Rust-red leaves and burnt sienna tones scatter across the green slopes rising from Lake Iseo, while soft autumn sunshine glitters on the water below. Monte Isola, the largest island on an Italian lake, is a rugged mix of steep cliffs, thick woodland, fishing settlements and small villages clinging to the hillsides. It has the charm of Lake Como and Lake Garda, yet without their crowds. I reach the little harbour of Peschiera Maraglio on a ferry from Sulzano, a journey of barely five minutes

KYIV/WASHINGTON, Oct. 11 - U.S. President Donald Trump unexpectedly declared on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had entered an energy ceasefire that was “effective immediately,” though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he had yet to receive the agreement’s details. Moscow made no immediate comment on Trump’s statement. The announcement came after several days of pressure from the U.S. president on Kyiv to stop striking Russian oil refineries. Trump has linked those attacks to higher

Hurricane Isaias was downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone a day after making landfall on Florida’s northern Gulf Coast, where it brought torrential rain and damaging winds. Isaias, the first named hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, continued moving through south-eastern parts of the United States. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across Florida, Alabama and Georgia lost electricity, while all three states declared emergencies. Storm warnings were lifted after expiring on

Once regarded as an awkward agricultural leftover, rice husk is increasingly being turned into a tough, long-lasting material for buildings. In 2023, contractor David Fine faced a difficult assignment. He had been brought in to renovate an upscale ski condominium complex in Park City, Utah. The site’s design requirements were unusually demanding. The older condos had started to deteriorate beneath the town’s deep, powdery snow, which can remain on the ground for much of the lengthy winter. The

Australia’s energy minister has said Russia must not be allowed to benefit from its “illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine” after US president Donald Trump announced an agreement with Vladimir Putin to purchase Russian diesel. Energy and climate change minister Chris Bowen said on Saturday that Australia neither needed nor wanted Russian fuel, as he provided an update on the nation’s fuel stockpiles. However, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson said it was important for countries to cooperate

Mont Blanc is veiled by cloud, yet the Aiguille du Midi still pierces the sky above slopes glowing in copper, amber and ochre. Maple leaves burn scarlet, while rowan branches hang heavy with deep-red berries. Our small party rattles up to Mont Lachat station, 2,115 metres above sea level, aboard the Tramway du Mont Blanc. This historic cog railway has been hauling passengers up remarkably steep ground from the French Alpine town of Saint-Gervais-les-Bains since 1909. It was originally meant to

From October 10, 2026, four zodiac signs may enter a phase associated with welcome changes and renewed momentum. The focus could fall on career opportunities, financial matters, and personal relationships. Astrology, tarot reading, numerology, palmistry, psychic practices, and similar approaches are not scientific disciplines. They are based on long-standing traditions, beliefs, and interpretations that have not been confirmed by scientific research or objective evidence. These methods are not

Emergency power outages have been introduced on Kyiv’s right bank and in parts of the Kyiv region. According to DTEK, the restrictions were imposed on the instruction of Ukrenergo. “Emergency outages have been applied on Kyiv’s right bank, as well as in the Bucha and Vyshhorod districts of the Kyiv region, following an order from Ukrenergo. During emergency outages, previously published schedules do not apply,” the company said. Meanwhile, scheduled restrictions remain in effect on Kyiv’s left

This follow-up to The Social Network turns Facebook’s whistleblower scandal into a drama about corporate secrecy. Yet despite Jeremy Strong’s cold, vacant Mark Zuckerberg, the film rarely generates much suspense. The Social Network (2010) was, on paper, a story about socially awkward students building a website. In practice, it became a sharply entertaining awards success, winning three Oscars and receiving five further nominations. David Fincher directed Aaron Sorkin’s rapid-fire script, while

South Korea has said it will pursue legal measures if an investigation finds that fuel shipments from its ports to Russia violated national law, responding to reports about the trade. In a joint statement from the foreign ministry, trade ministry and customs authorities, the government said it was “reviewing additional information concerning the loading cases reported” and would take action under the law if checks confirmed that regulations had been breached. An examination of port records and

