The Int'l Man's Hot Links Archive 2020 (2): July 1-Sep 30

Hot Links Archive 2020 (2): July 1 - September 30

September 30, 2020

• Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases - by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
• Coronavirus vaccine tracker: how close are we to a vaccine? - "More than 140 teams of researchers are racing to develop a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine."
• Coronavirus: A-Z - everything you need to know | Face Masks - "1900+ Coronavirus COVID-19 Advice, News & Resources." UPDATED DAILY!
• Pure chaos at the first debate - "First presidential debate devolves into chaos as Trump derails the night with insults and interruptions."
• An absolutely awful debate - "Hits and misses from the first Trump-Biden debate."
• Nasty clashes between Trump & Biden - "The long-awaited battle between Donald Trump and Joe Biden got off to a messy start."
• First 2020 presidential debate: Fact-checking Biden & Trump - "As Trump and Biden attempted to make their points on the debate stage in Cleveland, NBC News fact-checked their claims in real time."
• A mess of Trump's making: key takeaways from the first presidential debate - "The president refused to condemn white supremacists and analysts called the chaotic debate a failure."
• Just Cancel the Last Two Debates. America Has Suffered Enough - TIME Magazine.
• In Trump-Biden debate chaos, China is the big winner - "In an ugly, cantankerous presidential debate, one of the few things Donald Trump and Joe Biden agreed upon was China."
• US election 2020: What is the electoral college? - "The US presidential election will take place in less than 100 days. But it's possible the candidate with the most votes from the public won't be the winner."
• How Trump's Apprentice earnings helped rescue his failing empire - "Documents show president earned $427m from NBC reality show - which he used to cover vast real estate and casino losses."
• Coronavirus antibody cocktail shows early promising results - "Early data shows promising results from Regeneron's antibody cocktail for coronavirus."
• iOS 14 review: Finally rid of the grid - "That is, if you want to be."
• Apple iPad 2020 review: all the iPad you need, none of the tablet you don’t - "Cheapest iPad gets faster, offering most of what makes Apple’s top tablets great for half the cost."
• Your Photos Are Irreplaceable. Get Them Off Your Phone - "When’s the last time you backed up your photos? Would you be upset if you lost them? You see where we’re going here, right?"
• 11 Best Fitness Trackers & Watches for Everyone - "Whether you're backcountry skiing or running around the backyard, we have an activity tracker for you."
• Hiring a private jet is easier than you think - "Private jets are more accessible than ever. Here's how to hire one."
• How Singapore's Changi Airport is adapting during Covid - How the world's best airport is adapting during Covid.
• How to save your in-office friendships - "Why your in-office friendships still matter. Office friendships are atrophying amid remote work. But you can reap tangible benefits by putting in the effort to keep up intimacy with your office mates."
• How To Stop Your Home Being Viewed On Google Street View - "The news this week that Google has removed images from Street View that allowed virtual hikes to the summit of Uluru, a sacred location in Australia's Northern Territory, raises a serious question. Where does this mapping-meets-real-world service shift from being a genuinely useful guide to an invasion of personal privacy or, worse, an insensitive and inappropriate compromise of the rights and freedoms of others?"
• Need Some Color In Your Life? Check Out These Pens - "Fountain pen or ballpoint, what’s your pleasure?"
• Designer Scott Gillen’s Latest Home In The Malibu Series, Case No. 3, Hits Market For $75 Million - "In 2017, Gillen purchased 24 acres of undeveloped, oceanfront land in Malibu for a record-breaking $50 million. He is transforming this land into The Case, a five-home private enclave that is a central part of his 15-home package of architecturally significant properties, called The Malibu Series, representing more than $500 million in real estate."

September 29, 2020

• One million dead: How Covid-19 tore us apart - "A virus that has affected the world. In eight months, more than 33 million people have been diagnosed with coronavirus, across nearly every country. The disease has taken lives on every continent except Antarctica -- and more than one million people have died."
• Global coronavirus deaths pass 1m with no sign rate is slowing - "Johns Hopkins University data points to rises in countries that seemed to have slowed spread."
• CDC director takes aim at Trump's Covid adviser: 'Everything he says is false' - "The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was overheard on a phone conversation aboard a commercial flight saying a lead member of Donald Trump’s coronavirus taskforce has been spreading misinformation about the pandemic."
• Coronavirus symptoms: how to tell if you have a common cold, flu or Covid - "Fever, runny nose, headache? Lost your sense of taste or smell? Your guide to differentiating between the three illnesses."
• Covid-19 tests that give results in minutes to be rolled out across world - "Global initiative will supply 120m rapid antigen tests to low- and middle-income countries."
• How the Pandemic Pushed a Generation of Americans to Discover the Perks (and Risks) of Online Banking - "Digital and online banking has already been on the rise in recent years, but the pandemic forced large-scale uptake."
• Could Trump go to jail over his taxes? Watergate prosecutor weighs in - "Former assistant special Watergate prosecutor Nick Akerman breaks down revelations from the New York Times report on President Trump's taxes, and tells CNN's Erin Burnett why he thinks Trump could face legal liability."
• $70,000 on hairstyling - Donald Trump's taxes in numbers - "Here are some surprising things we’ve learned about the US president’s finances."
• 9 key takeaways about Trump Inc. from the New York Times report - "A bombshell New York Times investigation has offered the most conclusive proof yet that US President Donald Trump's business empire is nowhere near as successful as he claims."
• 18 Revelations From a Trove of Trump Tax Records "The New York Times reporters have obtained decades of tax information the president has hidden from public view. Here are some of the key findings."
• The Ordinary Taxpayer’s Guide To The Extraordinary Story Of Trump’s Tax Returns - Forbes.
• Trump sold voters on the folly that he's a successful businessman. That's a con - "Trump’s gymnastic finances were problems of his own making and the headache of his staff, workers and bankers."
• Paris Fashion Week strides on despite rising Covid-19 cases - "Paris Fashion Week, the last of the 'big four,' begins today following three weeks of unprecedented fashion events in New York, London and Milan as the global pandemic wears on."
• How to go skiing this winter - "Covid-19 restrictions may seem daunting but ski resorts are open - and if the continent seems too far, hit the slopes in Scotland."
• Confessions of a VIP private jet flight attendant - "For many, the thought of catching a plane is far from luxurious: from spending countless hours lining up at security, to wrestling arm rests with other passengers as you face a crammed long-haul flight in economy."
• Inside the airline industry's meltdown - "Coronavirus has hit few sectors harder than air travel, wiping out tens of thousands of jobs and uncountable billions in revenue. While most fleets were grounded, the industry was forced to reimagine its future."
• Ai Weiwei: 'Too late' to curb China's global influence - "The leading Chinese dissident, the artist and filmmaker Ai Weiwei, says China's influence has become so great that it can't now be effectively stopped."
• How the first vaccine was born - "The chilling experiment which created the first vaccine. Smallpox used to kill millions. But a chance discovery led to the first vaccine, and a transformation in human health."
• Why arrogance is dangerously contagious - "Overconfidence can delude us into dangerous thought or actions - and that same arrogance can also spread to others like wildfire, too."
• Coffee Machine Hit By Ransomware Attack - Yes, You Read That Right - "My office is full of gadgets and gizmos, as you might expect of a technology journalist. Among them, one stands proud of all others when it comes to my productivity: the coffee machine. Perhaps that is why I have opted for an old-fashioned, dumb, and disconnected device to brew my morning espresso. As security researchers from Avast discovered, smart coffee machines can not only be hacked but can be hacked with ransomware."

September 28, 2020

• Trump's taxes show chronic loses & years of income tax avoidance - The New York Times.
• Trump paid no income taxes at all in 10 of the previous 15 years - "Donald Trump 'paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017' - NY Times."
• Donald Trump's image is a sham - "Tax bombshell reveals Trump's image is a sham."
• global deaths near 1m as India passes 6m cases - "The true toll is likely already over 1m however, due to differing definitions, time lags and suspected underreporting in some countries."
• Dreading a dark winter lockdown? Think like a Norwegian - "Studies show people living in the Arctic Circle are armed with a mindset that helps combat the long ‘polar night’. It might come in handy for us all ..."
• This is what happens to your body over months in isolation - "Since the pandemic officially began in March, we've been told staying home is the best way to avoid catching Covid-19. And it is. But life in confinement can cause physical ailments on its own."
• The 12 Best Electric Bikes for Every Kind of Ride - "A battery-powered motor lets you enjoy most of the benefits of biking, without all the sweat."
• How to make people like you - virtually - "It’s easy to make people like you in a normal office. But how can you charm colleagues and clients via video link?"
• The Best Smart Bulbs to Light Up Your Home - "They're the easiest way to start building a smarter home. From Ikea and Philips Hue kits to ambient lighting, here are our favorites."
• The next generation of wearables will be a privacy minefield - "What happens when we let companies track our emotions?"
• How Every James Bond Actor Compares To The Original 007 - "With a new 007 predictably comes a comparison to previous Bonds, but how does each actor compare to Fleming’s original literary character?"
• Kiran Shah: The hero with a thousand faces - "On a journey from Kenya to Hollywood, Kiran Shah has built one of the most impressive careers in blockbuster history. So why don't you know more about him?"
• Tree of the week: ‘Generations of families have played under this willow tree’ - "Standing ‘like an elderly grandparent watching all the life around it’, a willow in Peterborough offers a symbol of calm in troubled times."

September 27, 2020

• Where are the global coronavirus hotspots? - "Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world, with more than 32 million confirmed cases in 188 countries and a death toll fast approaching one million."
• Surgical, N95 masks block most particles, homemade cloth masks release their own - "Laboratory tests of surgical and N95 masks by researchers at the University of California, Davis, show that they do cut down the amount of aerosolized particles emitted during breathing, talking and coughing. Tests of homemade cloth face coverings, however, show that the fabric itself releases a large amount of fibers into the air, underscoring the importance of washing them."
• What Your Blood Tells You About Cancer - "Blood tests can tell us a lot about what’s going on in our bodies—from whether we’re eating too much sugar to whether we’re harboring any infectious diseases. Scientists lately have been working on ways to use similar diagnostic tools for cancer, which have the potential to dramatically increase the amount of information doctors use to figure out the best treatments for their patients."
• The grim truth behind Britain's stately homes - "Many of these country estates are indelibly linked to brutal legacies of slavery and colonialism. And while their grim origins may have been previously overlooked, they're now facing a new level of scrutiny that -- amid raging debates over how Britain reckons with its imperial past -- has exploded into its own cultural conflict."
• Former royals want their riches back. Ties to Hitler stand in the way - "Germany's ex-royals want their riches back, but past ties to Hitler stand in the way."
• Wikipedia due to get its first substantial website redesign in a decade - "For the first time in 10 years, one of the internet's most-widely used resource websites will be getting a substantial new look."

September 26, 2020

• US passes 7m Covid cases as health officials warn second surge could come - "Cases rise by tens of thousands every day as CDC report shows Americans in their 20s main drivers of virus over summer."
• What lessons can Europe learn from Sweden's Covid-19 experience? - "Experts say that while contested ‘light touch’ response warrants study each country must find right approach for them."
• how universities around the world are tackling Covid - "From asking students to report illicit gatherings to expanded online teaching, educational institutions continue to adapt."
• The rise of the ‘virtual water cooler’ - "Impromptu meetings in the canteen are gone in the age of Covid-19. But some companies seek to replicate the ritual and its surprising benefits."
• How signal became the messaging app for an age of fear & distrust - "The Inside Story of How Signal Became the Private Messaging App for an Age of Fear and Distrust."
• How Covid Is Creating New Fintech Billionaires - "Stay-at-home consumers and stimulus checks have been a boon for online installment financing, digital banks and day trading."
• How Jack Ma built China's money supermarket into a $200 billion company - "When Jack Ma launched an obscure payment service to boost his online shopping empire 16 years ago, few expected it to succeed. Now that service forms the backbone of Ant Group, a financial behemoth that could be worth more than $200 billion."
• Find out which countries are welcoming US tourists back - "Once one of the world's most powerful travel documents, the might of the US passport has shriveled during the Covid-19 pandemic."
• Why Tom Hardy Would Make A Superb James Bond - "Rumors of Hardy as 007 have circulated for years and the source of this story is an odd one - albeit one credible enough to have launched a frenzy of followups in the British press and the suspension of betting markets on the subject."
• expert guide to making the perfect cup of coffee at home - "Over the past six months, many of us have been trying to replicate our morning takeout in our kitchens. From beans to milk, here’s how to get the most from your mug."
• The Ring drone is just the latest Amazon privacy puzzle box - "Amazon says you should worry more about your phone cameras than its Ring drone."
• Apple iPad (2020) & iPadOS 14 review - "Both are unexciting but important steps forward."
• Last ever Airbus A380 superjumbo assembled in France - "A magnificent beast made of four million parts from 30 different countries, the Airbus A380 is the world's largest passenger airliner, and its era is almost at an end."
• Meet The One-Of-A-Kind Ferrari Omologata - "The 10th of these one-off cars was revealed by Ferrari. Called the Omologata, it is a front-engined, rear-wheel-drive V12 coupe based on the 812 Superfast. But instead of being a mild facelift of an existing production car, Ferrari says only the windscreen and headlights are shared with the 812. The rest of the Omologata is all-new and unique."

September 25, 2020

• Apple Releases iOS 14.0.1: Sudden, Early Upgrade With Important Fixes - "There have been relatively few issues with iOS 14, at least compared to last year’s iOS 13 release. This is the very first iOS which lets you choose your own default browser and mail settings. If you’ve seen an issue where the default browser and mail settings reset after restarting your iPhone, this update is here to fix it."
• iOS 14 update fixes a bug that reset your browser & mail defaults - "If you set Gmail or Chrome as your default apps in iOS 14, now they'll stay that way."
• Amazon’s fall hardware event: the 13 biggest announcements - "We saw new Echo devices, Ring updates, and even Amazon’s cloud gaming service."
• Coronavirus continuing to mutate, study finds, as US cases rise - "Experts believe virus is probably becoming more contagious but US study did not find mutations made it more lethal."
• Younger Americans Are Eclipsing Older Age Groups in COVID-19 Case Counts - "A fresh analysis of age-based statistics offers solid evidence that COVID-19 is becoming more widespread among young Americans. According to data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Sept. 23, children and adults under 30 accounted for more than a third of all COVID-19 cases reported in the U.S. in July and August. That’s up from around 16% in January through April."
• In a Covid-19 world, what's next for deluxe, all-you-can-eat buffets? - CNN Travel.
• Helsinki airport trials sniffer dogs as Covid-19 detectors - "Sniffer dogs are a familiar sight at airports all over the world, where border agents use them to detect illegal substances and contraband."
• Sniffer dogs used to detect coronavirus in Helsinki airport as part of trial - video - "Sniffer dogs have started to be deployed at Helsinki airport to detect Covid-19 among travellers, in a state-funded trial that it is hoped will provide a cheap, fast and effective alternative method of testing people for the virus. A dog is capable of detecting the presence of the coronavirus within 10 seconds and the entire process takes less than a minute to complete."
• An Illuminati Conspiracy Theory Captured American Imaginations in the Nation’s Earliest Days - And Offers a Lesson for Now - "In the final weeks before the 2020 election, the outsize role of conspiracy theories in American politics has become unmistakable. For some Trump supporters in particular, campaign-season news is filtered through the powerful idea that hidden forces are at work, that the 'deep state' - a supposed secret, shadowy and sinister group of leftist politicians, government bureaucrats, Chinese scientists, journalists, academics and intellectuals—is seeking to destroy American values. Seen through that lens, COVID-19, which has killed nearly 200,000 Americans, is a 'hoax'; some even believe that Anthony Fauci is a 'deep state doctor.'"
• Why it's hard to charge US police over shootings - "Three officers were involved in the police raid that ended with Breonna Taylor shot dead in her home in Kentucky. Only one of them has been charged, but not in relation to her death. Why are so few police officers charged after fatal shootings in the US?"
• Is This The Future of Luxury Hotels? - "You May Soon Be Staying In This Futuristic Hotel."
• How to Navigate the Age of the Smart Home - "Here are some tips if you’re new to smart home devices, but want to give something a try."
• Amazon's Ring will sell a $250 security drone that flies around your home - "Ring, the Amazon-owned home security business, introduced a flying camera on Thursday that may excite home-surveillance fans but is almost certain to rankle privacy advocates. The $250 drone, called Ring Always Home Cam, is among a slew of products unveiled during Amazon's invitation-only online hardware event."
• Amazon Unveils Drone That Films Inside Your Home. What Could Go Wrong? - "Home Drone: Amazon’s Ring Will Offer An Indoor Flying Camera For Constant Surveillance."
• We have a few questions about Amazon’s flying indoor security camera drone - "Aka the Always Home Cam."
• AMAZON’S NEW ECHO SHOW 10 MOVES TO LOOK AT YOU - "The latest Alexa-powered smart display isn’t content with sitting still."
• THE BEST PROJECTOR FOR YOUR HOME OR APARTMENT - "From budget to 4K, here are the best projectors to replace your TV."
• Jack Ma is no longer China's richest man - "Move over Jack Ma. China's new richest man is a bottled water billionaire. Zhong Shanshan, the founder of the popular Chinese bottled water brand Nongfu Spring, has overtaken Alibaba (BABA) founder Jack Ma to become the country's wealthiest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires index."
• ‘Barefoot bookseller’ sought to run island bookshop in Maldives - "Luxury resort says island is virtually Covid-free and wants a live-in book lover to provide guests with bespoke help for their ‘reading journeys’."
• Should men-only private members' clubs still exist? - "The Garrick Club was founded in 1831 - a place where ‘actors and men of refinement and education might meet on equal terms’. Women were not allowed to be members and, almost 200 years on, that is still the case. Emily Bendell on why she is taking legal action against the Garrick and Amy Milne-Smith on the history of London’s clubland." Podcast 25:35.
• Hotels of Pyongyang: New book takes readers inside North Korean capital's colorful accommodations - "For James Scullin, who has visited the Hermit Kingdom eight times, hotels were the highlight of the trip -- and one of the only ways to get to know locals in a social setting."
• One of the last privately-owned Botticelli portraits could sell for over $80M - "A 15th-century painting by early Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli is expected to sell for over $80 million when it goes under the hammer in New York next year."
• Magawa the mine-detecting rat wins PDSA Gold Medal - "An African giant pouched rat has been awarded a prestigious gold medal for his work detecting land mines."
• Royal Huisman Unveils World’s Largest Superyacht Sloop Concept - Forbes.
• UK royals set for cutbacks after £35m pandemic blow - "Duke and Duchess of Sussex racked up nearly £250,000 in travel costs on southern Africa tour, royal accounts reveal."
• Sir David Attenborough breaks Instagram record for fastest time to reach one million followers - Guinness World Records.

September 24, 2020

• Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine is fourth to begin Phase 3 trials in the United States - "Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 vaccine candidate begins Phase 3 trials in the United States today. Trials for the single-dose vaccine will include up to 60,000 adult participants at nearly 215 sites in the US and internationally."
• Trump's economy in six charts - "US 2020 election: The economy under Trump in six charts."
• Can Covid immunity passports unlock travel? - "Can airport testing and Covid immunity passports unlock travel? In the current Covid-created travel maze, passengers face constantly shifting rules as airports, countries and even airlines impose their own restrictions on who can cross international borders."
• The Coronavirus Pandemic's Outsized Effect on Women's Mental Health Around the World - "COVID-19 is a devilishly versatile disease, attacking all manner of body systems and doing all manner of damage—to the lungs, the heart, the liver, the kidneys. Though it doesn’t attack the mind directly, the pandemic the virus has caused has been devastating to mental health, and in many cases, the most vulnerable group is women."
• 'I no longer participate': Dutch celebrities rebel over Covid constraints - "They are young, famous and refusing to abide by the coronavirus restrictions. A group of Dutch celebrities have triggered both a sizeable backlash and a national debate after breaking cover on social media with the hashtag #ikdoenietmeermee, (I no longer participate)."
• Fjord focus: is Norway's friluftsliv the answer to surviving a second lockdown? - "As pandemic restrictions are tightened, and the weather turns, Norway’s ‘free-air life’ is more relevant - and appealing - than ever."
• A healthy sex life boosts long-term survival hopes for heart attack victims - "People who have had heart attacks can boost their chances of long-term survival by returning to normal levels of sexual activity, a new study shows."
• Japanese giant Gundam robot shows off its moves - "The robot, which has been in the works since 2014, stands nearly 60 feet high and weighs 24 tons, with more than 200 pieces made from a mixture of steel and carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, according to the company that created it."
• The disruption con: why big tech’s favourite buzzword is nonsense - "How one magic word became a way of justifying Silicon Valley’s unconstrained power."
• The Met Opera cancels the 2020-2021 season due to the coronavirus pandemic - "The Metropolitan Opera announced that it is canceling its entire season due to the coronavirus pandemic."
• Juliette GrÉco: Doyenne of French singers dies at 93 - "A true icon of the French chanson, Juliette Gréco, has died aged 93 after a fabled career that spanned eight decades."
• How much gold is there left to mine in the world? - "Last month the price of gold hit a record high, pushing above $2,000 an ounce."
• Are we living at the 'hinge of history'? - "Could right now be the most influential time ever? Richard Fisher looks at the case for and against - and why it matters."
• Best Politics Podcasts to Help You Make Sense of the 2020 Election - "Dozens of excellent podcasts strive to offer answers and context. They fact-check the candidates’ statements. They explain what is happening in the news and why it matters."
• Prince Charles & Camilla Parker Bowles Have Some of the Most High Maintenance Food Requests - "You may have heard that Prince Charles is one of the demanding royals. His staffers gave him the nickname the 'Pampered Prince' because he reportedly has to have every daily task done for him and has his valets follow some strict rules. In the years Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall has been married to the future king she picked up on some of those demands too."
• 13 Global Fashion Apps On The Rise - "'There is an app for that.' When Apple trademarked the catchphrase a decade ago, it was impossible to predict its impact. Virtual try-on experiences are in-demand during these tough times. Fashion apps can make curbside pickup or delivery easier while minimizing returns."
• 23 Hotel Cocktails To Make This Fall - "Hotels from Miami to Mykonos shared their own recipes to give you a delicious taste of autumn. Start shaking up some of these libations to toast the season."
• The World’s Most Unique Explorer Yacht Could Be Yours For $12 Million - "ADASTRA is certainly unique. It’s a real-life energy-efficient trimaran that’s been sailing the seas since 2012. Whether they love or loathe her design, people love to talk about her and the kind of owner who would commandeer her. It’s an explorer yacht for a brave individual - and if you’re one, she could be yours for a cool $12 million."
• Triumph’s first e-bike is a welcome blend of technology & nostalgia - "A bike for those who love the Triumph name."
• Sophia Loren returns to movies aged 86 - "Italian superstar plays a Holocaust survivor who befriends an orphan in Netflix film The Life Ahead, directed by her son Edoardo Ponti."

September 23, 2020

• 100 most influential people of 2020 - TIME Magazine.
• After 200,000 coronavirus deaths, the US faces another rude awakening - "The US death toll has doubled less than four months after the 100,000 landmark – and with autumn nearing, there is little chance of containing the contagion, experts say."
• Datablog: the scale of the 200,000 coronavirus deaths in the US - "The US loss of life from the coronavirus compared to other causes of death."
• Trump says 200,000 US coronavirus deaths 'a shame' – video - "The US president says: 'Well, I think it’s a shame' when asked by a White House reporter about the 200,000 coronavirus deaths in the US - a fifth of the global total and the highest of any country worldwide. He claims the US could have had 2.5 million deaths 'if we didn't do it properly'. Trump also repeats his accusation that China is at fault for the pandemic."
• Dr. Anthony Fauci calls 200,000 pandemic death toll 'sobering, and in some respects, stunning' - "Dr. Anthony Fauci on Tuesday said the US reaching 200,000 coronavirus deaths is "very sobering, and in some respects, stunning," while adding that Americans should trust medical experts despite at times conflicting signals from the highest levels of government."
• Alitalia airline offering 'Covid-tested' flights - "The Italian national carrier has announced that it will trial flights between Rome and Milan where every single passenger has to confirm that they have tested negative for the virus. These flights are identified as 'Covid-tested.'"
• Here's how utterly dumb the mask-wearing debate has become - "On Monday night in Ohio, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was warming up the crowd for President Donald Trump -- and trying to sell some campaign merchandise."
• 'It smells bad, it tastes bad': how Americans stopped trusting their water - "Many residents of Martin county, Kentucky, won’t drink their tap water, a legacy of years of mismanagement."
• How London could achieve net zero carbon by 2050 - "A city historically known for its lethal 20th-Century smogs has committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 - how will London get there?"
• I hate to say it, but Ferrari's new convertible is worth every penny - "If ever in your life you have the opportunity to drive a Ferrari, you should take it. Ferraris are, by and large, a special combination of power and speed smoothed over with a level of refinement other supercars can't quite match. Starting at nearly $300,000, the Ferrari F8 Spider is expensive but well worth the price."
• Test-Driving The All-New 2020 Rolls-Royce Ghost - "Few cars express the promise of la dolce vita, the sweet honeyed life, quite like Rolls-Royce."
• Who can work remotely long-term? - "What remote jobs tell us about inequality. Not every worker in every job can hit the ground running in a home-work set-up. That could be a problem for certain individuals - and even entire economies."
• Why Apple should give us custom app icons (but probably never will) - "People want custom iPhone designs, but Apple is resistant to change."
• Top 50 Most Exclusive Yacht Clubs In The World Honored With Platinum Status - "The rich and famous are not merely looking for the best place to anchor their yachts; they are also seeking out exclusive memberships in stunning destinations, all offering luxury amenities and, of course, bragging rights. These exclusive yachting clubs with often outrageous initiation fees, provide luxurious clubhouses, and provide accommodations for yachties who want to get their land legs. Most of them provide high-end concierge service to its members as well as Michelin-star quality restaurants and more."
• Sexism In Whisky: Whisky Bible Award-Winner Rejects Prize - "Beam Suntory, owners of the Alberta Premium Cask Strength rye whisky that won ‘World Whisky of the Year’ in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, have publicly distanced themselves from influential whisky critic Jim Murray, all but rejecting his award which has been issued every year since 2003."
• Amazon's $500 'Prime Bike' is a connected spin bike made by Echelon - "It's a similar co-branding deal to the one Echelon made with Walmart."
• The truth about takeaway: why leftover curry & pizza taste better - "Food scientist Charles Spence says flavours develop after a night in the fridge and many dishes benefit from reheating. Maybe not scrambled eggs, though."
• New all-time coldest northern hemisphere temperature discovered - "Reading of -69.C in 1991 from Greenland is nearly 2C colder than previous known records."

September 22, 2020

• US reaches 200,000 coronavirus deaths amid fears for coming winter - "The US has reached another tragic landmark in deaths from Covid-19, with more than 200,000 people now believed to have died because of the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University."
• Missed chance for the planet - "The pandemic gave the world a golden opportunity to fix the climate crisis. We’re about to waste it."
• Arctic Sea Ice Has Shrunk to Almost Historic Levels - "'A Climate Emergency Unfolding Before Our Eyes.'"
• Prince Charles calls for 'Marshall-like plan' to combat climate crisis - "Prince of Wales says threat posed by global heating will ‘dwarf the impact of the coronavirus pandemic’."
• Burping cows are fueling the climate crisis. This company says it's got a solution - "Cows produce beef, milk -- and a lot of methane. A byproduct of digestion, methane is produced from both ends of the animals, although over 90% enters the atmosphere via their burps."
• Airbus wants to build zero-emission planes by 2035. Here's how - "Airbus has unveiled its plans for bringing the world's first zero-emission commercial aircraft into service by 2035."
• Meet the doomers: why some young US voters have given up hope on climate - "Politically active young people are often championed as the Earth’s great hope to reverse the climate crisis - but many believe we’ve already passed the tipping point."
• 'Apocalyptic fall' might await US, doctors warn - "As doctors worry about 'a very apocalyptic fall,' the CDC retracts info on how Covid-19 spreads."
• The CDC Posted - But Then Suddenly Deleted - Critical Guidance About How COVID-19 Actually Spreads - "New language acknowledging that the virus that causes COVID-19 spreads more easily than once believed disappeared from a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website Monday just days after being published, replaced with a message saying the previously uploaded information was a mistakenly posted 'draft version of proposed changes.'"
• COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Are Spreading Rapidly - and They're a Public Health Risk All Their Own - "While modern science offers a better understanding of how diseases infect people and how to contain them, COVID-19 conspiracy theories are spreading rapidly via social media, unreliable news outlets and from our own political leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump. The result: many Americans now believe pandemic-related conspiracy theories - and, alarmingly, those same people are less likely to take steps to prevent the virus from spreading."
• 156 countries agree to Covid vaccine allocation deal - "Covax plan will counter rising threat of ‘vaccine nationalism’, prioritising vulnerable healthcare systems and frontline workers."
• Flu & Covid-19 at same time significantly increases risk of death - "UK scientists warn co-infection is ‘serious trouble’ and urge those at risk to get flu vaccine."
• There are now at least 10 tribes of Covid. But are you a false positive or an existentialist? - "Our responses to coronavirus are not us-and-them, like Brexit. We have fractured into many different groups. From the graph fetishists to the snoops, which one are you?"
• Face shields ineffective at trapping aerosols, says Japanese supercomputer - "Simulation using world’s fastest supercomputer casts doubt on effectiveness in preventing spread of coronavirus."
• Why the UN’s 75th general assembly could be worse than the world’s worst Zoom meeting - "The worst parts of UN events will be on display, the endless speechifying first among them, but none of what normally makes the general assembly indispensable."
• The fiasco of the 1976 ‘swine flu affair’ - "With a pandemic looming, the US president announced a warp-speed effort to vaccinate every man, woman and child in the US. As Richard Fisher discovers, the mistakes that followed hold lessons for today."
• Edward Snowden agrees to give up more than $5 million from book and speeches - "Edward Snowden, the former CIA contractor who leaked intelligence secrets in 2013, has agreed to forfeit more than $5 million he earned from his book and speaking fees to the US government, according to court records."
• iOS 14: Here’s Why There’s An Orange Dot On Your iPhone "So what is it? Apple’s new iOS 14 operating system update comes with a huge focus on security and privacy. As part of its new iPhone update, Apple has added an indicator light that tells you when an app is using your microphone and camera, and this comes in the form of an orange or green dot."
• iOS 14 basics: how to add widgets to your iPhone’s home screen - "One of the more prominent changes introduced in iOS 14, and one that is generating a lot of interest, is the addition of widgets that can be added to any page. There are all sorts of weird and useful things you can do with them (especially if you’re willing to play around with apps such as Shortcuts and Widgetsmith)."
• Apple Watch Series 6 Teardown - "The Apple Watch Series 6 is here to take your breath away—or at least tell you a whole lot about your breathing. We’re pushing our VO2 max just thinking about seeing new sensors (and no finicky Force Touch) inside this latest model, so let’s get our blood pumping with some very small-space exercise."
• Logitech’s new MX Anywhere 3 mouse has buttons to control Zoom calls - "It also has USB-C charging and a MagSpeed wheel for faster scrolling."
• Chopard Partners With Kiton To Create The L.U.C XP Il Sarto Kiton - "For the first time Chopard has partnered with the luxury Italian tailoring firm, Kiton ateliers, to produce a limited edition watch with unique design characteristics and a fabric watch strap. The L.U.C XP Il Sarto Kiton timepiece, features a dial in a houndstooth pattern and a slate-colored cashmere strap lined with red alligator leather. The ultra-thin watch is limited to 100 pieces."
• These Are The Cars Most Likely To Receive Speeding Tickets - "With a large number of employees working from home since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, state and local officials have noted a sharp increase in motorists exceeding posted speed limits over what are less congested roadways."
• Billionaires On The Brink: How The Forbes 400 Makes And Loses Billions During Market Crashes - "Meet the billionaire winners and losers of the dot-com bubble, Great Recession and Covid-19 crash."
• Meet The Secretive Billionaire Who Makes McDonald’s McNuggets, Burger King’s Impossible Whoppers And More - "New Forbes 400 member Sheldon Lavin owns OSI Group, the behind-the-scenes food supplier that makes McDonald’s hamburgers, Chipotle’s carnitas, Oscar Meyer’s hot dogs and even Burger King’s Impossible Whoppers."
• 007th heaven: why Tom Hardy as the new Bond is too good to be true - "If a post on an obscure Star Trek blog is to be believed, Hardy will be the next 007. Could fans cope with his villanous side?"
• Goodfellas at 30: Martin Scorsese's damning study of masculinity - "While the acclaimed 1990 gangster drama has been viewed by some as a bro fantasy, a closer look shows an elegant and brutal dissection of male ego."

September 21, 2020

• Emmys 2020 winners list: See who took home an award - "The Primetime Emmy Awards, which honor the best in television, were presented Sunday."
• Bill Gates: It's 'outrageous' Americans can't get coronavirus test result in 24 hours - "Bill Gates is frustrated by the way coronavirus testing is behind handled in the United States."
• Global preparation: how different countries planned for the second wave of Covid-19 - "Lockdowns brought temporary relief to some but, everywhere, test and trace is key."
• The deadly viruses that vanished without trace - "Scientists are only just starting to unravel why some viruses disappear, while others can linger and cause disease for centuries."
• What is a 'persistent cough' & what should I do if I have it? - "Continuous cough is one of three main Covid-19 symptoms people are told to look out for."
• World split on urgency of tackling rising temperatures, poll suggests - "There's growing concern among citizens all over the world about climate change, according to a new global poll."
• New signs of Covid-19 complacency even as the American death toll nears another dreaded milestone - "It seems unfathomable, 200,000 deaths later, that anyone still thinks 'we all, together, have done a very good job.' Yet the belief persists. So does Covid-19 denialism. More on that in a moment ..."
• The right man for the job: how Bob Woodward pinned Trump to the page - "For Rage, the Watergate and Washington Post veteran spoke to the president for hours on record. The result is a book for the ages."
• Confidential Clients - "These are the people zipping money across the world thanks to the global banking system." By ICIJ.
• Qantas seven-hour flight to nowhere sells out in 10 minutes - "Amid global restrictions, travelers have been daydreaming not only about far-flung destinations, but the flying experience itself -- from the thrill of the take-off to the unmatched views of the Earth from the cabin window."
• A London coffee shop is charging $64 for its premium brew -- here's what it tastes like - "Ground and brewed 'tableside' by your own personal barista, the 'Ethiopian Cup of Excellence Queens Coffee' is served in a crystal wine glass and is a generous portion that might even stretch to two."
• The Verge’s favorite gadgets for coffee & tea - "When you want your caffeine with class."
• India Covid-19: Taj Mahal reopens after longest shutdown - "The iconic Taj Mahal has reopened its doors to visitors after six months - the longest it has ever been shut."
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg in pictures & her own words - "US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who has died of cancer at the age of 87, was a passionate, astute and outspoken advocate of women's rights, civil liberties and the rule of law."
• Why you 'click' with some people - "What makes strangers click? Conventional wisdom says people are drawn together when they’re most similar. But how you navigate the world together might actually be what ignites the spark."
• Why You Should Stop Using Other People’s iPhone Cables - "How do you fancy an iPhone charging cable that looks like an Apple original and acts like one as well, but which will tap into a connected device and steal all its secrets, and which has its own radio transmitter to send all that stolen data over the air to a waiting attacker."
• Apple iPad 2020 Review: Mind-Blowing Value But Should You Wait For iPad Air? - "Apple’s eighth-generation iPad is out now. It costs $329 and up. Should you buy it or is that new iPad Air, due next month, the one to go for? I’ve been using the iPad for a few days now. Here’s everything you need to know."
• The best wireless earbuds you can buy right now - "Noise-canceling, sport models and budget options galore."
• Express yourself: why Madonna wants to tell her own life story - "The material girl is to write and direct her own biopic, but fans will want to see the struggles as well as the triumphs."

September 20, 2020

• Europe's coronavirus second wave: What went wrong - "How it all went wrong (again) in Europe as second wave grips continent."
• How ice cool scientist saved Sweden from coronavirus WITHOUT lockdown - and now he’s a national hero - "When the rest of the world blinked as coronavirus took hold, ice-cool Swede Anders Tegnell refused to lock down his nation."
• As coronavirus skyrocketed in the US, so did stress & depression - "Although many states have begun reopening, many facets of everyday life including work, school and socializing are still being drastically disrupted by coronavirus. And as the pandemic goes on, many people are experiencing more stress and depression, researchers reported in the journal Science Advances Friday."
• We Need a COVID-19 Vaccine. We Also Need Transparency About Its Development - "The authorization of an effective vaccine will mark perhaps the biggest turning point in the battle against coronavirus, but only if enough people are willing to get vaccinated. There have been substantial declines in public willingness to get vaccinated against COVID-19, despite immense, unprecedented public investments in vaccine development. In one survey, barely half of Americans said they would get the vaccine as soon as it was available, numbers that will undermine the benefits of even a highly effective vaccine."
• There's Only Weak Evidence For Vitamin-D As a COVID-19 Preventative - But Scientists Are Trying to Learn More - "To protect himself from COVID-19, Dr. Anthony Fauci has long said he’s skipping hugs and handshakes, wearing a mask, and staying off of planes. Last week, he acknowledged adding another step to protect his health: taking supplements of vitamin-D."
• Here's Who Will Win - and Who Should - at the 2020 Emmys - TIME Magazine.
• Lego Makes a Hundred Billion Bricks a Year - "CEO Niels Christiansen on Why They’re Now More Important Than Ever."
• iOS 14: How To Use Apple’s Game-Changing New iPhone Privacy Features - Forbes.

