The exodus of Paris’ chefs to the countryside

Emily Monaco Features correspondent Alexandre Guirkinger Tarte aux mûres sauvages (wild blackberry tart) at D’Une Ile (Credit: Alexandre Guirkinger) Many top culinary masters are abandoning the French capital in favour of greener pastures, where they can have a hand not just in choosing, but in growing their ingredients. It began before the pandemic: an exodus […]
The UK’s haven for alternative thinking

Daniel Stables Features correspondent Centre for Alternative Technology The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) has spent the last half a century redefining the relationship between nature and humankind (Credit: Centre for Alternative Technology) Trailblazing scientists, architects and engineers are flocking to a sleepy Welsh town, where their environmental breakthroughs are changing – and helping to […]
Passengers stranded as flights to and from Belfast International cancelled

BBC Jonathan Boyd should be in Spain – but instead he is in Belfast Travellers say they feel “let down” after they were left stranded by cancellations and delays at Belfast International Airport. Passengers were stuck after an Easyjet flight to Portugal was cancelled on Sunday, while others flying with TUI were left on the […]
Gold, rabbits and crypto: Venezuela’s strange economic plans

Daniel Gallas BBC South America Business Correspondent Getty Images Venezuela has revamped its currency to try to stem rampant inflation For years, Venezuela has been in the headlines for its economic woes, including chronic shortages of food and medicine. Inflation may hit the one million per cent mark this year and 2.3 million people have […]
Will the US target oil exports?

Daniel Gallas South America Business Correspondent Getty Images Venezuela’s oil industry is a key source of cash for the government In its battle against the rule of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, the United States has been trying to cripple the government’s ability to secure funds and run the country – with sanctions that target officials, […]
What does Yellowhammer say about no-deal impact?

Reality Check team BBC News Google The government has released an assessment of the possible effects of a no-deal Brexit on the UK, after MPs demanded that it be made public. It was drawn up as part of “Operation Yellowhammer” – the name for the government’s contingency plan to prepare for leaving the European Union […]
The French take on a trendy ‘superfood’

Nicola Williams Features correspondent Focus_on_Nature/Getty Images (Credit: Focus_on_Nature/Getty Images) Fisherwoman Scarlette Le Corre has spent a lifetime quietly revolutionising fishing in France and the greater story of seaweed cultivation, culture and cuisine in Brittany. As Scarlette Le Corre edges slowly through the sun-blazed shallows at low tide, emerald sea lettuce and ginger sea spaghetti kaleidoscope […]
Meet Australia’s new go-it-alone investors

Phil Mercer Features correspondent Alamy It’s not for the faint-hearted, going solo with your life savings. But in search of a more prosperous retirement, that’s exactly what two million Australians have decided to do. They’ve taken matters in to their own hands, ditching traditional professional investment services in favour of (either completely or partially) running […]
Train your brain for ethical decisions

Eric Barton Features correspondent Learn to plan out your response to ethical quandaries – before they ever happen. (Thinkstock) People in Austin, Texas, used to know the name of chef Jesse Griffiths for his supper club, Dai Due, or because of his popular stand at the city’s farmer’s market. But these days, Griffiths gets most […]
Green coffee shops cut rubbish, but at what cost?

Megan Snedden Features correspondent A year of “actual waste” preserved for display in a jar. Most are outside scraps left behind by customers. (Davidjoshuaford.com) The upfront cost of going green may be a stumbling block for other would-be green coffee shops Perched atop a high shelf at Silo Cafe in Melbourne, Australia, a five-litre jar […]