The 15 Largest Countries in the World

 

From Visual Capitalist 

How to email like a boss

 

Credit Lauren Murrell

Alcohol-Free Drinks

Nearly one-third of Americans plan to drink less alcohol or stop drinking altogether. Many will save money, and some will lose weight. But more and more people will still enjoy drinks that taste like alcohol—just without the alcohol.

People who don’t drink or want to drink less no longer have to stick to soda, juice, or water. The market for alcohol-free drinks—such as beer, wine, and spirits—is growing fast. In 2023, global sales reached $20 billion, double the amount from five years earlier, according to Euromonitor, a research company. Sales increased by about 20% in 2023, much faster than the 8% growth of alcoholic drinks.

Many young people are choosing to stay sober all year. The percentage of Americans aged 18–34 who drink alcohol has fallen to 62%, compared to 72% twenty years ago, according to Gallup, a polling company. Those who still drink often consume less. A new trend called “zebra-striping” means switching between alcoholic and alcohol-free drinks. More people might reduce drinking if the U.S. surgeon-general gets his way—last month, he suggested adding health warning labels to alcohol.

Big alcohol companies are responding to these changes by creating alcohol-free products. Diageo, a major beverage company, spent two years testing 400 recipes to create a non-alcoholic version of its Captain Morgan Spiced Gold rum. It also bought Ritual, a brand that makes alcohol-free drinks. LVMH, which owns Moët & Chandon champagne, has invested in French Bloom, a company that produces alcohol-free sparkling wines.

Nadine Sarwat, an analyst at Bernstein, a brokerage firm, says that making alcohol-free drinks does not hurt alcohol sales. According to Nielsen, a data company, over 94% of Americans who buy alcohol-free drinks still buy alcoholic ones, too. Some people drink alcohol-free options instead of soda rather than as a replacement for alcohol. These drinks also tend to be more profitable because they cost almost as much as alcoholic ones but have lower taxes.

However, making alcohol-free drinks that taste like the original is difficult. The beer industry has been working on this since the 1970s and is the most advanced in this area. Beer accounts for 89% of non-alcoholic drink sales, while wine makes up 7% and spirits 4%, according to Bernstein. Instead of heating beer to remove alcohol—which ruins the flavor—brewers have developed special brewing techniques, which they keep secret. Athletic Brewing, a popular American brand, is even trying to patent parts of its process.

Now, companies are racing to improve alcohol-free wine. Although there are ways to remove alcohol, such as filtration (reverse osmosis) or spinning-cone technology (which uses centrifugal force), these often harm the taste. Alcohol plays a key role in wine’s flavor and texture. “We are 20 years behind beer,” says Moritz Zyrewitz, founder of The Gentle Wine, a German alcohol-free brand.

Expanding the alcohol-free market has other challenges. Some customers think the prices are too high. Alcohol-free aperitifs, which contain spices and botanicals, can cost around $40 a bottle. In a survey by The New Consumer and Coefficient Capital, 38% of Americans said non-alcoholic drinks should be much cheaper than alcoholic ones.

Brands are working to make alcohol-free drinks more appealing. Corona Cero, made by AB InBev, sponsored the 2023 Olympic Games, while Heineken 0.0% sponsors Formula One. Lucky Saint, another alcohol-free beer company, even opened a pub in London that serves both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Celebrities are also launching alcohol-free brands. Actress Blake Lively, singer Katy Perry, and Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton have all created their own non-alcoholic drink companies in recent years.

Despite this trend, alcohol sales remain strong. In 2023, global alcohol sales reached $1.8 trillion. In developing countries, people are spending more on alcohol as incomes rise. In the U.S., about 60% of adults still drink alcohol—a number that has stayed the same for two decades, according to Gallup. Older drinkers are making up for the decline in younger consumers. Sales at American liquor stores continue to grow. 

From The Economist 

Saudi Arabia's first super-luxury train

Saudi Arabia will soon have the Middle East’s first super-luxury train. The Dream of the Desert train will start running next year, and its first pictures were released yesterday.

The train is a project between Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) and an Italian luxury company, Arsenale S.p.A. The designer is Aline Asmar d’Amman, an architect who works in Paris and Beirut.