September 19, 2020

• World Cleanup Day - "World Cleanup Day is one of the biggest civic movements of our time, uniting 180 countries across the world for a cleaner planet. A goal that crosses borders and defies religious and cultural differences."
• US health chiefs reverse advice on Covid-19 testing - "US health officials have rowed back on controversial advice issued last month that said people without Covid-19 symptoms should not get tested."
• Coronavirus can spread on airline flights, two studies show - "Both cases involved long flights early in the pandemic, before airlines began requiring face masks."
• A new Canadian Covid-19 gargle test 'one of the first of its kind' in the world, doctor says - "Most children in British Columbia can say goodbye to those icky swabs and uncomfortable Covid-19 tests as the Canadian province launches a new gargle method for students ages 4 to 19."
• White House nixed plan to distribute 650 million face masks through USPS - "The United States Postal Service had planned to distribute 650 million face coverings for the Trump administration in April to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, according to newly obtained internal documents reviewed by CNN. But those plans were scrapped by the White House because it didn't want to spark 'concern or panic' among Americans, senior administration officials told The Washington Post."
• The impact of banning alcohol during Covid-19 - "Some countries have experimented with alcohol prohibition during the pandemic to keep hospitals emptier. What was the impact?"
• How to use iOS 14’s App Library to organize your apps - "A useful feature with limitations."
• Here are the email apps iOS 14 now lets you set as default - "Including Outlook, Hey, and Spark."
• Selling online: how to clear your clutter on eBay & beyond - "Cheap and easy options for listing clothes, CDs and more, from Depop to Facebook Marketplace."
• US to ban TikTok & WeChat app downloads in 48 hours - "TikTok and WeChat will be banned from US app stores from Sunday, unless President Donald Trump agrees to a last-minute deal."
• Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Obituary of the Supreme Court justice - "US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the history-making jurist, feminist icon and national treasure, has died, aged 87."
• Mayflower at 400: What we all get wrong about the Pilgrim Fathers - "At a time when America is straining under the weight and contradictions of its history, along comes the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower dropping anchor off these shores. Already this year the country has been forced to confront the baleful legacy of slavery, and the systemic racism that grew from that Original Sin."
• Bill Gates on the difference between Elon Musk & Steve Jobs - "Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has had the opportunity to meet and work alongside major tech giants, including late Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs. In an interview with Bloomberg, Gates was asked whether his contemporary Elon Musk could be considered the 'next Steve Jobs,' due to the advancements his companies Tesla and SpaceX have made in electric cars and reusable rockets, respectively."
• Diary of an MP's Wife: Inside and Outside Power - "What is it like to be a wife of a politician in modern-day Britain? Sasha Swire finally lifts the lid. For over two decades she has kept a secret diary detailing the trials and tribulations of being a political plus-one; the travel, the security, the challenges to family life and the unpredictable events. A professional partner as well as a life partner and one with strong political opinions herself, she detonates the image of the dutiful stereotype." Amazon.com.
• Royal paradox: Prince Albert’s state handouts resemble Soviet-era governance - "Royal rule in Monaco resembles something like a communist state as citizens are given state handouts and offered subsidised living."
• Monaco on brink: Principality nearing 'unsustainable' levels as Prince Albert fears grow - "Monaco is on the brink of overpopulation as the principality struggles to accommodate its migration influx."
• Ferrari’s New Portofino Has More Power, 8-Speed Gearbox, And Costs 4% More - "Ferrari unveiled its new Portofino M sportscar, a convertible which boasts a 612-hp turbo-charged 3.9 liter V8 motor, and an 8-speed gearbox. Deliveries start in the 2nd quarter of 2021."
• Veuve Clicquot & Yayoi Kusama Come Together For A Limited-Edition Bottle & Sculpture - "Champagne and dots. The connection seems disparate at first, but it’s a connection Veuve Clicquot quickly realized when they brought on artist Yayoi Kusama to design a new collector’s edition bottle featuring the artist’s favorite subject, the dot, which she uses as a bridge to champagne’s most famous quality, the bubble."
• Is This Swan-Shaped Megayacht The Wackiest Concept Boat Of 2020? - "The brainchild of Italian designer Pierpaolo Lazzarini, Avanguardia has been five years in the making. What started as a fantasy dreamed up by a man fascinated with pushing the boundaries of vehicle design has become a project with real-life potential - and one which Lazzarini hopes will get snapped up by one brave shipyard."

September 18, 2020

• Global coronavirus cases surpass 30 million - "At least 30,003,378 cases of Covid-19 have now been recorded globally, according to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases Thursday. The world recorded 1 million cases more than three months later, on April 2. The tally hit 10 million cases on June 28 and took just twelve weeks to triple the figure. The global death toll stands at 943,203."
• Covid in Europe: WHO warns of 'alarming' spread across continent - "Last week’s tally of new reported cases higher than it was in the week of 30 March."
• If you're caught here without a mask, you dig graves for Covid-19 victims - "Indonesians caught without a mask forced to dig graves for Covid-19 victims."
• US billionaires' fortunes have skyrocketed $845 billion since March - "Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and the rest of America's billionaires saw their fortunes skyrocket over the past six months during the coronavirus pandemic - while millions of Americans are now earning less than they were before the crisis began, according to a new study."
• 5 Old Money Rules That Just Aren’t True Anymore - "The world has changed and, as a result, our views on money and how to manage our finances may have shifted."
• A Promised Land by Barack Obama - "A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making - from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy." Amazon.com.
• Can Celebrity Activism Campaigns on Social Media Actually Make a Difference? Here's What an Expert Thinks - "The world of social media was a little quieter than usual on Wednesday: Celebrities ranging from Kim Kardashian West to Mark Ruffalo 'froze' their Instagram accounts for 24 hours, to protest hate speech and misinformation being spread on Facebook, Instagram’s parent company."
• 30th annual Ig Nobel awards - "Frozen poo and narcissists' eyebrows studies win Ig Nobel prizes. Gongs also awarded for research into vibrating earthworms, French kissing and bellowing alligators."
• Qantas offers a seven-hour flight to nowhere - "But as travel bans, closed borders and shelter-in-place orders confined many to our homes, some travelers have been daydreaming not only about the far-flung destinations currently off limits, but the flying experience itself -- from the thrill of the take-off to the unmatched views of the earth from above from the cabin window. That's where 'flights to nowhere' come in -- air travel that takes place purely for the purpose of the journey, not the destination."
• Apple Watch Series 6 & Apple Watch SE 1st Look Review: Handsome With Useful Upgrades - Forbes.
• Apple iPad (2020) hands-on: A better kind of basic - "The company's cheapest tablet just got a speed boost."
• Apple's surprise OS update leaves app developers scrambling - "Company releases new versions of operating systems with just a day’s notice."
• Apple is making Shazam a bigger part of your iPhone - "iOS 14.2 can identify songs that are playing inside your apps."
• The surprises hidden in Microsoft's Flight Simulator - "10 amazing things we've learned about Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020."
• Emmys 2020 predictions: who will win & who should win? - "With end of former juggernauts Game of Thrones and Veep, this year’s virtual Emmys are a mixed bag, with Succession, Schitt’s Creek and Watchmen leading the nominations."
• What Crypto Taxpayers Need To Know About FIFO, LIFO, HIFO & Specific ID - "How much you paid for your cryptocurrency (the cost basis) has a major impact on the taxes you pay when you eventually sell them. Understanding how Specific ID, First in, first out (FIFO) & Highest in, first out (HIFO) affect your cost basis could unlock straight forward, easy to implement tax saving opportunities for crypto users."
• 10 ways to bring new life to your wardrobe without shopping - "With more of us wanting to save on waste and spend less money, making the most of what we have got could not feel more timely. Here’s how the experts do it."
• Worried about your lifestyle & the climate? Read these books - "What to read if you're worried about the climate crisis and your lifestyle."
• Why forest fires in Siberia, Russia threaten us all - "Wildfires in Siberia have been releasing record amounts of greenhouse gases, scientists say, contributing to global warming. The fires, fuelled by abnormally high temperatures, have been burning as far north as the Arctic Circle."
• Why you should read this out loud - "Most adults retreat into a personal, quiet world inside their heads when they are reading, but we may be missing out on some vital benefits when we do this."
• The Knight Templar's secret tunnels - "The 'Vatican' of the Templars? Hidden within sight of a Unesco-inscribed Templar castle, this tiny church may just be one of the world’s most important - if overlooked - haunts of the mysterious order."
• The fine line between art & pornography - "For more than 100 years, activists have drawn attention to the depiction of female nudes in art. Is it time to look at them with fresh eyes, asks Lizzie Enfield."
• Frank Gehry sees end to 'bombastic' monuments as Eisenhower tribute unveiled - "Architect, 91, tells Guardian the statues going up today are ‘fairly modest compared to the ones coming down’."
• The International Wines & Spirits Competition Announces The Top Blended Scotch Whiskies Of 2020 - "A total of four blended Scotch whiskies won the coveted Gold Outstanding Medal at the 2020 International Wines and Spirits Competition (IWSC) judging of Scotch whisky. The winners included well-known names like John Dewar & Sons and Chivas Brothers’ Royal Salute and less known names like The Last Drop Distillers and The Glory Leading Whisky Company."

September 17, 2020

• Trump's interference deepens disastrous pandemic response - "Trump's not bothering to hide his political interference in vaccine push."
• Trump claims CDC director is 'confused' over 2021 vaccine timetable - "Robert Redfield said it would take a year before Covid vaccine is generally available and masks were more important."
• The best stock in the S&P 500 is 105 years old - "Apple, Amazon and Nvidia get all the attention on Wall Street, but those alluring tech titans have been left in the dust this year by a 105-year-old air conditioning company."
• iOS 14: Long-Awaited Debut Of Stupendously Different Software - "Apple’s iOS 14 has landed (and it was several hours later than iOS updates conventionally land - building the excitement, Apple?)."
• World's 10 most scenic airport landings for 2020 - "The winner, for the third year in a row, is Ireland's Donegal Airport. On the island's northwest coast, there are sweeping views of rugged coastline, pristine beaches and the steep slopes of Mount Errigal on the approach to this regional airport in Carrickfinn."
• The countries that ceased to exist - "New book 'Atlas of Extinct Countries' explores the places that fell off the map."
• China debt dogs Maldives' 'bridge to prosperity' - "After borrowing vast sums for infrastructure projects, can the tiny island nation pay it back?"
• The unintended benefits of vaccination - "The mystery of why some vaccines are doubly beneficial. Vaccines have been providing a kind of hidden, unintended protection for over a century. Now scientists are racing to find out how it works."
• The plastic surgery 'Zoom Boom' - "Why plastic-surgery demand is booming amid lockdown. Lockdown and remote work have meant hours of staring at our own faces on video calls - and prompted interest in going under the knife."
• Kathy Griffin Lists Majestic Bel Air Estate For $16 Million - "A red-head, a comedian and a bitter critic walk into a bar hurling insults... Decades later comedian Kathy Griffin is selling her Bel-Air estate for $16 million."
• Oculus Quest 2 VR headset review: the virtual escape from Covid-19 we need? - "Oculus Quest 2 VR headset review: the virtual escape from Covid-19 we need? 5 / 5 stars5 out of 5 stars. Cheaper, lighter, crisper screen and more power make for potent standalone virtual reality escapism."

September 16, 2020

• Apple’s ‘Time Flies’ event: the 9 biggest announcements - "Catch up on all of the news from Apple’s first fall event."
• Apple announces new iPad Air that looks more like an iPad Pro, starting at $599 - "Apple has a familiar-looking design for its latest iPad Air update."
• Apple announces Apple Watch Series 6 with ability to measure blood oxygen levels - "Including a Product (RED) model for the first time."
• Apple will release iOS 14 & iPadOS 14 on September 16th - "watchOS 7 and tvOS too."
• 6 Most Interesting Things Apple Just Announced - "Apple on Tuesday unveiled two new Apple Watches, a fitness subscription service, updates to its iPad lineup and more. It was the second pandemic-era virtual event for the company, and executives made multiple references to the outbreak and the need to stay healthy in 'these difficult times,' as CEO Tim Cook put it."
• Trump says coronavirus vaccine could be weeks away - "U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said a vaccine against the deadly coronavirus could be three or four weeks away, despite cautionary notes sounded by some U.S. public health officials about that accelerated timeline. Trump, speaking at a town hall hosted by ABC News in Philadelphia, defended his handling of the coronavirus crisis, and said a vaccine could be ready for distribution before the U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3."
• 'I up-played it': Donald Trump disputes own admission he downplayed Covid pandemic - "The president insists during rambling town hall that he ‘up-played’ the crisis and believes the virus will go away because of ‘herd mentality’."
• How social-distancing symbols are changing our cities - "Thousands of variations on social-distancing markers are popping up around the world. They reflect more than just our need to keep ourselves separated."
• Airport gets world's first five-star anti-Covid award - "Rome's Fiumicino Airport awarded world's first five-star anti-Covid award."
• Why passenger jets could soon be flying in formation - "Birds are the undisputed masters of aerodynamics. No matter how many supercomputers and wind tunnels scientists throw at solving flight's thorny calculations, they'll never match the perfection of airborne avians."
• Kim Kardashian West will freeze her Instagram to protest Facebook - "Kim Kardashian West, who has one of the biggest Instagram followings in the world, said Tuesday that she would be joining other high-profile users in a protest against Instagram's parent company Facebook and its handlng of misinformation and hate. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Orlando Bloom, Kerry Washington and Sacha Baron Cohen are among those also taking part in the protest, which is slated to take place on Wednesday."
• Is algae the new cotton? - "Future design: What 'living' clothes can do to absorb carbon emissions."
• 'If it has an ingredient in the name, avoid it': Adam Liaw on the kitchen appliances you'll actually use - "From air fryers to garlic peelers, kitchen gadgets promise to make life easier - but some shiny buys are destined to gather dust in the drawer."
• How 'clicktivism' changes the world - "Often derided, online activism is far more effective than it first appears - but there are big differences between how the political left and right deploy it to spread ideas."
• The CFDA Awards' Most Diverse Year Ever Signals a Larger Shift in the Fashion Industry - "When the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards took place on Monday, there was no star-studded gala like in years past. But, at an event rendered all-virtual by the ongoing pandemic, there was still plenty to celebrate—including the fact that this year’s class of winners is the most diverse in the 39-year history of the awards, with the majority of the day’s American awards going to Black designers."
• Airbnb is letting people stay in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’s mansion & I really want to book a night - "Sadly, only residents from LA County can book a night in the mansion."
• The Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke ... Is Now Officially Broke - "It took decades, but Chuck Feeney, the former billionaire cofounder of retail giant Duty Free Shoppers has finally given all his money away to charity. He has nothing left now - and he couldn’t be happier."
• Father of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates dies at 94 - "The father of Microsoft (MSFT) co-founder Bill Gates died Monday, according to his son. William Henry Gates II was 94 years old."
• Israel's borders explained in maps - "More than 70 years after Israel declared statehood, its borders are yet to be entirely settled. Wars, treaties and occupation mean the shape of the Jewish state has changed over time, and in parts is still undefined."
• This Is Paris: Hilton documentary puts the reality in reality TV - "The heiress gained notoriety as the original social media influencer. As she shows a vulnerability the world has never seen, will fans take note or turn away?"

September 15, 2020

• What to expect from Apple’s ‘Time Flies’ event: Apple Watch Series 6, a redesigned iPad Air, and more - "Don’t hold your breath for new iPhones."
• Trump to wild fire responders: 'It'll start getting cooler' - "The president has mentioned improved forestry management as one way to combat wildfires - but many think climate change is also a factor in the increased frequency and intensity of recent blazes, including those in California, Washington and Oregon."
• Trump supporters explain why they won't wear masks - "CNN's talks to some attendees at President Donald Trump's indoor rally in Henderson, Nevada, who explain why they don't wear masks amid the coronvirus pandemic."
• Covid cases near 30m as China expects vaccine as soon as November - "Coronavirus deaths pass 925,000; biosafety head at Chinese CDC says vaccine progress ‘very smooth’; South Korea to secure early vaccines for 30 million."
• New antibody drug added to Oxford University trial of Covid-19 treatments - "Regeneron’s experimental drug REGN-COV2 to be added to UK’s Recovery trial."
• Top 1% of Americans Have Taken $50 Trillion From the Bottom 90% - And That's Made the U.S. Less Secure - "ike many of the virus’s hardest hit victims, the United States went into the COVID-19 pandemic wracked by preexisting conditions. A fraying public health infrastructure, inadequate medical supplies, an employer-based health insurance system perversely unsuited to the moment - these and other afflictions are surely contributing to the death toll. But in addressing the causes and consequences of this pandemic—and its cruelly uneven impact - the elephant in the room is extreme income inequality."
• 'Covid has magnified every existing inequality' - Melinda Gates - "Pandemic could result in a ‘lost decade’ for developing countries says co-chair of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in stark report."
• 23 Five-Star Wellness Getaways - Forbes.
• The stranger 'anti-social paradox' - "The surprising benefits of talking to strangers. For some it’s a habit, while others avoid it at all costs - but talking to strangers has unexpected benefits for our wellbeing."
• Daylight Saving Time Should Be Permanent. The Pandemic Shows Us Why - "COVID-19 maintains a stranglehold on American life, ensuring that fall 2020 will be anything but normal. Pandemic restrictions have left our nation grappling with a severe economic recession alongside a growing mental health crisis. While there’s no panacea for these problems, one simple step by Congress could help alleviate the pain: Passing federal legislation to make daylight saving time (DST) permanent."
• Is the great Covid-19 airplane seat overhaul happening? - "Plexiglass dividers between passengers, new staggered row layouts, zig-zag seating, space-age transparent bubbles around travelers' heads -- just as new divider screens popped up in shops and restaurants around the world in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, so came a wide variety of new concepts for airline seating."
• Facebook buys an unused headquarters even as more employees work remotely - "Facebook is buying a previously unused corporate headquarters from outdoor retailer REI, despite the social media company's plans to shift more of its employees to working from home."
• Rihanna's London mansion up for sale - "Rihanna is saying goodbye to her lavish London home -- and it could be all yours, if you have a spare $41 million. The Barbados-born superstar has been renting the North London mansion since 2018, but the house is now up for sale, giving fans a rare look inside her home."
• Apple helped the US government build a 'top secret' iPod, former engineer says - "David Shayer said he met with two engineers from Bechtel, a US defense contractor, and was told they would build the iPod - all he had to do was provide any assistance they required from Apple. The iPods had to look and function like regular iPods, but would contain some custom hardware that could record data and not be detected by the average user, Shayer said."
• Kurt Cobain’s Ultra-Rare 1959 Martin D-18E Guitar Sells For $6 Million At Auction - Forbes.
• The parrot problem: why Zoom calls are forcing people to abandon their pets - "During lockdown, a lot of people found it hard being trapped at home with a noisy bird that never shuts up - and rehoming is tricky as some of them really don’t like women."

September 14, 2020

• WHO reports record daily rise in coronavirus cases - "The World Health Organization (WHO) has recorded a record one-day rise in the number of new coronavirus infections, with 307,930 reported over 24 hours."
• $5 per person a year could prevent future pandemic, says ex-WHO head - "Cost would be billions, but represents a huge saving on $11tn response to Covid-19, estimates show."
• Maldives resort launches $23,250 luxury remote working package - "A desk with an ocean view, a 'dedicated' personal assistant, non-stop refreshments and a complimentary laundry service."
• What to expect at Tuesday's Apple event - "Apple usually announces a buzzy new lineup of iPhones at its hotly anticipated September event. But not this year. Instead, rumors, as well as hints from the event's typically cryptic invitation, suggest the company will reveal updates to the Apple Watch and iPad."
• 5 Biggest Technology Trends In 2021 Everyone Must Get Ready For Now - "It might seem strange to be making predictions about 2021, when it’s far from certain how the remainder of 2020 is going to play out. No-one foresaw the world-changing events of this year, but one thing is clear: tech has been affected just as much as every other part of our lives."
• How your face & body have 'accents' - "The movements that betray who you are. The accents that creep into the way we speak can reveal a lot about where we are from, but there are also subtle clues visible in our faces and the way we move."
• Europe's most misunderstood capital? - "Luxembourg has been afflicted with a boring and staid reputation - but there’s much more to its dynamic and diverse capital city than meets the eye."
• Why do women write under men’s names? - "From George Eliot and the Brontës to JK Rowling, women writers have often chosen to publish their work using a pseudonym. It’s time to smash the myths about why they do it."
• The 'serendipity mindset': how to make your own luck - "Seeing meaning in the unexpected can help turn mistakes into opportunities, says researcher Dr Christian Busch."
• Hairdressers on the worst DIY disasters of lockdown - and how to avoid them - "With many Australians still unable to get to the salon, the people who’ve been fixing the last round of iso cuts suggest how to do home haircare better."
• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2 review: Waiting on the world to change - "The hardware is great, but the ecosystem around it needs to catch up."
• Vinyl records outsell CDs in US for first time since 1980s - "Report on first half of 2020 finds that vinyl makes up 62% of physical music revenue."
• How an Austrian ski resort became the centre of Europe’s Covid-19 outbreak - "Nigel Mallender tells Rachel Humphreys about the skiing holiday he took at the Austrian ski resort of Ischgl in March. He had been anticipating a fun-filled week of skiing and socialising with friends in one of the many bars that has given the resort the moniker 'Ibiza on ice'. But just four days later, Austria’s chancellor, Sebastian Kurz, announced that the entire Paznaun valley would be quarantined 'with immediate effect' after the authorities became aware of cases of Covid-19." Podcast 22:27.

September 13, 2020

• Oxford University to resume vaccine trial after pause - "Trials of a Covid-19 vaccine being developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University will resume after being paused due to a reported side effect in a patient in the UK."
• COVID-19 Has Nearly Destroyed the Childcare Industry - and It Might Be Too Late to Save It - TIME Magazine.
• 7 Biggest Technology Trends In 2020 Everyone Must Get Ready For Now - "We are amidst the 4th Industrial Revolution, and technology is evolving faster than ever. Companies and individuals that don't keep up with some of the major tech trends run the risk of being left behind. Understanding the key trends will allow people and businesses to prepare and grasp the opportunities."
• Louis Vuitton is releasing a face shield with golden studs - "Louis Vuitton is releasing a face shield with golden studs to protect luxury buyers from coronavirus."
• The ironing-board desk & other WFH inventions - "Working from home: The rise of the DIY office."
• Richard Branson Joins The Billionaire Space Race - "Virgin Orbit pitches the British billionaire against Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in trying to grab a share of the booming market to launch small satellites into space."
• Miss the Movie Theater? 7 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Home Theater Setup - "The latest and greatest in home theater tech can help you get pretty close to replicating the movie theater experience at home - and without sitting through 30 minutes of previews or dealing with a bunch of people talking or texting through the movie."
• How Donald Trump's Misinformation Campaign Against Mail-in Voting Is Undermining Faith in Democracy - TIME Magazine.
• The Ocean Farmers Trying to Save the World With Seaweed - TIME Magazine.

September 12, 2020

• Dr. Fauci disputes Trump's claim about Covid-19 in America - "US could see a 'very deadly December' with tens of thousands of coronavirus death to come, computer model predicts."
• What having Covid-19 & the flu at the same time could do to you - "Yes, you can have Covid-19 and the flu at the same time. Here's what that could do to your body."
• I read all those Trump tell-alls. Here's what I learned - "Hardly a day goes by without another book about the Trump White House - by a devoted former aide or a disgruntled ex-employee. Together, what do they tell us about the man?"
• Why more men than women die by suicide - "In countries around the world, women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression and to attempt suicide. So why is the male suicide rate still several times higher than female?"
• What to expect at Apple's September 15th event - "A new Apple Watch and iPad Air are practically a given."
• How Climate Change Is Altering Your Favourite Glass Of Wine - "Climate change is disrupting the speed at which grapes grow and when they can be harvested. This makes the taste of cabernet sauvignon, for example, that much harder to attain. It might mean that in the U.S., cabernet sauvignon grapes might need to be replaced with another grape variety. Or it might make merlot unsuitable for Bordeaux and even allow the perfect glass of 'champagne' to come from England."
• TV's 10 Best Teen Dramas of All Time, Ranked - TIME Magazine.
• Why ‘Cancel Netflix’ is trending - "How the streamer’s bad marketing poster mutated into a QAnon conspiracy theory and harassment campaign."
• Check if your email has been compromised in a data breach - "Have I Been Pwned allows you to search across multiple data breaches to see if your email address has been compromised."

September 11, 2020

• Trump twists history of Churchill & FDR to cover up pandemic denialism - "Trump ridiculously invoked the former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and the President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at a Thursday night rally, claiming that like them, he had tried hard to calm public panic in a dark hour. It was a historically illiterate gambit, since unlike Trump in the pandemic, both statesmen leveled with their people about grave national crises."
• Melania Trump has a transactional marriage, says former aide - "Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Melania Trump's former friend and assistant, talks to BBC Newsnight about her relationship with the First Lady."
• Coronavirus: Who will get the vaccine first? - "If or when scientists succeed in making a coronavirus vaccine, there won't be enough to go around."
• Oxford Covid-19 vaccine is still possible this year, says AstraZeneca chief - "Pharmaceutical firm’s boss says 2020 deadline possible if regulators move fast."
• 6 months after pandemic declared, where are global hotspots? - "Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world, with more than 27 million confirmed cases in 188 countries. About 900,000 people have lost their lives."
• The Great Vaccine Race: Inside the Unprecedented Scramble to Immunize the World Against COVID-19 - "Inside the global COVID-19 vaccine race."
• See What Museums Are Already Collecting to Tell the Story of COVID-19 - "Hand Sanitizer, Masks and Screenshots From Zoom: See What Museums Are Already Collecting to Tell the Story of COVID-19."
• 9/11 & Covid-19: 2 mass trauma events with different recovery challenges - "The coronavirus pandemic may be the most significant mass trauma event of the decade, and it's drawing parallels with another significant trauma - the September 11, 2001, attacks. The events of 9/11 have much to teach us about the impact of trauma."
• How To Watch The Northern Lights This Weekend Wherever You Are - "Some innovative use of Instagram is making it a phenomenon that can be enjoyed virtually. This weekend four 'aurora hunters' will take virtual visitors on Instagram on their own expeditions into the wilderness of northern Finland, Norway and Sweden as they search for clear skies and wait for the aurora to appear."
• Welcome to the next generation of gaming - "We’re just days and weeks away from a new era of hardware."
• Comedy Wildlife Photography awards 2020 finalists - in pictures - "Take a look at some of the light-hearted images of wildlife submitted by finalists from this year’s Comedy Wildlife Photography awards."
• simple Chinese word sparks racial sensitivity debate - "Suspension of a US professor sparks debate over a Chinese word."
• The benefits of note-taking by hand - "Computers and phones have become the go-to note-taking method for many. But your brain benefits from an old-fashioned pen and paper."
• 'A wonderful atmosphere': Churchill secretary recalls life at Chartwell - "Nonie Chapman reminisces in newly restored secretaries’ room at Kent country house."
• A multibillion-dollar shopping obsession goes mainstream in China - "Hu is part of a rising class of creators in China who are racing to get in on live-stream shopping, an emerging form of retail that has grown into an industry worth an estimated $66 billion. Although the trend has been part of Chinese internet culture for years, analysts say the coronavirus pandemic has made it mainstream. Even the Chinese government has voiced its support, calling the industry the 'new engine' of e-commerce growth and encouraging live-streaming as a solution to unemployment, which has risen sharply in China due to the pandemic."
• Why Rich Americans Are Fleeing To The Caribbean This Winter - "Rich Europeans and Americans are flocking to the Caribbean, but not for the usual winter sun. More and more wealthy individuals are moving for longer periods than usual. Citizenship advisers, government agencies and real estate developers say they have seen a rapid increase in business over the past few months. Even luxury hotels say they are booking in guests for long-term stays."
• Rented penguins & $300,000 dinners: The wildest holiday requests from the super rich - "Whether they're arranging $300,000 private dinners with celebrity chefs or pop-up luxury campsites in the steppes of the northern Sahara, luxury travel agents and concierge services manage to make the impossible a reality."
• Ibiza's 40-year party could finally be over - "Does Covid-19 spell the end of the European party?"
• Belgium ex-king's love child seeks royal rights & titles - "The love child of the former Belgian King Albert II is hoping a court will grant her the same rights and titles as her father's legitimate children."
• Maserati Unveils Its New Supercar, The MC20 - "Maserati rolled out its first supercar in 15 years. Developed by the Maserati Innovation Lab over the past two years, the MC20 evolved from the famed MC12, which ceased production in 2010, and signals the venerable Italian automaker’s return to racing."
• 102-Carat, D-Flawless Diamond To Be Offered Without Reserve By Sotheby’s - "Sotheby’s Hong Kong will offer a 102.39-carat D-color flawless oval diamond in a single-lot combination online and live auction. It will be only the eighth D color internally flawless or flawless white diamond of more than 100 carats sold at auction; and it is the second-largest oval diamond of its kind to be presented in a public sale."
• Microsoft's Double-Screened Surface Duo Smartphone Is Exciting, But I'm Waiting for Next Year's Model - "Are two screens better than one? Microsoft seems to think so, as evidenced by its long-anticipated Surface Duo, a double-screened Android smartphone that closes and unfolds like a spiral notebook. The concept’s intriguing, but the Duo makes compromises compared to the latest high-end folding smartphones, like the recently launched Samsung Galaxy Z Fold2. So is it worth the relatively steep $1,300 price tag?"

September 10, 2020

• Trump admits playing down Covid as total deaths pass 900,000 - "US president proud of effort despite grim figures; deaths forecast to hit a million in weeks."
• COVID-19 Has Killed Nearly 200,000 Americans. How Many More Lives Will Be Lost Before the U.S. Gets It Right? - "Forty-five days before the announcement of the first suspected case of what would become known as COVID-19, the Global Health Security Index was published. The project - led by the Nuclear Threat Initiative and the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security - assessed 195 countries on their perceived ability to handle a major disease outbreak. The U.S. ranked first."
• Trump's historic dereliction of duty laid bare - "Millions of lives and livelihoods depend on the character, competence, altruism and integrity of the person in the Oval Office -- whatever their party or ideology. But President Donald Trump -- as he devastatingly revealed in his own voice to Bob Woodward -- met the great crisis of his age with ineptness, dishonesty and an epic dereliction of duty. Rarely have a president's actions -- or inaction -- and individual decisions on such a critical issue been so consequential and so exposed in his own time -- in this case in taped interviews with The Washington Post reporter for his new book, 'Rage'."
• Trump Has Always Seen a COVID-19 Vaccine as a Political Bet. Will It Pay Off in Time? - "Scientists and medical researchers inside President Donald Trump’s administration have repeatedly told the President that the vaccine won’t be ready until the end of the year, at the earliest."
• Inside Bob Woodward's 18 interviews with Trump - "'Pretty cool. Right?' Unfiltered moments from Trump's 18 interviews with Bob Woodward."
• Rage by Bob Woodward - "Bob Woodward’s new book, Rage, is an unprecedented and intimate tour de force of new reporting on the Trump presidency facing a global pandemic, economic disaster and racial unrest. Woodward, the #1 international bestselling author of Fear: Trump in the White House, has uncovered the precise moment the president was warned that the Covid-19 epidemic would be the biggest national security threat to his presidency. In dramatic detail, Woodward takes readers into the Oval Office as Trump’s head pops up when he is told in January 2020 that the pandemic could reach the scale of the 1918 Spanish Flu that killed 675,000 Americans." Amazon.com.
• Trump-Kim 'love letters' provide window into strange relationship - "'A magical force': New Trump-Kim letters provide window into their 'special friendship'."
• Covid-19 drug rationed in the US is plentiful in developing countries - "During the coronavirus surge in Texas this summer, Dr. Thomas Patterson said he only had enough of the anti-viral drug remdesivir for about a third of his patients, and was forced to pick and choose who would get the only drug authorized in the United States to treat Covid-19."
• 8,000 jumbo jets needed to deliver doses globally, says IATA - "Shipping a coronavirus vaccine around the world will be the 'largest transport challenge ever' according to the airline industry."
• Facts v feelings: how to stop our emotions misleading us - "The pandemic has shown how a lack of solid statistics can be dangerous. But even with the firmest of evidence, we often end up ignoring the facts we don’t like."
• 4 More Countries You Can Travel To Now, And Others That Come Close - Forbes.
• 4 insane things just happened to Tesla - "We're barely a week into September and it's already been a wild month for Tesla."
• Is Google About To Reinvent The Phone Call? - "Google Phone, an app that until now was only pre-installed in the company’s Pixel and Android One terminals, but some of whose functionalities are already being extended to other smartphones with Android Pie installed, such as those made by LG, OnePlus or Samsung, which can download the app from the Play Market and then configure it as the default call application. The idea is to introduce some advanced features, such as caller identification information (that can be verified by Google), a logo or, more interestingly, a short text to specify the reason for the call."
• Maserati unveils its first supercar in 15 years - "Maserati unveiled its first supercar in 15 years Wednesday. With a body made largely from lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum, the new MC20 can hit a top speed of 202 miles an hour and go from 0 to 60 in under three seconds. Prices for the car will start at about $210,000."
• Wildlife in 'catastrophic decline' due to human destruction, scientists warn - "Wildlife populations have fallen by more than two-thirds in less than 50 years, according to a major report by the conservation group WWF."
• The nation being swallowed by the sea - "The modern island of Hulhumale is taking shape 8km off the north-east coast of Malé island in the Maldives in direct response to the threat posed by inexorably rising sea levels."
• The surprising dangers of cooking & cleaning - "Experts say most of our exposure to air pollution could occur indoors. What are the most effective ways to reduce indoor pollutants?"
• The surprising traits of good remote leaders - "Strong in-person leadership skills don’t necessarily translate to being a good virtual leader. Instead, organisation and competency reign supreme."
• Watches & Wonders Shanghai 2020 - "From September 9th to 13th, Watches & Wonders brings eleven prestigious watch brands to the West Bund Art Center in Shanghai, where visitors will be able to view the new collections for 2020 and immerse themselves in fine watchmaking through workshops, talks, panels and live streams."
• Roger Dubuis Releases Unique $858,500 Excalibur Superbia World-Premiere Watch - "With the Watches & Wonders Shanghai exhibit in full swing today, Swiss watch brand Roger Dubuis took the opportunity to release one of the most breathtaking and highly complex watches ever made: the Excalibur Superbia."
• SAMSUNG GALAXY Z FOLD 2 REVIEW: AN EXTRAVAGANT SUCCESS - "Two screens, five cameras, one hinge, $2,000."
• Xbox Series S is an incredible value for next-gen gaming - "Who needs 4K gaming when you get so much for $299?"

September 9, 2020

• Oxford University Covid vaccine trial put on hold due to adverse reaction in participant - "A spokesman for AstraZeneca, the company working on the coronavirus vaccine, said pausing trials was common during vaccine development."
• Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by Norwegian official, citing Israel-UAE peace deal - "Nomination was submitted by Christian Tybring-Gjedde, a member of the Norwegian Parliament."
• Apple officially announces Apple Watch & iPad virtual event for September 15 - "Apple has officially revealed this year’s September special event, inviting members of the press and the public to tune in remotely to watch on September 15 at 10 am PT. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil all-new hardware including a new iPad Air and new Apple Watch models."
• Bloomberg: Apple September event focused on iPad and Apple Watch, iPhone 12 won’t be announced until October - "Apple just announced its next special event for September 15, inviting people to tune in virtually through the Apple website. While the assumption was that the event would include the iPhone 12 announcement, Bloomberg now reports that the September event will instead focus on Apple Watch and iPad announcements."
• The chairman of everything - "US lawmakers want to stop calling Xi Jinping a President. But will he care?"
• Kim Kardashian announces end of long-running hit reality show - "The long-running TV reality show about the Kardashian family is coming to an end, Kim Kardashian West has announced."
• Travel shaming -- another trend of 2020 - "Travelers who choose to share what they're getting up to on vacation right now may find themselves beset with a case of 2020's latest plague: travel shaming."
• The huge rail tunnel that will change Europe - "Huge tunnel network creates new railway link through the Alps."
• Oscars reveal new diversity requirements for best picture nominees - "Nominees must satisfy two of four key standards addressing onscreen and offscreen representation."
• The buildings heated by human warmth - "From a stuffy metro station in Paris, to a large shopping mall in the United States, human body heat is helping to lessen the need to burn fossil fuels for warmth."
• Android 11 release: everything you need to know about Google's update - "Update adds new conversation features, privacy controls, quick smart device controls and more."
• 17 mouth-watering apple recipes - from tarte tatin to roast pork belly - "Baked apples are your starting point as the autumn evenings close in, but there are many more delicious ways of using the fruit, including savoury and salad dishes, and an unusual cocktail."

September 8, 2020

• Forbes 400 2020: These Billionaires Have Gotten The Richest Over The Past Year - "Despite the pandemic, America’s richest people are thriving. The members of this year’s Forbes 400 list, released today, are worth 8% more on average compared to a year ago. A select group of these billionaires have been even more fortunate: The 15 biggest gainers this year saw their already-massive net worths skyrocket by at least 40%. Forbes used closing stock prices from Friday July 24 to calculate the size of the fortunes on the list, our 39th annual ranking of the country’s richest people."
• Americans have two choices as they celebrate Labor Day this year - "How you handle this Labor Day will help steer the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, doctors say."
• Who Was the Real 'Father of Labor Day'? The Answer Is Complicated - "Who should count as the 'founder' of Labor Day, which is celebrated on the first Monday in September, has been the subject of debate since the 1890s."
• 5 Habits Of Lucky People - "Some people always seem to be on the right side of luck. They’re jammy, or favoured in some way. You might be able to picture them now. If you asked, they might point to good decision-making, or quote a phrase such as Samuel Goldwyn’s 'the harder I work, the luckier I get'. But really, being lucky is a system that anyone can apply, to reap the rewards again and again."
• How philanthropy benefits the super-rich - "There are more philanthropists than ever before. Each year they give tens of billions to charitable causes. So how come inequality keeps rising?"
• Artificial Intelligence Is Here To Calm Your Road Rage - TIME Magazine.
• An Air Force One that flies at five times the speed of sound? - "There could be a supersonic Air Force One prototype airplane as early as 2025, with the US Air Force getting busy awarding development contracts."
• This is what ancient statues really looked like - "'Gods in Color' returns antiquities to their original, colorful grandeur."
• Amazon's murky world of one-star reviews - "Amazon's marketplace is being abused by independent sellers using one-star reviews to harm rivals, the BBC has been told."
• And cut! Hollywood’s obsession with suits as status symbols - "In spy films such as Bond, Kingsman and Tenet, the real code you have to crack is a sartorial one."
• What is the most prescient science fiction film? - "This week we explore the multiple ways Hollywood has tried to predict the future, from flying cars to AI to a barren dystopia."
• The ripple effect of closed offices - "With workers doing their jobs at home, the business ecosystems around office towers are taking a hit - maybe even a fatal blow."
• Japan's most meticulous meal? - "Japan's ancient vegetarian meal. Believed to align the mind, body and soul, shojin ryori is a fascinating insight into the careful balance of new and old perfected by Japan."
• How To Move To Sweden - "From work-life balance to income and wealth, Sweden ranks above average in all eleven of the OECD’s ‘better life’ dimensions. The poster child of the Nordic model is a dream move for many people looking to experience the Scandinavian lifestyle. So much so, that more than two million residents of Sweden were foreign-born."
• Withings’ ScanWatch is the best hybrid smartwatch I've tried so fa - "It packs ECG and SpO2 sensors alongside the usual tools you'd expect from a Withings hybrid."
• On Warren Buffett’s 90th Birthday, Private Wisdom From The Oracle - Delivered In 90 Seconds Flat - Forbes.

