The Int'l Man's Hot Links Archive 2020 (3): Oct 1-Dec 31

Hot Links Archive 2020 (3): October 1 - December 31

December 31, 2020

• Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases - by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU).
• CORONAVIRUS GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TRACKER - "Governments are taking a wide range of measures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This tool aims to track and compare policy responses around the world, rigorously and consistently."
• Coronavirus: A-Z - everything you need to know | Face Masks - "2200+ Coronavirus COVID-19 Advice, News & Resources." UPDATED DAILY!
• Covid vaccine tracker: when will a coronavirus vaccine be ready? - "More than 170 teams of researchers are racing to develop a safe and effective vaccine. Here is their progress."
• Climate Change - "Check out all about climate change: 250 evidence, facts, information, news, reviews and resources."
• Watch Australia's 2021 Sydney Harbour New Year fireworks celebrations - YouTube.
• World prepares for muted New Year's Eve under Covid shadow - "Britons urged to stay home; France puts 100,000 police out on patrol; Merkel laments hardest year; Times Square closed to public."
• Virtual ball drop: New Year's Eve events cancelled across US as Covid cases surge - "New York City has announced that Times Square will not be open to the public as other cities scrap in-person gatherings."
• France mobilises 100,000 police to stop New Year's Eve gatherings - "France is to mobilise 100,000 police and gendarmes on New Year's Eve to break up parties and enforce a curfew imposed to combat coronavirus."
• The Surprising Origins of the New Year’s Eve Ball Drop Tradition - "On New Year’s Eve, Americans may turn on their televisions and have a ball watching a sparkling orb be lowered from a flagpole at the top of One Times Square. The conclusion of the ball drop has become the annual signal that the clock has struck midnight on the first day of the year. But, while the Times Square tradition dates back to the early 20th century, the idea of using a ball drop to mark time is much more than just a fun holiday activity."
• A brief history of the Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop - "This year, however, the Times Square ball will drop to empty streets. Because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, no one will be allowed to gather in person, but there will be a virtual event for those wanting to watch it from home."
• 21 Sparkling Wines To Welcome 2021 - "While Champagne produces some of the world's most coveted selections - and with good reason - you'll find many other regions around the globe that offer sparkling wines of similar quality and at a great value."
• US sets daily Covid-19 death record for the second day in a row - "Another 80,000 could die in next 3 weeks, new forecast says."
• New US cases raise fears UK Covid variant is already widespread - "Cases in Colorado and California raise questions about how mutation entered the country and whether its too late to stop it."
• China approves Sinopharm covid-19 vaccine - "Chinese regulators have approved the country's first homegrown coronavirus vaccine, developed by state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, officials announced Thursday."
• Sydney Christmas beach party sparks 'backpacker' deportation threat from Australian immigration minister - "Australia's Minister of Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs has threatened to cancel the visas of any visitors caught breaking rules designed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the country, after hundreds of people attended a beach party in Sydney's Bronte Beach on Christmas Day."
• Donald Trump, Michelle Obama most admired in 2020 - "Americans are most likely to name President Donald Trump and Michelle Obama as most admired man and woman in 2020. Trump tied former President Barack Obama for the honor last year but edged out his predecessor this year. Trump's first-place finish ends a 12-year run as most admired man for Obama, tied with Dwight Eisenhower for the most ever. Meanwhile, Michelle Obama ranks as most admired woman for the third year in a row. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris is second."
• From volunteering to vaccines ... the best of a bad year - "Covid may have made 2020 a year to forget, but amid the gloom there were plenty of positive moments."
• Brutal Bacon, wild Gehry and unmissable Abramovic: 2021's best art, architecture & photography - "Rodin, Bacon and Eileen Agar will be big, but Abramovic’s art attack could eclipse them all. Plus Frank Gehry unleashes a tornado and Helen Levitt shows how street photography should be done."
• Remembering the entertainment & arts figures we lost in 2020 - "As the year draws to a close, it is time to remember the figures from the worlds of arts and entertainment who died in 2020. Here is a look back at some of those we said farewell to."
• Quarantine meals: The 2020 food trend no-one predicted - "It is now almost laughable, reading back the list of the foods we would all be excited by in 2020."
• Top 10 most dislikable characters in fiction - "From Tom Wolfe’s ‘master of the universe’ to George Eliot’s vengeful pedant, these are some of the hardest characters in literature to love."
• Vaccine & water creates Asia's new richest person - "Zhong Shanshan has seen his wealth surge $7bn this year, helping him leapfrog India's Mukesh Ambani and China's Jack Ma. His is worth $77.8bn, making him the world's 11th richest person according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Nicknamed the 'lone wolf' Mr Zhong's career has spanned journalism, mushroom farming and healthcare."
• Why You Should Stop Using Your Facebook Messenger App - "Facebook’s new 'all or nothing' legal fight with the U.S. government could be surprisingly bad news for the billion-plus people using Facebook Messenger. If you’re one of them, here’s why you should switch to an alternative for 2021."
• 26 great apps for your new 2020 Windows PC - "All of the apps you need to get started with Windows."
• Couples who meet via dating apps keener to settle down, study suggests - "Research finds those who couple up after swiping right have stronger long-term intentions."
• The World’s Best Superyacht Shipyards - "From Germany to the Netherlands, Italy, and the United States, the superyacht industry employs highly skilled craftsmen and women at shipyards around the globe. The handcrafted vessels can be seen in bodies of water from the Mediterranean to the Bahamas, providing enjoyment - and jobs - for those on board. Here we highlight the top 20 superyacht shipyards in the world."
• These are some of our must-have apps to install on a new Apple Watch - 9to5Mac.
• How flying will change in 2021 - CNN Travel.
• Here's Everything New on Netflix in January 2021 - And What's Leaving - TIME Magazine.

December 30, 2020

• UK Covid-19 variant reaches the US - "Colorado identifies first known case of UK coronavirus variant in US."
• US hits record for daily Covid-19 deaths - "Winter will be 'awful' before we see 'some light,' expert says."
• UK regulator approves Oxford/AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine - "The United Kingdom has approved another coronavirus vaccine for use, weeks after the country became the first in the world to start inoculating its citizens."
• How well does the Oxford vaccine work? What we know so far - "How the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab works, its advantages and possible limitations."
• US vaccine rollout remains woefully behind schedule - "With just a few days left in the year, alarm bells are going off among health officials across the country over the slow effort to administer tens of millions of doses of Covid-19 vaccine by the end of the year."
• China Covid-19: Nearly 500,000 in Wuhan may have had virus, says study - "Almost 5% of the people in the Chinese city of Wuhan may have been infected with Covid-19, a study by researchers at the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention has shown."
• What do we know about China's coronavirus vaccines? - "As the global race to produce a Covid-19 vaccine continues, China appears to have made huge strides, with vaccines from two front-runners - Sinovac and Sinopharm - already making their way abroad."
• Floods, storms & searing heat: 2020 in extreme weather
• 2020 smashes records in global markets - "From worst crash in a generation to record highs on news of a Covid vaccine, experts review the rollercoaster that was 2020."
• 11 great apps ready for your new 2020 M1 Mac - "Developers are quickly embracing Apple silicon."
• Bitcoin hits record high as US dollar slides - "Bitcoin bursts through $28,500."
• Pierre Cardin - a life in pictures - "The fashion designer was born in Italy in 1922 but emigrated to France as a small child. He revolutionised fashion starting in the 50s and becoming famous with his space-age design in the 60s, before becoming a household name and a pioneer of fashion licensing."
• how Covid-19 piled the pressure on conservation efforts - "Ecotourism revenues plummeted around the world as some areas saw poaching and land grabs increase in 2020."
• Greta Thunberg says climate experts are being ignored - "Climate specialists not being listened to despite Covid showing importance of following science, activist says."
• Kim Philby: new revelations about spy emerge in secret files - "UK government launched campaign to block memoirs being published fearing damaging disclosures."
• The Most Exciting International Hotel Openings In 2021 - Forbes.

December 29, 2020

• New virus variant continues to spread globally - "With the new Covid variant, first discovered in the UK, continuing to spread across the country and the world, you may be wondering how unusual it is for a virus to mutate."
• WHO warns Covid-19 pandemic is 'not necessarily the big one' - "Experts tell end of year media briefing that virus is likely to become endemic and the world will have to learn to live with it."
• Russia admits to world's third-worst Covid-19 death toll - "More than 186,000 Russians have died due to coronavirus, three times more than previously reported."
• Spain to keep registry of those who refuse Covid vaccine - "Spain is to set up a registry of people who refuse to be vaccinated against coronavirus and share it with other European Union nations, the health minister has said."
• Could Covid lockdown have helped save the planet? - "Slowdown of human activity was too short to reverse years of destruction, but we saw a glimpse of post-fossil fuel world."
• 12 wild things that happened in aviation in 2020 - "This was a heinous year for the aviation industry. Absolutely horrendous, in fact. But among the gloom there were some lighter, crazier, even hopeful moments that captured our imaginations during the dark times. Here are the wildest."
• What it's really like to ski during a pandemic - CNN Travel.
• British tourists 'fled' Swiss ski resort quarantine - "British tourists fled the Swiss ski resort of Verbier 'clandestinely' under cover of darkness rather than submit to a new quarantine imposed on UK visitors, a local official said on Monday."
• How to survive in the extreme cold - "The man who refused to freeze to death. Lost, wet and alone in a freezing, snow covered landscape, an Icelandic fisherman’s story of survival against the odds reveals the human body’s remarkable ability to adapt to the cold."
• Facebook ‘Secretly’ Tracks Your iPhone Location - This Is How To Stop It - "Facebook has a data addiction - it can’t help itself. The social media giant’s entire business model is built around collecting, processing and then monetizing our personal information."
• Your car may be recording more data than you know - "Information from vehicles has been used to solve crimes, and for more nefarious purposes."
• Dune, Bond & Top Gun reloaded: films to look out for in 2021 - "Daniel Craig hands in his licence to kill, Frances McDormand delivers her best ever performance, Carey Mulligan unsettles in a rape-revenge drama and Tom Cruise reaches for the skies ... this year’s must-see films."
• 2020 has proven that electric vehicles are the future of transportation - "Tesla managed to retain its position at the head of the market this year but its lead over rivals is shrinking as automotive stalwarts like GM, Fiat Chrysler, Hyundai Motor Group and the Volkswagen Group all jump into the EV fray."
• VW shows its mobile EV charging robot in action - "You won't have to park in a dedicated space to recharge."
• Feadship’s Superyachts Of The Future Are “Pretty Outrageous” - "With the global pandemic putting an even larger premium on being able to social distance in style, the world’s largest superyacht shipyards have been working hard to keep up with demand. But since many of the largest superyachts can still take up to five years to be completed in the best of times, the world’s preeminent superyacht builders and designers are constantly pushing the envelope of what the ultimate superyacht of the future can be."
• The simple maths error that can lead to bankruptcy - "The 'gambler’s fallacy' - which can affect everyone from athletes to loan officers - creates deceptive biases that lead you to anticipate patterns that don’t really exist."
• In 2023, you won’t be able to fly most drones in the US without broadcasting your location - "The FAA just shook up the drone world."
• China orders Alibaba founder Jack Ma to break up fintech empire - "Central bank says Ant Group governance is unsound and tells it to rectify ‘illegal activities’."
• Ikea furniture is now collectable - "Low-cost products from the 1960s to the 1990s can be worth thousands of pounds."

December 28, 2020

• How quickly the US lost 1 in 1,000 Americans to Covid-19 - "The United States reached a grim milestone on Saturday: 1 in 1,000 Americans have died from Covid-19 since the nation's first reported infection in late January."
• projections for January are 'nightmarish,' expert says - "December is the deadliest month in the US since the coronavirus pandemic began."
• Chinese economy to overtake US 'by 2028' due to Covid - "China will overtake the US to become the world's largest economy by 2028, five years earlier than previously forecast, a report says."
• Covid poses 'greatest threat to mental health since second world war' - "UK’s leading psychiatrist predicts impact will be felt for years after pandemic ends."
• If you want to travel next year, you may need a vaccine passport - "Now that coronavirus vaccines are starting to roll out in the US and abroad, many people may be dreaming of the day when they can travel, shop and go to the movies again. But in order to do those activities, you may eventually need something in addition to the vaccine: a vaccine passport application."
• How Brexit will change your holidays in 2021 - "A simple guide to how leaving the EU will affect travel to Europe."
• World’s Best Champagne - According To The Experts - Forbes.
• Is it safe to microwave food? - "There’s nothing risky about microwave radiation - but there is about heating up plastic."
• A cardiac arrest showed me what dying feels like - "How should I live in Life 2.0?"
• Scientists turn CO2 into jet fuel - "It could lead to net zero emissions for air travel."
• 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."
• iPhone ‘Weak Security’ Wi-Fi Warning: Here’s What It Means - "Have you received a 'weak Wi-Fi security' warning on your iPhone since upgrading to iOS 14? You are not alone, here’s what it means and how to fix it."
• Beyond the silk pyjamas: the style of NoËl Coward - "A new exhibition is devoted to the visual flair of a debonair playwright whose tastes are almost impossible to define"
• Could the Covid pandemic make fashion more sustainable? - "From advances in carbon-sequestering sequins to a boom in second-hand shopping, there have been chinks of light in 2020, despite the grim big picture."
• Top 10 James Bond Villains, Ranked By Wealth - "The suave, high-class attitudes of James Bond are often matched by equally suave - albeit fantastically more wealthy - villains - here are the 10 richest."

December 27, 2020

• EU starts mass vaccination in 'touching moment of unity' - "The EU is launching a co-ordinated vaccine rollout to fight Covid-19, in what the bloc's top official says is a 'touching moment of unity'."
• Putin to receive Russian-made Sputnik V Covid vaccine - "Announcement follows health ministry’s approval of vaccine use by elderly people."
• Trump fails to sign economic relief bill into law - "Millions of Americans have temporarily lost their unemployment benefits after President Donald Trump failed to sign the Covid relief bill into law."
• What has Covid done for climate crisis? - "When Covid-19 sparked lockdowns around the world, emissions of one of the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change, atmospheric carbon dioxide, plummeted. But is this record drop a short-term effect of the 2020 pandemic or a 'new normal'?"
• How The Rich & Famous Escape The Pandemic - "For most regular people, the pandemic has meant staring at the same four walls for months on end, dreaming of when we used to be allowed to travel. However, there are much more pleasant ways to while away the time during the coronavirus crisis for those with unlimited resources."
• When every set looks like Contagion: inside Hollywood's pandemic year - "Actors are slowly returning to work after a long shutdown caused vast economic damage: ‘How many people gave up their dreams?’"
• Feed your soul: the 31-day literary diet for January - "Looking for a more positive new year resolution? From a Shirley Jackson short story to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s 30-minute Ted talk, nourish your mind with our one-a-day selection of literary treats."
• Fiction to look out for in 2021 - "With a host of dazzling second novels in the offing, plus the return of big hitters such as Kazuo Ishiguro and Jon McGregor, 2021 is shaping up to be a special year."
• Nonfiction to look out for in 2021 - "Biographies of Philip Roth and DH Lawrence, the curious death of Robert Maxwell, and dispatches from the Covid frontline."
• Exceptionally well-preserved snack bar unearthed in Pompeii - "The frescoed thermopolium, a Roman-era fast-food stall, is the first to be fully excavated."

December 26, 2020

• Think the world is a bad place & getting worse? You might be wrong. Here's why - "2020 was a terrible year. But the world's in better shape than you might think."
• Covid-19 has shown us that good health is not just down to biology - "Of all the lessons we’ve learned from this pandemic, the most significant is how unequal its effects have been."
• Time capsule 2020: The 37 objects that defined the year - "If we were to create a time capsule of objects that captured life in 2020, what might we choose?"
• 'Deepfake' Queen delivers alternative Christmas speech, in warning about misinformation - "A fake Queen Elizabeth danced across TV screens on Christmas as part of a 'deepfake' speech aired by a British broadcaster."
• How the 'Goldfinger' Alpine sequence gave rise to Bondmania - "A supervillain, an assassin, a mountain car chase and an Aston Martin equipped with gadgetry -- the Alpine scenes in 1964's "Goldfinger" set a new benchmark for the archetypal James Bond sequence. And as well as being, arguably, the most iconic six minutes and 37 seconds in the franchise's history, it is also one of the best documented."
• Boeing 737: How world's most successful airplane became its most troubled - "Over the course of its long history, the Boeing 737 has acquired more nicknames than any other commercial aircraft. Among them are Baby Boeing, Tin Mouse, Light Twin, Guppy, Bobby, Rudder Rotor, as well as a few less flattering ones, such as Fat Freddy and Dung Beetle."
• Pan Am Boeing 377: The luxury airplane with beds in overhead compartments - "The airplane speeds through the sky on its way to London as you dine on tender beef and caviar. Afterward, you make your way to the lower lounge to socialize with other passengers aboard the plane while sipping on a refreshing drink. As the evening winds down, you head up to the main cabin, climb into your overhead compartment bed, and travel across the Atlantic Ocean safely tucked away under soft sheets."
• The world's best potato dishes - "Despite attempts by anti-carb killjoys -- demonizing the addictive appeal of a plate piled with crispy, salty fries -- the potato endures as one of history's most beloved foods."
• The Billionaires Who Died In 2020: Remembering Their Lives - Forbes.
• AMAZON ECHO FRAMES REVIEW: LISTEN TO THESE SPECS - "Great in concept, but there’s a limit to what Alexa can do on a phone."
• Barbour jacket soars in popularity after TV exposure - "The jacket - a favourite of the British upper classes - has been enjoying a moment, thanks in large part to The Crown."

December 25, 2020

• In pictures: Christmas celebrations around the world - "People across the world are celebrating one of the holiest times in the Christian calendar. But this year's church services and events (Christmas Day is celebrated by western churches on 25 December but by eastern churches on 7 January) are being attended by far fewer people because of the coronavirus outbreak. Social distancing and wearing masks are now the new must."
• 20 Best Christmas Destinations For 2021 - "Over 100,000 travelers from 121 countries answered the question: 'Where would you like to spend Christmas in Europe in 2021, (health situation permitting)?'"
• 'White Christmas': The biggest selling single of all time - "American entertainer Bing Crosby made 'White Christmas' by Irving Berlin, one of the defining songs of World War Two."
• A cozy history of the ugly Christmas sweater - "Move over twinkling fir trees and wreaths, eggnog, stockings and the office secret Santa -- there's a new kid in town. Over the last decade the ugly Christmas sweater has firmly embedded itself in yuletide culture."
• How KFC became a Christmas tradition in Japan - "Every year since the mid-1980s, life-size Colonel Sanders statues -- dressed as Santa during the holiday -- have welcomed droves of locals and tourists alike across the country."
• Here’s Where 3 New Strains Of Covid-19 Have Traveled So Far - "There now are two known new variants of the coronavirus traveling the world - and possibly a third."
• MAP: Covid-19 vaccination tracker across the U.S. - "NBC News is tracking administered doses in each state by surveying health departments and examining daily reports."
• China launches antitrust investigation into Alibaba - "China has launched an antitrust investigation into Alibaba (BABA) as it steps up scrutiny of the country's rapidly growing internet firms."
• Michael Jackson: Neverland Ranch 'sold to billionaire for $22m' - "The Neverland ranch of the late pop star Michael Jackson has reportedly been sold to a billionaire investor for a quarter of its initial asking price."
• 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."
• Five superpowers ruling the world in 2050 - "In 30 years, most of the world’s largest economies will be those that are emerging today, surpassing current behemoths such as the US, Japan and Germany."
• What if the Universe has no end? - "The Big Bang is widely accepted as being the beginning of everything we see around us, but other theories that are gathering support among scientists are suggesting otherwise."
• Israel unveils parts of Herod's palace Herodium buried by Judean king - "Herodium, a hugely popular tourism destination, is near Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank but falls in an area where Israel exercises full military and civilian control."

December 24, 2020

• A pandemic atlas: How covid-19 took over the world in 2020 - "Almost no place has been spared - and no one. The virus that first emerged a year ago in Wuhan, China, swept across the world in 2020, leaving havoc in its wake. More than any event in memory, the pandemic has been a global event. On every continent, households have felt its devastation - joblessness and lockdowns, infirmity and death. And an abiding, relentless fear."
• Coronavirus tracker: the latest figures as countries fight Covid-19 resurgence- "The Financial Times analyses the scale of outbreaks and the number of deaths around the world. The human cost of coronavirus has continued to mount, with more than 77m cases confirmed globally and more than 1.69m people known to have died."
• What Bill Gates Thinks About the State of the Fight Against COVID-19 - "Bill Gates isn’t about to be contemplating his touchdown dance yet. You don’t get to devote your life to battling the world’s most intractable problems by declaring victory before a fight is over."
• 'New disease, no treatment, no cure': how Anthony Fauci's fight against Aids prepared him for Covid-19 - "As he turns 80, the medical expert’s decades of work on HIV will stand as his lasting contribution, whatever happens with Covid."
• Wombats, snails, ferrets: The animals that brought us joy during the pandemic - "The global pandemic made 2020 an exhausting year, but for many people one thing brought some much-needed relief -- animals."
• Oscars 2021: What can we expect for the ceremony? - "It's on - but will the 93rd Academy Awards look anything like the Oscar ceremonies movie fans have come to expect?"
• Are there health benefits to going vegan? - "More and more people are eating vegan meals - and part of the reason is it’s seen as healthier. Is it really better for you?"
• Cacio e pepe: Italy's beloved three-ingredient pasta dish - "With only three simple ingredients, cacio e pepe is a rich pasta dish that’s hard not to love. And when you do get that elusive texture, it becomes the ideal comfort food."
• Apple AirPods Pro 2 Patent Reveals Jaw-Dropping New Upgrade - "A new patent for AirPods Pro shows Apple is thinking of a way of controlling future earbuds in a wholly new way which could arrive as soon as the next version of headphones, presumably called AirPods Pro 2."
• How To Make Irish Coffee The Foolproof Way - "A delicious and well-prepared Irish coffee is nearly impossible to find - no matter how ubiquitous it is in New York City’s bar scene."

December 23, 2020

• Trump issues series of pardons - "Trump announces wave of pardons, including Papadopoulos and former lawmakers Hunter and Collins."
• 'It's turned crazy': Inside the scramble for Trump pardons - "President Donald Trump may not be willing to accept his term is ending, but as the clock ticks down on his time in office, hundreds of his allies -- including some of his closest business associates and many high-profile criminals -- are ramping up their efforts to squeeze out the final ounces of his presidential power."
• Trump demands changes to sign $900bn bill - "Outgoing president says $600 stimulus payout to most Americans should increase to $2,000, or $4,000 for a couple."
• Fauci hopes receiving vaccine will encourage others - "The director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Anthony Fauci, has received a first dose of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine."
• Apple’s Massive iPhone 13 Upgrades Suddenly Confirmed - "Apple’s iPhone 12 line-up has a growing list of teething problems but, if they have delayed your upgrade plans, new iPhone 13 leaks suggest your patience will be rewarded."
• Elon Musk says Apple's boss snubbed takeover deal - "Tesla founder Elon Musk says that Apple chief executive Tim Cook snubbed talks to buy the car company back in 2017."
• 6 Ways to Find Joy During This Dreary Winter, According to a Happiness Expert - TIME Magazine.
• A simple trick to increase self-control - "The ‘Batman Effect’: How having an alter ego empowers you. Thinking of yourself as a separate entity can reduce anxiety, while also kicking up some major benefits for your confidence and determination."
• The tiny forests designed by feng shui - "As China embarks on an ambitious push to be carbon neutral by 2060, a collection of ancient forests may hold the key to its green future."
• The daring plan to save the Arctic ice with glass - "The fear that action to combat climate change has been too slow has led some scientists to test unconventional methods to stem the loss of Arctic sea ice."

December 22, 2020

• Apple targets car production by 2024 & eyes 'next level' battery technology-sources - "Apple Inc is moving forward with self-driving car technology and is targeting 2024 to produce a passenger vehicle that could include its own breakthrough battery technology, people familiar with the matter told Reuters."
• International alarm grows over new covid variant - "There is growing international alarm over a new variant of the coronavirus in the UK, with a host of countries imposing travel bans."
• Covid-19 isolation gives Britain a taste of 'no-deal' Brexit chaos - "Dozens of countries in Europe and around the world have halted flights from the United Kingdom, and the French government announced a 48-hour ban on truckers using ferry and rail routes from England to France after a potentially highly-infectious coronavirus mutation was blamed for a Christmas lockdown in London and the surrounding areas."
• Covid cases recorded in Antarctica for first time - reports - "Isolated continent reportedly registers first infections after 36 Chileans fall ill at research base."
• Vatican says getting Covid vaccine 'morally acceptable' - "Catholic church says researchers’ use of cell material derived from foetuses does not amount to cooperating with abortion."
• 21 Beautiful Christmas Trees Around The World, In Photos - "Christmas trees are one of the traditions that can withstand the coronavirus and most towns and cities in the world have gone all the way to present immense, luminous, creative trees as one of the remaining ways in these trying times to symbolize the special holiday."
• The best photographs of 2020 - and the stories behind them - "From an apocalyptic Australian dust storm to elephants scavenging in Kenya and goats roaming Llandudno - photographers recall how they grabbed some of the most eye-catching images of the year."
• Covid, BLM protests & the election: America's year in pictures - "From the pandemic, to the death of George Floyd, to America’s presidential elections, 2020 has been a year of distress - with moments of hope and endurance. These were some of the images that stood out"
• The cultural moments that defined 2020 - "It was an unusual year marked by unusual events: an unprecedented global pandemic, youth-led protest movements, impassioned Black Lives Matter demonstrations, a divisive US Election. The list goes on."
• 58 Most Anticipated TV Shows of 2021 - "The 2021 cultural calendar is dotted with question marks: When will movie theaters feel safe again? When will Broadway reopen? When will indoor art fairs stop sounding like potential superspreaders? Will live music return in time for Lady Gaga’s rescheduled Chromatica tour in late summer, if not Coachella in April? At least we can count on good ol’ television to keep us entertained no matter how long the vaccine rollout takes."
• How the New COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Bill Stacks Up to Other Countries' Economic Responses - "In recent weeks, the daily U.S. COVID-19 case and death counts have been hitting all-time highs, while fresh lockdowns and restrictions have been enacted across the country in an attempt to contain the spread of the virus. In response to the economic pain brought on by those measures, Congress is expected to pass a $900 billion economic relief package on Dec. 21."
• 16 Gorgeous Hotels Opening In 2021 - "The optimists among us have much to look forward to, with a slew of interesting hotels opening around the world, from New Mexico to Norway to the Maldives. (They’ll still be set up for social distancing and deep-diving into the sanity-soothing power of nature.) Some are a single entrepreneur’s passion project, while others are large-scale moves by the big brands. What they share is a painstaking attention to detail, a willingness to rewrite the rules and - in quite a few cases - genuine attention paid to sustainability. Whenever we can travel again, they will be waiting."
• Navalny was poisoned through his underpants - "Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny dupes spy into revealing how he was poisoned."
• Winter Got You Down? Here's How to Combat Seasonal Blues, According to Experts - "When the long summer days begin to slip away and temperatures begin to drop, it’s not uncommon to feel down in the dumps. Many may begin to feel resigned and sad as early as the fall when facing bone-chilling weather and increased isolation during the darkest time of any year, but it’s possible many more may feel affected by the challenges that this winter may bring."
• Yoga for stress-related insomnia - "Are you finding yourself tossing and turning in the middle of the night, unable to stay asleep? Or maybe you've always struggled with falling asleep, but now it's taking hours instead of 30 minutes for shut-eye to kick in."
• Myrrh mystery: how did Balthasar, one of the three kings, become black? - "They are a Christmas card staple - the three kings who followed a star to the baby Jesus. But one of them caused a revolution in art. We unravel the mystery of the Magi."
• How did the last Neanderthals live? - "In many ways, the last surviving Neanderthals are a mystery. But four caves in Gibraltar have given an unprecedented insight into what their lives might have been like."
• In Photos: ‘Christmas Star’ Dazzles As Jupiter & Saturn Align In Best Display Since The 13th Century - "You can still watch the two planets in a tangle, but here’s the peak event in photos from the last few days as Jupiter and Saturn appeared to get to within a mere 0.1º of each other."
• Elon Musk says Tesla's Full Self-Driving subscription arrives in early 2021 - "Tesla is narrowing the time frame for the Full Self-Driving subscription rollout. Elon Musk told Twitter followers that the pay-per-month package is now due to arrive 'early next year.' In theory, you could add the autonomous (currently semi-autonomous) features without a steep up-front cost in a matter of months."
• The Number of Journalists Murdered for Their Work Doubled in 2020 - "The number of journalists killed in retaliation for their work more than doubled in 2020, a year when more news people than ever were jailed by authoritarian governments, according to new figures from the Committee to Protect Journalists."
• 7 clandestine words from John le CarrÉ - "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Dictionary."
• 2021 Audi Q5 Test Drive & Review: Just Right - Forbes.

December 21, 2020

• New coronavirus variant: What do we know? - "The rapid spread of a new variant of coronavirus has been blamed for the introduction of strict tier four mixing rules for millions of people, harsher restrictions on mixing at Christmas in England, Scotland and Wales, and other countries placing the UK on a travel ban."
• Countries around the world stop travel from UK - "A growing number of countries are stepping up restrictions on travel to and from the UK."
• Europe's coronavirus crisis is resurging. For months, 3 Nordic nations kept it under control - without lockdowns - "The approaches of three nations - Finland, Norway and Denmark - in recent months stand out, a CNN analysis shows. The analysis, which looked at data from the University of Oxford and Johns Hopkins University, found that while all three countries implemented some of the continent's most relaxed combinations of restrictions, they still managed to keep average daily deaths low - below one per million - for the three-month period between September 1 and November 30."
• Inside Oxford’s coronavirus vaccine development - "From a small discovery to producing at scale, photojournalist David Levene documents the groundbreaking work of the scientists of Oxford University during the development of a vaccine which is now poised for approval by medicines regulators."
• How voters rank Trump a historically bad president - "A new Fox News poll finds that 42% of voters say history will remember President Donald Trump as one of the worst presidents ever."
• Elon Musk tweeted about a bitcoin rival. It soared 20% - "The tweet sent shares of Dogecoin up nearly 20% and landed it on the list of trending Twitter topics."
• How the pandemic inspired creative uses of technology in 2020 - "People got imaginative with TikTok, FaceTime, Zoom, Google Forms, and a meme of Anthony Fauci."
• The virus-free scientific breakthroughs of 2020, chosen by scientists - "The response to Covid-19 has been momentous but discoveries in AI, diet, conservation, space and beyond, show the power of science to improve the world post-pandemic."
• The medications that change who we are - "They’ve been linked to road rage, pathological gambling, and complicated acts of fraud. Some make us less neurotic, and others may even shape our social relationships. It turns out many ordinary medications don’t just affect our bodies - they affect our brains. Why? And should there be warnings on packets?"
• THE BEST GAMES OF 2020 - "Spiders, swords, starships, and a whole lot more."
• Why Texas won't take Silicon Valley's crown just yet - "The San Francisco Bay Area remains the innovative center of the US tech industry. But challenges are on the horizon."
• The 21 Most Anticipated Books of 2021 - TIME Magazines.
• Tesla Up 700% This Year - Here Are 9 More Staggering Numbers Summing Up Elon Musk’s Wild Ride To S&P 500 - "Rounding out a year of explosive growth, electric-carmaker Tesla is set for the biggest S&P 500 debut in history on Monday, and it's been a crazy ride. In 2020 alone, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based firm posted its first-ever annual profit, booked stock gains strong enough to make CEO Elon Musk the world's second-richest man."
• Singapore street food added to Unesco heritage list - "The city-state’s cosmopolitan ‘hawker culture’ has been added to the prestigious list - welcome recognition after a tough year for vendors. Plus five of the best food centres to visit."
• Luxury London homes still used to launder illicit funds, says report - "Luxury London homes are an 'attractive method to launder illicit funds', a government report has said as the National Crime Agency steps up its McMafia-style 'dirty money' investigations into suspect funds flooding into the country."
• How to Make WhatsApp Voice & Video Calls From Your Laptop - "WhatsApp is more than just a text chat service - you’ve been able to use it to make voice and video calls for as long as I can remember. In fact, WhatsApp has even bolstered its video chat capabilities during amid these cheery pandemic times, and now allows you to converse with up to 50 people at a time. But you still have to do it via the mobile app, which isn’t nearly as useful as being able to do the same things on a desktop app."

December 20, 2020

• How do COVID-19 vaccines compare with other existing vaccines? - "The novelty of the COVID-19 vaccines may seem daunting for some, and it is natural for questions to arise on their effectiveness. In this feature, we examine the difference between effectiveness and efficacy, compare the COVID-19 frontrunner vaccines to other vaccines, such as the flu shot, and compare their safety considerations."
• WHO in 'close contact' with UK over new virus variant - "The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it is in 'close contact' with UK officials over the emergence of a new variant of coronavirus. The new variant is spreading more rapidly than the original version, but it is not believed to be more deadly."
• As Covid death toll soars ever higher, Sweden wonders who to blame - "Champions of herd immunity once lauded the Nordic refuseniks. All that has changed now."
• Ellen DeGeneres Updates Her Covid-19 Case: “I Feel Really Good” - "'I feel really good,' the 62-year-old television host said, but added one caveat. 'One thing that they don’t tell you is that you get, somehow, excruciating back pain,' she said. 'Didn’t know that was a symptom, but I talked to some other people ... Who knew? How come?'"
• TIME's 2020 Guardians of the year - "Dr. Anthony Fauci and Frontline Health Workers."
• Lockdowns have stopped people moving. And fugitives are running out of hiding places - "Fugitives are encountering new challenges when it comes to hiding out during a global pandemic, with movement restricted in many countries. Some have been forced to hand themselves in, while others have been caught as they traveled."
• How 'linguistic mirroring' can make you more convincing - "New research shows that analysing someone’s communication type and parroting it back may make you more persuasive."
• iOS 14.3: How To Use Apple’s Game-Changing New iPhone Privacy Feature - "Among the benefits, the privacy labels in iOS 14.3 allow you to see the information an app will collect about you - such as your location or phone number—before you even download it. That means you can assess whether the app is worth the trade-off before you decide to install it on your iPhone."
• Cruise control: pandemic gives locals chance to take ports back from tourists - "From Key West to Alaska, anti-cruise-ship activists have celebrated a silver lining to Covid as it halted travel."
• 15 Ways to Make Your Home Office Space as Comfortable as Possible - "After COVID-19 upended offices across the globe, millions have had to work remotely. For those fortunate enough to work from home in 2020, many didn’t have designated, let alone comfortable, office space to spare. Living rooms, kitchens, dining rooms and bedrooms have become cubicles - often times haphazardly thrown together. Luckily, there are easy, affordable ways to make work hours at your residence feel less confining and cramped."

December 19, 2020

• US approves Moderna as second vaccine - "Moderna has been approved by the US government as the country's second Covid-19 vaccine, clearing the way for millions of doses to be released."
• Covid-19 vaccine can't be safe & other myths - "How could the Covid-19 vaccine possibly be safe if it was produced, tested and authorized in record time? How can we trust anything backed by this administration? Vaccines, especially, attracts myths and rumors and coronavirus vaccines seems to be fiction magnets."
• Mike Pence receives Covid-19 vaccine on live TV: 'I didn't feel a thing' - "Vice-president got vaccine in televised event amid concerns US rollout could be hampered by doubts from Americans."
• Nearly one third of Black Americans remain hesitant to get Covid-19 vaccine, study finds - "As the first Covid-19 vaccinations are being administered across the country this week, Black Americans remain among the groups that have the least confidence in the vaccine, according to a study from the Kaiser Family Foundation."
• How Europe will vaccinate 448 million people - "The EU is plagued with divisions. Covid-19 vaccines are a golden chance to redeem the European project."
• Comparison of the characteristics, morbidity & mortality of COVID-19 & seasonal influenza - "A nationwide, population-based retrospective cohort study." The Lancet.
• Trump raised $200m from false election claims. What happens to the money now? - "The president could use the funds to ensure he and his allies remain a powerful force in US politics."
• 737 MAX: Boeing 'inappropriately coached' test pilots, say senators - "Planemaker and US regulator may have tried to cover up important information relating to deadly crashes - official report."
• I was Europe's stupidest tourist - "I was stolen from, beaten up and swindled -- it was the best trip ever."
• The race against time to save Pompeii - "What visitors often don't realize is that only two thirds (44 hectares) of ancient Pompeii have been excavated. The rest -- 22 hectares -- are still covered in debris from the eruption almost 2,000 years ago. And while it's long been agreed in the international community that it's best to leave the rest untouched -- funds are better spent on the upkeep of what has already been excavated -- in 2017, archaeologists began to excavate a new section."
• The pandemic shut down her chateau. Then she became a YouTube star - "Fifteen years ago, Jarvis was living in London, despairing over the cost of housing and complaining about it to her best friend (and ex-boyfriend), Nic, when she realized how relatively inexpensive it was to buy a rambling chateau in France."
• What the hell is going on with Cyberpunk 2077? - "This is what it took to make Sony delete the biggest launch of the decade."
• Apple explains how AirPods Max low-power modes work - "No, you don't need the Smart Case to enter low power mode."
• Wealthy Norwegians Are Moving To This Remote Tax Haven - Forbes.

December 18, 2020

• How Moderna's coronavirus vaccine differs from Pfizer's - "What we know about Moderna's coronavirus vaccine and how it differs from Pfizer's."
• How does Covid immunity work & what does it mean for vaccines? - "Multiple studies have been looking into how the body responds to coronavirus infection."
• COVID-19 vaccine monitoring program limited to English speakers - "Other languages will be available ‘fairly shortly,’ CDC says."
• US Covid-19 hospitalizations at record high for 12th day - "The number of Americans in the hospital with Covid-19 was at a record high for the 12th day in a row Thursday as the US Food and Drug Administration said it plans to issue emergency use authorization for a second coronavirus vaccine for the country. More than 114,200 people were hospitalized with the disease, according to the Covid Tracking Project."
• 3,500 Americans died in one day. The President didn't mention it - "Americans still very much in danger certainly are not getting cues or public leadership from President Donald Trump, who judging by his Twitter feed remains focused almost exclusively on his election loss rather than on the deaths occurring on his watch -- or the tortured effort on Capitol Hill to give aid to Americans hurt by the pandemic."
• CORONAVIRUS GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TRACKER - "Governments are taking a wide range of measures in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. This tool aims to track and compare policy responses around the world, rigorously and consistently."
• What Makes COVID-19 Different From the Flu? - TIME Magazine.
• A Christmas pandemic like no other? They thought that in 1918 - "The post-first world war flu outbreak also came in waves and led to school closures and face-mask rows."
• Why Japan, Once a COVID-19 Success Story, Faces the Prospect of a Dark, Deadly Winter - "It took weeks of record COVID-19 infections and pleas from experts for Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s government to finally suspend its controversial Go To Travel campaign, which encouraged domestic travel in an effort to support the economy. Then, just hours after the announcement on Monday, Suga was spotted attending a year-end steak dinner party with celebrities and political bosses in the ritzy Ginza district of Tokyo."
• How You Can See A Once-In-10-Lifetimes ‘Christmas Star’ Planets This Week With Your Naked Eyes - "Go outside right after sunset tonight and look to the southwest. In the rising twilight you’ll see the planet Jupiter shining brightly, followed shortly after by Saturn, which will soon become visible in the gathering darkness. In just a few days they will appear as one - but only for a very short time."
• Luxury Brands Are Exiting 2020 With A Wealth Of Covid Lessons Learned - "The market for personal goods and experiential luxury will have contracted by EUR1tn come the end of this month, Bain estimates. In this context, for which there was 'no lookbook', flexibility and agility emerged as the key differentiating capabilities."
• the best accessories for your new iPhone - engadget.
• Billion-dollar dynasties: These are the richest families in America - "Forbes’ definitive ranking of the nation’s 50 wealthiest clans includes the heirs to some of the country’s best known brands: Campbell’s Soup, Jack Daniel’s, Walmart and Chick-fil-A."
• Mar-a-Lago neighbors say Trump can’t live there after White House - "President signed 1993 agreement with town that says he cannot live at the club for more than three nonconsecutive weeks in a year."
• SS United States: The mighty ship that broke all the records -- then was left to rust - "The SS United States held -- and, incredibly, still holds today -- the fastest transatlantic speed record for a liner, and possessed a secret double identity. Two-thirds of its $78 million construction costs had been subsidized by the US government so that the liner could be requisitioned by the military and converted to a troop transport ship with the capacity to carry 14,000 soldiers."
• Leonard Bernstein's Famed New York Apartment Listed for $29.5 Million - "Set within less than two miles of both Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, the two-story trophy property is perched atop a prewar limestone-and-brick building on the Upper East Side. The 21-story Art Deco cooperative, built in 1929, features white-glove service in keeping with its old-world glamour."
• Headless religious statue uncovered in residential complex in China - "For years, residents in an old neighborhood of Chongqing, southwest China, have walked past two apartment buildings built onto a steep slope, oblivious to what lay beneath: a giant religious sculpture carved into the rock face."
• US couple find 100-year-old whisky bottles hidden in walls of home - "One hundred years ago this year, the United States government banned the production, transportation and sale of alcohol across the country. This nationwide ban was known as the prohibition era and lasted 13 years."
• Ferrari Roma Reinvents Gran Turismo Erotica For The 21st Century - "Ferrari Roma is a Gran Turismo Erotica, a high-performance everyday car for sensualists. Other V8 GTs can rival Roma in certain measures of performance, but Ferrari transforms absolute performance into performing art, and therein lies the difference."