Gaza City, Gaza Strip – Three years after Israel began its war on Gaza following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, the Palestinian territory has been altered almost beyond recognition. Israel’s prolonged air and ground campaign has wrecked large areas of the Gaza Strip, flattening homes and neighbourhoods while causing extensive damage to infrastructure, public services and essential facilities. Recommended Stories • list 1 of 3Israel’s deadline to shut UK consulate draws

At the start of summer, the halls of the district hospital in Hola Prystan, a city in Ukraine’s Russian-occupied Kherson region, had become unnervingly silent. Long electricity outages regularly left the building in complete darkness. Much of its equipment and medical stock had been removed or diverted for military needs, while many trained employees had either fled or stopped working there. “They even carried away some of the furniture,” says Natalia Sergeevna, a nurse who worked at the

South Korea has received an apology from Ukraine over the disclosure of information concerning the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul. However, South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said the apology “does not meet expectations,” according to reports. “I have remained in close contact with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha on this matter, and he explained how complicated the situation is,” Cho Hyun said when lawmakers asked whether Ukraine had apologized. According to

From an exercise-loving bear to an orangutan with a cheeky gesture, these are 10 of the funniest wildlife photographs of the year. A grumpy-looking owl, playful bears and a relaxed praying mantis are among the shortlisted images in the 2026 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards. In the photograph above, a female brown bear was spotted seeming to perform a morning workout near Lake Clark in Alaska, US. Her routine included a few bicycle-kick moves as though she were preparing herself for the summer

Coach companies have warned that record diesel costs could lead to reductions in services, including school transport, while haulage businesses say escalating fuel bills are forcing hundreds of operators to close. The average cost of diesel at UK filling stations climbed above £2 a litre last week, setting a new high as the conflict in the Middle East continues to affect worldwide fuel supplies. Alison Edwards, policy director at the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT), said fuel

The British Museum has announced adjustments to the way visitors access its Bayeux Tapestry exhibition following complaints about lengthy queues and overcrowded conditions. The new arrangements will include extended opening times, an audio guide, more seating and improved signs throughout the visitor route. A museum representative said interest in the 11th-century embroidery had been “remarkable”, while accepting that some guests had faced waits far longer than expected. Some visitors said they

A US Marine was arrested Sunday on suspicion of murder and robbery after a woman was found dead in a hotel room in Japan, leading the country’s prime minister to condemn the alleged crime as “extremely brutal and heinous.” The 39-year-old woman was discovered unconscious in her hotel room in Naha, on Okinawa island, early Saturday and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Okinawa police. “The Government of Japan has strongly protested to the U.S. side and has called for the fullest

Over the past decade, great white sharks have been appearing far more often in Atlantic Canadian waters. What is encouraging these formidable predators to travel so far north? This summer, one seasonal visitor seemed especially fond of the waters off Nova Scotia, Canada. Only months earlier, the traveller had been swimming around Florida. When spring gave way to summer, however, he made his way north. His preference for Nova Scotia's cold coastline over the Sunshine State attracted

A potentially devastating emergency aboard a flight bound for Tel Aviv ended safely on Wednesday after passengers and crew intervened inside the cockpit and helped restore control of the aircraft. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one pilot allegedly attacked the other on a Flydubai flight and attempted to interfere with the aircraft’s controls. The plane rapidly lost altitude, alarming those on board and prompting an emergency diversion to Saudi Arabia. United Arab Emirates

Valeriya Tkachenko was taking her son to school in central Kyiv when an air raid siren began to sound. Teachers quickly directed children and parents to the shelter, where the anxious lawyer remained with her son for the next two hours. “All day, I’m terrified about what might happen to my child,” she said after leaving the shelter, knowing she was already late for work. The previous day, a Russian jet-powered drone had hit a school close by. “I can’t make plans any more,” she said. “Living