Spread

Take-offs and Landings

Bastille Day is a French national holiday in July with fireworks and parades. This year it was also celebrated in Paris by a “dazzling” test of the Flyboard Air – a jet-powered hoverboard. Its inventor, Franky Zapata, hoped to become the first to cross the English Channel on such a vehicle. So hopes were riding…

Easy Money

“The world is going up in a straight line, but for how long?” Such was one Euro banker’s query from the lofty aerie at the Davos World Economic Forum. Despite potential global worries including terrorism, nationalism, and bubblism, the mood was buoyant. “There’s always things to worry about,’ said another, “but not a lot until…

Flavor of the Month

Turns out there’s nothing plain about vanilla. Back in March a huge storm – cyclone Enawo – struck Madagascar, a major grower responsible for supplying 80% of the world’s vanilla pods. That crop devastation caused pod prices to hit a record high this year of $600 per kilogram. “It has been ridiculous,” said the chief…