This morning, Wednesday 20 December, the Office For National Statistics announced that, in the last month, the annual rate of increase in consumer prices has dropped by almost 1 per cent. The inflation rate in October was measured at 4.6 per cent, but in November, the rate had decreased to 3.9 per cent. The rapid … Read more
Every year, Environment and Climate Change Canada ranks the top 10 Canadian weather stories. Senior climatologist David Phillips compiles the list and this year, there was no doubt about what would take the number one position: the record-setting wildfires. “There’s no drum roll here,” Phillips said. “The fires dominated everything…. In 28 years of putting … Read more
GENEVA — As Ukraine enters a second winter of war, the World Health Organization warns that the country’s public health system will come under enormous stress as millions of civilians try to keep safe and warm during the long, brutally cold weather ahead. “Since the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine … we have seen the … Read more
A volcanic eruption started Monday night on Iceland’s Reykjanes Peninsula, turning the sky orange and prompting the country’s civil defence to be on high alert. The eruption appears to have occurred about four kilometres from the town of Grindavik, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Grainy webcam video showed the moment of the eruption as a flash of … Read more
The United States, Canada and a host of other nations are creating a new force to protect ships transiting the Red Sea that have come under attack by drones and ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin announced early Tuesday in Bahrain. The seriousness of the attacks, several of … Read more
Rome — Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it. The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on … Read more
A Norwegian-owned vessel was attacked in the Red Sea on Monday in a strike that U.S. officials said originated from Yemeni territory controlled by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. The attack on the M/V Swan Atlantic was the latest in a series on ships sailing the sea since the start of the Gaza war. There was … Read more
NEW travel rules for Brits heading to Europe will be brought in by October 2024, even though it could lead to increased waiting times at borders. The new EU Entry/Exit System (EES) will replace the stamping of passports and is being introduced across all EU countries. 2 The new Entry/Exit System will replace the stamping … Read more
The Elverhoj Museum of History & Art in Solvang, Calif. Julie Tremaine In a city as full of curiosities as Solvang, the tiny Danish village on California’s Central Coast, I shouldn’t have been surprised that there was a place like the Elverhoj Museum of History & Art. Housed in a historic home, it’s both a tribute … Read more
Paris — Notre Dame Cathedral got its rooster back Saturday, in a pivotal moment for the Paris landmark’s restoration. The installation by a crane of a new golden rooster, reimagined as a dramatic phoenix with licking, flamed feathers, goes beyond being just a weathervane atop the cathedral spire. It symbolizes resilience amid destruction after the … Read more
