshan hospital in Wuhan city, which has been built to deal with coronavirus patients."
• The best bag & cable organizers - "Control that mess of cables."
• What a to-do! How to write the perfect list - "Looking for freedom from that familiar nagging feeling? Here’s how to get stuff done without overwhelming yourself."

February 1, 2020

• A rookie's guide to Super Bowl LIV - "The world's biggest show is clattering into Miami this weekend, as the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers battle to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the National Football League's 100th season."
• Roku & Fox cut a deal in time for Super Bowl LIV streaming - "You can put your Fire TV Stick away."
• The Super Bowl is streaming in 4K HDR for the first time - here’s how Fox Sports is pulling it off - "Inside Fox’s first-ever 4K stream of Super Bowl LIV."
• WhatsApp to stop working on millions of phones - "Messaging service WhatsApp will no longer work on millions of smartphones from 1 February."
• No sex, please, we’re colleagues: the new rules of office romance - "Last year the CEO of McDonald’s lost his job over a consensual affair. Has the workplace crush had its day?"
• Belgravia mansion set to become London's first £300 million home - "One of Qatar's richest men has sought planning permission to transform London's Forbes House."
• The Goldfish Club: The exclusive society of air-sea crash survivors - "I realised I was going to die - I was very relaxed and completely at peace. I suddenly thought of my wife and children."
• Phishing scams leveled up, and we didn’t - "Don’t be Jeff Bezos."
• Peek Inside The Caribbean’s Largest Hotel Suite - "The largest hotel suite in the Caribbean recently opened its doors at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. Dubbed Seven South, the sparkling new penthouse spans nearly 20,000 square feet, taking up the entire top floor of the hotel’s Ocean Tower."

January 31, 2020

• Coronavirus: Why are we catching more diseases from animals? - "The world is grappling with the new coronavirus, which has spread from China to at least 15 other countries."
• PLANTING 1 TRILLION TREES MIGHT NOT ACTUALLY BE A GOOD IDEA - "The World Economic Forum’s plan to plant 1 trillion trees is backed by controversial science."
• #MeToo to MAGA: why Curb Your Enthusiasm is still TV's most daring comedy - "Ditching the heavy-handed slapstick of its last series, Larry David’s arch-misanthrope gets back to causing chaos in this furious return to form."
• The psychology of small plates: why food service radically changes how much we eat - "Two hundred years ago a group of aristocrats changed the way we eat - for the worse. If you ever worry you’ll still be hungry after dessert, here’s why."
• 8 Best Smartwatches That Tell More Than Time - "These little gadgets reduce your reliance on a phone - all while helping you stay connected."
• Health chief slams Paltrow's Netflix series - "Gwyneth Paltrow's new Netflix series poses a 'considerable health risk' to the public, NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens has said."
• How do you know when the Oscars have gone vegan? Answer: they keep telling you - "New ways to save the planet are always welcome. So let’s hear it for the 100% plant-based menu the Academy will be serving its pampered guests this year."
• The Finance Industry Groggily Awakens to Climate Change - "The climate challenge is unlikely to be met without the financial sector - and the authorities that regulate and govern it - on the right side of the fight."
• Infinite scroll: life under Instagram - "After a few years, I came to understand Instagram dwellers as broken people - my people."

January 30, 2020

• Coronavirus: What it does to the body - "Fighting the new coronavirus has been a battle against the unknown for doctors."
• Coronavirus: How are patients treated? - "People confirmed to have the new coronavirus are being admitted to hospital - but what kind of treatment are they getting there and how effective is it?"
• What Brexit will mean for travelers - "Britain's departure from the European Union is finally upon us, but after all the warnings of chaos for inbound tourists and problems for UK travelers heading to the continent, what will situations will travelers actually face after January 31?"
• Why vegan junk food may be even worse for your health - "While we might switch to a plant-based diet with the best intentions, the unseen risks of vegan fast foods might not show up for years."
• The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir by John Bolton - "John Bolton served as National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump for 519 days. A seasoned public servant who had previously worked for Presidents Reagan, Bush #41, and Bush #43, Bolton brought to the administration thirty years of experience in international issues and a reputation for tough, blunt talk. In his memoir, he offers a substantive and factual account of his time in the room where it happened." Amazon.com.
• How to watch the Super Bowl in 2020 - "You can stream the Big Game in 4K."
• New 2020 emojis revealed - "New emoji release to feature more gender-inclusive designs and a popular Italian hand gesture."
• What is climate change? A really simple guide - "Scientists say global warming could have a catastrophic effect on the planet."
• How Much Are We Paying for Our Subscription Services? A Lot - "The dollars are adding up fast. So here are some tips for pruning the subscriptions you no longer use."
• The broken promise of the Sydney Opera House, its botched design and $150m fix - "The landmark’s concert hall closes on Saturday for a two-year renovation. It has been plagued by compromises since architect Jørn Utzon’s walkout in 1966."
• All modern humans have Neanderthal DNA, new research finds - "We all likely have a bit of Neanderthal in our DNA -- including Africans who had been thought to have no genetic link to our extinct human relative, a new study finds."

January 29, 2020

• Almonds are out. Dairy is a disaster. So what milk should we drink? - "A glass of dairy milk produces almost three times more greenhouse gas than any plant-based milk. But vegan options have drawbacks of their own."
• A Guide To A Clean Eating Diet Over The Holidays - And Why A Year-Round Regimen Makes A Difference - "Clean eating is more than a movement. It’s a holistic approach to food that can lead to a tougher immune system, increased energy levels, a stronger heart, improved brain health and more. So what does eating clean for beginners look like in practice - and what does it take to reap the benefits?"
• 10 of Europe’s best rural train journeys - "Slow rail travel in beautiful landscapes is the joy of these branch lines, which don’t need to be booked in advance. Know a better one?"
• How did the last Neanderthals live? - "In many ways, the last surviving Neanderthals are a mystery. But four caves in Gibraltar have given an unprecedented insight into what their lives might have been like."
• A man bought a Rolex for $345 in 1974. Its current value knocked him off his feet - "Told a watch like his is now worth $400,000 at auction, the man toppled to the ground."
• Greta Thunberg files application to trademark her name - "Climate activist also applied to register name of climate movement Fridays for Future."
• Google Translate is getting a transcribe mode for lectures, speeches - "It can translate long speeches in real time."
• Inside the burgeoning world of custom keyboard making - The Verge.
• The superyacht that thinks it's an airplane - "The world of superyachts meets the world of aviation with this 'one-of-a-kind' vessel that expertly merges aerial and nautical models."
• Apple iOS 13.3.1 Drops, With This Essential New iPhone Privacy Tool - "After what seems like a long hiatus following a flurry of iOS 13 updates, Apple has just dropped iOS 13.3.1 along with a few updates and fixes. By far the most important of these is an update that allows iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max users to control their location privacy via a new toggle."
• Apple Releases iOS 13.3.1: Crucial Location-Tracking Update, Screen Time, More Fixes - "The latest Apple iOS 13 update has just landed and it’s the first for ages. The last one was early December, after a flurry of updates at the beginning of iOS 13’s busy life."
• What to buy if you want to start producing music at home - "Setting up a home studio doesn't have to be hard or expensive."
• Outrage as Polanski film nominated for 12 'French Oscars' - "Campaigners say Césars are acclaiming ‘an abuser and rapist on the run’."

