All Up to 90 mins articles

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‘Orchidelirium’: how a modern-day flower madness is fuelling the illegal trade

Theft of fine art items isn’t new. Now, traffickers target orchids in a wave of obsession with exotic plants.

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Cashless society draws closer with only one in six payments now in cash

The Covid cirsis has accelerated the shift to a cashless society. Are coins and banknotes becoming obsolete?

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Native American tribe in Maine buys back island taken 160 years ago

The Passamaquoddy’s purchase of Pine Island is the latest in a series of successful ‘land back’ campaigns for indigenous people.

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“It’s cooler to hang Lennon’s guitar than a Picasso”: pop culture wins out at auctions

Famous paintings have always sold for top dollar at auctions. But increasingly, pop culture memorabilia are overtaking them.

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Lesson Share: Conversations

Matt Done wins this month’s Lesson Share with a lesson about making polite requests with correct form and pronunciation.

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Business News Lessons: Digital health

Read about a venture in Rwanda that explores the potential of digital solutions to improve healthcare in the developing world.

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‘There is a pleasure to it’: the simple joy of eating the same meal every day

Culinary diversity has grown in popularity, but some people find joy in eating the same meal every day. 

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Dutch couple become Europe’s first inhabitants of a 3D-printed house

Is 3D printing technology about to revolutionise the construction industry? Read about the new Dutch project of 3D-printed houses.

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Stinging wasps are precious, not pointless, say scientists

What’s the point of wasps? They are far more useful than you’d think!

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Lesson Share: Political Hot Potatoes

Alice Rodgers wins this month’s Lesson Share with a lesson introducing adult learners to the use of political idioms.

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Business News Lessons: Workplace surveillance

We all want to be safe at work, but are we willing to be constantly monitored for the sake of safety?

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‘Damn, this is a Caravaggio!’: the inside story of an old master found in Spain

Three siblings discover that the painting they inherited is worth millions.

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Thinking inside the box: the Welsh teen who tried to post himself home from Australia

Ever been desperate to get home? In 1965, a homesick Welsh man took an unorthodox route home from Australia.

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If you pay them, they will come: the US city giving tourists cash to visit

Read about how some US cities are boosting their post-pandemic tourism by giving visitors money.

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Lesson Share: Discourse Markers

Stephanie Valerio wins this month’s Lesson Share with a lesson introducing adult learners to the use of discourse markers.

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Business News Lessons: Putting people above profits

We have all shown how grateful we are for those working In the pandemic but have companies been grateful enough?

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Stoked! Surfboard lost in Tasmania turns up 2,700km away in Queensland

Read about how a surfboard managed to travel 2,700km all by itself and, eventually, back to its owner.

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‘It’s radical’: the Ugandan city built on solar, shea butter and people power

Can the perfect city grow from a nut? Read how the people of Okere City are transforming their hometown.

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The funds that maintain the White House’s ‘museum quality’

How is the White House maintained and renovated and who pays for all of this work?

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‘A role model’: how Seville is turning leftover oranges into electricity

Seville creates a whole new kind of juice from waste oranges—electricity! Read how the city uses fruit for power.