September 7, 2020

• Covid-19's 'serious, long-term impact' can improve with time, early evidence suggests - "Covid-19 can have lasting impacts on the body, but there is hope that patients can not only recover over time, but can do so more quickly with pulmonary rehabilitation, preliminary research suggests."
• What's behind the unequal threat of Covid - "Covid-19 is already the third-leading cause of death for African Americans this year. But why has the virus hit this community harder than others? We take a look at the story behind the numbers."
• Tokyo Olympics: Games will go ahead 'with or without Covid', says IOC VP - "The postponed Tokyo Olympic Games will go ahead next year "with or without Covid", the vice-president of the International Olympic Committee says."
• Covid-19: How to travel safely on the bus, train & subway - "Apart from the obvious precautions, what can you do to reduce your risk of catching or spreading the coronavirus on public transport?"
• A new normal: work, life & balancing it all during coronavirus - video - "There has been massive upheaval in the world of work over the past four months. What can we learn going forward? Iman Amrani speaks to Guardian readers about travelling less, dealing with childcare, what working from home is really like, and how they're feeling about a changed workplace."
• Pope Francis says gossip is 'a plague worse than Covid' - "Straying from prepared weekly blessing, pontiff urges faithful not to air grievances in public."
• iPhone 12: everything we think we know about Apple’s 2020 5G iPhones - "New design, new sizes, 5G, all-OLED, and more."
• Michael Cohen's book spotlights Trump's Obama obsession & resurfaces 'you're fired' video - "Michael Cohen alleges Trump had ‘hatred and contempt’ for Barack Obama and 2012 video shows Trump mocking his rival."
• Jane Fonda: ‘If Greta Thunberg can do it, so can I’ - "In an exclusive extract from her new book, the actor recalls the beginnings of her climate crisis protests outside the White House."
• How cold war spymasters found arrogance of Carlos the Jackal too hot to handle - "Terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez was portrayed as ruthless, but research shows Iron Curtain regimes saw him as a liability."
• Futuristic 'Flying-V' airplane makes successful maiden flight - "Researchers have conducted a successful maiden flight of the Flying-V, a futuristic and fuel efficient airplane that could one day carry passengers in its wings."
• Are aliens hiding in plain sight? - "Several missions this year are seeking out life on the red planet. But would we recognise extraterrestrials if we found them?"
• 360-degree virtual tours are easier to make with Insta360 and Matterport - "As the world continues to battle COVID-19, the likes of realtors, museums and galleries have been seeking alternative ways to serve their clients or visitors remotely. Matterport even claims that its platform helped create more than twice as many 360-degree virtual tours weekly between early March and mid-August, and it’s hoping to continue this momentum by expanding its list of compatible 360 cameras."
• That sync'ing feeling - when your soundbar lets you down - "Models of all types can develop audio-video synchronisation problems ... and it may prove impossible to fix."

September 6, 2020

• Trump's response to Covid-19 is worse than giving up - "Its persistent climb demonstrates the eerie psychological trick large numbers play on our minds: 'If only one man dies ... that is a tragedy. If millions die, that's only statistics.' That quote, attributed to Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, has been made all too real by President Donald Trump in the context of the pandemic in 2020."
• Virtual vacation: Amazing photos from a strange year for travel - "It's been a year like no other. As we began 2020, travelers had more freedom of movement than at any time in history. Air traffic had been rising for decades. But then in March, the coronavirus pandemic changed life as we know it."
• How To Hide A Billion Dollars: Three Techniques The Ultrarich Use To Dodge Ex-Spouses, The Taxman & Disgruntled Business Partners - "At 81, high-frequency trading pioneer Ed Bosarge is in court battling ex-business partners, the founder of a stem cell clinic of which he took control and the wife he dumped. She says he’s got billions stashed in a constantly changing array of offshore and South Dakota trusts."
• Here’s How Much Money You Really Save by Making Coffee at Home - "Cutting back on your Starbucks habit won’t suddenly help you afford a house, despite what some 'experts' say. But it could save you between $1,000 and $2,000 a year, according to our math."
• Google Maps quietly rolled out one of its most-requested features - "Google Maps has added a new feature to its app: traffic lights at intersections in a number of US cities."
• The 42 Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2020 - TIME Magazine.
• Will China ever embrace second-hand fashion? - "Can China look past counterfeits and superstition in its burgeoning second-hand fashion market?"
• Samsung's High-End Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G vs. Google's Budget Pixel 4a - "How much money are you willing to spend on a new smartphone in 2020? A few hundred bucks? A few thousand? A few weeks with two popular smartphones - the budget-friendly $349 Google Pixel 4a and the extravagant $1,299 Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G - tells a story one probably knows offhand is true: You don’t really need a thousand-dollar smartphone, but spending more confers some benefits to be sure."
• The Big Winners at the World Whiskies Awards 2020 - "The International Whisky Competition has been held annually since 2010. It recognizes some of the finest liquids in the bottle, across all classifications of brown spirit—from scotch to bourbon to Japanese whisky, and everything in between. Inspired by the Olympic Games, judges award bronze, silver and gold medals to participants in 49 different categories."
• The World’s Best Whisky - According To The 2020 International Whisky Competition - "This year, that prize went to Dewar’s Double Double 32 Year Old."
• The World’s Best Whisky - According To The International Wine & Spirits Competition - "Aberlour A'bunadh is a cask strength, sherry-matured single malt out of Speyside. It typically retails in the US for well under $100 a bottle. Pronounced ‘a-boon-ack’, it is Gaelic for ‘the original’. Each release comprises a small batch of barrels aged between 5 and 25 years, demonstrating rich and complex dark fruit tonalities (think raisins and fruitcake)."
• The World’s Best Scotch Whisky - According To The 2020 New York International Spirits Competition - "Glenmorangie Signet Single Malt Scotch Whisky. For one week every year, Glenmorangie in the highlands of Scotland churns out a special distillate from highly-roasted chocolate malt. Years later the liquid is removed from a battery of designer casks and married to yield this specialty bottling. Notes of coffee and mocha dominate the nose. The taste confirms more of the same, though with the addition of dark chocolate and marzipan."

September 5, 2020

• Depression Has Skyrocketed During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Study Says - "Almost as soon as coronavirus lockdowns went into effect in March, discussion turned to mental health. It’s well-documented that natural disasters, wars and other mass traumas can lead to significant increases in population-wide psychological distress. Weeks or months of anxiety, fear, sadness and social isolation can take their toll, leading many experts to fear the U.S. would face a mental health epidemic at the same time it fought a viral pandemic."
• Russian vaccine shows signs of immune response - "Russian scientists have published the first report on their coronavirus vaccine, saying early tests showed signs of an immune response."
• 8 secrets to a (fairly) fulfilled life - "After more than a decade of writing life-changing advice, I know when to move on. Here’s what else I learned."
• ‘Social cryptomnesia’: How societies steal ideas - "The human rights we enjoy today were won via the struggle of minorities who refused to accept the status quo - yet we have a curious form of psychological amnesia about that."
• The grim truth behind the Pied Piper - "Writers like the Grimm Brothers and Robert Browning may have shaped the Pied Piper legend into art, but it turns out the story is likely based on an actual historical incident."
• DRIVING THE POLESTAR 2, THE FIRST ELECTRIC CAR WITH A BRAIN BY GOOGLE - "Hey Google, how do you compete with Tesla?"
• Freddie Mercury Meets Forrest Gump On This Fantastical 109-Meter Feadship Concept Superyacht - "What do Freddie Mercury and Forrest Gump have in common? Nothing - but that’s exactly the point. One was a rock star known for his wild stage antics and bold costumes while the other is a quiet, endearing fictional character who just loves to 'run, Forrest, run!' And yet, these two opposing personalities have been brought together in Project FG, a concept yacht from Feadship."
• macOS Big Sur preview: Five things you should know before installing - "We've spent a few weeks with the public beta of Apple's latest Mac update."
• King's trophy fish found preserved in centuries-old Danish shipwreck - "Two-metre-long sturgeon found in pantry of Danish king’s vessel that sank in 1495."

September 4, 2020

• Wear a mask while having sex & avoid kissing new people, Canada's top doctor advises - "Sex in a pandemic can be complicated, Canada's lead medical doctor says, and it's best to skip kissing and perhaps wear a mask to prevent spreading Covid-19."
• The stock market is flashing a warning sign - "When US stocks rise and the VIX stays low (and often goes lower), that's typically a green light for investors. But financial markets are in an entirely different world today -- one that would normally imply a much lower VIX."
• Apple is no longer king of the Dow. Meet tech's new leader - "Meet the new tech king of the Dow: Salesforce. The software company, which debuted in the Dow on Monday, is now the index's third-largest holding. It was chosen over two other trillion-dollar companies, Amazon (AMZN) and Google owner Alphabet (GOOGL), and it's an even bigger part of the Dow than more established Dow tech stalwarts Microsoft (MSFT), IBM (IBM), Apple (AAPL), Cisco (CSCO) and Intel (INTC). Salesforce's market value is $240 billion, compared to Apple's more than $2 trillion and Microsoft's $1.7 trillion. It's all because the Dow, unlike the S&P 500 and many other indexes, ranks its holdings by share price and not market value."
• The Covid Vaccine Will Require Billions of Tiny Glass Vials & This Italian Billionaire Family Is Making Them - "The Stevanato Group began 71 years ago by crafting specialty bottles for perfume and wine. Now they are perfectly positioned to profit from packaging pandemic cures."
• Batman star Robert Pattinson 'tests positive for Covid-19' - "Actor will reportedly self-isolate as Warner Bros halts UK production of The Batman."
• Kamala Harris: what her sneakers mean - "As a woman of colour wearing sneakers on the campaign, it semaphores a change in political dress and much more."
• Oedipus vex: French philosopher disowns son over novel - "Jean-Paul Enthoven forgave Raphaël for relationship with Carla Bruni but autobiographical novel too much."
• 2020 may have just killed overtourism - "Will travelers trash or treasure the planet after the pandemic?"
• Cate Blanchett says she's an 'actor not an actress' - "'Not as a political statement, but I've always referred to myself as an actor,' she said. 'I don't think we have a very gender specific language and I'm of a generation where the word 'actress' was used always in a pejorative sense. So I think I claim the other space.'"
• 9 common myths about ethical & sustainable fashion - "Buying from eco-consicous brands isn't the best way to adopt sustainable style. Your online returns don't end up where you think they do. Investing in luxury fashion over fast fashion doesn't necessarily prevent worker exploitation."
• Which cooking oil is the healthiest? - "Oils are all packed with fat and calories, but their chemistry – and effect on our health - can be very different."
• Fashion’s impact in numbers - "Fast facts on fashion’s environmental and social footprint, from your closet to the global industry."
• Why we no longer need superheroes - "Subversive comic book adaptation The Boys truly reveals the ugliness of our obsession with men in capes. So where can the genre go from here, writes Cameron Laux."
• The companies that help people vanish - "Each year, some choose to 'disappear' and abandon their lives, jobs, homes and families. In Japan, there are companies that can help those looking to escape into thin air."
• $19,000 alligator bag destroyed over missing import permit - An alligator-skin handbag worth A$26,000 is to be destroyed after a woman imported it into Australia without a permit. Alligator-skin products are allowed to be imported into Australia, but shoppers must obtain an A$70 permit.

September 3, 2020

• Affordable Steroids Could Reduce Some COVID-19 Deaths by One-Third, Says World Health Organization - "In June, a single large study of more than 6,200 patients found that corticosteroids, a class of drugs that reduce inflammation, could prevent at least some cases of coronavirus-related ARDS and the resulting deaths."
• Two types of steroid found to save lives of some Covid-19 patients - "Analysis of seven trials finds dexamethasone and hydrocortisone should be given in severe cases."
• CDC tells health officials to expect a coronavirus vaccine by November - "Critics fear its development has become politicized by Trump who may push for the release of a vaccine that is not fully tested."
• Lack of staff, funds and tools: health officials worry the US isn’t ready for Covid vaccines - "Experts are frustrated after months of inconsistent information and concerned that a mass vaccination plan will stumble."
• Dwayne Johnson says he & his family are on the mend from coronavirus - "Dwayne Johnson said he's won a fight against Covid-19, but is warning others that the virus was a formidable foe even for him."
• Silvio Berlusconi tests positive for Covid-19 after Sardinia visit - "Former Italian prime minister recently met Flavio Briatore, who owned nightclub at heart of coronavirus cluster."
• Nancy Pelosi calls rule-flouting salon visit a 'setup' - "US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said her visit to a San Francisco hair salon in breach of coronavirus rules was a 'setup'."
• 25 brilliant ways to escape 2020’s groundhog days - "With our social and work lives hit by restrictions it is hard not to feel that every day is the same. From self-hypnosis to exercise bingo, here are some inspiring suggestions to break the monotony."
• Harry & Meghan sign multi-year Netflix deal - "Duke and Duchess of Sussex say focus will be on ‘content that informs but also gives hope’."
• How Covid-19 myths are merging with QAnon conspiracy theory - "Online and in real-life demonstrations, two viral conspiracy theories are increasingly coming together."
• Fold, Flip, or Duo: the hows & whys of folding phones - "Three ways to do two screens."
• The best ultraportable laptops you can buy - "There's no shortage of thin-and-light laptops out there. These are our favorites."
• World University Rankings Put Oxford No. 1 But China Is The Real Winner As U.S. Declines - "Oxford has been named the world’s best university for the fifth year in a row - but China is the real winner in today’s global rankings."
• 'Biggest bang since the big bang' - " 'It just sounds like a thud': astronomers hear biggest cosmic event since big bang. Researchers believe noise was two black holes colliding around 7 billion years ago, creating a previously unseen class of stellar object."
• 'Battle for civilisation': Venice film festival calls for fightback against Netflix - "The directors of seven European film festivals shared the stage at the opening of the 77th Venice film festival to help kick-start an industry that they said was in danger of being usurped by streaming sites such as Netflix because of the Covid-19 pandemic."
• Why people object to laws that save lives - "Wearing a seat belt or a face mask is known to save lives, so why do some people still refuse to put them on and even protest against laws requiring them?"
• Reuse, renew, recycle! Is making new from old the future of fashion? - "Using ‘deadstock’, the leftovers from clothes manufacturing, to create something new isn’t just environmentally sound, it’s surprisingly inspiring."
• What the future of conferences could look like - "Conferences bring large groups of people together to exchange ideas, network and do business. How can the industry ride out the Covid-19 era?"
• Left behind because of Covid-19, a tiny dog travels 10,000 miles to rejoin her owners - "All the best dogs find their way home eventually. Sometimes, like Pipsqueak the wiener dog, they've got to embark on a journey of more than 10,000 miles to get there."
• Indoor plant with four leaves sells for $8,000 in New Zealand - "A buyer was willing to part with huge sum to secure the variegated minima amid a houseplant boom fuelled by the pandemic. Houseplants have become especially popular among millennials, experts say, many of whom are unable to nurture babies or pets due to financial and property constraints."
• Massive 14-foot crocodile captured at tourist spot in Australia - "An enormous saltwater crocodile measuring 14.4 feet (4.4 meters) has been caught at a remote tourist hotspot in Australia's Northern Territory."
• Nazi-Occupied Norway Offers a Glimpse of What Hitler Wanted for the Entire World - "The German occupation of Norway from 1940 to 1945 witnessed a remarkable building campaign to align this northern land with Hitler’s New Order. From gleaming highways and ideal cities to maternity centers for a purified Nordic race, plans to remake Norway into a model 'Aryan' society fired the imagination of Nazi leaders."
• Operation Condor: the illegal state network that terrorised South America - "During the cold war, eight US-backed military dictatorships jointly plotted the cross-border kidnap, torture, rape and murder of hundreds of their political opponents. Now some of the perpetrators are finally facing justice."
• Empty Ghost Cruise Ships Become The Attraction In The English Channel - "As the cruise industry has come to a standstill, many cruise ships are being moored outside of ports and harbors around the world. Ironically, it is now the boats themselves that are becoming the tourist attractions, especially off the south coast of England."
• Rolex Adds Cheerful Colors And A New 41mm Size To The Oyster Perpetual - "Most collectors are losing their minds over the new Rolex Submariner, but the real fun in Rolex’s new 2020 lineup lies in the new Oyster Perpetual collection, now available in a rainbow of cheerful colors. This is the first time Rolex has offered these colors on the dials in this collection, and it’s just the boost we need right now."
• Fujifilm breaks mirrorless speed record with new f/1.0 lens - "The first ever f/1 mirrorless lens with autofocus."
• Windows 10 is getting a new touch keyboard with GIFs, emoji, and better voice typing - "Ideal for Surface tablets."
• Panasonic Lumix S5 review: Incredible video power in a smaller package - "It has more 4K power than the S1 and faster autofocus."

September 2, 2020

• Apple Releases iOS 13.7: Surprise Update With Indispensable Covid-19 Upgrade - "This update is all about Covid-19 exposure notification, specifically the arrival of Exposure Notification Express, though there are bug fixes and performance improvements, too."
• the unspoken long-term symptoms of Covid-19 - "The US needs to talk about long-term coronavirus symptoms, a doctor and a patient say."
• For $5 & in 15 Minutes You Can Learn If You Have COVID-19 - "On Aug. 26, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave an emergency use authorization (EUA) for a rapid COVID-19 test that can produce results in just 15 minutes, which could not only increase the number of people tested in the U.S., but also identify those who are positive sooner, so they can self-isolate and limit spread of the disease."
• US refuses to join international effort to develop Covid-19 vaccine - "The US government has said that it will not participate in a global initiative to develop, manufacture and equitably distribute a vaccine for Covid-19 because the effort is co-led by the World Health Organization."
• How Covid-19 misinformation circulates on social media - "CNN's Don Lemon speaks to medical analyst Dr. Seema Yasmin and Dr. Craig Spencer about the rampant coronavirus misinformation circulating on social media and the negative implications this has."
• 17 Great Movies You May Have Missed This Summer - TIME Magazine.
• Nancy Pelosi pictured without mask in hair salon - "The most powerful elected US Democrat, Nancy Pelosi, who scolds President Donald Trump for not wearing a mask, has been pictured without a face covering in a San Francisco hair salon."
• Samsung's new folding smartphone will set you back $1,999 - "The South Korean smartphone maker's latest device, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, is the most expensive smartphone in Samsung's current lineup and will go on sale Sept. 18, the company said Tuesday. The folding smartphone will be available for pre-order starting Sept. 2."
• Screen burn: why the glare from your computer could be ageing your skin - "Researchers have suggested a week in front of a screen is the same as 25 minutes in the sun. So should you be slapping on the sunblock every morning before sitting down to work?"
• Elon Musk is now richer than Mark Zuckerberg - "Elon Musk is now the third richest person in the world."
• How to increase the longevity of your wardrobe - "Today, many of us are buying new clothes too often, and not holding on to what we already own for long enough. In 2017, the Environmental Protection Agency reported that 11.2 million tons of textile waste in the US ended up in landfills. Across the pond, in the UK, the average lifespan for a garment is just over two years."
• How to build a secondhand capsule wardrobe - "As Oxfam’s Second Hand September campaign urges more of us to buy preloved clothes, here’s how to find modern classics without buying new."
• Why the sustainable fashion movement should always include plus-size people - "The fashion industry has, noticeably, always failed to invite bigger bodies to the party. Unlike other body categories like 'petite' and 'tall,' which we have become accustomed to seeing in stores and online, the exclusion of plus-size options, particularly outside of the fast fashion category, is an example of fat body oppression and a reminder that fatphobia exists in many spaces within our society."
• The Rolls-Royce Ghost Is The Luxury Marque’s Most Important New Car - "The Ghost is the first expression of Rolls-Royce in its new age of post-opulence. Officially unveiled today, this highly significant car has been completely redesigned and re-engineered to be a product that speaks the language of contemporary Rolls-Royce and chimes with the wants and needs of its new breed of clientele."
• The Rolls-Royce Ghost was so eerily quiet inside the engineers had to make it louder - Rolls-Royce unveiled its all new Ghost Tuesday, and it looks strikingly different from any Rolls-Royce that has ever come before. The Ghost is the ultra-luxury automaker's slightly smaller and somewhat less expensive sedan, and the new version is far more understated than its predecessor.
• 'Just passed a guy in a jetpack': sightings at Los Angeles airport fuel concern - "Federal Aviation Administration and FBI investigate reports from airline crews."
• Iconic Aston Martin DB5 theft - AX launches UK-wide appeal for Bond car’s safe return - "An iconic 1965 Aston Martin DB5 Vantage saloon has gone missing following a theft in broad daylight on the 18th July in Wilmslow."

September 1, 2020

• US just topped 6 million coronavirus cases in about 7 months. What happens next is up to you, Birx says - "Just over seven months ago, no one in the US had a confirmed case of Covid-19. On Monday, the US topped 6 million cases of coronavirus, which has killed over 183,000 people and left many young adults with long-term problems."
• Why herd immunity strategy can be dangerous - "A herd immunity strategy to fight the pandemic can be 'dangerous,' experts say. Here's why."
• CNN breaks down latest US virus numbers - "John King breaks down latest coronavirus numbers."
• Venice prepares to welcome guests to Covid-safe film festival - "Face masks, distanced screenings and temperature scanners are part of measures."
• Slowly Losing Your Mind in Lockdown? 5 Apps to Boost Your Mental Health - "If you’re stressed out, exhausted by the stream of bad news, or just fell off whatever good habits you had in 2019, here’s how you can use your mobile device to get back on track. With apps that make chores fun, simple meditation tools, or services to address your mental health issues, you can, maybe, better prepare yourself for whatever else this year has in store."
• Trump inflames tensions & justifies violence & there's a reason why - "For Donald Trump's America-on-fire campaign strategy to work, he needs violence to boil in cities right up until Election Day, or at least for enough voters to believe the nation is spiraling into an abyss of chaos and savagery."
• Why the French love to complain - "In France, a complaint is an appropriate and frequent conversation starter - but the appropriateness of when, to whom and about what to complain is a delicate art."
• How self-control can actually unleash your dark side - "People with great willpower are often lauded over their peers with less self-control. But having strong character may not always be a good thing."
• September streaming: Top new TV & movie releases - CNN Entertainment.
• Apple's fall event could feature 4 iPhones, 2 Watches & an iPad Air - "It may also release a smaller HomePod and Apple-branded over-ear headphones."
• the killer feature that could make the iPhone 12 feel much, much faster - "More than any other new bell or whistle, one new feature could make the iPhone 12 feel significantly zippier: A high-refresh-rate screen."
• How SUVs conquered America & the world to become a chief climate offender - "Exclusive new emissions analysis shows how much more dangerous for the climate SUVs are than smaller vehicles, and how embedded they have become in our lives."
• The Best Fitness App Subscription For Home Workouts - "Ever since the global coronavirus pandemic began, the interest in working out at home has exploded, due to both the closing of gyms and fitness studies and the fact that so many people are staying home. Sales of all kinds of home fitness equipment, from weights to aerobic machines, have increased dramatically, and so has demand for virtual classes."
• How Luxury Streetwear Is Using Animal Crossing To Remain Digitally Accessible To Gen Z & Millennials - "Generation Z is perceived as having little disposable income and 72% of them shop with cost in mind, but they still know all the hype no matter the cost. A low-margin group in the capitalist market of high-end fashion, 50% of this consumer group is more susceptible to brands with social causes. Ironically, it seems as if Gen Z is dictating the luxury market through its vivacious digital behaviors and the most innovative style. When Gen Z is into something it can take off."
• Flying Car Takes Off In Japan With First Manned Test Flight - "Last Friday in Tokyo, SkyDrive Inc. announced at a press conference that it had successfully completed its first manned test flight, and showed video to prove it."
• The butcher's shop that lasted 300 years (give or take) - "Frank Fisher, now 90, was a traditional high street butcher his whole working life - as were three generations of his family before him. How does a man dedicated to serving his community decide when it’s time to hang up his white coat?"
• A Thorne in the site: the Bella Thorne and OnlyFans controversy explained - "Sex workers blame actor for changes adult website made after she joined, including getting paid monthly instead of weekly."
• Cruise ships & COVID-19 - "Giant ships beached at scrapyard in Turkey, set to be broken up."

August 31, 2020

• One shot of Covid-19 vaccine likely won't be enough - "When a coronavirus vaccine comes on the market, people will likely need two doses, not just one -- and that could cause real problems."
• Covid vaccine rush could make pandemic worse, say scientists - "Experts say strong evidence of efficacy needed to avoid approval of inferior vaccines."
• Alarm as FDA willing to issue Covid-19 vaccine before stringent safety testing - "FDA under intensifying pressure from Trump, who wants to see a vaccine come on stream or ready to announce before the election."
• How Convalescent Plasma Could Help Fight COVID-19 - "The last time most of us gave any thought to antibodies was probably in high school biology, but we’re getting a crash refresher course thanks to COVID-19. They are, after all, the key to our best defenses against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that’s caused the global pandemic. People who have been infected likely rely on antibodies to recover, and antibodies are what vaccines are designed to produce."
• Why 'health passportss' wont't work - "Some of the earliest countries to be impacted by the virus have been quick to adopt health certificates - but can immunity passports really help us travel safely again?"
• Bill Gates offered a hilarious gift to Warren Buffett on his 90th birthday - "Bill Gates offered a sweet and funny video tribute to his billionaire pal Warren Buffett Sunday in honor of his 90th birthday."
• 10 TV shows to watch in September - "From Netflix’s Ratched to Amazon Prime Video’s Utopia and the return of FX’s Fargo, Eddie Mullan picks the programmes worth seeing this month."
• Here's Everything New on Netflix in September - And What's Leaving - TIME Magazine.
• Why the future of work might be ‘hybrid’ - "Companies are looking to the post-Covid future. For many, the vision is a model that combines remote work and office time."
• iOS 14: Facebook’s Apple Nightmare Keeps Getting Worse - "It’s nearly September, which means the launch of Apple’s iOS 14 is almost here. The revamped version of Apple’s iOS operating system signals a momentous leap for iPhone privacy, but it’s also Facebook’s worst nightmare, the data-hungry social network confirmed this week."
• Apple under pressure from app developers - "Facebook, Amazon and Google all have their problems, but Apple is losing friends faster."
• MTV VMAs 2020: Lady Gaga dominates during unusual pandemic broadcast - "Singer reigns supreme in awards show filled with calls for social justice and recognition of Covid tragedy."
• New audio recordings reveal aunt's criticisms of Ivanka & Eric Trump - "Mary Trump has revealed more audio recordings she says are of her aunt, Maryanne Trump Barry, that aim pointed criticism at the US president’s children, Ivanka and Eric."
• Brazil's island idyll reopens to tourists - as long as they have had Covid-19 - "Visitors will have to show test results to enter Fernando de Noronha, which has so far suffered no coronavirus deaths."
• What Prince Harry Could Learn From the Last Royal to Move Stateside - Vogue.
• How Diana became known as 'the people's princess' - "In 1995, two years before Diana, Princess of Wales died in a car crash in Paris, she said in a TV interview that she'd like to be a queen. But she wasn't talking about the British monarchy into which she'd married. She wanted to be a queen of people's hearts."
• 'Imagine using liquid water': why people water their house plants with ice cubes - "Often touted as an easy solution to overwatering, the practice of placing ice cubes in orchids has become a ‘comedy horticultural moment’."

August 30, 2020

• Grim milestone as virus cases top 25m globally - Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
• How elites ruined fight against Covid - "Elites are flouting coronavirus restrictions -- and that could hurt us all."

August 29, 2020

• Children's role in virus spread puzzles scientists - "Children can carry coronavirus in their noses for up to three weeks, according to a study from South Korea."
• How the COVID-19 Pandemic Has Changed Cancer Care, In 4 Charts - "Before the pandemic, about 1,000 new patients came to Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for treatment consultations each week. When COVID-19 hit Massachusetts this spring, the number of new consultations fell by half and the hospital moved as many appointments as possible online."
• Europe's fight against Covid-19 shifts from hospitals to the streets - "At first, the front line of Europe's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic was fought in hospitals by overstretched health care workers. Now as European countries seek to avoid the long-dreaded second wave, that line has shifted to the streets and is being manned by police forces."
• 31 Most Anticipated TV Shows of Fall 2020 - "This spring, COVID-19 brought about an industry-wide shutdown of television production. But enough was already in the can - or has recently been able to safely wrap - to make for a rich and compelling slate of new and returning shows hitting the airwaves and streaming services this fall."
• What you need to know about Apple's iPhone 12 & 12 Pro - "We're looking at the most unusual iPhone launch in Apple's history."
• How the world's top economies are faring during worst recession on record - "Covid-19 dealt a shock to the world's top economies. Here's who has fared the worst."
• The Truth About Warren Buffett’s Investment In Gold - "First, Berkshire exited or trimmed its position in several banks. Second, it added a position in gold mining company, Barrick Gold Corp."
• Online Therapy, Booming During the Coronavirus Pandemic, May Be Here to Stay - "But telepsychology (or telepsychiatry or tele-mental-health, as it’s been variously called) may have a stickiness to it that other aspects of virtual living lack. In recent years there’s been more and more talk in the health care professions about the potential for telemedicine."
• What Martin Luther King Jr. Said at the March on Washington About Police Brutality - "The mass protest that brought Martin Luther King Jr. and some 250,000 others to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Aug. 28, 1963, was officially known as the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. But within the call for freedom lay many more specific demands, one of which was articulated by Martin Luther King Jr. as part of his 'I Have a Dream' speech: 'We can never be satisfied,' he said, 'as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality.'"
• 9 films to watch this September - "This month sees the release of Tenet and - finally - the Mulan reboot, along with a Gloria Steinem biopic and a gothic thriller."
• Driven to Abstraction: the inside story of a $60m art forgery hoax - "For 15 years, one of New York’s most prestigious art galleries, Knoedler & Company, sold forged paintings - a new film explores how the art world fell for it."
• Why Americans Should Travel To Aruba Right Now - "The world is not our oyster right now. American passport holders find themselves in a position they are not used to being in - faced with limited vacation options this summer, many are choosing to stay local, while others are simply pining after their international counterparts who have more options. But while it may seem like there is ‘nowhere Americans can go’ there are in fact over 20 countries open to travelers from the United States."
• People we've lost in 2020 - CNN Entertainment.
• Why are the Dutch so tall? - "The Dutch moved the sea to build their nation - and became the world’s tallest people in the process."
• How You Can Block the Music of Problematic Artists From Playing on Your Music App. Here's How - "If you’re a fan of streaming music, personalized playlists, and mixes made 'just for you,' you’ve no doubt run into some boring, bad and even downright offensive songs you’d rather not hear again. And if you’re familiar with the news surrounding today’s most popular artists, you probably have a running list of artists who you’d rather never hear again - no matter how good their newest single may be - because of their misogyny, or racism, or other problematic behavior."
• Diageo Launches 2020 Special Releases Whiskies - "Every year, the whisky geek world gets excited when Diageo sends out its annual Special Releases collection into the world, and 2020’s set will available worldwide to purchase from select retailers, or on malts.com within a couple of weeks. The collection, which since last year has been given the moniker ‘Rare by Nature’, consists of eight bottles of cask strength single malt Scotch whiskies picked from both well-known and less recognized distilleries owned by the international drinks conglomerate."
• New Bose audio sunglasses appear in FCC filings - "They could be part of the company’s Frames line."
• The Colorado startup dreaming up a return to supersonic flight - "Boom Supersonic hopes to test-fly its supersonic plane in 2021."
• The week in wildlife - in pictures - "The pick of the world’s best flora and fauna photos, including red wasps and giant redwoods-"

August 28, 2020

• 6 takeaways from Trump's big night - "By the time President Donald Trump descended the South Portico steps on Thursday, the goals for this week's Republican National Convention had become clear: win back women, put coronavirus in the rear-view and convince Americans the President is not a racist."
• Sewer systems can be used as COVID-19 early warning signs - "New Haven, Connecticut and Carmel, Indiana both say sewage data is the canary in a coal mine."
• Jeff Bezos is now worth a whopping $200 billion - "Jeff Bezos was already the world's richest man. Now his net worth has skyrocketed once again, setting another new record. On Wednesday, the Amazon CEO's wealth reached an estimated $202 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires index, as the company's shares soared. That's up about $87 billion since January."
• AMAZON ANNOUNCES HALO, A FITNESS BAND & APP THAT SCANS YOUR BODY & VOICE - "It makes a 3D model of your body and tracks the emotional tone in your voice."
• 50 Ways To Travel The World Without Leaving Home - "Now is the time to research different destinations, learn about interesting cultures and languages, and map out your future plans. Remind yourself why you love traveling in the first place. Is it the food, the art, the different weather, the sense of adventure, or the unknown? The good news: there are many ways to travel the globe without ever leaving home - here are 50 to get you started."
• Why some countries are happier than others - "Happiness Museum looks at brighter feelings in uncertain times."
• What’s better than envying a friend’s success? Feeling genuine happiness - "Benign envy can inspire us to work harder, rather than wishing for the downfall of others who have what we covet."
• How to stop your bicycle from being stolen - "Don’t buy an amazing bike, keep it indoors and use two lock."
• A secret world under a French castle - "Nearly 1,000 years ago, French lords designed an elaborate underground castle for a doomsday attack that never came."
• German library pays £2.5m for 'friendship book', 400 years after it first tried to buy it - "Philipp Hainhofer’s Das Große Stammbuch, signed by influential 17th-century Europeans, acquired by Herzog August Bibliothek."
• Fitbit Sense: Sensational New Health Watch Beats Apple Watch With Stress Analysis - "Fitbit has just revealed three new devices, Fitbit Versa 3, Fitbit Inspire 2 and an all-new model which is the star of the show: Fitbit Sense. The Versa 3 is a strong update over the current model, as is the Inspire 2, but it’s the Fitbit Sense, which stands out."
• Google Assistant Snapshot can now be summoned with a voice command - "Just say 'Hey Google, show me my day.'"
• The Queen’s Extensive Watch Collection Proves She’s A Connoisseur Of Timepieces - "Just as Her Majesty the Queen is rarely seen without a brooch pinned to her brightly-coloured, public-facing coats, she also never steps foot outside the gates of Buckingham Palace without a watch dangling from her wrist."
• Aston Martin Unveils A Miniature DB5 For Kids - "Time For Children, Bond? Two-Thirds Scale Electric Aston Martin DB5 Revealed."
• The reMarkable 2 is the latest attempt to turn your paper notepad digital - "Swapping pen and paper for E Ink."
• Bang & Olufsen's BeoPlay H95s are money-no-object wireless headphones - "They offer active noise cancellation and 38 hours of battery life for $800."
• LG made an air purifier for your face - "It'll blow clean, filtered air into your face for eight hours at a time."
• Bella Thorne becomes first to earn $1 million in a day on OnlyFans - "Within 24 hours of debuting her page on the site the actress set a record by earning more than $1 million, according to OnlyFans."
• OnlyFans - since 2020. Content subscription service based in London. Content creators can earn money from users who subscribe to their content - the "fans". It is popular in the adult entertainment industry, but also hosts content creators from other genres such as physical fitness experts and musicians and other creators who post regularly online. It allows content creators to receive funding directly from their fans on a monthly basis as well as off tips and the pay-per-view (PPV) feature.

August 27, 2020

• The magic virus hypothesis - "Sometime in the spring of 2020, an intriguing idea started circulating in epidemiologic circles. As the early literature started trickling in regarding the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by children, some prominent academics began espousing what can fairly be referred to as the 'Magic Virus Hypothesis.'"
• FDA authorizes Abbott’s fast $5 COVID-19 test - "Abbott’s BinaxNOW uses the same technology as a pregnancy test."
• Non-woven masks better to stop Covid-19, says Japanese supercomputer - "Disposable medical face masks beat those made of cotton or polyester in simulation."
• Obesity increases risk of Covid-19 death by 48%, study finds - "Comprehensive study suggests vaccine may not work as well for overweight people."
• At the Republican National Convention, You Might Think COVID-19 Was Over - "Listening to the speakers at the Republican National Convention, you might be forgiven for thinking that the coronavirus pandemic is over."
• How to take the perfect breath: why learning to breathe properly could change your life - "It is claimed that ‘breathwork’ can help improve our sleep, digestion, immune and respiratory functions, while reducing our blood pressure and anxiety. All of which, in the midst of a pandemic, sounds more appealing than ever."
• Why worrying isn’t as bad as you think - "Anxiety can be exhausting, but there is often a reason for it – and there are some surprising benefits to certain kinds of worrying."
• The rise of bartering - "Could bartering become the new buying in a changed world?"
• Jack Ma's latest IPO could be biggest ever - "Ant Group's Chinese IPO could be among the biggest in history."
• Why The Super-Rich Are Leaving Spain & Setting Sail For Turkey - "New research released by Bloomberg suggests that yachting hotspots such as Spain and France are falling out of favour with the super-rich. Put off by quarantine rules and rising Covid-19 case numbers on the Riviera, yachts are setting sail for alternative European destinations offering sun, sea and seclusion."
• Population panic lets rich people off the hook for the climate crisis they are fuelling - "Rising consumption by the affluent has a far greater environmental impact than the birth rate in poorer nations."
• China puts hundreds of uninhabited islands up for rent - "China's northeastern Liaoning province is home to hundreds of uninhabited islands -- and they're available to rent."
• New bus trip will take you from Delhi to London in 70 days - "Expedition company Adventures Overland is hoping you'll say yes to its new organized bus trip, which will ferry travelers from the Indian metropolis of Delhi to the UK capital of London -- no airplanes involved."
• You can buy a Tom Cruise 'Top Gun' helmet - "A flight helmet made for Tom Cruise when he was making the movie 'Top Gun' is up for auction in Los Angeles and is expected to sell for more than $65,000."
• Eusebio Leal: The man who saved Old Havana from decay - "Eusebio Leal was sometimes known as 'The Grey Man' for the distinctive loose-fitting grey suits he wore as he walked the streets of Old Havana."
• Artificial Intelligence Is Here To Calm Your Road Rage - TIME Magazine.
• How The Luxury Watch World Is Surviving Covid-19: Geneva Watch Days - "The world’s first watch exhibition of 2020 takes place this week in Geneva." August 26th - 29th.
• Bulgari Unveils Sixth World-Record: $142,000 Octo Finissimo Watch - "For the sixth year in a row, Bulgari unveils a record-setting Octo Finissimo watch at this week’s Geneva Watch Days exhibition. The new Octo Finissimo Tourbillon Chronograph Skeleton Automatic (a mouthful of a name) represents the thinnest watch combining automatic winding with mono-pusher chronograph, tourbillon escapement and ultra-thin skeletonized caliber."
• Germany finds it hard to love Hegel 250 years after his birth - "New books try to lighten up the intimidating reputation of Germany’s ‘most difficult’ philosopher."
• JS Bach: where to start with his music - "With religious music so involving he could inspire faith in non-believers, the German composer’s sense of harmony makes him a shared reference point for all classical composers."
• John Lennon killer Mark David Chapman denied parole for 11th time - "Yoko Ono continues to oppose release of man who shot Lennon outside his New York apartment in 1980."

