Can solar-powered cars ever be a viable alternative?

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Thursday.

The Netherlands has always been known as a business-friendly country. But the country looks set to become a lot less hospitable following the result of November’s elections, in which the far right won the most votes. The four parties seeking to form a government have vowed to limit immigration, hitting both high-tech workers and students. Companies have started to voice their concern and some are even threatening to leave the country.

South Africa's coastal city of Durban, known for its popular beaches and warm climate, is facing a severe water crisis ahead of national elections, with residents suffering from prolonged dry taps and poor sanitation services.

Her powerful performances give voice to some uncomfortable truths. Lebanese playwright and director Chrystèle Khodr wades through the ruins of a society in her latest play "Ordalie", exploring the social, political and physical wreckage of her homeland and its history. She tells us more about the quest for justice in contemporary Lebanon, why 19th-century playwright Henrik Ibsen is a fitting contemporary inspiration and how making theatre in a crisis-ridden country is a constant endeavour of creativity and solidarity among artists.

Paris 2024 official partner ArcelorMittal made 2,000 torches for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council and a former top UN humanitarian official, told FRANCE 24 on Tuesday that Gaza is "among the worst places in humanitarian history". He described a trapped population enduring "relentless" bombardment since October 2023. With regards to the southern city of Rafah, where an Israeli offensive appears imminent, he said some 1.4 million people were "engulfed in fear and desperation beyond belief".