28+ min ago (207+ words) Once defined by conflict and division, the border cities have reinvented themselves as Europe's joint Capital of Culture, using art, collaboration and a year of shared events to reshape their future. The border between Italy and Slovenia has historically been marked by tragedy and conflict. The story is one of differences " cultural, linguistic and ideological " that culminated with the division of land between Italy and what was then Yugoslavia in the Paris peace treaties after the Second World War. This year, Gorizia enjoyed a marked increase in visitors and it wants to capitalise on this once the fanfare has moved on to other parts of Europe. "This is the symbol of a community that is growing, that is opening up and that knows how to make its identity an engine of development," says regional councillor Sergio Emidio Bini. Pick up…...

28+ min ago (193+ words) 'The balcony of Geneva' has finally been fully realised by an extensive renovation. Sitting at a height of 1,100 metres, the Mont Sal've cable-car station might technically be located in the Haute-Savoie region of France but the area is commonly referred to as "the balcony of Geneva, thanks to the views of the Swiss city and the surrounding lake that it offers. With his partner, Claudia Devaux, David won a competition in 2018 to restore the structure to its former glory " as well as going one step further. Today, a climbing wall on the western side of the building, an exhibition space, coffee shops on the ground floor and on the top level terrace, as well as a restaurant with panoramic views offer a wide range of visitor experiences. Belgian architecture and design firm Maison Osa'n is deeply committed to its holistic…...

31+ min ago (637+ words) While it is sometimes difficult to determine what JD Vance actually does each day, Marco Rubio's agenda is loud and clear " particularly as it pertains to Trump's ambitions for Latin America. All eyes might still be on JD Vance as Trump's heir apparent but there's no guarantee that the current vice-president will lead the Republican ticket in 2028. Recent polling might suggest that Vance is the favourite but within the White House, a new suspect is emerging. That would be secretary of state Marco Rubio, who has quietly become the most effective player in the Trump administration. Rubio's ascent comes as Trump is losing ground with Latinos, who voted for the president in record numbers last November. Recent data from the Pew Research Center paints a gloomy picture, revealing that 70 per cent of Latinos disapprove of the way that Trump is…...

5+ hour, 27+ min ago (430+ words) Having previously cancelled compulsory winter sports for schoolchildren, Austria is debating changing tack to bring young people back to the... The 2024 manifesto of the Austrian People's Party (OVP) asserts that the country is at risk of losing its status as "ski nation number one. Sport shapes cultures as much as language and skiing is to Austria what football is to Brazil. In 1972, when ski star Karl Schranz was disqualified from the Winter Olympics in Sapporo for letting his name be used in advertising, there were protests across Austria. Two of the country's best-known crooners, Georg Danzer and Andr" Heller, even recorded a song laying into Avery Brundage, the president of the International Olympic Committee at the time. While the tune, "Der Karli Soll Leb'n, Der Brundage Steht Daneb'n, is still doing the rounds today and public opinion shows that skiing…...

5+ hour, 28+ min ago (865+ words) Pick up a fresh new diary and fill the forthcoming 12 months with art, books, design, fashion and more from our rundown of the events not to be missed in the year ahead. 11 to 13 JanuaryHonolulu Defense Forum, HonoluluThe first, and perhaps most glamorous, defence forum of the year. More than 400 US and allied government officials will descend on the Hawaiian capital for two days of conversation about the Indo-Pacific. pacforum.org 13 to 16 JanuaryPitti Immagine Uomo, FlorenceThe Florentine fashion staple returns with a new theme: motion. With an increasing focus on technicality in clothing, the 109th edition of this venerable fair is a must-visit. pittimmagine.com 3 to 5 FebruaryWorld Governments Summit, DubaiUnder the title "Shaping Future Governments, this year's WGS will see government officials and thought leaders from the public and private sectors convene in Dubai to take the temperature for the year ahead....

5+ hour, 28+ min ago (282+ words) The freestyle discipline of ski ballet originated in the 1960s as an expression of creativity on the slopes, trading the thrills and spills of raing for elegant spins and acrobatic flips. With its graceful spins, bright costumes and music played against mountain backdrops, ski ballet was once considered the most expressive alpine sport. Born in the 1960s, it rose to fame with demonstrations at the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics, only to disappear with a flick of powdery snow. What made it so wonderful to watch and why did it vanish? And could a comeback be on the horizon? Three freestyle alpine sports " mogul skiing, aerials and ski ballet " emerged in the 1960s. In the first, athletes race down bumpy slopes lined with snow mounds. The second focuses on acrobatics: skiers speed towards a steep ramp, launching themselves into the air and performing flips. In…...

5+ hour, 29+ min ago (147+ words) A century-old Swiss magazine caters only to those who are serious about the Alps " and no detail is too small. Few magazines can tread the same ground of a single subject matter for a century. Indeed, a publication would be considered lucky even to survive that long. But for Die Alpen, published every two months since 1925 to serve the members of the Swiss Alpine Club (SAC), the mountains" vastness still offers a wealth of stories and inspiration. Finland claiming the top spot in the Open Society Foundations" annual Media Literacy Index has become an inevitability. The Nordic nation has placed first every year since 2017, when the list " which compares" Alpino #2025 | December 2025 Order by 15 December with Express or Priority delivery to ensure arrival before Christmas. Due to Christmas closures, orders placed after 22 December might not be dispatched until 29 December....

13+ hour, 15+ min ago (514+ words) The Finnish take snow seriously. At the capital's airport, fleets of hi-tech snow-clearing machines take to the runways as early as September, ploughing, sweeping, blowing and spreading their way towards safer conditions. In Finnish, a language with at least 40 words for different kinds of snow and frozen precipitation, pyry means "snowfall. Whether Pennanen was destined for his former role is unclear but he clearly came to inhabit it. In a country with famously enduring winters, Pennanen's task took on the tenor of a long military campaign. 3.5 million sq mThe airport's total paved area that must be kept clear of snow 1,000 tonnesAmount of traction enhancing road grit that the airport uses every year With a season that lasts almost seven months, Levi Ski Resort in Finnish Lapland has some of Europe's most reliably snowy slopes. It achieves this feat by manufacturing…...

13+ hour, 24+ min ago (388+ words) Often seen as a junior partner of the Summer Games, the Winter Olympics are a thrill to watch " and an important diplomatic asset for nations canny enough to participate. The Winter Olympics are better than the Summer Games for one big reason: the sports are far more dangerous. With the exception of BMX racing, which might have been designed by orthopaedic surgeons working on commission, the greatest risks run by summer Olympians are the sort of strains and sprains that, while doubtless painful for the athlete, are merely tedious for the spectator. But, at the final corner of the race, all four of Bradbury's rivals fell over each other, leaving the Australian athlete cruising to gold, bearing the expression of a man realising that he would never again pay for a drink back home. It was a reminder that fortune…...

5+ day, 5+ hour ago (501+ words) Travel by aeroplane was once regarded as a special occasion and passengers dressed accordingly. Men wore suits and ties. Women... As Americans fly across the country following their Thanksgiving celebrations, the US secretary of transportation, Sean Duffy, has signalled that he wants to revive these sartorial standards. He has been enjoining US air passengers to smarten themselves up. "Let's try not to wear slippers and pyjamas as we come to the airport," he said this week. A video accompanying Duffy's request links dishevelled deportment with slovenly comportment. It is not an easy thing to admit of a politician whose CV includes stints as a competitive lumberjack, a reality-TV star and a Fox News presenter but Duffy is absolutely right. An attitude exists among a hefty plurality of the travelling public that once security is cleared, normal conventions of civilised behaviour…...