December 17, 2020

• COVID-19 vaccinations to start across EU from December 27 - "All European Union member states plan to start vaccinations against COVID-19 from Dec. 27, German Health Minister Jens Spahn said on Thursday."
• Lockdowns compared: tracking governments’ coronavirus responses - "From business closures to movement restrictions, how countries’ policies around the world are changing."
• The Covid treatment you might not know - "Monoclonal antibodies: A Covid-19 treatment people might not know about."
• This is why Pfizer can't provide more Covid-19 vaccines faster - "Supply issues hampering Pfizer providing additional vaccine faster."
• Wear masks when you see family for Christmas, WHO urges Europeans - "UN body also suggests gatherings should be ‘outside where possible’ to reduce Covid transmission risk."
• Tom Cruise recorded shouting & swearing at Mission: Impossible crew over Covid issues - "The film star can be heard saying ‘if you don’t do it, you’re fired’, reportedly after crew members in Leavesden studios failed to socially distance."
• Bitcoin tops $20,000 milestone & continues to surge to record highs - "After topping the symbolic benchmark Wednesday, bitcoin continued to surge late into the evening. It was last trading at roughly $21,851, according to data provider Refinitiv. Bitcoin (XBT) has been on a tear this year, having tripled in value. It and other cryptocurrencies have been attractive to investors as the US dollar has weakened."
• How TikTok changed the world in 2020 - "The oft-maligned, most downloaded app of the year changed comedy, music and activism - its success is a refreshing revolution for meritocratic self-expression."
• Anna Wintour in sweatpants, Harry Styles in lace: the people who defined fashion in 2020 - "Style was as weird as you would expect in a year that saw most of us locked down. Hazmat suits, feral scruffiness and gender twists led to some memorable looks."
• The Words That Defined 2020 - "Social Distancing, Doomscroll & Defund."
• APPLE AIRPODS MAX REVIEW: LUXURIOUS SOUND FOR A LUXURY PRICE - "Apple’s over-ear headphones have tremendous build quality and sound, but there’s no denying they’re expensive."
• iPhone 12 Diary: Surprisingly, I find myself a fan of the MagSafe wallet - 9to5Mac.
• How our views on work have changed forever - "Now that the world has shifted, the way we feel about work and our careers will never be the same, either."
• How Beethoven outgrew his hero worship - "Beethoven was one of the first composers to think of himself in the context of history, to use the word 'immortal' concerning his ambitions for his work."
• The mysterious origin of Zanzibar pizza - "Mixing Indian, European, Arabic and Indian flavours, Zanzibar pizza embodies the islands themselves. But where does this wildly popular street food come from?"
• iOS 14: Here’s Why There’s An Orange Dot On Your iPhone - "Since upgrading to iOS 14, have you noticed a orange dot at the top right hand side of your iPhone? You are not alone - this is actually a new feature and don’t worry, it is intentional. 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. It sounds scary but seeing the dot at the top of the screen is not a reason to be alarmed in all cases. Some apps need to use your microphone (orange dot) or camera (green dot) in order to function - your phone for example, or a video conferencing app such as Zoom, WhatsApp, or Signal."
• ‘Ugliest orchid in the world’ among 2020's new plant discoveries - "Kew Gardens botanists also named a new toadstool found at Heathrow airport and a bizarre scaly shrub from Namibia."
• F1 confirms expanded 2021 23-race season with British Grand Prix on 18 July - "Formula One’s longest season has been confirmed by the FIA World Motor Sport Council for 2021. The calendar, consisting of 23 races, is scheduled to run from 21 March in Melbourne until 5 December in Abu Dhabi, with the British Grand Prix to be held on 18 July at Silverstone."
• 'A conversation across time and space': the power of birdsong - "Musician Cosmo Sheldrake is on a mission to highlight the loss of UK birdlife with an album of avian chatter."
• JFK's Former Georgetown Home, Where He Lived When He Met Jackie, Sells for $4.2M - See Inside! - "The 35th president lived in the Washington D.C. residence with his sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, from 1949 to 1951."

December 16, 2020

• Moderna vaccine safe and effective, say US experts - "Moderna's vaccine is safe and 94% effective, regulators say, clearing the way for US emergency authorisation."
• I'm in a High-Risk Group for COVID-19. How Do I Get Vaccinated Early? - TIME Magazine.
• First came news of a vaccine. Now come the scams - "The newly-approved Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is slowly making its way across the US. But those eagerly waiting their turn need to beware of dangerous scams and misinformation about the vaccine's distribution. Several government organizations have warned against scammers promising access to the vaccine in exchange for sensitive personal information, as well as companies selling bogus treatments promising to cure or prevent Covid-19."
• Why State-Run Vaccine Delivery Could Be Bumpy - TIME Magazine.
• People Are Finally Downloading COVID-19 Exposure Notification Apps. Will They Make a Difference? - "In the early weeks of the U.S. COVID-19 outbreak this spring, technologists pushed forward an idea to help bring the spread of the new virus under control: smartphones could notify users who had potentially been exposed to others with COVID-19, transforming millions of devices into the world’s most efficient army of public health contact tracers. Big tech got on board, with Apple and Google jointly releasing software in May that enabled state and national public health departments to build such 'exposure notification' (EN) apps."
• WHO research team expected to travel to Wuhan to investigate coronavirus origin - "The mission will start work in January and will examine medical samples and animals to see where and when Covid-19 began."
• THE PANDEMIC RUINED TIME - "The endless march through an endless March. March is when the full weight of the COVID-19 pandemic first settled on the United States. Watching the virus take hold was sudden and scary, and watching the world snap shut was disorienting. March set the tone for a year characterized by uncertainty, confusion, stress, and anxiety - all of which mess with the way we experience the passage of time."
• Donald Trump has executed more Americans than all states combined, report finds - "The execution spree was a first in US history and stands contrary to the declining trend in death penalty practices."
• How Trump is fueling the alarming growth of QAnon - "How QAnon's lies are hijacking the national conversation. It started with a Tweet from a QAnon supporter at 2:09 in the morning: #SubpoenaObama."
• TIME's Top 100 Photos of 2020 - "The news photos that captured 2020 - shown here in TIME’s annual unranked selection of 100 - almost need no time stamp, so distinctive was its look. Here was a year with the palette of an Arctic winter, variations on a darkness that just goes on and on, time suspended first by lockdowns that threw life out of routine, then by the understanding that nothing would be the same after."
• Anna Wintour has long reigned supreme at CondÉ Nast. Now it's official - "Wintour, who is already the editor in chief of Vogue US and artistic director and global content advisor of Condé Nast, will now also serve as chief content officer for the magazine conglomerate, a position in which she will oversee all brands including international editions. Condé Nast's portfolio includes The New Yorker, Glamour and Wired."
• Why being kind to others is good for your health - "While we might all enjoy the warm glow of helping out others or giving up a little of our time for charity, it could be doing us some physical good too."
• 8 Hotels With Must-See Ice Skating Rinks - "Just as trees empty of leaves and the air chills, ice skating rinks start popping up. Hotels, in particular, are delivering memorable skating scenes, from a sky-high rink overlooking the New York City skyline to one tucked among the blinking neon lights of flashy Vegas Strip marquees. With the pandemic, the outdoor activity is an even more attractive option, providing a safe way to exercise and enjoy the crisp winter air. While these below spots provide you with skates, do bring a face covering, as one is required for entry."
• A $120 Million Supersonic Business Jet Is Closer To Reality - "Nearly every aviation nabob out there will tell you that the next time we see supersonic air travel, it will more likely be aboard a business jet than aboard a commercial airliner."
• The Best & Worst Tech of 2020 - "This year wasn’t all bad."
• How online gaming has become a social lifeline - "Gamers have known for a long time something that everyone else is starting to figure out: there’s community connection on the other side of a screen."
• The incredible stories behind 5 of the world's most expensive watches - "What sort of watch might Parisian horologist Abraham-Louis Breguet make if he were alive today? Truthfully, the 'godfather of modern watchmaking' -- who is credited with industrializing fine watchmaking and countless technological innovations -- probably wouldn't be making watches at all. As a master of practical, innovative and beautiful problem-solving, he would more likely be making a killing in Silicon Valley."
• Streaming TV & movies became a flood in 2020. But that comes at a cost - "The year 2020 will be remembered for many things, but in terms of movies and TV, it will mark the moment when streaming became a flood. While that has huge business implications for entertainment companies, it also means something for consumers and society, as the adhesive of shared cultural touchstones gets that much thinner."
• MacKenzie Scott donates $4.2 billion to 384 organizations - "The announcement comes just four months after Scott donated $1.7 billion to 116 organizations, including four historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), in July. The latest round of philanthropic gifts total more than $4.16 billion donated by Scott to organizations nationwide in the past four months."
• Kangaroos can 'communicate' with humans, study finds - "Kangaroos are able to intentionally communicate with people and 'ask for help', a study has found. Their behaviour challenges a notion that such abilities come only from domestication."
• The best TV shows of 2020 - "From Small Axe and Normal People to Schitt's Creek, Hugh Montgomery and Eddie Mullan pick 25 of the year's greatest series to watch right now."
• Ranked: The 25 Smartest Countries In The World - "Which people have contributed the most to our advancement as a species? Which does best at school, and which has the highest IQ. All important contributing factors when deciding where to visit next, no doubt. Luckily though, Vouchercloud has done the legwork for you and diligently researched and ranked the top 25 countries in the world by intelligence."
• 10 Collectible Cars To Buy & Hold For Fun & Profit - "Even in the midst of a pandemic, collectible car prices continue to boggle the mind and stagger the pocketbook."
• Twitter is shutting down its Periscope apps - "Periscope’s apps will be shut down by March 2021. Twitter will, however, continue to offer live video streaming through its integrated Twitter Live feature within the main Twitter app."
• 'I am sick of comfort wear': how 2020 legitimised leggings - "For many of us, this year has involved a lot of working from home - and with it comfort. But when things return to ‘normal’, don’t expect the spandex to disappear."

December 15, 2020

• Joe Biden says 'time to turn the page' after victory confirmed - "In a speech after the announcement, he said US democracy had been 'pushed, tested and threatened' and 'proved to be resilient, true and strong'."
• How the First COVID-19 Vaccinations Rolled Out at Hospitals Across the U.S. - "Just before 9:30 a.m. on Monday, Sandra Lindsay, an intensive care nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens, New York, became one of the first people to get vaccinated against COVID-19."
• MAPPING COVID-19 VACCINE PRE-PURCHASES ACROSS THE GLOBE - "A flurry of nearly 200 COVID-19 vaccine candidates are moving forward through the development and clinical trials processes at unprecedented speed; more than ten candidates are already in Phase 3 large-scale trials and several have received emergency or limited authorization. Also unprecedented is the number of advance market commitments (AMCs) made by countries and multilateral partnerships eager to reserve vaccine supply, even before any candidates are on the market."
• Bill Gates says next four to six months of Covid-19 pandemic could be the worst yet - "During a TED talk in 2015, the billionaire predicted that millions would be killed with 'microbes, not missiles’ during a future pandemic. Bill Gates has an ominous prediction for 2021. The billionaire philanthropist has warned that there will likely be no respite from coronavirus globally, and that the first four to six months of next year could be the worst so far."
• More Than 300,000 People in the U.S. Have Died From COVID-19 - "In the past week alone, nearly 17,000 people in the U.S. have died of COVID-19. And with hundreds of thousands of new cases reported every single day, next week’s number may be even larger."
• 300,000 Americans have died from Covid-19. This is the tragic story in numbers - "Here’s what you need to know as nation struggles under the weight of the pandemic."
• Covid vaccine: How does a vaccine get approved? - "Some people have been surprised to learn how a process which usually takes at least ten years could have been done in less than one."
• Human progress at stake in post-Covid choices, says UN report - "Warning of future dogged by crises if recovery entrenches environmental problems and inequalities."
• how Covid changed science for ever - "The emergence of a novel coronavirus prompted a wave of global collaboration that has led to vaccines, treatments and the promise of new discoveries."
• 'It made Boris seem like a normal person’: how did Johnson's Covid change him? - "The prime minister’s spell in intensive care underscored the severity of the pandemic. Did it also make him reassess his life?"
• Angry about friends breaking the Covid rules? Take a deep breath - "The coronavirus pandemic has left us nervous, lonely - and critical of others. But are our concerns about our nearest and dearest always justified? And how should we tackle them if they are?"
• iOS 14.3 has arrived with ProRAW for iPhone 12 Pro & 12 Pro Max - "Apple Fitness Plus support and Apple TV app updates are also on the menu."
• iOS 14.3 is out with support for Fitness+, AirPods Max & more - "App Store privacy labels are now live, too."
• 2020: BAD YEAR, GOOD GADGETS - "Game hardware and laptops both started promising new generations."
• What we bought: Our favorite gadgets of 2020 - "Engadget editors tell us about some of their best purchases of the year."
• Best true wireless earbuds 2020: AirPods, Samsung, Jabra, Bose, Beats & Anker compared & ranked - "Our updated list of great Bluetooth truly wireless earbuds - at the best prices right now."
• THE WEBCAM IS THE GADGET OF THE YEAR - "From grainy MacBooks to elaborate DSLR setups, no gadget had a bigger impact on how we got through 2020."
• THE ENTERTAINMENT THAT GOT US THROUGH 2020 - "Seeking comfort in old favorites."
• How to restore your sense of control when you feel powerless - "Covid-19 has changed our lives in countless uncompromising ways. Yet we hate feeling powerless - so how do we take back control?"
• George Clooney: ‘It’s been a crappy year, but we will come out of it better’ - "Marriage and fatherhood have given George Clooney a new perspective on life, work and the world we all share. While his young twins play outside, he talks about outsmarting war criminals, battles with Boris and dinnertime debates with Amal."
• Candice Bergen on working with Streep, dating Trump, and the reality of the Manson murder house - "Candice Bergen could well claim to be the woman who’s done it all, met all the famous faces and been at all the big events."
• Why the church known as 'God's Lantern' still shiness - "Metz Cathedral at 800: The extraordinary art and architecture of 'God's Lantern'."
• Meet The Fiskers, The Billionaire Power Couple Taking On Tesla - "Famed car designer Henrik Fisker is mounting a comeback seven years after his pioneering electric vehicle company collapsed. This time he has a secret weapon: Geeta Gupta-Fisker, his cofounder, CFO–and wife."
• New York’s ‘21’ Club Closes Its Doors During Pandemic After 90 Years Of Gastronomic History - "The closure of '21' Club is an enormous loss for New York City and American gastronomy. Unless the owners can somehow re-purpose the place without ruining it, this is as stunning a closure as that of Le Cirque, Lüchow's, Windows on the World, the original Four Seasons, Mamma Leone's, Palm and a very few others."
• Scientists plan mission to biggest iceberg as it drifts towards island - "Scientists are preparing for an urgent mission to the world’s biggest iceberg, which is on a collision course with the island of South Georgia in the southern Atlantic Ocean. The A-68A iceberg, which is larger than Luxembourg, broke off from the Larsen C ice shelf in Antarctica in 2017 and has been drifting towards the island ever since."
• Cannibal sandwiches: Wisconsinites urged against eating traditional raw meat - "State health department warns that eating ‘tiger meat’ or ‘steak tartare’ risks illnesses from bacteria that thrive in raw meat."
• The Habsburgs by Martyn Rady review - negative genetic feedback loop - "Glory, grief, loss - and incest - are all covered in this panoramic account that makes more sense of the great European dynasty than its rulers often did."
• 'A peculiarly English epic': the weird genius of The Archers - "Strangely eventless, yet swelling with high drama, The Archers is the longest-running series in the world. But does this rural soap reflect the reality of country life, or is it a fantasy liberal never-never land for urban audiences?"
• The Story Behind The 2021 Audi E-Tron Electric Performance Car - Forbes.
• Phillips Sells $5.5 Million Rolex Owned By Paul Newman & Five Sylvester Stallone Watches For $3.1 Million - Forbes.

December 14, 2020

• Covid-19 vaccine en route to every state as health officials say they hope immunizations begin Monday - "Thousands of vials of the long-awaited Covid-19 vaccine are slated to arrive in all 50 states Monday, as top US health officials express hope that health care workers can begin administering the injections immediately."
• Coronavirus: From unknown virus to global crisis - timeline - "From December 2019, when an unknown virus was found in China, to the release of vaccines for Covid-19, it has been an extraordinary year. Here’s how the momentum shifted."
• FDA chief assures Americans of vaccine safety as US passes 16m Covid-19 cases - "Historic first US authorization of a coronavirus vaccine comes amid the worst surge of the pandemic to date."
• The coronavirus vaccine rollout will be messy. People will have to deal with that - "A vaccine kit sent to the wrong state. A hospital system in California expecting to get powdered vaccines instead of frozen vials. And tens of thousands of people expect to get vaccinated in the coming weeks, when in reality they are going to have to wait for months."
• Trump rejects plan for early vaccines at White House - "US President Donald Trump has reversed a plan for White House officials to receive the coronavirus vaccine in the coming days."
• 25 Face Masks We Actually Like to Wear - "Here are the WIRED staff’s favorite face coverings for running, walking the dog, going to work, or looking stylish."
• China flight attendants advised to wear diapers for Covid protection - "'It is recommended that cabin crew members wear disposable diapers and avoid using the lavatories barring special circumstances to avoid infection risks.'"
• What it's like to travel to Hawaii right now - "The Covid-19 pandemic has decimated the Hawaiian tourism-dependent economy -- the island chain all but shut down to travel back in March. As of this writing, travelers wishing to visit Hawaii must submit to a PCR Covid-19 test within 72 hours of flying to Hawaii."
• Inside a vaccine cold storage room - "Transporting temperature-sensitive medication - like a Covid-19 vaccine - is a massive logistical challenge. Keeping vaccines at the right temperature is crucial."
• China's Sinopharm vaccine: how effective is it & where will it be rolled out? - "Trials have claimed 86% efficacy, but Peru has suspended tests because of ‘an adverse event’ and there is concern about lack of transparency."
• Has a year of living with Covid-19 rewired our brains? - "The pandemic is expected to precipitate a mental health crisis, but perhaps also a chance to approach life with new clarity."
• iOS 14.3: Brilliant New iPhone Privacy Feature Will Arrive Any Minute Now - "Using your iPhone or iPad, you will be able to find an app’s privacy information by opening the App Store and scrolling to the Information section, where the Privacy Policy is available to read."
• US to hold world climate summit early next year and seek to rejoin Paris accord - "Action points for first 100 days of Joe Biden presidency seen as boost to international action currently falling behind."
• How eating fish affects your health - "Is eating fish healthy? We know of fish as a healthy food, but pregnant women are told to limit consumption. Do the health benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks, particularly as stocks grow more depleted?"
• A cozy history of the ugly Christmas sweater - "Move over twinkling fir trees and wreaths, eggnog, stockings and the office secret Santa -- there's a new kid in town. Over the last decade the ugly Christmas sweater has firmly embedded itself in yuletide culture."
• a new way to travel across the US - "Stretching an extraordinary 3,700 miles from Washington DC to the Pacific Ocean, an ambitious new bike trail is aiming to be 'America’s Main Street'."
• 25 Top Hotel Holiday Events - "While the holidays will be different this year, they can still be jolly. Hotels have come up with a bevy of imaginative and festive activities, including video chats with Santa, private sleigh rides, jingle bell jogs and to-go kits with everything from gingerbread to s’mores."
• John le CarrÉ, author of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, dies aged 89 - "Thriller writer most famous for stories of complex cold war intrigue began his career as a real-life spy in postwar Europe."
• John le CarrÉ: a life in pictures - The Guardian.
• Tom Hiddleston reads from John le CarrÉ's The Night Manager - video - "To celebrate the publication of John le Carré’s first memoir, Tom Hiddleston reads from The Night Manager. Don’t miss other leading actors reading le Carré’s work, and an exclusive extract from The Pigeon Tunnel: Stories from My Life (Penguin), at theguardian.com on 3 September."
• Cher at 74: 'There are 20-year-old girls who can’t do what I do’ - "Her $60m annual Las Vegas residency was off the cards this year, but the singer still has lots to say about animal rights, Trump’s ‘toxic’ politics, cosmetic surgery and the men in her life."
• African fashion is on the rise, says Naomi Campbell: ‘And it’s about time!’ - "The supermodel speaks from Lagos about inclusivity, her late grandma, and why she flies in a hazmat suit."
• Tree of the week: ‘Like the haunted figure in Munch’s The Scream, he reflects our times’ - "As I take my daily run, I always feel pleasure at the sight of this old sycamore, which despite his look of agonised vulnerability reminds me of strength and compassion."

December 13, 2020

• First round of US vaccinations to begin on Monday - "The US public will start receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine from Monday after it was authorised for emergency use, officials say."
• Which celebrity should be the face of the COVID-19 vaccine? - "In 1956, Elvis Presley got a polio vaccination on the Ed Sullivan Show. The shot was newly available and highly effective - but too few teenagers and young adults were getting vaccinated, so the devastating disease was still circulating. Officials turned to Presley to set an example and encourage people to get their shots. Along with other campaigns, the celebrity endorsement helped vaccination rates go up, and eventually, the disease was eliminated from the country."
• A vaccine will be a game-changer for international travel. But it's not everything - "The world has been eagerly awaiting a Covid vaccine, touted since early in the pandemic as our best hope of returning to 'normal.' A big part of this is the resumption of international travel."
• who will make money from Covid vaccines? - "Will drug companies make bumper profits? At the start of the pandemic, we were warned: it takes years to develop a vaccine, so don't expect too much too soon."
• The 100 Must-Read Books of 2020 - "The fiction, nonfiction and poetry that deepened our understanding, ignited our curiosity and helped us escape."
• Electoral College: The people who ultimately pick the US president - "The US presidential election was five weeks ago, but the votes that officially anoint the next president are just about to be cast."
• 'Not enough' climate ambition shown by leaders - "The UK minister tasked with leading UN climate talks says world leaders are failing to show the necessary level of ambition."
• Is global warming making hurricanes stronger? - "The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season was one of the most active on record, according to the US National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration. There were a record-breaking 30 named storms, 12 of which made landfall in the continental United States. It was the fifth consecutive year of above-normal Atlantic hurricane activity. But is this a result of global warming?"
• LEGO won't make modern war machines, but others are picking up the pieces - "This is a story about a multibillion-dollar international conglomerate, arms manufacturers, a German peace group and renegades who make miniaturized weapons systems out of small shops."
• Apple’s iPhone has an aggravating text notifications bug - "An iOS 14 bug doesn’t show notifications when some new messages arrive."
• Can't Take a Joke? Good! - "Speaking out against sexist humor is worth the social risk."

December 12, 2020

• US FDA issues emergency use authorization for Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine - "The US Food and Drug Administration has authorized the first Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in the United States. Millions of doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech coronavirus vaccine, which has been found to be 95% effective, will be soon shipped around the country so vaccinations can begin within days."
• These containers used to ship fresh tuna. Now they'll deliver Covid-19 vaccines - "It's one of the biggest logistical challenges in modern history: How will millions of Covid-19 vaccine doses that must be kept at incredibly cold temperatures be quickly shipped across continents and oceans? One company is using its experience with tuna as a guide."
• FDA's Covid-19 vaccine authorization is a 'monumental moment,' expert says. It came on the deadliest day of the pandemic - "The news comes during the most difficult weeks the US has faced since the pandemic's start. Friday saw the highest number of new cases, hospitalizations and daily deaths since the pandemic's start. More than 3,300 American deaths were reported."
• Global Covid-19 cases cross 70 million mark: Johns Hopkins - "In yet another grim milestone, the overall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 70 million mark, while the deaths have surged to more than 1.59 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University."
• how Covid revealed the truth about our world - "The pandemic has illuminated deprivation, inequalities and political unrest, while reminding us of the power and beauty of nature and humanity."
• CONTACT TRACING APPS PROMISED BIG & DIDN’T DELIVER - "Emphasizing privacy makes data collection difficult."
• ‘Covid-19 has an odour, and the dogs are detecting it’ - "Meet the canine super-squad sniffing out the virus. They’re loyal, diligent - and have unbeatable noses. Could dogs play a key part in the fight against the pandemic?"
• What’s new in iOS 14.3? Home app updates, Apple Watch cardio fitness notifications, more - "In addition to adding ProRAW support and suggesting new third-party app suggestion features, iOS 14.3 also includes a variety of other changes for iPhone users. There is new evidence of new Home app features, new Apple Watch notifications, and more."
• A snow leopard has tested positive for coronavirus - "Another big cat species tested positive for coronavirus, this time a snow leopard. It's the sixth animal species confirmed to have been infected with the virus after human contact."
• Covid has shuttered the ski season in the Alps -- with one exception - "The Swiss mountain town of Verbier, the chairlifts will continue carrying people up into the vast 4-Vallees ski area."
• The Top 100 Charities For 2020 - Forbes.
• 10 Coolest, Most Unusual VRBO Rentals In The World - "The pandemic has reduced us to the lowest form of travel - via armchair, but these extraordinary rental properties promise to make your sedentary excursions worthwhile. These are indeed some of VRBO’s most intriguing, cool and just plain strange places to book a stay when the world is a healthier, safer place for travel. Wine barrels, ice-cream shaped pools, and even an airplane are yours for the renting."
• Disney finally revealed the real Disney Plus - "Disney’s big streaming event showed what Disney Plus will be."
• Watch this SpaceX rocket's fiery crash landing - "Things were going well, until a SpaceX rocket prototype made a fiery crash landing. Elon Musk says an issue with the rocket's fuel system was the cause. The company hopes a version of this rocket will one day transport humans to Mars."
• How Saddam Hussein tried to break into the film business - "In 1980 the Iraqi strongman, Saddam Hussein, tried to launch his country into the world of movie making. He spent millions of dollars on an epic movie called 'Clash of Loyalties', filmed almost entirely on location in Iraq, and starring some of Britain's leading actors, including Oliver Reed."
• Ecosia - since 2009. "Let's plant some trees!" Search engine based in Berlin, Germany, that donates 80% or more of its profits to nonprofit organizations that focus on reforestation and planting trees where they are needed most. It considers itself a social business, is CO₂-negative and claims to support full financial transparency and protect the privacy of its users. Ecosia is also B Lab-certified.

December 11, 2020

• Joe Biden & Kamala Harris named Time Person of the Year - "'For changing the American story, for showing that the forces of empathy are greater than the furies of division, for sharing a vision of healing in a grieving world, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are TIME's 2020 Person of the Year,' wrote Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal."
• Meet TIME's 2020 Heroes of the Year - "From citizens providing food and shelter to those in need to volunteers who protected their neighbors from natural disasters, these heroes went above and beyond the call of duty in 2020."
• TIME's Best Portraits of 2020 - "In 2020, showing your face to the world often meant keeping half of it covered. And yet - even partly obscured - our faces can’t help but tell the story of where we’ve been, and all we’ve been through, in the past year. The pandemic touched the lives of each of us. But as this gallery of portraits commissioned by TIME in the past year shows, even in the hardest times, we draw on reserves of strength we didn’t know we had. To understand 2020, all you need to do is read these faces."
• Donald Trump’s Presidency Will End On The Day Of A Comet, A Meteor Shower & A Total Eclipse Of The Sun - "It will be no ordinary Monday. In the early hours of December 14, 2020 the year’s biggest and most impressive meteor shower will strike - the Geminids. A few hours later a darkness will come to the day as a rare total eclipse of the Sun occurs."
• US vaccine close, but so are dark & deadly days - "Thursday saw a major milestone in the authorization process for a Covid-19 vaccine in the US -- a milestone that comes as the country is deep into a health crisis that is only worsening."
• FDA advisory panel recommends approval of Pfizer Covid vaccine for emergency use - "Recommendation signals formal FDA approval for Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine in the US could be imminent."
• Covid-recovering Trump promised top drugs for all -- he's mainly just helped his friends - "'I want everybody to be given the same treatment as your president because I feel great. I feel, like, perfect,' Trump said. 'I think this was a blessing from God that I caught it. This was a blessing in disguise.'"
• Ellen DeGeneres announces she has Covid-19 - "She joins a list of numerous other celebrities who have also tested positive for virus, including Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson."
• Wuhan: from lockdown to the new normal - in pictures - "In Wuhan, China, a city once at the centre of the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been no recorded cases of community transmissions since May. Before-and-after shots show life slowly returning to normal for many."
• The end of the office holiday party - or simply time to get creative? - "With the pandemic raging and budgets tight, the sometimes loved, sometimes loathed festive tradition is having to adapt."
• The Italian towns perfect for social distancing - "As social distancing becomes the norm across much of the world, Italy's under-the-radar destinations are receiving a huge boost."
• This could be our secret weapon against climate change - "Nature’s ticking time bomb? Why these ecosystems could be make or break in our fight against the climate crisis."
• Rebound in carbon emissions expected in 2021 after fall caused by Covid - "Scientists brand 7% decline a ‘drop in the ocean’ and call on governments to push ahead with structural changes."
• Racing to save one of the great wonders of nature - "Hundreds of volunteers are helping to map the Great Barrier Reef."
• 2020's biggest beauty trends - "'Zoom face,' TikTok hacks and DIY self-care: 2020's biggest beauty trends."
• 'Tremendously exciting' 5th century Roman mosaic found in Britain - "The mosaic floor was first discovered inside 'room 28' at the Chedworth Roman Villa in Gloucestershire, England in 2017, but testing to verify the age of the floor has just been completed, UK conservation charity the National Trust said in a press release Thursday."
• Harrison Ford returns as Indiana Jones for fifth & final episode - "The film, to be directed by James Mangold, is to be the 78-year-old actor's fifth and final instalment as Indy."
• HERE ARE 52 THINGS DISNEY ANNOUNCED TODAY - "Here are all the new Marvel, Star Wars, and other projects Disney announced at its investor day. Updates on movies, shows, Disney Plus, and more."
• The spyplane still flying 65 years on - "The veteran spyplane too valuable to replace. Satellites - and drones - were intended to replace it. But the 65-year-old Lockheed U-2 is still at the top of its game, flying missions in an environment no other aircraft can operate in."
• APPLE AIRPODS MAX FIRST LOOK: LOTS TO PROVE - "At $549, they need to deliver more than just good sound."
• QR code inventor relishes its role in tackling Covid - "'I'm pleased it is being used for people's safety'. Masahiro Hara came up with black and white pattern to optimise inventory in automotive industry."

December 10, 2020

• Allergy warning for Pfizer Covid vaccine - "Allergy warning for Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine after UK health workers with allergy history suffer reaction."
• US records over 3,000 Covid deaths in a day for first time - "3,124 deaths sets new record two weeks after Thanksgiving holiday."
• Japan Covid cases reach daily record as 'third wave' hits - "A record 555 people are in hospital with serious symptoms, with military nurses requested to help overstretched health services."
• Covid has 'cut life expectancy in England & Wales by a year' - "Life expectancy has regressed to 2010 levels, say scientists, with poor hardest hit."
• US Covid vaccine: Three key questions answered - "How will Americans get it? Will it be free? And will enough people take it?"
• The mask-wearing US city that bucked the trend - "President-elect Joe Biden has said one of his first actions in office will be to call on all Americans to wear a mask, or face-covering."
• China's Sinopharm vaccine has 86% efficacy against Covid-19, says UAE - "An experimental coronavirus vaccine developed by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm has 86% efficacy, the United Arab Emirates Health Ministry said in a statement Wednesday."
• Climate change: Have countries kept their promises? - "Agreed by 196 parties in the French capital in December 2015, the Paris climate deal aims to keep the rise in global temperatures this century 'well below 2C above pre-industrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5C.' We look at five key countries and how well they have kept their promises."
• Here's what people Googled this year as they tried to make sense of 2020 - "Google (GOOGL) released its annual 'Year in Search' list Wednesday. The list acts as a sort of chronicle of the decades worth of newsworthy things that took place during this one weird year. The list features the year's top trending searches, which had a high spike in traffic over a sustained period in 2020 compared to 2019."
• The benefits of embracing 'deep time' in a year like 2020 - "Taking inspiration from a far-sighted Finnish nuclear waste project, anthropologist Vincent Ialenti explains why embracing Earth's radical long-term can be good for well-being."
• Facebook's 'monopoly' must be split up, US & states say in major lawsuits - "Prosecutor says company has used power ‘to crush rivals’, with allegations centered on acquisition of Instagram and WhatsApp."
• The ultimate pandemic togetherness test - "How communal-living groups are riding out the pandemic. Daily life in shared communities can bring support, company and solidarity. But how do these communities adapt when a pandemic hits?"
• The surprising reason boredom exists - "What can different cultures teach us about boredom? In Niger, young men counter the 'weight of boredom' by drinking tea together. For them, it’s better to live in the here and now, and enjoy what is coming in the immediate future."
• The Verge’s favorite gadgets of 2020 - "2020 sucked, but these gadgets did not."
• The 10 Coolest Restaurants For 2021 - "Covid hasn’t killed creativity. And while many of us have curtailed our travel lately, the world’s professional eaters are still out there exploring (with masks, tests, distance and regular quarantines, of course). In a year that surprises, simple pleasures and heartfelt hospitality mattered more than ever, they’ve been unfurling their napkins in dining rooms from Bangkok to New York to the Faroe Islands."
• Pantone unveils its 2021 Color(s) of the Year: Ultimate Gray & Illuminating - "As 2020 nears its tumultuous end, the Pantone Color Institute has taken up its annual task of forecasting the color that will best reflect the year ahead."
• Thieves burglarize Russia's nuclear war 'doomsday' plane - "The Ilyushin-80 aircraft is designed to carry top officials, including President Vladimir Putin, in the event of a nuclear attack."
• Svalbard's polar bears are sending messages to scientists - "Emails from the edge."
• This extremely intense gym is expanding even as Covid cases soar - "During the depths of the pandemic, all 1,400 Orangetheory Fitness studios around the world went dark. The future looked bleak for this fitness brand known for its intense indoor workout classes, along with the entire gym industry. But Orangetheory survived. And now it's pushing ahead on expansion plans."
• Why NASA is still flying a 1960s transporter plane - "Super Guppy: The huge weird airplane built to carry spacecraft. Airbus Beluga, Boeing Dreamlifter, Antonov AN-225: these are the names of some of the biggest aircraft in the world, designed to carry extremely large cargo, such as parts of other planes."
• Samsung announces massive 110-inch 4K TV with next-gen MicroLED picture quality - "Most people won’t be able to afford it, but smaller models aren’t too far off."
• Mountain Drive: Lamborghini HuracÁn EVO Spyder Embodies Exotic Car Fundamentals - "After seven years, Lamborghini Huracán, especially in Spyder bodywork, still delivers on all the fantasies first-time exotic car buyers often express. The elevator story begins with the dual-clutch 7-speed that shifts so quickly and smoothly it turns the 610-horsepower 10-cylinder engine into a musical instrument, revs shrieking on the way up to 8000 rpm, then burbling and crackling off-throttle."
• Harry Winston Purchases 43-Carat Kashmir Sapphire For $6 Million At Christie’s - Forbes.
• SpaceX Starship SN8 explodes on landing after test flight - "Elon Musk tweets ‘Mars here we come’ after fireball engulfs prototype."
• Johns Hopkins was a slave owner, university reveals - "University, which has been at forefront of Covid-19 response, took pride in founder purportedly being an abolitionist."
• Super cubes: inside the (surprisingly) big business of packaged ice - "Britain’s leading ice company makes five billion cubes a year, filling everything from cocktail glasses to ice baths. Now it faces its toughest challenge - for what is ice without a party season?"

December 9, 2020

• US coronavirus cases pass 15m amid stark warnings over hospital care - "The US on Tuesday crossed the threshold of 15 million coronavirus cases, by far the highest total in the world, as American hospitals braced to ration care amid staff shortages and warnings about the 'rampant' spread of the disease."
• Fauci: US mass Covid vaccinations could be days away - "Mass vaccinations in the United States could begin in the third or fourth week of December says Dr Anthony Fauci."
• U.K. Regulator Says People With Severe Allergies Should Not Receive Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine - "The U.K.’s medicines regulator has warned England’s health service not to give the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to people with a 'significant' history of allergic reactions, after two people who received it on Tuesday developed reactions."
• Biden pledges '100m shots in 100 days' as he introduces health team - "President-elect warns of challenges amid Covid surge while Trump ignores gravity of crisis at parallel event."
• Rich countries hoarding Covid vaccines, says People's Vaccine Alliance - "Rich countries are hoarding doses of Covid vaccines and people living in poor countries are set to miss out, a coalition of campaigning bodies warns. The People's Vaccine Alliance says nearly 70 lower-income countries will only be able to vaccinate one in 10 people."
• Singapore 'cruise to nowhere' ends after passenger tests positive - "A Royal Caribbean ship has returned to Singapore on day three of a four-day 'cruise to nowhere' after a passenger tested positive for Covid-19."
• Greta Thunberg on Fighting Climate Change During COVID-19 - "'We Now Need to Do the Impossible.' How Greta Thunberg Is Fighting for a Greener Post-Pandemic World."
• Why formal 'business speak' is changing - "Professional communication has traditionally been buttoned up. But a new generation entering the workforce may help us relax - at least a little."
• Apple announces $549 AirPods Max noise-canceling headphones, coming December 15th - "The long-rumored headphones are Apple’s end-of-year hardware surprise."
• Apple unveils AirPods Max, its first over-ear noise-cancelling headphones - 14 photos. engadget.
• Apple's new headphones cost about half a Peloton bike - "On Tuesday, the company rolled out its very, very expensive over-ear AirPods Max and announced a launch date for its Fitness+ subscription fitness service."
• Elon Musk Passes Bernard Arnault To Become The World’s Second Richest Person - "The Tesla and SpaceX chief has added more than $120 billion to his net worth in less than a year."
• Bill Gates Recommends These Five Books For 2020 - "Bill Gates continued his annual tradition of recommending his top five favorite books on Tuesday. 2020 was, the billionaire wrote on GatesNotes, his personal blog, 'a lousy year,' so he chose his favorites in the hopes that readers can end it on a 'good note.'"
• The handbag proves fashion's great survivor - "The popularity of the V&A’s new exhibition and the resilience of bag sales, proves our love of It bags is here to stay."
• World Is Headed for 3 Degrees of Warming This Century, U.N. Report Warns - "But a Green Pandemic Recovery Could Offer Hope."
• Greenhouse gas emissions transforming the Arctic into 'an entirely different climate' - "Warmest temperatures since 1900 have all occurred within the past seven years, according to Noaa’s annual Arctic report card."
• 'I'm often faster': Milan's bicycling bookseller takes on the online giants - "Luca Santini took his fight against Amazon and others to the streets after having to close his bookshop."
• We Are Cooking More Than Ever. Here’s How to Make the Most of a Small Kitchen - "Whether you’re throwing together a quick-and-easy lunch or making a decadent three-course dinner, here are some tools that will help you make the most of your small kitchen."
• white house makeovers from trump to bush - "Melania’s tennis pavilion and other White House makeovers."
• Meet The Newcomers On The World’s Most Powerful Women List 2020 - Forbes.