January 28, 2020

• The Mamba Mentality: How I Play by Kobe Bryant - Amazon.com.
• Oscars 2020: Ten things we spotted in the class photo - "Hollywood stars had their Knives Out (along with their forks) for the traditional Oscars luncheon on Monday."
• Get ready to eat bugs if you want to live beyond 2050 - "Beef won't be what's for dinner much longer."
• How a vegan diet could affect your intelligence - "The vegan diet is low in – or, in some cases, entirely devoid of – several important brain nutrients. Could these shortcomings be affecting vegan’s ability to think?"
• The beautiful islands where it's always springtime - "Are these Spanish islands the next adventure hotspot?"
• Apple’s latest iOS update fixes a location tracking bug & makes Screen Time limits more secure - "Stop the iPhone 11’s ultra-wideband chip from tracking your location."
• The rich are different, but their smartphones aren't - "The world might be turning to technology to solve everything from traffic to dating, but no one app or gadget will save the rich and famous from falling prey to cyberattacks, according to digital security experts."
• Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt To Start New Champagne Partnership - "Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are beginning a new business partnership to start producing rosé champagne. It’s an extension of their successful Miraval rosé wine label in Provence."
• The secrets behind the superhero look - "Costume marvel: The secrets behind the superhero look."
• Former Windows chief reveals Microsoft’s reaction to the iPad - "The iPad kick started Windows 8 and Surface RT."

January 27, 2020

• 10 Years Ago Today: Apple Unveils The iPad - "Apple’s next iPad will be announced soon. The very first one was revealed by Steve Jobs at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco exactly ten years ago, at 10AM Pacific on Wednesday January 27, 2010."
• 2020 GRAMMY Awards: Complete Winners List - "Find out who won at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards."
• The truth about hydration: should you drink eight glasses of water a day? - "The 8×8 rule has become a health goal for many. But when it comes to healthy skin, eyes and having bags of energy, the research tells another story."
• Are there health benefits to going vegan? - "More and more people are eating vegan meals - and part of the reason is it’s seen as healthier. Is it really better for you? In the first of a new vegan series on BBC Future and BBC Good Food, Jessica Brown looks at the evidence."
• The aircraft interiors of the future - "Crystal Cabin Awards shortlist spotlights aircraft interiors of the future."
• Rail & sail: how to book the perfect holiday - without any flying - "More than half of Britons plan to travel to mainland Europe this year. Here’s how to have a great time, while minimising your carbon footprint."
• Prince Andrew giving 'zero' cooperation to Epstein inquiry, say US prosecutors - "US attorney for southern district of New York says so far Andrew has not responded to a request for an interview."
• The despot dilemma: should architects work for repressive regimes? - "Bjarke Ingels is the go-to golden boy for Big Tech - and now Brazil’s Bolsonaro wants a bit of his magic. But should architects boycott oppressive leaders? Do their buildings glorify their ideology?"
• One ping after another: why everyone needs a notification detox - "They tell us when someone has called, texted and WhatsApped us - even to drink water and exercise. Is it time to turn them all off for good?"
• Horlicks or nocturnal teas: are hot drinks the secret to the perfect night’s sleep? - "Sales of the malt drink are up, and many people swear by a cuppa before bed. The soporific effect may have less to do with what’s in your mug - and more with the routine of making it."
• The Best Running Gear for Cold, Wet Conditions - "The weather outside is still far from delightful. Wrap yourself up in some of our favorite picks for cold and dreary days."
• the unofficial Apple Archive is on death’s door once more - "Apple appears to have filed hundreds of DMCA takedown notices."
• These Were Steve Jobs’ Favorite Books & Bands - "Steve Jobs once famously said that people don’t read anymore, but he did, and amongst the revelations of Walter Isaacson’s biography of Apple’s co-founder are his favorite books and bands."
• Best Job Skills For The Future Are Inherently Human - "As business leaders adapt to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0), which marries physical assets and advanced digital technologies, leaders are now taking responsibility for developing the skills of their workforce."
• Switch From Your Internet Provider’s Email to Something Better - "When you signed up for internet access, you probably got an email address. That’s fine, but you can do better. Here’s how to move to a good one."

January 26, 2020

• Grammys 2020: Seven things to watch out for - and how to watch the ceremony - "The 62nd annual Grammy Awards take place in Los Angeles on Sunday night."
• Who Will Win - and Who Should - at the 2020 Grammys - "TIME's writers consider the nominees for the 2020 Grammys and make predictions about potential winners at the big night on January 26."
• The skyscraper that made a city - "The untold story of Dubai's first skyscraper."
• Boeing 777X: World’s largest twin-engine jet completes first flight - "Boeing has successfully completed the first test flight of the world's largest twin-engined plane, the 777X."
• Overtourism in Europe's historic cities sparks backlash - "Angry protests from residents in popular areas force city hall officials to take action."
• Mona Lisa for $60K? The curious market for Old Masters replicas - "To an untrained eye, the 'Mona Lisa' up for auction at Sotheby's next week is indistinguishable from its namesake hanging in the Louvre."
• 5 factors that affect early greying - "As researchers confirm that stress can turn you grey, we look at the other scientific factors that could salt-and-pepper your crowning glory."

January 25, 2020

• Everything you need to know about the new coronavirus from China - "Stay alert, but don’t panic yet."
• Chinese New Year Is Upon Us. Here's How to Wish Someone a 'Happy Lunar New Year' in Chinese - TIME Magazine.
• 'To Meghan Markle' is now a verb - here's how to use it - "You too can preserve your own mental wellbeing by bailing from an environment that doesn’t value you - Sussex-style!"
• It’s time to tune in: why listening is the real key to communication - "Whether at work or at home, success depends on how good a listener you are."
• My quest to fix my terrible home WiFi - "Brute force, mesh and everything between."
• Environmental Performance Index (EPI) - method of quantifying and numerically marking the environmental performance of a state's policies.
• Recommended Reading: Facial recognition, police & privacy - "The best long-form writing on technology and more on the web."
• 7 Off-The-Grid Remote Retreats Opening in 2020 - "Go off the grid and get away from it all at one of these new hidden-away hotels, slated to open this year."
• Dirty Dozen: The 12 Environmentally ‘Meanest’ Vehicles For 2020 - "In a separate post we documented the “greenest” cars for 2020, as chosen by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). All of them are electrified to some extent, and are about as politically and socially correct as they come. But what about the bad boys of the automotive world - models that are highly desirable, but take a toll on Mother Nature for their sheer wretched excess?"
• From Buffett to Bloomberg: The 25 Philanthropists In America Making The Biggest Donations - "Instead of counting money pledged—but not given away - or assets donated to charitable vehicles like donor-advised funds or foundations that slowly dribble out grants, Forbes instead counted dollars that actually reached beneficiaries."
• 5 Billionaires Who Have Gained The Most Since Trump Became President - "On January 20, 2017, Donald Trump delivered his inaugural address, promising to 'make America wealthy again.' In the three years since that day, America has certainly gotten wealthier, with the U.S. stock market surging 47%. But the five biggest gainers are people who were already exceedingly rich."

