CATEGORIES

Can Bitcoin Go Green?

A giant Norwegian crypto-mining operation is recycling its waste heat, pushing back against criticism of the famously energy-intensive industry

War games

Amid bleak western intelligence briefi ngs, fading diplomatic hopes and an exodus of foreign nationals from Kyiv, one key question has remained unanswered up to now: exactly how far is Vladimir Putin ready to go to achieve his goals?

‘Open door' Could Sarah Palin make a return to politics?

Removing a white facemask as she took to the witness stand behind a protective screen, Sarah Palin likened herself to the biblical David taking on the mighty Goliath of American media, the New York Times.

Super fly

Cochabamba’s female skateboard collective ImillaSkate has adopted traditional Bolivian clothing as a symbol of resistance. The distinctive look is one way of celebrating their indigenous heritage

Nudge Theory

How gambling-firms keep punters coming back for more

Pécresse makes anti-immigrant play to fend off far right

The rightwing French presi-dential candidate Valérie Pécresse vowed to crack down on immigration as she held her first big rally last Sunday amid competition from the growing far right and defections from her party to the centrist leader Emmanuel Macron.

Fragile states Why do military coups keep happening?

Weak institutions and jihadism are factors behind the frequent overthrow of governments in the region

How a new generation of educated girls defied the Taliban

When the Taliban reached Parveen Tokhi’s home province of Zabul in mid-August and asked to use her school as a temporary barracks, the headteacher was frightened but clear about what she had to do.

Forced out The demise of the Met's ‘tin-eared' trailblazer

Five years ago, the announce-ment that Cressida Dick would be the first female head of Britain’s biggest force seemed a landmark moment for policing and the nation.

Eat me!

Micro-organisms have evolved processes that let them digest plastics. Could they remedy one of Earth’s most pressing problems?

‘Tanks, tanks' On the border with Ukraine, citizens sense onset of war

The military train lurched into the rail depot at Kursk, carrying more snow-dusted main battle tanks, self-propelled artillery and other heavy weapons to within a few hours’ drive by car of the Ukrainian border.

Red poets' society

Between 1982 and 1989, a Stasi poetry-writing group met regularly in Berlin. But was it really just an innocent literary club?

Scholz slated for ‘inaudible' position on Ukraine

Germany’s new chancellor Olaf Scholz is waving goodbye to the honeymoon period of his tenure, as his “inaudible” stance over the brewing crisis on the Ukrainian border is failing to impress not only Russia-hawks abroad but also more ambivalent voters at home.

Cold thaw? Xi and Putin attack west in ‘no limits' unity display

While a full alliance between Moscow and Beijing is unlikely, they want to roll back US influence

The Covid culture wars

It began as a protest against vaccine mandates – but does Ottawa’s truck driver blockade signal the birth of a dangerous new political movement?

PM on the brink as ally calls his exit ‘inevitable'

Boris Johnson’s desperate efforts to save his premier ship were undermined last weekend as one of his most loyal backbench supporters said it was now “inevitable” that Tory MPs would remove him from office over the “party gate” scandal .

One year on The striking workers still fleeing from the military

‘For fear of being arrested , we haven’t been able to go home for nine months’

Carrie Johnson No 10 puppet master or easy target?

Some say the prime minister’s wife is pulling the strings at Downing Street while others dismiss such claims as sexist

BREAKING THE ICE

In 1965, Tété-Michel Kpomassie left his village in Togo for a new life in Greenland. Now, at 80, he’s planning to retire to his ‘spiritual home’

Danger Time Partygate Report Adds To Johnson's Jeopardy

PM braced for findings on lockdown breaches, as MPs, ministers and No 10 staff weigh up whether to back him

The Big Story: Russia/Ukraine

The cold front ‘We are ready for whatever happens' | On the precipice Why Russia is so keen to flex its military muscles | Vladimir Putin is a ‘rogue male’ whose wild rampaging must be stopped

Zeroing In Could Covid Burst The Olympic Bubble?

Like many middle class Chinese, the 26-year-old banker from Beijing spent the first two weeks of January celebrating the new year.

Up, up and away

When inventor David Mayman took to the skies with a jetpack, it seemed he had fulfilled an age-old longing for flight. Yet no one batted an eyelid

Word of Honor

After her acclaimed debut in The Souvenir, the actor returns in its sequel, starring alongside her mother, Tilda, and playing a version of her godmother. All good material for her psychology degree, she says

‘I thought I was going to be a millionaire'

Fears rise that the wild promotion of unregulated crypto assets is creating a new generation of addicts

The shape of things to come

Senegal cast-off western influences after gaining independence in 1960, but though its new African style is neglected, Dakar’s buildings still dazzle

THE KILLING OF A GOD

The naval explorer Captain James Cook was worshipped as a deity in the 18th century. Now his statues are being defaced in the lands he visited as his myth is re-examined.

Opinion

Science has defanged Covid – so let’s learn to get on with our lives | Where are the inspiring female leaders? Not where you might think | The social media mob and cowardice have done away with nuance

Fish pills: the hidden catch

The market in this prized commodity is worth billions – but are the supposed health benefits worth the cost to global ecosystems?

‘We're just country bumpkins!'

Wet Leg’s feelgood anthems have beguiled their fans. But, after playing for fun and turning down record labels, do they finally feel they are a ‘real band’?