December 8, 2020

• First Britons receive Covid-19 vaccine, a landmark moment in the pandemic - "The United Kingdom has become the first Western nation to begin vaccinating its citizens with a Covid-19 shot outside of clinical trials -- a landmark moment in the coronavirus pandemic."
• Trump administration refused offer to buy millions more Pfizer vaccine doses - "Decision could delay the delivery of a second batch until the manufacturer meets its orders for other countries."
• Covid blood test can predict patient survival chances - "Protein analysis provides digital picture of immune response and mortality risk, say scientists."
• 10 Biggest Business Trends For 2021 Everyone Must Be Ready For - "While there are many who can't wait to bid adieu to 2020, there's no doubt the coronavirus pandemic and the ways businesses had to adjust to ensure their survival changed the trajectory of what 2021 will look like and what businesses should do to get ready for the upcoming year."
• Why You May Need A Digital Travel Pass To Fly In 2021 - "Global airline trade association IATA has announced it will be trialing a new 'travel pass' that may very well become one of the most important apps of 2021. It aims to be a central resource for information about COVID-19 travel requirements and restrictions, as well as an official place to carry test results (and vaccination status, eventually) to show to check-in agents and border officers around the world."
• IATA Travel Pass Initiative - "To re-open borders without quarantine and restart aviation governments need to be confident that they are effectively mitigating the risk of importing COVID-19. This means having accurate information on passengers’ COVID-19 health status."
• How your fridge is heating up the planet - "The way you dispose of old kitchen appliances and air conditioning units can have a huge impact on the climate."
• The Ultimate Quarantine Self-Care Guide - "Here's how to take care of your nails, hair, and skin at home - because if there was ever a time to be kind to yourself, it's now."
• Ikea is killing off its catalog after 70 years - "The first Ikea catalog was released in Swedish in 1951. The first dual-version (online and in print) was released in 2000 and, at its peak in 2016, Ikea printed 200 million copies in 32 languages in 50 markets."
• Bob Dylan sells his entire catalog of songs to Universal - "Bob Dylan has sold his entire catalog of songs, which encompasses more than 600 songs over 60 years, in a 'landmark agreement' with Universal Music Publishing Group."
• Bob Dylan's Debt To Nashville - It's About Taxes - "Assuming this is a straight-up cash deal Dylan will get capital gains treatment on the sale. This is due to one of those odd exceptions to an exception in the Code. Code Section 1221 defines capital assets very broadly,"
• How John Lennon was made into a myth - "Forty years ago today, the Beatles star was assassinated - and has since held a god-like status around the world. David Barnett looks at the many manifestations of him in popular culture."
• How Crocs Devoured 2020 - "The plastic shoe brand that’s easy to mock is on track for a record sales year, thanks, in part, to high-profile collaborations with Justin Bieber, Bad Bunny and Post Malone - and the cult success of its Jibbitz charms."
• A French man has left money to 50 cats who live in Russia's Hermitage Museum - "A generous French philanthropist has left a sum of money to some unusual beneficiaries in his will -- a bunch of cats living in the basement of the State Hermitage Museum in Russia."
• No speed limits, no problems on Germany's autobahns - "How German Autobahns changed the world."
• Saudi Arabia has changed beyond recognition. But will tourists want to visit? - "These days the religious police have mostly been consigned to desk duties. Decades of oppressive psychological pressure to conform to the conservative strictures of Islam have fallen away."
• 3 Fancy Colored Heart-Shaped Diamonds At Sotheby’s Jewelry Auction - "Fancy colored diamonds make up the top five lots for Sotheby’s New York Magnificent Jewels auction to be held December 9. In keeping with the holiday spirit, three of these diamonds boast heart shapes."
• Lunaz Electric Classic Range Rover Collection Includes 007’s Roofless Off-Roader - "The classic Range Rover has been reimagined for the electric era. Capturing the zeitgeist, niche British company Lunaz has set about to restore, re-engineer and essentially breathe new life into some of Land Rover’s coolest products to include James Bond’s roofless off-roader from the 1983 'Octopussy'."
• 10 of the best movie villains - "Sadism, demons and disappearing pencils: these are the big-screen baddies whose evil antics have haunted our nightmares."
• Mount Everest: China & Nepal agree on new, taller height - "Countries have decided it is 8,848.86m, which is higher than either’s previous measurements."
• The curse of 'white oil': electric vehicles' dirty secret - "The race is on to find a steady source of lithium, a key component in rechargeable electric car batteries. But while the EU focuses on emissions, the lithium gold rush threatens environmental damage on an industrial scale."
• how America's richest zip code stays exclusive - "Atherton, California - home to Silicon Valley heavyweights like Eric Schmidt and Nick Clegg - isn’t technically a gated community. But its laws create walls of their own."
• Stunt artists claim responsibility for viral marketing strategy of disappearing monoliths - "The mystery behind shiny metallic monoliths that appeared and then disappeared in the US desert may be solved."

December 7, 2020

• Trump darkens America's desperate winter - "Trump's pandemic blindness and election denial darkens America's desperate winter."
• 33 million of 39 million California residents ordered to stay at home - "New Covid-19 stay-at-home orders set to take effect Sunday night for millions of Californians."
• Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani admitted to hospital with Covid-19 - "President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, has tested positive for Covid-19 and is being treated in hospital."
• 'immunity passports' are already here. But they come with warnings - "It gives citizens who have previously been infected permission to ignore the nationwide mask mandate."
• Why the pandemic is causing spikes in break-ups & divorces - "Divorce rates are increasing around the world, and relationship experts warn the pandemic-induced break-up curve may not have peaked yet."
• YouTube is streaming the first 19 James Bond movies for free - "James Bond movies free on YouTube: Where to get started with 007."
• Apple silently change FaceTime video calls on your iPhone for the better - "Apple made a change to a handful of iPhone models with the latest update - and didn't tell anyone. Thankfully, it's a positive change for anyone planning to video call friends and family over the Christmas period."
• Stop using Alexa & Google Assistant while working until you change these settings - "When people work form home, the line between their professional and personal lives doesn’t just blur, it often gets erased. That means personal privacy concerns become company security concerns. Thus, asking Alexa to make you an espresso while on a Zoom call seems innocent enough. But if the device captures sensitive, work-related information (and can easily be hacked), it could create a nightmare scenario for your company’s IT security team."
• Europe just had its warmest fall on record - "The world just experienced its hottest November on record while Europe had its warmest fall, according to an alarming report from the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Temperatures were most elevated in a large region across northern Europe, Siberia and the Arctic Ocean, where sea ice was at the second lowest level ever seen in November."
• Chess 'boom' fueled by hit Netflix show - "Hit Netflix show 'The Queen's Gambit' will speed up chess 'boom,' say grandmasters."
• How Salvador DalÍ has influenced your wardrobe - "It's hard in the present day to imagine a lobster on a dress being such a big deal. It's the kind of print you could easily find now, adorning everything from loafers to smocks. Henrik Vibskov's Spring-Summer 2020 collection featured plenty of pink and red crustaceans, for example, and Louis Vuitton's Autumn-Winter 2020 menswear show saw models stride down the catwalk wearing white fluffy coats decorated with oversized, similarly plush lobsters."
• Byron Bay: Why a famous Australian beach is disappearing - "Byron Bay on the New South Wales north coast is a surfing and tourism hotspot. But for the past six months its most popular attraction, Main Beach, has been steadily eroding."
• The 'prince of anarchy' who built his own island - "Rose Island: Netflix adapts the story of 'prince of anarchists' Giorgio Rosa. In the late 1960s, an Italian engineer built his own island in the Adriatic sea, which housed a restaurant, bar, souvenir shop and even a post office. It is an extraordinary story, which has gone largely untold for decades."
• Floyd Mayweather Will Fight YouTuber Logan Paul In Exhibition Match - "Floyd Mayweather, one of boxing’s all-time greats, announced Sunday evening he will step into the ring once again early next year to box YouTuber Logan Paul in an exhibition bout."
• New 2021 Tesla Model 3 Driven - Now Even Better - "The Tesla Model 3 has only been out for a little over three years in the USA, and even less time in Europe, but a major update has already arrived. Tesla has been incrementally improving the Model 3, as with all its cars, via software updates."
• HOW TO MAKE A MASK WITH EDDIE POWERS - Turnbull & Asser.

December 6, 2020

• Asia Has Beaten Back Each Wave of COVID-19. But This Surge Could Be Different - "COVID-19 cases are spiking across Asia once again. In South Korea, it’s the third peak in infections—the highest since the beginning of March. Hong Kong is experiencing its fourth COVID-19 wave. Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia all hit daily records at the end of November."
• Covid-19 has exposed gaping holes in Europe's social safety net - "Europe's social safety net is often considered the gold standard. Coronavirus has exposed its holes."
• Digital currency could finally break US dollar's stranglehold - "China wants to weaponize its currency. A digital version could help."
• Hawaii is offering free round trips to remote workers who want to live there temporarily - "What better way to survive a pandemic than to do it on a beach in Hawaii? For anyone who finds the idea dreamy, Hawaii is offering free round trip tickets to Oahu to out-of-state remote workers who want to live and work there while contributing to the state's economy."
• Dubai's audacious Heart of Europe megaproject nears first stage completion - "What strikes home as the shuttle boat approaches the $5 billion megaresort being constructed off the coast of Dubai is its sheer audacity."
• 'Havana syndrome' likely caused by directed microwaves - US report - "Mystery illness suffered by US diplomats in Cuba was most likely caused by directed microwave radiation, a US government report has found."
• Stunning images shortlisted for Wildlife Photographer of the Year People's Choice Award - "A coconut octopus, a burning forest, a rare rhino's last moments and a pair of sleeping squirrels all feature in the shortlist for the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2020 People's Choice Award. Shortlisted from more than 49,000 entries from around the world, the 25 images, released Tuesday, show creatures photographed in destinations including oceans, rivers, forests, captivity, shrubland and even suburbia."
• How a lockdown 'sex party' doomed a Hungarian Euro MP - It's not hard to see how the misadventures of Hungarian politician Jozsef Szajer made headlines across the continent this week.

December 5, 2020

• 2020: The year in pictures - CNN.
• Covid-19 has already exhausted the US. And it's only the start of a dark & deadly winter - "For weeks, experts have warned Americans in increasingly dire terms that this winter will be one of the darkest periods in the nation's public health history."
• CDC advises 'universal' masks indoors as US Covid deaths again break records - "The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new coronavirus guidelines, including requesting 'universal face mask use', after the US again set a record for the highest daily number of coronavirus deaths."
• Russia begins vaccinations in Moscow - "Russia is starting its Covid-19 vaccination programme, with clinics in the capital Moscow inoculating those most at risk from the virus."
• Joe Biden: Covid vaccination in US will not be mandatory - "President-elect Joe Biden says Americans won't be forced to take a coronavirus vaccine when one becomes available in the US."
• how star power can help squash vaccine myths - "Analysis: Vaccine hesitancy is growing, thanks in part to social media misinformation. Time for the Elvis approach?"
• Multidose COVID-19 vaccines will test state tracking systems - "People have to get two shots of the same type of vaccine."
• Vaccines won't end Covid so keep wearing your mask, top health official says - "Coronavirus vaccines will provide some light at the end of the tunnel, but they alone won't mean an end to Covid-19, one leading health official said Friday."
• 10 Best Video Games of 2020 - "In a bizarre, unsettling, and oftentimes downright frightening year, video games became a port of refuge for many - be they longtime gamers, old-school veterans picking the controller back up after a break, or first-timers looking for a novel way to safely have fun or connect with friends during pandemic lockdowns. It’s a small blessing, then, that it was also a banner year for excellent games to play."
• United Airlines bans couple arrested for allegedly traveling to Hawaii knowing they tested positive for Covid-19 - "A couple from Hawaii was arrested over the weekend after allegedly flying home knowing that they both had tested positive for Covid-19."
• Queen Elizabeth II's dorgi Vulcan has died, leaving her with just one remaining dog - "Vulcan, a dorgi, is reported to have died at Windsor Castle, leaving the British monarch with just one remaining dog -- another dorgi, named Candy."
• Warner Bros. Will Release Its Films on HBO Max & in Theaters Simultaneously - "The Decision May Change Moviegoing Forever."
• how to make a film that’s so bad it’s good - "Anyone can make a bad movie. But, from The Room to Cats, it takes something special to make a turkey that stands the test of time."
• Go with the Flowbee: George Clooney reveals how he cuts his hair - "Award-winning actor admits cutting his own hair with device long before salons closed this year due to Covid."
• Flowbee Haircutting System - "A Perfect Cut Every Time. Great for The Entire Family. Save Hundreds of Dollars in Haircuts" Amazon.com.
• Why you feel like your days drag on - "A theory that can help explain why time seems to move slowly. For many, time feels like it's passing differently lately. A philosophical theory can help us understand why the days seem to drag during the pandemic."
• World's biggest iceberg captured by RAF cameras - "An RAF aircraft has obtained images of the world's biggest iceberg as it drifts through the South Atlantic."
• Why Swedes don't speak to strangers - "In Sweden, casual chattiness is seen as needless, since conversation is used for exchanging real, meaningful information."
• Faroe Islands: Inside the under-sea tunnel network - "The Faroe Islands are set to open an under-sea roundabout following more than three years of construction."
• Streaming Platforms Are Driving Diverse Representation In Television - "Streaming services have considerably more diverse talent representation than other television platforms, according to a new Nielsen report that measures the media industry’s progress toward on-screen inclusion."
• 311-Foot-Long Superyacht Concept Combines Ultimate Luxury With Diplomatic-Level Security - "Ultra2, the 311-foot long superyacht concept that was designed by Berlin-based T. Fotiadis Design is yet another example of an innovative new design from a new breed of superyacht designers. And while it has the requisite sophisticated exterior lines and inviting interiors that include cabins and public spaces designed to highest standards."
• 2021 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class: The Most Luxurious Mercedes Ever - "For those in the market for a hyper-luxurious car, the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class appears to be the right place to look. This stunning new model features significant changes from the previous edition."
• THE ARTISANAL CROCS HAVE LANDED - "Crocs are cool now, and artists are accessorizing them all over Instagram. Pandemic leisurewear is in this year, and Crocs are becoming the shoe of the moment."

December 4, 2020

• 1.5 million dead globally as vaccination schemes set to begin - "More than 10,000 people have died on average every day in the past week, according to latest figures."
• Trump stays silent as US sees record 2,804 coronavirus deaths in a day - "A day after 2,804 Americans died in a single day from the coronavirus pandemic - almost as many as in the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks - Donald Trump said nothing about the harrowing national crisis. President fails to address national crisis, instead remaining focused on false voter fraud claims."
• 'Not enough to go around': US states struggle to decide who should get Covid vaccine first - "A flurry of federal government activity suggests vaccine approval could come soon as arguments rage about how to distribute it."
• Trump kids plot future & look to profit from their father's fallen legacy - "The taint of Trump could linger, and what that might mean for each child is different, but the profits and power they flaunted during Trump's presidency ends with his tenure on January 20. They will be personae non gratae in New York City, the city where they grew up, started their careers in the family business, learned how vastly they could exploit their father's celebrity, scored co-starring roles on 'The Apprentice,' and lived with their own burgeoning families."
• Biden plans to urge all Americans to wear masks for 100 days after inauguration - "President-elect and Vice-president-elect Kamala Harris pledge to receive Covid vaccines as soon as possible."
• The most striking images of 2020 - "Kelly Grovier picks 14 of the most startling photos from this year - including a breaching shark, lightning above a volcanic eruption and wildfires - and compares them with iconic artworks."
• Covid vaccine arrived quickly - but there's every reason to trust it - "It’s safe, it works, and it gives a tantalising glimpse of what else might be achieved given sufficient political will."
• Hackers are trying to disrupt the COVID-19 vaccine supply chain - "They're targeting the vulnerable 'cold chain' that keeps vaccines from spoiling."
• Social media must prepare for flood of Covid-19 vaccine misinformation - "Nearly two years ago, public health experts blamed social media platforms for contributing to a measles outbreak by allowing false claims about the risks of vaccines to spread."
• Facebook to remove false claims about Covid vaccines - "Move marks strongest push yet to prevent platform being used for anti-vaccination rhetoric."
• What’s the secret ingredient that makes a happy couple or family? - "Analysis shows those who are psychologically flexible have better romantic and family relationships."
• From Martha Washington to Melania Trump: 250 years of first lady portraiture - "Portraits of presidents’ wives have evolved with the role, and although it remains highly gendered, a new exhibition aims to celebrate their contribution and to ‘rectify the absences of women in US history’."
• Why our reliance on cars could start booming - "Although many have been off the road during lockdown, research is showing that the desire to drive may surge in a post-pandemic world."
• The end of the world's dirtiest fuel - "Peat bogs have played historic role in Ireland’s economy and culture, but this high-carbon fuel is in fast decline. How will Ireland’s peat-reliant regions adapt?"
• Wuhan attempts to woo back travelers as pandemic fears ease - "Wuhan, the Chinese city most closely associated with the outbreak of Covid-19, has launched a new promotional video as part of attempts to attract travelers to experience its beauty."
• Norway excavates a Viking longship fit for a king - "Pyramids, castles, palaces: symbols of power and status have taken many forms down the ages, and for the Vikings what really counted was the longship."
• ROYOLE RETURNS WITH A BETTER FOLDING PHONE - "The FlexPai 2 is a big improvement."
• macOS Big Sur review: A mix of new & familiar - "Big Sur looks different, but still works just as you'd expect."
• The Best Cat Toys & Supplies - "Between litter boxes, beds, scratchers, and trees, cats require a lot of supplies. These are our picks."
• 50 best films of 2020 in the US: 20-11 - "Our pick of the finest movies released in a topsy-turvy year continues with aa darkly comic thriller and Chadwick Boseman’s final performance."

December 3, 2020

• Ex-Presidents fill leadership vacuum as Trump ignores worsening pandemic - "As President Donald Trump ignores America's slide into a tragic winter and obsesses over his false claims of a stolen election, three of his predecessors are volunteering to bare their arms on camera to build confidence in the vaccines that could finally end the pandemic."
• What it feels like to get an mRNA coronavirus vaccine - "As the United States inches closer to authorizing a Covid-19 vaccine many people may now let themselves start wondering what it will feel like to get it. Is it going to be like the flu vaccine? Will it be more painful? And what about side-effects?"
• messenger RNA (mRNA) - in molecular biology, messenger RNA (mRNA) is a single-stranded molecule of RNA that corresponds to the genetic sequence of a gene, and is read by a ribosome in the process of synthesizing a protein.
• How the U.K. Approved Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine Faster Than the U.S. & Europe - "The U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) gave the authorization at record speed, just three weeks after Pfizer published the first data from the final stage of its clinical trial. Later results showed the vaccine to be 95% effective in preventing illness from COVID-19."
• What You Need to Know About COVID-19 & Flu - "Every winter is a bit of a roulette wheel when it comes to influenza. Flu vaccines work, but aren’t 100% effective in preventing disease, so it’s always a challenge convincing people to get their flu shots. And while the symptoms are generally bearable, infections can become more severe and even deadly among people who are older or who have underlying health conditions. Last flu season, even though experts considered it a relatively mild year, about 400,000 people in the U.S. were hospitalized and 22,000 people died from the flu."
• ValÉry Giscard d’Estaing dies from Covid-19 complications - "Former French president, 94, steered the modernisation of French society during his time in office."
• Climate change is already a disaster to health - "‘We see really catastrophic impacts that are very distressing to us’."
• 'Amazon is one of the biggest threats to the fashion industry' - "The Cambridge Analytica whistleblower, who now works in fashion, says luxury fashion is reaching an existential moment – and that Jeff Bezos could be the next Anna Wintour."
• How one airline plans to restore confidence in the Boeing 737 MAX - "With over 4,800 gross orders, the 737 MAX is the best-selling commercial aircraft in Boeing history. It's 15% more fuel efficient than its predecessor, much more climate friendly and has an average dispatch reliability rate of 99.4%."
• 'World's deepest' swimming pool opens in Poland - "With a depth of over 45 meters (around 148 feet) Deepspot is claimed to be the world's deepest swimming pool, containing 8,000 cubic meters of water -- more than 20 times the amount as a 25-meter pool. Scuba divers can plunge to brand new depths without setting foot in the ocean thanks to a multi-million dollar facility that's just opened in Poland."
• 9 Of The Best Champagne Cocktails To Serve This Holiday Season - Forbes.
• This New 180-Foot Superyacht Will Chill You Out With an Outdoor Wellness Center - "Heesen's Project Gemini makes excellent use of the interior spaces, maximizing natural light and creating unusual features like the secluded health center in the beach club."
• 'The Undoing' Ends With Series-High Viewership on HBO - "The Nicole Kidman-led drama draws the biggest one-night audience for an HBO series since 'Big Little Lies' in summer 2019."
• What's on Netflix & Amazon this month - December 2020 - The Guardian.

December 2, 2020

• Attorney general breaks with Trump's election fantasy - "Attorney General William Barr just dealt the most credible blow to Donald Trump's lies about a stolen election, precisely because he previously often came across more as the President's personal lawyer than a neutral arbiter of justice."
• Trump presidency's final days: 'In his mind, he will not have lost' - "As the Trump White House reaches its final days, an eerie quiet has descended on the premises as attempts to challenge the election result founder in the courts."
• Trump reported to have discussed granting 'pre-emptive pardons' for his family - "President concerned that his children and son-in-law may be prosecuted."
• Potential presidential pardon bribery scheme under investigation - "The Justice Department is investigating a potential crime related to funneling money to the White House or related political committee in exchange for a presidential pardon, according to court records unsealed Tuesday in federal court."
• UK becomes first country to approve Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine - "Drugmaker Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech have been granted temporary authorization for emergency use of their Covid-19 vaccine in the UK, the companies announced."
• CDC panel recommends giving Covid-19 vaccines to healthcare workers first - "Long-term care residents should also get vaccine first, advisory board recommends, in ‘phase 1a’ of distribution plan."
• Covid vaccine: Rumours thrive amid trickle of pandemic facts - "With a number of potential vaccines for Covid-19 now imminent, there are increasing concerns that misinformation online could turn some people against being immunized."
• Mark Zuckerberg sits down with Dr. Fauci to talk holiday COVID safety - "The segment gets underway at 6 PM ET on Facebook Live."
• George Clooney Says He's Been Cutting His Own Hair with a Flowbee for 25 Years - "The actor's impressive coiffure is (shockingly) his own creation, so we asked an expert if you can expect the same level of success."
• Flowbee Haircutting System - "A Perfect Cut Every Time. Great for The Entire Family. Save Hundreds of Dollars in Haircuts" Amazon.com.
• This Surveillance Tool Can Find You With Just Your Telephone Number - Did These 25 Countries Buy It? - "A surveillance technology that can identify the location of a phone anywhere in the world in just seconds with only a telephone number has been detected in 25 countries, some with chequered records on human rights, according to research released Tuesday."
• Consumer Group Calls Teslas ‘The World’s Most Hackable Cars’ - "Though it’s still not a widespread issue, there remains a growing possibility that your car could be hacked by a cybercriminal in the not-too-distant future. A full 50 million connected vehicles were shipped last year and that number is expected to grow exponentially when 2020 figures are calculated."
• No passengers, no cargo: This airline has never been busier - "The team at Jet Test and Transport runs a global airline -- but the planes fly on a one-way trip without passengers or cargo. They are experts in ferry flights, moving empty aircraft around the world."
• BEC or Business Email Compromise hacking - "One of the most common types of cyber-attack, which the FBI says costs more than £6 billion a year - and experts say Nigeria is its epicentre."
• Why is Hong Kong so superstitious? - "Despite being the picture of an ultra-modern city, ancient superstitions still play an everyday role in people’s lives in Hong Kong."
• Why The Godfather Part III has been unfairly demonised - "The mafia trilogy ended with a closing chapter that has long been vilified. But as a new recut is released, 30 years on, Caryn James says it deserves to be re-evaluated."
• Massive Puerto Rico telescope featured in James Bond movie collapses - "A massive radio telescope at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory - one of the world’s largest - collapsed on Tuesday after sustaining severe damage since August, officials said, following 57 years of astronomical discoveries. The telescope - which received radio waves from space - had been used by scientists around the world to hunt for possible signatures of extraterrestrial life, study distant planets and find potentially hazardous asteroids. It also gained fame after pivotal scenes in the 1995 James Bond film 'GoldenEye' starring Pierce Brosnan were shot there."
• Why The Xbox Series X Is 2020’s Biggest Gaming Disappointment - "November’s gaming release madness is finally behind us, and as a day-one owner of an Xbox Series X, so is the excitement I once had for my new console. Despite its technical brilliance and the fact it’s a genuinely worthwhile investment for the coming years, the XSX has disappointed me."
• Facebook's cryptocurrency project rebrands as Diem - "The Libra Association is dead, long live the Diem Association."
• The Godfather Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone review - Coppola edits the past - "The director tweaks the little-loved final part of his Godfather trilogy as Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone tries to go into respectable business."
• Mick Schumacher 'ready to realise F1 dream' after Haas call-up for 2021 grid - "Mick Schumacher, the son of the seven-times Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher, has taken a race seat for the 2021 season. He will drive for Haas, the completion of a remarkable journey 30 years after his father made his F1 debut."

December 1, 2020

• China's early Covid chaos - "The Wuhan files." Leaked documents reveal China's mishandling of the early stages of Covid-19.
• UN climate change goal now 'within reach' - "A new analysis, seen by the BBC, suggests the goals of the UN Paris climate agreement are getting 'within reach.'"
• Moderna: Vaccine is 100% effective at preventing severe cases - "Pharmaceutical company Moderna applied on Monday to the US Food and Drug Administration for authorization of its Covid-19 vaccine."
• RNA Vaccines Are Effective Against Covid. What’s The Major Flaw? - "Among 200-odd competitors in the race to create an effective vaccine against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, mRNA vaccines have emerged as the surprise frontrunners."
• Americans Face New COVID-19 Restrictions After Thanksgiving - "Americans returning from Thanksgiving break faced strict new coronavirus measures around the country Monday as health officials brace for a disastrous worsening of the nationwide surge because of holiday gatherings over the long weekend."
• How the Covid-19 fight has tragic parallels to with the campaign against Aids - "On World Aids Day, Those Who Fought the 1980s Epidemic Find Striking Differences and Tragic Parallels in COVID-19."
• Lewis Hamilton to miss Sakhir Grand Prix after testing positive for coronavirus - "His Mercedes team said that the seven-time Formula One world champion was self-isolating and had only mild symptoms."
• US health care system 'literally at the breaking point' as hospitals run out of space, doctor says - "Officials worry about hospital capacity as US hits record number of Covid-19 patients hospitalized."
• How to deal with grief -- and persevere -- mid-pandemic - CNN Health.
• Bitcoin hits an all-time high of just under $20,000 - "Bitcoin just hit another milestone in its impressive 2020 run. The cryptocurrency surged 9% to a new all-time high of about $19,860 on Monday, topping the previous peak of $19,783 from December 2017."
• How a single wasp can cause a plane crash - "Now there's another problem for aviation: wasps."
• Will online degrees become more ‘legitimate’? - "Once viewed as the lesser substitute for campus-based learning, online degrees are going from strength to strength. As the pandemic endures, how will they be viewed against their traditional counterparts?"
• Yet another Italian village is selling $1 houses - "Castropignano: The latest Italian village to sell $1 houses."
• World’s Most Popular Honeymoon Destinations, According To Pinterest - "As the number of Covid-19 cases around the world continues to rise, people are taking to Pinterest to travel vicariously through photos and plan future trips, including honeymoons to beautiful places in the U.S. and abroad."
• Swedish runestones open gateway to ancient Viking civilization - "Scattered among Vallentuna's greenery are dozens of mystical runestones that form the gateway to a 1,000-year-old Viking civilization now believed to be one of Scandinavia's most significant historic sites."
• 2021 Audi SQ7 Test Drive And Review: Three-Row Sleeper - "Is it possible for an $85,000 luxury three-row crossover SUV to be a stealthy sleeper? I would argue the 2021 Audi SQ7 qualifies."
• WhatsApp lets you use custom wallpapers for each chat - "It also launched improved sticker searches and a new animated WHO sticker pack."
• Barron Hilton’s Historic Bel-Air Estate Is Listed For $75 Million By The Hotelier’s Son & Grandson - Rick & Barron N. Hilton - "After nearly 60 years, the family is parting with the historic Los Angeles property, which has only had two owners - the other was a cofounder of CBS."
• $185 million mansion at the St. Moritz ski resort in Switzerland - "Seven-floor home located at the St. Moritz ski resort in Switzerland. At $185 million, it's the most expensive home on the market in Switzerland at the moment. The floor-to-ceiling windows are 35 feet high and reveal a sweeping view of the Swiss Alps."
• Here's Everything New on Netflix in December - And What's Leaving - TIME Magazine.

November 30, 2020

• Cyber Monday Deals at Amazon.com
• Moderna Requests Emergency FDA Authorization for COVID-19 Vaccine - "The filing for the company’s mRNA-based vaccine is the first step toward getting the shot into hospitals, pharmacies and health centers. The Massachusetts-based biotech is the second company, following Pfizer, to request authorization for a COVID-19 vaccine."
• A leaderless America slips deep into a grim pandemic winter - "America is sliding into a winter limbo of alarming spikes in Covid-19 cases and deepening economic pain while an apathetic lame duck White House and a deadlocked Congress provide no political leadership."
• Fauci warns of 'surge in cases' post Thanksgiving - "The US could see 'surge upon surge' of coronavirus cases as people return home from the Thanksgiving holiday, a top US disease expert has warned."
• Covid-19 killing Americans at staggering rate - "'A natural disaster ... in all 50 states' is unfolding just as travelers disperse nationwide after Thanksgiving."
• A year after Wuhan alarm, China seeks to change Covid origin story - "Reports in state media signal an intensifying propaganda effort to place the birth of the virus in other countries."
• Kim Jong Un is cutting off his economic lifeline, China, to stave off Covid-19 - "Kim Jong Un appears to have kicked North Korea's pandemic prevention plan into overdrive, further tightening the country's nearly impassible borders, cutting off nearly all trade with China, and even allegedly executing a customs official for failing to handle imported goods appropriately."
• Europe's ski resorts are facing the 'season from hell' - "Skiers and snowboarders across Europe are experiencing a roller coaster ride as doubts build over when the mountains might open for sport this winter."
• The gadgets & tech that got us through 2020 - "Smartphones, laptops and gaming consoles remain at the top of holiday wish lists, but this year we at CNN Business are reflecting on the tech, services and apps that truly made a big impact on our everyday lives."
• Everyone you know uses Zoom. That wasn't the plan - "The tweet was when Eric Yuan knew something had to change."
• Why You Should Stop Using WhatsApp Until You Change These 3 Critical Settings - "Malicious WhatsApp hacks are making news again this week, with more users tricked into surrendering their accounts to attackers who then target their contacts with malware and financial scams. WhatsApp is not as secure as you might think - but it does offer safeguards to stop your account being hijacked this way. You need to change your settings, and you should do that today."
• Romain Grosjean's 'life saved' by halo after remarkable escape at Bahrain GP - "Romain Grosjean’s remarkable escape from an enormous, violent, high-speed accident at the Bahrain Grand Prix has been hailed as a testament to Formula One’s pursuit of safety. The Frenchman’s Haas car, which suffered a 53G impact, had split into two and he was engulfed in a fireball before climbing from the wreckage with relatively minor injuries."
• inside newsrooms around the world - in pictures - "This is a glimpse into the places that are separated by geography, culture and politics, yet linked by the commitment to informing an ever-more distracted public."
• Life on the Road - "These Modern Nomads Are Spending Up to $50,000 to Turn Their Wheels Into Full-Time Homes."
• SEAN CONNERY DIED FROM PNEUMONIA, HEART FAILURE - "Sean Connery died in his sleep from pneumonia, heart failure and old age ... according to his death certificate."
• The 10 Best Podcasts of 2020 - TIME Magazine.

November 29, 2020

• Covid's toll on women - "In Japan, more people died from suicide last month than from Covid in all of 2020. And women have been impacted most."
• Blood test may detect 50 types of cancer - "UK to pilot blood test that may detect 50 types of cancer."
• Why losing weight might protect you from Covid-19 - CNN Health.
• 10 Best Albums of 2020 - TIME Magazine.
• The mysterious silver monolith in the Utah desert has disappeared - "A tall, silver, shining metal monolith discovered in the desert in southeastern Utah -- which prompted theories of alien placement and drew determined hikers to its secret location -- has now disappeared, the state's Bureau of Land Management said Saturday."
• Mike Tyson & Roy Jones Jr fight to draw in eight-round exhibition - as it happened - "Mike Tyson showed glimpses of his destructive prime Saturday night during the 54-year-old boxing icon’s return to the ring for a lively exhibition bout with 51-year-old Roy Jones Jr."
• Holiday Gift Guide 2020: The Best Sustainable Self-Care Gifts - "Getting your loved one (or yourself) a holiday present that will help them get some much-needed R&R is a wonderful idea."
• This Mini Cooper is built to race. No, really - "The Mini John Cooper Works GP doesn't come with back seats and only 3000 will be made, but that shouldn't stop you from taking a ride in one."
• Sydney records hottest November night on record - "Sydney has recorded its hottest November night on record, with daytime temperatures expected to hit 40C on Sunday."
• PG Wodehouse: Why India still holds a flame for the English author - "PG Wodehouse, creator of Jeeves and Bertie Wooster, was the most English novelist imaginable. His comic world was old-fashioned well before he died 45 years ago - crammed with disapproving aunts in hats, eccentric aristocrats and wealthy young men about town getting into scrapes. But he has countless fans around the world - not least in India, a country Wodehouse never set foot in."
• The new 'gold rush' for green lithium - "Lithium is crucial for the transition to renewables, but mining it has been environmentally costly. Now a more sustainable source of lithium has been found deep beneath our feet."
• Hugh Grant never wanted to be Hollywood’s ‘romantic Englishman.’ So he gave it up - Los Angeles Times.

November 28, 2020

• U.S. Passes 13 Million Covid-19 Cases - "It took just six days for the U.S. to reach 13 million cases after passing 12 million cases on Nov. 21."
• Samoa records its first Covid-19 case - imported from Australia - "A repatriation flight has brought the first case to the Pacific archipelago, which has successfully kept the virus from its shores for 11 months."
• Trump's legal defeats pile up while his attacks on Georgia's election system raise GOP concerns - "President Donald Trump found himself trapped in an election riddle of his own making Friday -- continuing to push false claims that the election was a "total scam," even after another humiliating court rebuke in Pennsylvania, while insisting that his supporters should turn out in Georgia's January Senate runoff elections despite concerns about fraud that he has sown."
• Why Oxford's Covid-19 vaccine could do more for the world than other shots - "In the days since Oxford University and AstraZeneca unveiled the results of the partnership's Phase 3 Covid-19 vaccine trials, a growing number of questions have emerged. The stated 70% average efficacy was significantly lower than the 94.5% to 95% reported by the other two leading candidates, Moderna and Pfizer. Yet this vaccine could still prove to be more valuable for the world than the other two in the coming months. If the questions over its results are answered and it receives approval, it may lead the way in providing vaccine coverage in poorer countries where it is urgently needed."
• Top 4 Food Trends To Watch In 2021 - "Projecting how people will eat and drink in 2021 isn’t quite the same as before. Given what’s happening in 2020, it’s absurd to focus on hot ingredients or trendy ways to eat when lives and jobs are on the line."
• The Maldives is open for all travelers - "What it's like to holiday in the Maldives right now."
• Lufthansa trials lie-flat economy seat concept - "With social distancing at forefront of everyone's minds, having your own space on an airplane has never been so important."
• Lewis Hamilton addresses F1's 'massive problem' with human rights ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix - "Formula One champion Lewis Hamilton has criticized the sport's record on human rights ahead of Sunday's Grand Prix in Bahrain."
• Lego rolls out Colosseum, a model of the Roman amphitheater with over 9,000 pieces - "Lego has officially rolled out Colosseum -- the largest Lego brick set in history and a detailed reproduction of Rome's famous oval amphitheatre."
• The Best Superyachts Available To Charter This Holiday Season - Forbes.
• The forgotten Hawaiian islands in Canada - "British Columbia’s Gulf Islands are testament of an era when, during a period of internal strife, Hawaiian royalty left their tropical home for distant islands."
• Polar scientists wary of impending satellite gap - "There is going to be a gap of several years in our ability to measure the thickness of ice at the top and bottom of the world, scientists are warning."
• The psychology behind ‘revenge bedtime procrastination’ - "Many young Chinese workers prioritise leisure time over sleep after long work days - even though they know it’s unhealthy. What’s driving this behaviour?"
• Site of Hong Kong's former Kai Tak Airport set for huge transformation - "The site of the old Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport -- famous for its notoriously challenging runway in the middle of the busy city center -- is set to welcome a new sky-high landmark."
• Russian Roulette: The Life and Times of Graham Greene review - addicted to danger - "A new biography, by Richard Greene, insists there was more to the author than ‘sex, books and depression’."
• Most expensive family feud in history to take the stage at London court - "Acrimonious fight between Tatiana Akhmedova and her ex-husband and son centres on a £453m fortune."

November 27, 2020

• Black Friday Deals Week at Amazon.com
• Trump signals he is prepared to leave White House - "Donald Trump has said he will leave the White House if Joe Biden is formally confirmed as the next US president by the electoral college."
• Joe Biden Says the U.S. Will Lead on Climate. But First He Has to Regain World Leaders' Trust - "Joe Biden named former Secretary of State John Kerry to a new top position on global climate policy, a public step toward what the President-elect has promised will be a renaissance in American leadership on the issue."
• Potential setback to AstraZeneca vaccine - "AstraZeneca hopes the world can focus on its positive vaccine news. But experts fear a lack of transparency has clouded that."
• Will everyone in the world have access to a Covid vaccine? - video explainer - "The hunt for a coronavirus vaccine is showing promise but it is premature to say the end of the pandemic is nigh. Several rich countries have signed a 'frenzy of deals' that could prevent many poor nations from getting access to immunisation until at least 2024. Also, many drug firms are potentially refusing to waive patents and other intellectual property rights in order to secure exclusive rights to any cure."
• Your phone can send you an alert if you were near someone who has coronavirus - "Thanks to technology available on Apple and Google phones, you can now get pop-up notifications in some states if you were close to someone who later tested positive for Covid-19. The alerts come via state health department apps that use Bluetooth technology to detect when you (or more precisely, your phone) has been in close contact with an infected person's phone."
• What will staying in a hotel look like in the near future? - "Goodbye, breakfast buffets and bellhop service. Hello, temperature screening and keyless check-in."
• Germany urges EU nations to shut ski slopes over Christmas to keep coronavirus in check - "As the crucial Christmas holiday season approaches, European relations could turn frosty over the issue of skiing. Germany is seeking a coordinated EU approach to keeping ski resorts shut in Alpine countries in order to limit the spread of coronavirus. However, reaching an agreement with neighboring Austria is proving challenging. Some slopes have already opened for skiing in Switzerland, which is not an EU member. Resorts in Sweden, which has tightened restrictions in recent days but has never imposed a national lockdown, are also open for skiing."
• Here's the type & amount of exercise you need, WHO advises - "While we're all cooped up during the pandemic, the World Health Organization wants you to exercise. The organization released new physical activity guidelines recommending that adults get at least 150 minutes - that's 2.5 hours - of moderate to vigorous physical activity weekly. Being physically active to the extent of your ability can benefit your body and mind."
• Twelve films to watch in December - BBC Culture.
• How To Invest Money Based On Advice From Warren Buffett - "How to invest money for beginners can be confusing at best. It’s an important decision with long-term consequences, and everybody seems to have an opinion on the 'best' approach. In this article we’ll turn down the noise and listen to the one voice we can trust - Warren Buffett."
• Why You Should Stop This ‘Dangerous’ Update To Your Amazon Account - "Cybersecurity experts are warning Amazon customers to beware a new account update being rolled out to the company’s smart devices installed in millions of homes. The plan is for those customers to share their home broadband with neighbors, to make their devices work more effectively and over longer distances. This new account setting will be on by default, impacting many Echo and Ring devices - you actually need to log into your account to switch it off."
• Okinawa: The island of almost-eternal youth - "A highly unusual percentage of seniors on Japan’s Okinawa island live to 100. Their secret is 'ikigai', a unique sense of purpose."
• WHY IS THE PS5 OUTPERFORMING THE ‘WORLD’S MOST POWERFUL CONSOLE’? - "Early game comparisons show the PS5 outperforming the Xbox Series X."
• These science-fiction inventions became reality - CNN World.
• Here's the Real Reason Thanksgiving Makes You Sleepy - "It's time we faced what's really turning us into drooling zombies who overstay our welcome on some second cousin's couch. And guess what? It's not the turkey that makes you sleepy. For starters, turkey may be loaded with tryptophan, the amino acid that's a precursor to the sleep-inducing serotonin, but so is just about any high-protein food. Cheese, nuts, and, yes, even Tofurkey all have way more tryptophan than turkey and many other meats. More importantly, tryptophan by itself doesn't really make you tired. Foods laden with this amino acid are also loaded with a bunch of other amino acids that block your brain from absorbing the tryptophan and turning it into the sleep-inducing serotonin."
• Dior sticks by Johnny Depp in defiance of 'wife beater' ruling - "Fans pledge to buy cologne still advertised by actor after court finds he abused ex-wife."