January 24, 2020

• What did we learn from Davos 2020? - "Climate crisis, Greta Thunberg and Trump were at core of 50th World Economic Forum."
• Doomsday Clock nears apocalypse over climate & nuclear fears - "The symbolic Doomsday Clock, which indicates how close our planet is to complete annihilation, is now only 100 seconds away from midnight."
• The End Is Nigh: Doomsday Clock Reaches 100 Seconds to Midnight - "Here's the bad news: we've all got just 100 seconds to live. Here's the good news: they're metaphorical seconds."
• Hong Kong's most famous fortune teller makes 2020 predictions - "What's in store for the Year of the Rat? Hong Kong's most famous fortune teller reveals all."
• What does Trump actually believe on climate change? - "US President Donald Trump's position on climate change has been in the spotlight again, after he criticised "prophets of doom" at the World Economic Forum in Davos."
• How paper is making a comeback - "Is paper better than plastic?"
• How to trick your brain into kicking bad habits - "Why new habits are so hard to stick to."
• What happens when a city is just too popular? - "Destinations have vowed to fight back against overtourism for 2020."
• London At Risk Of Becoming A ‘Ghetto Of Wealth’ - "London has been labelled an 'epicentre of the elites' and a 'ghetto of wealth' as social mobility in the U.K. capital plummets to new lows."
• 8 houses built in impossible places - "Architecture can flirt with nature in expressive yet subtle ways. The idea in architecture is often to harmonize, not dominate, the landscapes. This can prove a challenge, however, when faced with steep slopes, cliff faces and mountainsides."
• iPad Pro 2020: Apple To Release Eye-Catching Accessory, Report Says - "Among the rumors of what will be new in the next machine is an intriguing one relating to the iPad Pro’s Smart Keyboard. According to a report at Taiwanese tech site Digitimes, the Keyboard is about to get even better."
• This Marantz Stereo Receiver Could Be The Only Music Player You Need - Forbes.

January 23, 2020

• Why Doing Good Is Good For Business - "Smarter technologies and processes are decreasing costs and gradually ushering in a new understanding that doing good for people and the planet doesn’t have to come at the expense of net income."
• If Jeff Bezos’ iPhone Can Be Hacked Over WhatsApp, So Can Yours - "How is it that even the richest man in the world can have his phone hacked with a simple WhatsApp message?"
• How Auschwitz became centre of Nazi Holocaust - "Auschwitz: How death camp became centre of Nazi Holocaust. On 27 January 1945, Soviet troops cautiously entered Auschwitz."
• Royals for rent: will Harry and Meghan become the world’s biggest influencers? - "They have cut the royal purse strings and need a new source of income - monetising their social media followers could be their first step."
• Corruption Perceptions Index 2019 - "How corruption impacts political integrity. This year’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) reveals that a majority of countries are showing little to no improvement in tackling corruption." Transparancy International.
• The truth behind plastic vs. aluminum recycling - "Can drinking water out of a can really save us? Aluminum is recycling's new best friend, but it's complicated."
• Scientists Confirm That Stress Can Indeed Turn Hair Grey - "There are well-known historical examples of the connection between stress and hair greying—Marie Antoinette’s coif reportedly blanched after she was captured during the French Revolution - and studies have even linked stress in animals to greying hair."
• The world’s sexiest foods: from pine nuts to pomegranate juice - "Want to get your pulse racing? Oysters are a recognised aphrodisiac, but there are plenty of alternatives, including two varieties of ‘red Viagra’."
• Maths experts zero in on secret to perfect espresso - "It’s all in the grind, say mathematicians who turned to equations to solve mystery."
• The real meaning of the word 'curry' - "From Pakistan to the Caribbean: Curry's journey around the world."
• Voice of a 3,000-year-old Egyptian mummy reproduced by 3-D printing a vocal tract - "The team were able to accurately reproduce a single sound, which sounds a bit like a long, exasperated 'meh' without the 'm.'"
• The best smart speakers - "For any budget."
• 10 Must-Read Business Books for 2020 - "Gartner experts share their list of must-read books for business executives - from the recent to the classics - to help you hone your leadership skills and tackle the business and societal challenges of 2020."
• The iCloud loophole is back - "Can Apple live up to Apple’s privacy ads?"
• CRUISE’S FIRST DRIVERLESS CAR WITHOUT A STEERING WHEEL OR PEDALS - "The Origin is the GM subsidiary’s first attempt to build an fully autonomous car from the ground up."
• The world's most expensive aircraft - "B-2 Spirit: The $2 billion flying wing."

January 22, 2020

• Amazon boss Jeff Bezos's phone 'hacked by Saudi crown prince' - "Exclusive: investigation suggests Washington Post owner was targeted five months before murder of Jamal Khashoggi. The Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos had his mobile phone “hacked” in 2018 after receiving a WhatsApp message that had apparently been sent from the personal account of the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, sources have told the Guardian."
• Mohammed bin Salman - "How Saudi Arabia's crown prince rose to power. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, known as MBS, is transforming and modernising a deeply conservative country. Yet at the same time, he has dragged Saudi Arabia into a war in Yemen, and locked up women’s rights protesters, Islamic clerics and bloggers. He is also widely suspected of being behind the murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi in Istanbul a year ago. So just who is the man they call MBS?"
• 10 of Europe’s most scenic train journeys - "To kick off our new weekly Interrail competition, in which the writer of the best rail tip wins two first-class train passes worth up to £768, here’s our pick of Europe’s most scenic journeys."
• Prince Charles’s 10-point plan for a sustainable economy - "Reshape economy to fight climate crisis, says Prince Charles."
• The Secretive Company That Might End Privacy as We Know It - "A little-known start-up helps law enforcement match photos of unknown people to their online images - and 'might lead to a dystopian future or something,' a backer says. Hundreds of agencies are using a system which scraped billions of photos from the internet."
• Science may have found the secret to a better, and more sustainable, espresso coffee shot - "Espresso is one of the most popular ways to drink coffee, but it's also the most complicated to make."
• A short history of the fashion show - "Whether onstage or online, today's fashion shows are bigger than ever -- and broadcast to audiences of millions. But their roots are more humble and intimate than you might expect."
• Art restored with 'alarmingly humanoid' lamb face - "Ghent Altarpiece: Lamb's 'alarmingly humanoid' face surprises art world. The restoration of a prized 15th Century painting has revealed the 'human-like face of a lamb', surprising art critics and spurring debate."
• The fashion forecast: how to look good in bad weather - "Look to Michelle Obama in ceremonial lemon and Nancy Pelosi in superhero red - for winter style, start with practicalities but don’t end with them."

