By romrodinka / Getty Images The season of Christmas markets has officially begun in Europe. But this year, many cities have chosen to shake up traditions in order to save energy. Fewer street lights, use of more efficient LED lights, no more ice rinks…
Arab fans’ World Cup fever cooled by Qatar costs
By GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP Qatar’s World Cup will be the first on Arab soil but despite excitement in the Middle East, the fervour is not universal in a region usually united by its passion for football. Qatar’s World Cup will be the first on Arab soil but…
Subarctic boreal forest, vital for the planet, is at risk
By Ed JONES / AFP It burns, it drifts, it falls victim to insects. And it’s shrinking. It burns, it drifts, it falls victim to insects. And it’s shrinking. The boreal forest, which is second only to the Amazon in terms of its vital role in ensuring the…
In Sweden, you’ll soon have to pay to visit certain national museums
By Aliaksandr Antanovich / Getty Images At a time when the operating expenses of cultural institutions are skyrocketing, free admission to museums and cultural heritage sites is up for debate. This is the case in Sweden, where some of the country’s lar…
Get ready to join that Zoom meeting in your Tesla
By Zoom / YouTube Zoom recently announced that its famous video conferencing service will soon be available in Tesla cars. That will make it possible for you to take part in a Zoom meeting from behind the wheel of your car… but only when you are not …
Despite crisis, UK’s Blackpool keeps the lights on
By AFP PHOTO/CARL DE SOUZA CARL DE SOUZA / AFP At this time of year, the British coastal resort of Blackpool shows its best face by night, when one million LED lamps light up the seafront for more than six miles (10 kilometres). At this time of year, t…
Online scams push Chinese victims into debt and shame
By baona / Getty Images Once carefree and comfortable, Huang is now haunted by debt — the target of a scheme operated by international crime groups that force human trafficking victims to do online scamming work. Once carefree and comfortable, Huang i…
Qatar robo-jockey camel races hope to draw World Cup crowd
By Khalil MAZRAAWI / AFP Sitting in a white all-terrain truck, Nasser al-Marri watched his remote-controlled camel race across the Qatar desert and insisted that his sport makes football pale in comparison. Sitting in a white all-terrain truck, Nasser …
Changpeng Zhao, the undisputed king of crypto
By Eric PIERMONT / AFP At parties, on stages and in meetings, Changpeng Zhao is rarely seen without his black polo shirt, emblazoned with the insignia of his crypto firm Binance. At parties, on stages and in meetings, Changpeng Zhao is rarely seen with…
Smart farming tech offers sprout of hope in Greece
By 000_32MX8GF.jpg Eyes glued to his mobile phone, farmer Sotiris Mournos pores over the latest microclimate and humidity data about his fields on the plain of Imathia in northern Greece. Eyes glued to his mobile phone, farmer Sotiris Mournos pores ove…