November 26, 2020

• In Trump and Biden, reality and fantasy collide on Thanksgiving - "Coronavirus infections are skyrocketing. Unemployment is rising. Food lines are getting longer. And President Donald Trump is tweeting. Happy Thanksgiving. This year's holiday season is bringing Americans together, literally, despite the best advice and increasingly urgent pleas of experts, who worry that family gatherings will seed a surge-upon-a-surge of Covid-19 cases."
• Fauci urges Americans to sacrifice traditional Thanksgiving to save lives - "Top public health official makes ‘final plea’ on Covid threat as expert warns of potential ‘mother of all super-spreader events’."
• Thanksgiving coronavirus surge could turn into the Christmas surge, health professor warns - "The United States is living in the most dangerous public health crisis since the 1918 influenza pandemic, and health experts say it doesn't look like the coronavirus will be slowing down anytime soon with the arrival of the holiday season."
• Covid-19: how vaccines lead to immunity - podcast - "With a number of Covid-19 vaccines seemingly on the way, Nicola Davis talks to Prof Eleanor Riley about how they might help the body’s defence mechanisms fight the virus."
• How the Covid-19 pandemic has increased Amazon's dominance - "Before the pandemic struck, high street retailers were already struggling to stay competitive with online companies that offered low prices and rapid deliveries. When Covid-19 forced shops to close and consumers to stay at home, online retailers, particularly Amazon, were ideally placed to capitalise."
• How do you vaccinate a billion people? - "When it comes to vaccine making, India is a powerhouse. It runs a massive immunisation programme, makes 60% of the world's vaccines and is home to half a dozen major manufacturers, including Serum Institute of India - the largest in the world."
• Covid could set women's equality back 25 years - "Coronavirus and gender: More chores for women set back gains in equality. The coronavirus pandemic could wipe out 25 years of increasing gender equality, new global data from UN Women suggests."
• Hawaii Is Riding Out the COVID-19 Storm. But Geographic Isolation Isn't the Blessing it May Seem - TIME Magazine.
• Diego Maradona: Obituary - Argentina's flawed football icon - "Dazzling, infamous, extraordinary, genius, outrageous. Diego Maradona. A flawed football icon."
• In pictures: Soccer legend Diego Maradona - "Diego Maradona dies after suffering heart failure."
• To Re-Enter Paris Agreement, U.S. Must Draft A New Climate Pledge - "Donald Trump’s brief withdrawal from the Paris Agreement invalidated the United States’ 2005 climate pledge - which many saw as inadequate - creating an opportunity for Joe Biden to make a more ambitious commitment."
• A new love for medieval-style travel - "Pilgrimages are back in fashion. But given that we live in a largely secular society, why do people choose to still choose to follow these ancient routes?"
• 10 Best TV Shows of 2020 - TIME Magazine.
• David Attenborough leaves Instagram, after gaining 6.2 million followers - "David Attenborough has left Instagram, just weeks after joining."
• How to stop forgetting words - "Why you lose words on the tip of your tongue. Struggling to recall a word or name on the tip of your tongue might not be the sign of a bad memory – and there is an easy way to prevent it."
• Is this what cities of the future will look like? - "From urban forests to high-tech utopias, here's how the cities of the future are shaping up."
• How The Queen's Gambit became Netflix's unlikeliest hit of the year - "The glossy series on an orphaned girl’s inexorable rise to chess stardom is now the streamer’s most-watched scripted limited series of all time."
• Pie crusts & pearls: the unexpected return of the Sloane Ranger - "Thanks to The Crown, the Diana look is back. So what does Peter York, co-author of The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook, make of the new breed?"
• Mads Mikkelsen confirmed as Johnny Depp's replacement in Fantastic Beasts 3 - "Danish Bond star Mikkelsen to take over the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the third Harry Potter prequel."
• Riding up the world's tallest outdoor elevator - "Revisit the inspiration for 'Avatar's' alien landscape with a ride up the world's tallest outdoor elevator."
• Sean Connery’s Rolex Submariner Could Follow The Same Path As The Paul Newman Daytona - "A few weeks ago, famed Scottish actor Sean Connery passed away at the age of 90. Connery was best-known for his role as the original James Bond, a role that would go on to define not just his career but an entire film franchise. However, Connery can also be credited with the popularity of one of the world’s most iconic watches, the Rolex Submariner."
• Pie-eyed & bushy-tailed: Minnesota squirrel gets drunk off fermented pears - "Squirrel seen swaying in video after woman put old pears from her fridge in her garden for wildlife to eat."

November 25, 2020

• Biden stakes out his anti-Trump presidency - "The President-elect is building his administration on old-fashioned notions that facts matter, that commanders-in-chief must project stability, that Cabinet officials need experience and expertise, that a fractured nation is governable and that the world wants the US to lead."
• Biden team inherits Trump's ocean of troubles - "President-elect Joe Biden's new national security team will soon be swimming in an ocean of troubles. The world is in many ways a more dangerous place than when Donald Trump took office."
• Here's a look at how the different coronavirus vaccines work - "Here's a look at the technology behind some of the candidates that are the furthest along in development -- mostly in Phase 3 clinical trials, the last step before seeking the go-ahead from the US Food and Drug Administration and other regulators around the world."
• Putin still hasn't taken Russia's vaccine, months after his daughter did - "The Kremlin said Tuesday that Putin cannot get a vaccine that has not yet finished the final stage of trials, even though the jab has already been given to some Russian frontline health care workers, teachers and several top level officials outside the clinical trials."
• The First U.S. Shipments of COVID-19 Vaccines Will Include 6.4 Million Doses - TIME Magazine.
• You Will Likely Need To Get A Covid Shot To Fly In 2021 - "Want to take a vacation next year? Prepare to roll up your sleeve."
• 2021 Grammy nominations announced - "Nominations for the 63rd annual Grammy Awards were announced Tuesday, with Beyoncé leading among the nominees with nine."
• Part human, part machine: is Apple turning us all into cyborgs? - "With its iPhones, watches and forthcoming smart glasses, Apple’s gadgets are increasingly becoming extensions of our minds and bodies. It’s the big tech dream - but could it turn into a nightmare?"
• 8 Top Toys For A Superb Floating Holiday - "It can be a challenge to find a great gift for someone who already owns a boat or yacht, but these curated goodies - from elevated water toys to marine-inspired fashion to eye-popping luxury lifestyle accents - are likely to raise the tide of appreciation to tsunami levels this holiday season."
• Theories abound over mystery metal monolith found in Utah - "Structure compared to monolith featured in 2001: A Space Odyssey - and could it be the work of sculptor John McCracken?"
• This new firm will count the Queen & the Forbes media family as clients - "FWM Holdings, the parent company of the Forbes Family Trust, and Stanhope Capital, which advises the Queen on her £538 million ($718.7 million) private investment portfolio, announced plans to merge on Tuesday. The deal will create one of the world's largest independent wealth management firms with assets of more than $24 billion, including in private equity holdings, real estate and hedge funds, the companies said in a statement."
• The untranslatable word for overeating - "In Georgia, known for its epic feasts and toasts, people often experience shemomechama, an untranslatable word for when you are full but you continue eating anyway."
• AI Can Run Your Work Meetings Now - "A new wave of startups is trying to optimize meetings, from automated scheduling tools to facial recognition that measures who’s paying attention."
• Bitcoin price reaches three-year high of more than $19,000 - "World’s biggest cryptocurrency has become more attractive to investors in Covid crisis."
• Carat 187 superyacht - "Transitioning across the luxury transport sector after considerable work in the aviation field like the IXION windowless jet, technicon has conceptualized the ‘carat 187’, a dramatic 187-foot superyacht. the design once again offers luxury in mobility yet does so with a focus on the sense of occasion and distinct exclusivity that only boating can offer."

November 24, 2020

• Donald Trump accepts US presidency transition to Joe Biden must begin - "The president said the federal agency overseeing the handover must 'do what needs to be done', even as he vowed to keep contesting his election defeat. The General Services Administration (GSA) said it was acknowledging Mr Biden as the 'apparent winner'."
• Trump's effort to steal the election is done - "After the Michigan board certified President-elect Joe Biden's victory there, the Trump-appointed head of the GSA ended her blockade and 'ascertained' Biden's victory, unlocking funds for Biden to pay transition staff and work with the current government."
• BBC 100 Women 2020 - "Who is on the list this year?"
• A Single COVID-19 Test Result Can't Guarantee a Safe Thanksgiving - "If you’ve decided to gather with friends or family this Thanksgiving, getting a test first is certainly better than not getting one at all—if you test positive, you clearly know that you should cancel your plans and stay home. All this testing will result in better, more complete data, too. But what some people don’t seem to realize is this: receiving a single negative COVID-19 test result days before a gathering can’t guarantee that you won’t wind up infecting others at that event."
• How risky is flying during a pandemic? What we know & how to make it safer - "Just about everywhere you might travel, the numbers are grim. Europe is deep into a second wave of the pandemic (the death count rose by 43% in one recent week), and cases of Covid-19 are skyrocketing in many areas of the United States. California and Texas, for example, recently surpassed a million cases, and intensive care beds are filling up in a growing number of cities."
• Pandemic's toll on mental health accentuated in cities - "See how anxiety and depression in your state compares to the rest of the country."
• No tourists allowed: These places are still keeping travelers out during the pandemic - "The United Nations recognizes 193 countries in the world. And it seems like every one (along with numerous territories and observer states) has its own approach to travel and tourism during the Covid-19 pandemic."
• Elon Musk is now tied with Bill Gates as world's second richest man - "Elon Musk's rocket-like climb up the ranking of the world's richest men continues. The Tesla (TSLA) CEO's net worth soared on Monday as shares of his electric automaker hit a record high, boosting his net worth to $127.9 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires index, which tracks the world's 500 wealthiest people."
• Why guide dogs are rarer in China than pandas - "China has 8 million blind people, but only 200 guide dogs."
• Teenage TikTok star reaches 100 million followers - "TikTok star Charli D'Amelio first to hit 100m followers."
• 10 Best Movies Based on a True Story - TIME Magazine.
• 10 Best Video Games of 2020 - TIME Magazine.
• Best Luxury Winter Fragrances 2020 - Forbes.
• Rail megaproject could shake up trade - "UAE's first national rail network 'has the potential to transform the economy'."
• Princess Grace of Monaco's most dazzling jewellery moments - "From her silver screen jewellery moments to the royal collection she established as the Princess of Monaco."
• Gold Standard: Five New Gold Watches From Rolex, Omega, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Grand Seiko & TAG Heuer - Forbes.

November 23, 2020

• Oxford University vaccine shows 70% protection - "The coronavirus vaccine developed by the University of Oxford stops 70% of people developing Covid symptoms, a large-scale trial shows. It will be seen as both a triumph and a disappointment after vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna showed 95% protection. However, the Oxford jab is far cheaper, and is easier to store and get to every corner of the world than the other two."
• Oxford AstraZeneca Covid vaccine has up to 90% efficacy, data reveals - "A coronavirus vaccine developed in the UK can prevent 70.4% of people from getting Covid-19 and up to 90% if a lower dose is used, according to data."
• Here's why vaccination beats infection - "Why you really don’t want to catch Covid-19. From the surprisingly treacherous path to herd immunity to the potentially superior protection offered by vaccines, there are many reasons to avoid Covid-19."
• How to instill public confidence in a Covid-19 vaccine - "Few measures in preventive medicine can compare with the impact of vaccines. In fact, the only human disease ever eradicated, smallpox, was wiped out with a vaccine. Given the major health burden caused by the novel coronavirus, having a safe and effective vaccine would be a critical tool in mitigating that burden."
• G20 leaders pledge to distribute Covid vaccines fairly around world - "G20 leaders meeting remotely pledged on Sunday to 'spare no effort' to ensure the fair distribution of coronavirus vaccines worldwide, but offered no specific new funding to meet that goal."
• US vaccine expert predicts life could be back to normal around May - "Operation Warp Speed chief says if immunization plan goes well enough Americans should be vaccinated by May. As the United States recorded its 12th million Covid-19 case, the Trump administration’s vaccine program adviser predicted that life in America could be back to normal around May of 2021 as immunization is set to begin."
• Fox News is mocking CDC guidance for Thanksgiving gatherings - "Amidst a raging pandemic, the CDC has recommended against traveling for Thanksgiving, while also offering up guidelines for how to safely celebrate the holiday. Meanwhile, prominent commentators and hosts on Fox News have mocked the guidelines offered by health experts."
• More Republicans are losing patience with Trump's legal absurdities - "President Donald Trump's effort to overturn the election he lost is being increasingly undermined by the inanity of his legal claims and is causing some high-profile Republicans to peel off even with most of his party mute amid his constitutional arson."
• Here’s how to take better care of your teeth - "Should you worry if you can’t get a routine dental appointment because of the pandemic? Can you be your own hygienist? And what if you have an emergency? Experts answer your questions."

November 22, 2020

• US coronavirus cases top 12 million. An expert says spread is now 'faster' and 'broader' than ever - "The number of US coronavirus cases surpassed 12 million Saturday -- an increase of more than 1 million cases in less than a week. At least 12,085,389 cases have been confirmed, according to Johns Hopkins University data, and 255,823 Americans have died."
• Donald Trump appears to admit Covid is 'running wild' in the US - "President’s tweet came as FDA approved emergency use authorisation for Regeneron antibody therapy."
• Covid-19 carriers 'most infectious earlier on' - "People are most likely to pass on coronavirus within the first five days of having symptoms, an extensive study suggests."
• Why the race to find Covid-19 vaccines is far from over - "Despite the promising news from Pfizer and Moderna, other efforts - which may be even more effective - continue around the world."
• A Promised Land by Barack Obama review - behind the power & the pomp - "America’s former commander-in-chief shares his character flaws and fears for the presidency in this poetic, introspective account of his childhood and first term in the White House."
• Bodies of rich man & slave discovered within Pompeii ruins - "Archaeologists have discovered the exceptionally well-preserved remains of two men scalded to death by the volcanic eruption that destroyed the ancient Roman city of Pompeii in 79 AD, the Italian culture ministry said on Saturday."
• The latest teardown from iFixit shows how huge the iPhone 12 Pro Max camera is - "It’s a very big camera in a very big phone."
• Hold the 18-course dinners: Noma’s chef opens up a burger joint - "The team behind the feted restaurant found Danes queued around the block for their pandemic pop-up."

November 21, 2020

• 100 Best Inventions of 2020 - "100 innovations changing how we live." TIME Magazine.
• US election results: Can Trump overturn the outcome? - "Almost two weeks after Joe Biden was projected as the winner of the US presidential election, Donald Trump is still refusing to concede. Does he have a plan to overturn the outcome?"
• Can American democracy survive Donald Trump? - "Lying, paranoia and conspiracy are defining features of a totalitarian society. What hope is there for a brand new era, in the aftermath of an administration that has relied on all three?"
• Donald Trump Jr. tests positive for coronavirus - "Trump Jr. was among the roughly 250 guests who attended the White House's indoor election night party, where nearly every attendee was seen not wearing a mask."
• 1st COVID-19 vaccines will likely require two shots - "Multiple doses is standard for many vaccines."
• Scientists race to find 'warm' Covid vaccine to solve issue of cold storage - "With potential injectable vaccines estimated to be out of reach for two-thirds of world’s population, scientists hope to find less-heat-sensitive formulations."
• Yes, We Have COVID-19 Vaccines That Are 95% Effective. But That Doesn’t Mean the End of the Pandemic is Near - "There’s the question of efficacy. Yes, Moderna and Pfizer reported that their shots are 94.5% and 95% effective, respectively. But that efficacy refers to the vaccines’ ability to protect against COVID-19 disease—and not necessarily against infection with the virus."
• Covid-19 Travel Checklist: What You Need To Know Before You Go - "If you have to travel for the holidays - especially now that infection rates are spiking in America - there’s one smart way to reduce some of the anxiety: Be well-prepared before you go."
• Covid-19 mink variants discovered in humans in seven countries - "Denmark has already launched a nationwide cull of its farmed mink herd after concerns for vaccine efficacy."
• WINDOWS TURNS 35: A VISUAL HISTORY - "From Windows 1.0 to Windows 10."
• Venice to bring back entry fee for daytrippers to combat overtourism - "With visitors swimming in the canals, sitting down in the middle of the street to eat, and even holding local workers hostage, Venice has become the poster child for tourists behaving badly."
• Wagatha Christie: A uniquely British feud - "Forget The Crown. The only British drama you need right now is the real-life feud between two Wags - wives and girlfriends of football stars - currently playing out in the UK High Court."
• Vatican asks Instagram to get to the bottom of Pope account's lingerie model 'like' - "A photograph of model Natalia Garibotto, who was dressed in schoolgirl-style undergarments, was liked by Francis' verified account, franciscus, the Catholic News Agency (CNA) reported."
• Is this the future of food? - "This underwater farmer wants us to eat more seaweed."
• Best Luxury Over-The-Shoulder Bags 2020 - Forbes.
• The best albums & songs of 2020 - "In a confounding and overwhelming year, music has allowed us both to reflect on the state of the world and escape from it with equal brilliance, writes Nick Levine."
• MacBook Air is once again the benchmark by which other laptops will be measured - "Many will be found wanting."
• Microplastic pollution found near summit of Mount Everest - "Humans now known to have polluted Earth from deepest ocean to highest peak."
• Alan Rickman - a life in pictures - "Veteran actor Alan Rickman, best known for roles on stage and in films such as Die Hard and the Harry Potter franchise, has died aged 69. We look back over his life and career in photographs."
• This Sleek 311-Foot Megayacht Concept Is a Floating Fortress- "With a Safe Room and Counter-Intelligence Protocols. There's even a diplomatic-grade secure meeting room for your classified convos."

November 20, 2020

• Fauci urges vigilance as vaccine is in sight - "Expert touted the efficacy of the immunization as the White House breaks its monthslong silence on the virus."
• Pfizer CEO Discusses Submitting the First COVID-19 Vaccine Clearance Request to the FDA - "On Friday, Pfizer CEO and chairman Albert Bourla announced that the company has filed a request to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for emergency use authorization of its COVID-19 vaccine, making it the first to do so."
• Bill Gates calls vaccine distribution 'logistically complex' - "Bill Gates speaks to CNN's Anderson Cooper about what he thinks coronavirus vaccine distribution and administration could potentially look like."
• WHO recommends against using remdesivir to treat Covid-19 - "The World Health Organization has updated its ongoing guidance on Covid-19 medications to advise against using the antiviral drug remdesivir to treat hospitalized patients, no matter how severe their illness may be."
• CDC urges Americans not to travel for Thanksgiving - "The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has told Americans to avoid travel for the Thanksgiving holiday amid soaring Covid-19 cases."
• Can the World's Doctors Survive Another Wave of COVID-19? - TIME Magazine.
• gym trainer exposed 50 athletes to Covid-19, but no one else got sick because of a ventilation redesign - "A Virginia gym owner thought she had a nightmare scenario on her hands when she learned that 50 athletes were potentially exposed to Covid-19 particles by one of the gym's coaches. But not a single member ended up contracting the virus, thanks to the extra safety precautions and ventilation measures she put in place."
• How can society thrive post-pandemic? - "As society looks to rebound from Covid-19, the ideas and resources we need to cope and succeed will look different than before."
• Where To Travel Now: Hawaii - "While daydreaming of the soft sand, warm ocean breezes and inviting waters of Hawaii, you have to do extra planning before making your way to the recently reopened paradise."
• The gear to get for your next winter adventure - "It's possible to enjoy the cold and snow -- these gadgets can help."
• World’s Most Expensive Face Mask Costs $1.5 Million & Keeps Jewelry Artisans Employed - Forbes.
• Apple Releases iOS 14.2.1: Unexpected Update That’s Not For Everyone - "If you thought iOS 14.3 would be the next Apple iPhone update, well, you were sort of right. If you have an iPhone 11 or earlier, you won’t be troubled by today’s update. It’s only for the latest models of iPhones, that is, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max."
• MacBook Bricked By Big Sur? Here’s How To Fix It - "Apple has released a new support document that shows customers how to recover if their MacBook Pro has been grounded by macOS Big Sur."
• Apple’s first-gen M1 chips have already upended our concept of laptop performance - "Where do other laptops go from here?"
• iFixit teardown shows just how similar the new M1 MacBooks are - "The fan noise changed, but the fan didn’t."
• The week in 42 photos - CNN World.
• The Pope's official Instagram account - which is under the user name franciscus, has 7.4 million followers worldwide.
• Why did England try to ban coffee? - "How coffee forever changed Britain. Coffeehouses helped spread modern democracy, spur the Enlightenment and birth periodical literature. So why did King Charles II’s cronies try to ban them?"
• Luxury carmaker Maybach has high ambitions for China - "Carmaker Daimler plans to double sales of its luxury Maybach vehicles, buoyed by strong demand in China."
• Consumer Reports study finds reliability issues with some EVs - "It will no longer recommend certain EVs from Audi, Kia and Porsche."
• UK & territories are 'greatest enabler' of tax avoidance, study says - "The UK and its 'corporate tax haven network' is by far the world’s greatest enabler of corporate tax avoidance, research has claimed."

November 19, 2020

• US records quarter of a million deaths from coronavirus - "It has more reported infections and a higher death toll than any other country worldwide."
• U.S. COVID-19 Outbreak Is Worse Than It’s Ever Been. Why Aren’t We Acting Like It? - "Nothing about the current COVID-19 explosion should come as a surprise. As the virus spread throughout summer and fall, experts repeatedly warned winter would be worse."
• Tracking Covid-19 cases in the US - "Since January, novel coronavirus has spread to nearly every state and territory."
• Dilapidated Rockefeller Center Christmas tree hailed as fitting symbol of 2020 - "Every year the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree stands tall in New York City's Midtown Manhattan as a symbolic icon of the holiday season. But this year, the oddly weak and balding 75ft Norway spruce that graces the Christmas tree's usual position is - in the opinion of many onlookers - a fitting symbol of the entire year."
• While Trump sulks, Americans get sick and die - "As the US speeds past the tragic mark of a quarter of a million Covid-19 deaths, its President is sulking in the White House over an election he lost fair and square and obstructing the effort by his soon-to-be successor, Joe Biden, to stand up a fight against the fast-worsening pandemic."
• COVID-19 Is Spiking - and Donald Trump Has Pulled a 'Disappearance Act' - "As a deadly new wave of COVID-19 infections surges in 46 states, President Donald Trump hasn’t attended a coronavirus task force meeting in months."
• Trump Pushes New Environmental Rollbacks on His Way Out the Door - "Down to its final weeks, the Trump administration is working to push through dozens of environmental rollbacks that could weaken century-old protections for migratory birds, expand Arctic drilling and hamstring future regulation of public health threats."
• The world's most expensive election - "The 2020 US election campaigns smashed all records - with presidential and congressional candidates spending a total of almost $14bn - more than double the price tag for 2016."
• The World’s Best Places To Visit In 2021 According To National Geographic: Dream Now, Go Later - "The coveted annual list of top destinations, Best of the World 2021 by National Geographic has been revealed and in light of the ongoing global pandemic 'Dream Now, Go Later' is its theme."
• Here’s how to run any iOS app you own on Apple’s new M1 Macs - "There’s a workaround for all those apps that aren’t in the Mac App Store, but it’s definitely not official."
• Elon Musk Passes Mark Zuckerberg To Become The World’s Fourth Richest Person - "Tesla’s billionaire cofounder and CEO, Elon Musk, overtook Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to become the world’s fourth-richest person on Wednesday, as Tesla’s stock continued to skyrocket following news that it will be added to the S&P 500 Index late next month. Shares of the electric-vehicle maker surged nearly 10% as of 2:25 p.m. EST on Wednesday, pushing Musk’s net worth up by $8.3 billion, to $105.4 billion."
• Bitcoin rockets past $18,000. The all-time high is in sight - "Bitcoin prices continue to skyrocket and the cryptocurrency is now within striking distance of its all-time high from December 2017. The record high for bitcoin is just below $20,000. The total value of all the bitcoins in circulation is now more than $300 billion -- also near an all-time high."
• GOOGLE PAY’S MASSIVE RELAUNCH MAKES IT AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING MONEY APP - "It will include tap-to-pay, peer-to-peer, personal finance aggregation, customizable deals, and even full banking services."
• How China is changing social media - "How China could shape the future of technology. One of the world’s fastest-growing apps, TikTok could usher in an era where Asia - not Silicon Valley - leads the tech industry. That change could be transformative."
• How bike-friendly ‘slow streets' are changing cities - "Covid-19 caused rapid shifts in travel infrastructure to make streets friendlier to bikers and pedestrians. Can these changes endure as people return to their cars and public transport?"
• Boeing 737 Max given approval to fly again by US regulators - "FAA’s move comes after plane was grounded in March 2019 following two fatal crashes."
• Nigella Lawson butters her toast twice, and Britain is really angry about it - "There are a handful of culinary quagmires that, for no clear reason and to the bafflement of the rest of the world, bitterly divide Britain: the correct pronunciation of 'scone,' for example, or at what stage in the tea-making process one should add milk. Now, one of the country's favorite TV chefs has added another debate to the list -- how, exactly, to butter toast."

November 18, 2020

• Pfizer Will Seek FDA Authorization for COVID-19 Vaccine 'Within Days' - "Pfizer and BioNTech expect to ask for emergency permission within a matter of days to start distributing their COVID-19 vaccine, the companies said Wednesday - as they released a trove of new data showing the vaccine is about 95% effective."
• global economic bailout is running at $19.5 trillion. It will go higher - "Governments and central banks have promised to shell out $19.5 trillion since the coronavirus erupted to 'put a floor under the world economy,' according to the International Monetary Fund. Some countries need even more help to recover from the crisis, but they might not get it."
• How We Can Stop the Spread of COVID-19 By Christmas - "We are at war with a virus that is currently winning by taking two 9/11’s worth of victims every week - by Christmas it could be three. There is no question that if 1,000 Americans were dying each day in a war, we would act swiftly and decisively. Yet, we are not. This should not be about politics - it is about human beings - and we should be acting like it."
• Trump administration has 'checked out' as Covid-19 surges, experts say - "Experts say the federal government, led by the lame duck president Donald Trump, has 'checked out', weeks away from what would be early vaccine approvals."
• Moderna’s COVID-19 Vaccine Is 94.5% Effective. Here’s What That Really Means - TIME Magazine.
• Dolly Parton partly funded Moderna Covid vaccine research - "The country music icon’s $1m donation supported the latest breakthrough by Moderna and several research papers."
• Chinese vaccine 'successful in mid-stage trials' - "A Covid-19 vaccine developed in China has shown success in mid-stage trials, researchers say."
• George Clooney GQ Icon of the Year 2020 - "George Clooney When We Need Him Most. The actor, director, and GQ Icon of the Year is the one thing we can all agree on - at a time when we can’t agree on anything."
• Trump Fires Top Cybersecurity Official for Contradicting His Claims the Election was Rigged - "'The recent statement by Chris Krebs on the security of the 2020 Election was highly inaccurate, in that there were massive improprieties and fraud,' he tweeted on Tuesday evening, listing several baseless claims including that voting machines had changed votes to Biden and that scores of dead people had voted. 'Therefore, effective immediately, Chris Krebs has been terminated as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.'"
• Twitter launches disappearing tweets tool worldwide - "Concern among some users that Fleet feature, similar to stories on Snapchat and Instagram, creates opportunities for online harassment."
• Google Chrome Update Gets Serious: Homeland Security (CISA) Confirms Attacks Underway - "Homeland Security cybersecurity agency says update Google Chrome as attackers hone in on new security flaws."
• Firefox 83 will automatically switch you to secure HTTPS sites - "It will display a warning if a website doesn't have an HTTPS version the browser can load."
• 1% of people cause half of global aviation emissions - study - "Researchers say Covid-19 hiatus is moment to tackle elite ‘super emitters’. Frequent-flying 'super emitters' who represent just 1% of the world’s population caused half of aviation’s carbon emissions in 2018, according to a study."
• World's most expensive cities to live in during Covid - "The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) -- which rates 133 global cities, and compares the price of a basket of 138 everyday items in each -- has ranked them as joint top of the table."
• Covid-19 shakes up world’s most expensive city list - "The world’s three most expensive cities are now Hong Kong, Zurich and Paris, according to a new cost of living report."
• How the Wellness Trend Could Transform Superyacht Interiors - "Venice-based Nuvolari-Lenard is rethinking yacht design by replacing formal areas with super-lounges that have swimming pools and libraries."
• How Amazon became a pandemic giant - and why that could be a threat to us all - "Online retail grew massively in lockdown, and Amazon reaped huge profits. But where is the company’s relentless innovation and automation heading - and is it time to clip its wings?"
• APPLE MACBOOK AIR WITH M1 REVIEW: NEW CHIP, NO PROBLEM - "The new Arm-based system has exceeded almost every expectation."
• APPLE MAC MINI WITH M1 REVIEW: OVER-PERFORMER - "Apple’s Arm chip punches above its weight class."
• The Richest Hedge Fund Managers 2020 - "The 25 members of The Forbes 400 who made their fortunes from hedge funds are worth a combined $185 billion, up $2.8 billion from last year. As a group, that’s saying something, given that hedge funds got hammered in the first half of 2020, losing a record 7.9% on average, according to an analysis by Hedge Fund Research."
• 8 of the world's most stunning micro-houses - "With living costs at an all-time high, increasing urban density and greater interest in downsizing and simplifying our lives, the small-house movement has taken reign within the architecture industry."
• Lewis Hamilton is one of a kind, but is it for the wrong reasons? - "Will we ever see another Formula One champion like Lewis Hamilton?"
• The Best Dark Chocolate Truffles 2020 - "Chocolate should be your go-to gift this holiday season as chocolatiers report a pandemic-driven run on chocolate, especially ones that evoke nostalgia. It’s no surprise that chocolates that inspire warm, positive memories are so popular during such a trying time."
• The Idea of the 'Dark Ages' Is a Myth. Here's Why Medieval Scientific Progress Still Matters - "Recent research has, however, exploded almost every myth about the scientific stagnation of the Middle Ages. Historians have shown it to be a period of impressive innovation and ingenuity."
• Harley-Davidson’s ‘Serial 1’ Details New Ebikes With Specs, Prices - And A Cool Surprise - "All of the Serial 1 bikes follow the form factor of the prototypes that were shown off over a year ago. All of the bikes feature aluminum construction, a Brose mid-mount 250-watt motor, in-frame batteries, and Gates kevlar belt drive instead of a chain. None of the bikes have suspension forks or linkages. Three of the four bikes will feature a Enviolo AUTOMATiQ rear hub with automated gearing, and each bike will feature four fairly self-explanatory ride modes: Eco, Tour, Sport and Boost."

November 17, 2020

• Covid-19 in the US: Is this coronavirus wave the worst yet? - "Americans may have tuned out of coronavirus news as they focused on the outcome of the presidential election, but the pandemic has quietly been getting worse in the country."
• Chemicals found in everyday products could hinder Covid-19 vaccine - "Researchers worry PFAS, commonly found in the bodies of Americans, will reduce the immunization’s effectiveness."
• Has the meaning of work changed forever? - "Remote working and watching the world go through a major shake-up is redefining what many of us need and want from our careers - and even our lives."
• Jeff Bezos names first recipients of his $10 billion Earth Fund for combating climate change - "Amazon CEO and founder Jeff Bezos on Monday announced the first 16 recipients of the Earth Fund, which is designed to invest in scientists, activists and other organizations combating the effects of climate change."
• Best in travel 2021 Lonely Planet - "Awards for regenerative travel." As our world came to a full stop this year, we looked in the mirror to reflect on how we can best empower our readers to travel responsibly and become agents of positive change. And we realized that to reimagine travel post-2020, we needed to reinvent ourselves first, so we updated our editorial practices to highlight more local and diverse voices. We also decided to make this year’s Best in Travel different by recognizing places and people demonstrating a genuine commitment to sustainability, community and diversity. And that’s only the beginning. We salute all the winners!
• Costco selling US$17,500K private jet membership that lasts 1 year - "Costco includes $4,000 in flight credit and a $3,500 Costco Shop Card with a Wheels Up membership."
• Piaget Claims Top Prize In Oscars Of Watchmaking: Other GPHG 2020 Winners Include Breitling, Bovet, Tudor - "Piaget won the top prize in the 2020 Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève for its Altiplano Ultimate Concept, the world’s thinnest mechanical wristwatch. Breitling, Bovet 1822, Vacheron Constantin, Greubel Forsey and Tudor were also among the winners. Out of 226 total entries, 84 finalists in 14 categories were chosen in September, and the top winners were announced yesterday."
• APPLE MACOS 11 BIG SUR REVIEW: A LONG TIME COMING - "This is what the future of the Mac looks like."
• The 'other' pizza of Italy - "'Pizza fritta', the lesser-known cousin of Neapolitan pizza, emerged as a result of poverty amid World War Two and was known as 'the pizza of the people'."
• top destinations private jet flyers are heading for winter - "More wealthy travelers are turning to private jets this winter for travel as COVID spikes continue. Here are their top 9 destinations."
• How a secretive hippie hideaway in Thailand transformed into a world-renowned beach retreat - "Michael Doyle started making regular trips to Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand in the mid-1980s, enjoying laid-back life in rustic beach bungalows around the island between stints as a psychiatric nurse in Australia. By 1989, Hat Rin had become world-famous for its monthly Full Moon Party on the beach, and Doyle melted into the flow of 'the new Goa.'"
• The Pantheon: The ancient building still being used after 2,000 years - "When visitors walk into the Pantheon in Rome and encounter its colossal dome, they may experience the same theatricality as its guests nearly 2,000 years ago."
• How your heating warms the planet - "How to cut carbon out of your heating. With many people spending more time than usual in their homes this year, how can the environmental cost of heating them be reduced?"
• Sweden's new car carrier is the world's largest wind-powered vessel - "Oceanbird might look like a ship of the future, but it harks back to ancient maritime history -- because it's powered by the wind. With capacity for 7,000 vehicles, the 650 foot-long vessel is a similar size to conventional car carriers, but it will look radically different. The ship's hull is topped by five telescopic 'wing sails,' each 260 feet tall. Capable of rotating 360 degrees without touching each other, the sails can be retracted to 195 feet in order to clear bridges or withstand rough weather."
• Apple iPhone 12 Pro Max Review: Size Matters - Forbes.

November 16, 2020

• Moderna Covid vaccine candidate almost 95% effective, trials show - "US-based biotech firm is latest to reveal impressive results from phase 3 trials of jab."
• New curbs as US Covid-19 cases surpass 11 million - "Michigan and Washington are the latest US states to bring in strict measures to try and curb the spread of Covid-19. On average, more than 1,000 people a day are dying with the virus, and the overall death toll is close to 250,000."
• The best way to make masks work against Covid-19 - "What over eight months of navigating the novel coronavirus pandemic has taught us is that a mask is one of the most valuable tools currently available to mitigate the spread of the virus."
• Damage to multiple organs recorded in 'long Covid' cases - "Study of low-risk individuals finds impairments four months after infection."
• Lockdown has affected your memory - here’s why - "Many of us have found ourselves in an isolated routine during the pandemic - and it turns out, that’s not very good for your memories."
• Why You Should Stop Using This ‘Dangerous’ WhatsApp Setting On Your iPhone - "When you come to move your WhatsApp account from your old device to your new one, you’ll be directed to use WhatsApp’s iCloud backup option to transfer your message history, media and settings. But those backups are not protected by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption. It’s a serious privacy and security vulnerability - one that rivals iMessage and Signal have resolved."
• The Nightmare Pandemic Economy Joe Biden Is Inheriting, in 5 Charts - "When President-elect Joe Biden steps into White House in January, he will inherit two inextricably linked crises: The worsening COVID-19 pandemic and a wide-reaching recession. As U.S. coronavirus cases are spiking to all-time highs, he will be responsible for keeping Americans safe while guiding a fragile economy through recovery."
• Obama says election results show nation is deeply divided - "Former President Barack Obama said the election results, in which each candidate received more than 70 million votes, show the nation remains bitterly split."
• Trump's legal battles: How six cases may play out - "As president of the United States, Donald Trump enjoyed unique protection from legal action, be it criminal or civil."
• 5 Biggest Retail Trends In 2021 - "Since online shopping became a reality, retail has become increasingly digital and internet-driven. Bricks and mortar stores have adopted elements of the online experience to encourage us to continue visiting them, and also played to the strengths that in-person experiences can offer, such as more personal levels of service."
• 'Maybe the greatest golf shot you'll ever see' - "Jon Rahm skips ball across pond in amazing hole-in-one at the Masters."
• The secrets of TV’s greatest thriller-writer - "From Line of Duty to Bodyguard, Jed Mercurio is known for creating gripping shows like no other. Here, he shares the method to creating small-screen magic with Sarah Hughes."
• Belgian racing pigeon sets fanciers' hearts aflutter in €1.6m sale - "Record auction price for New Kim beats last year’s €1.25m for Armando, another Belgian."
• Video gaming can benefit mental health, find Oxford academics - "Playing video games can be good for your mental health, a study from Oxford University has suggested, following a breakthrough collaboration in which academics at the university worked with actual gameplay data for the first time."
• The Winners of the World Superyacht Awards 2020 Announced - "The winners of the 2020 World Superyacht Awards have been revealed. From the newly crowned Motor Yacht of the Year to the prestigious Voyager's Award, find out which yachts scooped this year's coveted Neptunes..."
• You Can Pay Rent With a Credit Card. Here’s Why You Should ‘Almost Never’ Do It - "Paying your rent with a credit means getting hit with transaction fees, potentially hurting your credit score, and risking high interest payments. There are only rare situations where that makes sense."

November 15, 2020

• US sees record 184,000 new daily Covid cases as Trump politicises vaccine effort - "Deaths increase as states implement new social restrictions and president threatens not to deliver vaccines to New York."
• Jared & Ivanka are poised to return to a Manhattan social scene that no longer welcomes them - "If the celebrations that spilled into the streets of New York City in the wake of Joe Biden's victory made one thing clear, it's that the Trumps aren't welcome here."
• Why the coronavirus numbers are likely to keep getting worse - "A new Gallup poll finds that just 49% of Americans say they would shelter in place if public health officials recommended it because of a coronavirus outbreak."
• A vaccine might get us traveling -- but it won't be the same - "How a Covid-19 vaccine could change travel for good."
• COVID-19 Is Reaching the Last Coronavirus-Free Nations on Earth - "Eight months after the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic, COVID-19 is reaching the last places on Earth that remained untouched by the coronavirus."
• The True Story Behind The Crown's Prince Charles, Princess Diana and Camilla Parker Bowles Love Triangle - TIME Magazine.
• What belongs on a pizza? And seven more all-time epic food wars - "Do beans belong in chili? What goes on a scone first: the jam or cream? And what country can lay claim to hummus or the pavlova?"