January 21, 2020

• President Trump's Davos speech fact-checked - "President Trump made a series of claims about his record in office - on the US economy and on the environment - during his speech to the World Economic Forum at the Swiss resort of Davos."
• Greta Thunberg calls on world leaders to listen to young activists - Reuters.
• Billionaires Have More Wealth Than 60% of the World's Population, Report Finds - TIME Magazine.
• How to avoid awkward handshakes - "How not to shake someone’s hand. We can know when a handshake feels wrong, but it can be hard to put a finger on exactly why. If it lingers too long, is too firm or pulls us too close it can define the rest of an encounter."
• 'Spoons are so brutal!' Paris Hilton's cooking show is a rare work of comic genius - "In Cooking with Paris, the heiress and her dog dressed as a French maid struggle to make a lasagne. It’s either a baffling vanity project – or an instant classic."
• Diamond as big as a tennis ball makes Louis Vuitton debut in Paris - "1,758-carat Sewelô snapped up by luxury brand is world’s second-largest rough diamond."
• How Ageism Negatively Affects Older People’s Health - TIME Magazine.
• Unexpected side effect of tall buildings - "Looking at buildings can actually give people headaches. Here's why."
• Exercise Like Michelle Obama With Her 2020 Workout Playlist - TIME Magazine.
• The big differences between 4G & 5G - "Companies are racing to have the fastest or largest 5G networks. And countries are competing to be the first to deploy fully functional, nationwide 5G, because of the many revolutionary innovations experts anticipate will be built on top of it."
• 16in MacBook Pro review: bigger battery, new keyboard, new Apple - "Apple shows it’s listening to pro users by producing a thicker, heavier and better machine."

January 20, 2020

• These Are The World’s Most Expensive Cities To Live, If You’re Rich - "First world problems don't come much more niche: 'In which city is it going to be cheaper to buy a piano?' But this is exactly the question Swiss bank Julius Baer has answered for its clients in a new ranking of luxury goods and services in 28 cities around the world, published on Thursday."
• Davos 2020: global inequality is 'out of control' - "22 men own more wealth than Africa's 326 million women, Oxfam says."
• A Practical Guide for Building Ethical Tech - "Companies are hiring 'chief ethics officers,' hoping to regain public trust. The World Economic Forum's head of technology policy has a few words of advice."
• 5 ways music changed in the 2010s - "Cast your mind back, if you can, to the 2010s."
• The Complicated Truth About What U.S. Citizenship Means Today - TIME Magazine.
• Scientists have made this food from thin air - "This company says it's making food from 'thin air' ... plus a dash of water and clean energy."
• An Open Source Effort to Encrypt the Internet of Things - "IoT is a security hellscape. One cryptography company has a plan to make it a little bit less so."
• 'Marriage Story was stunningly on-point': what divorce lawyers want you to know - "If you have gone from hoping that your marriage will last for ever to hoping that it will all be over cheaply and painlessly, the experts have some bad news."

January 19, 2020

• 15 Luxurious Beach Getaways For 2020 - "Some travelers believe that if you’ve seen one high-end beach resort, you’ve seen them all. And while it can certainly feel that way—with so many over-the-water villas and themed-spa options these days - there is another class of sun-kissed properties doing even more to elevate barefoot luxury."
• Davos 2020: What is the World Economic Forum & is it elitist? - "Some of the world's top business people and politicians - plus a smattering of celebrities - will gather in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum (WEF) this week."
• The irony of Davos VIPs & private jets - "Davos VIPs are worried about the climate crisis. They're still using private jets."
• Dinner As We Know it Is Hurting the Planet - "But What If We Radically Rethink How We Make Food? Farmers have grown food in roughly the same way for thousands of years. Now, entrepreneurs say they have a better idea."
• Harry & Meghan's unprecedented deal - "Harry and Meghan are giving up royal titles and state funding. Here's what that means."
• how Angolan ruler's daughter used her status to build $2bn empire - "Leaks show how Isabel dos Santos became Africa’s richest woman at expense of Angolan state."
• Isabel dos Santos: Africa's richest woman 'ripped off Angola' - "Leaked documents reveal how Africa's richest woman made her fortune through exploiting her own country, and corruption."
• 25 Expert Tips to Reading WAY More Books This Year - "Instead of trying to power through a book that you're not enjoying, put it down."

January 18, 2020

• Why you shouldn't feel too guilty about flying - "The finding that just 100 companies -- including vast oil and gas concerns -- are responsible for 71% of all greenhouse gas emissions since 1988 has provided a framework for a different way of thinking about this problem."
• Luxury travel: 50 wealthy tourists, eight countries ... and one giant carbon footprint - "Despite the climate crisis, ‘no emission spared’ round-the-world holidays in private jets are selling out."
• Harry & Meghan to give up HRH titles - "Harry and Meghan will no longer use their HRH titles and will not receive public funds for royal duties, palace says."
• Statement from Her Majesty The Queen - "Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family."
• Gwyneth Paltrow has capitalized on vaginal shame & celebration - "Why are vaginas suddenly everywhere? Partly because of the rise of ‘wellness’ – but also because they’re now a symbol of resistance."
• Your online activity is now effectively a social ‘credit score’ - "Especially when the Morality Police get acquired."
• People Have Invented More Than 200 Gender-Neutral Pronouns. Here's Why 'They' Is Here to Stay - "For centuries, poets and pundits have observed that English is missing a gender-neutral, third-person pronoun that could be used when gender is unknown or irrelevant."
• oldest three-star michelin restaurant downgraded - "The restaurant of famed French chef Paul Bocuse has lost its three-star Michelin rating, stirring controversy. 'L'Auberge du Pont de Collonges,' known simply as Paul Bocuse, had held its créme de la créme rating since 1965 - a world record."
• This is the worst day of the year to get married - "Some days are worse for weddings than others. People who get married on 'gimmick' days have higher rates of divorce, for example, November 12, 2013 (11-12-13)."
• 7 Best Portable Coffee Makers - "Whether it's Aeropress, French press, or faux espresso, we've found the best ways to make a great cup of Joe anywhere."

January 17, 2020

• There are now four $1 trillion companies - "The club of $1 trillion companies just keeps growing. Now there are four."
• The irony of Davos VIPs & private jets - "Davos VIPs are worried about the climate crisis. They're still using private jets."
• Louis Vuitton just bought the world's second-biggest diamond - "The 1,758-carat rough diamond, which was recovered by Lucara Diamond Corp in Botswana last April, is dark in color and about the size of your palm. The mining company named it "Sewelô," meaning 'rare find' in the southern African Tswana language."
• 'He is male': Bond boss says no female 007 - "Female 007 ruled out by James Bond producer."
• The best portable mini projector - "The Anker Nebula Mars II Pro delivers the best combination of features, performance, and ease of use."
• How do you translate impossible words? - "English is the world’s dominant scientific language, yet it has no word for the distinctive smell of cockroaches. What happens though, if you have no words for basic scientific terms?"
• The race for TV's last billions - "Dick Wolf Joins The Race For TV’s Last Billions."
• How To Upgrade To Windows 10 For ‘Free’ In 2020 - "Windows 10 still has problems but Windows 7 is about to hit the scrap heap (and Windows 8 is a pointless sideways move). As such, millions of users must soon jump to Windows 10 for the safety of their data and Microsoft charges $139 for the standard edition. But what if I told you there’s a legal way you can still upgrade for free?"
• Pelosi's 32 pens - "Impeachment trial: Why did Pelosi use so many pens? This is actually a long-standing US tradition - since President Franklin Roosevelt, presidents have frequently used multiple pens to sign high-profile pieces of legislation, so they can be offered as souvenirs and historical keepsakes."

