Wales is the first European country to get a ‘Dark Sky Sanctuary’. Where else can you go stargazing?
A tiny Welsh island has just won world stargazing fame. Ynys Enlli – a rugged outcrop off the mainland of northwest Wales – has become Europe’s first ‘Dark Skies Sanctuary’. It is one of only 17 places around the world…
Ukrainian refugee flows ‘maybe not even a crisis’ – Commissioner Johansson
The historic flow of refugees coming into Europe after fleeing the war in Ukraine may not even be a crisis, according to the EU Commissioner in charge of migration. Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, was speaking to Euronews…
Core inflation in the euro area jumped in February, latest data show
Core inflation in the euro area increased in February, a Eurostat flash estimate released on Thursday shows. According to the EU’s statistics agency, core inflation — which excludes energy and food prices because of their volatility and is therefore seen as…
Energy crisis: EU moves ahead with plans to buy gas jointly in a bid to secure lower prices
The European Union is moving ahead with novel plans to buy gas jointly in a bid to leverage the bloc’s purchasing power and secure lower prices from international suppliers. The scheme was approved in mid-December as part of a broader…
Happy for their country, sad for themselves: The villagers living on India’s lithium load
More than one billion people in India welcomed the first ever discovery of lithium deposits in the country last month. The news arrived from Salal, a remote village in the Reasi district on the Indian side of Jammu and Kashmir….
Catching poachers was almost impossible until this Dutch company invented a new type of camera
Poachers are the long-standing enemy of wildlife conservation. In national parks across Africa it can be almost impossible to catch poachers red-handed. While many areas have camera traps which record movement in the park, conservationists can usually only watch the…
Stripy wind turbines could reduce seabird fatalities, say avian vision experts
Painting wind turbines with black and white stripes could prevent seabirds from colliding with them, a new report suggests. The risk of seabirds being struck by turbine blades is a major consideration for offshore wind farms (OFWs), so any mitigating…
Water taxis, canalside hotels and tide tracking: A local’s guide to Venice during low waters
Venice has been making the headlines due to the exceptionally low water levels in the city’s canals. Climate change has been cited as the culprit for the dry waterways, but the reality is more complex. I am one of many…
European beaches rank among top 10 in the world – here’s which ones made the cut
Online travel review site Tripadvisor has just released its list of the best beaches in the world. It looked at the quality and quantity of reviews left by beachgoers between 1 January and 31 December last year. From there it…
Here’s why you should always pay your traffic fines from the EU, especially under a proposed new law
After an idyllic trip travelling continental Europe by car, nothing says welcome home like a traffic fine. Unfortunately, if you do commit a violation, it’s not uncommon to receive a notification several months after your holiday. Many people think that…