November 14, 2020

• Trump wavers between reality & election fiction - "Trump wavers between reality and election fiction with eye on his legacy during Rose Garden vaccine address."
• Anti-maskers: A group of people whining so much over something so little - CNN Opinion.
• Covid vaccine rally fuels market optimism of a faster global recovery - "News of potentially effective vaccine helps persuade politicians to keep policies to prevent lay offs and bankruptcies."
• The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities Of 2020 - "The King of Pop still reigns. Dr. Seuss jumps after Hollywood courtship. Juice WRLD and Kobe Bryant join the legends’ list too soon."
• Celebrate The Holidays With These Hotel Suite Experiences - "While the holidays may need to be more intimate in the year of COVID-19, they don’t have to be less festive. Hotels all over the globe are curating inspired in-suite offerings for Thanksgiving, Christmas and other special occasions."
• Princess Diana's 'black sheep' sweater is back on sale -- four decades after she made it famous - "The wool crewneck sweater was created in 1979 by British designers Warm & Wonderful and shot to fame when the late princess, a beloved fashion icon, was photographed wearing the design at a polo match with Prince Charles in 1980."
• How to stream HBO Max - "Everything you need to know about the new streaming service. HBO Max has arrived. Combining the vast content empire of AT&T’s WarnerMedia - HBO, Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, DC Entertainment, TBS, TNT, CNN, Cartoon Network, The CW, Crunchyroll, and Adult Swim - into a single streaming service already gives HBO Max one of the broadest streaming catalogs around."
• 15 best Polish food - "If Polish cuisine were to be described in just one word, 'heartfelt' would perhaps be the most fitting choice."
• How to get good at chess - "You don’t have to be a polymath like Beth Harmon in The Queen’s Gambit to improve your game."
• Ferrari SF90 Stradale Spider: First Look - "Ferrari unveiled its SF90 Stradale Spider today. The car retains the fundamentals of the remarkable SF90 Stradale Berlinetta, gaining a little weight while delivering identical or nearly identical performance in every measure."
• Analog Motion's AMX is a commuter e-bike that wants to go fast - "The 250W rear-hub motor is surprisingly aggressive."
• Rothschild descendant claims initial victory in legal battle with Vienna - "Geoffrey Hoguet is suing Austrian authorities for control of trust set up by his ancestors, but seized by Nazis in 1938."
• Hyperventilating can help clear alcohol from body faster, researchers find - "Discovery could potentially help treat patients suffering from alcohol poisoning, Canadian team says."

November 13, 2020

• US election security officials reject Trump's fraud claims - "US federal election officials have said the 2020 White House vote was the 'most secure in American history', rejecting President Donald Trump's fraud claims."
• Obama says fraud claims undermining democracy - "Former President Barack Obama has said senior US Republicans are undermining democracy by going along with President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated claims of election fraud."
• Trump's eldest children split on his path forward - "While his adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, are gung-ho, leading the charge for the President to stay in the fight, daughter and White House adviser Ivanka Trump has emerged as someone looking for a way for the President to save face as he considers his next steps, sources tell CNN."
• Donald Trump Couldn't Be Prosecuted in Office. What Happens When He Leaves? - "In October 2019, about a year before Election Day, a lawyer representing Donald Trump made a striking argument before a courtroom in Manhattan. Even if the President were actually to shoot someone on Fifth Avenue, he could not be charged with a crime while in office, the lawyer, William Consovoy, told the court. He was careful to note, however, 'This is not a permanent immunity.'"
• Will Thanksgiving Be a COVID-19 Disaster? In Canada, the Answer Was 'Yes' - "As coronavirus cases and hospitalizations spike across the United States, public-health officials, local leaders and others are urging Americans to rethink their typical Thanksgiving plans this year."
• Too early for Christmas travel plans, European countries say - "A number of European countries have warned that it is too early to plan for Christmas travel, as coronavirus cases continue to rise across the continent."
• These charts show how serious the fall Covid-19 surge is in the US - "The following charts show how the fall coronavirus wave has put the US on unprecedented ground by some metrics, and with numbers trending up, point to how the situation could get worse while the country awaits a vaccine and distribution of new treatments."
• Seasonal rhythms within immune systems may explain infection rates - study - "Study finds fluctuations in white blood cells according to time of day and season, suggesting stronger or weaker immune function."
• Elon Musk says he’s tested positive & negative for COVID-19 - "Elon Musk took to Twitter Thursday night to say that he has received mixed results after being tested for COVID-19 and is currently experiencing symptoms of a common cold. Musk says he was tested four times using a rapid antigen test: two tests came back positive and two came back negative. He’s also awaiting the results from two PCR tests but the results won’t be known for 24 hours."
• Donald Trump could land $100M book deal for presidential tome - "With Barack Obama’s latest book hitting shelves Nov. 17, there’s buzz in politics - and publishing - that President Trump is being courted for a new tome on his time in the White House."
• 'They created a false image': how the Reagans fooled America - "A new docuseries studies the damaging reign of Ronald and Nancy Reagan and the insidious myth-making that still surrounds their legacy."
• The Princess and the Shaman - "When Gwyneth Paltrow’s guru met Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, reality seemed like a fairy tale. Can these two lovers have their happily ever after?"
• 10 of the best celebrity feuds - "From Bette v Joan to Axl v Kurt, these very public rivalries have featured lyrical disses, scuffles and vindictive cakes."
• How to reclaim your focus - "Cognitive Load Theory: Explaining our fight for focus. Cognitive Load Theory provides a useful framework for understanding the different ways the pandemic could be playing havoc with your mental function."
• macOS 11 Big Sur review: the Mac, iPad-ified for the future - "Apple’s big update adds colour, iPhone-like icons, settings and apps, ready for new and old Macs alike."
• Should You Get a PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S? Here's How to Decide - "After seven years, millions of consoles sold, and a generation of users clamoring for an upgraded graphical experience, Sony and Microsoft are finally releasing the next version of their iconic Xbox and PlayStation consoles. With both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X (and Series S) going on sale this week, you might be wondering which one to pick. Here’s what sets each of them apart from the others."
• The latest 'Everest' is a mountain you've probably never heard of - "Among all the numberless and largely nameless mountains that have yet to see a human foot, flag or breathless YouTube post on their standoffish summits, Muchu Chhish is, for all wild and crazy intents and purposes, the highest unclimbed hill on Earth."
• Heart-stopping photos of Kai Tak International Airport - "Check out these heart-stopping photos of Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong. It's been closed since 1998 but is remembered for its dramatic landings."
• The Eye of Providence: The symbol with a secret meaning? - "How has a seemingly straightforward image - an eye set within a triangle - become a lightning rod for conspiracy theorists? Matthew Wilson looks at the history of an ambiguous symbol."
• If This ‘Very Dangerous’ App Is Installed On Your Phone, Delete It Now - "The app is VivaVideo."
• Apple HomePod mini review: An acceptable Echo alternative - "Apple's speaker ambitions are moving in the right direction."
• How to Get the Peloton Experience Without Paying the $2,000+ Peloton Price Tag - "The at-home fitness company, launched in 2012, has exploded in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic. But while a Peloton bike and the accompanying membership are arguably the hottest fitness trend of 2020, they don’t exactly come cheap. You don’t have to pay full price, though. There are some tricks you can employ to help offset the cost - or you can find a cheaper alternative altogether."

November 12, 2020

• State Department is preventing Biden from accessing messages from foreign leaders - "A stack of messages from foreign leaders to President-elect Joe Biden are sitting at the State Department but the Trump administration is preventing him from accessing them, according to State Department officials familiar with the messages."
• 5 Ways Joe Biden’s Presidency Will Affect Your Money & How to Act Now - "As with any new President, Joe Biden will have his work cut out for him when he takes the oath of office in January. And while his 'build back better' plans are already laid out, it’s yet to be seen how much of an impact his administration can actually make on your finances."
• Texas politician offers $1m for proof of voter fraud & pushes baseless claims - "Dan Patrick, who once said seniors would rather die from Covid than hurt economy, offers reward with money from campaign."
• Alexis de Tocqueville Warned Americans About How Presidential Elections Could Go Wrong - TIME Magazine.
• Bernie Sanders says he would accept Labor secretary job if Joe Biden asks - "Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Wednesday that he would accept the job of Labor secretary if President-elect Joe Biden asked him to join his Cabinet."
• Alibaba Singles Day sales rake in $75 billion - "Singles Day: Alibaba sales blitz rakes in $75 billion as Chinese shake off Covid-19."
• Why a Covid vaccine doesn't mean the end of face masks yet - "Despite the Pfizer breakthrough, social distancing and remote working won’t disappear overnight."
• New York imposes 'last chance' virus restrictions - "New York has introduced new restrictions aimed at curbing coronavirus, with Mayor Bill de Blasio warning it was the city's 'last chance' to stop a second wave."
• Black & Asian people at greater risk of getting Covid, meta-study finds - "Finding is based on 50 studies involving medical records of nearly 19 million patients."
• Covid-19 scare unfolds aboard first Caribbean cruise since the pandemic began - "A Covid-19 scare is the last thing the cruise industry needs as it eases back into the Caribbean."
• Robots are joining the fight against coronavirus in India - "In India, the country with the world's second-highest number of Covid-19 cases, a handful of hospitals has started to use robots to connect patients with their loved ones, and assist healthcare workers on the frontlines of the pandemic."
• Scientists cautious as Russia says early data shows Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine is 92% effective - "Russia's sovereign wealth fund said on Wednesday that an early analysis of data from its Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine suggests it is 92% effective. However, some scientists are urging caution, noting that the data is far from conclusive."
• RNA vaccine - or mRNA (messenger RNA) vaccine is a new type of vaccine for providing acquired immunity through an RNA containing vector, such as lipid nanoparticles. RNA vaccines are also thought to have the potential to be used for cancer in addition to infectious diseases. A number of RNA vaccines are under development to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Pfizer's CEO sold $5.6 million in stock the day he announced promising vaccine news - "Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla filed to sell millions of dollars of his company's stock Monday -- the day the pharmaceutical giant announced positive data about its coronavirus vaccine."
• Why the ‘paradox mindset’ is the key to success - "Although paradoxes often trip us up, embracing contradictory ideas may actually be the secret to creativity and leadership."
• HOW BUNNY THE DOG IS PUSHING SCIENTISTS’ BUTTONS - "TikTok’s most famous talking dog has inspired some serious research."
• 'Buddha would be green': Dalai Lama calls for urgent climate action - "The Dalai Lama warns of terrible consequences of climate inaction."
• The flying car is here - and it could change the world - "Flying cars may seem futuristic - but from commercial jetpacks to personal air taxis, they are already here. Here’s how they could transform the way we commute, work and live."
• 'The Crown' tackles the Princess Diana & Margaret Thatcher years - "The fourth season of 'The Crown' is dominated by two women, and neither is the Queen. The stately Netflix drama rather pivots to the tragic tale of Princess Diana and the ascent of prime minister Margaret Thatcher, operating along those parallel tracks while as usual punctuating the narrative with signature events from British history."
• 'Largest ever auctioned' purple-pink diamond sells for $26.6m - "An extremely rare purple-pink Russian diamond has sold at auction in Switzerland for $26.6m. The 14.8-carat diamond, dubbed 'The Spirit of the Rose,' is the largest of its kind to be auctioned, as 99% of all pink diamonds are under 10 carats."
• A 998-Carat Diamond Was Discovered In Botswana - "A 998-carat rough diamond was discovered in Botswana in the Karowe Diamond Mine owned and operated by Lucara Diamond, a mining company that specializes in unearthing large diamonds. It could be the fourth largest gem quality diamond ever discovered. The diamond, which measures 67×49×45mm, was recovered from a direct milling of ore sourced from an area in the open pit mine that has recently resulted in discoveries of diamonds weighing 273, 105, 83, 73, and 69 carats. Lucara announced the discovery Tuesday night."
• These 8 Places Have Low Covid Rates & Open Borders - Forbes.
• Venice 1 Year On From Devastating Flooding: No More Acqua Alta? - "On November 12, 2019, Venice suffered its worst flooding since 1966. The tide rose to 187cm, submerging over 80% of the city. Ground floor houses were devastated, restaurants and their kitchens destroyed, and ancient monuments irreparably damaged. Just under a year on, on October 3, Venice’s flood gate system held back a high tide for the first time, bringing joy and relief to residents. But it's too early to declare Venice saved, as bigger powers are at play."
• Where you can see the 'soul' of the Earth - "Canada’s remote Gros Morne National Park is one of the few places where you can see the Earth’s mantle."
• TripAdvisor warns users over Thai hotel that legally pursued reviewer - "TripAdvisor has warned about a Thai hotel that made a legal complaint against a customer for negative reviews, resulting in his arrest."
• This Is The Design Story Behind BMW’s All-New Radical Electric iX - "The iX is BMW’s design and technology flagship - a car that visually and technically expresses the marque as it fully enters the electric age. Created as an electric vehicle and with a high dose of pioneering technology, the iX offers a fresh reading of BMW design. It introduces customers to the marque’s latest electrification, driverless and connected technologies when it heads to production in 2021."
• 5 Famous Watches From Sylvester Stallone’s Collection Go Up For Auction, Including A Prized Panerai - "Adrenaline packed. These may well be the words that best describe the upcoming Phillips in Association with Bacs and Russo Racing Pulse auction to be held in New York on December 12, 2020."
• WhatsApp Using Up Your Phone Storage? Here’s How to Fix It - "It's time to do something about those photos and videos automatically saving to your camera roll."

November 11, 2020

• 5 biggest announcements from Apple’s ‘One More Thing’ hardware event - "As expected, the focus was on its new Arm-based Mac computers."
• Biden: Trump refusal to concede 'an embarrassment' - "Joe Biden has said President Donald Trump's refusal to concede victory in last week's White House election is 'an embarrassment'."
• Why aren't Covid-19 contact tracing apps working? - "Contact Tracing Apps Were Big Tech's Best Idea for Fighting COVID-19. Why Haven't They Helped?"
• Meet the brains behind the world's first effective coronavirus vaccine - "The scientists who developed the Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine are a Turkish-German power couple."
• CDC now says masks protect both the wearers & those around them from Covid-19 - "Wearing a mask can help protect you, not just those around you, from coronavirus transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in new guidance Tuesday. The statement was an update to previous guidance suggesting the main benefit of mask wearing was to help prevent infected people from spreading the virus to others."
• $1 made-in-Africa Covid-19 test kit could revolutionize testing on the continent - "For the first time since the Covid-19 outbreak began, Africa may be poised to reshape rapid testing for the virus on the continent."
• Pfizer's ultra-cold vaccine, a 'very complex' distribution plan & an exploding head emoji - "Pfizer's vaccine needs to be stored at about minus 75 degrees Celsius, which is about 50 degrees colder than any vaccine currently used in the United States. Doctors' offices, pharmacies and state labs don't have freezers that go nearly that low."
• Why Now Is Not The Time For Big Life Decisions - "If you are thinking about making a big life decision, here’s why you might want to wait."
• Why companies want to track your health - "The rise of employee health tracking. Health tracking could mitigate pandemic-related risks, but will employees see it as an invasion of their privacy?"
• The Most Promising Alzheimer’s Drug in Years Took a Thrashing From an FDA Advisory Committee - "For several years, doctors and patients have been closely following the development of the drug aducanumab, hoping that it might finally be the first medication to stop the cycle of failure that has been the fate of dozens of Alzheimer’s drug candidates that have come before. If approved, it would become the first treatment for Alzheimer’s."
• Charles Darwin's other great theory - "Charles Darwin’s hunch about early life was probably right. In a few scrawled notes to a friend, biologist Charles Darwin theorised how life began. Not only was it probably correct, his theory was a century ahead of its time."
• The biggest difference between the new MacBook Air & MacBook Pro is a fan - "And the Air is still thicker."
• Apple's New MacBooks (and Mac Mini) Are Powered By iPhone DNA - "Months after first teasing the news, Apple on Tuesday unveiled a trio of Mac desktop and laptop computers powered not by Intel processors, but by its homemade M1 chip, an ARM-based design that more closely resembles those typically found in smartphones and tablets, like the iPhone and iPad."
• Apple’s new Mac Mini with M1 starts at $699 - "Apple is refreshing its smallest desktop."
• M1 is the first Apple Silicon chip for the Mac - "It features more than 16 billion transistors."
• Apple's M1 chip is coming to the 13-inch MacBook Pro - "Apple is claiming up to 20 hours of battery life."
• Leica's latest Q2 camera only shoots in black-and-white - "The Q2 Monochrom is built for specialist photographers."
• McDonald's announces new chicken sandwich & 'McPlant' burger - "The company said Monday that it will test the new plant-based burger in key markets next year."
• What it's like to be on vacation in a country on lockdown - "On the evening of October 31, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the return of an England-wide lockdown, designed to stem an alarming second wave of coronavirus."
• Hawai’i Is Now Open For Safe Travel To The Islands - "On October 15, 2020, the state of Hawai’i reopened its islands for travel (from U.S. states) under the condition that visitors over the age of five take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours prior to departure. Upon presenting a negative result on arrival, the previously mandated 14-day quarantine will be waived."
• The world's best Christmas markets - "The Christmas markets still going ahead in 2020."
• 2021 McLaren 765LT Is A Street-Legal, Track-Capable Thrill Ride - "As modern supercars achieve race-car-like capabilities it becomes increasingly difficult to produce one that feels like a substantial leap forward, both in terms of driver enjoyment and pure speed. The 2021 McLaren 765LT is exactly that - a substantial leap forward in the realm of street-legal automotive capability."
• 1,800 Vintage Rolex Watch Photos Charts The Rise Of The Iconic Brand - " The book named, 'Vintage Rolex, The Largest Collection in the World' (Pavilion Books) contains photographs and brief descriptions of 1,800 Rolex watches - from 1910 to 1998. The watches that appear in the 384-page coffee-table book represent the evolution of the iconic Swiss watch brand."
• Vintage Rolex: The Largest Collection in the World - Amazon.com. "A gorgeously indulgent new coffee-table heavyweight. - Esquire magazine."

November 10, 2020

• The tasks Joe Biden faces: from racial justice to restoring faith in science - "The new president will be busy - especially as he wrestles with the fallout from the Trump administration."
• Trump shows transition will be as turbulent as his presidency - "The question is not whether President Donald Trump is leaving. It's how much destruction, revenge and chaos he will wreak on the way out the door."
• Dr. Fauci reacts to Pfizer's vaccine announcement - "CNN's Wolf Blitzer talks to Dr. Anthony Fauci about the state of the coronavirus pandemic in the US and the recent announcement from Pfizer that their Covid-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective."
• Eli Lilly Covid-19 Antibody Treatment Granted Emergency FDA Authorization - "The drug, called bamlanivimab, is meant to be given to patients by health care providers right after they test positive and within 10 days of symptom onset to prevent further progression and hospitalization."
• China's Covid vaccine trial halted in Brazil - "China's Sinovac vaccine trial halted in Brazil. The Brazilian clinical trial for a high-profile Chinese Covid-19 vaccine has been suspended after health authorities reported a 'severe adverse' incident."
• What to expect from Apple’s ‘One More Thing’ event - "It seems likely Apple will reveal the first computers powered by its custom silicon."
• China's Singles Day: 3m people, 4,000 planes & cargo ships - "Three million workers, helped by 4,000 planes and ships, are getting ready for the world's biggest online sale - with 'revenge spending' tipped to be one of this year's biggest trends."
• Nearly one in five Covid patients later diagnosed with mental illness - study - "Analysis shows nearly twice as many diagnoses over three months among those testing positive."
• How Covid-19 changed the way we live - "Covid-19 will likely have permanent effects on the way we work. But the way we live, socialise and move about the world will be different, too."
• Lockdown named word of the year by Collins Dictionary - "Collins records a 6,000% increase in usage of the word since 2019, with TikToker and Megxit ranking among mostly coronavirus-related terms."
• Could a smart light bulb help reset your body clock? - "According to the American Sleep Association, more than a third of adults in the US report sleeping less than seven hours a night -- the bare minimum suggested for optimum health. Earlier this year, scientists at the University of Washington identified how cells in the eye respond to different colored lights, signaling the part of the brain that regulates our circadian rhythm. Now, US company TUO has used those findings to create an LED light bulb it says can help energize you in the morning and calm you at night."
• New Zealand's Chatham Islands might be the only place in the world experiencing overtourism right now - "The coronavirus pandemic has decimated the travel industry, as hotels, restaurants and airlines in destinations around the world find themselves going broke or dramatically cutting back costs as they try to survive. But there's one place on the planet where there are too many tourists right now: the Chatham Islands."
• 20 Best Places For Americans To Live, Invest, Work In Europe - "Based on various criteria including the presence of an international school, quality of life, health care system, internet connection, proximity to airports with international flights, cost of living, active expat community and low crime rate, the Best European Destinations (EBD) organization has revealed its rankings for the top European places for American expats to live, invest, retire and create new projects."
• How to clean your laptop keyboard - "Keep your keys germ-free and looking brand-new."
• The Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts 2020 - "Neiman Marcus’ 2020 Fantasy Gifts Include A $345,000 Remote Alaskan Adventure And A $255,000 Bespoke Bowlus RV."
• Gimme some space: inside the International Space Station - in pictures - "This month marks 20 years of continuous human habitation of space on the ISS. A new set of images by Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli and photographer Roland Miller captures the station’s interiors through an artistic, minimalist eye."
• Sean Connery's original gun from the first James Bond film is up for sale - "The iconography of James Bond is almost as famous as the character himself. The spy is known for his Aston Martin, his trilby, his martini (shaken, not stirred) -- and his signature Walther PPK pistol. The deactivated Walther PP pistol, one of the two original props used by Connery, will go under the hammer at the upcoming 'Icons & Idols Trilogy: Hollywood' sale, hosted by Julien's Auctions, on December 3 in Beverly Hills and online. The handgun is expected to fetch up to $200,000, according to the auction house."

November 9, 2020

• Global Covid-19 cases surge past 50 million - "The total of confirmed coronavirus cases has surged past 50 million following record numbers of new cases in several countries."
• Pfizer Says COVID-19 Vaccine 90% Effective Against Virus - "Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has announced that its COVID-19 vaccine successfully prevented 90% of infections compared to a placebo, a more positive result than experts expected."
• US Election 2020 - "See the full results. Leads in individual states may change from one party to another as all the votes are counted. Select a state for detailed results, and select the Senate, House or Governor tabs to view those races."
• Trump in denial over election defeat as Biden gears up to fight Covid - "Even with President Donald Trump still refusing to concede the election, President-elect Joe Biden will launch an aggressive plan on Monday to control the pandemic that is escalating at an alarming rate and will define his administration as soon as he takes office."
• How Donald Trump Lost The Election - "It all finally caught up to him. The lies, the outrageous boasts, the disorder and disastrous management, the rants and the race-baiting, the predatory instincts and compulsion to dominate - all the things that made President Donald Trump the ringmaster of the American political circus at last compelled a majority of voters to drive him out of the tent."
• Trauma & triumph: the 10 moments that made Joe Biden - "On his road to the White House, the former vice-president has had a dramatic journey, overcoming family tragedy and political tumult along the way."
• Inside Trump's loss: A culmination of self-destructive decisions - "When the White House essentially relocated to Air Force One over the final weeks of the campaign, President Donald Trump had a common reaction whenever he saw his rival Joe Biden appear on one of the airplane's many televisions. 'Imagine losing to him?' he would ask no one in particular as he hurtled toward another regional airport in another battleground state, according to sources onboard."
• Melania Trump is 'counting the minutes until divorce' when Donald leaves the White House after their 15-year 'transactional marriage', former aides claim - "Ms Wolkoff alleged the Trumps had separate bedrooms in the White House and 'a transactional marriage'. Fellow ex-aide Omarosa Manigault Newman claimed the couple's 15-year marriage was over, adding: 'Melania is counting every minute until he is out of office and she can divorce. 'If Melania were to try to pull the ultimate humiliation and leave while he's in office, he would find a way to punish her.'"
• Ivanka Trump will lose White House status & job - what will she do next? - "Trump isn’t just losing her status as first daughter, she’s also losing her job as ‘advisor to the president’."
• Princess Diana, her brother & the questions about the Martin Bashir interview that won't go away - "Diana’s revelations to Panorama 25 years ago rocked the royal family. Now the BBC is being accused of setting her up."
• Ruff life: with Biden's win the White House will get two dogs-in-chief - "The new first family includes two German shepherds, Champ, and Major, who will also be the first rescue dog in residence."
• Covid recovery plans threaten global climate hopes - "The prospect of a global green recovery from the coronavirus pandemic is hanging in the balance, as countries pour money into the fossil fuel economy to stave off a devastating recession, an analysis for the Guardian reveals."
• Why products become 'must-have' items - "What turns a product into a global phenomenon? There are countless products to buy, but only some hit a vaulted status of ‘must have’. What propels a single item into being a sensation?"
• Is it ever good to be spiteful? - "Would you harm yourself just to get at someone else? Spite is in us all, but there are unexpected benefits to it."
• Berlin Tegel: Farewell to the airport that wouldn't die - "While the recent opening of Berlin's long-delayed Brandenburg Airport will have caused many in the city to breathe a sigh of relief, it also means the sad end of an era."
• The intriguing maps that reveal alternate histories - "What if major elections, wars and events had turned out differently? Samuel Arbesman explores the detail and delights of maps that plot alternative worlds to our own."
• Virgin Hyperloop pod transport tests first passenger journey - "Virgin Hyperloop has trialled its first ever journey with passengers, in the desert of Nevada."
• President Trump’s Helicopter Is For Sale; Make An Offer - "President Donald J. Trump has long been a high-profile user of private jets and helicopters. Records show he currently owns a Boeing 757, frequently spotted during the campaign that saw him win the Oval Office, a Cessna Citation X, and three Sikorsky S76-B helicopters. Of the rotorcraft, one is currently for sale."
• Apple iPhone 12 Pro Just Gained A Sensational New Feature - "It’s called People Detection and the reason it’s so choosy about which devices it will work with is down to a piece of hardware which isn’t on every iPhone or iPad, just the latest Pro models: the LiDAR scanner. People Detection appears as part of the Magnifier app on the iPhone. In short, this is a brilliant app which uses the iPhone’s cameras to turn the screen into a digital magnifying glass"
• FDA clears Apple Watch app that helps treat PTSD-related nightmares - "NightWare helps patients sleep."

November 8, 2020

• President-elect Joe Biden seeks to unite nation with victory speech - "President-elect Joe Biden addressed a deeply divided nation Saturday night, turning to the challenges ahead by grounding his victory speech in the spirit of compromise, asking supporters of President Donald Trump to give him a chance, and calling on all Americans to turn the page from what he described as a 'grim era of demonization.'"
• What Biden's victory means for rest of world - "After days of uncertainty, Joe Biden has won the US presidential election, BBC projections show."
• How Joe Biden Won the White House - "The only thing more powerful than a dragon is a dragon slayer. For four years, Donald Trump’s penchant for division and chaos was the dominant force in American life. In the end, after a long and excruciating battle, it was vanquished by Joe Biden’s promise of decency, unity and national healing."
• Why Donald Trump lost - "In the final, furious days of his reelection campaign, President Donald Trump often turned his public rallies into personal therapy sessions, at which the embattled and embittered President rued what might have been."
• Mary Trump on the end of Uncle Donald: all he has now is breaking things - "The president will be having ‘meltdowns upon meltdowns’, according to his niece, who sees poetic justice in the lies and cheating now coming back to bite him."
• Trump will resign & have Pence pardon him if he loses to Biden, Cohen claims - "Donald Trump’s former personal attorney Michael Cohen has predicted the US president will pull out all the stops to avoid criminal prosecution if he loses the US presidential election to Democratic nominee Joe Biden."
• 22 Face Masks We Actually Like to Wear - "Here are the WIRED staff’s favorite face coverings for running, walking the dog, going to work, or looking stylish."
• Nasal spray might prevent COVID-19 infections - "It could make prevention far more accessible."
• Queen Elizabeth seen in face mask for first time during public ceremony - "The event was held at Westminster Abbey ahead of Remembrance Sunday on November 11, the day the UK pays tribute to those who lost their lives in war."
• UK bans Denmark visitors over mink Covid-19 fears - "The UK has imposed a ban on non-UK citizens coming from Denmark amid concerns over a new coronavirus strain that has spread from mink to humans."
• Jack Ma's terrible week - "This week should have made Jack Ma China’s richest man again, and the stock market debut of his company Ant Financial should have been the largest ever."
• 7 Reasons To Buy A PlayStation 5 Instead Of An Xbox Series X - "Next-gen gaming is just around the corner. The Xbox Series X|S releases in one week and the PlayStation 5 releases just two days later on November 12th (or November 17th in some regions)."
• Whodunit? The $1 Billion Bitcoin Election Day ‘Heist’ Mystery Solved - "A long-dormant Bitcoin wallet was emptied of more than 69,000 BTC on election day, leading to claims that hackers had just got away with a heist worth nearly $1 billion. So whodunit?"

November 7, 2020

• JOE BIDEN WINS THE PRESIDENCY - "Joe Biden will become the 46th president of the United States, CNN projects, after a victory in the state where he was born put him over the 270 electoral votes needed to win. With Pennsylvania's 20 electoral votes, Biden now has a total of 273 electoral votes."
• Biden urges nation to come together & projects confidence as his Pennsylvania lead widens - "Former Vice President Joe Biden on Friday vowed to end the 'total, unrelenting, unending warfare' of Trump-era politics as he relentlessly piled up votes in key states that look increasingly likely to pave his way to presidency."
• Donald Trump's speech fact-checked - "President Trump spoke early on Friday about the US election count, making a number of accusations of fraud for which he did not provide evidence."
• President Trump Is Struggling to Face the Possibility That He Lost - "When Trump finally came out shortly after 2 a.m. on Nov. 4 he didn’t have a victory speech loaded into the TelePrompter, but he gave one anyway."
• Rupert Murdoch-owned US outlets turn on Trump, urging him to act with 'grace' - "Fox News, Wall Street Journal and New York Post all show stark change of tone as their former champion faces ‘presidential endgame’."
• Why CNN hasn't called the election yet - "Watch CNN's David Chalian breakdown the unique circumstances involved in calling the 2020 presidential election."
• So how many votes did Kanye West get? - "We don't know - still - who the next US president will be, but we do know who it won't be - Kanye West."
• Rudy Giuliani: from hero of 9/11 to leader of Trump's last stand - "President’s fixer, fireman and ‘first friend’ now looks to be heading for an end point."
• US tops 125,000 daily coronavirus infections -- a record high - "Friday saw at least 125,596 new coronavirus cases -- the highest single day reporting since the pandemic began. It also marked the third straight day the country has surpassed 100,000 daily coronavirus cases. Besides the new case numbers, by Friday evening there had been at least 1,137 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University."
• Covid immune response faster & stronger post-infection, scientists say - "Strongest evidence yet found of sustained defence in people who recover from coronavirus."
• 6 things that happened while the world watched the US election - "If you've been glued to coverage of the US presidential election this week, you might have missed what else is going on in the world."
• Explosive interview with Diana leaves one big question: how was it secured? - "Story of BBC journalist Martin Bashir’s dealings with Princess of Wales is of searing public interest."
• The First Cruise Ship To Offer Onboard COVID-19 Testing Has Arrived - "Viking Star will offer daily PCR testing to all passengers and crew via the first floating laboratory of its kind at sea."
• How a gigantic cruise ship is put together - "Video shows massive cruise ship assembled in seconds."
• Porsche & Embraer present the ultimate pair: a sports car & a jet - "Customers who opt for a special edition Embraer Phenom 300E business jet can also buy a matching customised Porsche 911 Turbo S."
• For $11 Million, You Get A Jet/Car Duet That You’ll Never Forget - "In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer and German performance carmaker Porsche have joined forces to create just 10 pairings of a special co-designed Phenom 300E business jet and a Porsche 911 Turbo S vehicle, elegantly dubbed Duet, for a projected sticker price of about $11 million."
• PS5 v Xbox Series X: Who will win the next-gen console race? - "It's like the excitement just before Christmas, only without the tinsel and fairy lights that don't work anymore."

November 6, 2020

• US election 2020: Who has lead in states still counting? - "The race for the White House is coming down to who wins the few remaining battleground states - here's your guide to those counts."
• Trump files lawsuits as Biden gains ground - "Both Donald Trump and Joe Biden could still win this, although as things stand Biden has a far easier path to victory."
• How long states have to count votes - "Here's how long states have to count votes, according to federal law."
• Why it's taking so long - "The real culprit of Pennsylvania's ballot counting delays."
• Trump should have lost in a landslide. The fact that he didn’t speaks volumes - "Blaming the voters simply will not do. This is a failure of leadership. Those responsible for it need to be held accountable."
• Is the show finally over for Donald Trump? - "We know that Trump will try to do anything to stay in power, to avoid that ultimate catastrophe in life - becoming a ‘loser’."
• America Is Too Divided to Reclaim Its Place on the Global Stage - TIME Magazine.
• iOS 14.2 is here, and it has over 100 new emoji - "Plus, new wallpapers and AirPlay improvements."
• iOS 14.2 is out with more inclusive emoji & Shazam controls - "The update also adds new controls for AirPlay 2 and intercom support for HomePod."
• 3 reasons 2021 iPhone is likely to outsell iPhone 12 - "Noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is out with a new report today in which he suggests that the 2021 iPhone models are likely to outsell the iPhone 12. Kuo suggests that this will in part be due to ‘significant’ improvements to the ultra-wide camera on next year’s models."
• Danish Covid-19 mink variant could spark new pandemic, scientists warn - "Mutations in mink herds and wildlife such as weasels, badgers, ferrets may pose risk to human health and vaccine development."
• Denmark removed from UK's travel corridor list - "Denmark has been taken off the UK's coronavirus travel corridor list, the transport secretary has said. It comes after health authorities in Denmark found a mutated form of coronavirus that can pass to humans was present in the country's mink farms."
• Coronavirus mutation found in Danish mink spreads to 214 people - "UK removes country from its air bridge list as concern grows at spread of new strain."
• Tesla just rolled out its own tequila. It's already sold out - "Elon Musk has already gotten people to buy flamethrowers, short shorts and surfboards. Now he's throwing in some tequila, too."
• 10 Journalism Brands Where You Find Real Facts Rather Than Alternative Facts - "Where do we most often find real truth, real facts in a new era of Internet hoaxes, fake news stories and new political administrations that tout their own 'alternative facts'?"
• This bar's been named the world's best (now good luck getting in) - "Being named best bar in the world in 2020 (Connaught Bar (London, U.K.)) is a lot like being declared world's most eligible bachelor while stranded on a deserted island."
• Bentley will sell only plug-in hybrids & EVs by 2026 - "It will launch its first EV in 2025 and go full electric by 2030."
• Bentley reveals plan to go fully electric by 2030 - "Luxury carmaker Bentley has unveiled plans to go fully electric by 2030."
• Bitcoin Surpasses $15,000 To Reach Fresh 2020 High - "Bitcoin prices extended their recent gains today, continuing to rally and breaking through the $15,000 level to hit a new high for this year."
• Jeff Bezos dumped $3 billion worth of Amazon stock - "Jeff Bezos sold more than $3 billion worth of his Amazon stock this week, taking advantage of a 75% surge in his company's value this year."
• A wedding photographer like no other - "Photographer captures weddings in their candid, chaotic glory."
• Ecocide: Should killing nature be a crime? - "From the Pope to Greta Thunberg, there are growing calls for the crime of 'ecocide' to be recognised in international criminal law - but could such a law ever work?"
• Sophia Loren: 'The body changes. The mind does not' - "The 86-year-old, star of the Netflix drama The Life Ahead, looks back at her own life, from the squalor of wartime Naples to the glamour of international fame."
• Live Like A Machiavelli In This Tuscan Villa Reportedly Designed By Michelangelo - "Somewhere among Tuscany’s rolling hills, speckled with vineyards stretching beyond the horizon, nestles a piece of history. A prominent pink structure, said to be designed by the great Michelangelo himself, Villa Machiavelli was once home to the diplomatic (you guessed it) Machiavelli family in the late 15th-century. And now, the unique 10-bedroom estate welcomes vacationers."
• The Templar hermitage at the heart of the Iberian peninsula - "Lying at the foot of dramatic limestone cliffs and caves, the hermitage of San Bartolomé is rich in cryptic Templar symbolism."
• Neil Young - every album ranked! - "As a new live album is released and a 50th anniversary edition of After the Gold Rush approaches, we rate every album by Canada’s irascible godfather of grunge."
• 2020 Lotus Evora GT Review: A Fantastic Relic Of A Forgotten Era - Forbes.
• Shakespeare and Company bookshop in Paris appeals for help - in pictures - "English-language bookshop asks customers for support as France enters new lockdown."

November 5, 2020

• Election 2020 presidential results - "Joe Biden is nearing 270 electoral votes."
• Trump sues as path to victory over Biden narrows - "Donald Trump and Joe Biden each claim to be ahead in the US presidential election, even as the final outcome hangs on a razor's edge and both sides gear up for legal action."
• Even If Joe Biden Wins, He Will Govern in Donald Trump's America - TIME Magazine.
• US records more than 100,000 new coronavirus cases in a single day for the first time - "The United States recorded 102,831 new cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. It marked the first time the country's daily new cases reached six figures -- and is the highest single-day jump in infections since the pandemic began. The US also recorded 1,097 more coronavirus-related deaths on Wednesday."
• Denmark to cull up to 17 million mink amid coronavirus fears - "As many as 17 million minks are to be culled in Denmark after a mutated version of the coronavirus that can spread to humans was detected on mink farms. Cases of a mutated strain of Covid-19 have been detected that may undermine future vaccines."
• 8 new uses for your old smartphone - "Just because you got a nifty new phone doesn’t mean you have to ditch your old one."
• WhatsApp launches new disappearing messages option - "A new option to wipe chat messages after seven days."
• 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."
• The Wealthy Have Their Election Escape Plan Ready - "'This is the equivalent of having the number on your phone that you punch in quickly and within minutes a helicopter gunship will come over the horizon and save you.' The $25 billion-a-year investment migration market provides foreign citizenship or residency to wealthy individuals prepared to invest large sums. Expect to pay upwards of $100,000 for citizenship of a Caribbean nation, or over double that for residency in an E.U. country like Portugal."
• Fate of climate crisis hangs on election as US exits Paris agreement - "Trump administration set US withdrawal in motion a year ago but it didn’t take effect until 4 November."
• How to function in times of uncertainty - "Your brain hates uncertainty. But the good news is that you can do something to get to the other side of ambiguity (at least for a little while)."
• How tech could transform ageing - "The technologies that could transform ageing. Providing a growing older generation with a dignified and independent life means doing more with less - and governments and industry are looking to cutting-edge technology to help."
• 'Jack Ma is tamed': How Beijing showed tech entrepreneur who is boss - "Analysts say Ma’s criticism of authorities likely reason for Ant Group’s IPO being halted."
• iOS 14: Here’s Why There’s An Orange Dot On Your iPhone - "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."
• DJI’s palm-sized Mini 2 drone flies further & shoots 4K for $449 - "Goodbye Wi-Fi, hello OcuSync."
• This New Whiskey Tastes Like Deer, Seriously - "Would you drink a whiskey that was supposed to taste like deer? Later this month you’ll have the chance."
• Jeffrey Epstein's $22 million Palm Beach mansion will be demolished - "The $22 million Palm Beach mansion owned by financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will be demolished to make way for an even more expensive home, according to the developer who is buying it."
• The man building our jetpack future - in tribute to his Dad - "‘We’re going to the skies and stars!’ Richard Browning is pursuing the stuff of a million childhood dreams. But having built a working jetpack, will anybody use it?"

