Russian ‘spy whale’ Hvaldimir found dead near Norway

Russian ‘spy whale’ Hvaldimir found dead near Norway

A beluga whale that was suspected of spying for Russia after being discovered in Norwegian waters five years ago has been found dead, according to the non-profit organization that had been monitoring the whale. The body of Hvaldimir — a combination of the Norwegian word for whale and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin — was spotted floating in the … Read more

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, America’s diminutive sex therapist, dead at 96

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, America’s diminutive sex therapist, dead at 96

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the diminutive sex therapist who became a pop icon, media star and best-selling author through her frank talk about once-taboo bedroom topics, has died. She was 96. Westheimer died on Friday at her home in New York City, surrounded by her family, according to publicist and friend Pierre Lehu. Westheimer never advocated … Read more

Eurovision’s slogan is ‘United By Music.’ This year, fans and performers faced division

Eurovision’s slogan is ‘United By Music.’ This year, fans and performers faced division

Eurovision’s slogan is “United By Music,” but this year’s edition of the singing competition was marked by unprecedented protests. Non-binary Swiss artist Nemo took home the grand prize with The Code, a song about their journey to embracing their identity — and a stage performance that featured Nemo on a spinning platter. But beyond the … Read more

Trudeau says some Pro-Palestinian protests cross the line into hate, harassment

Trudeau says some Pro-Palestinian protests cross the line into hate, harassment

Pro-Palestinian protests that include expressions of hatred or harassing behaviour cross a line, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday. Trudeau told a press conference in Toronto that he’s heard from too many members of Canada’s Jewish community who have seen protests at synagogues and community centres and who now feel unsafe. Nobody can be indifferent … Read more

Olive oil is getting more expensive — and these Italian farmers can tell you why

Olive oil is getting more expensive — and these Italian farmers can tell you why

On a warm, blustery December afternoon outside the De Laurentis olive oil-producing co-op in the white hilltop town of Ostuni, Puglia, Luigi D’Amico holds out his palm, revealing an olive picked earlier in the day. Instead of resembling the plump, gleaming green and black fruit overflowing in bins around him, this one is half-consumed, dry … Read more

Time’s up for some short-term rentals in B.C. as new housing rules look set to transform scene

Time’s up for some short-term rentals in B.C. as new housing rules look set to transform scene

Nancy Paine’s short-term rental business is dead in the water. As co-founder and CEO of Victoria-based Superhost, Paine said she had been at the forefront of the Airbnb revolution for seven years, acting as a “liaison” for homeowners needing help with the logistics of running a listing on the accommodation site. At the peak of … Read more