| Read time: 2 minute(s)

What went right this week

Solar-powered cargo bikes arrived Cargo bikes were already the quickest way to transport goods across a city, according to a study published last year. Little wonder they are being touted as the future of urban transport. Now they have even more of a competitive advantage thanks to two German companies, which have developed lightweight solar […]
| Read time: 4 minute(s)

This fashion label turns refugee life jackets into statement clothing.

For fashion label founder and former refugee Mohamed Malim, the discarded jackets are symbols of perseverance. Mohamed Malim, a former Somali refugee who went to the US when he was three, wants his fashion label to start conversations.  His Minnesota-based startup Epimonia takes life jackets from the Greek island of Lesbos that were worn by […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

Debate of the Week

Are we losing more than words? Linguists say the world’s minority languages are going through a mass extinction event. This may make communication easier. But what else is lost? Imagine looking at someone. Both of you want to speak but are afraid to start. This is called mamihlapinatapai, in the South American language of Yamana. […]
| Read time: 3 minute(s)

Patron the bomb sniffling hero

A tiny Jack Russell terrier has won hearts and admirers for helping neutralize hundreds of Russian explosives in Ukraine. Now he’s won state honors, too. Patron the bomb-sniffing dog– and his owner, Mykhailo Iliev of the Civil Protection Service— received a medal from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a news conference on Sunday, in recognition […]
| Read time: 4 minute(s)

DEBATE OF THE DAY

Would you welcome a Ukrainian into your home? The Russian retreat has allowed a clearer picture to emerge of the huge amount of damage and destruction to lives and towns and villages seized during their push towards the capital. More than two million people have fled Ukraine since the Russian invasion began. This is becoming […]
| Read time: 4 minute(s)

HOW TO TALK TO YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT THE RUSSIA – UKRAINE CONFLICT?

If your kids have heard about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they may be feeling nervous. Thanks to social media and online outlets, young people have access to more news sources than ever.  How should you answer your kids’ questions about what’s going on? If they don’t ask, should you bring up the issue yourself? […]
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Are the Olympics cancelled?

A senior Japanese ruling party official said on Thursday that cancelling this year’s Olympics in Tokyo remains an option if the coronavirus crisis becomes too dire, dropping a bomb on a hot-button issue and sending social media into a frenzy. The Tokyo Olympics Organising Committee responded with a statement saying all those involved in preparing […]
| Read time: 3 minute(s)

Egyptian Messi lookalike thrills soccer-loving orphans

They may not be meeting the real Lionel Messi, but Islam Battah’s resemblance to the Barcelona footballer is so uncanny, that the children at an orphanage in the Egyptian city of Zagazig swarm around him in delight anyway. Seeing the excitement his presence causes at such events, the 27-year-old Egyptian painter is happy to pose […]
| Read time: 3 minute(s)

Google, BMW, Volvo, and Samsung SDI sign up to WWF call for temporary ban on deep-sea mining

Google, BMW, Volvo and Samsung SDI are the first global companies to have signed up to a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) call for a moratorium on deep-sea mining, the WWF said on Wednesday. In backing the call, the companies commit not to source any minerals from the seabed, to exclude such minerals from their supply […]
| Read time: 6 minute(s)

IN DEPTH: Huge Container Ship Blocks Suez Canal

A massive container ship got stuck in the middle of the Suez Canal on Tuesday, blocking traffic in a very important shipping area. It’s not known how long it will take to free the ship and open the canal again. What is the Suez Canal? The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway in Egypt which […]