Nowhere Olympics

Italy’s Bridge To Nowhere

Tobias Jones | Unherd | 9th July 2024

Italian leaders, from Ferdinand II to Silvio Berlusconi, have long loved the idea of a bridge across the Strait of Messina. The EU is keen on a road link between Sicily and the mainland too. But it would cost an estimated €13.5 billion, be vulnerable to earthquakes, and obstruct taller ships. Is it just infrastructure for Cosa Nostra? "The bridge won’t link just two mafias, but 20 different gangs" (1,500 words)

How To Feed The Olympics

Jaya Saxena | Eater | 3rd July 2024

Feeding all 15,000 people in the athletes' village at the 2024 Olympics will be hard. Competitors must eat sport-specific diets, and they hail from vastly different food cultures. In two weeks, the team will serve 1.2 million meals and three million bananas will be consumed. The Americans were the most "picky and sensitive" about the menu. The Australians are bringing their own barista (2,000 words)