January 16, 2020

• 2020 best countries - Rankings, News, Country Profiles - "Best Countries is a rankings, news and analysis project created to capture how countries are perceived on a global scale. The rankings evaluate 73 countries across 24 rankings drawn from a survey of more than 20,000 global citizens, measuring 75 dimensions that have the potential to drive trade, travel and investment and directly affect national economies."
• Top Ten Billionaire Moments Of The Decade - "From Elizabeth Holmes’ Downfall To Donald Trump’s Election."
• Inside the Italian town that charges tourists an entry fee - "It's Saturday morning in Civita di Bagnoregio, and the locals are patrolling the medieval walls, eyeing the visitors as they make their way toward the village."
• Inside the odyssey: taking a closer look at Stanley Kubrick's 2001 - "At an expansive new exhibition in New York, the director’s defining science fiction opus is explored in detail with help from those who made it with him."
• Share a pint or glass of wine between three to drink safely - "Alcohol is the leading cause of drug harm, outstripping even heroin and crack cocaine, according to former government adviser David Nutt."
• Midas touch: how to create the perfect James Bond song - "Shirley Bassey set the template - now Billie Eilish will create the theme for No Time to Die. Are these sultry anthems, usually sung by women, actually subverting 007?"
• Remember when Marilyn Monroe's white cocktail dress made movie history? - "The story behind this iconic moment."
• Steve McQueen ‘Bullitt’ Mustang Sells For Record $3.74 Million At Auction - "1968 Ford Mustang GT500 Driven By Steve McQueen In ‘Bullitt’ Sells For A Record $3.74 Million."
• The world's most prized pepper? - "Only by the late ‘90s, long after the Khmer Rouge lost power, did local farmers - many with generations’ of peppercorn farming running through their veins - return to their roots."
• Why Facebook’s Stock Seems Indestructible - "Despite privacy scandals, government probes and regulatory concerns, the company’s stock trades near its all-time high."
• The agony of weekend loneliness: ‘I won't speak to another human until Monday’ - "For growing numbers of people the weekend is an emotional wilderness where interaction is minimal and social life non-existent. What can be done to break this toxic cycle?"

January 15, 2020

• The glitzy European city going green - "Monaco is often associated with glamour and excess, yet this corner of the Cote d’Azur is emerging as a leader in sustainable, responsible tourism."
• Climate emergency: 2019 was second hottest year on record - "Last decade was also hottest yet in 150 years of measurements, say scientists."
• 52 places to go in 2020 - "We picked destinations to inspire you, delight you and motivate you to explore the world." The New York Times.
• Windows 10: NSA reveals major flaw in Microsoft's code - "The US National Security Agency (NSA) has discovered a major flaw in Windows 10 that could have been used by hackers to create malicious software that looked legitimate."
• The world's most honest country? - "Why Japan is so successful at returning lost property. Cultural norms, complex religious influences and friendly neighbourhood police officers make losing something in Japan no big deal. But does this tell the whole picture about Japan’s relationship with honesty?"
• Why Michelin chefs are handing back their stars - "Being awarded a Michelin star was once the ultimate culinary accolade -- a reward for the punishing hours and dedication to detail that helped usher chefs into the upper echelons of their industry and bring big-spending diners into their restaurants. But for some in the culinary world, those stars have begun to seem more of a burden than a blessing."
• Why aren't waiters given the respect - or salary - they deserve? - "The waiting staff in a restaurant can make or break a meal just as much as the people in the kitchen. Yet they are rarely celebrated - and quite often traduced."
• Are you really at your most miserable at 47.2 years old? - "A study says that we all tend to be at our most unhappy at the same point in life - are we hardwired for it, or is there another reason?"
• The food that took thousands of years to perfect - "Food in Egypt: 13 delicious dishes and drinks you shouldn't miss."
• Mail on Sunday defends publishing Meghan's letter to her father - "The Mail on Sunday has argued there is a 'huge and legitimate public interest' in the Royal Family and its 'personal and family relationships', as it published its defence to a legal claim made by the Duchess of Sussex."
• Billionaire's Row Documentary 2020 - YouTube 41:40.
• Airbnb can scan your online life to see if you’re a suitable guest - "The global booking platform could check up on your online personality before you book a holiday."

January 14, 2020

• The Biggest Snubs & Surprises of the 2020 Oscar Nominations - "While many of the nominees, like Little Women's Florence Pugh and the underdog Klaus, were celebrated, a backlash has also emerged on social media."
• The world is drowning in debt - "The world's already huge debt load smashed the record for the highest debt-to-GDP ratio before 2019 was even over."
• How do we go palm oil free? - "What are the alternatives to palm oil? It is a wonder product used in everything from confectionery to construction. But our addiction to palm oil is costing the Earth due to the harm it does to the rainforests. Can we replace it?"
• Time zones mess up more than just your sense of time - "Also, they screw up phone calls."
• the eight real tribes of modern dating - from fantasists to routiners - "Finding a mate now involves navigating the perils of sword enthusiasts, 9/11 ‘truthers’ and the risk that it’s your beagle they really want, rather than you."
• Kudos, leaderboards, QOMs: how fitness app Strava became a religion - "The Strava app offers community, training data and motivation to millions of athletes. Even runners who dislike tech can’t bear to be without it."
• Instagram offers access to DMs on the web - "It's a limited test for now."
• Five ways to improve your mental health in 2020 - "You can take scientifically validated steps to improve your mental outlook, and -- because the mind and body are entwined -- these behaviors also will improve your overall health."
• 10 Most Borrowed Books of All Time at the New York Public Library - "As it approaches a milestone 125th anniversary, the New York Public Library is looking back on its most borrowed books of all time. One of the largest and most iconic public library systems in the U.S., the New York Public Library has 92 locations across the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island."
• Airbus Beluga XL enters service at long last - "One of the aviation world's most hotly anticipated planes, the Airbus Beluga XL, has entered full-time service, having made its first operational flight on January 9, 2020."
• Magnus Carlsen breaks record for longest unbeaten streak in chess history - "World’s No 1 chess player makes it 111 games without defeat. Carlsen eclipses record set by Russia’s Sergei Tiviakov in 2005."
• Dream job? Hundreds apply to work on remote Irish island - "Caretaker jobs on Great Blasket, Ireland’s most westerly point, draw responses from Alaska to South Africa."
• So long, salt and vinegar: how crisp flavours went from simple to sensational - "It was five decades after crisps were invented that flavouring was applied: cheese and onion. Now you can buy varieties from bratwurst to spiced cola. But what inspired this explosion?"