August 26, 2020

• How Coronavirus Has Spread Across the United States - "Track the 'Eye of the Epidemic'."
• COVID-19 Is Transmitted Through Aerosols - "We Have Enough Evidence, Now It Is Time to Act."
• Bill Gates: 'I was so jealous' of 'genius' Steve Jobs - "Bill Gates is a tech icon and the world’s second-wealthiest person. So, it’s hard to imagine the Microsoft co-founder being jealous of anyone."
• Melania & Me: Ivanka Trump sought to undermine first lady, new book says - "Details from ex-aide’s memoir revealed before key convention speech. Author suggests Trump daughter behind 2016 plagiarism fiasco."
• For once, the Trumps are only the Republicans' second most dysfunctional family - "Don Jr has been lecturing the RNC about Americans’ desire for ‘a perfect family’. Just don’t look at his own - or the Conways."
• Is this the end of the road for dollar dominance? - "In the short term, probably not, but with China weaponising the yuan stern challenges lie ahead."
• World Health Organization Declares Africa Polio-Free - "'Today’s victory over the wild poliovirus in the African region is a testament to what can happen when partners from a variety of sectors join forces to accomplish a major global health goal,' says John Hewko, general secretary and CEO of Rotary International. '[It is] something the world can and should aspire to during these turbulent times.'"
• Remote worker? These nations want you - "The new residency schemes inviting workers abroad. Amid Covid-19, new programmes are popping up that invite workers to settle abroad and work remotely. Could we all soon become ‘digital nomads’?"
• Why predicting our future feelings is so difficult - "When you imagine how you’ll feel at a future date, you’re unaware of subtle but powerful biases that frame the way you think."
• 30 Most Anticipated TV Shows of Fall 2020 - "This spring, COVID-19 brought about an industry-wide shutdown of television production. But enough was already in the can - or has recently been able to safely wrap - to make for a rich and compelling slate of new and returning shows hitting the airwaves and streaming services this fall."
• Sean Connery at 90: a dangerously seductive icon of masculinity - "Peter Bradshaw celebrates the career of the former milkman who brought a working-class edge to the role of James Bond before further unleashing a sense of menace in roles for Hitchcock and Lumet."
• EVERYTHING THE QUEEN EATS IN A DAY, ACCORDING TO ROYAL CHEFS - "'The Queen eats to live whereas Prince Philip lives to eat,' says former royal chef Darren McGrady."
• 25 Unusual Hotel Rooms for Adventurous Travelers - "Bubbles, Tree Houses, And Cranes: 25 Surprising Places To Sleep Around The World."
• How Science is Revolutionizing the World of Dog Training - TIME Magazine.
• Discovery of scholar's notes shine light on race to decipher Rosetta Stone - "Thomas Young used cut-up method to treat translation of Egyptian relic as mathematical problem, papers show."

August 25, 2020

• Dr. Anthony Fauci warns against premature authorization of coronavirus vaccine - "Dr. Anthony Fauci on Monday warned against the notion of early emergency use authorization for a potential coronavirus vaccine, explaining that such a step could damage efforts to develop other vaccines. His comments come as White House officials have raised the possibility of an early emergency authorization before late-stage trials are finished."
• What is blood plasma therapy & does it work for Covid-19? - "Trump announced the emergency authorization of convalescent plasma on Sunday - here’s a quick guide on what it is."
• New Study Suggests COVID-19 Reinfection Is Possible. Here's What to Know - "Preliminary research released Monday suggests it’s possible to get COVID-19 twice—but experts say the news is not as concerning as that headline may seem."
• How to Make Homemade Face Masks More Effective & How to Wear Them Right - "Five months after coronavirus took root in the U.S., face masks remain one of the most controversial and confusing parts of the pandemic. As research progressed, studies showed compelling evidence that even asymptomatic people could infect others with coronavirus - which meant anyone could be unknowingly contagious, and everyone should be trying not to breathe on other people. As science evolved - and a dire PPE shortage eased - the CDC revised its guidance to suggest that everyone wear fabric masks in public."
• How much longer until the US economy is back to normal? This new index shows we have a long way to go - "How far from normal are we? And how much progress are we making toward whatever 'normal' will mean in the future? These are tough questions, but CNN Business and Moody's Analytics have teamed up to take a crack at answering them with regard to the economy."
• Apple Stock Could Surge Even Higher Following $2 Trillion Valuation, Morgan Stanley Says - "Despite Apple surpassing a valuation of $2 trillion last week—becoming the first U.S. company to do so, Morgan Stanley analysts argue that the tech giant remains undervalued, raising their price target for the stock to the highest among major Wall Street firms."
• This giant glowing orb is the world’s first floating Apple Store - "Located on the bayfront of Singapore."
• The strategy that turns daydreams into reality - "Psychologists have found a single habit that sabotages most goals - and the way to correct it."
• Greta Thunberg returns to school after year of climate activism - "Swedish environmental activist says she’s heading back to the classroom after travelling the world, spreading her conservation message."
• No safe level of coffee drinking for pregnant women, study says - "Cut out caffeine to help avoid miscarriage, low birth weight and stillbirth, paper advises."
• Windows 95 turned 25 today - "And introduced the Start menu."
• The hotel built 33 years ago (but never opened) - "Ryugyong Hotel: The story of North Korea's 'Hotel of Doom'."
• The Colorado startup dreaming up a return to supersonic flight - "Boom Supersonic hopes to test-fly its supersonic plane in 2021."
• The decline of antiques & objects that last for centuries - "Will people alive today leave fewer possessions behind?"
• The etiquette of Japanese onsen - "Japan’s more than 25,000 naturally-occurring mineral hot springs help power 3,000 spa resorts across the country."
• Cryptoconvert: Why A 168-Year-Old Banknote Printer Will Soon Be Churning Out Digital Drachmas For Central Banks - "When printing paper money is your core business, hyperinflation is your best friend and digital transactions are your worst enemy. How Germany’s Giesecke & Devrient has learned to thrive in a low inflation, electronic payments world."
• Samsung Galaxy Buds Live review: novel bean-shaped AirPod rivals - "Good sound and long battery life with a repairable and unusual open-fit design make great alternative earbuds."

August 24, 2020

• US FDA announces emergency authorization for convalescent plasma to treat Covid-19 - "The US Food and Drug Administration on Sunday issued an emergency use authorization for convalescent plasma to treat Covid-19, saying the 'known and potential benefits of the product outweigh the known and potential risks of the product.'"
• How Music Could Become a Crucial Part of Your Sleep Hygiene - "Experts imagine a world in which scientifically-designed albums could be just as effective and commonly used as sleeping pills."
• Miner Finds 442-Carat Diamond That May Be Worth $18 Million - "Gem Diamonds Ltd. said Friday it had an unearthed a 442-carat diamond at its Letseng mine in Lesotho. While it’s hard to establish a price for such stones before cutters can evaluate them, it could sell for as much as $18 million, Edward Sterck, analyst at BMO Capital Markets, wrote in a note."
• WhatsApp Soundly Beaten By Stunning New Alternative - Forbes.
• 2 Quick & Easy Ways To Speed Up Your Apple Mac - Forbes.
• How wildfire pollution may be harming your health - "Smoke from burning forests and peat can linger in the atmosphere for weeks, travelling thousands of miles and harming the health of populations living far away."
• A 194-year-old apple tree, the matriarch of the Northwest apple industry, has died - "The Old Apple Tree in Vancouver, Washington, was planted in 1826 when fur traders of the Hudson's Bay Company settled in the area. It was considered the matriarch of the region's bustling apple industry and produced a green apple that was bitter to the taste but great for baking."
• Japanese airline testing hands-free bathroom doors - "Even before the coronavirus pandemic ignited global conversations about hygiene, there was one part of an airplane that nobody wanted to touch -- the bathroom door."

August 23, 2020

• Coronavirus will be with us forever, Sage scientist warns - "Coronavirus will be present 'forever in some form or another', a member of the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) has said."
• You Might Not Catch Coronavirus on an Airplane. But Air Travel Is Still Probably Spreading COVID-19 - "It’s a very good time to be a domestic jet-setter on a budget. JetBlue’s fall sale, which took place in early August, featured tickets as low as $20 for trips between New York City and Detroit or Los Angeles to Las Vegas. All of this, of course, assumes that you’re willing to risk exposure to COVID-19, a virus that has killed more than 170,000 Americans as of this week."
• COVID-19 Is Prompting Wealthy People to Move Out of Cities. The Plague Had the Same Effect Hundreds of Years Ago - "In New York City, for examples, some wealthy families have left Manhattan for good and plan to enroll their children in schools closer to their second homes in places like the Hamptons."
• Why our brains are having so much trouble with Covid-19 - "Naturally, there's the social inequality that guaranteed that the virus would run its wildest among people with the least resources. The list goes on and on. But it's worth examining how the wreckage has also been made worse by a feature of our psyches -- namely, how poorly we handle ambiguity."
• Does the US have the worst coronavirus death rate? - "As coronavirus cases continue to rise in the US, there are competing narratives about the impact of the disease."
• Nearly 70,000 lives could be saved in the next 3 months if more Americans wore masks, researchers say - "Another 134,000 people could die in the US from Covid-19 by December if no further safety measures are mandated -- and the actual number probably would be much worse if mandates are relaxed, researchers say."
• Why it’s sensible to be silly - "Serious times call for serious measures – such as drawing smiley faces on fruit - and what’s more, the science proves it."
• TikTok to launch legal action against Trump over ban - "Chinese video app TikTok is set to launch legal action to challenge a ban imposed by US President Donald Trump."
• Donald Trump's sister says he's an 'unprincipled phoney' - "US President Donald Trump's eldest sister, a former federal judge, has said her brother is a liar who 'has no principles', secret recordings reveal."
• The Inside Story Of Robinhood’s Billionaire Founders, Option Kid Cowboys & The Wall Street Sharks That Feed On Them - "The perfect stock trading app for the videogame generation was supposed to 'democratize finance' with zero-commission trades. But the primary plan was to get rich by selling customer trades to the market’s most notorious operators."

August 22, 2020

• The Speech Joe Biden Waited His Whole Life to Give - "Joe Biden gave the biggest speech of his life to a near-empty room, his words hanging in the air against a backdrop of hermetic silence. There was nothing fancy or newfangled about it: a graybeard politician in a suit and tie, flags and a curtain behind him, standing at a lectern, telling you how he saw the choice ahead."
• Joe Biden Lays Out His Closing Argument: Character & Competence - "Joe Biden has now put before us just how he plans to run the final 73 days of his campaign to return to the White House: as an empathetic warrior in touch with families’ struggles and a decent human being counting on character being on the ballot this fall. With that pitch, he planted a contrast with President Donald Trump, whom he cast as an absolute failure in leading the country through the coronavirus pandemic."
• Coronavirus pandemic could be over within two years - WHO head - "The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) says he hopes the coronavirus pandemic will be over in under two years."
• Europe's travel windows are slamming shut - "The vacation lights are going out all over Europe. Just weeks after many countries opened their borders to travelers within the continent, some are closing again, often at such short notice that people are left scrambling to get home before quarantine orders are put in place."
• Spectacular new step-bridge 'floats' over Norwegian waterfall - "Rushing water cascades below an elevated footbridge that looks like it's floating on air, with panoramic views of hazy mountains and a plunging, deep valley underneath."
• The secret of Birkenstock's enduring success - "Pandemic restrictions have meant one thing for most wardrobes: comfort. As many of us continue to work from home -- and staying safe with a trip to the park remains the height of summer's social calendar -- sensible flat sandals are now more pervasive than ever."
• Microsoft Flight Simulator: The entire world in a game - "Microsoft has revived its Flight Simulator series after more than a decade, promising gamers a replica of the entire globe to play on. It does so using new AI-driven technology - one that needs a constant fast internet connection to work at its best."
• Why This Electric Rolls-Royce Phantom V By Lunaz Is The New Age Of Post-Opulence Luxury - "This is the world’s first electric classic Rolls-Royce. The work of Lunaz, it is the first car in a series of lovingly restored and re-engineered zero-emission classic Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to include the Phantom V and Silver Cloud - the 1961 Phantom V being the model favored by John Lennon. Only 30 of these collectable cars will be commissioned and hand-built at the Silverstone site in the UK."
• The World’s Best Tequila - According To The International Spirits Challenge - "Earlier this year the International Spirits Challenge convened for its annual evaluation of all things alcohol. Over the past 25 years, the British-based competition has emerged as one of the preeminent judgings in the world of liquor. Today we turn our attention towards tequila. Among hundreds of entries in that particular category, one brand dominated: El Tesoro."
• The 5G BlackBerry could be 'the most American-made phone out there' - "OnwardMobility wants its first phone to be a super-secure 'global flagship.'"
• WHAT WE LISTEN TO WHILE WORKING FROM HOME - "The Verge’s favorite audio picks, from hip-hop to podcasts to game soundtracks."
• How a designer used AI & Photoshop to bring ancient Roman emperors back to life - "Transforming statues into photorealistic faces with AI."

August 21, 2020

• As-it-happened: Biden vows to end 'season of darkness' - "Joe Biden sets out his vision for the US presidency, and vows to overturn the Trump legacy he calls a 'season of darkness'."
• These variables affect whether you live, die or get help during the pandemic - "As the US continues to grapple with the dual crises of coronavirus and racism, two things have become clear: People of color are being hit hardest by the virus, and systemic inequities are largely to blame."
• Covid-19: Has handwashing been forgotten? - "Amid lockdowns, mask-wearing and social distancing, handwashing’s part to play in the fight against Covid-19 is easily forgotten."
• Scientists say they've figured the odds of catching Covid on a plane - "The odds of catching Covid-19 on an airplane are slimmer than you think, scientists say."
• How the Postal Service Became Donald Trump's for the Taking - TIME Magazine.
• Steve Bannon: rise and fall of Trump aide who preached 'American carnage' - "Bannon, who dreamed of a global populist network, claimed credit for Trump’s 2016 victory but didn’t last long in the White House."
• Scientists have more historically bad news about Greenland - "Greenland's ice sheet melted faster than ever before in 2019, study says. That's worrying news for coastal cities."
• Why we look to nature in uncertain times - "Covid-19 has left many of us planting, baking and appreciating nature, just as periods of upheaval inspired our ancestors to look towards simpler ways of life."
• The Danish Fashion House Behind the New Power Dress - "How The Danish Fashion House Nynne Is Creating The ‘Power Dress’ For Women."
• The BlackBerry is coming back - "BlackBerry has been left for dead countless times over the past decade, but it refuses to go away. Two years after the last (we thought) BlackBerry phone, the BlackBerry logo will appear once again on a smartphone, complete with its famous, honest-to-goodness, physical QWERTY keyboard."
• Exclusive Look Inside Giorgio Armani’s Caribbean Villa On Antigua - "The 86 year old Italian billionaire loves sunshine, and among the numerous properties he owns, all are located in the most beautiful spots around the world. From a seaside home in Pantelleria, a modest country house in Saint-Tropez, an old farmhouse on the Versilia coast in Tuscany, and a dramatic 213-foot superyacht called MAIN, the perpetually tanned designer surrounds himself with the very best life has to offer."
• Dubai's most spectacular experiences - "Here, we take a look at some of the most extravagant VIP experiences on offer in Dubai."
• world's largest painting is being made in a Dubai hotel ballroom by this artist - "Artist behind world's largest painting hopes to raise $30M for charity. A British artist has taken over the ballroom of a luxury hotel in Dubai to produce the largest painting ever created on canvas."
• Two gold nuggets worth $350,000 found in Australia - "Two gold nuggets worth around A$350,000 (US$250,000) have been discovered by a pair of diggers in southern Australia."
• Adobe accidentally deleted people’s photos in latest Lightroom update - "Pictures and presets are gone for good."
• Mads Mikkelsen's fantasy festival: the guests are kidnapped & Hannibal Lecter does the catering - "The actor, who is receiving the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo at this year’s virtual Sarajevo film festival, takes inspiration from his filmography for his own imaginary programme."
• Surge in passport sales delivers Vanuatu a record budget surplus - "Economy devastated by Covid shutdowns and a destructive cyclone, but citizenships-for-sale are keeping the country afloat. Vanuatu citizenship costs US$130,000."
• Burberry launches £90 coronavirus face mask - "Designer face covering is available in brand’s signature beige check as well as pale blue."

August 20, 2020

• Obama & Trump rip into each other's record - "Barack Obama accused Donald Trump of treating the US presidency like 'one more reality show', in a withering speech to the Democratic convention."
• Bychari vote necklace - "Michelle Obama donned this piece at the 2020 Democratic National Convention, encouraging people to do just that: have a say and vote."
• The White House has stopped even pretending Trump won't contest the election results - "'If Trump loses, don't expect him to concede or admit he lost.'"
• Most Americans embarrassed by US response to coronavirus - "Nearly 7 in 10 Americans say the US response to the coronavirus outbreak makes them feel embarrassed, according to a new CNN Poll conducted by SSRS, as 62% of the public says President Donald Trump could be doing more to fight the outbreak."
• Sweden records highest death tally in 150 years in first half of 2020 - "Covid-19 caused about 4,500 deaths in six months to end of June as Sweden opted against strict lockdown."
• How to make drugs for viruses that don’t exist yet - "There will be another coronavirus."
• Masks blunt the spread of coronavirus - but not all are created equal - "Published findings on effectiveness of 14 different face-coverings spark debate over bandannas and neck gaiters."
• Is anyone safe from Covid-19? This is what we know so far about immunity - "The good news is that our natural defences can eliminate the virus and scientists are making progress with antiviral therapies."
• Scared of going back to the office? Companies hope these apps will help - "Bringing tens of thousands of employees back to the office during a pandemic is a huge task. Siemens, the 173-year-old German industrial giant, thinks an app can help."
• Apple helped the US government build a 'top secret' iPod, former engineer says - "David Shayer was sitting at his desk in 2005 when his boss's boss at Apple (AAPL) asked him to take on a 'special assignment' for the company: help the US Department of Energy build a 'top secret' iPod."
• The king, his lover - and the elephant in the palace - "In early August, Spain's former King Juan Carlos left the country following allegations of financial wrongdoing. But the country's affection for its monarch began to unravel as far back as 2012, following an ill-fated elephant hunt. With the king on that safari was his former lover Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. She talks exclusively to the BBC about a multi-million euro gift from Juan Carlos, her claims of harassment by Spain's secret service - and that elephant."
• This Could Be The Best New Bourbon Release Of 2020 - "On Wednesday, September 2nd, Old Forester will release its annual bourbon release commemorating the birthday of company founder George Garvin Brown. This will mark the 20th iteration in the series, aptly titled Birthday Bourbon. And this one is particularly auspicious - lined up with the 150th anniversary of the brand. Perhaps why this particular offering is so sensational."
• Lucid claims to have created the fastest charging EV to date - "It can reportedly add 20 miles of range per minute or 900 miles an hour."
• Porsche adds Plug & Charge to the 2021 Taycan - "And a few more subscription add-ons available as software updates."
• Boeing publicises new name for 737 Max planes after crashes - "Statement unveiling new order from Polish airline calls it a 737-8 aircraft first, before noting it is a Max jet."
• Celebrity cat called Mittens in the running to be New Zealander of the year - "Also making the cut are PM Jacinda Ardern and the director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield."
• Elon Musk becomes world's fourth richest man on Tesla boom - "Inventor now worth $90bn, trailing Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos."
• Google Maps gets worldwide visual overhaul - "Updated version promises ‘more vibrant’ representation of natural features and built environment. Google Maps is getting a visual overhaul worldwide, finally letting users distinguish forest from floodplain, and desert from snowfield, at a glance."
• How to make vanilla ice-cream - recipe - "Vanilla ice-cream is easy to make, especially with an ice-cream maker. Get churning!"
• Sonos Arc review: this soundbar sounds simply fantastic - "Dolby Atmos-enabled wifi smart speaker is brilliant one-box audio upgrade for TV and music, but think twice if using Sky, Virgin or similar."

August 19, 2020

• Apple becomes first US company to be worth $2 trillion - "Apple shares have gained nearly 60% this year as the company overcame the shutdown of factories in China that produce the iPhone and the closure of its retail sales amid the coronavirus pandemic."
• Global cases pass 22 million & Wall Street's S&P500 hits record high - The Guardian.
• Watch: A New York City Doctor Warns of COVID-19's Long-Term Effects - "Most people who are infected with COVID-19 ultimately survive. But for many patients, that may mean living with life-altering symptoms that linger - or become permanent."
• Some Coronavirus Patients Are Reporting Symptoms That Last Months. Nobody Knows Exactly How to Treat Them - "This is 'long-haul' COVID-19. Even young, healthy people can become long-haulers (as many call themselves), left unable to work, lead a normal life or, some days, get out of bed. The consequences for each individual can be devastating - and at scale, they’re staggering. Over time, long-haul coronavirus may force hundreds of thousands of people out of work and into doctor’s offices, shouldering the double burden of lost wages and hefty medical bills for the indeterminate future. To treat them, the health care system may have to stretch already-thin resources to the breaking point."
• World's first Covid-19 ground zero hosts massive water park party - "Wuhan hosts massive water park party as coronavirus concerns recede. It was ground zero in the coronavirus pandemic and underwent the world's first -- and arguably strictest -- lockdown."
• Trump gives nod to Oracle buyout of TikTok in US - "US President Donald Trump has said tech giant Oracle would be 'a great company' to take over TikTok's US operations."
• Chain reaction: Michelle Obama’s 'vote' necklace goes viral - "Former first lady shows support for Democrats and little-known African American jeweller."
• Paris Hilton says it's 'hard' for her to be normal in new documentary - "According to Paris Hilton, she's been playing Paris Hilton all of these years. One of the first celebs to become famous for being famous, Hilton is sharing her story in a new documentary titled 'This Is Paris.'"
• Honey better treatment for coughs & colds than antibiotics, study claims - "Research suggests honey also more effective than many over-the-counter medicines."
• the city banning 'smartphone-walking' - "Can a ban on ‘smartphone-walking’ work if no penalties are attached? Officials in Japan’s Yamato City are optimistic."
• Amsterdam has been collapsing for years. Now it's paying the price - "Cracks and sinkholes are appearing alongside the waterways of Amsterdam."
• 5 Cheapest Places To Move If You Want To Leave The U.S. - "As the coronavirus pandemic continues to take its toll and the political situation heats up, many Americans are thinking about bolting and leaving the U.S. International Living, a website that shows how you can live, retire and invest overseas, says that interest in leaving America has been soaring - with traffic up 945% from May to early August on its 'How to Move Out of the US' page."
• Why record-breaking drives could change golf as we know it - "When Bryson DeChambeau, who had put on 40 pounds during lockdown as the PGA Tour suspended play from mid-March to mid-June, stepped onto the first tee at Muirfield Village last month at the Memorial Tournament, everyone was anticipating fireworks. Commentators concurred they'd never seen anything like it, as the American's drive easily flew over bunkers 330 yards away and finished 423 yards from the tee on the 473-yard par four."
• Apple iPhone & Samsung Galaxy Beaten By Radical New Smartphone - "Last week Chinese manufacturer, ZTE, announced plans to produce the first smartphone with an under-screen selfie camera. Now we know that the new device, called the ZTE Axon 20 5G, is due to launch on September 1, significantly ahead of any competing manufacturer."
• This Is The Design Story Behind DBX, Aston Martin’s First Luxury SUV - "The DBX is a critical car for Aston Martin since it marks a new adventure into the ever-popular SUV market. It is also part of the company’s 'seven cars in seven years' business strategy which will include the evolution of Lagonda as an all-electric ultra-luxury brand."
• Netflix is testing a ‘Shuffle’ button, because you’re tired of picking what to watch - "One variant is called Shuffle Play, and you might already see it."
• Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra review: Unabashedly over the top - "It's only worth it if you need the best of the best... and an S Pen."
• Hisense's $4,000 laser projector comes with a 100-inch screen - "It has Android TV built in and supports HDR10 and HLG."
• Instagram's new QR codes are a shortcut directly to your profile - "People can use any camera app to scan the QR code and find your Instagram page."

August 18, 2020

• Hottest temperature on Earth recorded - "Death Valley just recorded the hottest temperature on Earth."
• How heat waveswarp your mind - "Warm weather can leave many of us dreaming of ice cream, sunbathing and beaches, but the Sun can also make us violent, grumpy and depressed. Why?"
• If Trump loses and won't leave, it could get ugly - "President Donald Trump talks a lot about staying in office longer than the two-term, eight-year limit allowed by the Constitution. People may assume he's joking -- just needling his enemies. He couldn't possibly be serious, could he?"
• Struggling to Focus? How to Improve Your Attention Span When 'the World Is Sick' - "If your mind wanders off before you finish reading this sentence, you’re not alone. Months into the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are still learning to live with an ambient thrum of stress, anxiety, fear, grief and anger. For many people - especially those recovering from the virus or juggling work and child care - brain fog and inattention have been collateral damage."
• alarm over Covid case rates in 19 European countries - "Countries cross threshold for cumulative 14-day totals, with Spain particularly worrying."
• Immunity studies provide a 'a bit of blue sky' about protection from Covid-19, experts say - "A recent batch of studies, many early stage and not yet peer reviewed, show that humans have a 'robust' immune response to Covid-19 that may protect them from further infection, even if they had mild symptoms. How long that protection lasts is still unclear, but the studies indicate it could last for months."
• Sweden's Covid-19 strategist under fire over herd immunity emails - "Anders Tegnell appears to have asked if higher death rate for older people might be acceptable."
• Why you need an alter ego - "The ‘Batman Effect’: How having an alter ego empowers you."
• Glennon Doyle: how the author & love warrior changed Adele's life - "The singer has credited Doyle’s latest bestselling self-help memoir, Untamed, with transforming her sense of self. And Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon are similarly impressed."
• Untamed by Glennon Doyle - at Amazon.com. #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "Packed with incredible insight about what it means to be a woman today." - Reese Witherspoon (Reese’s Book Club x Hello Sunshine Book Pick).
• The Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2020 - "Highest-Paid Female Athletes 2020: 50 Years After Creation Of Women’s Tour, Tennis Dominates Earnings List."
• How Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 Beats Apple Watch With 1 Key Feature Right Now - "Samsung’s latest smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch3, is a handsome and well-crafted wearable. And it has one health-related feature that is incredibly timely and puts it ahead of its Apple rival."
• Ellen DeGeneres show staff fired over allegations - "Three top producers of the Ellen DeGeneres Show have been fired amid allegations of misconduct and sexual harassment."
• From farm to factory: the unstoppable rise of American chicken - "How industrial chicken farming transformed an ‘alternative’ meat to the most consumed meat in the US."
• Edward Snowden has taken $1.2m in speaking fees in exile, US filing says - "US trying to strip whistleblower of profits earned since leaks. Government says speaking fees cover 67 engagements."
• Juan Carlos, Spain's disgraced former king, confirmed to be in UAE - "Announcement by royal household ends guessing game about his whereabouts."
• Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar review: the solar-powered super watch - "An everyday smart sports watch that goes anywhere and tracks everything while lasting a week and charging from the sun."
• Loo with a view: transparent public toilets installed in Tokyo parks - "Amenities designed so prospective users can inspect their cleanliness from the outside."

August 17, 2020

• Island nations have the edge in keeping Covid away – or most do - "Nations from New Zealand to Cuba closed borders promptly with strict quarantine rules, but the UK won’t admit its ‘serious mistake’."
• Trump's knee-jerk reaction to TikTok - "TikTok and WeChat may raise security concerns, but Trump's knee-jerk reaction isn't the way to deal with them."
• Ruby Wax: ‘I felt I had no community - so I started one’ - "Frazzled Cafe aims to help those who feel overwhelmed. Since moving to Zoom, we’ve been flooded with people who want to talk."
• Prince Harry & Meghan Markle Cut A Great $14.7 Million Deal On Sergey Grishin’s Montecito Estate - "In the number of luxe abodes that they have inhabited and summarily abandoned - four, to date - the last 36 months have been eventful ones for the world's most celebrated self-de-royalized couple, but then again, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are nothing if not agile when it comes to fleeing whatever situation does not strike their fancy. Clearly, also, their purchase of the highly contested Russian oligarch Sergey Grishin's former 7.4-acre, 9-bed, 16-bath Montecito estate for $14.7 million in early July is an admirable attempt at putting down roots in Southern California. The buyers got a lot of bang for their buck, by California standards."
• Buckingham Palace art collection to go on gallery display for the first time - "Masterpieces by Rembrandt, Van Dyck and Canaletto to be shown at Queen’s Gallery while palace is renovated."
• Death Valley reaches 130 degrees, hottest temperature in U.S. in at least 107 years - "On Sunday, the thermometer at Death Valley's Furnace Creek, located in the deserts of Southern California, soared to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NOAA's Weather Prediction Center. If verified, it would be the hottest temperature recorded in the U.S. since 1913, and perhaps the hottest temperature ever reliably recorded in the world."
• Yvel to present the world’s most valuable COVID19 protective face mask - "Yvel is currently working on a COVID19 protective mask, ordered by one of its inveterate customers: a Chinese billionaire from Shanghai. The mask provides the highest level of filtration (N-99) and meets the most stringent standards, and is slightly different from the other masks available on the market: it is the most expensive mask in the world, valued at $ 1,500,000."

August 16, 2020

• New daily infection record reported by WHO - "The WHO says 294,237 cases have been recorded in 24 hours."
• Why the U.S. Is Losing the War on COVID-19 - "It is a frightening time to live in the United States. COVID-19, a novel disease as ruthless as it is seemingly random, is picking us off by the thousands; even many of those who 'recover' may never truly be the same again. The pandemic has exposed the gulf between what this country promises for its citizens and what it actually delivers. And as the U.S. barrels toward Election Day, the outbreak is sure to complicate the voting process, with potentially disastrous results."
• Do TikTok & WeChat pose real threats to national security? - "President Donald Trump made good on his threat to crack down on two popular Chinese-owned social media apps -- TikTok & WeChat -- on grounds of national security, issuing executive orders that would ban the apps in 45 days if they are not sold by their parent companies."
• How QAnon went mainstream - "QAnon has flourished on social media. The coronavirus only accelerated its rise."
• Making billions v making ends meet: how the pandemic has split the US economy in two - "US billionaires’ wealth is soaring while millions remain unemployed, creating a country with two economies and increased inequality."
• Naomi Campbell: ‘It’s time to reset’ - "The world’s greatest supermodel has been a fearless champion of diversity in fashion for decades. Now she’s relishing a moment of change."
• Galaxy Watch 3 review: The best non-Apple smartwatch - "Samsung’s Tizen OS continues to shine."
• My father, Picasso: secret daughter tells of posing in pink bootees - "A book of family memories paints the artist as doting dad, rather than the callous, ageing womaniser depicted by others."
• iOS 14: This Hidden New Feature Is A Momentous Leap For iPhone Privacy - "Apple iOS 14 comes with a cool but hidden feature that could be a game-changer for iPhone user privacy."
• Facebook algorithm found to 'actively promote' Holocaust denial - "Similar content is also readily accessible across Twitter, YouTube and Reddit, says UK-based counter-extremist group."

August 15, 2020

• Are you immune to Covid-19 for three months after recovering? It's not clear - "It's the question everyone wants answered: How long are we protected from catching Covid-19 after we've recovered from the novel coronavirus -- and what does that really mean?"
• The Best Places To Retire In 2020 - "Forbes compared more than 750 locales in America, measuring everything from housing costs and taxes to healthcare and air quality. These are the top 25 cities for retirees."
• Donald Trump: 'Good Idea' to Add Me to Mount Rushmore - "New York Times: White House reached out to South Dakota governor about adding Trump to Mount Rushmore."
• US election 2020: A really simple guide - "The president of the United States of America has a huge influence on how the world responds to international crises, such as wars, global pandemics and climate change."
• US 2020: Postal service warns of delays in mail-in vote count - "The US Postal Service (USPS) has warned that millions of mail-in votes may not arrive in time to be counted on the presidential election day, 3 November."
• Why We Buy In to the Big Business of Sleep - TIME Magazine.
• Greenland's ice sheet has melted to a point of no return, according to new study - "Greenland's ice sheet has melted to a point of no return, and efforts to slow global warming will not stop it from disintegrating. That's according to a new study by researchers at Ohio State University."
• Top 10 Yachts Scheduled To Be At The Upcoming 2020 Cannes Yachting Festival - "When it comes to international yacht shows (or any other large gathering), it’s almost impossible to say anything will happen “for sure.” But according to the latest reports, the Cannes Yachting Festival is scheduled to go on as planned—with significant safety protocols in place—from September 8th through the 13th on the Côte d’Azur."

August 14, 2020

• Inside the multibillion dollar race for a Covid-19 vaccine - "Researchers across the globe are gunning for a breakthrough. But saving the world from a pandemic is far from simple."
• 'No way in hell': US rejects Russia offers to help with vaccine - "Russia offers to help US with Covid-19 vaccine; US says no."
• Why you shouldn't be worried about getting the coronavirus from food - "Health experts say there's no evidence the coronavirus can be transmitted through food."
• The U.S. Can Only Defeat COVID-19 Through Global Solidarity - "In the beginning, COVID-19 was often touted as a great equalizer – a pathogen that knew no race, class, creed or color. But no sooner had the pandemic escalated across the world, than a clear picture emerged of how the virus exploits inequality. In the U.S. the virus has taken a disproportionate toll on communities of color."
• Face mask fights erupt on packed airplanes - "Is Covid-19 making airplane passengers more unruly?"
• IMF COVID-19 ANTI-CORRUPTION TRACKER - "In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is providing funds to support countries with their economic recovery. Yet, countries will not succeed in their recovery efforts, if they don’t also tackle corruption. We’ve analyzed all countries currently receiving COVID-19 financial assistance and debt relief from the IMF to see which funds include specific anti-corruption measures and which don’t."
• Trump's quest for 'perfect' hair starts with the shower - "Last week, the President of the United States again lamented one of his most commonly referenced beefs. No, it wasn't about the coronavirus, nor millions of out of work Americans, not even Joe Biden. 'You turn on the shower -- if you're like me, you can't wash your beautiful hair properly,' said President Donald Trump at an Ohio Whirlpool manufacturing plant visit. ''Please come out,' The water -- it drips, right?'"
• 'Soulmates': Michael Cohen describes his life as Trump's fixer in new book - "Book by president’s former lawyer will be released in September after justice department gag order to stop publication was dropped."
• The Swedish staycation obsession - "Swedes have long embraced their version of staycations: hemester. Now, Covid-19 travel restrictions and remote working are reshaping the tradition."
• The bank robbery that gave the world Stockholm syndrome - "A 1973 Bank Robbery Gave the World ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ - But There’s More to the Story Than That."
• What the Freemasons Taught the World About the Power of Secrecy - "Freemasonry is the world’s most famous secret society. Its secrecy, indeed, made it into one of history’s most contagious ideas—and thus its history offers a striking lesson in the power of mystery."
• Michelle Obama opens up about menopause - "'We’re living like it’s not happening'. The former first lady used her podcast to also draw attention to other issues affecting women such as weight, ageing and image."
• The hidden health cost of medical waste - "Cutting emissions and reliance on one-time-use plastics could help global healthcare systems save many more lives."
• Apple just kicked Fortnite off the App Store - "Apple says Epic is violating its App Store guidelines by using its own payment system."
• Fortnite maker sues Apple over removal of popular video game from App Store - "Removal came after Fortnite circumvented Apple’s in-app payments, encouraging users to pay gaming company directly."
• BIG AIRLINES ARE HOARDING CASH TO SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC - "‘Cash, cash, cash, cash, cash.’."
• Beirut explosion devastates Sursock Palace and Museum - in pictures - "Among the many homes and buildings damaged by the Beirut explosion were the Sursock Palace and Museum. The 19th-century palace was once one of Beirut’s grandest town houses, and the mansion housing the museum was left to the city of Beirut in 1952."
• Global cruises are still on hold because of Covid-19. In the Mediterranean, they're back - "On August 16, one of the most common sights on the Mediterranean Sea will return once again: cruise ships."
• Michael Jordan: Rare trainers fetch $615,000 at auction - "The Nike Air Jordan 1 High sneakers, described as the 'rarest of the rare', were used by the Chicago Bulls star in an exhibition game in 1985. In total, Christies sold nine pairs of Jordan's shoes to celebrate his 14-year career with the team. There is a big market for rare trainers and collectors can pay high prices."
• John McAfee claims he's been arrested in Norway for wearing a lacy THONG on his face instead of a mask - "John McAfee took to Twitter on Monday and reported that he'd been detained by Norwegian authorities who weren't impressed by his thong mask. 'I am insisting it is the safest available and I'm refusing to wear anything else - for my health's sake,' McAfee declared. However he later followed it up saying it was a prank and he was actually in Germany not Norway when it happened and has now gone to Belarus."
• Kim Basinger’s “L.A. Confidential” Home! - "A part of Hollywood film history, the L.A. Confidential movie home for Academy Award-winner Kim Basinger in her role as high-class, call-girl Lynn Bracken is for sale. Considered by many movie critics as the best Los Angeles crime movie ever made, the home was chosen for its classic Old World Spanish style that is as popular today as it was in the late 1940s era when the movie was set. Now after almost two years of new updating and expansion, it is for sale priced at $7.495 million."

August 13, 2020

• The deadliest numerical error of 2020 - "Exponential growth bias: The numerical error behind Covid-19. A simple and widespread type of mathematical blindness may explain why many people underestimate Covid-19's transmission rate, and shun social distancing, masks and hand-washing."
• 'They've jumped the gun': scientists worry about Russia's Covid-19 vaccine - "Rising chorus of concern over Sputnik V vaccine stems from opaque development and lack of mass testing."
• Falling Coronavirus Testing Numbers Obscures the Reality of the U.S. Pandemic - "July was devastating in the U.S. After the country had appeared to flatten the curve in late spring, daily new cases of COVID-19 skyrocketed as the season turned, peaking at 20.5 per 100,000 people on July 18, according to data gathered by Johns Hopkins University (JHU)."
• Why Some People Are Waiting Weeks for Their COVID-19 Test Results - "As the United States struggles to control the COVID-19 pandemic, people across the country are using Twitter to announce the arrival of their virus test results. The point of these tweets is not just to broadcast the result itself, but to point out the absurdity of receiving a result so stale that it’s almost completely useless from a public health standpoint."
• What the scarf-mask tells us about fashion in the new normal - "As seen on everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Amber Heard, this aesthetic and virus-preventing statement is a win-win."
• Scientists Are Learning to Read - & Change - Your Nightmares - "It would be nicer for all of us if nightmares didn’t exist in the first place, but it’s hardly surprising that they do. If the sleeping brain is forever screening the sometimes absurdist movies that are our dreams, it’s no surprise that now and then it would choose a horror film. But there are open questions: why you have one on one night and not another; why some people suffer from them more than others; what the specific content of the bad dreams signifies."
• Millions of Americans Have Lost Jobs in the Pandemic - And Robots and AI Are Replacing Them Faster Than Ever - "Machines have made jobs obsolete for centuries. The spinning jenny replaced weavers, buttons displaced elevator operators, and the Internet drove travel agencies out of business. One study estimates that about 400,000 jobs were lost to automation in U.S. factories from 1990 to 2007. But the drive to replace humans with machinery is accelerating as companies struggle to avoid workplace infections of COVID-19 and to keep operating costs low. The U.S. shed around 40 million jobs at the peak of the pandemic, and while some have come back, some will never return. One group of economists estimates that 42% of the jobs lost are gone forever."
• iOS update arrives to fix 'green tint' iPhone 11 issue - "Version 13.6.1 also fixes an issue with the Exposure Notification system."
• Microsoft's new phone is ... $1,400? Why? - "First, it's a dual-screen device. Microsoft described the phone as 'a major new form factor,' in a blog post. It is essentially a folding tablet, which is also a phone. Each of the Surface Duo's two screens are 5.6-inch displays that combine into a tablet-like 8.1-inch display when unfolded. It has a single camera that supports recording 4K video. So if the phone is really an iPad mini that folds ... and is also a phone ... now we're getting into $1,400 territory."
• Android-plus-Windows could be just what dual-screen devices need - "The Surface Duo sees Microsoft and Google join forces to tackle a years-long software challenge."
• Looted landmarks: how Notre-Dame, Big Ben & St Mark's were stolen from the east - "They are beacons of western civilisation. But, says an explosive new book, the designs of Europe’s greatest buildings were plundered from the Islamic world - twin towers, rose windows, vaulted ceilings and all."
• US proposes change to shower rules after Trump's hair-washing moan - "‘My hair ... I don’t know about you, but it has to be perfect’. The Trump administration proposed rule changes that would allow shower heads to boost water pressure, after Donald Trump repeatedly complained that bathroom fixtures do not work to his liking."
• how ‘flattering’ became fashion’s ultimate F-word - "Every season comes with an ostensibly complimentary shorthand. But the one that has outlived them all is probably the most problematic."
• 'Operation empty plate': Xi Jinping makes food waste his next target - "Restaurant diners told to order one dish fewer than number of people under new system criticised as overly controlling."
• The History of Ponzi Schemes Goes Deeper Than the Man Who Gave Them His Name - "A common theme among Ponzi scheme victims is 'irrational exuberance,' a term popularized by former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan whereby people observe others making great profits from investments and determine that this means the investments are safe—even if there are no underlying reasons to support those conclusions. Irrational exuberance is nothing new and certainly was applicable as far back as during the tulipmania of the 1600s in the Netherlands, when speculation in investments in tulip bulbs led to a dramatic market crash in 1637."
• Japan's first-ever hotel in a wooden castle breathes new life into fading rural town - "A new Japanese hotel is offering travelers a first-of-its-kind experience -- to live like a medieval lord in a real castle keep."