November 4, 2020

• US Election 2020 - Tight battle in key states - "Mr Biden appears to have increased support among white voters by five percentage points compared to Hillary Clinton four years ago, but Mr Trump has still the largest share of this group, the polling suggests." BBC News.
• Presidential election results 2020 - "Donald Trump and Joe Biden each need 270 electoral votes to win the presidency." CNN Politics.
• Tighter than expected vote may take days to resolve - "The outcome of the US presidential election is on a knife edge, with Donald Trump and his rival Joe Biden neck and neck in key swing states."
• Facebook, Twitter take steps to limit the president’s false election claims - "Facebook warns tonight’s results might not be final, Twitter limits spread."
• How the World Is Reacting to the 2020 U.S. Election - "As the U.S. election result proved too close to call on Wednesday morning, political figures and observers around the world reacted to the uncertainty just as Americans did."
• Could Donald Trump refuse to accept defeat in US presidential election? - "Trump has repeatedly refused to commit to a peaceful transition of power - uncertainty over result will put that to the test."
• Here's how long states have to count votes, according to federal law - "President Donald Trump tried to declare victory in the presidential election early Wednesday. But he hasn't won, because all the votes haven't been counted -- and in some ways, the process is just getting started."
• The next 5 things to watch in the 2020 race - "As election night turns into the morning after, there is still far more that we don't know about the race to be the next president -- and to control the US Senate -- than we do."
• Why Democrats are donkeys & Republicans are elephants - "very election cycle, illustrations of donkeys and elephants show up in political cartoons, campaign buttons, Internet memes, and some truly alarming fashion choices. Most Americans would be surprised to learn that both political symbols (as well as Santa Claus and Uncle Sam) were popularized, and given their modern forms, by the same maverick cartoonist."
• In pictures The US awaits election results - "Excitement, anticipation, despair: the best pictures of US election night."
• Trump & Biden pictured through the years - "Seven decades of Trump & Biden in pictures. President Donald Trump, 74, and Democratic challenger Joe Biden, 77, each have more than seven decades of personal and professional experience behind them."
• Ranked: The 25 Smartest Countries In The World - "Which people have contributed the most to our advancement as a species? Which does best at school, and which has the highest IQ. All important contributing factors when deciding where to visit next, no doubt. Luckily though, Vouchercloud has done the legwork for you and diligently researched and ranked the top 25 countries in the world by intelligence."
• Birx warns US entering ‘deadly phase’ of Covid, contradicting Trump’s message - "Deborah Birx says ‘we are entering the most concerning and most deadly phase’ as Trump claims US is ‘rounding the corner’."
• Rich states' Covid deals 'may deprive poor of vaccine for years' - "Wealthy countries already have agreements for 3.73bn doses, with another 5bn under negotiation, study finds."
• Airbus is testing living cells to sniff out bombs - "Could a bomb-sniffing device transform airport security?"
• why Burger King wants people to eat at McDonald's - "The multinational fast-food firm has taken out an advert promoting its rivals, from KFC to Five Guys, but are they really trying to help or just telling whoppers?"
• HBO Max is the streaming service for me - "Because the days of streaming being cheaper than cable are over."
• How Princess Diana became 2020’s biggest style icon - "‘She was gangsta with her clothes’. Her image is everywhere - in the return of The Crown, a Hollywood film, musical and emulated on the cover of Vogue. For the younger generation, there is no greater fashion inspiration right now."
• Why ‘healthy neurotics’ can thrive in stressful times - "Anxiety can be damaging, but harnessing your neuroticism could bring benefits, including some unexpected advantages in the current climate."
• 5 standup specials to watch for some comic relief - "Standup specials to watch if you need some comic relief from the election."
• Escapology: Modern Cabins, Cottages & Retreats To Inspire Your Next Getaway - "From a massive mountain lodge overlooking a tranquil lake to a contemporary treehouse nestled deep within a Nordic forest, some of us may be longing for the sheer serenity of nature more than ever."
• 39 Ways To Celebrate Thanksgiving - Thursday, November 26.
• The Last Of Steve McQueen’s Heuer Monaco Watches From ‘Le Mans’ Is Going To Auction - "Your chance to own a significant piece of history from the King of Cool is here: Steve McQueen’s iconic Heuer Monaco is coming to market during Philips’ Racing Pulse auction in New York on December 12th."

November 3, 2020

• It's Election Day in America - "Time to vote, America."
• Everything you need to know about the 2020 US election - "Delegates, conventions and recounts, oh my! The United States will vote for President this November in a nationwide election. Here's what you need to know about the US election."
• Road to 270: See CNN's electoral map & build your own - "It takes 270 electoral votes to win the 2020 presidential election. Build your own road to 270 starting with a map of reliably red and blue states, as well as the battlegrounds CNN is tracking most closely. You also can view CNN’s current race ratings or use the 2016 electoral map as a starting point. Clicking an individual state will change who is winning its electoral votes."
• When polls will close in key states -- and when ballots will be counted - "Every state has a different process and set of rules for counting ballots. Many more millions of Americans have voted early in person or by mail this year than usual because of the pandemic, and millions more will be voting on Election Day."
• 3 election headlines you could wake up to - "So we've finally got here. That bit in an Olympic marathon where the runners enter the stadium for the last 400 metres on the track, straining aching muscles and tired bodies to sprint to the finish."
• The global stakes of the US election - "The world is living on the edge in a way it hasn't since World War II. Covid-19 has cut into our certainty, a million people are dead, and our lives are limited by it. But even as a crippling pandemic sweeps the globe, there is nothing more important today for most of us than the US presidential election."
• World Travel Awards 2020 - since 1993. "World Travel Awards serves to acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the global travel and tourism industry."
• APPLE ANNOUNCES ‘ONE MORE THING’ EVENT FOR NOVEMBER 10TH - "Apple has announced a 'One More Thing' event for November 10th, which will presumably see the company announce its first Arm-based Macs that run on Apple Silicon chips instead of the Intel processors the company has used since 2005."
• 9 TV shows to watch in November - BBC Culture.
• Celebrity-Backed 'Mood Chews' & Gummies Promise to Decrease Stress. But There's Rarely Scientific Evidence Behind That Promise - "L-theanine. Rhodiola. Ashwagandha. Cannabidiol. GABA. These ingredients were once relegated to alternative-health shops and mail-order supplement businesses. Now, they’re just a few of the buzzy alternative substances that celebrities are hawking as answers to our contemporary anxiety crises - despite the lack of conclusive evidence that they can help people with mental health challenges."
• Yoga for stress-related insomnia - "Are you finding yourself tossing and turning in the middle of the night, unable to stay asleep? Or maybe you've always struggled with falling asleep, but now it's taking hours instead of 30 minutes for shut-eye to kick in."
• Be a 'secret agent' & other new ways to exercise - "It might have been one of my regular runs around the streets of Singapore, but the experience was spiced with danger."
• The war that left our species on top - "Did Neanderthals go to war with our ancestors? Exactly why the Neanderthals died out 40,000 years ago is still debated, but evolutionary biologist Nicholas Longrich looks at the evidence for a war between them and modern humans."
• Now you can determine your level of Fauci with this handy meme - "A public health professor memed Anthony Fauci’s facial expressions to gauge her students’ moods."
• Edward Snowden applies for Russian citizenship for sake of future son - "US whistleblower says move is to prevent separation from his as-yet unborn son in ‘era of pandemics and closed borders’."
• Princess Diana's brother calls for BBC inquiry into faked bank statements - "Charles Spencer says BBC used ‘sheer dishonesty’ to secure interview with princess."
• Johnny Depp trial: how the judge ruled on 14 alleged assaults - "Twelve of 14 allegations by Amber Heard found to be ‘proved to the civil standard’."
• The fall of Johnny Depp: how the world's most beautiful movie star turned very ugly - "In the 1990s, he was a different kind of film star - eloquent, artistic and cool. But this week, with the loss of his court case against the Sun, the dream has decisively soured."
• Oscar Wilde graphic novel reimagines author’s life in exile - "The Divine Comedy of Oscar Wilde reflects on author’s final years as an exile in Paris."
• 'Taste. Think. Tweak' - chefs' 20 top kitchen tips - "Learning new kitchen skills could be just the thing you need to get your cooking out of a rut. Chefs offer their most vital techniques - from mastering sauces to dealing with too much salt."

November 2, 2020

• US election 2020 polls: Who is ahead - Trump or Biden? - "Voters in America will decide on 3 November whether Donald Trump remains in the White House for another four years."
• How many Americans have voted in the presidential election - and how? - "Early voting accounts for two-thirds of all 2016 turnout but an uneven system and Republican tactics suggest trouble may lie ahead."
• This is how Donald Trump gets to 270 - "With just 2 days until the 2020 election, this is the last Sunday newsletter before the country votes. The 5 BIG storylines you need to know to understand the last week on the campaign trail are below. They're ranked -- so the No. 1 story is the most important of the coming week."
• White House accuses top scientist Fauci of 'playing politics' - "The White House has accused leading infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci of playing politics days before the election in an interview about the coronavirus pandemic."
• Tiny variants in genes may dictate severity of coronavirus - "Scientists are tracking small differences in DNA to explain why the disease has different effects."
• Add vitamin D to bread & milk to help fight Covid, urge scientists - "Widespread deficiency shows that current government guidance on supplements is failing."
• Antarctica is Earth's one virus-free continent: science fights to keep it that way - "The giant land is the only place on Earth not touched by Covid. A British team is on a mission to protect it while also doing vital research."
• Apple added a secret button to your iPhone &you may not have even noticed - "Button of the Month: iOS 14’s Back Tap."
• Johnny Depp loses libel case against Sun over claims he beat ex-wife Amber Heard - "Pirates of Caribbean actor had sued newspaper publisher for damage to his reputation."
• No, Sean Connery did not write a mean letter to Steve Jobs - "Following the James Bond actor’s death, the long-debunked 'letter' has resurfaced."
• Perfect plants to boost your wellbeing - "There are huge benefits to be gained from spending time in and around plants. Here are four rules to make the most of it."
• Voting opens in New Zealand's beloved Bird of the Year competition - "What started 15 years ago as a modest promotion to draw attention to native birds, many of which are endangered, has become a phenomenon."
• What's on Netflix & Amazon this month - November - The Guardian.
• Machu Picchu reopens after eight-month Covid closure - "Machu Picchu, the ancient city high in the Andes mountains, has reopened after nearly eight months of closure due to the coronavirus pandemic."
• The truth about British stoicism - "Brits, according to many outsiders, are reserved, repressed, resilient, unemotional and self-controlled. But how did the 'stiff upper lip' become so closely associated with Britain?"
• Do we still need astronauts? - "Should astronauts abandon the space station? This month, the International Space Station marks 20 years of constant human habitation. But should astronauts now hang up their spacesuits and leave space exploration to robots?"
• How Man Ray changed fashion photography forever - "When is a fashion or beauty image art? Cath Pound explores the remarkable work of the legendary artist whose ‘strangeness’ raised the status of the medium."
• Here's What's New on Amazon Prime in November - TIME Magazine.
• Wesley Snipes on art, excellence & life after prison: 'I hope I came out a better person' - "After a fall as dramatic as any of his film roles, Snipes is back on track, starring with Eddie Murphy in the long-awaited Coming 2 America. He discusses police brutality, Michael Jackson - and his secret society."
• Bob Dylan wrote 'Lay Lady Lay' for Barbra Streisand, he revealed in a just-released 1971 interview - "Bob Dylan's 'Lay Lady Lay' was an instant hit. From Duran Duran to Ministry, countless music groups have taken a crack at one of the most popular love songs of the late '60s. For decades, the song was thought to have been written for the 1969 film, 'idnight Cowboy.'"
• Jacob & Co. Reveals $884,800 Astronomia Mount Everest Watch - "Sold With Helicopter Expedition To Everest With Explorer Johan Ernst Nilson."

November 1, 2020

• Donald Trump's Closing Message to Americans: Ignore COVID-19 - "In his closing message to Americans as a presidential candidate, President Donald Trump has mocked the deadly virus as a media conspiracy and insisted it is on its way out, despite having contracted it himself. 'Until November 4th., Fake News Media is going full on Covid, Covid, Covid,' he tweeted on Oct. 27. 'We are rounding the turn. 99.9%.'"
• Fauci angers Trump White House with dark Covid outlook - "The US is 'in for a whole lot of hurt' under the coronavirus pandemic, senior public health expert Anthony Fauci said, predicting a winter of 100,000 or more cases a day and a rising death toll."
• Here’s What We Know About Joe Biden’s COVID-19 Plan - "Biden gave a speech on his COVID-19 plan on Oct. 23, and he and running mate Senator Kamala Harris have circulated a seven-point plan for 'beat[ing] COVID-19 and get[ting] our country back on track.'"
• Here's Everything New on Netflix in November & What's Leaving - TIME Magazine.
• 5 Best New TV Shows Our Critic Watched in October - TIME Magazine.
• Beyond Bond, Connery's 5 decades of unforgettable roles included kings, rogues & an Oscar - "Sean Connery earned screen immortality with seven star turns as super-spy James Bond 007. But the long career of the Oscar winner -- who died Saturday at 90 -- was packed with full-blooded performances as other larger-than-life characters, as well."
• Smart suitcase can 'see' its surroundings - "A robot suitcase could replace canes and guide dogs for blind people."
• 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."
• 100 best fantasy books of all time - TIME Magazine.

October 31, 2020

• It’s Hard to Enforce Pandemic Health Rules on Halloween. Just Look at What Happened in 1918 - "It will no doubt be an unusual holiday, but the cancellation of large costume parties and street celebrations also makes Halloween 2020 eerily similar to one earlier celebration in particular: Halloween 1918, which fell during the deadliest pandemic of the 20th century."
• Halloween full moon: See October's 'blue moon' tonight - "October has not one, but two full moons -- and because it's 2020, the second one naturally falls on Halloween. That gives this year 13 full moons instead of the usual 12."
• Halloween isn’t risk-free, but it can be lower risk - "Candy chutes are very cute and could help with safety."
• Happy Halloween! 10 of the UK's spookiest places to visit - "Said to be haunted by poltergeists, hellish hounds and ghostly huntsmen, these eerie spots are perfect for a Halloween trip - but maybe not alone."
• Household spread of Covid-19 is common & quick, a new CDC study finds - "The spread of Covid-19 among members in a household after one person is infected is 'common' and occurs quickly after illness onset, according to a new study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
• US sees record-high daily Covid numbers as election nears - "The US has recorded at least 94,000 new Covid-19 cases over the last 24 hours, with spikes in dozens of states days before the presidential election."
• COVID-19 Antibodies May Last Longer Than Researchers Thought - "As more and more people are diagnosed with COVID-19, the question of how long immunity to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the illness, lasts, is increasingly important. Understanding that would help patients know whether they can get re-infected, and potentially even help doctors to better understand what type of protection we can expect from vaccines."
• Germany sets another daily case record as Europe passes 10m infections - "Germany has set a new record for daily coronavirus cases, reporting 19,059 infections."
• The Hidden Costs Of Coronavirus Hospitalizations - "The Trump Administration has been downplaying the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the waning days of the campaign, but patients, healthcare workers and hospitals are still suffering."
• Sean Connery: James Bond actor dies aged 90 - "The Scottish actor was best known for his portrayal of James Bond, being the first to bring the role to the big screen and appearing in seven of the spy thrillers."
• There's a new world's longest flight -- with a catch - "Last week it was the return of the world's longest flight -- Singapore to New York JFK. This week comes another new aviation record: the world's longest flight in a single-aisle aircraft. Air Transat flight TS690 flew transatlantic from Montreal, Canada, to Athens, Greece, on Monday -- a journey of 7,600 kilometers, or 4,754 miles. So far, so normal -- except the eight-hour, 32-minute flight was performed in a narrowbody Airbus A321neoLR. It was the longest commercial flight that a single-aisle aircraft has been used for."
• Nearly a decade late, Berlin's Brandenburg Airport finally opens (during a pandemic) - "The massive 1,470-hectare site in the Schönefeld region southeast of Berlin aims to be the state-of-the-art transportation hub that the German capital has always lacked, and will open up connections to more long-haul destinations."
• See what's streaming in November - "See some of what's streaming on Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+ and more in November."
• Number One - North America’s New Top Ski And Snowboard Resort - "From lift lines to après ski to travel insurance, this ski and snowboard season is going to look a lot different thanks to COVID-19 and the coronavirus pandemic. But skiers are still planning on skiing, resorts are still planning on opening, and one of them still has to be the best. As the saying goes, 'everything old is new again,' and this year’s winner is a long-deserved throwback, America’s original destination ski resort and the all-important birthplace of the chairlift, Idaho’s Sun Valley Resort."
• who is the greatest fictional US president? - "From Olympus Has Fallen to The Hunger Games, we go to the polls to determine the best onscreen Potus."
• IT’S TIME TO BUILD A BETTER INTERNET - "It’s time to fix a fragile, vital system."
• Why food allergies are on the rise - "Food allergies can be extremely risky, even fatal - and they’re on the rise around the world. Why are they increasingly common, and what can we do to prevent them?"
• See photos inside the White House as the Obamas wanted it - "Obama's 'decorator in chief' reflects on 8 years at the White House. There aren't many interior design jobs in which a decorator is prohibited from visiting the property before starting work. But then again, there aren't many residences like the White House. So, when Michael S. Smith -- President Barack Obama's self-described 'decorator in chief' -- arrived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington on Inauguration Day 2009, he knew he had to hit the ground running."
• US & UK citizens are world’s biggest sources of plastic waste - study - "US population may also be third-largest producer of marine plastic pollution."
• Another Million-Dollar Paul Newman-Owned Rolex Hits The Block At Phillips - "Another legendary Rolex Daytona owned by Paul Newman is coming up for sale at Phillips in Association with Bacs and Russo, the auction house that set a record when it sold a Paul Newman-owned Rolex Daytona in 2017 for $17.7 million. In a lingo twist that could only happen in the watch world, this is not a 'Paul Newman' Daytona, although it is a Daytona owned by Paul Newman. The Paul Newman style is distinguishable from other Daytona models for its 'square lollipop' ends on the subdial markers and its Art Deco font."
• Bugatti Bolide Concept Car Could Be On Track To Speed - "You can’t buy it. You can’t drive it. You can only dream about it. The Bugatti Bolide is a concept car that makes even the Bugatti Chiron Sport look pedestrian. If it reaches production, it could rewrite the record books."
• SSC NA promises a re-run of the Tuatara's top speed record attempt - "Video analysis showed the Tuatara hypercar wasn't going the 331 MPH SSC's data claimed."

October 30, 2020

• US hits daily record of new Covid cases - "There have been 87,164 Covid-19 cases reported in the United States as of Thursday night, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, by far the most new cases in a single day since the pandemic began."
• Europe leaders told to 'act urgently'; US nears 9m cases - "Head of the European Commission warns EU hospitals ‘at risk of being overwhelmed’ by Covid; Japan passes 100,000 cases; China reports 25 symptomatic new cases, down from the day before."
• face mask test: which are the best at limiting the spread of Covid? - "Some fabric face coverings on sale in supermarkets and high-street pharmacies could be giving people a false sense of security by letting the vast majority of large particles pass through them, an investigation by the consumer magazine Which? has revealed."
• Hysteria & rushed laws 'more harmful than Covid', say campaigners - "Critics of UK government policy say restrictions on liberty are inhumane and destroying quality of life."
• Tech results: Amazon, Apple & Facebook earn record profits - "Tech giants' shares soar as companies benefit from Covid-19 pandemic. Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google reported positive quarterly results even as overall US economic growth fell by 32.9%."
• Amazon hits trouble with Sweden launch over lewd translation - "Company also used Argentine flag instead of Swedish one to represent country."
• Zoom Is Now Worth More Than ExxonMobil & Founder Eric Yuan’s Net Worth Has Nearly Doubled In 3 Months - "As of 2:30 p.m. ET, Zoom sported a market valuation of $139 billion, compared to Exxon’s $138.9 billion. Zoom began the year with a market cap of $19 billion. While Zoom posted $1.35 billion in revenue over the past 12 months, Exxon, by comparison, posted $213.8 billion in revenue during that time period."
• A 5% Return On Cash? How Is That Possible? - "The magical return on cash, it came out, has to do with options. You write short duration, far-out-of-the-money puts on volatile stocks. You are in effect selling insurance against a market crash. Most of the puts expire worthless. So, most of the time, you can just sit back and rake in the option premiums. That’s where the 5% annual return comes from."
• Fiji resort offers the ultimate in social distancing - "The Pacific island nation of Fiji has announced that its borders will be closed to commercial aircraft until at least March 2021. But travelers with deep pockets may be able to circumvent the rules by signing up for a special, personal 'travel bubble' at a luxury resort."
• Qantas announces 'flight to somewhere' - "After its hugely successful 'flight to nowhere' campaign, Australian national airline Qantas has rolled out an even bigger treat -- flights to, well, somewhere. The program is a 24-hour getaway from Sydney to Uluru, with sightseeing and a hotel stay included. It will take place from December 5-6."
• Here are all the steps social media made to combat misinformation. Will it be enough? - "Tech platforms have an increased responsibility with increasing threats from conspiracy theories, the government - and even the president."
• Americans have bought record 17m guns in year of unrest, analysis finds - "Sales surged in the spring amid coronavirus fears and climbed higher during protests for racial justice."
• THERE’S NEVER BEEN A BETTER TIME TO PLAY VIDEO GAMES - "The rare bright spot in a terrible year."
• Why coffee could be good for your health - "In the past, coffee was associated with increased health risks. But research from the last decade finds that drinking coffee may actually benefit your health."
• Hidden horrors: our writers on the scariest movies you (probably) haven't seen - "In time for Halloween, Guardian writers have picked out their favourite underseen scary movies, from Brazil’s first horror film to a found footage gem."
• Kim Kardashian's father resurrected as hologram in birthday present from Kanye West - "Dead celebrities appearing via hologram is not unprecedented, but the high cost optical illusions are typically the purview of concerts and museums."
• 5-story building in Shanghai 'walks' to a new location - "Shanghai residents passing through the city's eastern Huangpu district earlier this month might have stumbled upon an unusual sight: a 'walking' building."
• UE FITS REVIEW: A FIT THAT’S LIT - "They fit better than any consumer earbuds I’ve ever tried, but they aren’t without shortcomings."
• Jabra Elite 85t review: Noise-blocking comfort that rivals the best - "With a little refinement, these could be the complete package."

October 29, 2020

• Lockdowns return as Europe confronts second wave - "Two of Europe's biggest economies are reinstating some form of national lockdown, as the continent confronts a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths."
• Taiwan marks 200 days without domestic Covid-19 infection - "Authorities thank public for helping to reach milestone, as cases surge in many countries."
• Trump bet against science, and voters are casting judgment - "The failed bet laid by President Donald Trump to ignore science and prioritize his political goals early in the pandemic, revealed Wednesday in fresh detail by new Jared Kushner tapes, is backfiring in devastating fashion at the critical moment of his reelection bid."
• The age of the elderly candidate: how two septuagenarians came to be running for president - "Biden and Trump have been eager to prove their virility, calling into question what effect old age has on the leader of the US."
• Donald Trump's secret sauce for not paying his debts - "How do you get a bank to forgive almost $300 million in loans for a failed real estate project? You act like Donald Trump."
• Cate Blanchett: 'Covid-19 has ravaged the whole idea of small government' - "In this extract from her essay collection Upturn, the actor considers the disruptions of the pandemic and the renewed fervour for social and economic justice."
• Your secret travel weapon during Covid-19 - "Traveling during the pandemic is a personal choice and for those who are willing to take some risk. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 'travel increases your chance of getting and spreading Covid-19. Staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from Covid-19.'"
• Kim Kardashian West humbly threw a party on a private island during a pandemic, and the internet isn't letting it go - "Undeterred by an ongoing pandemic, Kim Kardashian West has revealed she threw a party for herself and dozens of friends on a private island that swapped social distancing for dancing, bike-riding and swimming with whales. But at least she did it humbly."
• Coronavirus: The possible long-term mental health impacts - "Covid-19 has increased anxiety for many of us, and experts warn a sizable minority could be left with mental health problems that outlast the pandemic."
• How to make the perfect bowl of fried rice - "The science behind 'the breath of a wok,' an essential ingredient in the perfect bowl of fried rice."
• Streaming was part of the future - now it’s the only future - "Four major entertainment conglomerates undergo big restructures."
• Never-ending stories: from Bond to Galbraith, why is everything so long? - "Films are bum-numbers, books are doorstoppers - even podcasts go on for hours. What’s behind the rise of cultural epics - and is it time someone gave them a trim?"
• As COVID-19 slams retail, remember the origin of shopping malls - "The COVID-19 Pandemic Has Been Tough on Shopping Malls. History Suggests We Should Be Wary of What Might Replace Them."
• The cheap pen that changed writing forever - "Fountain pens were a stylish statement but messy and impractical. Their replacement was a stroke of design genus perfectly in time for the era of mass production."
• Bugatti’s Bolide is a 1,825HP ‘morphable’ hypercar - "It's the fastest and lightest car the company has ever made."
• Radical Radiant Carbon Ebikes By TheRide Come From The Mind Of A Master Mountain Bike Designer - "If you've been big into mountain biking in the last 30 years, you probably know the name Tony Ellsworth. Beginning in 1991, Ellsworth built and designed some of the most radical and forward-thinking mountain bikes on the market, many of which landed in professional racing, including at events like the Red Bull Rampage. He was one of the first to work with carbon fiber as a frame material. Now, his initial vision is complete with the reveal of the Radiant Carbon series under his new brand name, TheRide."
• MOTOROLA RAZR (2020) REVIEW: 5G FOLDING FLIP PHONE FEELS FINE - "It’s better than the original in every way but still costs too much."
• Bang & Olufsen’s latest lunchbox-shaped speaker has a built-in Qi wireless charger - "The Beolit 20 also has 30 percent more battery life."
• Samsung posts highest revenue ever after boost in flagship phone sales - "But more competition is expected this quarter."

October 28, 2020

• US adds nearly 500,000 cases in a week; Europe faces more lockdowns - "White House lists ‘ending pandemic’ among accomplishments; China cases highest in two months; Macron to address nation."
• Europe's Second Wave of COVID-19 is Being Driven by Two Countries. Here's Why - "urope is clearly in the grip of a second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. In the past week, countries throughout Europe - including Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, the U.K, and Ukraine - have all recorded their highest daily caseloads since the pandemic started. But two of these stand out. As of Oct. 25, Belgium and the Czech Republic are currently reporting about 146 and 115 new daily cases per 100,000 people, respectively. That’s dramatically higher than the E.U. average of 33 per 100,000."
• Trump makes push in states that highlight his Covid denial - "President Donald Trump's final sprint to shore up states he won four years ago led him Tuesday into the epicenter of America's quickening viral surge in Wisconsin, as the state's record single day spikes in Covid-19 cases and deaths crystalized his administration's failures that could end his political career."
• Obama mocks Trump in blasting his pandemic response - "Obama slams Trump over coronavirus: 'He's jealous of Covid's media coverage'."
• Does mail-in voting lead to fraud & does it help Democrats? The facts - "We answer some questions about the process as a record number of Americans are expected to vote by mail."
• Oxford Covid vaccine works in all ages, trials suggest - "Vaccine being trialled by Oxford University and AstraZeneca offers hope for all age groups."
• The strange ingredients found in vaccines - "Scientists add some bizarre things to vaccines, such as aluminium and extracts from shark livers. Many vaccines simply don’t work without them - but no one knows why."
• How These Brands Are Making Traveling During COVID-19 Easier - "The past few months have not been kind to the travel industry. For most of the pandemic things have looked quite glum, however there are a few glimmers of hope popping up on the horizon. The entire industry is working to innovate its way out of this mess and these three businesses have already made some progress towards enabling easier and safer travel for the trip that just cannot wait."
• world is facing an insane danger that's greater than Covid-19 - "The President of the United States has the ability to launch a nuclear attack on his own authority, without requiring the authorization of Congress, the Cabinet, the vice president or the Joint Chiefs. It is hard to imagine a more perfect example of the insane danger that we continue to live with as long as we maintain massive arsenals of nuclear weapons."
• How to live your best life - "By reimagining our relationship with time - and coming to terms with death - we can improve our existence, argues Roman Krznaric."
• Much of What We Thought About Neanderthals Was Wrong. Here’s Why That Matters - TIME Magazine.
• 'Sleeping giant' Arctic methane deposits starting to release, scientists find - "Expedition discovers new source of greenhouse gas off East Siberian coast has been triggered."
• Jack Ma is making history again with the Ant IPO, and getting even more wealthy while doing it - "Billionaire tech tycoon Jack Ma is raising more than $34 billion in yet another record breaking IPO, further cementing his place in history as one of the world's great tech entrepreneurs."
• Kim Kardashian 'humbly' has 40th birthday party on private island - "Kim Kardashian West has spent her 40th birthday on a private island with a large group of family and friends."
• No money to burn: how Bond crowdfunder could be the way forward - "A new campaign to buy No Time to Die from MGM has been started on GoFundMe. Next step: nationalise 007."
• Scientists discover 500 metre-tall skyscraper reef at Australia's Great Barrier Reef - "The detached reef, taller than the Empire State Building, was discovered at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef off Cape York."
• Giant birds once ruled Earth, scientists say - "Antarctic fossil could have been the biggest flying bird ever, study finds."
• Harley-Davidson Launches ‘Serial 1’ Ebike Brand With A Handsome Homage To Its First Motorcycle - Forbes.
• Harley-Davidson unveils a gorgeous new electric bike called Serial 1 - "The motorcycle manufacturer is spinning out its e-bike division as a separate business."
• PlayStation 5 first look: At home with Sony’s new console - "Sony is taking an Ikea-inspired approach to the next console generation."
• Roku Streambar review: Making old TVs feel new again - "It’s a compelling option for those with tight budgets and little space."
• You can now buy Vizio’s rotating Atmos soundbar - "Vizio’s Elevate soundbar has finally hit shelves. You can buy it today for $999.99. The 48-inch soundbar supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X. The soundbar houses 18 speakers and comes with a wireless eight-inch subwoofer. The cool thing is that some of the speakers rotate - they face upward while you’re playing Dolby Atmos content and point forward for standard audio."

October 27, 2020

• U.S. COVID-19 Cases Are Skyrocketing, But Deaths Are Flat - So Far. These 5 Charts Explain Why - "In just the last two weeks, the global daily tally for new COVID-19 cases has jumped more than 30%."
• Trump takes victory lap while deceiving nation over pandemic - "Trump takes Supreme Court victory lap while deceiving nation over worsening pandemic."
• British study shows evidence of waning immunity to Covid-19 - "A study of hundreds of thousands of people across England suggests immunity to the coronavirus is gradually wearing off - at least according to one measure."
• Survey uncovers widespread belief in 'dangerous' Covid conspiracy theories - "False claims that pandemic is a hoax or was started deliberately are attracting adherents around world."
• Pope Francis criticised for rarely wearing face mask - "Prominent Catholics say pontiff should be setting an example during Covid pandemic."
• Diet drinks linked to heart issues, study finds. Here's what to do - "If your heart goes pitter-patter for diet beverages, it may not be due to love. Artificially sweetened beverages, a new study has found, may be just as bad for your heart as the sugar-laden kind."
• Tinder's Face to Face video chats launch globally - "The feature helps bridge the gap between a text chat and a live date."
• iPhone 12 launch causes NHS Covid-19 app confusion - "Some owners of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro handsets have reported being shown an error message when trying to use the NHS Covid-19 app."
• The iPhone 12's ceramic shield screen is tough - but you can still break it - "Allstate tested the new iPhone 12 models' Ceramic Shield screen and found it to be the most durable smartphone display it ever tested - but it's not indestructible."
• iPhone 12 drop test confirms the new screen helps durability, to an extent - "Don't expect your phone to escape completely unscathed."
• US election 2020: What does it cost & who pays for it? - "US election campaigns can start years in advance and cost billions of dollars. Due to coronavirus, this year’s cycle looks a little different, but huge sums are still being spent ahead of the election on 3 November."
• 'Very nice!': Kazakhstan adopts Borat's catchphrase in new tourism campaign - "An official said the phrase, popularised by Sacha Baron Cohen’s character, sums up the vast tourism potential of the nation in a ‘short, memorable way’."
• Did you bring your PJs? The rise of the private-jet set - "With commercial flights in crisis, private aviation is trying to lure a new breed of first-time buyers."
• How a canny Kilmarnock grocer took whisky from the glens to the world - "Walker family used latest technology and ruthless advertising to head £5bn market, new book reveals."
• Skyscraper plans unveiled for record-breaking $3B plot of land - "Plans unveiled for the site, which in 2017 changed hands for a then-record of 23.28 billion Hong Kong dollars ($3 billion), show an eye-catching curvilinear tower soaring 623 feet above Hong Kong's Central district."
• Work begins on world's longest immersed tunnel - "Fehmarnbelt Tunnel will be the world's longest immersed tunnel."
• Why it’s getting harder to mine gold - "The price of gold has rocketed during the pandemic, but mining it is getting more difficult."
• Italian town auctioning off abandoned homes for €1 - "The picturesque town of Salemi in Sicily is the latest to offer up dilapidated properties for less than the cost of an espresso."
• Qian Xuesen: The scientist deported from the US who helped China into space - "A Chinese scientist helped not one but two superpowers reach the moon, writes Kavita Puri, but his story is remembered in only one of them."

October 26, 2020

• Dr. Fauci: Covid vaccine result could come by end of 2020 - "Dr. Anthony Fauci says a Covid-19 vaccine could be available in the United States before the end of the year if proved to be 'safe and effective'."
• US hits highest 7-day average of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began - "Health experts say the resurgence of cases they have warned would strike in the fall and winter months is here and that it could be worse than the US has seen so far. Surging numbers in the US -- where there have been a total of more than 8.6 million infections and 225,230 people have died -- show the nation is at a 'dangerous tipping point,' former US Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb told CBS News on Sunday."
• 3rd Wave of COVID-19 in the U.S. Is Officially Worse Than the First Two - "Just days before a momentous and unpredictable Presidential election, the United States has reached a new record high in the number of daily COVID-19 infections, surpassing the peak in mid-July during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic’s domestic toll."
• Coronavirus: How the world of work may change forever - "Covid-19 upended our jobs. We've tried to adapt, but what about the long term? BBC Worklife asks dozens of experts to flag the biggest questions we should be asking in 2020 and beyond."
• Who in Europe is getting it right on Covid? - "Different approaches are having notably different outcomes."
• See the '60 Minutes' interview that Trump cut short - "President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden appeared on CBS News' '60 Minutes.' These are the highlights from their interviews."
• US Election 2020: When will we get a result & could it be contested? - "After polls close in the US presidential election, it could take days or even weeks to find out if Joe Biden or Donald Trump has won."
• Did America Have a 'Good Relationship' with Hitler? - "What Joe Biden Got Right and Wrong About That History During the Debate. After President Trump said that it was a good thing that he had a good relationship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, as Presidents are supposed to maintain good relationships with other world leaders, Democratic candidate Joe Biden fired back: 'We had a good relationship with Hitler before he, in fact, invaded Europe, the rest of Europe. Come on.'"
• Why You Should Stop Using Your Facebook Messenger App - "If you’re one of the billion-plus people using Facebook Messenger, then you’d be well-advised to switch to an alternative. Unlike its Facebook stablemate WhatsApp, Messenger is missing the critical security required to protect your content from prying eyes."
• Why You Should Stop Using This ‘Dangerous’ Wi-Fi Setting On Your iPhone - "There are plenty of cyber threats targeting your iPhone—phishing attacks linking to malicious websites, targeted emails ferrying high-risk attachments, even texts crafted to crash your device. Apple does a great job of locking down its hardware and software. But there’s not much Apple can do if you don’t take basic precautions for yourself. And that’s definitely the case with one Wi-Fi feature you need to disable on your device."
• 20 best sandwich recipes - "Pierre Koffmann’s croque monsieur, Rick Stein’s mackerel baguette, and Claire Ptak’s peanut butter and jelly: the recipes to transform your working-from-home lunch."
• Netflix’s Rebecca flattens a classic - "It’s hard to live up to Hitchcock, but the new film falls short in more ways than one."
• 21 Underrated Horror Movies You Probably Haven't Seen & Can Stream Right Now - "In the hopes of maximizing the scares-to-snores ratio during spooky season, we present TIME’s 2020 list of the best hidden horror gems to stream this October, or really any time the hankering hits - and where to find them."
• Sacha Baron Cohen: After Borat, what’s left for the savage satirist? - "From Ali G to the latest outing for his monstrous Kazakh journalist, the comic has delighted and offended for 20 years."
• Winston Churchill's copy of Live and Let Die auctioned for STAGGERING price - "JAMES BOND has garnered countless fans over the years, with one of them being none other than Sir Winston Churchill. Now, his personal copy of the legendary Live and Let Die has been valued for auction, and it is due to sell for an enormous amount of money."
• James Bond: A Collection of Books & Manuscripts, The Property of a Gentleman - 28 October 2020, 4:00 PM CET. Sotheby's.

October 25, 2020

• 'fake news' problem is here to stay - "No matter who wins the US election, the world's 'fake news' problem is here to stay."
• Key COVID-19 Vaccine Review Committee Promises Science Is Guiding Their Process - "As part of its routine review process, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency responsible for evaluating and deciding if the handful of COVID-19 vaccines currently being studied are safe and effective enough to use by people around the world, convened a committee on Oct. 22 to allow experts and the public to learn about and comment on the review process."
• F1: Lewis Hamilton surpasses Schumacher with victory at Portuguese Grand Prix - "It’s going to take some time for it to fully sink in. I’m still very much in race mode mentally ... I can’t find the words at the moment."
• What's next for no-touch air travel? - "How many times do you touch the cabin around you in an airplane when you fly? How about the airport? How many times do the people working there touch your belongings?"
• How long can you survive without water? - "Water is one of the vital ingredients for life on Earth, but what happens to us if you suddenly can’t get this precious liquid?"
• Netflix’s Marvelous The Queen’s Gambit Is the Kind of Prestige Drama TV Doesn’t Make Anymore - TIME Magazine.
• Bill Murray & Rashida Jones Match Each Other Beat for Beat in Sofia Coppola's Wistful On the Rocks - "Very rarely is there pleasure to be had in anxiety, except, sometimes, in the movies, where a smart filmmaker can brush it with just enough glitter dust to draw us in."
• Arnold Schwarzenegger says he feels 'fantastic' after undergoing heart surgery - "Arnold Schwarzenegger, the 73-year-old actor and former Republican governor of California, revealed on social media Thursday that he had undergone heart surgery."

October 24, 2020

• US just reported its highest number of Covid-19 infections in one day since the pandemic's start - "The US reported more than 80,000 new coronavirus infections Friday -- the highest daily case number since the pandemic began."
• Fauci says it might be time to mandate masks as Covid-19 surges across US - "'There's going to be a difficulty enforcing it, but if everyone agrees that this is something that's important and they mandate it and everybody pulls together and says, you know, we're going to mandate it but let's just do it, I think that would be a great idea to have everybody do it uniformly,' he said."
• Carbon monoxide poisoning or Covid-19? Here's how you can tell - "As the Northern Hemisphere heads into winter, whether a fever and cough mean the flu or Covid-19 is a nerve-racking guessing game. There is, however, a silent killer that causes similar symptoms and could be lurking in your home. Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that's produced when a fossil fuel - coal, crude oil or natural gas - is burned by furnaces, portable heaters, vehicles, stoves, grills, gas ranges or fireplaces."
• See how Covid-19 changed their sense of smell - "From coffee that smells like burning tires, to garlic that smells like garbage, a growing number of people who contracted Covid-19 are reporting foul smells and tastes after getting sick."
• Wash your mask daily: the ultimate guide to face coverings - "Experts explain the best ways to handle and wash masks - and how to avoid ‘maskne’."
• Why Face Shields & Plexiglass Barriers Don’t Block Coronavirus - "Shields and barriers are not a safe alternative to covering your nose and mouth, however. Not wearing a mask is dangerous, especially inside buildings, and reflects misconceptions about how Coronavirus is transmitted, and what masks are for."
• The longest flight in the United States is back for the holidays - "Here's a little holiday cheer: Hawaii is opening back up. Hawaiian Airlines, the Aloha State's flag carrier, announced Wednesday that it will resume its nonstop Boston and New York services in December, and the rest of its 13-city US mainland network too."
• When Do The Clocks Go Back? And What Can I Do With My Extra Hour?!? - "Why do the clocks change, and why are some people against it? We take a look, as well as offering up 10 suggestions on what to do with your extra hour this Sunday."
• 5 Halloween Cocktails To Make At Home This Spooky Season - "While Halloween celebrations will look different this year in light of the global pandemic, there are still socially distanced ways to get into the festive spirit. Whip up one of the below cocktails and toast with friends over video chat or head to the couch for a Halloween movie marathon."
• iPhone 12 teardown reveals how 5G has changed things - "The new 5G-equipped iPhone 12 has a smaller battery than last year's iPhone 11."
• Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful review - not-so fawning fashion doc - "Director Gero von Boehm’s fascinating film includes the famed fashion photographer’s muses but also asks questions about his misogynist images."
• Week in pictures: 17-23 October 2020 - "A selection of powerful news photographs taken around the world this week."
• Rainfall at Uluru creates magical & rare waterfall scene - "When it comes to taking a holiday, most of us wish for sunny days. This group of tourists got a rare sight when the clouds opened above Uluru."