The train will be very luxurious and will include parts of Saudi culture in its design. The reception lounges will look like a majlis, the special room in Saudi homes where guests are welcomed. They will have beautiful geometric patterns and hand-carved wooden decorations.

The bedrooms will have an elegant style, with green sofas, wood-paneled walls, and Art Deco decorations. There will also be artworks and photographs of important Saudi places. On the outside, the train will be shiny chrome with violet details.

The train will have 34 suites in 14 carriages. A team of local and international chefs will prepare the food for the restaurant.

The train will travel from Riyadh, using Saudi Arabia Railways’ Northern Railway network. The Saudi Ministry of Culture will organize special cultural programs and unique tourism activities for passengers. However, details about these programs have not been announced yet.

The Dream of the Desert will take passengers on luxury train trips from Riyadh to Qurayyat, near the border with Jordan. The 1,300-kilometer journey will pass through desert landscapes and stop in the city of Hail. Some trips will last one night, while others will last two nights.

Paolo Barletta, the CEO of Arsenale Group, said the train will offer "a unique travel experience" that will be "fully immersive."

The Dream of the Desert will begin operating at the end of the third quarter of 2026. Before that, a similar train, the Dolce Vita Orient Express, will start running in Italy in April.

From CNN (edited)

Polar bear first steps (video)

 

You can also watch the video by clicking on the Play Button

Polar bear fur (audio)

 

You can also listen to this audio file by clicking on the Play Button

Remote workers

Employers are ordering workers back to the office. In recent weeks Dell, a hardware-maker, and JPMorgan Chase, a bank, have issued such decrees. They join a growing list that includes AT&T, Amazon and even the American government, where Elon Musk—who has called remote work “morally wrong”. Bosses insist that mandates will boost productivity. Workers see them as a way to cut staff without mass firings.

If the goal is to reduce costs, there may be a simpler way: lower pay for remote workers.Zoe Cullen of Harvard Business School, Bobak Pakzad-Hurson of Brown University and Ricardo Perez-Truglia of the University of California, Los Angeles, find that tech workers are willing to accept a pay cut of 25% in return for fully or partly remote jobs. 

The authors reached this estimate by analysing real-world job offers and acceptances, controlling for company type, benefits and the local cost of living, so as to isolate the impact of remote work. Their findings contrast with those from a survey by Nicholas Bloom of Stanford University and co-authors, which found that American workers, on average, would accept only an 8% pay cut for a hybrid schedule, with just one in five willing to take a hit of 15% or more. The discrepancy may stem from methodology. 

 Firms are reluctant to create visible pay gaps between remote and in-office workers. Human-resource policies generally aim for internal equity to prevent resentment. There may be legal risk, too. As women are more likely to work remotely, cutting pay for remote jobs could indirectly lead to a gender wage gap, which firms prefer to avoid.

Another explanation is that remote work has become a bargaining chip. Rather than lowering wages, firms use flexibility to attract and retain top performers. Take an artificial-intelligence specialist earning $250,000 at Amazon. If the tech giant orders them back to the office, a less prestigious rival may not match the salary but could attract them with a remote-work offer. Flexibility also helps with retention. Mr Bloom finds that hybrid policies reduce quit rates among engineers by a third.

But what happens when labour-market conditions worsen?  If workers have fewer options, firms may no longer need to compete by offering remote work. Instead, they might begin offering lower salaries for remote roles, knowing that job seekers have fewer alternatives. Some signs of this shift are already evident. Employment rates among middle-aged women and disabled individuals have risen, as many have newly gained access to remote work, yet wages for these roles are  falling.

Workers hate return-to-the-office mandates. When JPMorgan announced the shift, it had to disable comments on its online post after a fierce backlash. At Dell nearly half of employees opted to stay remote last year, even when bosses made it clear they would not be promoted if they did so. All the same, workers might like what comes next even less. ■

Adapted from The Economist 

The Michelin Guide in 2025

 

The Michelin Guide began in 1900 as a way for brothers André and Édouard Michelin to boost tyre sales by encouraging car travel. Initially focused on practical travel information, it later expanded to include restaurant recommendations. In 1926, Michelin introduced its star-ranking system, which has since become the gold standard in the restaurant industry.