August 12, 2020

• 34 wildest lines from Donald Trump's wildly inaccurate coronavirus press conference - "Late Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump took to the podium in the White House briefing room to give one of his semi-regular updates on the fight against coronavirus. And even by the remarkably low standard for truth that he has set in office, it was a doozy."
• Putin attempts to turn Covid-19 vaccine into new Cold War - "Russia claims a win in the vaccine race. But would you take a vaccine from Vladimir Putin?"
• Why Bill Gates thinks US testing system is not improving - "Microsoft founder Bill Gates discusses why the US is still struggling to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Two of the main issues, he says, are a failure to shut down and a lag in testing capabilities."
• A circus with no applause: how coronavirus changed the world - in pictures - "From empty plazas to people singing opera on their doorsteps, this year’s Cortona on the Move international festival aims to provide a photographic archive of the pandemic."
• The Highest-Paid Actors Of 2020 - "Netflix Helped Boost Earnings For Everyone From The Rock To Adam Sandler."
• Red Bull heir, a crashed car & the scandal that angered Thailand - "Before dawn on September 3, 2012, a roaring black Ferrari struck a police motorcycle in downtown Bangkok, knocking the officer to the ground and dragging his body down the darkened street before speeding away."
• The pandemic is helping the rich get even richer. It's time to tax their obscene wealth - "Bernie Sanders: Inequality is becoming worse as tens of millions of Americans face unemployment, loss of healthcare, evictions and hunger."
• Here's why you shouldn't cancel winter travel plans yet - "Is winter holiday travel canceled? Not quite."
• Wear A Custom Porsche On Your Wrist - "Starting on September 1, 2020, United States buyers will be able to use the Porsche Design website to configure and order custom wristwatches. The new watch configurator is based on the Porsche car configurator, and will be capable of creating approximately 1.5 million unique designs."
• Facebook & other tech giants 'too big to fail' - "Researchers call for new regulations to protect users, and society, in case of collapse."
• How to get rid of that irritating Meet tab in Gmail for Android & iOS - "Reclaim your email space."
• Disney just ended the 20th Century Fox brand, one of the most storied names in entertainment - "Disney (DIS) announced on Monday it would be rebranding one of its TV studios, 20th Century Fox Television, as 20th Television. The new name cuts both the 'Century' and the 'Fox' from the studio's name."
• Why France's champagne buble has burst - "France's champagne industry goes flat amid pandemic. It's been an exceptional year in Champagne."
• The world's growing concrete coasts - "The world’s coastlines are turning to concrete, at a huge cost to wildlife and the climate. But new technologies may offer a way to shore up coasts while benefiting biodiversity."
• 7 Maldives Getaways To Plan Right Now - "The remoteness of the Maldives makes it a prime destination for a socially distanced vacation. The country’s 1,192 islands stretch across more than 540 miles, and the many private island hotels are so spacious that you won’t have to worry about anyone encroaching on you at the beach."
• Xiaomi’s see-through OLED TV is a transparent attempt at attention, and it’s working - "This $7,200 TV is releasing in China as part of Xiaomi’s 10-year anniversary."

August 11, 2020

• Putin claims victory in vaccine race despite safety concerns - "Russia has officially registered a Covid-19 vaccine developed by the Moscow-based Gamaleya Institute."
• Putin says Russia’s Health Ministry has approved world’s FIRST Covid-19 vaccine - his own daughter has been vaccinated - "Vladimir Putin announced on Tuesday morning that Russia has registered the world's first vaccine against coronavirus. He says the vaccine is effective in forming immunity against the deadly pathogen which has spread globally."
• coronavirus cases pass 20m as WHO points to 'green shoots of hope' - "US considers blocking infected citizens returning; Australian outbreak trends down; Singapore economy plunges 43%."
• WHite House considers barring some US citizens from entering country - "Citing coronavirus, Trump administration weighs more restrictions on the US-Mexico border that could include citizens."
• Tech Companies Are Transforming People’s Bedrooms Into ‘Virtual Hospitals.’ Will It Last Post-COVID? - TIME Magazine.
• Covid-19 misinformation is spreading in 25 different languages, leading to deaths and injuries, study finds - "Covid-19 rumors, stigma and conspiracy theories have been circulating in 25 different languages across at least 87 countries -- including the United States -- and this spread of misinformation has led to deaths and injuries, according to a new study."
• Coronavirus: Does your mask need an upgrade? - "French designer Anne Sophie Cochevelou has been designing extravagant face coverings from her London home since lockdown, adorning them with anything she can find, from Barbies to Pokemon toys."
• Pacific states face instability, hunger & slow road to Covid recovery: Dame Meg Taylor - "While the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic has so far spared the Pacific, its economies are in free-fall, the region’s chief diplomat warns."
• The big legal questions behind Trump’s TikTok & WeChat bans - "A symbolic gesture that could still cause real problems."
• Will Richard Branson ever be Richard Branson again? - "Richard Branson loves a challenge. The Virgin Group founder has built a reputation, and his more than $4 billion fortune, on the back of his willingness to take bold risks and venture into new areas of business."
• Are recessions always a bad thing? - "Is there such a thing as a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ recession? How can the economic outlook appear so bleak, while economists remain upbeat? Not all recessions affect people equally."
• How Louis Theroux’s power nap plan could transform our working lives - "The documentary maker says his utopian society would include sleep booths at the office. Turns out many companies have already installed them."
• Love you to death: how we hurt the animals we cherish - "Something has gone badly wrong with the way we keep pets. Our casual cruelties are a symptom of our unhealthy relationship with other species."
• Australia's oldest micronation, Hutt River is no more thanks to Covid-19 - "The 50-year reign of an Australia-based micronation formed by a 'prince' has come to an end. Hutt River, a self-declared principality, issued its own passports and once even declared war on Australia. In recent years, however, it's been known as a quirky tourist attraction."
• Elon Musk Beats Jeff Bezos To U.S. Air Force Contract As Billionaire Space Race Blasts Off - "Elon Musk’s SpaceX has scored an early win in the billionaire race to space after the U.S. Air Force announced his Falcon rockets as one of two winners of a multibillion-dollar competition to replace Russian rocket technology."
• Tim Cook is now a billionaire, but not the Jeff Bezos kind - "Unlike others in the three comma club, Cook isn’t his company’s founder."
• Is This The Best Bourbon You’ve Never Heard Of? - "One that many stateside drinkers of bourbon and rye might have never even heard of, let alone sampled: Blinking Owl, out of Orange County, California."
• First Look Inside Australia’s Outrageous New Race Car Country Club - "A one-of-a-kind country club that features a Formula One-inspired driving circuit, the only Crystal Lagoons in Australia, and a first-class sports academy for golf, tennis, racing, and basketball will open in 2022 in Perth."
• E Ink demos a folding e-reader that can also take notes - "Like a regular notebook, but make it digital."
• Sean Connery voted best Bond, with Timothy Dalton & Pierce Brosnan runners up - "Roger Moore, Daniel Craig and George Lazenby sidelined in Radio Times poll asking readers to name best portrayal of 007."

August 10, 2020

• Covid cases worldwide near 20 million - "Cases in Britain rise over 1,000 a day for first time since June; one in every 65 Americans has tested positive; US health secretary praises Taiwan."
• Is the world winning the pandemic fight? - "It is little more than six months since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the arrival of a new virus a global emergency."
• Why people are giving up their US citizenship - "A record number of people are giving up their US citizenship, according to new research. Here's why. More than 5,800 Americans gave up their citizenship in the first six months of 2020 compared to 2,072 in 2019."
• Why You Should Stop Sending SMS Messages - Even On Apple iMessage - "Last month, I advised users to stop using Facebook Messenger and switch to its stablemate WhatsApp. The reason is simple - security. This led to people asking me about Apple iMessage and SMS - including Google Messages, and whether these are secure to use. The answer is not as simple as you might like."
• Twitter 'looking' at a possible TikTok tie-up - "Twitter has approached TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to express an interest in buying its US operations, according to sources."
• More than an app: Trump's WeChat ban shocks Chinese abroad - "For the global Chinese community, WeChat is more than a chat app: it is often the primary means of staying in touch with friends and family back home."
• Apple’s Chinese business could be devastated by Trump’s WeChat ban - "Trump’s ban could have far-reaching consequences for Apple."
• TikTok’s 7 Highest-Earning Stars - "Meet the social media celebrities who each earned more than $1 million posting short videos on the app that President Trump loves to hate."
• When productivity becomes an addiction - "'Productivity’ has become a buzzword with positive connotations - but what happens when getting things done is taken to an extreme?"
• Dr. Deborah Birx: voice of scientific reason or apologist for Trump? - "The coordinator of the White House coronavirus taskforce built her reputation fighting Aids but is she compromising it by indulging the president’s whims?"
• The mystery of Dr. Birx - "As the Covid-19 debacle continues to worsen, Dr. Deborah Birx, who entered the scene in March as Corona Task Force Chair Vice President Mike Pence's 'right arm,' has emerged as a new person to blame."
• Duchess of Cambridge floral mask prompts face covering to sell out - "Kate’s first official outing in Amaia mask leads to spike in ‘ditsy print’ searches."
• Individual Circadian Clocks Might Be the Next Frontier of Personalized Medicine - "Although the federal government recommends that Americans sleep seven or more hours per night for optimal health and functioning, new research is challenging the assumption that sleep is a one-size-fits-all phenomenon."
• 'Music is as good as gold or oil': meet the man spending billions on old hits - "Former Elton John and Beyoncé manager Merck Mercuriadis on championing artists and his business buying over 13,000 songs."
• The mistakes that nearly caused WWIII - "The nuclear mistakes that could have ended civilisation. From invading animals to a faulty computer chip worth less than a dollar, the alarmingly long list of close calls shows just how easily nuclear war could happen by mistake."
• World's tallest prefab skyscrapers will rise in Singapore -- but they're being built in Malaysia - "56-story skyscrapers to be built in Malaysia, stacked in Singapore."
• Gandhi's glasses, worth more than $19,000, were left hanging out of an auctioneer's letterbox - "A pair of spectacles thought to belong to Indian independence leader Mahatma Gandhi are set to be auctioned for more than $19,000 -- after being left 'hanging out' of a letterbox on a busy industrial estate."
• Life in the fast lane: Chinese city builds a motorway bridge around a tiny house - "Owner of the house refuses to budge for the government project in Guangzhou. A Chinese city has built a highway bridge around a tiny house after its owner refused to sell it to the government for a decade. The building is one of many examples of 'nail houses' in China - or 'dingzihu' in Mandarin - where homeowners reject compensation from a developer for its demolition."

August 9, 2020

• Coronavirus cases in the US approach 5 million - "According to Johns Hopkins University's tally of cases in the United States, there are at least 4,964,430 cases of coronavirus in the country and 161,810 people have died from the virus."
• how Trump's America failed the Covid test - "Coronavirus has been allowed to run amok by governors and the president, spreading inexorably into the rural heart of America."
• Spain's ex-King Juan Carlos lands in Abu Dhabi - "Spain's former king Juan Carlos has reportedly travelled to the United Arab Emirates after leaving his home country amid a corruption investigation."
• Virgin Galactic Says Space Holidays Possible By Early 2021 - Tickets Are $250,000 - "Virgin Atlantic has announced that its boss, Sir Richard Branson, will be heading up into space in early 2021."
• How COVID-19 Changed Everything About the 2020 Election - "In the 2020 that might have been, nobody is sick and politics is the center of the universe."
• Tutankhamun's last legacy emerges near the pyramids - "Inside the final resting place of Tutankhamun's treasures."
• World’s Largest Gigayacht Was Built to Help Save the Oceans - "From Climate Change to Plastic Pollution. As the biggest research vessel, she'll work on fixing overfishing, climate change and plastic pollution."
• Inside Tiger Woods’ £48m Gulfstream G550 private jet with luxurious seats for 18 passengers - "Tiger Woods owns one of the world’s finest private jets - which is kitted out in the height of luxury."
• ‘A Rinsing of the Brain.’ New Research Shows How Sleep Could Ward Off Alzheimer's Disease - "Each of us carts around a 3-lb. universe that orchestrates everything we do: directing our conscious actions of moving, thinking and sensing, while also managing body functions we take for granted, like breathing, keeping our hearts beating and digesting our food. It makes sense that such a bustling world of activity would need rest. Which is what, for decades, doctors thought sleep was all about."
• Why the French are 'European champions' at abandoning pets - "After weeks of lockdown, the French are keener than ever to get away from the stifling cities this weekend."
• Getting to the bottom of goosebumps - "Harvard scientists find that the same cell types that cause goosebumps are responsible for controlling hair growth."
• 15 Best Friends Episodes to Stream on HBO Max - "During times of chaos and anxiety, many of us take comfort in nostalgia. And as the streaming wars heat up, platforms like HBO Max and Peacock have shelled out massively to land the rights to fan favorite TV series. Among the most coveted of these is Friends, which left Netflix last year and is now available on HBO Max. All 10 seasons of the beloved sitcom are available to stream on the platform, and while some moments have aged less well than others, the show has retained its popularity among fans since it aired its final episode in May 2004."

August 8, 2020

• Bill Gates on Covid: Most US Tests Are ‘Completely Garbage’ - "The techie-turned-philanthropist on vaccines, Trump, and why social media is 'a poisoned chalice.'"
• Novel bunyavirus re-emerges in China - "A deadly virus has re-emerged in China, infecting at least 60 people as experts confirm it can spread from person to person."
• Europe Is Near the Brink of a Second Wave of COVID-19. Will Its New Containment Strategy Work? - "When European governments began to end harsh coronavirus lockdowns in May and June, officials stressed that they would only keep easing measures so long as new infection numbers remained low."
• How to hug in lockdown: plan ahead & wash your hands - "Lack of touch has impacted mental health during the pandemic, so experts suggest ways to embrace as safely as possible."
• Why are indoor settings higher risk for Covid - and are restaurants safe? - "Experts say poor airflow, reduced distancing and prolonged exposure are key factors in the spread of coronavirus."
• Psychoanalysing Trump isn't a distraction - it helps us stay sane in troubled times - "It helps if you can grasp that the president and his ilk are prey to the same deep-rooted fears as all of us."
• Has coronavirus ended Britain's love affair with the packaged sandwich? - "The pandemic has broken our habits - including this trusty lunchtime staple."
• Prince Harry hits out at social media for creating 'crisis of hate' - "Duke of Sussex urges advertisers to demand companies do more to curb hate speech online."
• The best free apps for video calling - "Work, chat, and party from home."
• US DECLARED WAR ON TIKTOK BECAUSE IT CAN’T HANDLE THE TRUTH - "The latest twist is a deeply confusing set of executive orders banning transactions with ByteDance (TikTok’s Chinese parent company) and WeChat (a Chinese texting app). The legal dubiousness of this move is the least strange thing about it."
• Instagram Reels: Facebook’s history of ‘adapting’ competitors’ familiar features - "The tech company, in the midst of antitrust hearings in Congress, has come under fire for cloning other companies’ products before."
• Japanese smart mask translates into eight languages - "A Japanese robotics startup has invented a smart mask that translates into eight languages."
• Covid-19 could kill the world's oldest restaurant - "Can the world's oldest restaurant escape the pandemic's grasp?"
• Canadian ice shelf area bigger than Manhattan collapses due to rising temperatures - "Last fully intact ice shelf in the Canadian Arctic lost more than 40% of its areas in two days at the end of July."
• Why these Japanese buckets sell for thousands - "New traditions: Japan's 700-year-old 'oke' craft gets a modern makeover. The level of craftsmanship, honed over a century of teaching and built on traditional methods that go back 700 years, creates a flawless finish and it is almost impossible to see the joints between the slats on the buckets."
• Champagne In Crisis Talks - Grapes Might Be Destroyed Due To Poor Sales - "Champagne producers have been hit hard by the pandemic–fewer people are able to celebrate occasions and come together in groups where champagne is traditionally drunk. A crisis meeting has been called for August 18th, where decisions will have to be made about whether to destroy excess grapes or sell them to make hand sanitizer–both of which would have been unthinkable one year ago."
• A new study shows more Americans are dropping acid. Why? - "One expert said people might be using psychedelics as a therapeutic mechanism amid abounding bleakness."
• 3D reconstruction of Raphael’s face proves he was buried at Pantheon, say experts - "Researchers at Rome university compared portraits with a plaster cast of the artist’s skull."
• 16 fascinating things we’ve learned from podcasts - "The bizarre and brilliant facts podcasts have taught us, from the truth about McDonald’s fries to Ed Miliband’s badger fears."
• How 'The Matrix' is a trans story, according to Netflix and co-director - "Netflix has posted a Twitter thread explaining the trans themes in 'The Matrix,' after one of its co-directors confirmed earlier this week that the movie was an allegory for gender transition."
• How personalised watches became a cult collector’s item - "Stoned! A new Piaget customisation service revisits a glorious era in 1960s design."

August 7, 2020

• Beirut explosion: Before-and-after images - "The explosion at a portside warehouse in Beirut sent devastating shockwaves across the Lebanese capital, decimating seafront buildings and causing widespread destruction."
• This is what coronavirus will do to our offices & homes - "One day, the virus will subside. It could be eradicated. But even then, life will not simply return to the way it was before Covid-19. Spurred on by the coronavirus crisis, architects have been rethinking the buildings we inhabit."
• Social distancing in the skies becomes a perk in post-Covid travel - "Air passengers looking for that one-metre buffer between seats must be ready to pay for the luxury."
• Coronavirus Seems to Spare Most Kids From Illness, but Its Effect on Their Mental Health Is Deepening - "andemics can be indiscriminate, with viruses making no distinctions among the victims they attack and those they spare. If you’re human, you’ll do. COVID-19 has been different, particularly when it comes to age. The disease has shown a special animus for older people, with those 65-plus considered at especially high risk for hospitalization and death, and those 18 and below catching a semblance of an epidemiological break. Though a small share of adolescents have suffered severe cases, most who contract the disease in that age cohort are likelier to experience milder symptoms or none at all."
• Use of facemasks during the COVID-19 pandemic - The Lancet.
• Why a face shield may not protect you from coronavirus - "Plastic visors are being widely used as a way of protecting people in shops, bars and beauty salons from the coronavirus. But do they really work against a virus thought to be airborne?"
• Ghislaine Maxwell’s Haunting 40th Birthday Present to Jeffrey Epstein - "Maxwell’s former friend Christopher Mason recalls the gift - and Epstein’s strange birthday party - in Lifetime’s new docuseries 'Surviving Jeffrey Epstein'."
• Watch some of TikTok's biggest moments - "While TikTok's future remains uncertain, there's no denying the cultural impact the app has already made. Here's a look back at some of the platform's biggest trends from Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' to the pandemic-themed 'Bored in the House.'"
• How TikTok Found Itself in the Middle of a U.S.-China Tech War - "First they went after Huawei. Then it was gummy bears singing Adele. TikTok–the social-media platform where primarily Gen Z users share dance routines and zany memes involving crooning fruit candies and the like–has become the latest flash point in the escalating tech war between the U.S. and China, with President Donald Trump threatening on July 31 to ban the app on national-security grounds."
• Climate Change Could Cause More Annual Deaths Than Infectious Disease by 2100 - "In recent decades, tens of thousands of people around the globe have died as the result of extreme heat, and yet the phenomenon of deadly heat would be easy to miss. That may not be true much longer."
• Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg joins centibillionaire club - "The 36-year-old follows Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates as fortune passes $100bn for first time."
• Passports for purchase: How the elite get through a pandemic - "Super-rich families are buying multiple citizenships to prepare for the next lockdown. For most people, the coronavirus pandemic has meant fewer travel options. Not so for super-rich families who are increasingly using their money to cross borders that would otherwise be closed to them."
• Cannes Yachting Festival 2020: Inside The World’s First Post-Coronavirus Yacht Show - "Show Director Sylvie Ernoult On Hosting The World’s First Post-Covid-19 Yacht Show."
• Can loneliness be cured with a pill? Scientists are now asking the question - "Chronic loneliness has little to do with being alone, experts say - could a pharmaceutical treatment help lonely people form meaningful relationships?"
• This may be the safest, and most fun, way to fly in 2020 - "Microsoft Flight Simulator's 2020 reboot may be the safest way to fly this year."
• Tourist snaps the toes off 19th-century statue while posing for photo - "The 200-year-old plaster cast model of Antonio Canova's statue of Paolina Bonaparte was damaged in the incident on July 31 at the Gipsoteca Museum in Possagno, northern Italy, Treviso Carabinieri, the local law enforcement agency, told CNN."
• Is Aston Martin’s Black Bowmore Scotch Whisky Worth $66,000? - "If you’re into cars and luxury Scotch whisky, Aston Martin and Islay’s Bowmore distillery have got you covered. The car company and iconic Islay whisky distillery have collaborated together to release a new £50,000 ($66,000) bottle of whisky, the 6th and latest edition of Black Bowmore, fully titled as Black Bowmore DB5 1964. This particular bottle is a celebration of Aston Martin’s iconic DB5 car, made famous by James Bond when it first appeared in 1964’s Goldfinger, the same year that the whisky was first laid down in the Bowmore warehouse for maturation. With only 25 bottles available, It will be available in late fall this year."
• Scotch Whisky Salvaged From 80-Year-Old Shipwreck To Be Sold At Auction - "It’s called sunken scotch. And it’s practically a category unto itself: whisky rescued from the cargoes of a wrecked ship, resting for untold periods of time below the tides. Every few years tales of brown spirit raised from these depths grab headlines, while the liquor itself fetches top dollar at auction. The latest example happens to be scotch salvaged from perhaps the most famous shipwreck of the modern era. And it’s expected to earn as much as $20,000 in an on-going auction now live, online."
• Beer brand & leather store unwittingly named after Maori word for 'pubic hair' - "Canada’s Hell’s Basement and a shop in Wellington both thought the word ‘huruhuru’ meant ‘feather’ - they were wrong."

August 6, 2020

• Visual guide: how explosion caused mass casualties & devastation across Beirut - "Explosion in port of Beirut has killed at least 100 people and injured 4,000 with damage extending over half the city."
• Why Facebook removed Trump's post - "Facebook removes Trump post falsely claiming children are 'almost immune' to Covid-19."
• Twitter blocked Trump campaign account from tweeting over COVID-19 misinformation - "The account is tweeting again, suggesting the tweet was deleted."
• Facebook & Twitter target Trump over virus claim - "Facebook and Twitter have penalised US President Donald Trump and his campaign for posts in which he claimed children are 'almost immune' to coronavirus."
• TikTok users are jumping to these other apps - "With TikTok's future uncertain, users are jumping to these other apps."
• INSTAGRAM LAUNCHES REELS, ITS ATTEMPT TO KEEP YOU OFF TIKTOK - "‘No two products are exactly alike, and ours are not either’."
• Trump administration plans Chinese tech crackdown - "US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has outlined the steps he wants US companies to take to deal with 'untrusted Chinese apps'."
• Here's everything Samsung announced at its Unpacked 2020 event - "Meet the Note 20 Ultra, Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, Galaxy Watch 3, Galaxy Buds Live and more."
• To understand how rich billionaires really are, use this calculator - "Jeff Bezos is richer than hundreds of countries, and earns my entire salary in under a minute."
• 10 Top Villas In Los Cabos - "One popular way to travel amid the coronavirus is by vacationing in villas. They provide more space and privacy than traditional hotel accommodations, so you can safely stay with a larger group and have plenty of room to sprawl out. Plus, they are equipped with everything from pools to kitchens, so there’s little reason to leave your bubble."
• Will Covid make countries drop cash & adopt digital currencies? - "Coronavirus has accelerated the shift away from banknotes – central banks must act fast to catch up."
• Denmark's unique 300-year-old-homes of the future - "On Læsø, houses are thatched with thick, heavy bundles of silvery seaweed that have the potential to be a contemporary building material around the world."
• The most shocking tell-all memoirs - "Mary Trump and the most shocking family secrets. The publication of a tell-all memoir from the US President’s niece is the latest in a long line of bitter - and entertaining - family feuds played out on the page."
• Disney has no idea what it's doing with 'Mulan' - "It's basically making up this Disney+ thing as it goes along."
• Tea in a microwave? New research says it could be the perfect cuppa - "Chinese scientists reckon they have found the way to make a proper brew without a kettle. Heresy or scientific fact?"
• Google is sending a complicated privacy email to everyone - here’s what it means - "The company has turned off storing audio recordings for all users until they opt in again."
• A lottery prize winner got her check from a robot. Because, pandemic - "Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, claiming your millions in the Canadian lottery just became much more unexpected."
• The big chill: snow falls in Tasmania - in pictures - "More than 30cm of snow fell in parts of Tasmania overnight with Launceston experiencing 20cm, its most significant snowfall since the early 1970s."

August 5, 2020

• ‘We’re fighting a ghost’: six months on, coronavirus victories remain fragile - "Governments are at a nebulous stage: past the initial shocks but still without a clear end in sight."
• Trump on Covid death toll: 'It is what it is' - "When confronted with the US' daily death toll and Trump's messaging on the pandemic during an interview with Axios on HBO that aired Monday night, the President grew defensive and appeared frustrated by Jonathan Swan's questions about the crisis."
• Here’s What Trump Got Wrong About America’s COVID-19 Death Rate - "During an interview with Axios on HBO that aired Monday night, President Donald Trump mischaracterized the U.S. COVID-19 death rate and underplayed the high rate of deaths in proportion to the U.S. population."
• We can’t skip steps on the road to a COVID-19 vaccine - "There’s only so much researchers can do to accelerate the process."
• What We Don’t Know About COVID-19 Can Hurt Us - "Within the U.S. and among different countries, places with wildly varying public-health policies have experienced wildly diverse outcomes. Most ominously, infections are rising rapidly in many places where they once were falling."
• What is herd immunity & could it happen in the US? - "Most experts agree containment of Covid-19 has failed so far, but what is the threshold for reaching herd immunity?"
• It's Time for American Leaders to Wake Up to the Threat of Climate Change for the Good of the Planet & Business - "Left unchecked, the impact of climate change will only further alter our world as we know it - reshaping our coastlines and the cities that sit on them, accelerating species extinction, devastating agriculture and causing famine, ravaging our economy and impacting everyone’s health."
• What can you do to fight the climate crisis? - "Individual acts alone won’t stop the climate crisis, but there are things we can do. We asked several experts what they do in their daily lives to make a difference."
• Gold scales new peak at $2,030 per ounce - "Gold smashed through $2,000 per ounce for the first time ever last night, and is now changing hands at $2,030/oz this morning - comfortably over its previous record set in 2011."
• Obesity not defined by weight, says new Canada guideline - "Obesity should be defined by a person's health - not just their weight, says a new Canadian clinical guideline."
• The real Tom Cruise - Leah Remini exposes Scientology’s biggest asset - "This week, she revealed to us that when she was preparing the book, she wrote most of a chapter about her personal experiences with Tom Cruise and his camp, and with revealing details about Tom Cruise behind closed doors. She portrayed the Cruise the public never gets to see: His dedication not only to Scientology but to its ruthlessness and inhumanity."
• TikTok: From gummy bears to national security threat - "The story of a social media giant. President Donald Trump has warned that he will ban TikTok unless an American firm buys its US operations. So how did an app attract millions of users but come to be seen as a national security risk in just two years?"
• The Real Threat To America Raised By TikTok Isn't Privacy - "The larger challenge for America highlighted by TikTok’s popularity is that ByteDance has come up with a video-sharing app that’s taken the world by storm and that didn’t come from Silicon Valley."
• What is the 'sovereign citizen' movement? - "A growing movement of people who believe that laws do not apply to them threatens police and law enforcement around the world, experts and officials say."
• Hiroshima at 75: bitter row persists over US decision to drop the bomb - "Historians and military differ on whether 1945 bombing ended the war and saved countless lives - or was an unconscionable act of brutality."
• Whisky sour & lockdown tumbleweed - "When prices go up, so do sales - at least for some premium Scotch whisky exports, defying the laws of economic gravity."
• The deal that saved Seychelles’ troubled waters - "After defaulting on its substantial national debt, the Seychelles was offered an unusual deal."
• Will business travel ever be the same? - "Covid-19 has grounded business travellers. When the world opens back up, will employees close down Zoom and get back on planes?"
• Now In Development: Virgin Galactic’s Mach 3 Supersonic Flight - "Virgin Galactic’s main focus has been space tourism culminating in plans to start commercial spaceflight next year assuming two more test flights go well. But back down on earth the company is also initiating plans to develop an aircraft that can fly at 60,000 feet three times the speed of sound, connecting New York to London in two hours or Sydney to London in four. (By comparison, it took 19 hours on Qantas’s record breaking test flight connecting those two cities last year.)"
• Blancpain Debuts Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe With Blue Dial And Sedna Gold Case - "Since its unveiling in the late 1950s, the Blancpain Fifty Fathoms Bathyscaphe was designed as a gentleman’s dive watch in a size that that can be worn every day."
• Spain’s Disgraced Ex-King Juan Carlos Goes Into Exile: The Fall Of A Modern Monarch - "The 82-year-old ex-monarch officially announced his decision on Monday, August 3, in a letter to his son, in whose name he had abdicated the throne six years ago, adding that he would be available to prosecutors."
• Throng of new penguin colonies in Antarctica spotted from space - "Satellite images reveal guano patches, boosting known emperor penguin colonies by 20%."
• Cat that went missing on Scottish holiday found 12 years later - "Rochdale-based Davies family lost Georgie on trip to Loch Lomond, but recent microchip scan revealed cat’s identity."

August 4, 2020

• WHO warns of 'no silver bullet' amid vaccine search - "The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that while there is hope for a vaccine against Covid-19, one might never be found."
• 'Out of control': Distancing & masks no longer enough in US - "K-12 schools and colleges can reopen, but safety should come first, Fauci says."
• Gilead Sciences urged to study drug that showed promise with cats - "Activists accuse company of pushing remdesivir to boost profit. GS-441524 has been used to treat a coronavirus in cats."
• Survivors of Covid-19 show increased rate of psychiatric disorders, study finds - "Research suggests more than half experience PTSD, anxiety, insomnia, depression or compulsive symptoms."
• The Misinformation Age Has Exacerbated - And Been Exacerbated By - the Coronavirus Pandemic - "If you’re looking for solid information on COVID-19, the Internet is not always your best bet - equal parts encyclopedia and junkyard, solid science on the one hand and rubbish, rumors and fabulism on the other."
• 7 Signs Someone Will Be Successful - "How many of the grandiose plans you hear about actually come to pass? How often does someone make themselves the success they set out to be? How often does someone intentionally set their goals and make progress towards them every day, and how often do they become distracted, or deterred, or just give up? Someone’s daily actions compound to create their entire life."
• Spain's embattled ex-King Juan Carlos leaves country - "Spain's former King Juan Carlos has decided to leave the country, the royal palace says, weeks after he was linked to an inquiry into alleged corruption."
• How a Danish word rallied a nation - "How a long-forgotten word rallied a nation. A word buried in the history books helped Danes mobilise during the pandemic, flattening the curve and lifting community spirit."
• There’s nothing good on TV - "With more streaming options and shows to watch than ever, why does it feel like there isn’t anything on?"
• Painkillers such as aspirin 'do more harm than good' for chronic pain - "NHS health officials say paracetamol, ibuprofen and opioids also unsuitable for chronic pain."
• The Goopification of grapes: why 'clean wine' is a scam - "Winemakers don’t have to list ingredients - which has opened a door for opportunists chasing a piece of the $52.5bn wellness market."
• Reimagining public transport for a post-Covid world - "What Hong Kong's iconic trams and ferries could look like in a post-Covid world."
• Virgin Galactic reveals new supersonic jet design that would fly three times speed of sound - "Virgin Galactic has premiered a new jet design for high speed air travel: a streamlined, Concorde-esque delta-wing aircraft with capacity for nine to 19 people cruising at an altitude of over 60,000 feet."
• Covid will force us to reimagine the office. Let's get it right this time - "Dreams of reinventing the workplace gave us cubicles and hotdesking as utopian ideas gave way to cost-cutting."
• The Uncle Roger controversy: Why people are outraged by a video about cooking rice - "In the video, Ng slammed BBC Food presenter Hersha Patel's unconventional way of cooking Chinese-style egg-fried rice, which included draining the rice through a strainer after boiling."
• Interior Designer Bobby Berk Shares His Tips For Creating A Calm Home - "Whether you’re looking to renovate or add your stamp to a new build, the award-winning and Emmy-nominated American interior designer, who is known for starring in the Netflix hit Queer Eye as the interior design expert, is here to help."
• Celebrate Peridot, An August Birthstone, With These Beautiful Pieces Of Peridot Jewelry - "August has several birthstones, but the most well-known is peridot. This beautiful green gemstone comes in a range of hues, from yellow-green to deep green, and lends itself to classic, stone-focused jewelry, as well as accents with other stones and colors."
• Dan Aykroyd & John Landis: how we made The Blues Brothers - "‘For some of the crew working nights on the film, cocaine was almost like coffee. I never liked it myself but I wasn’t going to police others’ behaviour’."
• The story of Marine Serre's crescent-moon catsuit - "The French fashion designer’s simple logo is laden with feminine symbolism, and has become the fashion talking point of the year, with fans from Beyoncé to Adele."
• tarot cards through the ages - in pictures - "From trippy psychedelic towers to African American icons, the centuries-old tradition of tarot cards is explored in a new book from Taschen."

August 3, 2020

• Global report: July's terrible toll revealed as coronavirus cases double every six weeks - "US cases hit 1.87 million last month, or double the previous record; WHO says pandemic continues to accelerate; Melbourne wakes to strict lockdown."
• US coronavirus 'extraordinarily widespread,' Birx warns - "Birx warns US is 'in a new phase' of coronavirus pandemic with more widespread cases."
• Nancy Pelosi says she has no confidence in Deborah Birx over handling of pandemic - "Senior scientist on taskforce defends administration but warns that widespread infections mark a ‘new phase’ for US."
• Do some people have protection against the coronavirus? - "We're now more than seven months into the coronavirus pandemic that has upended the lives of most of Earth's inhabitants. And while it is true that the scientific community has learned many things about the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, Covid-19, there are also many gaps in our understanding. One big mystery: Why do some people get very sick and even die from their illness, while other similar people show no symptoms and may not realize they've been infected at all?"
• The Coronavirus Seems to Spare Most Kids From Illness, but Its Effect on Their Mental Health Is Deepening - "Pandemics can be indiscriminate, with viruses making no distinctions among the victims they attack and those they spare. If you’re human, you’ll do. COVID-19 has been different, particularly when it comes to age. The disease has shown a special animus for older people, with those 65-plus considered at especially high risk for hospitalization and death, and those 18 and below catching a semblance of an epidemiological break. Though a small share of adolescents have suffered severe cases, most who contract the disease in that age cohort are likelier to experience milder symptoms or none at all."
• The Pandemic Has Resulted in Record Savings, but Only for Some - "As local economies shut down and the service industry flounders, Americans are saving a greater percentage of their money than ever before, according to new data."
• How to build a nuclear warning for 10,000 years’ time - "The nuclear waste buried far beneath the earth will be toxic for thousands of years. How do you build a warning now that can be understood in the far future?"
• He's probably been in more movies than any actor in history - "He spoke Mandarin with Keanu Reeves in 'The Day the Earth Stood Still.' He backflipped his way out of a fight in 'Wayne's World 2.' He was the supportive, noodle-loving Mr. Ping in 'Kung Fu Panda.' On television, he was the maître d' in the episode of 'Seinfeld' titled 'The Chinese Restaurant.'"
• Netflix's Searing Docuseries Immigration Nation Is the Most Important TV Show You'll See in 2020 - TIME Magazine.
• Ernest Hemingway's published works littered with errors, study claims - "Experts find hundreds of errors in the writer’s works, mostly made by editors and typesetters."
• Jamie Oliver on fame, failure and fighting obesity: 'I'm actually quite shy. I don't like a ruck' - "Every time the chef talks about the UK’s diet, it gets him in trouble. Remember Turkey Twizzlers? But he’s too passionate to give up."
• Growers & producers at odds in France's 'champagne wars' - "Coronavirus has hit the industry hard, with division over how to respond."
• How to Cut Your Hair at Home - "If your hair-care professional is still on lockdown, you might be getting desperate for a trim. Let us help you avoid a DIY disaster."
• Happily ever after: celebrity weddings in pictures - "From John and Yoko to Taylor and Burton, here are some of our favourite moments of famous brides and grooms on their big day."
• Why Are Plants Green? The Answer Might Work on Any Planet - "A new model of photosynthesis points to an evolutionary principle governing light-harvesting organisms that might apply throughout the universe."
• Ducati unveils 3 more interesting electric bikes in big EV push - "Ducati seems to be doing everything it can to elbow its way into the electric bicycle market, now unveiling three new designs for folding electric bicycles."
• The Uncertain Future of Places That Preserve America’s Past - TIME Magazine.

