Winter run better for the body, say scientists

The raids focused on a landslide at a mine during last July's deadly floods. Although no one died at the site, the image of the gaping muddy crater was etched in the memory of those who survived — and sparked a probe.

Call it an Olympic-sized gamble. Ahead of Chinese New Year holiday travel and the Winter Games, authorities there are sticking to their zero-Covid policy. As Omicron tears through much of the rest of the world, can the coronavirus really be barred from the Beijing Olympics?

Athletes travelling to next month's Beijing Olympics were warned on Tuesday (January 18) about speaking up on human rights issues while in China for their own safety by speakers at a seminar hosted by Human Rights Watch. Rights groups have long criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for awarding the Games to China, citing the treatment by the Chinese government of the Uyghurs and other Muslim minority groups, which the United States has deemed genocide.

Anti-vax enthusiasts claim that at least three athletes have dropped out of the 2022 Australian Open tournament due to chest problems related to Covid-19 vaccination. We take a closer look in this edition of Truth or Fake.

Without a doubt, Louis Vuitton's collection was this year's most hotly anticipated runway show. It was dedicated to the late Virgil Abloh, the label's visionary creative director, who died of cancer in November 2021 at just 41. Covid-19 meant programming was a little lighter than usual, but a host of young labels also managed to put on shows: EgonLab, Georges Wendell and Lukhanyo Mdingi made a particularly good impression, while Kim Jones at Dior Homme put on one of the most beautiful shows of his career. FRANCE 24 takes you to the catwalks at Paris Fashion Week.

While the International Olympic Committee has said that politics and sport do not mix, there are many examples to the contrary. Athletes have often been advocates for social change, while activists are angry about Beijing hosting the Winter Olympics despite rampant allegations of human rights abuses. More than 200 global groups have made a joint call for a diplomatic boycott. We take a closer look.

In China, all eyes are on the ongoing Winter Olympics. Although the Games have come under scrutiny for a number of reasons beyond sport, they are also the culmination of an impressive campaign to convert more than 300 million people into winter sport aficionados. Our correspondents report. We also speak to Susan Brownell, a professor of anthropology at the University of Missouri–Saint Louis.

The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are being held in a "closed-loop" system, where participants and visitors are separated from the public because of Covid-19. It's the perfect environment to push the limits of modern technology and Beijing is showcasing a whole host of innovations, from 5G to robots and from 8K broadcasting to its digital currency, the e-CNY. Peter O'Brien takes us through some of the breakthroughs and controversies surrounding tech at the Games.

Experts say China has used the Olympics to reinforce political ties and influence its global and domestic reputation. Beijing says it is the boycott that has politicized the games.

War may have broken out in Europe, but the world of fashion has decided that the show – that is, next winter's ready-to-wear Fashion Week – must go on. Financial interests no doubt played a large part in that decision, but so too did the conviction that now isn't the time to be stifling artistic expression. For the occasion, Dior takes advantage of technological innovation, Caribbean duo Botter defend coral reefs and the French Institute of Fashion encourages its students to embrace virtual reality.

With war raging in Ukraine, it's not easy to know how to speak about fashion – if at all. The best answer is to face the paradox. Thanks to the French Federation for Haute Couture and Fashion, Ukrainian designer Lilia Litovskaya is now safe in Paris. At Balenciaga, Demna Gvasalia, who fled a Kremlin-backed civil war in Georgia in 1993, offers up a hostile backdrop for his collection. Labels Marine Serrre, Atlein, Benmoyal and Germanier, meanwhile, are championing freedom of expression with their eco-friendly offerings.

Parched soil and empty reservoirs aren't just warning signs of droughts in the summer, they’re also becoming the new normal in the early days of winter. Can science or nature help farmers endure future dry spells? We take a closer look in this edition of Down to Earth.