When you’re reading a book in a buzzing coffee shop, do you find it easier to pay attention to what you’re reading or to listen in on the conversation happening next to you? Chances are you know the answer to that question, but the reasons behind it aren’t always clear. Many people born with both … Read more
MEXICO CITY — The Day of the Dead in Mexico smells like cempasuchil flowers and copal incense. It has a sweet taste. Sounds and colors abound. There are photos, candles and music all over. The hands of artisans prepare the altars to honor their ancestors. Although it is an intangible tradition, borne down from pre-Hispanic … Read more
LONDON — Members of Britain’s opposition Labour Party gather in Liverpool on Sunday for their annual conference with an unfamiliar feeling: optimism. The party has been out of power for 13 years, and in the last national election in 2019, voters handed Labour its worst drubbing since 1935. But with an election due next year, … Read more