Month: July 2024

Russia’s army could lose almost two million soldiers during the war with Ukraine at its current casualty rate, the UK’s Defence chief warned. General Sir Roly Walker said Russia’s dead and wounded could reach as many as 1.8 million if Vladimir Putin keeps throwing his troops to the slaughter. He also estimated it could take Putin another five years to secure territories it illegally declared as belonging to Russia in 2022 at a Kremlin ceremony. These include Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia regions, where Russian troops continue to face ferocious Ukrainian resistance. The former SAS boss said the Kremlin would ... Read more

Coolcationing’ has become the biggest travel trend this year, with many tourists seeking temperate destinations for their next holiday to avoid a sweltering summer and intense tourist crowds. A recent survey by Virtuoso discovered that 82 percent of travellers are considering destinations with cooler temperatures in 2024. To help those looking for a change to the heat of popular European destinations, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has shortlisted the best cool coastal locations across Europe. As they have revealed the first Coastal Coolcation Index. Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines has ranked destinations with a maximum cold season high of 7°C and based ... Read more

The Northern Lights might be visible across parts of the UK tonight, offering another chance to witness this rare and spectacular phenomenon. The aurora borealis, commonly known as the Northern Lights, could once again light up the skies tonight, following a previous appearance earlier this year. Strong geomagnetic storm conditions forecast in the Northern Hemisphere could result in aurora displays over Northern Ireland, northern England, and similar latitudes, although visibility might be impeded by the near-full moon and limited hours of darkness. The Met Office has predicted that the best time to view the Northern Lights will be around midnight. ... Read more

Hungary has threatened to further bar billions worth of funds for fellow members of the bloc in the midst of a major row over the supply of Russian oil. War-torn Ukraine adopted last month sanctions effectively banning the transit via a pipeline crossing its territory of crude sold by one of Russia‘s largest private oil firms, Lukoil, to central Europe. This prompted Hungary and Slovakia to ring alarm bells earlier this month amid fears of supply shortages. On Monday, they went one step closer to launching legal action, as they asked the European Commission in a letter to begin talks ... Read more

If you have been holding onto an older iPhone 7 or 8 or the latest iPhone SE, because you love the Home Button design and don’t want to switch to a newer iPhone with Face ID, then it looks like you may be out of luck when you come to upgrade to your next iPhone. The most recent iPhone SE came out in 2022 and retained the classic design that Apple started with the iPhone 6 way back in 2014 with a Home Button and 4.7-inch 16:9 LCD screen. Despite the eight year gap between these devices – and now ... Read more

Hello everyone..I feel Landscape and Cityscape paintings are an integral part of fine art and painting. I have already shared some of the very beautiful cityscape paintings in my fine art and paintings blog. Today again my focus is on sharing cityscape paintings which will surely mesmerise you all! This time the painter whose works I have picked is Philip Bannister who is a UK based painter.    Philip Bannister completed his graduation from the College of Art in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He loves to work with watercolours and wet watercolour paint and brush. By having a look at his works ... Read more

A 45-year-old British tourist has tragically died after falling from a hotel balcony in Cyprus. The man, who was holidaying with friends, fell from a significant height at a luxury hotel in Paphos during the early hours of Tuesday morning. Local media have identified the accident as involving excessive alcohol consumption, reporting that the man had been drinking with his group before the fall.He was discovered in the hotel’s garden area following a 33ft drop from the third floor. The authorities are currently conducting an investigation and efforts to establish the man’s identity are underway. Emergency services responding to the ... Read more

Thousands of tourists have been forced to flee Jasper National Park in the Canadian Rockies after hundreds of wildfires broke out. Alberta province is in the grip of a scorching heatwave that has set off a chain of fires, causing mayhem and panic. Huge tailbacks of cars clogged the roads out of Jasper, as desperate tourists tried to drive to towns in British Columbia. However, the province has its hands full with its own fires, numbering over 300 hundred. Drivers were told to make a vast U-turn east and make their way instead to Grande Prairie and Calgary, where emergency ... Read more

Santander, a picturesque city in the north of Spain, offers a perfect escape from the scorching 40C heatwave, just a two-hour plane journey from the UK. Nestled between green mountain landscapes and white sand beaches, Santander boasts elegant mansions, palatial architecture, and avant-garde buildings, all echoing its rich seafaring history. Summer in Santander is also a respite from the rest of the European heatwave, with the average high temperature in June/July around 22C, while the average low is about 17C. In August, temperatures can reach up to 25C. Once a favored retreat for royalty in the late 19th and early ... Read more

With the cost of living crisis still hurting finances it’s no surprise that UK homes are looking for much cheaper ways to tune into premium movies and sporting action. There’s been an explosion of people offering so-called ‘dodgy’ Fire TV Sticks which often allow easy access to services such as Sky Sports without paying the usual monthly fees. This illegal way of tuning into TV might sound attractive but it’s not gone unnoticed by the UK authorities or providers such as Sky. One of the biggest operations ever has just taken place to shut down this type of activity with ... Read more