What was once a 6,000ft (1,830m) long airport runway in Shanghai is now a stunning park containing 2,227 trees, 82 plant species, a beautiful sunken garden, cycle paths, a playground and a bird-watching grove.Jennifer Newton (Daily Mail)
When you don’t have a coordinated global approach, it’s very difficult for the industry to go forward, especially when you have the rules of the game changing basically every single day.Luis Felipe de Oliveira (Airports Council International)
Even before the pandemic, the ski industry was laboring to build interest in the sport. The number of skiers has stagnated in the past decade, according to the National Ski Areas Association. Adrienne Isaac, a spokeswoman for the trade group, said resorts have tried to make skiing and snowboarding more accessible for newcomers, but have grappled with perceptions that they primarily cater to the rich and white. Climate change also continues to affect snowfall, she said, which can lead to shorter seasons.Kellen Browning (New York Times)
American Airlines’ Flight 718, the first commercial 737 Max flight by a major U.S. airline since its recertification on Nov. 18, departed from Miami shortly before 10:30 a.m. ET and is scheduled to arrive at New York LaGuardia a little early at 1:18 p.m. ET.Jayme Deerwester (USA Today)
In fact, sanbokan is both eaten as fresh fruit and used as an acidic seasoning. It’s easy to peel, and once its large seeds are removed, it’s cut into chunks and served. Because it’s so high in citric acid, it’s also used by chefs to season winter’s rich seafoods, often taking the place of lemon. One way it’s used takes advantage of sanbokan’s large orange-like size: the fruit is cut in half, its flesh scooped out and the shells used as bowls, which are filled with such delicacies as chawan mushi (a seafood egg custard), steamed cod milt and fugu blowfish.Tom Schiller (BBC)
Despite the accolades and local love for hawkers, though, the culture has faced challenges in recent years. Hawkers are ageing – the average vendor is 59 – and there are few young Singaporeans keen to adopt a profession that entails 14-hour shifts. The cost of raw ingredients is also rising, but the average dish price is kept low so that people of all incomes can afford it – meaning profit margins can be small.Olivia Lee (The Guardian)
This year, artists have created six one-of-a-kind suites in what is being billed Icehotel 31, which will stand until April 11, 2021 – when the hotel melts. A further six ice suites and a ‘frozen forest’ ceremony room – ‘for intimate weddings and other celebrations’ – have also been created in Icehotel 365, a permanent part of the property that is open all year round. What’s more, you can see the hotel via an interactive tour.Jennifer Newton (Daily Mail)
Given some of the headwinds in Airbnb’s future, the opening had a generous touch of unreality to it.Dennis Schaal (Skift)
European nations have for months struggled to adopt a unified response, each imposing their own restrictions. And while many imposed new lockdowns this month, some, like France, are easing restrictions ahead of the holidays.Elian Peltier, Melissa Eddy and Emma Bubola (New York Times)
Totkay speak to Pakistanis’ memory of their former selves. The custodians of these cures are often grandmothers who have lived through Partition, war or both. Sharing totkay is a vestige of their resilience and resourcefulness. During rampant political turmoil or imminent famine, totkay were powerful portals into a world of healing: not alternatives, but medicine itself.Aysha Imtiaz (BBC)