January 13, 2020

• Oscar Nominations 2020: The complete list - 92nd Academy Awards.
• The 5 Biggest Smart Home Trends In 2020 - "Smart homes are the domestic face of the Internet of Things (IoT). In recent years we’ve become increasingly used to connecting everyday devices in our homes to the internet and to each other to make the places we live more comfortable, economical, entertaining, and safe."
• Queen agrees 'transition' for Harry & Meghan - "The Queen has agreed a 'period of transition' in which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will spend time in Canada and the UK."
• Queen says Harry & Meghan to have 'period of transition' in UK & Canada - live news - "Monarch says she would have preferred couple to remain full-time working royals as day of talks ends."
• Prince Harry & Prince William dismiss 'false story' about their relationship - live news - "Harry to meet Queen and senior royals at Sandringham with Meghan phoning in from Canada in bid to resolve crisis."
• Scientists Have Been Talking About Climate Change for More Than a Century - "Here's Why It Took So Long for the World to Listen."
• Five ways to eat more healthily in 2020 - "Here are five ways to step up your healthy eating without feeling the pain of dieting in 2020."
• Ocean temperatures hit record high as rate of heating accelerates - "Oceans are clearest measure of climate crisis as they absorb 90% of heat trapped by greenhouse gases."
• Five ways to be upbeat - "Writing down the good things that have happened during the day, getting out into nature and setting realistic goals can all help you achieve a more positive outlook."
• The alarming truth about how sugar ruins your sleep - "It may be second nature to reach for a sweet boost when tired in the evening but this could lead to a disturbed night. How do you kick the habit?"
• Why some smells risk being lost forever - "The people trying to save scents from extinction. The smells of ordinary life, from traditional pubs to old books, are part of our culture and heritage - and many of them are in danger of being lost."
• Venice canals almost dry, two months after severe floods - "Low tides have left canals in Venice almost dry, just two months after severe flooding left much of the Italian city under water."
• Why is Gwyneth Paltrow selling a candle that smells like her vagina? - "Gwyneth has made a candle called This Smells Like My Vagina for her website, Goop. And, of course, it has sold out."

January 12, 2020

• All the Ways Facebook Tracks You - and How to Limit It - "If you have a Facebook account - and even if you don't - the company is going to collect data about you. But you can at least control how it gets used."
• the History Behind the Common New Year's Resolution - TIME Magazine.
• The future of foldable tablets got clearer at CES 2020 - "Software and keyboards will make foldables feasible."
• How to escape your phone & other life hacks - "How to be wiser, richer, better dressed, more entertaining and above all happier in the new year."
• Harry & Meghan seek global trademark for 'Sussex Royal' brand - "Filings suggest plans for items and activities from clothing to ‘emotional support groups’."
• Don’t forget flight mode: your mobile can rack up £1,000 of roaming charges - "Even if travellers’ phones are in baggage and not used, they can link to a satellite network on premium rates."
• From tofu lamb chops to vegan steak bakes: the 1,000-year history of fake meat - "Plant-based burgers are all the rage in 2020, but meat substitutes date back to at least 965. Will we ever invent the perfect proxy - or should we forget about meat altogether?"
• ‘The Godfather of trains’: the Trans-Mongolian from Moscow to Beijing - "For the author of Around the World in 80 Trains this was a standout journey, full of captivating encounters that could only happen on a train."

January 11, 2020

• The biggest stories of 2020 (so far) explained - "From Iran to #Sussexit: 2020's biggest stories explained."
• Forget What You Think You Know About Blue Light & Sleep - "A new study challenges the notion that blue light disrupts sleep. Experts say it's not clear what blue light does to rest."
• Green tea, rather than black, may help you live longer - "Drinking green tea, rather than black, may help you live longer, new study suggests. Drinking tea at least three times a week could reduce the risk of dying from cardiovascular disease and is linked with a longer and healthier life, at least in China, a new study suggests."
• How Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Might Become Financially Independent of the Royal Family - "Here's everything we know about how Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could become financially independent from the British royal family."
• Asia's hottest new resorts for 2020 - "20 stunning new Asia Pacific luxury hotels to check into in 2020."
• Can You Hack A Tesla Model 3? $500,000 Says That You Can’t - "The Tesla Model 3 is considered one of the most secure vehicles around. Now there are half a million dollars on offer to anyone who can prove otherwise."
• Keep the Clowns Out of Email - "Also insider trading, sardines and long-termism."
• Toyota is building a 'smart' city to test AI, robots & self-driving cars - "Carmaker Toyota has unveiled plans for a 2,000-person 'city of the future,' where it will test autonomous vehicles, smart technology and robot-assisted living."

January 10, 2020

• THE VERGE AWARDS AT CES 2020 - Welcome to the Land of the Concept.
• Presenting the Best of CES 2020 winners! - engadget.
• The 25 Best Products of CES 2020 - "From Samsung's robotic ball companion to new kinds of PCs and cars, these are the best products of CES 2020, according to TIME's Patrick Lucas Austin."
• 8 BIG TAKEAWAYS FROM CES 2020 - "From 8k to 5G to AI to concepts, we all saw through the hype."
• CES 2020 recap: It's a wrap! - "What surprised us at CES 2020? Sony's Vision S EV, the Samsung Ballie robot and more."
• What If You Could Brush Your Teeth Perfectly in 10 seconds? - "Introducing Y-Brush, the smarter auto-cleaning electronic toothbrush. Simultaneously in-depth cleaning of all your teeth in 10 seconds only."
• Is Fitness Addiction Dangerous? - "Is Instagram fueling a fitness addiction?"
• What your shoe choice says about you - "The unexpected power of the humble shoe."
• THE 30 GAMES WE CAN’T WAIT TO PLAY IN 2020 - "From Halo and Half-Life to Animal Crossing and Avengers."
• Cashmere country: the perils of making the world's finest fabric - "In the freezing and windswept Changthang Plateau, nestled between the Himalayas and the Karakoram mountains, traditional goat herders practise an arduous and dying trade."
• Scientists Calculated How Much Longer You Can Live With a Healthy Lifestyle - "Researchers worked out not just how much longer people can live when they have healthy habits, but also how disease-free those years might be."
• Human Bodies Have Steadily Grown Colder Over The Past Century, Evidence Shows - "For more than a century, 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit - 37 degrees Celsius - has been used as a landmark of human health. We've suspected for a while now that the number needs adjusting, but a new study shows it's not for the reasons we thought."
• Welcome to Hawaii's 'plastic beach', one of the world's dirtiest places - "Hawaii has long evoked images of a Pacific paradise but Kamilo Beach, located on the Big Island, presents a starkly different reality."

