Due to heavy rains in England and Wales, 2019 Cricket World Cup is the wettest tournament of all time resulting in abandonments of several matches. Unlike many other sports, cricket is very weather-sensitive. Climate change could very well destroy it.
Sailing race records high volume of plastic particles
The global scale of plastic pollution could be much worse than previously thought. Micro-plastics have been found in some of the most remote regions of the oceans: samples taken from the middle of the South Indian Ocean show micro-plastic pollution detected at high volumes, 42 particles per cubic meter.
Avian archivists: Bird nests reveal hidden manuscripts
During the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral, which was constructed in the early 15th century in Zvenigorod, Russian archaeologists made a fascinating discovery. They found numerous bird nests that had been built over several centuries under the deteriorated roof.
Robbie Williams in Moscow
I went to a Robbie Williams concert in Moscow, expecting a guilty pleasure kind of event. It turned out to be anything but. Let’s be honest: the show was brilliant. Robbie swore like a sailor, performed all the major hits (including Supreme and Road to Mandalay—staples of my early 2000s personal soundtrack), donned a skirt, and even brought his dad on stage for a duet.
Iyeoka in Moscow
I watch far too many TV shows—this much is certain. For a while, I tried to justify the addiction. Watching them in the original language does improve your vocabulary, right? But as it turns out, they also expand your horizons. Take the long-forgotten series Fairly Legal, for example. It introduced me to two things: the concept of mediation and the music of Iyeoka, a truly magical artist.
Nicole Henry in Novosibirsk
Writing about Nicole Henry’s concert feels as futile as reviewing the tide or a solar eclipse. She’s stunning, charming, witty, sensual—and yet, none of these words even begin to capture the experience of seeing her perform.
Unmet expectations: Novosibirsk gathering of tech leaders, diplomats, and Ashton Kutcher
In February 2010, a colourful assembly in Novosibirsk involved tech CEOs, US diplomats, and a Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher—all part of a U.S.-Russia Bilateral Presidential Commission.