August 2, 2020

• 'Nobody likes me,' Trump complains, as even his allies fade - "Lamenting his plunging popularity this week, a self-pitying President Donald Trump wondered how it all went wrong."
• Here's Everything New on Netflix in August 2020 - And What's Leaving - TIME Magazine.
• The 'Sweat' you drink: Inside the meteoric rise of Asia's answer to Gatorade - "Launched in 1980, Pocari Sweat was inspired by the rehydrating effects of an IV solution. The ingredients include water, sugar, citric acid, magnesium, calcium and sodium. Pocari replenishes water and electrolytes - a set of minerals your body needs to function - lost through sweat."
• Iceland is an outpost of normality amid Covid pandemic - "Iceland has been praised for its handling of the crisis after an initial spike in cases in February. The government then changed tactics, started testing and tracing, closed the borders and introduced restrictions. I suppose you could argue the chances of success are far higher on an island with a population of around 360,000 people. There's been less than 2,000 cases and 10 deaths recorded."
• Why This Year Is Our Last, Best Chance for Saving the Oceans - TIME Magazine.

August 1, 2020

• Apple is now the world’s most valuable publicly traded company - "It’s now larger than Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company."
• Apple Reveals Jaw-Dropping iPad, iPhone Touchscreen Tech - "Future iPhones and iPads could have a radically different touchscreen system, if a just-revealed patent comes to fruition. The patent, spotted by Patently Apple, focuses on using radar."
• Fauci explains why Europe contained the pandemic better - "A variety of responses by US states hurt the country's ability to contain the coronavirus pandemic, Fauci says."
• Fauci 'cautiously optimistic' US could have vaccine by end of the year - "Dr Anthony Fauci, America’s top infectious disease expert, has told the US Congress he is 'cautiously optimistic' that a 'safe and effective' coronavirus vaccine will be available to the public by the end of 2020 during a hearing in Washington marked by testy exchanges between Fauci and senior Republicans loyal to Donald Trump."
• We Still Don’t Know How Long Coronavirus Lasts On Surfaces - "How long does Coronavirus last on surfaces? And which disinfectants are most effective at cleaning them?"
• Madonna leads celebrity vogue for Covid-19 conspiracy theories - "Singer’s claim vaccine is being concealed is latest example of stars spreading falsehoods during pandemic."
• Can you get Covid-19 through your eyes? Possibly. Should we all be wearing goggles? Probably not - "We know that the coronavirus can enter the body through the nose and mouth -- hence the constant recommendations from doctors to wear face coverings and practice social distancing. But what about the eyes? Should we all be wearing goggles or face shields as well?"
• Bill Gates: Lies spread faster than facts on social media, which is hard to police - "Facts travel slowly on social media compared with 'negative' misinformation, which makes it difficult for companies like Facebook and Twitter to strike a balance, Gates said."
• Afraid of Airlines? There's Always the Private Jet - "Concerned about virus-related safety on commercial planes, many fliers are turning to private jets for the first time. The catch, of course, is the price."
• Trump says he will ban TikTok - "President Donald Trump said Friday night that he will ban the popular short-form video app TikTok from operating in the United States, rejecting a potential deal for Microsoft to buy the app from its Chinese-owned parent company."
• ‘After Boris Johnson’s Zoom call, all hell broke loose’: inside the world's favourite video app - "Ten years ago, Silicon Valley had written off Zoom. Now it’s used by everyone from princes to piano teachers."
• For the first time in 300 years, this island in Cape Cod is open to the public - "Sipson Island has been privately owned since 1711, when it was sold by the Monomoyick people to White settlers. Now, the newly minted Sipson Island Trust, with the help of a local non-profit, hopes to restore and care for the island using the Native American value to see land as a gift for all to use."
• Will this film save cinema in 2020? - "With the news that Christopher Nolan’s latest film will be released outside the US in August, will the blockbuster finally give movie-goers what they want?"
• Norway’s New Dual Citizenship Law Attracts 26,000 Applicants - "In January 2020, Norway became the latest country in western and northern Europe to introduce the concept of dual citizenship. The move resulted in a surge of new applications. 26,000 people applied for citizenship in a matter of months, increasing the citizenship waiting list from 14,000 to 40,000."
• Harry Winston Debuts New Diamond Ocean Biretrograde Watches - "New models in Harry Winston’s Ocean Biretrograde collection reaffirm the brand’s status as one of the world’s most important purveyors of diamonds."
• Netflix is letting people watch things faster or slower with new playback speed controls - "Stream up to 0.5 times slower or 1.5 times faster."
• Fyre sale: US marshals auction off seized merchandise from ill-fated festival - "You’ve seen the Fyre Festival documentaries, read about the lawsuits, and laughed at the viral sandwich tweet - and now you can bid on the ill-fated event’s merchandise."
• Ten of the best Sopranos episodes, chosen by its stars - "Sopranos stars Steve Schirripa and Michael Imperioli pick their highlights from the classic TV mob drama."

July 31, 2020

• Bill Gates on How the U.S. Can Course Correct Its COVID-19 Response: 'You Wish Experts Were Taking Charge' - "The U.S. domestic response to the COVID-19 pandemic thus far has been 'weak,' Bill Gates believes."
• The coronavirus has only made Big Tech more dominant - "One day after the CEOs of Amazon, Facebook, Apple and Google were grilled by Congress about whether their companies are too dominant, the businesses posted earnings results that showed they are only getting more dominant amid the pandemic."
• 1st Dog to Test Positive for COVID-19 in the U.S. Has Died - "A German shepherd in New York that had the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in a dog in the U.S. has died."
• Trump Suggests Delaying 2020 Election, Claiming It Will Be Fraudulent Without Evidence - "'With Universal Mail-In Voting (not Absentee Voting, which is good), 2020 will be the most INACCURATE & FRAUDULENT Election in history,' Trump tweeted on July 30. 'It will be a great embarrassment to the USA. Delay the Election until people can properly, securely and safely vote???'"
• Republicans to Trump: You can't delay 2020 election - "Top Republicans have rejected President Donald Trump's suggestion that November's presidential election should be delayed over alleged fraud concerns."
• Rembrandt self-portrait breaks record at virtual auction - "A self-portrait by Rembrandt sold for $18.7 million at a Sotheby's virtual auction, breaking the record price for a self-portrait by the Dutch master."
• Ghislaine Maxwell Records Reveal 2015 Email From Jeffrey Epstein, New Alan Dershowitz Allegations - "A highly anticipated trove of old court records from a settled defamation lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell by alleged victim Virginia Giuffre were released late Thursday evening, and reveal more information surrounding the dark saga of Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged sex ring of underage girls."
• Apple Reveals Ground-Breaking New iPad Technology - "Apple’s latest iPad innovation could allow you to ‘feel’ objects displayed on the screen, thanks to newly-revealed Apple Pencil technologies."
• Apple confirms new iPhones won’t arrive in September - "This isn’t the first iPhone delay in history."
• Lifestyle changes could delay or prevent 40% of dementia cases - study - "Addressing 12 factors such as excessive drinking and air pollution exposure may have significant effect, experts say."
• HOW MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR RETURNED TO THE SKIES - "A spectacular comeback for a Microsoft icon."
• How to make hummus - recipe - "How to make the nation’s favourite dip with just a few store-cupboard ingredients."
• China Says It Has Completed a Navigation Network That Could Rival the U.S. GPS - "China is celebrating the completion of its BeiDou Navigation Satellite System that could rival the U.S. Global Positioning System and significantly boost China’s security and geopolitical clout."
• Bubble waffles: The uniquely Hong Kong snack that's popping up around the world - CNN Travel.

July 30, 2020

• US given dire warning as death toll passes 150,000 - "As US passes 150,000 coronavirus deaths, experts at Johns Hopkins call for reset in national response."
• More than 150,000 Americans have died from Covid-19. Here is that tragic story in figures - "These statistics tell a tragic story of how the virus has disproportionately hit older people, people of color and those with lower incomes. They also capture some of the shortcomings in the official responses to its spread."
• Coronavirus vaccine tracker: how close are we to a vaccine? - "More than 140 teams of researchers are racing to develop a safe and effective coronavirus vaccine."
• Trump responds with pseudo-science as US death toll hits 150,000 - "On the day the US surpassed another tragic milestone -- 150,000 coronavirus deaths -- it became ever clearer that pseudo-science, ideological posturing and mocking the idea of a national strategy are no way to fight a deadly pandemic."
• Trump turns into a pussycat on all things Putin - "President Donald Trump just removed any question that might have remained about his foreign policy prowess, while also reviving serious concerns about his attitude toward Moscow. In an interview with Axios, released on Wednesday, in which he uttered what sounded like a combination of a child's analysis of history and uncle-in-the-attic rantings, Trump confirmed that there is practically nothing that can move him to stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin."
• Pelosi warns maskless lawmakers may be thrown out - "The US House of Representatives has ordered all members and staff to wear masks as the nation's death toll from coronavirus passed 150,000."
• Bill Gates says most coronavirus tests are a 'complete waste' because the results come back too slow - "Gates, the former CEO and founder of Microsoft, believes that people need to get results back sooner so that they're able to 'change their behavior so they're not infecting other people.'"
• Many Companies Won't Survive the Pandemic. Amazon Will Emerge Stronger Than Ever - "he pandemic has upended businesses across the world, but it has been very good for Amazon. Every lockdown 'click to purchase' nudged the company a little further toward utter domination of online shopping as total e-commerce sales nearly doubled in May. But if bigger was better for everyone, Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos would not be appearing before Congress on Wednesday for an antitrust hearing."
• Striking photos show socially-distanced Hajj - "Normally, over 2 million pilgrims attend the Hajj. This year only around 1,000 worshipers are at the annual pilgrimage after Saudi authorities imposed strict crowd control and hygiene measures because of fears of the pandemic."
• 35 Best & Worst Countries To Raise A Family (You Won’t Believe America’s Ranking) - "As if things couldn’t get worse. According to a new study from the travel website Asher & Lyric, the United States is the second worst place in the world to raise a family. The country came in at a shockingly low 34th place out of 35 countries, only beating out crime-ridden Mexico. Topping the list of best places to raise a family were countries like Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland (which was recently named the happiest country in the world for the third year in a row)."
• Tech bosses grilled over claims of 'harmful' power - "Apple, Amazon, Facebook, Google face claims of 'harmful' power. The heads of some of the world's biggest tech companies have appeared before Washington lawmakers to defend their firms against claims they abuse their power to quash competitors."
• Global air travel won't recover from the Covid-19 crisis until 2024, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced Tuesday. - "That's a year later than the airline body's previous projection. The body, which represents 290 airlines, blamed the sluggish recovery on a number of factors, including a lack of consumer confidence, the decline in business travel, and fresh coronavirus spikes in the United States and elsewhere."
• The London secrets sunk in the Thames - "'Mudlarks' play a vital role in preserving London’s history by picking up objects washed out of the River Thames’ mud, from woolly mammoth teeth to Roman lamps to Tudor rings."
• From Trump Tower To Gigayachts: Designing The World’s Most Illuminating Superyacht - "Zaniz Jakubowski has rarely been able to speak about her work. Silenced by ironclad NDAs throughout most of her career, the American/English designer can’t boast that she’s decorated the homes of high-profile HNWIs and A-list celebrities or that she’s behind many private and public spaces in President Trump’s New York seat, Trump Tower. But with her latest design project Luminosity, a giant 108m gigayacht which has just hit the market for €225 million, she’s now able to speak freely - and she does so gladly."
• A stowaway helicopter on NASA’s Mars rover will attempt the first flight on another world - "Achieving lift in Mars’ thin atmosphere."
• Lamborghini's new supercar isn't legal to drive on public roads - "Lamborghini has just unveiled a new supercar, known as the Essenza SCV12, that owners won't be able to legally drive on public roads. That's why, if you buy one, Lamborghini recommends you let the company keep it for you in a special garage at the company's headquarters in Italy."
• Chateau Marmont in Hollywood to become members-only hotel - "Celebrity hangout will allow select group to own shares in ‘world’s best real estate’."

July 29, 2020

• 190 countries, 650,000 deaths: mapping the spread of COVID-19 across the world - "Mapping the Spread of the Coronavirus Outbreak Around the U.S. and the World. Since the first case of COVID-19 was identified in December 2019, the illness has become a pandemic, touching every corner of the planet."
• 'One big wave' - why the Covid-19 second wave may not exist - "With no evidence of seasonal variations, the WHO warns the initial coronavirus pandemic is continuing and accelerating."
• Trump sticks by revoked hydroxychloroquine - "US President Donald Trump has again defended the use of hydroxychloroquine to ward off coronavirus, contradicting his own public health officials. He argued the malaria medication was only rejected as a Covid-19 treatment because he had suggested it."
• How Covid-19 death rates can be dangerously misleading - "An interesting moment in Fox News reporter Chris Wallace's memorable interview of President Donald was a confusing back and forth about Covid-19 related deaths. The President claimed that the US had the "number one low mortality rate" in the world -- whereas Wallace insisted the US had little to crow about."
• How lockdown may have changed your personality - "Our personalities are shaped by our experiences and social interactions, so how might the months of being isolated from friends, family and colleagues have altered us?"
• Dining out during the coronavirus pandemic - in pictures - "Around the world, whether seated in bubbles or next to teddy bears, customers are coming to terms with the new norms of eating out."
• 8 big takeaways from the 2020 emmy nominations - "Limited Series Are Now the Best Thing on TV - And 7 More Takeaways From the 2020 Emmy Nominations."
• Here Are the 2020 Emmy Nominations - "With 26 nominations, HBO’s Watchmen gained the most nods of any television program. Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel followed, with 20 nominations, while Ozark on Netflix and Succession on HBO each got 18 nods. As a whole, Netflix surpassed its streaming competitors with a record 160 total nominations. HBO previously had the record of the most nominations with 137 in 2019. Newer streaming platforms, like Apple TV+ and Disney+, also had strong showings, with 19 and 18 total nominations, respectively."
• 12 Countries Where You Can Buy Citizenship (and a second Passport) - "After the 2016 presidential election, so many people were dreaming about moving out of the US that Canada’s immigration website crashed. Now, the idea of becoming an expat is getting hot again. According to a recent YouGov survey, 31% of Americans say they are interested in bolting if their candidate isn’t elected in the upcoming November elections. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson made headlines when they recently became honorary Greek citizens and received passports."
• TODAY, TECH’S FOUR BIGGEST COMPANIES GO ON TRIAL - "And Congress has over 1 million documents to support its case. The main purpose of Wednesday’s hearing is for Zuckerberg, Pichai, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and Apple’s Tim Cook to address the evidentiary record the committee has already prepared over the last 13 months, an intimidating number of documents that no tech CEO has reckoned with since Microsoft’s antitrust charges in the ‘90s. At the end of this probe, the committee intends to publish a report in the coming months detailing how the executives’ respective companies have avoided liability under current antitrust laws because those competition rules were never crafted with the tech industry’s behaviors in mind."
• Queen Elizabeth II attends virtual portrait unveiling via video call - "Queen Elizabeth II has become the first member of the British royal family to witness a portrait of themselves being unveiled virtually."
• Virgin Galactic unveils the interior cabin of its tourist spaceplane - "Each passenger gets a tailored seat and a spectacular view."
• Soap dodger: meet the doctor who says we have been showering wrong - "Hand-washing aside, James Hamblin has not used soap for five years. He warns that our obsession with being clean is harming the microbiome that keeps us healthy."
• Sex, lies & text messages: the photographer snapping New Yorkers' private thoughts - "Drug deals, hook-ups, break-ups and secret code - Jeff Mermelstein’s snatched photographs of New Yorkers’ texts reveal that the city still has its wild side"
• How Toblerone chocolate became connected with air travel - "Toblerone may not be the most famous chocolate brand in the world, but it's arguably the most iconic -- especially when it comes to travel."
• Gogoro's Eeyo 1s is so light you almost forget it's an e-bike - "A practical but expensive solution for city dwellers."
• Omega Unveils The Speedmaster Dark Side Of The Moon Alinghi - "Just over a year ago Omega announced that it has partnered with the celebrated Swiss yacht racing team Alinghi. On Tuesday this partnership produced a new timepiece, the Omega Speedmaster Dark Side of the Moon Alinghi."
• Ai Weiwei: History of Bombs review - high-impact reminder of our insatiable desire for destruction - "This site-specific work across the floor of the museum shows in chilling detail the horrible ingenuity of the weapons we innovate to kill each other. It’s nightmare-inducing."

July 28, 2020

• Coronavirus 'most severe health emergency' WHO has faced - "Covid-19 is easily the most severe global health emergency ever declared by the World Health Organization (WHO), its leader has said."
• World faces a hard task ahead - "Even countries that got coronavirus under control are now struggling. That's deeply concerning for the rest of the world."
• Refusing to wear a mask outside could mean a $645 fine in this city - "Not wearing a mask outside could mean a $645 fine in Hong Kong as city imposes strict Covid measures."
• Moderna's COVID-19 Vaccine Enters Final Testing Phase, As Researchers Dose the Study's First Volunteer - "Moderna Therapeutics and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) announced today that researchers had injected the first volunteer in the first U.S. coronavirus vaccine to reach the final, phase 3 stage of testing."
• ‘We Will Share Our Vaccine with the World.’ Inside the Chinese Biotech Firm Leading the Fight Against COVID-19 - "t was the Chinese philosopher Sun Tzu, and not Al Pacino in The Godfather Part 2, who first said, 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.' Yin Weidong, the CEO of Chinese biotech firm SinoVac, seems to have taken that advice to heart."
• Trump says governors should be opening up states - "Trump and GOP senators again put economic openings ahead of suppressing virus."
• Walmart bans couple for wearing Nazi swastika face coverings - "A couple seen on video wearing face coverings with swastikas as they shopped at a Minnesota Walmart is now banned from the company's stores for at least a year, according to a company spokesperson."
• 10 things we learned from Harry & Meghan's book - "Biography reveals extent of Buckingham palace’s hostility towards Duchess of Sussex."
• Malibu Breaks Records With New Mansion Listings Including A $125 Million Estate - Forbes.
• 115-Carat Diamond Could Fetch $7 Million At Christie’s New York Auction - "Christie’s New York Magnificent Jewels sale will be the first live jewelry auction from a major auction house in New York since novel coronavirus pandemic made its way to North America. It’s an ambitious sale of more than 260 lots that includes colorless diamonds, colored diamonds, colored gems, and vintage and contemporary signed jewels. Perhaps the most interesting part of the sale is a large number of high-quality and important signed jewels from a number of high jewelry houses spanning several periods, including Belperron, Bulgari, Cartier, Graff, Harry Winston, JAR, Lacloche, Tiffany & Co., and Van Cleef & Arpels. Estimates for pieces in the sale range from $10,000 to $7 million."
• He's added 40 pounds of muscle, and now many want golf's rules changed - "Is Bryson DeChambeau irreversibly changing golf?"
• Garmin: Ransomware attack on Garmin thought to be the work of 'Evil Corp' - "Russian cybercrime gang is believed to be responsible for taking Garmin services offline."
• Facing up to Britain's murky past - "The countryside holds a sacred place in Britain’s imagination - thatched cottages, resplendent country manors, imposing castles, ye olde worlde churches, sweeping pastures, wildflower meadows, gently ambling waterways and gardens in bloom are part of the nation’s fairytale, representing an Arcadia unsullied by cities, modernity, migration and globalisation."
• Johnnie Walker Announces New 200th Anniversary Blue Label Scotch Whisky - "Johnnie Walker today announces the launch of a special edition Blue Label to commemorate its 200th anniversary. Legendary Eight is an elegant blended scotch set to retail at $350 per bottle when it arrives on American shelves in late fall 2020. The 87.6-proof offering is a tad stronger than its flagship counterpart and is comprised exclusively of liquids sourced from distilleries that existed in 1820. Johnnie Walker is the top-selling brand of blended scotch whisky on the planet. Each year it sells over 223 million bottles across the globe. As opposed to single malt, which comes from a solitary location, blends are a combination of malt and grain whisky derived from many producers. As such, there is no actual Johnnie Walker distillery. It takes its name instead from its original blender who, in 1820, began selling it out of his small grocery store in Kilmarnock, Scotland."
• 100 LARGEST YACHTS 2020 - "For 2020, Superyachts.com is forecasting a number of new and exciting entries into the ranks of the Top 100 from shipyards including Lurssen, Feadship, Oceanco and Benetti. By switching the below tab to 'on' you can view these new forecasted entries within the Live Rankings, or switch to 'off' to unveil our predicted Top 100 list for 2020."

July 27, 2020

• US experts urge shut down as Covid-19 deaths surge - "US tops 1,000 coronavirus deaths 4 days in a row as experts urge the country to shut down."
• US records more than 1,000 Covid deaths a day as Republicans mull relief - "The US has recorded more than 1,000 deaths a day from Covid-19 for five days running, as cases surge in southern and western states, the national caseload nears 4.2m and the death toll approaches 150,000."
• 'Trump owes us an apology.’ Chinese scientist at the center of COVID-19 origin theories speaks out - "The coronavirus pandemic has thrust virologist Shi Zhengli into a fierce spotlight. Shi, who’s been nicknamed 'Bat Woman,' heads a group that studies bat coronaviruses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), in the city in China where the pandemic began, and many have speculated that the virus that causes COVID-19 accidentally escaped from her lab - a theory promoted by U.S. President Donald Trump. Some have even suggested it could have been engineered there."
• Look at this cool LED face mask made by a fashion entrepreneur - "Wearers can customize the masks’ light-up messaging."
• Face-mask wearers do not stop washing their hands, study suggests - "Scientists say people unlikely to reduce one Covid-19 measure when adopting another."
• 'People don't want to fly': Covid-19 reawakens Europe's sleeper trains - "Overnight services in Europe had seemingly hit the buffers but pandemic has revived demand."
• How can we travel 'better'? - "Could carbon-removal tech make travel more sustainable? A new wave of carbon-offsetting platforms invites consumers to remove emissions instantly and permanently. Could travellers be the key to their success?"
• Donald Trump's new 100-day strategy - "Never mind. That convention in Jacksonville, Florida? The months of sowing doubt about masks? The prediction that the coronavirus would just disappear?"
• Germany by far most admired country, with US, China and Russia vying for second - global poll - "Annual Gallup survey casts doubt on Mike Pompeo’s claim that the US is ‘perfectly positioned’ to lead the free world in rivalry with China."
• Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson are officially Greek citizens - "The couple and their children became honorary Greek citizens last year -- after officials highlighted Hanks' role in helping raise awareness about the 2018 fires that devastated areas near Athens and claimed the lives of more than 100 people."
• How Fox News has changed in the four years since Roger Ailes was ousted - "Not much, according to former Fox Business producer Jennifer Eckhart, one of the plaintiffs in the new suit. 'It's safe to say I was paralyzed by fear when I was working there,' she told CBS News in an interview that aired Tuesday. 'I don't know how you could continue to cultivate and foster an environment that rewards sexual predators consistently year after year.'"
• How the world turned on celebrities - "Just as the history books will consider the time before and after Covid-19, scholars of pop culture will likely divide their studies into pre - and post - Gal Gadot’s ill-fated Imagine video."
• Olivia de Havilland, Golden Age of Hollywood star, dies at 104 - "Olivia de Havilland, one of the last remaining stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood, has died at the age of 104."
• Olivia de Havilland, star of 'Gone With the Wind,' dies at 104 - "Olivia de Havilland, a two-time Oscar winner and for decades the last surviving star of 'Gone With the Wind,' has died at the age of 104, her publicist Lisa Goldberg told CNN."
• Olivia de Havilland: a life in pictures - "The Academy award-winning actor, who has died aged 104, starred in Gone With the Wind and won Oscars for To Each His Own and The Heiress."
• Olivia de Havilland: what it's like working for a Hollywood legend - "As as scruffy student in Paris, I was lucky enough to land a job as the personal assistant to the Gone With the Wind star, then in her 90s - and still a tremendous performer."
• How one hour of slow breathing changed my life - "An introductory breathing class fixed my sleep and left me calmer than ever. It took me years to find out why."
• The battery that could last 1,000 years - "How the world’s smelliest fruit could power your phone. The lithium-ion batteries in our devices degrade over time and come with a large environmental cost. Are there better ways to store and carry energy that are kinder to the planet?"
• The history of online shopping - "The curious origins of online shopping. Online shopping is now ingrained in our day to day, but snapping up whatever you want with the click of a mouse wasn't always so commonplace."
• Why are millennials & Gen Z turning to Instagram as a news source? - "Young people are getting information about protests, police actions and stay-at-home orders from their social media feeds - but the trend isn’t harmless."
• How Law & Order’s Dick Wolf Is Reimagining His Shows In The Wake Of The BLM Protests - "The undisputed king of the police procedural is scrambling to save one of TV’s most lucrative franchises."
• Bugatti's first EV in decades is a $35,000 'toy' car - "Adults can drive it, at least. Bugatti hasn’t produced an electric car since the ultra-rare Type 56 from 1931, but it’s ready to leap back into the field... in a manner of speaking."
• Can you solve it? The pyramid puzzle - "It is a truism to say that once you know the answer to a puzzle it becomes trivially easy. Yet this statement is especially true when it comes to geometrical problems, which are often solved with a single insight that, once you know it, seems so forehead-slappingly obvious."

July 26, 2020

• Shocking scenes in America - "Trump is calling protesters who disagree with him terrorists. That puts him in the company of the world's autocrats."
• Coronavirus world map: which countries have the most Covid-19 cases & deaths? - "Covid-19 has spread around the planet, sending billions of people into lockdown as health services struggle to cope. Find out where the virus has spread, and where it has been most deadly."
• Britain wins rare praise for leading race to test life-saving Covid drugs - "UK’s high infection rate and centralised NHS have enabled Recovery team to help victims across the world."
• How Hawaii avoided a coronavirus spike - but severely damaged its economy - "Its remote setting and a decision to shut down helped keep cases fairly low, but unemployment soared. What next?"
• Trolls, tweets & famous friends: the vicious PR war between Johnny Depp & Amber Heard - "As the court case between the actor and his ex-wife nears its conclusion, an even nastier battle is taking place in public."
• 20 must-see documentaries to explain the world in 2020 - "From climate change and Black Lives Matter to Tiger King and Taylor Swift, these are the factual films that best capture and explain what’s going on around us."
• Monica Lewinsky 'wins the internet' with joke about internship - "Lewinsky made light of affair with Bill Clinton in ‘I have a joke’ tweet that quickly went viral."
• A new DNA study offers insight into the horrific story of the trans-Atlantic slave trade - "Much of what we know about the horrors of slavery in the Americas comes from historical records. But new research shows that evidence of the slave trade's atrocities can also be found in the DNA of African Americans."
• 20 of the world's best places for swimming - "From isolated English beaches to plunge pools in the Costa Rican cloud forest. Icy ponds at five-star hotels in the heart of Peru to quiet riverbanks in the Japanese Alps."

July 25, 2020

• These nations were models of Covid success. Not anymore - "America's Covid response is flawed. But even the gold standard nations are seeing big outbreaks."
• Fauci shares when he thinks vaccine will be widely available - "'I think as we get into 2021, several months in, that you would have [a] vaccine that would be widely available to people in the United States,' Fauci told the Washington Post's Bob Costa during a Post Live event."
• Inside the Global Quest to Trace the Origins of COVID-19 - and Predict Where It Will Go Next - TIME Magazine.
• Why smokers and vapers - and those around them - may face higher Covid-19 danger - "New reports cast doubt on early claims smoking offered protection from disease."
• The week when everything changed for Trump - "It's as though in January 2017, Donald Trump was given a shiny, new car. The best, most beautiful car the world has ever seen. And in July 2020, the president made an important discovery about it."
• Here Are The New Rules For Air Travel After The Pandemic - "Some changes, like new airline refund policies and mandatory face coverings, are widely known. Others aren’t. And it’s these unpublicized shifts - happening quietly behind the scenes - that suggest passengers have an advantage that they haven't had in years."
• Spain Is Facing a Second Wave of Coronavirus Outbreaks. Here's What to Know - "The uptick in new cases has neighbouring countries worried. Jean Castez, the new French Prime Minister, has warned that France may be forced to close its borders with Spain if numbers continue to rise. 'This is an issue we are following closely,' Castez said while visiting Prades, a French city on the border of Spain."
• All the people: what happens if humanity's ranks start to shrink? - "A study in the Lancet suggests the world’s population will peak in 2064. If so, the consequences will be profound."
• Instagram fame for laundry-modelling grandparents - "Taiwanese laundry-modelling grandparents are surprise Instagram hit."
• Moscow-on-Thames: Soviet-born billionaires and their ties to UK's political elite - "How party donations, sports teams and lavish London residences have granted access to highest echelons of public life."
• Manuscript shows how Truman Capote renamed his heroine Holly Golightly - "Until the final typescript of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, which is set to be auctioned, the author had planned to call her Connie Gustafson."
• Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Google And Facebook Make Up A Record Chunk Of The S&P 500. Here’s Why That Might Be Dangerous - "With valuations at their highest level today since the dot-com boom, there’s concern about a flood of investors piling into large-cap tech companies, and some are warning that too much market concentration in a handful of stocks could pose downside risks. While the S&P is down roughly 1% in 2020, Facebook and Google have jumped more than 10%, Apple and Microsoft are up 25% and Amazon has gained a whopping 57%."

July 24, 2020

• Is the pandemic getting worse in the US? - "The news in the US has been dominated by anti-racism protests in recent weeks, but coronavirus is now back in the headlines."
• U.S. Now Has 4 Million COVID-19 Cases, With No End in Sight - "The virus that some once thought might vanish when the weather warmed up has instead proliferated despite the rising temperatures across the U.S., with the COVID-19 case-count rolling past the 4 million mark, according to Johns Hopkins University, with more than 143,000 deaths."
• Dr. Fauci says 'real normality' could be a year away - "Fauci: 'We could start talking about real normality again' in 2021."
• Dr. Anthony Fauci Shows Washington How to Win With Facts - "In a city famous for studied misdirection, cynical spin and outright lies, there’s one man who has refused to play the typical Washington games. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has gained millions of Americans’ trust this year with his frank assessments of the coronavirus’ threat to the nation. But his boss, President Donald Trump, doesn’t love Fauci’s winning streak."
• Bill Gates predicts when virus will be easier to contain - "Microsoft founder Bill Gates called the coronavirus infection rate in the US 'deeply troubling' and doesn't suspect things will get better soon."
• Cost of preventing next pandemic 'equal to just 2% of Covid-19 economic damage' - "World must act now to protect wildlife in order to stop future virus crises, say scientists."
• 'Wave of silence' spread around world during coronavirus pandemic - "Seismologists said high frequency noise fell as much as 50% as planes were grounded and roads emptied."
• World will have 710M tons of plastic pollution by 2040 despite efforts to cut waste, study says - "If the world embarked on an immediate and globally-coordinated effort to reduce our plastic consumption, there would still be an estimated 710 million metric tons of plastic that will pollute the environment by 2040, new research has found."
• Two tourist vessels, two completely different ways of managing the pandemic - "The US boats are being filled to 50% capacity, but the Canadian boats are taking a much more cautious approach, operating at about 15% capacity."
• C3.ai COVID-19 Data Lake - "Access unified, analysis-ready COVID-19 data, at no charge." The C3.ai COVID-19 Data Lake uniquely integrates multiple data sources in a unified data model, ready for analysis - not just a list of links or a collection of data sets. Stop wasting time wrangling data and focus instead on generating insights. Access data at no charge with any utility that supports RESTful APIs.
• Wellness Shows Are the New Makeover Shows. But Are They Any Better for the Soul? - TIME Magazine.
• Hagia Sophia: Former Istanbul museum to open for Muslim worshippers - "Friday prayers are to be held at Istanbul's iconic Hagia Sophia building for the first time since the celebrated museum was turned back into a mosque."
• All charges dropped against Red Bull heir accused in death of police officer, Thai Police say - "Charges have been dropped against the heir to the Red Bull energy drink empire, Vorayuth Yoovidhya, relating to a crash that killed a policeman in 2012, Thai police say, in a case that drew attention to the power of wealthy Thais."
• Disney delays blockbuster films due to pandemic - "Walt Disney has delayed and postponed the release of three major films, dealing a fresh blow to cinema operators struggling amid the pandemic. The new Avatar and Star Wars films have been delayed a year, while Mulan has been removed from schedules completely."
• Question mark over 2021 Tokyo Olympics - "For some athletes, today was the last chance to take part in the Tokyo Olympics. They are too old, too exhausted or too financially stretched to wait for another year."
• How anger can be put to good use - "We are taught that anger is born from aggression, and destructive. But can it - in moderation, and directed the right way - also be good for us?"
• How to tame your 'advice monster' - "The art of giving good workplace advice. Giving advice is often counterproductive, say experts, even when someone asks you for it. Here are some pointers on how to get it right."
• Apple Just Made It Easier To Hack An iPhone - Here’s Why That’s Mostly A Good Thing - "Apple first touted the idea of providing hackable iPhones to security researchers at the 2019 Black Hat hacker conference in Las Vegas. Almost exactly one year later, Apple's Security Research Device (SRD) program has made the hackable iPhone a reality. While this is mostly a good thing, not everyone is happy out there in hacking country."
• Ian Callum’s Reimagined Aston Martin Vanquish Is Production-Ready - "The car is available in an infinite number of body color, plus eight interior trim colors to pick from, three bespoke 20-inch wheel options, and three transmissions options: manual, auto, and semi-automatic."
• How to take screenshots on your Mac - "Apple’s screenshot app makes it simple."
• Facebook introduces new privacy settings for Messenger - "Messenger’s 'app lock' feature is now official."
• The Jackie 1961 - "A part of the House's history the Jackie's story is retold with a contemporary edge." A signature Gucci handbag line known for its curved half-moon shape and signature hardware, the Jackie is reimagined by the Creative Director for the Fall Winter 2020 Men's fashion show.
• Triller - "You Do You. Create, Share, Connect." Triller is an entertainment platform built for creators. A social video community where you can show the world who you are by capturing flawless videos. Triller is the easiest way to create flawless video. Make celeb-quality music videos, shoot beautiful films, and collaborate with friends to make group videos in seconds. Millions have made Triller videos on the fly including Selena Gomez, Rita Ora, Justin Bieber, Kevin Hart + more. Just shoot a few takes, tap the Triller button, and we quickly edit everything together into an impressive, shareable video.

July 23, 2020

• US on track to hit 1M new Covid-19 cases in 2 weeks - "As cases continue to rise, Americans looking to a vaccine as the way out of the coronavirus pandemic should consider a more comprehensive approach, a leading medical expert told CNN on Wednesday."
• US daily coronavirus deaths surpass 1,000 for first time since June - "US death toll at more than 142,000 while Trump admits Covid-19 crisis will ‘get worse before it gets better’."
• New coronavirus mutation causes outbreaks to spread more quickly - "A new coronavirus mutation has become the most dominant strain of the virus - and is causing outbreaks to spread more quickly across the world, an expert said."
• Multiple vaccine doses could be necessary to protect from coronavirus, Bill Gates says - "Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said Wednesday that people could need multiple doses of a potential coronavirus vaccine to immunize themselves from the coronavirus. If necessary, the multiple doses could require more than 7 billion vaccinations to be administered worldwide."
• Patients Are Waiting Weeks for COVID-19 Test Results. Here's Why That's a Huge Problem - "Testing delays also make it difficult for public-health officials to tailor their responses to the right people: those who are infectious, and people to whom they may have passed the virus."
• US agrees to pay Pfizer $2bn for Covid-19 vaccine doses by end of year - "Pharmaceutical company to deliver 100m doses of vaccine but US could buy another 500m under agreement, Alex Azar said."
• New antibody mix could form 'very potent' Covid-19 treatment, say scientists - "Researchers say development could lead to a coronavirus treatment that can be mass produced."
• Don't be fooled: There is no 'new' Trump on coronavirus (or anything else) - "On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump, in his first coronavirus briefing in several months, delivered a sober assessment of the fight against Covid-19 -- acknowledging that "it will probably unfortunately get worse before it gets better" and even offering a sort-of endorsement for mask-wearing."
• These Maps Show How Drastically COVID-19 Risk Varies By Neighborhood - "New data from the City Health Dashboard, a project run by New York University Langone Health, shows how drastically the risk of COVID-19 infection can vary from neighborhood to neighborhood within the same city - a reflection of how strongly socioeconomic factors affect who gets sick and who stays healthy."
• Interview: Mary Trump on her Uncle Donald: ‘I used to feel compassion for him. That became impossible’ - "She is a psychologist who used to deny being related to Donald – now she has written an explosive bestseller about him. She discusses his racism, incompetence, cruelty and why he never laughs."
• Global heating: best & worst case scenarios less likely than thought - "Uncertainty over climate outcomes reduced but experts warn urgent reduction in CO2 levels is essential."
• Here's Where All Your Favorite Shows Are Streaming - "As the streaming wars continue, networks and cable channels are launching their own streaming platforms - and outbidding Netflix for the rights to old, fan-favorite shows."
• Fox News parts ways with a morning host who caused a Covid-19 scare - "Fox News has parted ways with a host who dismayed fellow staffers when she came to work while visibly sick in the early days of the coronavirus crisis. Heather Childers, who had been an early morning host on Fox since 2012, was benched after the incident in late March. She was not put back on the air again — despite her public campaign on Twitter and her messages to President Trump."
• What to say - and not to say - about Kanya West - "A few things we know about Kanye West."
• How being realistic can be key to your wellbeing - "Lots of studies over the years have shown optimists to be healthy and happy. But being a measured realist might be even better for your mental health, researchers say."
• Tech stocks aren't a one-way pandemic bet. Look at Snap - "Even as the pandemic dealt an unprecedented shock to companies around the world, some firms found that stay-at-home orders actually helped their business."
• Here's why it costs $100,000 to paint an airplane - "Painting an airplane: Why every layer counts."
• How long does it take to get to Mars - and why is it so difficult? - "Why are there so many attempts to get to Mars at the moment - including UAE's Hope mission and Nasa's Perseverance Rover?"
• Sony’s wearable air conditioner is pretty cool - "Can Sony’s latest gadget help beat the heat?"
• Ferrari F8 Tributo Spider Mountain Test: Fulfilling The Mission Perfectly, A Cure For Ennui - "Test-Driving The Ferrari F8 Tributo Spider."
• Logitech & Herman Miller made a $1,495 gaming chair - "Meet the Embody."