Today, Michelin has awarded stars to only 3,647 of the 11.8 million food establishments worldwide. Of these, 82% have one star, 13.6% have two, and only 149 hold the coveted three-star status. These top-tier restaurants are considered the pinnacle of culinary excellence. Acclaimed chef Joël Robuchon, who held 31 stars at his death in 2018, noted that Michelin recognition significantly boosts business: one star increases revenue by 20%, two stars by 40%, and three stars by 100%.

Despite its prestige, the Michelin system has faced growing criticism. Its emphasis on fine dining is seen as elitist, associated with high prices and tiny portions. Michelin insists that any restaurant can earn a star based on quality alone, pointing to a taco stand in Mexico City that received a star in 2024. Still, some restaurants reject the award. Giglio in Tuscany voluntarily gave up its star, citing stress and an atmosphere of pretension. Top accolades also raise costs, as suppliers and staff demand higher fees.

The rise of online reviews poses another challenge. Websites like TripAdvisor and Yelp, along with food influencers, provide real-time, crowd-sourced opinions. On TikTok, food-related content has over a trillion views, and influencers like Toby Inskip (@eatingwithtod) amass millions of likes by highlighting affordable eateries. These digital platforms appeal to cost-conscious diners; with 80% of Americans and Britons finding eating out expensive, influencers steer them toward trendy yet budget-friendly spots.

Michelin has expanded its reach to adapt. In 2004, stars were mostly confined to Europe, but today, the guide covers 43 countries across four continents. The number of guides has increased by nearly 50% since 2020, with new entries such as Texas, where restaurant sales topped $100 billion in 2023. Governments and tourism boards also play a role. In 2017, Thailand reportedly paid Michelin $4.4 million to create a guide for Bangkok. Michelin maintains that its rigorous selection process remains unchanged despite such financial arrangements.

Sustainability is another growing focus. In 2020, Michelin introduced the Green Star, awarded to restaurants committed to eco-friendly practices. So far, 608 restaurants have earned this recognition, reflecting the industry’s shift toward sustainability in response to the 1.5bn vegetarians and 88m vegans worldwide.

Will Michelin retain its influence in the digital age? The company claims its website traffic has doubled in the past year, indicating continued trust. Unlike influencers who may visit a restaurant once and accept payment for positive reviews, Michelin’s anonymous inspectors follow strict, standardized criteria. Though critics argue that anyone can now share food opinions, Michelin remains a respected authority. As playwright George Bernard Shaw once said, “There is no love sincerer than the love of food”

From The Economist (edited)

Antarctic challenge

 

Darren Edwards knows a lot about overcoming adversity. One moment, he was rock climbing in North Wales, about to finish his route; the next, he was in the hospital, paralyzed from the chest down after falling more than 30 meters and suffering a severe spinal cord injury.

But his accident in 2016 did not slow him down. Instead, his life is now dedicated to exploration and demanding challenges.

As a disabled adventurer, he has completed seven marathons on seven continents, and at the end of this year, he will ski 334 km in 20 days across Antarctica to the South Pole.

The journey with two friends will be extremely challenging. They will set up camp on the snow and melt ice for water. Edwards will have to be especially cautious about frostbite, particularly in the areas of his body that he cannot feel.

Temperatures will drop to around -20 degrees Celsius, and the team will face high winds, altitude sickness, exhaustion and snowstorms.

Edwards will use a sit-ski—“a wheelchair without wheels” (photo) —and will propel himself with poles for 12 hours a day.

The goal of his Antarctic challenge is to raise around $400,000 for people with spinal cord injuries.

In 2023, Edwards was part of a three-person, fully disabled team that skied across Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap, in Iceland. Midway through that expedition, he realized that for the first time in seven years, he was back in the mountains, on snow and ice—an experience that inspired his 2025 expedition to Antarctica.

Now 34 years old, Edwards is grateful to his friends and family for helping him achieve his goals, emphasizing the importance of teamwork in his adventures.

“I am surrounded by people who empower and encourage me to think bigger,” Edwards explains. “When I said I wanted to buy a kayak and learn to kayak, they didn’t say no. They said, ‘Okay, let’s see how we make it possible.’”

“I hope that what I do today and what I will do tomorrow will help show someone going through a dark moment that there is light at the end of the tunnel and hope for the future. I’ve learned to celebrate the little wins.”

“Now, I look at life and all of its great moments with gratitude because there is always a lesson to be learned and a future ahead.”

From  CNN (edited)