January 9, 2020

• CES 2020 recap: Day three - The word of the day is 'foldable.'
• The world's tallest hotel to open in Dubai ... again - "Ciel Tower in Dubai's Marina district will be the tallest hotel in the world at 360.4 meters (1,181 feet) with 82 floors, featuring 1,209 luxury suites and residences."
• Viking runestone may allude to extreme winter, study says - "Ninth-century Rök stone may deal with fear of cold climate crisis in Scandinavia."
• The man who got rich on data - years before Google - "Amazon, Alphabet, Alibaba, Facebook, Tencent - five of the world's 10 most valuable companies, all less than 25 years old - and all got rich, in their own ways, on data."
• 7 Rules For A Wealthy Retirement - "As you enter the home stretch of your career, you may be paying professionals large sums for retirement guidance. Maybe you don’t have to do that. This 7-part series on wealth will give you the tools to make a lot more financial decisions on your own."
• 20 Exciting New Hotels Opening In 2020 Around The World - "Beautiful hotels debuted across the globe last year, including fabulous finds in Europe, Asia and beyond. This coming year looks to be no less exciting, as gorgeous venues throw open their doors in the U.S. and abroad. Here are 20 of the most exciting new international hotels to check out in 2020 as you plan your travels and start making your reservations."
• Forget Apple’s New iPhone 12, This Is The iPhone You Need - "The iPhone that I am most excited about during 2020 is not Apple’s ridiculously large and highly priced iPhone 12 Pro Max. It’s not any of the iPhone 12 models in the flagship family. It’s the promise of a new iPhone SE model, a low priced entry-level model that delivers ninety-five percent of the capabilities of iPhone handsets twice the price."
• New Project Centauro superyacht concept resembles a spaceship - "With so many inventive superyachts in the works, coming up with a bold and innovative is proving harder and harder for top designers. Officina Armare has unveiled plans for a megayacht that takes inspiration from both naval ships and spacecraft."
• Here Are 50 of the Best Workout Songs to Get You Motivated - "TIME's essential workout playlist is a mix of songs that are tried-and-tested crowd favorites and some deeper cuts worth your attention."
• Europe's kingdom of fairytale castles - "Most beautiful castles in Denmark."
• The One Box of Cigars You Should Buy This Month - "Davidoff’s latest Chinese Zodiac limited edition cigar is the one box of cigars you should be picking up in January 2020."
• 7 Companies Founded in the Last 10 Years That You Now Can’t Live Without - "Companies like Uber and YouTube changed society in the early aughts by revolutionizing how we travel and consume content. This decade had its own share of life-changing companies across several industries. Whether social media, transportation, food, dating, or work-related companies, these seven corporations altered how we go about our days. And with a combined worth over $150 billion, they are cashing in to do it."

January 8, 2020

• CES 2020 recap: Day two - "Sony unveiled an EV and Hyundai built a flying car."
• Harry & Meghan to step back as senior royals - "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced they will step back as 'senior' royals and divide time between UK and North America."
• Best & worst passports to hold in 2020 - "Henley Index: Japan tops 2020 list of world's most powerful passports."
• SONY’S ELECTRIC CAR IS THE BEST SURPRISE OF CES - "A real working car stuffed full of Sony tech."
• The surprising truth about the dollar - "Five hundred years after coining the first dollar, a tiny mining town is coming to grips with the many ways it shaped the modern world."
• Canon's ultimate photo camera is also a video powerhouse - "The 1DX MIII is an incredible photo camera, but also packs 5.5k raw video."
• Have couples who live apart discovered the secret to a happy relationship? - "More and more partners are choosing to commit but not cohabit. What can we learn from them?"
• In pictures: Iran's sites of cultural importance - "Following the assassination of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, US President Donald Trump has threatened to respond to any Iranian retaliation by attacking Iranian cultural sites. There are hundreds of such sites with historical significance in Iran, more than 20 with Unesco World Heritage status. Here is a selection of some of the most important."
• Engadget presents the 2020 Best of CES Awards for the seventh year in a row - "This year we're creating an award category focused on sustainability."
• What does fashion’s top trend-spotter think we’ll be wearing in the 2020s? - "Li Edelkoort is prized by brands for her ability to predict customers’ desires. In the next decade she says we will care less about perfect clothes than a fairer world."
• Defining the decade: ten years of Apple on one page - "Apple entered the 2010s just as the iPhone began to explode in popularity. The iPhone became the most successful consumer product, ever. Sales surged for another five years and still make up a majority of Apple’s revenues. However, we exit the decade with the iPhone making up a smaller portion of Apple’s business than ever before, as the company diversifies into strong lineups of wearables, tablets and services offerings."
• Running marathon cuts years off 'artery age' - "Training for and completing a marathon improves the health of a new runner's arteries, cutting about four years off their 'vascular age', a study suggests."
• World's first 350km-per-hour driverless bullet train goes into service in China - "As the countdown to the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics continues, the new 108-mile high-speed railway line connecting the capital with Olympic host city Zhangjiakou has just entered service, cutting the travel time between the two from three hours to 47 minutes. It's also been dubbed the world's first smart high-speed railway."

January 7, 2020

• CES 2020 recap: Day one - "A bezel-free 8K TV and OLED screen that rolls down were among the highlights."
• CES 2020: OLED TVs, smart sex toys, smart locks & more from Las Vegas - "We’re watching all of the gadgets and keynotes for the latest news from LG, Samsung, Roku, and more."
• World's most expensive wine tastes like this - "How Hungary produced the 'world's most expensive wine'."
• Facebook to ban 'deepfakes' - "Facebook has announced it will remove videos modified by artificial intelligence, known as deepfakes, from its platform."
• The truth about dog years - "How to calculate your dog's real age. Your pet clearly ages faster than you do, but new research is giving us a much clearer idea of just how old your dog really might be."
• Bafta awards 2020: How diverse is the film industry? - "The Baftas have been criticised for a lack of representation after no non-white actors were nominated, and no women were nominated in the best director category for the seventh year in a row."
• Tiny Austrian village which inspired Frozen can't cope with 10,000 visitors a day - "Hallstatt, in Austria, is a world heritage site and has a population of just 780. The village has been dubbed the 'most Instagrammable' place in the world. Local mayor Alexander Scheutz has begged Frozen fans to stay away."
• Lighten up: can a sun simulator improve my winter mood & lethargy? - "The sudden white blaze disorients me, like a cockroach caught in the kitchen. But will it make me feel better?"

January 6, 2020

• Robot kitties & smart trash cans are getting buzz at CES 2020 - "On the eve of the world's largest consumer technology show in Las Vegas, reporters roamed a giant conference center full of booths featuring tech products ranging from fertility trackers to robots and high-tech cosmetics."
• MY FAVORITE THING SO FAR AT CES - "An innovation borne of ingenuity, not thousands of engineers."
• LG's 2020 TVs: Massive 8K screens & the first 48-inch 4K OLED - "The new TVs include Dolby Vision IQ, Filmmaker Mode and HGiG."
• Here's what could be lost if Trump bombs Iran's cultural treasures - "The US president has warned Iran he will obliterate its cultural sites. Here is our guide to the nation’s jewels, from hilltop citadels to a disco-ball mausoleum."
• Golden Globes 2020: Complete list of winners - "The 77th annual Golden Globes kicked off Sunday night with comedian Ricky Gervais hosting for his fifth time. He warned the audience he would be as mean as he's always been at the award show, but reminded them 'they're just jokes' and to not take it too hard."
• How positive thinking is harming your happiness - "Could optimism and positive thinking actually have a harmful effect on our well-being?"
• why the French love to say no - "Although the default answer to almost every question, request or suggestion is a disheartening ‘non’, a ‘oui’ is often hiding in the context of what is being said."

January 5, 2020

• Golden Globe Awards: What you need to know - "The 77th Golden Globe Awards take place in Los Angeles, California on Sunday evening."
• CES 2020 IS HERE & HERE’S HOW TO SET YOUR EXPECTATIONS - "Buckle up for gadget news."
• These 6 Tech Tools Will Help You Actually Keep Your 2020 New Year's Resolutions - "Whether you want to get more exercise or save more money, these apps and services can help you keep your 2020 New Year's Resolutions."
• How AI fitness apps now rival personal trainers - "CES 2020: Preview of tomorrow's tech on show in Las Vegas."
• Technology in 2050: will it save humanity - or destroy us? - "Amid the calamitous effects of climate change, artificial intelligence could make the difference between a livable future or a dystopian one."
• Could I go a year without buying any new clothes? - "It’s been the great love of her life, but for Lauren Bravo the time has come to break up with fast fashion."