July 22, 2020

• 3 simple acts can stop Covid-19 outbreaks, study finds - "If people washed their hands regularly, wore masks, and kept their social distance from each other, these three simple behaviors could stop most all of the Covid-19 pandemic, even without a vaccine or additional treatments, according to a new study."
• Airlines call for joint US-European testing scheme - "Major airlines have asked for a joint coronavirus testing programme, so that travel may resume between the US and Europe."
• Trump concedes coronavirus pandemic to 'get worse' before it gets better' - "President Donald Trump has warned the US pandemic may 'get worse before it gets better', as he revived his virus briefings with a more scripted tone."
• 'I Wish Her Well,' Trump Says of Ghislaine Maxwell, Who Stands Accused of Facilitating the Abuse of Girls by Jeffrey Epstein - "President Donald Trump on Tuesday offered sympathetic words to Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime companion of Jeffrey Epstein who stands accused of facilitating the abuse of girls by the now-deceased sex offender."
• I took a closer look at the cognitive test Trump claims to have aced - "The test the president boasted about passing does not measure IQ but is typically used to check for early signs of dementia."
• Seeing Re-Election Odds Growing Longer, Trump Steps Back Into Spotlight on Coronavirus - "The reality-show President has decided it’s time to restore his role as the pandemic’s executive producer. Facing lagging poll numbers, dwindling public confidence in his ability to manage a response to the coronavirus threat and a shrinking window to turn it all around before Election Day in November, President Donald Trump plans to return to the White House briefing room on Tuesday evening to restart the regular coronavirus briefings."
• Scientists are one step closer to delaying aging in humans - "Getting old is inevitable, but scientists at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) may be one step closer to being able to delay the aging process."
• Elon Musk Is Now The Fifth Richest Person In The World - "Elon Musk's meteoric rise up the Forbes Billionaire List has continued this month, as he’s ascended past luminaries such as Warren Buffett and Steve Ballmer. As of Monday afternoon, Musk's net worth surpassed $74 billion, meaning he is now the fifth-richest person on the planet."
• With 25,000 Days Of Work, Queen Elizabeth Breaks New Record: A Life In Photos - "Princess Elizabeth was 25 years old 25,000 days ago when she became queen while on tour in Nairobi after her father King George VI died in 1952. More precisely, that means that on Saturday, July 18, Queen Elizabeth II has been ruling from the throne for a grand total of 68 years, five months and 12 days."
• These American mercenaries were the heroes of China - "A one-year contract to live and work in China, flying, repairing and making airplanes. Pay is as much as $13,700 a month with 30 days off a year. Housing is included and you'll get an extra $550 a month for food. On top of that, there's an extra $9,000 for every Japanese airplane you destroy -- no limit."
• China's new 'sponge airport' features ultra-thin roof - "China's latest starfish-shaped airport set to boost tourism in northeast."
• The world's most sustainable 'nation'? - "Insular and isolated, the autonomous republic of Nakhchivan is emerging as one of the world’s most sustainable places."
• The best accessories for your new iPad - "Make your iPad work harder for you with a few accoutrements."
• Ford Debuts The 1,400-HP, Seven-Motor Mustang Mach E - "EV Domination Is Near As Ford Cooks Up A 1,400HP, Seven Motor Mustang Mach E Hooning Special."
• why 1970s foods are back - from corned beef to packet trifle - "The UK has been re-embracing its culinary past during lockdown, with instant mashed potato, tinned pineapple slices and custard powder all back on the nation’s shopping lists."
• Iceland's tiny museums - and the joy of niche collections - "Landmark galleries are great, but there’s a fascination and immediacy about the small, offbeat museums scattered across the Icelandic countryside."

July 21, 2020

• Oxford's COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate Takes a Big Leap Forward, Showing Success in Early Trials - "The foot race to develop the first effective vaccine against COVID-19 involves an awfully crowded field, with 137 candidate vaccines in pre-clinical study worldwide and another 23 actually in development. But a leader seemed to emerge today with research published in the Lancet reporting promising results in a robust study by investigators at Oxford University in England."
• US scientists rebuke Trump over coronavirus response & other affronts - "More than 1,200 members of the US National Academy of Sciences have rebuked Donald Trump’s 'denigration of scientific expertise', an unusual move for a community which has historically avoided the political sphere."
• Members of Russia's 'Business & Political Elite' Have Been Receiving Experimental COVID-19 Vaccine - "Scores of Russia’s business and political elite have been given early access to an experimental vaccine against COVID-19, according to people familiar with the effort, as the country races to be among the first to develop an inoculation."
• Why North Korea says it's joining the coronavirus vaccine race, even though it has no cases - "North Korea says it is joining the race to develop a Covid-19 vaccine, a global contest that has already drafted in some of the world's best medical minds and is shaping up to cost billions of dollars."
• Sweden pays human & economic price for not locking down - "Sweden's soft approach to the coronavirus pandemic has been controversial as the country opted against locking down to protect the economy. However, Sweden hasn't been spared from great economic pain."
• Why some people are wired for boredom - "What the mysterious boredom divide teaches us. Some people are a lot more susceptible to boredom. And from 'covert narcissism' to low self-control, the reasons why can teach us about the origins of this mysterious emotion."
• Why making plans helps manage pandemic stress - "Covid-19 has turned all of our plans for 2020 upside down. But scheduling things is more important than ever in these strange times."
• 'The Zoom shirt': how the pandemic changed work dress codes - "Home working has relaxed work attire but even as many return to the office some trends could be here to stay."
• ‘Knowing it could kill you isn’t a deterrent’: the deadly trade in diet pills - "DNP is an industrial chemical used in making explosives. If swallowed, it can cause a horrible death – and yet it is still being aggressively marketed to vulnerable people online."
• Jeff Bezos Just Added a Record $13 Billion to His Fortune in a Single Day - "Jeff Bezos added $13 billion to his net worth on Monday, the largest single-day jump for an individual since the Bloomberg Billionaires Index was created in 2012."
• World’s Largest Superyacht List Gets... Longer - "With the recent launch of the 466-Foot-Long OPUS at the Lurssen shipyard, the list of the world’s largest privately-owned superyachts is getting...longer."
• The AN-225: How the Cold War created the world's largest airplane - "The first powered plane flight, performed by the Wright Brothers over the windswept beach of North Carolina's Kitty Hawk in 1903, covered 120 feet. That historic flight would fit entirely in the cargo hold of the Antonov AN-225 Mriya, the world's biggest fully operational plane."
• The world's most expensive aircraft - "B-2 Spirit: The $2 billion flying wing."
• This Is Now The World’s Most Expensive Bourbon - "Over the past decade, Michter’s Distillery has helped revolutionize the market for premium American whiskey. And the Louisville-based brand is hardly done raising the bar for high-end hooch. Last week at a charity auction in London, they sold their first ever private barrel selection - a 10 Year Kentucky Straight - for nearly $210,000."
• Is video dating here to stay? - "Video dating surged during lockdowns, but how much will the trend stick around in the ‘new normal’?"
• Lachlan Murdoch Sets L.A. Record by Paying $150 Million for a ChÂteau-Style Mansion - "Once listed for $350 million, the Bel-Air estate of late media tycoon A. Jerrold Perenchio is the second priciest home ever to have traded in the U.S."
• What can we learn from Netflix's all-time top 10 movies? - "The streamer has revealed its biggest ever original movies, cluing us in on what does and doesn’t work within its ever-growing library."

July 20, 2020

• 5 Fauci quotes to get you through the week - "The top public health expert has found a way around Trump’s efforts to keep him off TV - and he’s as winningly blunt as ever."
• Fox News host grills Trump about cognitive test - "'Fox News Sunday' host Chris Wallace interviews President Donald Trump, fact-checking him in real time about various assertions including that Joe Biden wants to 'abolish' the police." CNN Video.
• Trump v Fox News Sunday: extraordinary moments from a wild interview - "Facing a feared interviewer, the president ended up insisting that identifying an elephant proved his mental capacity."
• 5 strange moments from Trump's Fox News interview - video - "Facing interviewer Chris Wallace, US president Donald Trump said polls shwoing him trailing Joe Biden were 'fake' and that identifying an elephant proved his mental capacity. The interview also included a claim not to care what the military has to say about renaming its bases, and boasting about the country's low Covid-19 mortality rates."
• masks made mandatory in Hong Kong, France & Melbourne - "Trump refuses to order public to wear masks; no agreement yet on Europe recovery package; first Covid-19 death in Melanesia."
• Coronavirus Is Surging All Over Asia & the Pacific. Here’s What the Rest of the World Can Learn - "As much of the rest of the world struggled with the coronavirus pandemic, it looked like many places across Asia and the Pacific were successfully suppressing the virus."
• how the world's second-most populated country hit 1M cases - "India now has more than 1 million coronavirus cases. What does that mean -- and how did the country get here?"
• How do we conquer Covid-19 fears now we can go out again? - "Pay attention to your thoughts and apply logic. We’re often caught up in draining and irrational patterns of thinking."
• ‘Remember to smile with your eyes’: how to stay safe & look great in a face mask - "Is it OK to tell someone else to wear one - and which style looks good on you? Over to the experts ..."
• History need not repeat itself when we write the journal of our plague year - "Accounts of earlier pandemics eerily echo our coronavirus crisis but teach us that small decisions can affect the outcome."
• Researchers find the worst reason to give a gift - "Money-saving gifts make people feel ashamed, study finds."
• Twitter hack should ring the alarm - "The latest Twitter hack should ring the alarm for November election."
• How coronavirus is reshaping Europe's tourism hotspots - "The collapse of visitor numbers amid the pandemic offers cities a new opportunity to rethink their business model."
• Hollywood nervously awaits fallout from explosive Johnny Depp trial - "Amber Heard’s team will have their say this week. Whatever the result, reputations could be tarnished."
• The UAE, China & the US are all going to Mars this summer. The first probe just launched - "The UAE has successfully launched the Arab world's first Mars mission."
• Qatar Airways Launches A Global Private Jet Card Program - "Qatar Executive, the private jet division of award-winning Qatar Airways, wants a bigger share of the fast-rebounding market of global private jet travelers."
• Apple’s ARM-based Macs will be more like iPhones than ever before - "To preview the future of the Mac, look to iOS."
• 7 Best Electric Scooters 2020, According to Experts - The Strategist | New York Magazine.

July 19, 2020

• Worldwide coronavirus deaths pass 600,000 - "Did the US reopen faster than other countries?"
• Record single-day rise in global coronavirus cases - "WHO reports record single-day global increase in cases. The number of new cases of coronavirus rose by almost 260,000 in 24 hours - the largest single-day increase since the pandemic began, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday."
• US broke its single-day record of new cases at least 9 times in a month. Here's how we got here - "It's been a month of harrowing milestones set across the country, with the US beating its own daily record of total new coronavirus cases at least nine times."
• 96% of Covid-19 patients with symptoms had one of these three - "Almost all Covid-19 patients with symptoms had at least one of these three, small CDC survey says."
• Brain fog, fatigue, breathlessness. Rehab centers are being set up across Europe to treat the long-term effects of coronavirus - "For much of Europe, the peak of Covid-19 infections has passed. But while hospitals are no longer awash with acute cases, there are thousands of people who had either confirmed or suspected Covid and, weeks or months later, say they are far from fully recovered."
• NIH director says wearing masks is not 'optional' to curb pandemic's spread - "Top government health expert calls wearing masks a basic 'public health action.'"
• Why men are less likely to wear masks - "More men die of Covid-19... but more of them refuse to wear masks."
• Iran President Says Up to 25 Million Might Have Been Infected With COVID-19 Since Pandemic Began - "Iran has seen the worst outbreak in the Middle East, with more than 270,000 confirmed cases and at least 13,979 deaths. The president’s remarks show that questions remain over the country’s official figures from the outbreak, even after the authorities publicly acknowledged its importance."
• Global population to peak at 2064 before heading into ‘inexorable’ decline - "More than 20 countries will see their populations halve by the end of the century, with the world population peaking in 2064 before facing decline."
• Pandemic Schemes: How Multilevel Marketing Distributors Are Using the Internet - and the Coronavirus - to Grow Their Businesses - "The FTC is fighting an uphill battle as the $35.2 billion industry rapidly evolves, courtesy of the Internet. Unlike MLMs of yesteryear that relied on door-to-door sales, today’s MLM distributors can reach millions of potential recruits around the world on Facebook, Instagram and other social networks."
• Five ways Boeing's 747 jumbo jet changed travel - "With British Airways this week retiring its fleet of Boeing 747s four years ahead of schedule, the final flying days of the planet's most recognizable jetliner are approaching sooner than expected."
• Coronavirus: The slow death of the American all-you-can-eat buffet - "A dining experience beloved by generations of hungry Americans is in danger of being spoiled by the coronavirus pandemic."

July 18, 2020

• Trump refuses to order Americans to wear masks - "US President Donald Trump has vowed not to order Americans to wear masks to contain the spread of coronavirus."
• Coronavirus tests: Swabs don't damage the brain & other claims fact-checked - "Claims that coronavirus tests can harm people are circulating on social media."
• Coronavirus symptoms fall into six different groupings, study finds - "Findings could give medics advance warning for hospital care and respiratory support."
• A quick guide to what we now know about Covid-19 - "Covid-19: What we now know about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus."
• How does the coronavirus affect animals -- and can they transmit it to humans? - "From farmed mink to your pet cat, here's what we know about coronavirus and animals."
• Select luxury hotels now offering private flights to lure guests - "Some elite hotels, however, may have found a workaround in packages that include private flights with the stay."
• Is click-and-collect the future of shopping? - "The Covid-19 crisis has sparked a rise in kerbside shopping options. Consumers like them, so will they stick around in a post-pandemic world?"
• Mary Trump says President 'is not going to get better' - "Mary Trump says President 'is not going to get better and he is without question going to get worse'."
• 15 Stunning Hotel Gardens - "Gardens have a way of nourishing your soul. Maybe it’s the floral-tinged fresh air, the sight of blooming gardenias and cherry blossoms or the soothing sounds of a trickling stream that makes you feel closer to nature, even when the space is in the midst of a city landscape. Or perhaps it’s simply that they provide a peaceful oasis during the most hectic of times."
• 10 years in, Netflix is watching the throne - "‘We want to be your primary, your best friend’."
• Go read The New York Times’ incredible account of how the Twitter attack may have happened - "We’re starting to get an idea of how the legendary hack went down."
• Endless dunes & beach cabanas - that’s summer on Belgium’s coast - "It only spans 40 miles but the Belgian coast is one long line of fun resorts, nature reserves and beaches, all linked by the world’s longest tramline."
• Milan men's fashion week SS21: 10 key collections - in pictures - "A rooftop ‘phygital’ at Ermenegildo Zegna, a factory tour at Tod’s and a giant carrot at Gucci... Here are the highlights from the live-streamed menswear shows - a time capsule for a strange socially distant season."
• British Airways retires iconic Boeing 747 fleet - in pictures - "BA has announced it will immediately retire its Boeing 747 planes after a slump in travel caused by the coronavirus crisis."
• From Rembrandt to Warhol: 30 exhibitions to catch as galleries reopen - "With the art world tentatively returning from hibernation, here is a selection of great art to view safely across the UK."

July 17, 2020

• US records world record 77,300 new infections in one day - "This is the highest one-day total for the pandemic so far. The US has consistently broken one-day records in recent days, but this is by a fairly wide margin. 10 July marked the last global record increase, with 67,800 new cases in the US."
• Protests predicted to surge globally as Covid-19 drives unrest - "New analysis finds economic shock of pandemic coupled with existing grievances makes widespread public uprisings ‘inevitable’."
• Trump's outrageous refusal to lead is making the pandemic worse - "The United States just recorded more than 75,000 new cases of Covid-19, the most ever in a single day. But President Donald Trump wants to talk about dishwasher reform."
• Trump Is Waging a Losing War Against the Bad News of COVID-19 - "In late February, there were still fewer than 20 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. when a senior official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sounded the first alarm bell over the virus heard by many Americans, telling reporters in a phone call that recent data had 'raised our level of expectation' that the new coronavirus would spread inside the U.S. Dr. Nancy Messonnier described how she had told her children that morning over breakfast that the family needed to be 'preparing for significant disruption of our lives.'"
• India records 1 million cases of Covid-19 ... and it's the poorest who are hardest hit - "As India becomes the third nation after the United States and Brazil to hit that milestone, it is the country's marginalized who are suffering the most from the devastating economic toll of lockdowns and job losses. The country's rich can't flee the pandemic. That's given some a new empathy for the poor."
• Does our blood type make us more vulnerable to Covid-19? - "Why do we have different blood types - and do they make us more vulnerable to Covid-19?"
• How quickly will there be a vaccine? And what if people refuse to get it? - "Experts are hopeful a coronavirus vaccine could be released early next year - but that doesn’t mean things will return to normal."
• The country offering $3,000 if you contract Covid-19 - "From free flights to Covid-19 payouts: Can travel incentives lure visitors back?"
• Mary Trump's book breaks record with mammoth sales - "Mary Trump's tell-all book had sold a staggering 950,000 copies by the end of its first day on sale, publisher Simon & Schuster said Thursday."
• Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man - by Mary Trump at Amazon.com.
• This Is Where The Super Rich Will Travel After Lockdown Lifts - "For the ultra rich the world really is limitless when it comes to the most luxurious and exclusive experiences. Take the second iteration of VistaJet’s World collection, Safe Havens for example."
• The world loves the US dollar. Trump & the pandemic could change that - "When the novel coronavirus sent investors running for the exits in March, there was a mad dash to snap up US dollars, the world's ultimate safe haven asset. But as the United States struggles with fresh Covid-19 outbreaks weighing on the economic recovery, the dollar has stumbled. Now, some on Wall Street warn it could fall further, due in part to President Donald Trump's handling of the crisis and isolationist policies."
• Russian spies target Covid-19 vaccine research - "Russian spies are targeting organisations trying to develop a coronavirus vaccine in the UK, US and Canada, security services have warned."
• British Airways retires Boeing 747 fleet as Covid-19 hits travel - "‘Queen of the skies’ unlikely to ever operate commercial services for airline again."
• Island won in a poker game on sale for $17 million - "Stunning Great Barrier Reef island, once won in a poker game, is up for sale."
• The law that could make climate change illegal - "One of the most robust laws on climate change yet has been created in Denmark. Can legislation really make failing to act on climate change illegal?"
• Should you delete TikTok? Here’s what experts say about the app Trump wants to ban - "With the US government considering banning the China-based video-sharing app, here’s what you need to know."
• WindowSwap lets you cycle through picturesque views from all over the world - "Some of us are fortunate enough to have a window with a view to help us cope with being inside so much. For those who aren’t so lucky, a new site called WindowSwap can help by letting you cycle through other people’s picturesque views from all over the world."
• Everything we know about the Twitter Bitcoin hack - "The investigation is underway, and we're collecting all the updates here."
• Trump’s Twitter account has extra protections, which could be why it didn’t get hacked - "A lot of high-profile accounts were hit yesterday, but not Trump’s."
• It won't be easy to hide the Bitcoin stolen through Twitter - "Bitcoin is not as anonymous as its boosters would have you believe."
• Closest ever images of sun reveal it is covered in miniature flares - "Solar Orbiter images shot from between Venus and Mercury orbits show ‘campfires’ in corona."
• 10 of the best long-distance walking routes in Italy - "A new ‘slow tourism’ initiative is promoting 70 trails from Sicily to Friuli. We pick some of the most beautiful."
• Siberian heatwave made 600 times more likely by climate change, experts find - "The prolonged heatwave in Siberia from January to June, which pushed overall temperatures 5 degrees Celsius (9 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than normal, would have been "almost impossible" if not for human-caused climate change, a new study has found. Temperatures in Siberia have been above average since the beginning of the year, with the Russian town of Verkhoyansk recording a temperature of 38 degrees C (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit) in June -- a record temperature for the Arctic."

July 16, 2020

• As Trump refuses to lead, America tries to save itself - "President Donald Trump isn't leading America much as its pandemic worsens. But that's not stopping Walmart -- along with Kroger, Kohl's, and city and state leaders and officials -- from making the tough decisions that the President has shirked."
• US disease chief Dr Anthony Fauci calls White House attacks 'bizarre' - "US infectious disease expert Dr Anthony Fauci has described recent efforts by the Trump administration to discredit him as 'bizarre' and 'nonsense'."
• 'I think you can trust me': Fauci stands firm as Trump works to undermine him - "Top expert hits back after White House’s series of attacks - but observers say president’s barrage comes as little surprise."
• Oklahoma governor who rejected mask order tests positive for coronavirus - "Oklahoma’s governor, Kevin Stitt, has become the first governor in the United States to test positive for the coronavirus. Stitt, 48, has backed one of the country’s most aggressive reopening plans, resisted any statewide mandate on masks and rarely wears one himself."
• The Pandemic Is Turning Americans Against the Gym. That Could Be a Good Thing for the Nation's Health - "The COVID-19 pandemic has shown there are other options. Digital workout classes are exploding in popularity. People have bought so much exercise equipment that dumbbells and bicycles sold out in many places, and $2,000-Peloton bikes are being installed in homes across America. Good, old-fashioned running is having a 'moment.' Daily walks have become a nation’s pastime-slash-therapy."
• Why You’re Having Such Vivid Dreams During the Pandemic - "Deirdre Leigh Barrett, an author, artist and assistant professor of psychology at Harvard University, is no stranger to dreams during strange times. Around the time we started collecting dreams, so did she; now, with more than 9,000 pandemic-era dreams from 3,800 people around the world, Barrett has published a book called Pandemic Dreams."
• Ignoring effects of Covid-19 on women could cost $5tn, warns Melinda Gates - "‘We get recovery if we get equality’ philanthropist argues in new paper urging policymakers to address unpaid labour."
• Apple Releases iOS 13.6: Long-Awaited Update With Super-Cool Digital Car Keys & New Features - "This update began as iOS 13.5.5 but had its numbering updated during beta versions because the software development kit was updated, which means a new number is called for. Here it is, hatched into its fully-fledged form. Here’s what’s in it and how to get it."
• How New Zealand became an apocalypse escape destination for Americans - "In Queenstown - a picturesque ski spot that often attracts comparisons to Aspen, Colorado - rumors about foreigners investing in apocalypse-proof bunkers have been swirling for years."
• Family fortunes of wealthy increase as super-rich ride coronavirus storm - "UBS says portfolios of 77% of richest investors are performing in line with or above target."
• Major US Twitter accounts hacked in Bitcoin scam - "Billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates are among many prominent US figures targeted by hackers on Twitter in an apparent Bitcoin scam."
• The last 30 minutes of George Floyd's life - "What happened in the final moments of his life. A timeline of events leading up to George Floyd's death has been revealed by authorities."
• Virtual dating is booming, but daters say it’s not enough - "Daters are still trying."
• 5 Ways to Get the Most From Your Sleep - TIME Magazine.
• Is this Europe's most liveable city? - "Freiburg: Germany's futuristic city set in a forest. This picture-perfect medieval city is celebrating its 900th anniversary, but its innovative design makes it one of the world’s most sustainable and liveable cities."
• Inside Heesen’s Biggest, Baddest Superyacht Yet - "Pushing forward with the largest boat you’ve ever created during a global pandemic is a bold move but it’s one that’s set to pay off for Heesen Yachts. This week, the Dutch shipyard unveiled the latest updates to the 80m Cosmos - a yacht that’s not just iconic in size but colossal in terms of detailing and power."
• Johnnie Walker Whisky Reveals New Paper Bottle For 2021 - "Global whisky brand Johnnie Walker has announced, through its parent company Diageo, that it will release a limited edition of Johnnie Walker whisky using bottles made of paper rather than glass. According to Diageo, it is the world’s first plastic-free paper-based spirits bottle. The paper will come from sustainably-sourced wood pulp, and the whisky will be launched in 2021."
• 'The nearest to God we get': stars pick the Beethoven work they cherish - "Ali Smith does an opus a month, Tony Hall saw Fidelio on Robben Island, and Lady Brenda Hale used to march to his Grosse Fuge. As the Proms celebrate Beethoven’s 250th anniversary, stars reveal a favourite work"
• Bild, Merkel & the culture wars: the inside story of Germany’s biggest tabloid - "The newspaper Bild has long poured vitriol on the country’s left-wingers and ‘do gooders’. But now it has a new target: the chancellor."
• Highly Anticipated London Auction To Include 5 Rare Louis Vuitton ‘Art’ Handbags - "Louis Vuitton has been collaborating with artists for the past twenty years, creating some of the most collectible and highly prized handbags on the market."

July 15, 2020

• Trump offers denial & delusion as pandemic crisis overtakes his presidency - "Rarely has a president shown himself to be so unequal to a tragic national emergency."
• 'A record of telling the truth': Fauci stands ground as Trump works to undermine him - "The administration’s barrage of attacks on the public health expert comes as little surprise, observers say."
• Covid-19 is a 'pandemic of historic proportions,' expert says, as cases climb in the South & Southwest - "With Covid-19 cases soaring in the US South and Southwest, the nation's public health experts fear the end is not yet in sight and wonder what normal will look like as the pandemic stretches on through the rest of the year."
• Moderna's Coronavirus Vaccine Looks Promising In Its First Tests - "In a study published July 14 in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers report on the results of the first COVID-19 vaccine to be tested in people. The trial, which involved 45 healthy volunteers, was designed to test the safety of the vaccine, but results offer early hints of its effectiveness."
• The handful of countries still welcoming US tourists - "Once one of the world's most powerful travel documents, the might of the US passport has shriveled under the cloud of coronavirus, with doors slammed shut across the planet to American travelers."
• The Maldives is now open to all global tourists. Here's how they're doing it - "Though border restrictions and quarantine measures are keeping people from visiting many of the world's most popular travel destinations at the moment, one country famed for its natural beauty is now welcoming all guests -- the Maldives."
• Working from home can soon mean working in Barbados for up to a year - "Those working remotely in the Covid-19 pandemic may soon be able to move the home office to Barbados, according to the Barbados Government Information Service. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced at the reopening of a bar that the government will soon introduce a 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp for visitors working remotely, the government information service said earlier this month."
• End of the office: the quiet, grinding loneliness of working from home - "Before Covid-19, many of us thought remote working sounded blissful. Now, employees across the world long for chats by the coffee machine and the whirr of printers."
• The future of workplaces: how Covid-19 will transform office life - "Say goodbye to big meetings and staff socials for now and expect staggered workdays and your temperature taken regularly."
• World population in 2100 could be 2 billion below UN forecasts, study suggests - "Declining fertility and ageing societies could see a huge shift in economic and political clout, University of Washington study says."
• Italy's call for urgent help was ignored as coronavirus swept through Europe - "A litany of failings meant that when Italy faced disaster, its distress call to the EU met with a shocking silence."
• How coronavirus has dashed hopes for tourism in Egypt - "A wonder of the world, the pyramids at Giza have wowed visitors for millennia. But they were deserted as the coronavirus pandemic laid waste to Egypt's tourism industry and millions of people's livelihoods."
• The old paintings revealing what food used to look like - "What did our food look like hundreds of years ago? Art history may have the answers."
• The Wealthy Are Leaving Cities For Good - "Nearly half of wealthy individuals may move out of cities permanently, according to a new study on lasting life changes after coronavirus."
• Private island off Ireland's south coast sold for €5.5m via video - "Horse Island, a 64-hectare retreat in Roaringwater Bay, is part of a bucolic Atlantic region."
• Allegations over offshore funds swirl around Spain's former king - "Questions over Juan Carlos’s finances are having an ‘unprecedented impact’ on the country’s monarchy."
• Climb Aboard One Of The World’s Largest Sailing Superyachts - "The 266-foot-long sailing superyacht has had all three of its massive carbon fiber masts and enormous sails installed. And this new yacht named SEA EAGLE II has been officially delivered to her new owner and is currently on her way to the Mediterranean."
• From cheese-rolling to grime: The curious pastimes of the English - "In an old English tradition, believed by some to have pagan origins, the people of Brockworth, Gloucestershire, chase a wheel of cheese down a steep hill on the last Monday of every May. The cheese is taken home by whoever tumbles to the bottom first."
• All the gear you need to game-stream like a pro - "Get your game-streaming empire off to a running start."
• Competitive hotdog eaters nearing limit of human performance - "A maximum of 84 hotdogs in 10 minutes is possible, says sports science study."
• A private island off the coast of Ireland just sold for $6 million. The buyer only saw it in a video tour - "A private island off the coast of Ireland boasting three beaches, seven houses and natural wildlife has been sold for more than $6.3 million -- with the anonymous buyer not even visiting the location in person before going through with the purchase."

July 14, 2020

• Nations heading in wrong direction with Covid-19, says WHO - "The coronavirus pandemic will get 'worse and worse' if governments fail to take more decisive action, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned."
• President Trump Is Working to Undermine Dr. Fauci Even as Coronavirus Cases Spike - "With U.S. virus cases spiking and the death toll mounting, the White House is working to undercut its most trusted coronavirus expert, playing down the danger as President Donald Trump pushes to get the economy moving before he faces voters in November."
• What it's like to be an American in Europe right now - CNN Travel.
• Asia's 'shining star' suffers biggest ever slump - "Singapore’s economy plunged into recession in the last quarter as an extended lockdown hit businesses and retail spending."
• Coronavirus Pandemic Has Disrupted Big Agriculture. Here's What That Means for the Planet - TIME Magazine.
• 2020 Cars Most Likely to Become Tomorrow's Classics - "These Are The 2020 Cars Most Likely To Become Tomorrow’s Classics."
• The world's best vineyards for 2020 revealed - "Winner at the inaugural 2019 awards and now again in 2020, Zuccardi Valle de Uco is an Argentinian winery in the heart of the Uco Valley, at the foot of the Andes mountains. A family-run business founded in 1963, it delivers what the Best Vineyard Awards calls 'precision-made high-altitude wines' out of a stunning modernist bodega."
• How did Florida get so badly hit by Covid-19? - "Florida is fast becoming America's latest Covid-19 epicentre. The surge in the Sunshine State has been linked in part to younger Americans - but that doesn't mean there's no cause for concern."
• How to get rid of promotional emails using Gmail - "Unsubscribe from and trash all those unwanted messages."
• The most powerful renewable energy - "Can we harness the extraordinary power of rivers in a way that replenishes ecosystems, rather than harming wildlife?"
• An ancient city that discovered LSD - "Basel: The birthplace of hallucinogenic science. This Swiss city is where Albert Hoffman accidentally discovered the hallucinogenic properties of LSD, which transformed popular culture as well as psychology and brain science."
• This could be the greatest Lego set of all time - "It will reportedly cost $250, which ain't cheap. But as anyone with Lego-obsessed kids can attest to, sticker shock is just part of buying Legos. For a set that contains 2,646 pieces, that's still pricey but not out of the ballpark for what similar sets cost."
• How Nespresso's coffee revolution got ground down - "Nestlé’s sleek, chic capsule system changed the way we drink coffee. But in an age when everyone’s a coffee snob and waste is wickedness, can it survive?"
• Facebook's future keeps getting murkier - "For nearly two months, Facebook has been scrambling to get a handle on a wave of criticism over its policies on moderating content, particularly hateful speech and misinformation that spreads on its platforms."
• Patek Philippe Reference 2499/100 Fetches $607,590 At Phillips Auction - "A Patek Philippe Reference 2499/100, 18k yellow gold perpetual calendar chronograph with moon phases, circa 1982, was the top lot at Phillips with Bacs & Russo Hong Kong Watch Auction: X, held Friday. It sold for $607,590, within estimates."
• You can now apply for your $25 iPhone 'batterygate' compensation - "At the start of March, Apple agreed to pay up to $500 million to US consumers as part of a settlement that came out of its iPhone batterygate saga. Thanks to a website spotted by MacRumors, eligible iPhone owners can now apply to take part in the settlement."
• Sound of the police: how US law enforcement uses noise as a weapon - "Potentially harmful military-grade weapons such as flashbangs are being utilized with accelerating regularity at US protests."
• The fast fashion fix: 20 ways to stop buying new clothes for ever - "Less than 2% of clothing workers earn a fair wage - while many of us have wardrobes full of unworn outfits. Here’s how to break the cycle."
• Kelly Preston - a life in pictures - "Kelly Preston, whose long acting career included hits such as Twins, Jerry Maguire and What a Girl Wants, has died, her husband, John Travolta, said. She was 57."
• Lamborghini SiÁn Roadster - "Ahead Of Its Time." The first open-top hybrid Lamborghini super sports car to feature a super capacitor. Limited to only 19 examples.

July 13, 2020

• White House takes aim at Fauci as he disagrees with Trump on virus - "In a statement Saturday, a White House official told CNN that 'several White House officials are concerned about the number of times Dr. Fauci has been wrong on things.' The official went on to provide a lengthy list of examples, citing Fauci's comments early in the pandemic and linking to past interviews."
• New York City reports zero daily coronavirus deaths for the first time since outbreak began - "New York City reported zero daily coronavirus deaths for the first time since the outbreak began in the city that was once the world’s epicenter for the virus."
• Florida shatters US record for new single-day Covid-19 cases - "The Florida Department of Health has reported at least 15,299 new Covid-19 cases, the highest number of new cases in a single day by any state since the coronavirus pandemic began."
• Super-rich call for higher taxes on wealthy to pay for Covid-19 recovery - "A group of 84 of the world’s richest people have called on governments to permanently increase taxes on them and other members of the wealthy elite to help pay for the economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis."
• As Covid-19 persists around the world, death is not the only outcome to fear - "There are worrying trends about long-term damage, even in those with milder symptoms."
• 2020 United Nations E-Government Survey - Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
• How to Trick Your Brain to Remember Almost Anything - "Many people complain about having a terrible memory. Shopping lists, friends’ birthdays, statistics for an exam - they just don’t seem to stick in the brain. But memory isn’t as set in stone as you might imagine. With the right technique, you may well be able to remember almost anything at all."
• Why clothes are so hard to recycle - "Fast fashion is leading to a mountain of clothing being thrown away each year and has a huge impact on the environment, so can we turn our unwanted garments something useful?"
• The dress that changed British pop history - "Remember when Ginger Spice wore the Union Jack?"
• 'Sensational' Egypt find offers clues in hunt for Cleopatra’s tomb - "She was the fabled queen of ancient Egypt, immortalised over thousands of years as a beautiful seductress. But, despite her fame, Cleopatra’s tomb is one of the great unsolved mysteries."
• Black History - "A timeline of two millennia of world-shaping individuals and momentous events that define Black history."
• Fitbit's Charge 4 can wake you up when you feel well-rested - "It's also smarter about using your phone's GPS."
• Three More Things Nobody Told You About Apple Watch watchOS 7 - Forbes.

July 12, 2020

• Trump wears a mask for first time in front of press pool - "Trump wears a mask during visit to wounded service members at Walter Reed."
• Why won't Brits wear masks? - "Britain is the worst-hit country outside of the US and Brazil. But it STILL won't wear masks."
• Where are the world's coronavirus hotspots? - "Coronavirus is continuing its spread across the world, with more than 12.7 million confirmed cases in 188 countries. More than 560,000 people have lost their lives. Key maps and charts explaining how the respiratory virus has spread around the world and how it is being dealt with."
• Bill Gates says COVID-19 drugs should go where needed, not just ‘the highest bidder’ - "The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $250 million toward COVID-19 research."
• 50 of the world's best breads - "What is bread? You likely don't have to think for long, and whether you're hungry for a slice of sourdough or craving some tortillas, what you imagine says a lot about where you're from."
• Mary Trump thumps Donald - "The president’s niece follows John Bolton’s right hook with a sharp left to the ribs. Revenge Trump-style is grimly engrossing."
• Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man - by Mary Trump at Amazon.com.
• Are breathing techniques good for your health? - "The market is flooded with books and classes claiming ‘breathwork’ can help with mental health, sleep and even Covid-19. But are experts convinced?"
• Dalai Lama: We Must Act as One to Preserve Our World - "This planet is our only home. Environmental experts say that over the next few decades, global warming will reach such a level that many water resources will go dry. So ecology and combatting global warming are very important."
• Wasteful, damaging and outmoded: is it time to stop building skyscrapers? - "Tall buildings are still deemed desirable, even glamorous, but experts are drawing attention to the high environmental cost of building them."
• Happy hour: the great cocktail comeback - "As a nation, we’ve been getting into the spirits like never before, says Richard Godwin. If you’re going to mix drinks, here’s how to do it well."
• The future of film: can cinema survive Covid-19? - "Film fans flocked online during lockdown. As restrictions ease, what’s happening to revive cinema-going and restart shoots? Our critic heads to the cinema to find out."

July 11, 2020

• The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Caused Carbon Emissions To Drop. But That Likely Won't Last - "COVID-19 has brought much of the world came to a screeching halt. International borders have been shuttered, families have kept close to home, and governments have ordered businesses to close their doors. To see the scale of the impact, look no further than to global carbon emissions, which are projected to be 7% less in 2020 than in 2019. Those are levels not seen in a decade."
• WHO chief blasts 'lack of leadership' and calls for global unity as coronavirus cases mount worldwide - "The director-general of the World Health Organization has condemned a 'lack of leadership' in fighting the coronavirus pandemic and made an emotional plea for global unity, as cases soar in multiple countries and the world struggles to contain the devastating virus more than six months after it was first identified."
• How coronavirus affects the entire body - "Coronavirus damages not only the lungs, but the kidneys, liver, heart, brain and nervous system, skin and gastrointestinal tract, doctors said Friday in a review of reports about Covid-19 patients."
• A new world war over technology - "Nations and companies around the world are being sucked into a running battle over the future of technology between the United States and China, forcing them to choose sides in a conflict that is fracturing global supply chains and pushing businesses out of lucrative markets."
• Trump commutes Roger Stone's sentence - "President Donald Trump on Friday commuted the prison sentence of his longtime friend Roger Stone, who was convicted of crimes that included lying to Congress in part, prosecutors said, to protect the President. The announcement came just days before Stone was set to report to a federal prison in Georgia."
• The end of the line for cruise ships - "What happens when cruise ships retire. Hundreds of cruise ships usually traverse the world's waters, but right now -- with the cruise industry on an indefinite hold due to the coronavirus pandemic -- they're mostly laid up at sea with no passengers."
• Emirates set to cut 9,000 jobs, citing pandemic - The president of Emirates said the Middle Eastern airline is set to cut as many as 9,000 jobs because of the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to the crisis, Emirates had 60,000 staff.
• economies of Pacific islands face collapse over Covid-19 - "The region is largely coronavirus-free, but pandemic shutdowns and loss of tourism dollars are devastating its economies."
• How to set up & use email templates in Gmail - "So you don’t have to write the same email over and over again."
• Venice test brings up floodgates for first time - "For the first time a system of 78 mobile floodgates has been tested in Venice, after years beset by delays and corruption."
• Notre Dame spire must be rebuilt exactly as it was, says chief architect - "After fierce debate about 19th-century spire, consensus builds over restoration of fire-torn cathedral."
• Greta Thunberg's Travel Diary from the U.S. to Davos - "Six Months on a Planet in Crisis."
• The accidental invention of the Illuminati conspiracy - "The story of how the myth exploded reveals how fake stories spread today and the secrets behind the psychology of their fiercest proponents."
• Hublot Debuts Big Bang Millennial Pink Watch - limited edition of 200 timepieces.
• 'Too big to fail': why even a historic ad boycott won’t change Facebook - "The company has survived previous seemingly existential crises with little damage to its monarchical structure."
• YouTube is finally letting creators know exactly how they’re making money on YouTube - "A new metric called RPM pulls in multiple revenue sources."
• Apple warns customers not to close its laptops with a camera cover attached - "The green light always makes clear when your camera is active."
• Mercedes' new touchscreen controls eliminate 27 physical buttons - "The second-gen MBUX infotainment system will arrive in the 2021 S-Class."

