Author: staff
The northern lights will be stronger in 2025 than they have in at least a decade. The northern lights have been dancing with increased frequency over Europe’s skies in late 2024 as well as appearing much further south than usual. Thanks to a peak in solar activity, the celestial phenomenon will continue to be particularly active into 2025. It makes next year a great time to book an aurora-chasing trip to far-flung destinations like Iceland or the tip of Norway.And if you can’t make the journey, the good news is the magical display will also be appearing closer to home…
The two developments are viewed as a direct challenge to the delicate geopolitical balance that Serbia’s Vučić has spent more than a decade crafting, whereby he has signaled approval of Western values and EU policies while also maintaining strong ties with Russia and China. “We love Moscow and Washington, and everyone in the world, but Serbia is our dearest and most beloved,” Vučić said. “We will protect Serbia’s interests at all costs. There will be no shortages and there will be no catastrophe,” he said. He stressed that the U.S. sanctions threat is not aimed specifically at Serbia but rather…
Passengers faced continued disruptions throughout Friday and Saturday due to thick fog that caused flight delays and cancellations. London’s Heathrow Airport, one of Europe’s busiest, advised passengers to check with their airlines regarding potential delays.Gatwick Airport in London also warned that some flights may be delayed throughout Saturday and apologised for the inconvenience. Flights were delayed by up to three hours late on Friday because of poor weather conditions, and at least 40 flights from the airport, mostly short haul to Europe, were delayed Saturday morning.The UK’s weather forecasters, the Met Office, said thick fog patches could reduce visibility to…
A healthy relationship with Beijing is “squarely in our national interest,” Reeves said on Saturday as she announced agreements “worth £600 million to the U.K. economy over the next five years.” Speaking during a visit to U.K. bicycle maker Brompton’s Beijing store, Reeves insisted she would not alter her economic plans. “I have been really clear that our fiscal rules are non-negotiable, that we will pay for day-to-day spending through tax receipts and we will get debt down as a share of GDP,” she said. “Those fiscal rules that I set out in the budget in October are non-negotiable and…
The year’s biggest cruise sale is almost here, but is it really possible to both save money and be eco-conscious? Wave Season is famous in the cruising industry for being the busiest booking period of the year. 2025 is set to be no different, thanks to the post-pandemic boom in cruising.From January until the end of March, bookings flood in, with some of them made years in advance of the voyage.I’ve previously worked for a cruise line and have been a travel writer for 24 years, so I guarantee Wave Season is the best time to save money and score…
The two North Korean soldiers are wounded and are receiving “necessary medical assistance,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram. The men are in the custody of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv, he said. The SBU said the prisoners represent “irrefutable evidence of the participation of the DPRK in the Russian war against our state,” in a separate Telegram post. “The prisoners do not speak Ukrainian, English or Russian, so communication with them takes place through Korean translators in cooperation” with South Korean officials, the SBU said. Zelenskyy said in his post that capturing the North Korean…
Crans-Montana not only sparks art appreciation in skiers – it’s drawing visitors to the Swiss resort year-round. In 2014, art dealer Gregory Pages was skiing in his hometown of Crans-Montana in Switzerland’s Valais Alps region. He took the National Express chairlift and as he neared the huge concrete structure at the top that houses the lift station, three restaurants and a hotel, he had something of an epiphany. He laughs: “I don’t know why it happened that day. I mean, obviously, I’d done the same trip a thousand times before, but that day I noticed how gross the building was.”“I was surrounded…
ATHENS — Cyprus will resolve all technical issues necessary to join the Schengen free-travel zone by the end of this year, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides said. Cyprus and Ireland, which have no land borders with other EU countries, are the only EU member states outside the Schengen area. Romania and Bulgaria became full members of the passport-free area on Jan. 1. “We have addressed all political concerns regarding the cease-fire line and are now finalizing the technical details required for accession,” Christodoulides said during a conference in Nicosia late Friday. He underlined the benefits Schengen membership would bring to Cyprus,…
Is home-swapping solely for the mad and the brave – or is there more to be found? I can picture it now. Jude Law turns up at the front door of the twee yet crammed English country cottage I’m visiting – while Kate Winslet discovers all the smart home tech of my colossal Hollywood mansion. If you’ve seen the film ‘The Holiday’ this festive period, it’s easy to be drawn into the fairytale of home-swapping. I love the idea that this type of travel experience can attract friendship and maybe even love.As I gaze out my window over the grey winter…
The brew of bad weather has caused all outdoor events of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations to be cancelled. Several amber and yellow weather warnings are being forecast for the UK, starting tonight (Monday 30 December) and going well into Thursday 2 January, which is putting a literal dampener on New Year festivities.Organisers of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations have announced last-minute cancellations in the interests of public safety. All outdoor events taking place on 30 and 31 December have been scrapped due to high winds, including the renowned street party, the midnight fireworks and the concert in Princes Street Gardens featuring the band…