January 4, 2020

• 50 easy hacks to change your life in 2020 - "Sleep better, get fit, be kinder and improve your carbon footprint with these simple fixes."
• Greta Thunberg changes Twitter name to 'Sharon' after game show error - "Greta Thunberg has changed her name to Sharon on Twitter, in honour of a game show contestant who appeared to have no idea who she was."
• THE BEST TECH OF CES 2019: WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? - "Taking stock of last year’s big announcements and experimental products."
• Luxury cruise liners find a new winter home - "Miami of the Middle East? Dubai's pitch to winter cruisers."
• six ways to put a smile back on your face in 2020 - "The best ways to improve your happiness and inner worth, from expressive writing to self-affirmation."
• 5 New Books You Should Read to Ring in 2020 - "If the 2010s were all about the fear of missing out (thanks, social media), then 2020 is already about learning how to set boundaries and when to say no."
• 10 Best Under-the-Radar Trips for 2020 - "There have always been reasons to travel off the beaten path, from the noble (self-discovery and transformation) to the mundane (bragging rights and…let’s not even use the I-word). Mostly, it’s a proper escape from the everyday in an increasingly homogenized world. These days, just finding a place without a Starbucks or a KFC feels like a grand exploration."
• The maths problem that could bring the world to a halt - "Our hectic, on-demand lifestyles rely upon allocating finite sets of resources to constantly changing numbers of people. As this task grows ever harder, it will require solutions to a little-known mathematical riddle."
• The best wireless powered bookshelf speakers - "According to someone who's been testing audio gear for 30 years."

January 3, 2020

• CES 2020: What to expect - The annual tech show is about to begin.
• Everything to Know About the 2020 Award Show Season - TIME Magazine.
• Can your phone keep you fit? - "Our writers try 10 big fitness apps - from weightlifting to pilates. There are a dizzying number of apps promising to get you in shape - even if you can’t get to a gym. But can any of them keep our writers moving?"
• world's most punctual airports & airlines for 2020 revealed - "On Thursday, travel data analyst Cirium released its annual On-Time Performance Review, naming Russian flag carrier Aeroflot the world's most on-time global mainline airline and Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport the world's most punctual airport."
• The empty promises of Marie Kondo & the craze for minimalism - "From the ‘KonMari method’ to Apple’s barely-there design philosophy, we are forever being urged to declutter and simplify our lives. But does minimalism really make us any happier?"
• 10 of the best Caribbean islands to visit - "With hundreds of Caribbean islands to choose from, it can be daunting to decide on a destination in this sun-splashed region. The good news: It's hard to go wrong in a turquoise paradise. But each spot offers something a little different. Here are 10 of the best choices for a variety of travel appetites."
• Why the myths of Troy are still being told today - "The story of the epic war fought over a woman has been told many times. It now lies at the heart of an ongoing exhibition at the British Museum."
• The best Bluetooth tracker - "Tile sweeps the field."

January 2, 2020

• 20 things to look forward to in 2020 - "Welcome to the 2020! Other than being a numerically auspicious date that stands at the gateway of a fresh new decade, the year 2020 will probably be like any other year: Full of confusing and depressing events that will make you wish Earth had some sort of eject button."
• CES: HERE’S WHAT’S NEXT FOR GADGETS IN 2020 - "CES will have a lot of little companies taking big swings."
• Why Your 2020 New Year's Health or Fitness Resolution Might Be Proven Outdated by 2030 - "Just look at what's changed since 2010."
• The most exciting movies of 2020 - biopics - "Jennifer Hudson plays the queen of soul, Ethan Hawke tackles Tesla and Julianne Moore tells the story of Gloria Steinem."
• The 2020 predictions we got horribly wrong - "Nanobots, ape chauffeurs and flights to Pluto. The predictions for 2020 we got horribly wrong."
• 2020 Will Be The Year Of Sustainable Business: Here’s Why - "As the start of a new decade peers over the horizon, many business leaders will be looking back on how much has changed over the last ten years. The smartphone has transformed everything, AI and automation have begun to take hold, Brexit and wider geopolitics have overwhelmed decision-making–there’s a lot to reflect on."
• World's safest airlines for 2020 revealed - "The world's safest airlines for 2020."
• Google says it will no longer use 'Double Irish, Dutch sandwich' tax loophole - "Technique allowed the tech giant to delay paying US taxes on international earnings for years, and pay a lower tax rate overseas."
• A tropical city with unforgettable architecture - "10 famous buildings in Singapore."
• Golden Globes 2020: who will win - and who should win - the TV categories - "Streaming giants and Hollywood heavyweights (Reese! Meryl!) go head-to-head for the decade’s first TV prizes."
• In search of the real Christine Keeler - "Christine Keeler was just 19 when she became embroiled in a sex scandal that would bring down the British government. Not only was she vilified at the time, but the affair stalked her throughout her life. For the first time, a new drama reappraises her character by telling the story through her eyes, writes Tanya Gold."
• All Federico Fellini's films - ranked! - "To celebrate the centenary of the birth of the great Italian director, here’s a cavalcade of his extraordinary feature films."
• Asia's richest man takes on retail giant Amazon - "A conglomerate run by Asia's richest man has started a service that aims to compete with Amazon in India."
• Bezos, Buffett, Ma And More: Biggest Billionaire Gainers Of The Decade - "Gleaned from the pages of a book purchased by accident at the University of Nebraska, Warren Buffett's investment philosophy–buy and hold stocks forever–has proven to be one of the best-performing strategies of all time. It has also paid off particularly well this past decade."
• Aston Martin’s rearview mirror shows three video feeds simultaneously - "The automaker will show off a prototype of the unit at CES."

January 1, 2020

• 2020 - it is a leap year. Predicted & scheduled events.
• It's 2020 for some... but not for others - "While many are celebrating the start of 2020, there are other calendars in use around the world for which it's a different year altogether."
• Scrap 'quick-fix diets and tea-toxes' this New Year - "If your New Year resolution is to lose some weight, avoid fad diets, because they don't work and can be harmful, says NHS England's top doctor."
• How much water should you drink a day? - "Whether you’ve had fatigue or even dry skin, you’ve probably been told to drink more water as a cure. But this advice comes from decades-old guidance... and may have no scientific basis."
• Pope Francis smacks woman's hand to free himself from her grip - "Pope Francis was happily greeting children and pilgrims in St. Peter's Square on Tuesday when he slapped a woman's hand to free himself."
• TIME's Best Portraits of 2019 - TIME Magazine.
• Tech that defined the decade - "A not-at-all-comprehensive look at the tech innovations of the 2010s."
• 2020's most anticipated new buildings - "The most anticipated buildings set to shape the world in 2020."
• Scientist says he's figured out time travel - "Meet the scientist trying to travel back in time."
• CNN Travel's 20 best places to visit in 2020 - "Whether you want to relax on a remote island off the coast of Africa, ride Germany's coolest trains or spot howling monkeys in South America, there is much to explore heading into a new decade in 2020."
• Could this be Samsung’s bezel-less 8K TV? - "The company is rumored to show off the screen at CES next week."