July 10, 2020

• US is diving into a dark Covid hole -- and there's no plan to get out - "As the US plunges into an ever deeper coronavirus morass, setting record new infection rates and the death curve begins to rise again, there's no prospect of the nightmare ending for months."
• The efficiency of coronavirus transmission is "really striking," Fauci says - "The variability and 'striking' transmissibility of Covid-19 makes the virus the 'perfect storm,' said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases."
• New York City mayor helps paint 'Black Lives Matter' outside Trump Tower - "Slogan painted on Fifth Avenue a week after president tweeted it would be ‘a symbol of hate’."
• 'Broken heart syndrome' has increased during the Covid-19 pandemic, small study suggests - "A study published Thursday found a significant increase in 'broken heart syndrome' at two Ohio hospitals among some patients who don't have coronavirus, suggesting that the physical, social and economic stressors from the pandemic are taking a physical toll."
• TikTok is a national security threat, US politicians say. Here's what experts think - "To understand why policymakers view TikTok as a risk, it helps to know how the company works. TikTok is owned by the world's most valuable startup, a Chinese company named ByteDance. But TikTok does not operate in China and functions as an independent subsidiary."
• Plastic surgeons say pandemic has boosted demand - "A number of cosmetic surgery clinics around the world are reporting a rise in people getting treatment during the coronavirus outbreak as they can hide their treatment behind a mask or work from home."
• How to tame your Gmail inbox with labels - "Help keep your email organized. Let’s face it - if you’re using your Gmail account for more than occasionally contacting friends and relatives, it’s likely that it’s spinning out of control. Between work-related emails, online events, invitations, advertising from your favorite retailers, and just plain spam, you’re going to find it difficult to keep track."
• How to Use Slack Without Driving Your Coworkers Crazy - "Many of us use it at work, but here are some tips on how to make Slack work for you. (Stop. Hitting. Enter. So. Often.)"
• Theme park reopens with a strange new rule - "A theme park in Fujiyoshida, Japan, is banning screaming on its roller coasters to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and instead is urging customers to 'A theme park in Fujiyoshida, Japan, is banning screaming on its roller coasters to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and instead is urging customers to "scream in their hearts.'"
• How Covid-19 will change air travel as we know it - "In 2001, air travel was dealt a massive blow by the 11 September attacks, and the effects lasted years. But this was a ripple compared to what Covid-19 will do."
• New York to London in three hours? Supersonic jet set for 2021 take off - "Boom supersonic jet set for 2021 take off."
• qatari royal family selling boeing 747-8 private jet - "The Qatari royals have quite a fleet of private jets, known as 'Qatar Amiri Flight.' This fleet of over a dozen jets is owned by the government of Qatar, and is managed by Qatar Airways. These plans are exclusively used by the royal family, and other VIP government staff. One of the Qatar Amiri 747-8s, with the registration code A7-HBJ, is for sale. The 'HBJ' in the registration code has some significance, as that’s commonly how people refer to Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani."
• UFO spaceport theories that don't go away - "Have you visited these UNESCO sites? Some say aliens have."
• Unrecognized in his lifetime, this artist's work now makes millions - "Why Sanyu, the 'Chinese Matisse,' is setting the art market alight."
• The latest Corvette is great, but wait until you see what comes next - "With its engine behind the driver instead of under the hood, General Motors' new Chevrolet Corvette represents a huge change for one of America's most famous cars. While the reason for the new design may not be immediately obvious, it will be later on when GM unveils more powerful versions of the company's flagship sports car."
• Notre Dame: Cathedral's spire will be restored to 19th Century design - "The spire of Notre Dame cathedral, which was destroyed in a fire last April, will be restored according to the original Gothic design. French President Emmanuel Macron announced the decision, putting an end to speculation that the spire would be rebuilt in a modern style."
• 12-Carat Blue Diamond Fetches $15.9 Million At Auction - "A 12.11-carat fancy intense blue diamond sold for $15.9 million (HK$122 million) at Christie’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels auction. The internally flawless marquise-shaped, brilliant-cut gem was sold during a long, drawn-out bidding process that was gradually narrowed down to two phone bidders, as seen through the auction house’s live stream. It blew past its $12.3 million high estimate with a 'hammer price' of $13.6 million (HK$106 million), which doesn’t include the buyer’s premium. The price per carat was $1.31 million."
• IOS & IPADOS 14 PUBLIC BETA PREVIEW: SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY - "There are so many new features that it’s hard to keep track."
• iPadOS 14 hands-on: Design updates galore - "Here's what you can expect from the new public beta."
• COVID-19 has helped robots prove their worth in hospitals - "A robotic helping hand in a crisis."
• 'People want blood and gore': what we got wrong about filming sharks - "From Jaws to James Bond, film-makers have tried to make a fish not inclined to bite humans look hell-bent on doing so."

July 9, 2020

• 2020 Is Our Last, Best Chance to Save the Planet - "From our vantage point today, 2020 looks like the year when an unknown virus spun out of control, killed hundreds of thousands and altered the way we live day to day. In the future, we may look back at 2020 as the year we decided to keep driving off the climate cliff - or to take the last exit."
• Tom Hanks Has a Message to Deliver to People Not Wearing Masks - "hen it comes to the coronavirus pandemic, noted nice guy Tom Hanks isn’t playing nice anymore. The actor told reporters that he 'has no respect' for people who don’t wear face masks."
• US hits 3 million cases as hospital start to run out of ICU capacity - "Louisiana governor says progress against coronavirus has been wiped out in past three weeks."
• Trump now in open dispute with health officials as virus rages - "Five months into a still-raging pandemic that has killed more than 130,000 Americans, the long-simmering tensions between President Donald Trump and the health experts who staff his government have escalated from private griping to shrugging disagreement to now open dispute."
• Fauci: US is ‘still knee-deep in first wave’ of pandemic as it passes 130,000 deaths - "Top public health expert urges further action as new cases surge to record highs of around 50,000 a day across country."
• DOCTORS ARE BETTER AT TREATING COVID-19 PATIENTS NOW THAN THEY WERE IN MARCH - "But they still don’t have good tools to help people who aren’t severely ill."
• 'We Heard Birds.' Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo on How Lockdown Offered a Glimpse at a Greener City - "Hidalgo is hardly alone among city leaders in trying to transform urban life. Across the U.S. and Europe and even in the megalopolis of Istanbul, mayors have pledged to create millions of acres of new parkland, finance companies' switches to solar-powered electricity, retrofit buildings and ban private cars from inner-city districts, all in an effort to cut carbon footprints and rein in pollution."
• How to stop your glasses steaming up & 19 other essential facts about face masks - "How often should you wash a cloth mask? And how effective are the disposable ones? The expert guide to choosing, wearing and caring for your face covering."
• The Pandemic Has Raised Fears About Loneliness. History Suggests We Should Worry About the Opposite, Too - "Mass quarantining of a population has been a standard tactic since the plagues of the middle ages. What is new are the facilities available to those who are unable to leave their homes."
• Melania Trump sculpture in Slovenia set on fire on US Independence Day - "A quirky wooden sculpture of US First Lady Melania Trump is reported to have been set on fire near her hometown in Slovenia, prompting its removal."
• 3 Ways to Keep Calm During Stressful Times - "Stress has a way of hijacking attention, destroying focus, dragging down mood and weakening the motivation it takes to make healthy choices. It’s an understandable and natural response to bad situations, but too much stress doesn’t serve you well. Even when you can’t change your circumstances, you can make steps toward shifting your mindset. Mindfulness can help."
• Ancient Americans made epic Pacific voyages - "New evidence has been found for epic prehistoric voyages between the Americas and eastern Polynesia."
• Security cameras can tell burglars when you're not home, study shows - "Some popular home security cameras could allow would-be burglars to work out when you've left the building, according to a study published Monday."
• Why we can't stop waving at the end of video calls - "Why did we all start waving? Experts have several explanations. As video calling becomes a default way of communicating during the pandemic, people adjust and adapt their behaviors accordingly -- plus they're craving more of a human connection."
• Could eating ants help us live longer? - "Crunchy and curvy, these ample-bottomed queen ants are as prized in Colombia as caviar. But to find them, you’ll have to make it past thousands of soldier ants."
• The albatrosses who catch pirates on the high seas - "The wandering albatross can fly 10,000 km in a month, making these tireless birds ideal agents to catch the very same fish pirates that are killing albatrosses. The albatross data unintentionally revealed the potential extent and scale of illegal fishing in the Southern Ocean."
• A380's seats pulled out for Covid-19 missions - "Portuguese charter operator Hi Fly has removed most of the seats from its sole A380 in order to make way for more cargo, making it the world's first A380 to be converted for freight."
• Playboy magazine releases a history-making cover - "Bad Bunny makes Playboy history with new cover."
• '80s fashion: Trends from the 'more is more' style decade that keep coming back - "The 1980s was possibly the boldest decade in modern fashion history, a magical era of over-the-top silhouettes, teased perms and saturated colors. They were the years of puffed shoulders and power suits, flashy skirts and spandex leggings, velour, leg warmers and voluminous parachute pants."
• Scrabble community mulls banning racial & homophobic slurs - "Leaders of the Scrabble tournament community in North America are voting on whether to ban the use of racial and homophobic slurs."
• 'Space marshals': no, they're not welcoming intergalactic visitors - "This glamorous new title refers to those making sure people keep a safe distance from others when inside."
• The ocean’s largest mystery - why has no one seen a whale shark give birth? - "A world-first ultrasound and chance sightings of potential mating rituals could help in the urgent work to save these gentle giants from extinction."
• Milton Glaser obituary - "Graphic designer and creator of the I ♥ NY logo, whose work was full of colour and wit."

July 8, 2020

• US officially withdrawing from WHO - "Trump administration begins formal withdrawal from World Health Organization."
• Masks are effective only if you wear them properly. Here's the right (and wrong) way - "Even the cloth coverings touted as the best thing since social distancing have instructions. We've laid them out below, based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization."
• Airborne transmission cannot be ruled out, WHO says - "The World Health Organization has acknowledged there is emerging evidence that the coronavirus can be spread by tiny particles suspended in the air."
• The WHO Says Airborne Coronavirus Transmission Isn't a Big Risk. Scientists Are Pushing Back - "For months, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said COVID-19 spreads mainly via direct contact with large respiratory droplets, like those expelled in a sick person’s cough or sneeze. In a letter published this week in Clinical Infectious Diseases, 239 scientists say the agency may be wrong."
• 'The masks you throw away could end up killing a whale' - "We are putting 129 billion face masks and 65 billion plastic gloves into the environment every month, according to Ocean Conservancy."
• Yes, COVID-19 Deaths Are Down. But There Are Worrying Signs of a Major Spike Ahead - "It is true that deaths due to COVID-19 are trending downwards, even as cases and hospitalization rates increase. However, infectious disease experts say it is too early to celebrate the lower mortality rate we’ve seen in recent weeks."
• Popular Heartburn Drugs Linked to Heightened COVID-19 Risk - "A popular form of heartburn medication may increase a person’s risk of developing COVID-19, according to a new study, lengthening the already long list of risk factors for the virus."
• Warning of serious brain disorders in people with mild Covid symptoms - "UK neurologists publish details of mildly affected or recovering patients with serious or potentially fatal brain conditions."
• Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro tests positive for Covid-19 after months of dismissing the seriousness of the virus - "Bolsonaro himself announced the result, speaking on Brazilian TV channels Tuesday. 'Everyone knew that it would reach a considerable part of the population sooner or later. It was positive for me,' he said, referring to the Covid-19 test he took Monday."
• Coronavirus Obituaries: Remembering Those We've Lost - "The Lives Lost to Coronavirus."
• What we learned from Mary Trump's damning portrait of her uncle - "Seeking to prevent nothing less than the 'end of American democracy,' Donald Trump's niece Mary lays out a long and twisted saga of mind games and family drama in a new book her family attempted to block."
• Mary Trump’s book: eight of its most shocking claims about the president - "Trump ‘paid someone to take his exams’. President emotionally ‘scarred’ by abusive father. Trump shaped by ‘sociopath’ father, niece writes in memoir."
• Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man - by Mary Trump at Amazon.com.
• Trump Administration ‘Certainly Looking At’ Banning TikTok In The U.S., Pompeo Says - "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a Fox News interview on Monday that the U.S. is 'certainly looking at' restricting TikTok and other Chinese social media apps, reviving national security and privacy concerns about China’s tech giants, and stoking one front in the Trump Administration’s trade war with Beijing."
• Tom Hanks compares Covid-19 to WWII: 'Do your part' - "Actor Tom Hanks appeared on NBC's "Today" show to discuss his new movie, Greyhound, and compared wartime with the pandemic."
• US passport is now as weak as Mexico's - "Henley Index: Japan tops 2020 list of world's most powerful passports."
• Why human touch is so hard to replace - "For many people, these past few months in lockdown might be the longest they have ever gone without physical contact with a friend. In our new Hidden Value series, we explore the effect 'skin hunger' is having on our wellbeing."
• Mmhmm turns your boring Zoom call into a Weekend Update-style TV show - "The next generation of videoconferencing is now in beta."
• The people who imagine disasters - "Entire teams of people spend their days imagining what might happen in a crisis to ensure we can be better prepared for when the worst really does happen."
• How Covid-19 has changed grocery shopping - "In a social-distance-minded economy, countless sectors are being forced to innovate - grocery shops in particular."
• A Mathematician’s Guide to How Contagion Spreads - "Adam Kucharski wrote 'The Rules of Contagion' before Covid-19. He talks about misinformation, bank failures, and coming up with hypotheses during a crisis."
• Running out of fuel at 30,000 feet - "Aerial ballet: How airplanes fill up with fuel mid-air."
• People Are Now Giving Cats Fragile Eggs to See If They’ll Keep Them From Cracking - "A new TikTok challenge where cats are given eggs to protect may be changing that narrative by showing that cats can be gentle protectors when given the opportunity. Of course, not all cats are living up to the task."
• Revisiting the luxury & glamour of Concorde - CNN Style.
• Spain's holiday islands shake off party image - "After experiencing life without tourism, some want to change the way the Balearic islands work."
• best study-from-home essentials to keep you on track - engadget.

July 7, 2020

• The Biggest Favor You Can Do for Your Family Right Now - TIME Magazine.
• Dr. Fauci says US coronavirus situation is 'really not good' as new cases surge - "Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious disease expert, said Monday the status of the coronavirus pandemic in the US is 'really not good' as new cases surge across the country."
• Coronavirus: Fear over rise in animal-to-human diseases - "Zoonotic diseases - which jump from animals to humans - are increasing and will continue to do so without action to protect wildlife and preserve the environment, UN experts have warned."
• The mask decision that will haunt Trump's reelection bid - "As coronavirus cases surge and governors begin agitating for a national mandate on wearing masks, President Donald Trump is showing few signs he'll budge on an issue that has come to epitomize a national pandemic response rooted in denial and which now threatens his political future."
• Think a 'mild' case of Covid-19 doesn’t sound so bad? Think again - "Otherwise healthy people who thought they had recovered from coronavirus are reporting persistent and strange symptoms - including strokes."
• Why the Covid-19 financial crisis will leave lasting scars on Gen Z - "The effects of this economic downturn will likely be felt for years as people born between 1997 and 2012 try to start careers and build savings with an economy that was struck to rubble."
• What We Lose When We Hide Our Smiles Behind a Mask - "Trying to interact with other humans without being able to smile is the facial equivalent of communicating via text message; it’s easy to be misunderstood. Your expression and words lack context. People wonder: Are you wincing at me? Are you grinding your jaw? Do you just have a lot of crow’s-feet? Was what you said an insult or a joke?"
• Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson Had Very Different Reactions to COVID-19 - "Hanks went public with his diagnosis in a tweet on March 11, telling the world that he and his wife, the actor and singer Rita Wilson, had both tested positive for the coronavirus. He shared his experience and the world got to learn a little bit more about the virus when the growing health threat was first making headlines."
• Melania Trump's former aide to release 'explosive' memoir - "Book by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, a former unpaid adviser to the first lady, will detail their 15-year friendship."
• The United States is 'looking at' banning TikTok and other Chinese social media apps, Pompeo says - "Washington's top diplomat added that people should only download the app 'if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party.'"
• How to enable & use Gmail’s AI-powered Smart Reply & Smart Compose tools - "Time-saving tools for writing on the go."
• World's most visited museum reopens in Paris - "Louvre museum reopens after nearly four months. The Louvre museum in Paris usually has about 10 million visitors a year, but had to close due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, it's reopened with a one-way system and compulsory masks."
• 5 things you should know about Jeff Bezos - "Amazon's Jeff Bezos: The richest person in the world. In 2017 he became the world's first centibillionaire. His wealth is now estimated to be $171bn, having made billions during the pandemic."
• Ennio Morricone: 10 of his greatest compositions - "From idiosyncratic Italian pop to experimental funk and moments from his classic westerns, here are some of the maestro’s most striking moments."
• Ennio Morricone’s life in pictures - "Italian composer Ennio Morricone died in hospital in Rome at the age of 91. Known for putting the music to 'spaghetti' Westerns that made Clint Eastwood a star, Morricone scored over 500 films in seven decades."
• Should You Consider A Virtual Gap Year? - "Since the coronavirus pandemic shut down campuses this spring and radically altered plans for the fall semester, there has been a surge of interest among college students in taking time away from school."
• Why we need sharks: the true nature of the ocean's 'monstrous villains' - "Why did dolphins get Flipper while sharks got Jaws? These majestic, diverse animals bring balance to the ocean ecosystem - and they’re in grave danger."
• New Bikini Museum Bares (Almost) Everything - "The world's first bikini museum is opening in the small town of Bad-Rappenau in Germany on July 5, which is International Bikini Day."
• James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 Is Now A Brand New Car - "Aston Martin DB5 first featured in the classic 1964 Bond movie, Goldfinger. In 2020, they can easily cross the $1 million mark. Unless they are one of the few original DB5 Bond movie cars from the 1960s. One of those changed hands last year for $6.4 million. If that amount seems high for a 55+ year-old car, Aston Martin will build you a brand new 1965 Aston Martin DB5 for about half that amount - or around $3.5 million. Actually, they would have built you one if you were in the right place at the right time last year. Now all 25 of these Aston Martin DB5 Goldfinger Continuation cars have been sold, with the first one rolling off the assembly line last week."

July 6, 2020

• 12 Ways the Trump Administration Has Deepened Inequality - "The long fight toward equality in the U.S. is often recounted by listing banner acts of Congress and the Supreme Court. Every child learns about the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. But behind those bright headlines, another, less flashy battle for civil rights unfolds."
• FDA chief refuses to back Trump vaccine prediction - "The head of the US drugs regulator has cast doubt on President Donald Trump's prediction that a Covid-19 vaccine will be ready this year."
• A stunning breakdown of the government's duty to keep Americans safe - "When the President's own medical advisers refuse to correct his misleading claim, the coronavirus trust gap grows. On Saturday night, President Donald Trump made the dangerously inaccurate claim that 99% of coronavirus cases are 'totally harmless.' On Sunday morning, one of his top health experts failed to correct the assertion, a stunning breakdown of the government's core duty to keep Americans safe and protect the public health."
• We Have a Cheap, Effective Way to Keep Ourselves Safer From COVID-19. Why Are We Fighting About It? - "At long last, we have made a truly game-changing scientific breakthrough in preventing the spread of COVID-19. The impact of this breakthrough seems almost too good to be true. I’m talking, of course, about face masks - cloth, surgical, or even a bandanna. Face masks block the spread of respiratory droplets that can carry the novel coronavirus."
• London pubs reopened & it was 'absolute madness' - "'Crystal clear' that drunk people can't socially distance -- UK police officer."
• how California’s coronavirus plan went wrong - "The state was the first to issue a shelter-in-place order – now a few outbreaks have sparked an explosion, with 6,000- 7,000 new cases a day over the past week."
• World’s 10 Most Expensive Cities To Live In - "As regular as the movement in one of the country’s famous luxury watches, Switzerland is again home to the world’s most expensive cities."
• Tom Hanks on surviving coronavirus: 'I had crippling body aches, fatigue and couldn't concentrate' - "The world’s most relatable megastar talks about his Covid-19 experience, his fears for the future, and whether he’s really just so gosh darned nice."
• This pandemic has exposed the uselessness of orthodox economics - "Post Covid-19, our priority should be to build resilient systems explicitly designed to withstand worst-case scenarios."
• China is storing an epic amount of oil at sea. Here's why - "China bought so much foreign oil at dirt-cheap prices this spring that a massive traffic jam of tankers has formed at sea waiting to offload crude. The hoarding of oil at sea is a reflection of China's bargain-hunting during a time of extreme stress in the energy market."
• Body positivity movement: 'Why is my body not important?' - "The body positivity movement has taken over social media and forced the diet industry to reinvent itself."
• Why tides are shifting around the world - "How humans are altering the tides of the oceans."
• Voyager: Inside the world's greatest space mission - "In 1977, two spacecraft started a mission that has redefined our knowledge of the Solar System - and will soon become our ambassadors on a journey into the unknown. BBC Future looks at their legacy, 40 years after launch."
• Hollywood comes to the high court for Johnny Depp face-off - "Libel case over the Sun’s claim that star abused his ex-wife Amber Heard opens this week."
• Shark finning: why the ocean's most barbaric practice continues to boom - "The recent seizure of the biggest shipment of illegal fins in Hong Kong history shows the taste for shark is still going strong."
• Risks, R numbers & raw data: how to interpret coronavirus statistics - "Covid-related facts and definitions are confusing, and as lockdown is eased, clarity is more important than ever."

July 5, 2020

• Some COVID-19 Restrictions Are Being Lifted. But Is It Safe to Travel? - "COVID-19 has undeniably changed the way we travel. The once leisurely past time has become stressful, limited and sometimes dangerous. Yet, despite the constraints, some travel will still be possible this summer."
• Some celebrated July 4th virtually while others packed beaches despite Covid-19 surge - "Parts of the country marked a very different Independence Day this year, with many celebrations going virtual or canceled amid the global coronavirus pandemic."
• 21 Lessons From America's Worst Moments - "As many Americans prepare to toast their country’s past on the Fourth of July, there’s no escaping that not every facet of that history has been worth celebrating. In fact, for a great number, this very moment may fall into that latter category, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rock the nation and a growing number of people confront the inescapable facts of past and present racism."
• Strongmen rush to remake the world order as Trump faces potential election defeat - "This past week, on US President Donald Trump's watch Russia and China have effectively re-aligned the coming world order. They didn't do it together, but both took advantage of uncertainty and unpredictability that Trump has helped create."
• Photo drags the British royal family into the Jeffrey Epstein scandal once again - "Epstein's alleged accomplice pictured posing on British throne with Kevin Spacey."
• Best breakfasts around the world - "Breakfast around the world: How different countries start the day."
• Why Basque food tastes so good - "Where barbecue culture began? Basque cuisine is an exploration of just how far wood, smoke and flame can be taken as a cooking technique when it’s expertly harnessed and applied to the finest ingredients."
• The truth about Christopher Columbus - "For centuries, Christopher Columbus has been celebrated as the brave explorer who 'found' the New World. But he had only found a part of the world new to Europeans. Many people with rich cultures and established languages already lived there. His treatment of indigenous communities has been left out of the history books. Now a new DNA analysis might help researchers understand the origins and the early life of this increasingly controversial historical figure."
• 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."

July 4, 2020

• Trump denounces 'cancel culture' at Mount Rushmore - "US President Donald Trump has railed against the 'cancel culture' of those who toppled monuments during recent anti-racism protests, in a speech to mark 4 July at Mount Rushmore."
• Trench Lawfare: Inside the Battles to Save Democracy From the Trump Administration - "Since the beginning of the Trump presidency, Protect Democracy has cast itself in the role its name suggests: defender of America’s system of government against the threat of authoritarianism."
• Americans denied entry into Italy due to Covid-19 travel restrictions - "Five Americans who flew by private jet to the Mediterranean island of Sardinia were refused entry to Italy due to new EU travel restrictions on countries with high coronavirus infection rates."
• In pursuit of Ghislaine Maxwell, authorities allege mysterious financial dealings with Jeffrey Epstein - "In their pursuit of Ghislaine Maxwell for what they say is her role in Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex trafficking ring, federal prosecutors claim to have unearthed a series of unusual financial transactions involving the two that add a new layer to the mysterious financial complexities underpinning the larger Epstein saga."
• Ghislaine Maxwell follows her family's footsteps into the dock - "Older brothers Ian and Kevin were acquitted of alleged conspiracy to defraud in 1990s."
• Copenhagen's Little Mermaid branded 'racist fish' in graffiti attack - "Expert on Hans Christian Andersen says it is ‘hard to see what is racist’ about fairytale."
• The unlikely history of fireworks - "Fireworks are synonymous with Independence Day in the United States, but how did they go from gunpowder to today's 4th of July firecrackers? While explosives date back thousands of years to ancient China, most people don't realize that modern fireworks came out of folklore."
• Japan's mysteriously low virus death rate - "Why haven't more people in Japan died from Covid-19? It is a macabre question that has spawned dozens of theories, from Japanese manners to claims that the Japanese have superior immunity."
• Face mask exemption cards & other US claims fact-checked - "As some parts of the United States battle a surge in coronavirus cases, misleading posts and videos have been spreading on social media."
• Guess What Uses 50% Of The World’s Energy, Creates 30% Of Emissions - "It’s heat. And if you didn’t guess correctly, that’s okay: in the global fight against climate change, our need for heat is often overlooked. But how do we produce enough of it without also warming the planet?"
• how the pandemic changed the way we eat - "From wonky veg to distanced restaurants, Covid-19 has transformed the way we shop, cook and eat. Have we fixed our relationship with food for good?"
• 60% of fish species could be unable to survive in current areas by 2100 - study - "Warming water temperatures lower water oxygen levels, putting embryos and pregnant fish at risk, researchers say."
• Mission impossible? How to shoot a blockbuster in the coronavirus era - "With stipulations of mass testing and on-camera distancing from actors, it’s not just the romcom facing a bleak future."
• The Verge’s favorite gadgets and gear for summer - "Enjoy the summer season."

July 3, 2020

• U.S. coronavirus cases hit new global record, rising over 55,000 in single day - "The United States reported more than 55,000 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, the largest daily increase any country has ever reported, according to a Reuters tally."
• Texas governor mandates wearing of face masks - "Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered face coverings to be worn in public as coronavirus cases rocket in the state."
• horror week for US as coronavirus records tumble - "US surpasses 40,000 daily cases four times in a week; Brazil nears 1.5 million infections; UN warns on mass bankruptcies in Latin America."
• 'We don't live in a communist country!': battle over masks rages in Texas - "Coronavirus cases are rising, but despite the exhortations of health experts, many Texans just don’t want to wear a mask."
• How Masks Went From Don’t-Wear to Must-Have - "Public health messaging and science have to work hard to stay in sync during a crisis. During the Covid-19 pandemic, they haven’t always succeeded."
• What Trump's 'handled' pandemic looks like - "Rocketing Covid-19 infections expose Trump's callous claim pandemic is 'handled'."
• Dr. Fauci says US is not going in the right direction - "The US coronavirus pandemic is not headed in a positive direction, but it’s possible to balance the yearning to reopen with precautions that can help slow the spread of coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in an interview with JAMA on Thursday."
• This isn’t a COVID-19 wave - it’s a tsunami - "What will we lose before we take this seriously?"
• Coronavirus in North Korea: Kim Jong-un claims 'shining success' - "North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has hailed his country's 'shining success' in dealing with Covid-19, according to state news agency KCNA."
• Fourth of July: Why this Independence Day will be unlike any other - "For millions of Americans, celebrating 4 July comes with certain rituals and traditions."
• Fourth of July celebrations increase risk of 'superspreader' events, experts warn - "Officials prevent municipal gatherings in effort to slow spread. Experts urge Americans at barbecues to follow health guidelines."
• 13 All-American Cocktails For July 4th Weekend - and Beyond - "Here are 13 patriotic potions—one for each of the 13 original colonies."
• US has the most billionaires in the world - but here's what it doesn't have - "Wealth in the US isn’t trickling down when compared to other countries. Just look at Finland, the happiest country in the world: it only has six billionaires."
• Europeans' trust in US as world leader collapses during pandemic - "Many citizens appalled by Donald Trump’s handling of coronavirus crisis, study finds."
• Why your ‘weak-tie’ friendships may mean more than you think - "Close friends are important – but research shows that building networks of casual acquaintances can boost happiness, knowledge and a sense of belonging."
• How do you know what you see is real? - "Top tips for making sure what you're seeing online is legitimate."
• Japan debuts new safer, faster bullet train - "Japan debuts new bullet train that can run during an earthquake."
• A Salute To 13 Historic American Hotels - "If you want a history lesson that comes with room service, check into some of America’s most venerable hotels. While not one of these patriotic properties boasts that George Washington slept here, they are still packed with plenty of all-American lore."
• What if planes, ships and cars looked like this? - "Designer reimagines planes and ships as giant planters in plea to 'slow down' energy use."
• Tesla Is Now The World’s Most Valuable Carmaker - "Tesla Takes Over Top Spot From Toyota As World’s Most Valuable Carmaker."
• Tesla is now worth more than Toyota, Disney & Coke - "Elon Musk's electric car business exceeds the value of almost every company in the S&P 500, including some iconic American companies. Shares of Tesla (TSLA) were up 4% in midday trading Wednesday to a new record high of above $1,120 a share. At that price, Tesla's market cap is nearly $210 billion."
• Lewis Hamilton is using his stature like no other F1 champion in history - "Lewis Hamilton, Formula One's voice and conscience."
• How to keep your delicate brain safe - "Head injuries and concussion can have devastating, lifelong consequences, so can we afford to not keep searching for ways to keep our brains safe?"
• Two Fancy Colored Heart-Shaped Diamonds Could Fetch $18.5 Million - "Two hearts, one blue, the other pink, will appear at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels auction as if they were always meant to be together. They will be sold separately during the July 10 sale at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre. Combined, their high estimate is $18.5 million."
• How I hosted my first charity stream, and how you can host one, too - "So you’ve decided to charity stream."
• best gear for your backyard party - "Grilling, chilling and a whole lot more."
• Every dog year not equivalent to seven human years, scientists find - "Study of DNA changes in labradors suggests puppies age much faster than older dogs."
• Prince Andrew under pressure after arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell - "Royal ‘bewildered’ after US attorney asks him to come forward following arrest of his friend over alleged sex crimes."
• Mark Zuckerberg: advertisers' boycott of Facebook will end 'soon enough' - "We will not change our policies or approach, says Zuckerberg. More than 500 companies are protesting against hate speech."
• Heatwaves have become longer in most of the world since 1950s - study - "Frequency of heatwaves and cumulative intensity has risen through the decades, research finds."
• China's stock market closes at highest level in five years - "Caixin/Markit PMI continues to recover from February trough when coronavirus lockdown was most severe."

July 2, 2020

• US sees a single-day high in new coronavirus cases reported - "US sees a record number of new coronavirus cases reported in a single day."
• 'I'm all for masks,' says Trump in change of tone - "US President Donald Trump, long opposed to wearing a face covering in public, says he is 'all for masks' and they make him look like the Lone Ranger."
• Trump's anti-mask crusade is coming back to bite him - "President Donald Trump's refusal to set an example by wearing a face covering, despite growing evidence that it may be one of the most effective ways to slow America's increasingly disastrous coronavirus pandemic, was always a political statement."
• Tell-All Book on Trump Can Move Forward Pending Hearing, Judge Rules - "The decision reversed a lower court’s ruling that had temporarily halted publication of the book by the president’s niece, but it didn’t address whether she violated a confidentiality agreement."
• If more Americans wore masks the pandemic would slow, experts say - "‘Masks are incredibly important’ to avoid airborne transmission of coronavirus, but a third of Americans say they sometimes or never wear them."
• Prague celebrates end of coronavirus lockdown with mass dinner party at 1,600-foot table - "People in the Czech capital, Prague, built a 1,600-foot table and held a massive public dinner party on Tuesday, to celebrate the end of the country's coronavirus lockdown."
• UK makes citizenship offer to Hong Kong residents - "Up to three million Hong Kong residents are to be offered the chance to settle in the UK and ultimately apply for citizenship, Boris Johnson has said."
• The most polutted city in Europe - "The city is so polluted that people with respiratory illness move uphill to escape, and young people dream of emigrating. But a simple app has begun a movement to deal with the smog."
• How the Black Death make the rich richer - "When a third of Europe’s population was lost, wealth concentrated into tiny groups. Could Covid-19 trigger something similar?"
• Ten years of the sun in one hour - Nasa releases mesmerising space film - "The space agency gathered 425 million high-resolution images of the sun, which have now been stitched together to form the video."
• How to watch videos with friends online - "Host a movie night with friends while social distancing."
• THE BEST WIRELESS EARBUDS TO BUY RIGHT NOW - "Whether you’re looking for an everyday pair or something for fitness, these are the best picks."
• Lamborghini Unveils A New High-Performance Powerboat - "4,000 Horsepower Lamborghini Powerboat Brings Italian Supercar Style And Technology To The Water."
• Apple Confirms Details Of Sleep Tracking In WatchOS 7 - "The public beta of watchOS 7 goes live in July and will bring sleep tracking to Apple Watch in a native app for the first time."
• Lincoln cancels the Continental again because the US is hooked on SUVs - "Four years after bringing it back."
• NASA’s 'smell of space' is available as a perfume - "Eau de Space smells smokey and bitter, and so can you."
• are Dior's Air Jordans the most-wanted trainers of all time? - "The fashion house’s update of Michael Jordan’s classic footwear is set to bring joy to sneakerheads and point the way forward for luxury shopping. Is this the restart of hype?"
• What's wrong with WhatsApp - "As social media has become more inhospitable, the appeal of private online groups has grown. But they hold their own dangers - to those both inside and out."

July 1, 2020

• Dr. Anthony Fauci Warns U.S. Coronavirus Cases Could Swell to 100,000 a Day - "Dr. Anthony Fauci said coronavirus cases could grow to 100,000 a day in the U.S. if Americans don’t start following public health recommendations. The nation’s leading infectious disease expert made the remark at a Senate hearing on reopening schools and workplaces."
• The latest figures are a wake-up call: the global Covid-19 crisis isn't close to over - "It took more than three months for the world to record 1 million cases of Covid-19. The latest 1 million cases were clocked up in a week, taking the total to more than 10 million. On Sunday 28 June, the world recorded more than 190,000 new cases in a single day, a new record."
• US buys up world stock of key Covid-19 drug remdesivir - "No other country will be able to buy remdesivir, which can help recovery from Covid-19, for next three months at least."
• What's behind alarming new US outbreaks? - "As coronavirus outbreaks are slowly brought to heel in many places around the world, the US is among a handful of countries facing a surge of new infections."
• The Coronavirus Plus the Flu Could Equal a Devastating Fall & Winter, CDC Director Says - "Summer has just begun, but health officials are already warning Americans that the fall and winter months ahead will likely be challenging. Once flu season begins, the U.S. will have to worry about not one, but two contagious viruses."
• Coronavirus Could Upend Cancer Trends in the U.S. - "While COVID-19 has upended everyone’s life, the novel coronavirus’ impact on cancer patients is especially disruptive. Any infectious disease that taxes the immune system is high on their must-avoid list - especially for those getting chemotherapy or radiation treatments, both of which can weaken natural defenses. So that leaves cancer patients caught in the middle of two terrifying diseases."
• Third of advertisers may boycott Facebook in hate speech revolt - "‘Stop Hate for Profit’ campaign gathers momentum as ad boycott spreads outside US."
• The Surprisingly Deep - and Often Troubling - History of ‘Social Distancing’ - "In March, when the world was stocking up on supplies as stay-at-home orders went into place, doctoral student Lily Scherlis started to take stock of the new vocabulary of the pandemic. One phrase in particular caught her eye: 'social distancing.'"
• Judge temporarily blocks publication of tell-all book by President Trump's niece - "A New York judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked the publication of an unflattering tell-all book written by President Trump's niece that Simon & Schuster is set to publish in July."
• White House insists Trump reads intelligence - "The White House used a last-minute briefing Tuesday to continue defending President Donald Trump against accusations he let languish intelligence about Russia paying bounties to the Taliban for killing American troops."
• The Stock Market Just Had Its Best Quarter Since 1998 - "The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.8%, over 200 points, on Tuesday, while the S&P 500 rose 1.5% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 1.9%."
• Take A Virtual Tour Of France This Summer - "Americans may not be traveling to Europe any time soon, but a virtual tour of France is only a few clicks away. Pop a bottle of Champagne, pull on your favorite striped shirt and tuck a baguette in your bag, because you’re digitally going to France! Starting from Normandy all the way down to the French Riviera, fulfill your digital wanderlust with this tour of France you can enjoy from home. On y va!"
• How Covid-19 is changing women’s lives - "As working mums perform more childcare and face increased job insecurity, there are fears Covid-19 has undone decades of advancement. But could the pandemic be a catalyst for progress?"
• Why are the Japanese so resilient? - "Regularly pummelled by natural disasters, Japan has frequently had to bounce back from adversity. But this, some argue, has bred fortitude and a cultural trait of resilience."
• TikTok: Beneath Its Fun Exterior Lies A Sinister Purpose - "Three years since TikTok was launched, the video-sharing social network grown rapidly to accumulate more than two billion downloads, one of the most popular apps of the moment, beating even Instagram or YouTube in consumption time in the United States, United Kingdom or Spain, particularly among younger age segments."
• Bentley Reveals The New Bentayga Luxury SUV - "Inside, the cabin demonstrates the marque’s artisan skills, with an abundance of handcrafted wood, hand stitched quilted leather on the new seats and precisely engineered tactile chrome elements - all seamlessly executed within a highly technical digital space. And the Bentayga is a genuine off-roader - that is if you’re willing to take such a polished product through muddy terrain."
• New Trimonoran superyacht concept could be future of luxury sailing - "A yacht concept at least 20 years in the making, Escalade is being touted as a 'game changer' by the team behind it. Measuring 25 meters, the unique vessel is said to be the first of its kind to feature a Trimonoran hull, a combination of a monohull and a trimaran hull."
• How to Create Your Own Backyard Movie Theater - "Even though most movie theaters across the country are currently scheduled to be open in July, that doesn’t mean that all moviegoers are willing to brave the risk. If you aren’t quite ready to sit in an enclosed space with strangers who may frequently remove their masks to eat popcorn and drink from two-gallon jugs of soda, there is an alternative: the backyard movie theater."
• Oscars voting body invites 819 members in campaign to diversify the Academy - "Eva Longoria, Zendaya and Awkwafina are among the new class of invitees which is 36% people of color and 45% women."
• ‘I don’t let regret in’: Pierce Brosnan on love, loss and his life after Bond - "He has worked with Tennessee Williams, Robin Williams - and, controversially, Roman Polanski. The former 007 discusses fatherhood, family and the lonely childhood that shaped him."
• how to choose pasta shapes - "Rigatoni or paccheri? Does it matter which pasta goes with which sauce? Italian food experts dish out advice."
• Inside a 203-Foot Superyacht With a Luxurious 2,260-Square-Foot Owner’s Apartment - "Sanlorenzo's first 62Steel, which launched last week, is also defined by the interplay of glass and light across its elegant interior."