October 23, 2020

• Trump & Biden row over Covid, climate & racism - "US President Donald Trump and his White House challenger Joe Biden clashed over Covid and race while trading corruption charges, in their final live TV debate."
• 7 takeaways from the final Trump-Biden debate - "The second and final showdown between President Donald Trump and Democratic challenger Joe Biden looked much more like a normal debate than their first meeting."
• Trump releases unedited 60 Minutes interview days before air date - "Footage shows president growing increasingly frustrated as Lesley Stahl presses him on pandemic, slipping support and economy."
• Win or lose, the party won't be over for Trump - "One of the best measures of how much the Republican Party is now simply the party of Trump would be to look at their own platform. They don't really have one."
• Here's Everything You Need to Know About Voting - "With COVID-19 cases spiking, the President of the United States tweeting false information about voting, and tens of millions of us casting ballots by mail for the first time, it’s already turning out to be a wild and woolly election season. But don’t worry, we’ve got your back. TIME staff has assembled a list of some of your most pressing questions about how to vote in-person and by mail, how to navigate the process amidst a pandemic, and what to do if the unexpected happens in this ever-so-unexpected year."
• You Can Now Get a COVID-19 Vaccine in China. That Might Not Be a Good Thing - "Two injections of CoronaVac made by SinoVac (otherwise known as Beijing Kexing Bioproducts) cost 2,000 rmb ($300) at the private Taihe Hospital in the Chinese capital. The treatment still hasn’t passed final (Stage 3) clinical trials but is already being offered to the public on a first come, first served basis. Anyone can turn up, pay their money and get the jab."
• COVID-19 Vaccines Should Be Available to the General Public by April 2021, Health Officials Say - "COVID-19 vaccines are projected to be available to the entire American public by April 2021, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said at an Oct. 21 press briefing."
• US gives full approval for antiviral remdesivir drug - "US regulators have given full approval for the antiviral drug remdesivir to treat Covid-19 patients in hospitals."
• CDC rewrites definition for coronavirus 'close contact' - "New definition includes people who come into close contact with infected individuals in multiple short bursts over 24-hour period."
• 'Covid parties' could become the norm, immunology expert says - "Suggestion prompts warning that long-term effects of virus are not yet known."
• Covid-19 blood plasma therapy has limited effect, study finds - "Authors agree other trials using higher antibody levels may prove more effective."
• A 'building distrust' in public health agencies is 'the elephant in the room,' Fauci says - "Public transparency in public health information is 'absolutely essential,' Fauci said in an interview with the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, which was posted online Wednesday by the Project On Government Oversight."
• Covid-19 anti-vaxxers use century-old arguments - "As we get closer to an effective vaccine for Covid-19, we should expect to see a renewed push of disinformation and vocal resistance from the anti-vaccination movement."
• Can isolation affect our social skills? - "How solitude and isolation can change how you think. Humans are deeply social creatures, so what happens when we’re alone for a long time?"
• Does burnout recovery always require radical change? - "From leaving the country to befriending an octopus, burnout recovery stories are often full of surprising twists and lifestyle changes. But is this always necessary?"
• Is This Paris’ Most Beautiful Boutique? - "Featuring 23-feet-high mosaics of Emperor Napoleon, a sweeping blood-red staircase and dizzyingly intricate Italian marble floors, Dolce & Gabbana’s Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré store may just be Paris’ most beautiful new boutique."
• 20 Best Places To Travel In 2021: Where To Go Next - "While many places around the world remain off-limits, more and more countries are beginning to open their doors, and they’re doing it with health and safety protocols in place - which bodes well for Americans who want to travel in 2021. Airlines and hotels are also doing their part to implement procedures that allow people to travel safely and confidently."
• The Concorde experience in photos - "View photos of the Concorde and see what it was like to experience luxurious, super-fast flight."
• Adele - every song ranked! - "As the all-conquering queen of the blockbusting weepy ballad makes her return, hosting Saturday Night Live this weekend, we sift through her back catalogue, from No 1 hits to bonus Japanese tracks."

October 22, 2020

• Trump gets last chance to claw back Biden lead at final presidential debate - "Trump will be under pressure to soften his display compared with the first debate, which was widely criticized as bullying."
• US election polls tracker: who is leading in the swing states? - "As the presidential campaign heats up, the Guardian is tracking the latest polling in eight states that could decide the election."
• Has Trump delivered on his promises? - "It's been four years since Donald Trump made a string of promises during his long 2016 campaign to be the 45th president of the United States. Four years later, his supporters often cite 'promises made, promises kept' as a reason why they're backing him again."
• If Trump loses, he'll take this deal - "Trump in times of peril has always found a way to protect the thing he values most -- his self-image. 'It's not success as others see it, or achievement as others define it,' D'Antonio told me recently. 'What matters to him is the story he can tell himself, or sell to himself, in order to feel like he prevailed. That instinct is one of many that allows him second, third and fourth chances at escape and reinvention.'"
• Borat v Trump: can entertainment really affect an election? - "Sacha Baron Cohen’s targeted comedy sequel joins a host of urgent documentaries and TV shows released weeks before the US heads to the polls."
• Borat 2 review: ‘Fascinating and urgently satirical’ - "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, the sequel to 2006’s smash hit, revives Sacha Baron Cohen’s iconic character - but it’s his daughter who steals the spotlight in this satire, writes Nicholas Barber."
• Rudy Giuliani faces questions after compromising scene in new Borat film - "Trump’s personal attorney has indiscreet encounter with actor playing Borat’s daughter in hotel room during pandemic."
• Isolation during Covid-19 is proving deadly for some - "The world is seeing a domestic abuse crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic. As more people have to stay home, many victims are locked in with their abusers, and some domestic abuse support services have been put on hold. Ongoing job loss, government inaction, judicial backlogs and many other factors have all contributed to what the United Nations is calling 'a shadow pandemic.’"
• Women aged 50-60 at greatest risk of ‘long Covid’, experts suggest - "Study links age and number of symptoms to lasting health problems from coronavirus."
• Long Covid - or "long-haul Covid" describe the long-term sequelae of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with between 1 in 5 and 1 in 10 people with COVID-19 experiencing symptoms lasting longer than a month and one in 45 people having symptoms which last longer than 12 weeks.
• COVID-19 Shutdowns Have Taken a Massive Toll On Elite Athletes' Mental Health - "As COVID-19 began spreading around the world several months ago, sporting events from little league games to elite competitions were cancelled - and for good reason, as close contact among athletes and spectators can foster the spread of the novel coronavirus."
• U.K. Plans 'Challenge Trials,' Which Will Intentionally Give People COVID-19 to Test Vaccines - "On Oct. 20, researchers at the Imperial College of London announced plans for the first human challenge study of COVID-19, which involves deliberately infecting volunteers with the virus that causes the disease, in order to test the effectiveness of vaccines."
• Why the first lady image is judged so harshly - "The weaponization of a first lady's image. Many a first lady has felt the warm glow of public adoration, only to have it quickly flicker out when it is decided that she does not fit the image created for her."
• Will cruise ships return to Venice? - "'Work! Work! Work!' shout the baggage handlers, ship cleaners and port security guards protesting on the steps of Venice's Santa Lucia train station."
• The world's most beautiful bars - "The world's best hotel bars (and what to drink there)."
• Apple iPad Air (2020) review: Who needs the iPad Pro? - "Until Apple updates the Pro, you’re better off spending less on the similar iPad Air."
• From Trump & Putin to BeyoncÉ & Oprah: The 20 Celebs & World Leaders Who Spend the Most on Private Jets - "The high fliers fork out between $700,000 and $9 million per year."
• Designer Lori Morris Recreates Beloved Travel Destinations In Your Home - "Several ultra-high-net-worth clients request homes inspired by their travels, and in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, her designs have never been more timely when borders worldwide are closed and many aren’t able to travel as they used to."
• The problem with abolishing coins - "Many governments are contemplating taking coins out of circulation - and others already have. But the decision isn’t as easy as shutting off machines at the mint."
• These Sisters Just Launched The Biggest Step Forward In Teeth Whitening - "Apparently, the world’s obsession with bright, white teeth has been doing quite a number on our oral health."
• Banksy's Show me the Monet painting sells for £7.5m at auction - "Reimagining of Claude Monet’s Impressionist water lilies easily surpassed expectations at Sotheby’s event."

October 21, 2020

• Rural U.S. Hospitals Are on Life Support as a Third Wave of COVID-19 Strikes - TIME Magazine.
• Trump maintains a Chinese bank account, says NYT - "US President Donald Trump has admitted he has a Chinese bank account, according to a report by the New York Times."
• Donald Trump paid nearly $200,000 in taxes to China, report claims - "New York Times says records reveal company bank account in China, and documents show he paid more tax there than at home."
• Apple iPhone Beats Samsung Galaxy In Important New Tests - "New tests reveal what many Apple users have known all along, that the iPhone delivers one of the best camera experiences available."
• APPLE IPHONE 12 REVIEW: RAISING THE BAR - "It’s the one you should get unless you’re waiting for the Max or mini."
• APPLE IPHONE 12 PRO REVIEW: AHEAD OF ITS TIME - "5G, LIDAR, MagSafe - the new iPhone 12 Pro has a lot of things you won’t be able to do much with right now."
• 21 Delicious Reasons To Travel Right Now - "As the weather gets cooler, hotels all over the world are finding inventive ways to deliver delicious food and drinks while allowing for social distancing. From properties in London to Los Cabos, we found heated igloos, secret room service menus and private culinary excursions that will keep you sated."
• Kim Kardashian West at 40: how the queen of social media changed the world - "By exchanging her privacy for eyewatering wealth, Kardashian West defines our time like no one else. Now, she has dialled back the nudity, presented a family-oriented image – and even appealed to Donald Trump’s compassionate side."
• This hydrogen-powered plane is the future of air travel - "Last month, a navy blue, six-seater aircraft took off at Cranfield Airport in England. Usually, a 15-minute, 20-mile flight wouldn't be noteworthy -- but this was the world's first hydrogen fuel-cell-powered flight for a commercial-size aircraft."
• High speed trains are close to doubling their speed - "Japan's first bullet train left Tokyo in 1964 running an average of 80 mph. High speed lines now run all over the world and the newest ones are pushing 370 mph."
• The world's longest flight is back - and now it's even longer - "At a mammoth 18 hours, it was the world's longest scheduled passenger flight, seen as a feat of endurance for those who dared book it. But Singapore Airlines' Singapore-Newark flight, which covered a staggering 9,534 miles, was an early victim of the Covid-19 pandemic, being put on hold on March 23. Now, however, it's ready to take off again, with flights scheduled to re-start on November 9 between Singapore and New York. There's just one difference -- the US airport will switch from Newark, NJ, to JFK. Which pushes the distance up to 9,536.5 miles."
• EU asks: Is a vegetarian sausage really a sausage? - "When is a sausage a sausage? That's what the European parliament will be voting on this week."
• The tragedy behind Italy's famous pasta dish - "Maybe it's the red stuff. For many, a great pasta dish needs tomato in it, and for those kind of people, amatriciana is the sauce to end all sauces. But although its fans around the globe think of amatriciana as their carby comfort blanket, the dish's recent history has been tragic."
• 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan: Not Just For The Urban Jungle - "Test-Driving The 2020 Rolls-Royce Cullinan."
• THE HUMMER IS BACK AS A 350-MILE RANGE ‘ELECTRIC SUPERTRUCK’ THAT CAN DRIVE DIAGONALLY - "A $112,000 version will be available in late 2022."
• Why some people are cruel to others - "Inflicting harm or pain on someone incapable of doing the same to you might seem intolerably cruel, but it happens more than you might think."
• NASA & Nokia are putting a 4G network on the moon - "NASA says 4G could provide more reliable, longer-distance communication than the current radio standards in place on the moon. Like on Earth, the 4G network will eventually be upgraded to 5G."
• Bitcoin Prices Struggle Near The $12,000 Level - "Bitcoin prices have been trading within a relatively small range today, fluctuating close to $12,000 but failing to convincingly break through that level."
• HermÈs Pays Tribute To The Moon Over New York With A Meteorite Moon Phase Watch - "The Hermès Arceau L’heure de la Lune was a hit when it launched in 2019, and went on to take the Astronomy Watch price for that year in the Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève. Now there is a 16-piece limited edition version with a dial made of meteorite found in New York city."
• rare james bond memorabilia including aston martin to go to auction - "Licence to sell! James Bond memorabilia including an Aston Martin DB5, first edition of Ian Fleming's book Moonraker and up to 200 film posters will go under hammer at Sotheby's."

October 20, 2020

• Trump closes his campaign by insulting Fauci for telling the truth - "President Donald Trump's election endgame argument, far from bristling with new solutions to a pandemic that has killed 220,000 Americans, on Monday devolved into a campaign of insults against Dr. Anthony Fauci -- for telling the truth about the disease."
• Trump says Americans 'tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots' discuss Covid - "Donald Trump has once again attacked his top public health expert, using a call with campaign staff on Monday to deride Anthony Fauci as 'a disaster' and to claim 'people are tired of hearing Fauci and all these idiots' discuss ways to combat the coronavirus."
• 75 ways Trump made America dirtier & the planet warmer - "In the past four years, Trump has shredded environmental protections for American lands, animals and people."
• Netflix had a great 2020. But 2021 could be rough - "Hollywood has had a disastrous 2020 with the coronavirus pandemic leaving the entertainment industry reeling. But Hollywood's loss is Netflix's gain. Netflix thrived in 2020 as people were stuck at home during the global health crisis. The company posted colossal subscriber gains over the past two quarters, which helped drive its stock up nearly 70% this year. 2021 could be a different story. For example, Disney has seen its media empire ravaged by coronavirus with its movies delayed, productions stalled, and its parks closed for months. Yet one division of Disney took a giant leap forward this year: streaming."
• China's economy is the envy of the world - "China's economy expanded by 4.9% in the third quarter compared to the previous year, according to government data published Monday, showing the rest of the world what's possible when Covid-19 is brought under control."
• Rapid one-hour Covid tests begin at Heathrow airport - "Coronavirus tests that cost £80 offered to travellers to Italy and Hong Kong."
• What Halloween will look like during Covid-19 - "In an environment in which staying home is safest, what happens to a holiday that relies on shopping, shared sweets and street celebrations?"
• Forget silicon. This material could be a game-changer for solar power - "Solar energy is poised for what could be its biggest transformation in over half a century."
• LG’s rollable TV finally goes on sale for $87,000 - "The Signature OLED R arrives in South Korean stores."
• THE 8TH WONDER OF THE WORLD - "HOPES WERE HIGH among the employees who joined Foxconn’s Wisconsin project in the summer of 2018. In June, President Donald Trump had broken ground on an LCD factory he called “the eighth wonder of the world.” The scale of the promise was indeed enormous: a $10 billion investment from the Taiwanese electronics giant, a 20 million-square-foot manufacturing complex, and, most importantly, 13,000 jobs."
• Why China developed a fresh taste for milk - "For many generations, Chinese adults mostly ignored milk, seeing it as a food for children or the elderly. And there’s a biological reason why it took so long to catch on."
• 'Military Disneyland’: a cathedral to Russia's new national identity - "Cathedral of the Armed Forces blends militarism, patriotism and Orthodox Christianity to controversial effect."
• La Rambla: plans to transform Barcelona's tourist rat run into a cultural hub - "An ambitious project is under way to turn one of the world’s most overrun streets into an the ‘immersive art centre of southern Europe’."
• AVISO GRILLE - "Hitler's War Yacht."
• Bulgari Goes For Baroque With A Trio Of Over-The Top Jewelry Watches - Forbes.
• These futuristic concept cars from the 1950s are up for auction with a $20 million estimate - "A trio of rarely seen, futuristic concept cars from the 1950s are going up for auction at Sotheby's, with an estimated value of up to $20 million."
• There’s A New Fastest Production Car - And It’s Not A Bugatti - "'Fastest Production Vehicle' is a coveted title in the world of hypercar manufacturers. Since 2017, the title has been held by the Koenigsegg Agera RS, with a top speed of 277.9 mph. (There’s some debate about the legitimacy of a 304.77 mph mark set by a modified Bugatti Chiron in Germany during September 2019.) The previous record-holder was the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, with a measured top speed of 267.9 mph. On the morning of Saturday, October 10, 2020, the SSC North America Tuatara set a stunning new mark, clocking in two consecutive high-speed runs of 301.07 mph and 331.15 mph (in opposite directions within one hour) for an official top speed of 316.11 mph."

October 19, 2020

• US coronavirus cases surge in most states - "Connecticut and Florida lead the nation, with increases of 50%. Only two US states, Vermont and Missouri, have reported falls in the average number of reported coronavirus cases over the past week. The outbreak is surging nearly everywhere else."
• Trump's campaigning stoops to new lows as Covid cases spike - "Trump is fighting for his political life campaigning at rallies that are almost the only mass participation events with no social distancing taking place in the US. His attacks are getting more extreme as the election gets closer, as he demands the locking up of his political rivals. He's claiming the election, and Thursday's presidential debate, are rigged against him."
• Fauci says he is 'absolutely not' surprised Trump got Covid-19 - "Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert, said during an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes" that aired Sunday, 'I was worried that he was going to get sick when I saw him in a completely precarious situation of crowded -- no separation between people, and almost nobody wearing a mask.'"
• Trump coronavirus adviser undermines importance of masks - "Twitter removes tweet from Trump coronavirus adviser that undermined importance of masks."
• The place in North America with no Covid-19 cases - "Covid-19 cases are rising in many parts of Canada, but one region - Nunavut, a northern territory - is a rare place in North America that can say it's free of coronavirus in its communities."
• the video the world has longed to see - "Covid vaccines rolling off the Pfizer production line in thousands of tiny bottles as professor claims Oxford-Astra Zeneca shot will be rolled out by DECEMBER."
• Covid-19: How restaurants are preparing for winter - "For Boston restaurant owner Kristin Canty, the choice is stark: find some way to seat diners outside without freezing, or risk going out of business."
• An ode to the mute button - "A button can't solve any of our current crises, but it’s a vital escape hatch - not away from our lives, but back into them."
• The single word that connects Denmark - "Samfundssind - which is loosely translated as 'community spirit' or 'social mindedness' - has become the buzzword of the coronavirus crisis."
• What does it mean to be a man in 2020? - "As stereotypes are slowly being dismantled, we look at, among other things, male desire, love and mental health as we reassess what it takes to be a man."
• Sheikh Khalifa’s £5bn London property empire - "Documents reveal UAE president owns multibillion-pound property portfolio spanning London’s most expensive neighbourhoods."
• Archaeologists discover 2,000-year-old cat figure in Peru - "Nazca Lines: Archaeologists discover 2,000-year-old cat figure in Peru."
• The Arctic is in a death spiral. How much longer will it exist? - "The region is unravelling faster than anyone could once have predicted. But there may still be time to act."

October 18, 2020

• How to get the iPhone 12 for free - really - "AT&T (T) is letting new and existing customers get the iPhone 12 for free with an $800 trade-in offer to owners of the iPhone 8 and newer. To be eligible, AT&T customers must have an unlimited data plan and stick with the carrier for 30 months on an payment installment plan."
• Lonely Planet ranks ultimate travel destinations in new list - "Many of us have been forced to rethink travel plans in the wake of Covid-19, but if you're soothing your canceled-vacation-blues by daydreaming about future adventures, Lonely Planet's new "Ultimate Travel List" might be just what you need."
• How the A380 superjumbo dream fell apart - "Airbus A380: The wondrous giant that never quite took off."
• Apple Users Have A Serious Problem Installing WhatsApp On New iPhone 12 - "For the millions of WhatsApp and iMessage users excitedly preparing to upgrade to the brilliant new iPhone 12, you’re about to see Apple school WhatsApp in how to get messages up and running on a new device without compromising security. This is a serious problem - a gaping vulnerability in the way WhatsApp works - and one that needs fixing."
• US records highest daily coronavirus case total since July - "More than 68,000 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the US on Friday, the highest number in a single day since July, further confirmation the country is in the midst of a coronavirus resurgence."
• Paris under curfew as Europe battles soaring caseload - "Nine French cities now under month-long curfew; European cases rise 44% in a week; resistance to lockdowns in UK."
• Pfizer Will Seek Emergency Approval For Covid-19 Vaccine In November, After Election - "Pfizer will apply to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency approval of its Covid-19 vaccine in the third week of November, its CEO said Friday, assuming it receives positive results from its ongoing trial - the timeline makes it unlikely that the U.S. will have a vaccine before the election but leaves open the possibility of one being authorized this year."

October 17, 2020

• 4 big false claims Trump has made since his Covid-19 diagnosis - "President Trump has continued to make false statements about Covid-19 and downplay the virus that has taken more than 210,000 lives in the United States."
• Former White House chief of staff, retired Marine Gen. John Kelly, has told friends that President Donald Trump "is the most flawed person" he's ever known - "'The depths of his dishonesty is just astounding to me. The dishonesty, the transactional nature of every relationship, though it's more pathetic than anything else. He is the most flawed person I have ever met in my life,' the retired Marine general has told friends, CNN has learned."
• Donald Trump just revealed *a lot* more than he meant to about his tax returns - "President Donald Trump is the only modern American president to never release any of his tax returns -- either while running for office or during his time in office. He's offered a series of explanations for why that is, including that he is under audit by the Internal Revenue Service and that his taxes are too complicated for anyone to understand."
• Trump ally urges mask-wearing after Covid-19 fight - "Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has urged Americans to take coronavirus 'seriously' after spending days in intensive care with Covid-19."
• Have We Been Thinking About Long-Haul Coronavirus All Wrong? - "A few years ago, Jaime Seltzer was helping coordinate research projects, grant applications and funding for a Stanford research group studying a condition called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Up to 2.5 million Americans, including Seltzer, have ME/CFS, and yet it felt like almost no one paid attention to her group’s research."
• Almost no risk of catching Covid on a full airplane, new study claims - "Modern aircraft ventilation systems aren't spreading viruses, DoD study suggests."
• How to get promoted when working from home - "With a great many of us still working from home, how can you hope to get promoted if you aren't in the office? What's the best way to make your boss notice you, and to stand out from your colleagues?"
• Don’t Wait Until 2021 to Refresh Your Finances. Do These 5 Things Now - "It’s been an extremely turbulent year for the economy, never mind our household finances. We normally create new budgets at the top of year - if ever - but let’s be real: any plans you made at the beginning of 2020 have likely been distorted."
• The grim fate that could be ‘worse than extinction’ - "What would it take for a global totalitarian government to rise to power indefinitely? This nightmare scenario may be closer than first appears."
• The detail that decodes a masterpiece - "Velázquez’s Las Meninas: A detail that decodes a masterpiece. A small clay pot in Diego Velázquez’s Las Meninas could hold the key to unlocking the mysterious 17th-Century painting."
• Sweden's new car carrier is the world's largest wind-powered vessel - "Oceanbird might look like a ship of the future, but it harks back to ancient maritime history -- because it's powered by the wind."
• Inside JFK's Decisionmaking During the Cuban Missile Crisis - "On Tuesday morning, October 16, 1962 President John F. Kennedy awoke to a political and security nightmare. At 9 A.M., McGeorge Bundy, his National Security Adviser, informed him that a U-2 reconnaissance mission over Cuba had photographed Soviet medium range ballistic missiles, nuclear capable weapons with a range of 1,200 miles."
• Macallan Announces Oldest Whisky Release Ever, Part Of The Red Collection - "In a shocking announcement, the Macallan has unveiled a brand new set of 6 different whiskies. The new series has been named The Red Collection. The most exciting part? Two of the bottles in the series are the oldest whiskies ever released by the world’s most collected whisky brand."

October 16, 2020

• In dual events, real duel was Trump v Guthrie - "Stark contrast between Trump and Biden on display in dueling town halls."
• Takeaways from dueling Biden-Trump town halls - "5 takeaways from the dueling Biden and Trump town halls."
• Here's What We Know - & Don't Know - About Reinfection - "It’s possible not only to get COVID-19 twice, but also to be sicker the second time, according to a new case report published in Lancet Infectious Diseases. But some experts caution there’s still a lot to learn about COVID-19 reinfection, and that the case cited in the paper is not likely representative of the majority of experiences with the novel coronavirus."
• Herd immunity is not the way out of pandemic, experts warn - "Covid-19 deaths will rise almost 80% by February, researchers foresee."
• New reports show immunity can last for months - "Three new reports show coronavirus immunity can last for months -- and maybe even longer."
• Big global study finds remdesivir doesn't help Covid-19 patients - "In a study it described as both conclusive and disappointing, the World Health Organization said the antiviral drug remdesivir has 'little or no effect on mortality' for patients hospitalized with coronavirus and it doesn't seem to help patients recover any faster, either."
• Coronavirus pandemic plunges millions of Americans into poverty - "Two new studies show at least 6m more people now live in poverty but Cares Act initially alleviated effects of Covid lockdown."
• Trump: Doctors Told Him His ‘Lungs Are A Little Bit Different’ Due To Covid - "President Donald Trump revealed Thursday night that doctors had told him his lungs looked 'a little bit different' when he was hospitalized for coronavirus, an infection he claims to have now completely gotten over."
• Queen Elizabeth has her first royal engagement in months -- but doesn't wear a mask - "The 94-year-old monarch was joined by her grandson Prince William on a visit to the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, southwest England. Neither were wearing face coverings, though they were adhering to social distancing guidelines."
• iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 12 Pro: which should you buy? - "On the surface, the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro are very similar phones. They both feature 6.1-inch OLED displays with flat-edge designs and Apple’s A14 Bionic processor inside, but look a little closer, and there are several notable differences worth exploring. Read on as we walk through the details of the iPhone 12 vs. iPhone 12 Pro."
• America’s Richest Self-Made Women - "Forbes’ Ranking Of The Country’s Most Successful Women Entrepreneurs And Executives."
• I thought 'flights to nowhere' were silly. Then I went on one - "Hong Kong Express, a low-cost carrier based -- as you may have guessed from the name -- in Hong Kong, has become the latest airline to offer sightseeing 'flights to nowhere,' which involve planes landing in the same destination they departed from, without stopping anywhere else. So far, such flights have been popular. Qantas' seven-hour sightseeing flights around Australia, which promised scenic aerial views of Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef, sold out in ten minutes."
• Why the world's passports look different - "The crest on the cover? The colour of the booklet? Those intricately designed inner pages? There’s a reason for every element of your passport’s aesthetic."
• This is the most expensive work of literature ever to sell at auction - "Rare copy of Shakespeare's First Folio sells for record $10M."
• Belgian King Philippe meets half-sister Princess Delphine for the first time - "Belgium's Princess Delphine finally met her half-brother King Philippe for the first time, following her successful legal battle to use a royal title."
• Italian police seize 4,000 bottles of counterfeit 'super Tuscan' wine - "Italian authorities have broken up an organization that was selling fake bottles of wine passed off as the prized DOC Bolgheri Sassicaia, a wine that can be worth hundreds of euros a bottle."
• Breguet Reinvents Its Classic Invention With An Orbital Double Tourbillon - "The company that invented the tourbillon has set a new standard for the mechanism with the Classique Double Tourbillon 5345 Quai De l’Horloge. Breguet doubles the fun by adding a second tourbillon, driven by its own separate gear train and mainspring, and then sets the entire mechanism in rotation once every 12 hours. Defined as an orbital tourbillon, the rotating dial is like a tiny slow-moving carousel ride for watch lovers."
• XBOX SERIES X PREVIEW: THE NEXT GEN FEELS LIKE A PC - "A cool, quiet, and PC-like console."
• Sacha Baron Cohen's films - ranked! - "As he takes a starring role in The Trial of the Chicago 7, and with Borat 2 waiting in the wings, what better time to look over the lethally offensive but gasp-inducing efforts of the accomplished provocateur."

October 15, 2020

• People with blood type O may have lower risk of Covid-19 infection & severe illness, two new studies suggest - "The research provides further evidence that blood type (also known as blood group) may play a role in a person's susceptibility to infection and their chance of having a severe bout of the disease. The reasons for this link aren't clear and more research is needed to say what implications, if any, it has for patients."
• Fauci: Vaccine development 'on a really good track' - "CDC optimistic coronavirus vaccines will be released by end of the year."
• young and healthy may not get vaccine until 2022, WHO says - "First vaccines will be in limited quantities and for those at greatest risk; Germany records its worst ever daily case toll."
• France orders curfew in nine cities to battle virus - "France to impose night-time curfew to battle second wave. French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a night-time curfew in Paris and eight other cities to try to curb the rapid spread of coronavirus."
• Swedish COVID-19 Response Is a Disaster. It Shouldn’t Be a Model for the Rest of the World - "The Swedish COVID-19 experiment of not implementing early and strong measures to safeguard the population has been hotly debated around the world, but at this point we can predict it is almost certain to result in a net failure in terms of death and suffering. As of Oct. 13, Sweden’s per capita death rate is 58.4 per 100,000 people, according to Johns Hopkins University data, 12th highest in the world (not including tiny Andorra and San Marino)."
• Horror Films Have Always Tapped Into Pop Culture's Most Urgent Fears. COVID-19 Will Be Their Next Inspiration - "The Great Depression, McCarthy era and Vietnam War. In addition to being pivotal episodes in modern American history that fueled periods of great unrest, these events have something else in common: they all served as the catalyst for distinct trends in horror films."
• Smoking-gun Email reveals how Hunter Biden introduced Ukrainian businessman to VP dad - "Hunter Biden introduced his father, then-Vice President Joe Biden, to a top executive at a Ukrainian energy firm less than a year before the elder Biden pressured government officials in Ukraine into firing a prosecutor who was investigating the company, according to emails obtained by The Post."
• Forget 5G: MagSafe could be the biggest reason to buy an iPhone 12 - "With MagSafe, Apple is literally taking the friction out of accessorizing your iPhone. Magnets make it a snap."
• There Are Perfectly Good Reasons to Upgrade to an iPhone 12. 5G Isn't One of Them - TIME Magazine.
• iPhone 12 Mini could mark end of giant smartphone era - "Analysts expect rivals to follow as Apple addresses gender-bias cricitisms with smaller handset."
• Apple iPhone 12 Has An Unidentified Side Panel: Mystery Solved - "It’s both exciting and not: the panel is a 5G antenna. Specifically, it’s for the ultra-fast, short-range kind of 5G known as mmWave (millimeter wave). This kind of 5G is notoriously weak over long distances, so any little help it can snag to get the signal in and out of the iPhone is going to be gratefully received."
• Here’s How You Can Protect Yourself From Increasingly Sophisticated Cybercriminals - "With cybercriminals becoming more sophisticated, it’s important to understand the types of fraud out there. We spoke to two cybersecurity and identity theft experts to walk you through how to protect yourself and what to do if your credit card (or debit card) information is stolen."
• 2021 Jaguar F-Pace News: Everything You Need To Know - "In September, the Jaguar media wing offered substantial details on the all-new Jaguar F-Pace for the 2021 model year. They promise 'interior serenity, seamless connectivity and greater performance' in the new year —- no doubt a welcome change from the tumult that has been 2020."
• Zoom launches paid-for live events with OnZoom - "Video calling app Zoom has announced a system to let people pay for live 'online experiences.'"
• Thunberg's 'surreal' adventure told on big screen - "I Am Greta: The coming of age movie wrapped up in a super-hero flick. There are many extraordinary things about the new documentary I Am Greta."
• 'I don't feel like dying today': jogger meets cougar - "Cougar stalk: Utah jogger on six-minute encounter with a mountain lion."
• How to politely & productively disagree - "In an age of Brexit, Trump and Covid-19, disagreements can feel acute. But are there ways to make the debate more civil – and more useful?"
• Best of the Boeing 747 jumbo jet: In pictures - "Boeing's 747 jumbo jets changed the way we travel. These photos look back at the jet, which entered commercial service in 1970."
• Inside The New Coco Chanel Retrospective In Paris - "The Palais Galleria in Paris is the city’s foremost fashion museum, and it has been closed for the past two years undergoing a huge renovation. Now, the museum is reopened to the public with a retrospective honoring French designer, Coco Chanel."
• RED's 6K Komodo camera costs $6K - "It's also sold in bundles with accessories. Indie filmmakers and everybody else who wants a relatively inexpensive cinema camera can now purchase RED’s new model called Komodo 6K. True to its name, the model can capture 6K at 40 fps, 6K Wide Shot at 50 fps and 4K at 60 fps - plus, it’s the brand’s first camera with phase-detect autofocus."
• OnePlus 8T review: slick phone fully charges in just 37 minutes - "Top phone with great screen, good battery life and software undercuts competition."
• Tom Ford to Release Luxury Watch Made From Ocean Plastic - Barron's.

October 14, 2020

• Apple unveils iPhone 12 lineup - "iPhone 12: What you need to know about Apple's new 5G phone lineup."
• Breaking down Apple’s 3 new iPhone 12 camera systems - "They could offer some serious upgrades for you."
• Apple introduces 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini for $729 - "It has all the features of the iPhone 12."
• Apple's HomePod mini is a smaller, spherical smart speaker - "Pre-orders for the $99 speaker open on November 6th."
• Thailand's unprecedented revolt pits the people against the King - "On Tuesday, scuffles broke out between anti-monarchy protesters and police at Bangkok's Democracy Monument, which has been a meeting place during months of protests. Police said 21 people were arrested."
• Why older people are harder to vaccinate - "The strategy for rolling out a Covid-19 vaccine might be undermined by older people’s immune systems."
• Will a 'normal Christmas' be possible under Covid? - "Religious events and Santa Claus may have to adapt to restrictions, but TV could be a unifying force."
• Why professionals, depressed & anxious, are developing addictions during Covid - "The pandemic is making the US drug epidemic even worse - and many of its victims include white-collar professionals."
• UN warns that world risks becoming 'uninhabitable hell' for millions unless leaders take climate action - "There has been a 'staggering' rise in natural disasters over the past 20 years and the climate crisis is to blame, the United Nations said Monday."
• The Arctic is in a death spiral. How much longer will it exist? - "The region is unravelling faster than anyone could once have predicted. But there may still be time to act."
• Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its corals since 1995 - "Australia's Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half of its corals since 1995 due to warmer seas driven by climate change, a study has found."
• The algorithm tackling the office space crunch - "Companies are wrestling with how to bring staff back to the office in a safe and fair manner. One US firm has created an algorithm to try and solve the puzzle."
• The reason behind Venice's mask culture - "Although many travellers assume that the 'authentic' Venice is long gone, the city still harbours the last remnants of a once-great civilisation, with its own language and customs."
• Hidden camera's hugging tiger wins wildlife photo award - "To photograph one of rarest creatures on Earth you have to be incredibly skilled and remarkably lucky."
• Cyprus To Suspend EU ‘Golden Passport’ Program After Controversy - "Cyprus is set to suspend a program providing a quick route to citizenship and access to visa-free travel throughout European Union countries after officials were caught considering ways to help convicted criminals gain access to the initiative."
• Inside Tory Burch’s Covid Survival Sketchbook - "Amid a fashion apocalypse, one of the great entrepreneurial retailers (and one of America’s richest self-made women) takes us deep inside her battle to save her brand."

October 13, 2020

• Apple’s iPhone 12 event: the 7 biggest announcements - "The iPhone 12 is here."
• Apple Event: Join us from Apple Park. October 13, at 10 a.m. PDT - Apple official website.
• What to expect from Apple's iPhone event - "Invitations for an October 13 event featured the phrase "Hi, Speed," hinting at a long-rumored upgrade that would allow the iPhone to connect to the new 5G wireless network that's currently being rolled out by carriers in the United States and abroad. (The festivities start at 1pm ET and you can watch it live here and follow along in real-time on CNN Business.)"
• Apple iPhone 12: The chip advance set to make smartphones smarter - "When Apple unveils its new iPhones, expect it to make a big deal of the fact they're the first handsets in the world to be powered by a new type of chip."
• Trump launches potential superspreader sprint to win reelection -"Trump mocks virus as he launches potential superspreader sprint to win reelection."
• 'I’m a perfect physical specimen’: absurd claims Trump made this weekend - "President began the weekend by partaking in a string of lengthy, unfiltered interviews with favorable news outlets."
• Johnson & Johnson pauses Covid-19 vaccine trial after 'unexplained illness' - "Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson said Monday it has paused the advanced clinical trial of its experimental coronavirus vaccine because of an unexplained illness in one of the volunteers."
• Covid reinfection: Man gets Covid twice & second hit 'more severe' - "A man in the United States has caught Covid twice, with the second infection becoming far more dangerous than the first, doctors report."
• Coronavirus Can Remain On Paper Currency For 28 Days, Per New Study - "The novel coronavirus can remain infectious for four weeks on banknotes, according to new research by the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Australia’s top biosecurity laboratory."
• Covid: Why bats are not to blame, say scientists - "Every now and then, Dr Mathieu Bourgarel seeks permission from the village elders to visit the sacred caves, bringing a gift to appease the spirits."
• The dogs trained to sniff out Covid-19 - "According to a French-Lebanese research team, the animals can detect Covid-19 in almost 100% of cases, after smelling human sweat."
• WHO chief says herd immunity approach to pandemic 'unethical' - "Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cites lack of understanding of virus and lasting health effects."
• How to eat sushi: lay off the wasabi & dip the fish - not the rice - into the soy sauce - "Nobu’s first female head chef has told us we’re doing it all wrong. Here are some of her tips for getting the most out of the Japanese dish."
• Facebook Has Finally Banned Holocaust Denial. Critics Ask What Took Them So Long - "Facebook updated its rules on Monday to explicitly ban any content that 'denies or distorts' the Holocaust, after years of allowing people to deny that the genocide occurred."
• 20 chefs pick their favourite starter cookbooks - "'Every page makes you hungry'. What would an expert like Tom Kerridge or Gizzi Erskine recommend to someone just starting out in the kitchen? This fantasy bookshelf would help you tackle everything from kimchi to anchovy butter roast chicken."
• What happened on the Qantas flight to nowhere - "After months of working almost nonstop during the coronavirus pandemic, doctor Fiona Downes says stepping on board Qantas' seven-hour round-trip to nowhere was 'like being home again.'"
• The white bikini that changed movie history - "Ursula Andress' iconic 'Dr. No' bikini could fetch $500K at auction."
• Researchers crack question of whether couples start looking alike - "Study instead suggests people are initially attracted to those with similar features to themselves."
• North Korean leader Kim Jong-un gets emotional during speech - "Observers have suggested that he may be trying to show humility even as the country faces a mounting economic crisis."
• Isabella Rossellini: ‘Ageing brings a lot of happiness. You get fatter – but there is freedom’ - "The actor’s latest project is about the joy of sex, as well as its capacity to exploit, control and kill. She discusses the pleasure of life after being written off by Hollywood and the beauty business."
• 2021 Jaguar XF News: Everything You Need To Know - "Iconic British automotive brand Jaguar is storming into the 2021 model year with many new additions and redesigns. Among them is the ultra-stylish and cool Jaguar XF Sedan."
• Rafael Nadal Wears $1 Million Richard Mille Watch While Playing French Open - "Richard Mille released the RM 27-04 watch last month to mark the ten-year anniversary of its partnership with the tennis great. The watch weighs a scant 30 grams (or one ounce), including the strap, and is billed as the lightest tourbillon in the world. Nadal says his Richard Mille watch is a like a 'second skin' to him."
• Richard Mille RM 27-04 - "Manual Winding Tourbillon Rafael Nadal." Price: US$1.05 million.
• Peru opens Machu Picchu ruins for one tourist - "Japanese tourist waited almost seven months to enter Inca citadel while trapped in country during coronavirus pandemic."
• Households could save £858 a year by cutting food waste, trial suggests - "Participants reduced waste by 76% by meal planning, using up leftovers and freezing more."

