Dwindling

At Cheltenham, the noise comes first. The “Cheltenham roar” will roll off Cleeve Hill at lunchtime, the familiar signal that four of National Hunt racing’s biggest days are under way. What will matter after the echo fades is how many throats are behind it — and what those numbers say about a festival recalibrating after a boom-and-bust attendance cycle. In 2022, the Cheltenham Festival drew a record 280,000 fans through Prestbury Park. Organizers responded with a daily cap of 68,500 the following year as the course brimmed…

At the UN-led COP29 climate summit taking place in Azerbaijan, global leaders are presenting contrasting visions to confront climate change, while a new report emphasizes the urgent need for the world to achieve carbon neutrality sooner than anticipated. As delegates convene to negotiate vital agreements for climate funding, the focus is on supporting developing nations in their efforts to adapt to climate-related challenges. This pivotal conference aims to secure an extensive climate financing framework to unlock trillions…