October 12, 2020

• Trump takes his Covid misinformation machine back on the road - "Trump, who announced Sunday, without providing evidence, that he has tested 'totally negative' after his bout with the virus, plans to hold his first rally since his diagnosis was publicly disclosed, in Florida, in what risks turning into yet another super spreader event."
• How professional wrestling perfectly explains Donald Trump's 'Superman' stunt - "The President of the United States openly considered tearing open his dress shirt to reveal a 'Superman' T-shirt underneath? Because it would prove to people he was invincible after being hospitalized for Covid-19? Or something?"
• Covid virus ‘survives for 28 days’ in lab conditions - "The virus responsible for Covid-19 can remain infectious on surfaces such as banknotes, phone screens and stainless steel for 28 days, researchers say."
• Anthony Fauci: The face of America's fight against coronavirus - "Dr Anthony Fauci has emerged as the face of America's fight against coronavirus. But he is also battling the dangerous spread of misinformation, sometimes from within his own government."
• Can we trust Chinese Covid-19 science? - "The west has been wary of China’s rise as a scientific superpower, but the pandemic has made it impossible to ignore."
• A Very Stable Genius? No, a narcissist & a racist - a portrait of Trump from a vast library of books - "Wade through the vast tomes of books written about the president over the last four years and a horrifying picture emerges."
• Piers Morgan: ‘What does Trump smell like? Expensive aftershave and a whiff of hairspray’ - "From Meghan’s ‘social climbing’ to ‘fascist wokery’, the broadcaster has built a career on being outraged. He has even fallen out with his friend Donald Trump. Is he really so thin-skinned?"
• Could social distancing make the flu extinct? - "Humanity hasn’t always lived with the flu. Could this era of social distancing hasten its demise?"
• The return of Europe's night trains? - "Are Europe's night trains back in fashion? Sleeper trains were making a slow comeback in Europe before the pandemic, but will Covid-19 help or hinder a renaissance of long-distance rail travel?"
• With Nobody To Impress Companies Are Quietly Selling Their Art Collections - "Little by little businesses, and especially banks, are silently getting rid of art collections built up over many years."
• WhatsApp Soundly Beaten As Stunning New Alternative Goes Live - "WhatsApp’s much smaller, but much more exciting, upstart rival Signal a potential giant killer in the space. Signal is the modern-day messaging disruptor, seeking to repeat the trick WhatsApp itself carried out all those years ago, before the Facebook acquisition."
• Weird, wacky & utterly wonderful: the world's greatest unsung museums - "A bullring full of blood, a house full of sweet wrappers, a power station full of sculpture, a roundabout full of plants..."
• Les misÉrables nouveau: the lives of Filipina workers in the playground of the rich - "Thomas Morel-Fort went undercover to capture the lives of undocumented workers toiling inside the Paris and Côte d’Azur homes of the wealthy."
• Meghan: 'I'm told I was the most trolled person in the world' - "Duchess of Sussex speaks of ‘almost unsurvivable’ online abuse she has experienced."
• Margaret Nolan, ‘Goldfinger’ Model & Actress in ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ Dies at 76 - "Margaret Nolan, an actress and artist known as the gold-painted model in the title sequence for the 1964 James Bond film 'Goldfinger,' died Oct. 5, her son, Oscar Deeks, confirmed to Variety. She was 76."

October 11, 2020

• The week in 16 headlines - CNN Politics.
• Trump 'no longer a transmission risk to others' - "US President Donald Trump is no longer a Covid transmission risk to others, the White House physician has said."
• Trump chooses denial & recklessness as he's set to resume campaign rallies - "As President Donald Trump stood on a White House balcony Saturday — spewing mistruths about his opponent's plan for policing and claiming the coronavirus is "disappearing" while hundreds of people watched from below — it was clear that his illness has taught him very little and he will continue to endanger Americans until Election Day."
• Robert Redford: The big question I want answered - CNN Opinion.
• 10 Most Revolutionary Business Jets of the Past 60 Years - "From a Learjet 23 to a Gulfstream G700."
• Drone photo awards 2020 - "Drone Awards is the most important worldwide competition about aerial photography and video. It’ a project of Siena Awards, dedicated to a different photographic genre deliberately separated from being compared to traditional photography. The competition is opened to the aerial photography and videos whose platforms also include fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles, balloons, blimps and dirigibles, rockets, kites, and parachutes."
• How ‘Feierabend’ helps Germans disconnect from the workday - "The lines between life and work have never been so blurry. A German word shows us the importance of disconnecting, and may even help us reclaim some of our free time."
• Scotland's whisky islands are dealing with a major Covid hangover - "Off the southwest coast of Scotland lies a collection of small islands that make some of the most distinctive whiskies in the world."
• Documentary claims to expose North Korea trying to dodge sactions - "A new documentary with a bizarre cast of characters claims to shed light on North Korea's efforts to evade international sanctions, by tricking members of Kim Jong-un's secretive regime into signing fake arms deals."
• The tale of Algeria's stolen cannon & France's cockerel - "Algerians are hoping that a mighty bronze cannon stolen by the French nearly two centuries ago may be on its way home as part of an attempt by France to right the wrongs of its colonial past."
• Meghan Markle reveals online abuse she suffers as 'most trolled person in the world' - "The Duchess of Sussex talked about her experience with online abuse during a appearance with Prince Harry on the Teenager Therapy podcast to mark World Mental Health Day."
• 38 North - website devoted to analysis about North Korea.
• Kim Jong-un’s Swiss childhood home identified - "A former neighbour has identified the house where North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is likely to have lived during his time in Switzerland. It’s in a suburb of the capital Bern, where a group of people from the North Korean diplomatic mission kept to themselves and where four young boys were 'constantly playing basketball'."
• World’s Largest Known Vivid Purple-Pink Diamond Could Fetch $38 Million - "A 14.83-carat fancy vivid purple-pink internally flawless diamond will be the top lot at Sotheby’s Geneva Magnificent Jewels and Noble Jewels auction on November 11. It is the largest vivid purple-pink diamond ever offered at auction. Its estimate is $23 - $38 million."

October 10, 2020

• New daily record as COVID-19 cases hit more than 350,000 - "The new daily high of 350,766 cases surpasses a record set earlier this week by nearly 12,000. That tally includes more than 109,000 cases from Europe alone."
• China is doubling down in the global push for a coronavirus vaccine - "The global push to develop a coronavirus vaccine is gathering pace, but much to the likely frustration of US President Donald Trump, caution exercised by American drug makers and regulators has put China out in front ... for now."
• White House hosted Covid 'superspreader' event, says Dr Fauci - "Top US virus expert Dr Anthony Fauci has criticised the White House for hosting a gathering last month that has been linked to an outbreak of Covid-19."
• ‘A surreal reality show’: Trump’s terrible week after his Covid diagnosis - "Some experts say if Trump was deliberately trying to sabotage his own presidential campaign, he could hardly do a better job than the past week."
• The latest on Trump's health in 7 graphics - "US President Donald Trump is back at the White House after a dramatic nine days in which he tested positive for coronavirus, was flown to hospital, was given experimental drugs and made an impromptu drive-by to meet supporters while still sick."
• What Were We Thinking review: Carlos Lozada on why Trump books matter - "The Washington Post critic read 150 Trump books, somehow stayed sane and wrote an elegant yet lacerating response."
• Everything Trump Touches Dies review: a poison dart in the neck of the Republican monster - "Political consultant Rick Wilson is horrified by what his party has done - and his book is much more than a brutally enjoyable roasting of those responsible."
• 'Brain fog': the people struggling to think clearly months after Covid - "Doctors grapple for answers as more patients report post-coronavirus cognitive impairment."
• Association of Vitamin D Status & Other Clinical Characteristics With COVID-19 Test Results - "In this cohort study of 489 patients who had a vitamin D level measured in the year before COVID-19 testing, the relative risk of testing positive for COVID-19 was 1.77 times greater for patients with likely deficient vitamin D status compared with patients with likely sufficient vitamin D status, a difference that was statistically significant."
• 50 of the world's best desserts - "For all the nostalgia of sugary treats, though, some sweets rise above local flavors. Head to any country to find tender slices of Italian tiramisú at the bottom of cafe menus or sniff out the creamy scent of Hong Kong's dan tats in cities around the globe. In the unofficial elections of the stomach, both have been voted to a permanent place in the world's food hall of fame."
• 10 of the most exciting new superyacht concepts - "Demand has been steadily growing over the years, with the global fleet jumping from 3,906 crafts in 2009 to 5,646 in 2019, according to the Superyacht Group. Meanwhile the Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a spike in purchases, with superyacht marketing company Northrop & Johnson seeing sales for July 2020 reaching double that of the previous year."
• The UK's mysterious underground tunnels - "Britain’s mysterious underground tunnels have been a source of fascination for decades. Yet, until recently, authorities have remained conspicuously secretive about them."
• The Tragedy Of The Swearing Parrot - "Over the past few days, five homeless Congo African grey parrots, Psittacus erithacus, that were taken in six weeks ago by the Lincolnshire Wildlife Park in Britain have been memeing their way across international news services. Why? Because they taught each other how to swear whilst in being held in quarantine, and after they were placed on exhibit a few days ago, all five of them lost no time in sharing their vocal accomplishments with visitors."
• Purrfect match: cats & their human doubles - "We all know someone who looks like their dog, but what about our feline friends? Photographer Gerrard Gethings set out to match moggies with their lookalikes - with uncanny results."
• Nigella Lawson: ‘I didn't think I’d be a mended person, but I am’ - "She’s embraced a solo lockdown, and is back with a new book (and TV show) of signature comfort food. Has Nigella Lawson found happiness at last?"
• Electric cars really do cost less to own than gas-powered vehicles, report says - "It's not just the savings on fuel, either."
• BOSE QUIETCOMFORT EARBUDS REVIEW: NOISE-CANCELING CHAMPION - "Good sound quality and best-in-class noise cancellation come in an awkwardly big case."
• Google Nest Audio review: A steal at $100 - "Not the best speaker you've ever heard, but it's a great value."

October 9, 2020

• Nobel Peace Prize goes to UN World Food Programme - "The 2020 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger."
• Trump ready to return to public events, says doctor - "US President Donald Trump has completed his course of treatment for Covid-19 and can return to public engagements this weekend, his physician has said."
• Trump is getting increasingly desperate, sparking new fears for his health - "President Donald Trump's increasing political desperation is raising concerns about his judgment following his aggressive Covid-19 treatment and as suspicion mounts that the White House is not telling the truth about his health."
• Donald Trump's COVID-19 Diagnosis Is Forcing Him to Face His Personal - and Political - Vulnerability - TIME Magazine.
• 48 most unhinged lines from Donald Trump's Fox Business interview - "Days removed from his hospitalization due to coronavirus, President Donald Trump called into Fox Business Network on Thursday morning to, uh, say some stuff."
• Why are infections rising again in US? - "The news of President Donald Trump's positive coronavirus test, and his subsequent hospitalisation, has reminded the country that no-one is protected from this virus."
• How does Trump’s Covid care compare to the average 74-year-old’s? - "The president’s experience with coronavirus has been very different from the ordinary American senior, but Trump has ignored the disparities."
• Covax: Covid vaccine global effort gets China's support - "Beijing joins initiative against ‘vaccine nationalism’ in contrast to US, which is not part of alliance."
• US debt is now projected to be larger than the US economy - "The debt hasn't been that high since 1946, when the federal debt was 106.1% of GDP."
• First look at 'West Wing' cast reunion teases emotional return - "A trailer for HBO Max's 'West Wing' special was unveiled on Thursday, teasing the episode remake's stage adaptation for the first time. Former First Lady Michelle Obama, President Bill Clinton, and Lin-Manuel Miranda are among those set to make special appearances during act breaks in hopes of hammering home the special's message about the importance of voting."
• This is the most expensive diamond sold at an online auction - "A 102.39-carat white diamond was sold to a private collector in Japan in an auction that broke a world record for highest bid ever placed for a jewel online."
• Singapore launches Covid-secure luxury cruises ... to nowhere - "City state follows Qantas in offering jaunts with no destination with ships half full and masks mandatory."
• The seat that will change business class - "There's an airy, spacious, futuristic seat coming to business class, with all-new scientifically engineered structures and materials borrowed from Formula 1 cars."
• What's happened to the world's busiest airports - "The world's busiest airports -- and how far they've fallen."
• The rats evicted from paradise - "Palmyra had been an isolated and tranquil Pacific atoll, until a 20th-Century invasion of black rats arrived, setting the whole atoll’s ecology hurtling down a different path."
• How lockdowns are changing our friendship groups - "New research suggests lockdowns are re-shaping our social networks. What does that mean for our post-Covid relationships?"
• Covid-19 lockdowns have improved global air quality, data shows - "Huge drops in pollution recorded around world."
• The dark truth behind the million-dollar 'black gold' business - "In July 2020, US authorities seized 13 tons of human hair imported from Xinjiang, China, and alleged the products were made with forced labor. CNN's Ivan Watson traces the supply chain of the multimillion-dollar hair business in the US and uncovers the dark truth behind it."
• Coronavirus-Inspired Dessert Is Going ‘Viral’ In Prague - "This week, as new state of emergency gets under way in the Czech Republic to combat the spread of Covid-19, Prague residents are lining up to get a taste of a “virus cake” that has become the talk of the town."
• POCKETBOOK COLOR REVIEW: IS COLOR E INK FINALLY READY? - "E Ink Kaleido is the best screen tech yet for color e-readers."
• In a World Gone Mad, Paper Planners Offer Order & Delight - "On Instagram and Facebook, members of a wonderfully obsessive community organize every aspect of their lives - through pandemics and protests - with binders and stickers."
• 'Total destruction': why fires are tearing across South America - "Wildfires, mostly caused by land clearing for cattle grazing and soya production, have set four nations ablaze."
• How to clean your bed: 'If you didn’t wash it for a year it would be a kilo heavier from dead skin' - "How often should you wash your sheets, pillows, doona and mattress? And when is it time to throw them out? Experts explain how to keep your bed clean."
• Ellen DeGeneres’ Show ‘loses over a third of viewers amid toxic’ work environment claims - "Earlier this year, numerous anonymous employees on The Ellen Show came forward in a damning report on Buzzfeed claiming to be working in an environment of racism, fear and intimidation."
• This Is the Only Time You Should Buy a Car With a Credit Card - TIME Magazine.

October 8, 2020

• Watch the key exchanges from debate - "The vice-presidential candidates debated the administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic - but also tackled subjects like foreign policy, racial justice and the environment."
• Hits & misses from the VP debate - "The first -- and only -- vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris is over. It was a far more civil affair than last week's debacle between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden."
• Fact check: Pence echoes Trump's false claims at vice presidential debate - "Vice President Mike Pence echoed some of President Donald Trump's most common falsehoods and misleading statements during the lone vice presidential debate with Sen. Kamala Harris on Wednesday night -- though in a more restrained, neatly packaged way."
• Trump calls Covid diagnosis 'blessing from God' amid false treatment claims - "President returns to Oval Office despite concerns he should be self-isolating as virus spreads in White House."
• Trump enjoys top Covid care that could cost ordinary Americans millions - "Experts say president’s five-star round-the-clock treatment would result ‘catastrophic debt for most people’."
• Why coronavirus has been less deadly in Africa - "Coronavirus in Africa: Five reasons why Covid-19 has been less deadly than elsewhere."
• Apple will reveal the iPhone 12 on October 13th - "The company is finally entering the 5G era."
• The Highest-Paid Actresses 2020 - "Small Screen Stars Like Sofia Vergara, Ellen Pompeo And Elisabeth Moss Shine. With few movies premiering, TV and streaming are where the Benjamins are."
• Movie-going could 'become extinct' warns director - "Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins has said that movie-going is facing a real threat of extinction."
• Cruise ships seen torn apart after Covid sell off - "On the beach, once-gleaming vessels lie dilapidated, their innards exposed, barely recognizable from their seafaring glory days."
• 'Supersonic travel is here': Boom rolls out XB-1 demonstrator aircraft - "More than 50 years after the world's first supersonic airliner took its maiden flight, the Denver based start-up has made history with the roll out of XB-1, the first independently developed supersonic aircraft."
• How to get through loss - "My mother died of Covid. Here's what I've learned about how to grieve."
• Antigua & Barbuda Launch Digital Nomad Visa - "Antigua and Barbuda joins the ranks of countries now offering long-term visas for digital nomads. Countries as varied as Bermuda and Estonia have started to see the value of having successful individuals live for extended stays, spending outside money in their economies. Digital nomads might not spend as much per-day as a tourist, but they make up for it in number of days."
• A Yacht for Your Toys, When Your Superyacht Isn’t Enough: The Lynx YXT 34 - "If you’re rich enough to be able to afford a multi-million superyacht for the occasional cruise, you’re rich enough to afford another yacht for your toys alone."
• The e-scooter: road menace or saviour of the commute? - "They may be a common sight, but privately owned motorised scooters are still illegal on Britain’s roads and pavements. But with rental scheme trials taking place across the country, could they be answer to getting to work in the pandemic?"
• The surprising flaw in driverless cars - "Why driverless cars have an emissions problem. Emissions from motor vehicles are some of the biggest contributors to climate change around the world - but is the cold efficiency of self-driving cars a solution?"
• How major life events impact our long-term wellbeing - "Although people lead unique lives, new data says that we all experience relatively similar things - and how we feel about them is pretty consistent, too."
• Pappy Van Winkle Announces Its 2021 Whiskey Lineup - Forbes.
• Logitech MX Anywhere 3 review: the best gets smaller - "Superb scrolling."
• How to Save Time & Type Faster With AutoHotKey - "One simple tool gives you the power to build your own custom time-saving keyboard shortcuts. Here’s how to set it up and get through that drudgework faster."
• 10 Best Money Podcasts You Should Listen to Now - "You can learn about the intricacies of investing, how to avoid other people’s mistakes, and the most up-to-date information from experts—all without divulging a single thing about yourself."

October 7, 2020

• Billionaire Wealth Hits $10 Trillion For First Time Ever Thanks To Government Stimulous - "Coronavirus has boosted total billionaire wealth to its highest level ever. Since the pandemic begun, the total wealth held by billionaires around the world has grown by a quarter to over $10 trillion."
• Donald Trump Is Not Pro-Life. His Response to COVID-19 Proves It - "As Americans have begun to vote in the presidential election, one must make an important distinction in Donald Trump’s record in office. It’s entirely fair to call him nominally anti-abortion. It’s not credible to call him pro-life. And the distinction matters."
• Flurry of coronavirus reinfections leaves scientists puzzled - "Though far from common, some patients developed worse symptoms the second time they became infected with Covid-19."
• Europe must go beyond science to survive Covid crisis, says WHO - "Authorities urged to develop policies to tackle ‘virus fatigue’ as Finland, Poland and Russia join nations with rapidly rising cases."
• Four Covid rules broken by Trump & the White House - "How did so many of US President Donald Trump's top team become infected with coronavirus? We analyse CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines and whether the White House has been following them."
• Tracking Covid-19 in Trump's circle - "Here's who has tested positive and negative for Covid-19 in Trump's circle."
• Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani coughs his way through anti-mask interview - "Giuliani, awaiting the results of a Covid test, in spluttering Fox News exchange criticizes Joe Biden for wearing a mask."
• Trump's Covid-19 diagnosis inspired almost a quarter more Americans to wear a mask, a new poll finds - "One in every five Americans recently polled say they're more likely to wear a mask now that President Donald Trump has tested positive for Covid-19."
• Under America's Broken Health Care System, Some Who Downplayed COVID-19 Received the Best Treatment For It - TIME Magazine.
• How Does a Pandemic End? Here's What We Can Learn From the 1918 Flu - "Current scientific understanding is that only a vaccine will put an end to this pandemic, but how we get there remains to be seen. It seems safe to say, however, that some day, somehow, it will end. After all, other viral pandemics have. Take, for example, the flu pandemic of 1918-1919."
• Facebook says it will ban QAnon - "Facebook said Tuesday it will ban any pages, groups, and Instagram accounts representing the conspiracy theory QAnon from its platform."
• Facebook deletes Trump's Covid-19 post - "Trump Covid post deleted by Facebook and hidden by Twitter. Facebook has deleted a post in which President Trump had claimed Covid-19 was 'less lethal' than the flu."
• Singapore will pay citizens to have a baby during the pandemic - "Singapore will offer a one-time payment to aspiring parents during the coronavirus pandemic."
• 6 Places You Can Travel To In October - "Many countries are seeing a rise in COVID-19 case numbers once again. In Europe it looks as if the dreaded second wave is striking many areas. And yet things are continuing to open up in the world of travel and tourism. A significant number of countries appear to be realizing they need to work out ways to open borders sooner rather than later. As ever, requirements and approaches vary, but the trend is broadly towards allowing incoming visitors."
• How the most expensive clothes in the world get made - "Haute couture is the highest of high fashion, the best that money can buy. From how it's made to how it gets to the red carpet, here's everything you need to know about couture."
• Why touch matters more than ever - "Are we in the midst of a touch crisis? Even as we have to keep our distance, the importance of human contact is becoming clearer."
• Bitcoin's 12.3 million-digit code transformed into surreal paintings - "Bitcoin may be completely paperless, but one artist has meticulously dragged it into the physical world by hand-painting the cryptocurrency's 12.3 million-digit founding code across 40 separate paintings."

October 6, 2020

• Trump makes bizarre White House return despite warnings - "A strongly medicated President Donald Trump bolted from his VIP hospital bubble Monday, staging a bizarre White House comeback that included an irresponsible mask removal and a reckless pronouncement there is nothing to fear from Covid-19, which has already killed 210,000 Americans."
• President Trump Is Getting an 'Unprecedented' Mix of COVID-19 Treatments. That Puts Him On the Cutting Edge of Coronavirus Care - "With each day since U.S. President Donald Trump reported that he tested positive for COVID-19, his doctors have added a new major therapy to treat the disease, for a total of three at this point."
• Donald Trump's desperation to leave hospital shows the dangers ahead - "The president’s carelessness about others’ safety shows he will do almost anything not to lose in November."
• Why won't White House say when Trump had last test? - "It was only last week that we learned that Donald and Melania Trump had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Since then, the president has been admitted to hospital and a growing number of senior government officials and aides have themselves tested positive."
• One in 10 worldwide may have had virus, WHO says - "One in 10 people around the world may have contracted Covid-19, the World Health Organization said, at a special meeting of WHO leaders."
• Only 4 countries in Europe are below critical Covid threshold - "The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control's (ECDC) coronavirus alarm threshold is 20 cases per 100,000 people on a seven-day average. Beyond that, the agency says, the risk of Covid-19 is high, with a very high probability of infection, while vulnerable individuals face a "very high impact" from the disease."
• How to tell which countries are coping best with Covid - "As the Covid crisis has unfolded, infection rates have fluctuated and restrictions have proliferated. But it has always felt that there was one idea to cling to: that by working out which countries were doing well - and which were not - there was something to be learned."
• How to make a vaccine in 12 months - "The quest to make a global vaccine in 12 months. The global quest to find a vaccine for Covid-19 has so far tended to focus on the clinical research, but manufacture and distribution also need to be considered."
• History Shows America Benefits From Transparency About the President's Health. Too Bad That’s So Rare - TIME Magazine.
• What 'The Social Dilemma' Gets Wrong - "'The Social Dilemma' buries the substance in sensationalism. Rather than offer a nuanced look at technology, it gives a distorted view of how social media platforms work to create a convenient scapegoat for what are difficult and complex societal problems."
• The crisis facing our oceans - "There's 14 million metric tons of microplastics sitting on the seafloor, study finds."
• Melania Trump discusses Stormy Daniels in secretly recorded tapes - "Stephanie Winston Wolkoff releases another recording, in which the first lady calls Daniels ‘the porn hooker’."
• Unseen spoof by Raymond Chandler shows writer's 'human side' - "Noir master had a chilly reputation, but self-parodic Advice to an Employer - being published for the first time this month - shows him in a warmer light."
• Flawless 102-carat diamond a 'bargain' at $16m - "A rare 102-carat white diamond has sold at auction for $15.7m (£12.1m) in what experts say is a 'bargain'. The gemstone went to an unnamed telephone bidder. The auction was held online by Sotheby's in Hong Kong due to the pandemic. The diamond was taken from a 271-carat stone which was discovered at a Canadian mine in 2018."
• Venice holds back the water for first time in 1,200 years - "Saturday was the first acqua alta of the season for Venice. It was also the day when, after decades of delays, controversy and corruption, the city finally trialled its long-awaited flood barriers against the tide."
• Nobel prize for literature tipped to make safe pick after years of scandal - "Having been postponed in 2018, last year’s return drew heavy fire for the selection of Peter Handke, so experts expect a cautious choice this week."
• How to create a happier workspace - "How ‘biophilic’ design can create a better workspace. If you’re feeling less than enthused about working from home, one design philosophy could make you more productive - and, simply, happier."
• Instagram brings back classic icons to celebrate its tenth birthday - "The Polaroids are back."
• GOOGLE NEST AUDIO REVIEW: THE SWEET SPOT - "Google’s latest smart speaker has good sound and an attractive price."
• Google & Samsonite’s smart backpack is a better use of Jacquard - "But only if you’re still carrying a backpack to places these days."
• Jacquard by Google - "It's a new Every Thing."
• Project Jacquard - "User-input technology. A platform for embedding sensors and feedback devices in fabrics and clothing in ways that seem natural and comfortable. The platform encompasses techniques for creating fashion fabrics with conductive fibers woven into them, plus small, flexible computing components and feedback devices (such as haptics or LEDs), along with software APIs that applications can use to exchange data with the garment. In one basic use-case, users can provide input to a mobile phone by touching or stroking the garment in a designated location, and can receive alerts through vibrations, sounds, or lights in the garment. With an embedded Project Soli sensor built into the garment, the application can also recognize finger gestures or other signals."

October 5, 2020

• Trump has Covid, but he's not taking the pandemic seriously - "President Donald Trump's fight with Covid-19 has so far not convinced him to prioritize a responsible approach to a pandemic that has killed 209,000 Americans over his own political needs."
• How Britain & Brazil coped with their leaders catching covid-19 - "Will Trump’s COVID-19 Infection Change the Way He Manages the Pandemic? It Didn’t for the Leaders of Brazil and the U.K."
• Unanswered questions about Trump's Covid crisis - "It has been three days since the shocking revelation that Donald and Melania Trump tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Since then, the president has been admitted to hospital and a growing number of senior government officials and aides have themselves tested positive."
• Sean Conley: who is the Trump doctor whose updates are raising questions - "Physician’s press briefings leave medical experts, analysts and the public searching for the truth as to how sick the president really is."
• Trump's White House event in focus over Covid spread - "US President Donald Trump's tweet on Friday confirming that he and his wife had tested positive for coronavirus shocked the world."
• Getting Covid is the most democratic thing Trump has ever done - "First Dog on the Moon."
• 'Emperor has no clothes': man who helped make Trump myth says facade has fallen - "Tony Schwartz, who ghostwrote The Art of the Deal, says nothing is more important to the president than ‘being seen as very, very rich’ - but revelations about his finances have shattered that image."
• Donald Trump Supporters Are Undaunted By His COVID-19 Diagnosis - TIME Magazine.
• Pope Francis says capitalism has failed in the pandemic - "Pope Francis disparaged so-called trickle-down economic theory, saying the pandemic has shown that free-market policies cannot solve all of humanity's most dire needs."
• The Best Politics Podcasts to Help You Make Sense of the 2020 Election - "This is a strange and confusing election year—to put it mildly. It seems impossible to fathom how the spread of COVID-19, protests for racial justice across the country and a vacant Supreme Court seat will factor into who wins on November 3. And many questions remain unanswered: Should you vote in person or by mail? What does the fact that so many pollsters and pundits predicted a Clinton win in 2016 mean for Joe Biden’s poll numbers in 2020?"
• Apple is hiding a smile behind its new mask emoji - "Because wearing a mask doesn’t mean you’re sick or sad."
• Kenzo Takada: Japanese designer dies from Covid-19 - "The Japanese founder of popular fashion brand Kenzo has died aged 81, from complications linked to coronavirus."
• Why this space age airplane could change flying forever - "It looks like a spaceship, runs on fuel that up until a few years ago experts were calling 'crazy,' and has barely left the drawing board, but in the eyes of one of the world's leading aircraft manufacturers, it's undoubtedly the future."
• What Are Ebike 'Classes' & What Do They Mean? - "According to your state's laws, ebikes can be designated as Class 1, 2, or 3. That determines what you can ride and where."
• N-word: The troubled history of the racial slur - "'It's the filthiest, dirtiest, nastiest word in the English language.'"
• What would happen if GPS disappeared? - "Satellite navigation keeps our world running in ways many people barely realise, but it is also increasingly vulnerable. What could we use instead?"
• Zeiss’ full-frame Android camera is available to preorder for $6,000 - "It has a 37-megapixel full-frame sensor, a fixed 35mm f/2 lens, an electronic viewfinder, and three dials to control aperture, shutter speed, and ISO. More unusually, it has a 4.3-inch touchscreen and runs a variant of Android, including a built-in version of Adobe Lightroom so you can edit right on the device itself. There’s also Wi-Fi, USB-C, and 512GB of onboard storage."

October 4, 2020

• Trump says he is doing well, but next couple of days the 'real test' - "He posted a video on Twitter ahead of a second night in hospital, where he is being treated for Covid-19."
• Trump's alternate reality of Covid-19 crumbles as the White House obfuscates - "Some seven months into a pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans, the nation is now facing a grave governing crisis with its commander in chief hospitalized -- his condition hinging on his progress over the coming days -- as the White House events of the past week serve as a textbook example of how not to handle a deadly virus."
• Who's in the running for for the Nobel Peace Prize? - "Ardern, Navalny, WHO - but not Trump. A diverse list of contenders for the Nobel Peace Prize."

October 3, 2020

• Trump flown to hospital after Covid-19 positive test - "A feverish US President Donald Trump has been flown to hospital after testing positive for coronavirus."
• Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis shows the limits of relying on testing alone - "Masks and distancing have to go with testing."
• Who he met & who's tested positive - "President Donald Trump's coronavirus diagnosis comes after a busy week running his administration and campaigning ahead of the 3 November election, during which time he has interacted with many high-level officials."
• No one has 'any' idea what happens next - CNN Politics.
• Scramble under way in Washington to trace spread of Covid among US leadership - "Donald Trump’s positive test after hectic week puts White House into crisis mode."
• Here's Everywhere We Know Trump Has Been Since Monday - TIME Magazine.
• Trump on Covid-19 in his own words - "Here is a reminder of what he has said in the past about Covid-19 and the pandemic."
• The Presidential Debate Was the Kind of COVID-19 Risk Experts Have Been Warning Us About - "For months, experts have hammered home this message: The riskiest place to be during the COVID-19 pandemic is a poorly-ventilated indoor environment with lots of other people, particularly if those people are unmasked. If even one person in such circumstances is infected, an innocent gathering can quickly turn into a super-spreading event."
• What would happen if Trump became too ill to be president? - "Just weeks away from the presidential election, Donald Trump has tested positive for coronavirus."
• Twitter warns it will suspend users who publicly hope for Trump’s death - "It’s not clear how often Twitter will enforce the rule."
• Melania Trump tapes reveal complaints on Christmas and migrant children row - "First lady takes aim at holiday decorations and criticism for family separations in tapes released by Stephanie Winston Wolkoff."
• Revelation of vast 'consulting fees' threatens damage for Ivanka Trump - "First daughter apparently took almost $750,000 from the Trump Organization while she was simultaneously an employee."
• A vaccine can provide better immunity than an actual infection. Here's why - "Two recent studies have confirmed that two people previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, can be reinfected with the virus."
• Can nature heal itself? What the pandemic has shown us - "In the dark early days of the coronavirus pandemic, when a death toll of 1 million was still unimaginable, there was one bright spot: nature appeared to be healing."
• Release of James Bond film No Time To Die delayed - again - "The film has now been further delayed until 2 April 2021 'in order to be seen by a worldwide theatrical audience', a statement on the film's website said."
• Nine films to watch in October - "This month sees the release of Aaron Sorkin’s latest, as well as a post-Taken Liam Neeson action movie."
• A hit song writer's former villa on one of the world's best beaches is up for sale - "The beach house formerly belonging to popular Italian songwriter Domenico Modugno who penned the legendary hit 'Volare' is up for sale on the spectacular island of Lampedusa, so far off the southern-most tip of Sicily that it's closer to Tunisian than Italian shores."
• The cat who hitched a lift on a worldwide tour - "When former Edinburgh Rugby player Dean Nicholson packed his job in to travel the world, he hoped it would be a life-changing experience."
• High & dry: will India's swimming camels be the last of their kind? - "Rapid industrialisation in Gujarat threatens the mangroves that kharai camels and their nomadic herders depend on."
• Aerial view of a cruise ship graveyard - "The cruise industry was hit hard by the pandemic, and no-sail orders put in place by some countries."
• World’s Largest Private Whiskey Collection Is Up For Auction - "Totaling 9,000 bottles and 2,000-plus miniatures, Pat’s Whiskey Collection is the single largest private collection of whiskeys ever brought to auction."
• If iOS 14 is causing battery drain, you might need to wipe your iPhone - "Apple’s current fix for the iOS / watchOS issue is to completely reset your devices."
• Apple’s new spatial audio feature turns the AirPods Pro into a home theater for your ears - "Spatial audio and auto switching are genuinely useful new tricks."
• Apple spatial audio: what is it? How do you get it? - "Everything you need to know about Apple’s newly released 3D audio tech."
• meet the alternative world champions - "From a double-title peashooter to the Michael Schumacher of lawn-mower racing, the unlikeliest sports require skill and stamina."

October 2, 2020

• Trump tests positive for coronavirus - "President Donald Trump tweets he and first lady Melania Trump test positive for Covid-19."
• Trump's doctor releases statement after the President & first lady test positive for Covid-19 - "President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for coronavirus, the President announced early Friday morning, an extraordinary development coming months into a global pandemic and in the final stretch of his reelection campaign."
• President Trump Has COVID-19. Nobody Knows What Happens Now - "Nobody knows exactly what happens next. The President of the United States has contracted a disease that has killed more than 207,000 Americans and sickened some 7.3 million. It will undoubtedly add new chaos into an election season already in uncharted territory as a result of the global pandemic, the resulting economic downturn, a reckoning on racial justice and wildfires torching the American West."
• What CDC guidelines say Trump & first lady should do - "Here's what CDC guidelines say should happen next."
• US election 2020: Fact-checking Trump on coronavirus - "President Donald Trump's response to the coronavirus pandemic, in which more than 200,000 people in the US have died, has become a key issue in the forthcoming election."
• WW3 warning: 'Doomsday plane flying over DC' as Trump tests positive for coronavirus - "Donald Trump tested positive for coronavirus this morning. Shortly before the news broke, the US Navy's doomsday planes were spotted flying on both American coasts."
• Have that coffee after breakfast especially if you had a bad night's sleep, research suggests - "A strong coffee after a poor night's sleep is the kick-start many people need in the morning but new research suggests that it might be best to have a bite to eat first."
• Where to find the world's best coffee - "International Coffee Day 2020: Where to find the world's best coffee and how they make it."
• Everything New on Netflix in October & What's Leaving - TIME Magazine.
• How to Build a ‘Good Enough’ Investment Portfolio - "Robo-advisors, micro-investing, DIY strategy - or just handing your money over to a financial planner. There are many ways to get started investing, but how do you know if you’re doing it right? It can feel incredibly stressful and overwhelming at first, like a simple mistake could derail your entire financial future."
• What the World’s Richest Woman Can Teach Us About Charitable Giving - "Whether you have $25 million or $25 to spare, there’s a lot to learn from how the world’s richest woman, MacKenzie Scott, is donating her fortune."
• Delphine BoËl: Belgium ex-king's love child wins royal titles - "The love child of former Belgian King Albert II has won a court battle to grant her the same rights and titles as her father's children by his marriage."
• The surprising downsides of empathy - "There’s a dark side to feeling the emotions of other people. In some cases, it can even lead to cruelty, aggression, and distress."
• The tiny Swiss town that inspired Nietzsche - "The philosopher spent seven summers in this 750-person Alpine village, and it was here that he birthed his most famous - and controversial - ideas."
• Inside LeBron James’ New $36.8 Million Beverly Hills Mansion - "LeBron James closed on his third home in Los Angeles this week, a 13,000-square-foot mansion in Beverly Hills. He paid $36.75 million, slightly below the original listing price of $39 million."
• Last Chance For iPhone Owners To Claim Up To $500 From Apple - Find Out How - "iPhone owners in the U.S. have less than a week left to claim compensation from Apple for the Batterygate scandal, which could see them awarded as much as $500."

October 1, 2020

• US election: Rules on debates to change after Trump-Biden spat - "The commission that oversees US presidential debates says it will change the format to ensure the remaining two encounters between Donald Trump and Joe Biden are more orderly."
• Why Donald Trump's Former Housekeeper - and Millions of Other American Workers - Paid More in Federal Taxes Than Her Boss - TIME Magazine.
• Bob Woodward: We now have a constitutional problem - "Legendary journalist Bob Woodward and CNN's Wolf Blitzer discuss the first presidential debate between President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden."
• Proud Boys: who are the far-right group that backs Donald Trump? - "Organisation founded ahead of 2016 US election is classified by the FBI as an ‘extremist group’."
• US election 2020: A really simple guide - "The US president has a huge influence on people's lives both at home and abroad, so when the next election is held on 3 November, the outcome will matter to everyone."
• 'Only time will tell': Russia places huge bet on Covid vaccine - "Country will be giving 10m doses of Sputnik V a month by December, says head of fund backing vaccine."
• Neanderthal genes increase risk of serious Covid-19, study claims - "Strand of DNA inherited by modern humans is linked to likelihood of falling severely ill."
• If you’re sick this fall, you’ll probably get two virus tests - "Doctors have to distinguish the flu from COVID-19."
• 17 ways to unwind after a stressful day - without hitting the booze - "Thousands of people will attempt to give up alcohol next month and for many it will be the hour after work that ruins their plans. Here’s how to relax without reaching for alcohol."
• "Stand back and stand by": Trump declines to condemn white supremacists at debate - "President Trump on Tuesday refused to unequivocally condemn white supremacists and far-right groups who have responded to ongoing protests against police brutality and racial injustice, instead pinning the blame for violent clashes on the 'left wing.'"
• Facebook takes a big step in linking Instagram, Messenger & WhatsApp - "Some Instagram users will now be able to message their friends on Messenger, without needing a Facebook account."
• Greenland's ice sheet is melting as fast as at any time in the last 12,000 years, study shows - "Greenland lost more ice last year than in any year on record, and the melting has accelerated rapidly since the 1990s."
• Why you can 'hear' words inside your head - "When we have concious thoughts, we can often hear a voice inside our heads - now new research is revealing why."
• 5 Best New TV Shows Our Critic Watched in September 2020 - TIME Magazine.
• Whisky Review: New Benriach, GlenDronach, Glenmorangie, And More - Forbes.
• 118.88-Carat Burmese ‘Royal Blue’ Sapphire Leads Sotheby’s Hong Kong Auction - "Exceptional colored gems will take center stage at the next Sotheby’s Hong Kong Magnificent Jewels sale, which will be held live on October 7 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre."
• Superyacht Insider: Lucky Few See Inside Russian Banking Billionaire’s New 252-Foot-Long Expedition Yacht At Invitation-Only Event - "In a normal year, Damen Yachting’s innovative 252-foot-long SeaXplorer expedition yacht La Datcha would have been a star of the Monaco Yacht Show... and probably claimed some awards as well. But, as we all know, 2020 is not a normal year."
• Switzerland / Geneva to raise minimum wage to world's highest - "Geneva to introduce minimum wage of 4,086 Swiss francs a month. Voters back measure amid reports of growing poverty linked to Covid-19 pandemic."
• 'Denim is rubbish for keeping you warm': experts' tips for cold-weather dressing - "Avoid thick socks with tight shoes, try a neck buff and invest in a rechargeable waistcoat – top tips for dressing warm from a groundsman, a National Trust ranger and a cold-water swimmer."