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1+ hour, 3+ min ago (569+ words) Repeated mass die-offs since 2022 have left sea urchin populations across the Canary Islands near local extinction. Sea urchins help shape marine ecosystems by controlling algae growth on reefs. By grazing on seaweed and seagrass, they protect corals and other slow-growing species. They also support food webs as prey for fish, crustaceans, sea stars, and marine mammals. But when urchin populations explode, especially after predators decline, reefs can suffer. Heavy grazing strips plant life from the seafloor, creating barren underwater landscapes. Now, scientists report that a sudden and widespread collapse of sea urchins has reached the Canary Islands. A new study shows that a previously unrecognized global sea urchin pandemic has devastated populations across the archipelago. Researchers warn that the ecological effects could be severe and long-lasting. "Here we show the spread and impacts of a "mass mortality event" which severely…...

3+ hour, 10+ min ago (336+ words) BERLIN/PARIS, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Defence ministers from Germany, France and Spain have pushed discussions on a troubled European fighter jets project towards government leaders meeting next week after inconclusive talks in Berlin, people briefed on the matter said. Boris Pistorius of Germany, Catherine Vautrin of France andSpain's Margarita Robles met in Berlin on Thursdayto discuss the fate of the FCAS project whose future hangs in the balance over industrial disputes. France's Dassault Aviation and Germany- and Spain-backed Airbus are at odds over technology and industrial control - issues that threaten to derail the 100-billion-euro project to renew air power by 2040. Three sources said no decision had been taken at the Berlin ministerial talks, which took place just weeks before a year-end deadline put forward by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a decision on the next steps. "We are still in confidential…...

4+ hour, 22+ min ago (248+ words) Co-hosts Germany ended a 20-year winning drought against France on Friday when they upset the title holders 29-23 to reach the women's world handball championship final for the first time in 32 years. Captain Antje D'll led the way with nine goals and goalkeeper Katharina Filter made a number of huge saves to clinch victory in Rotterdam. In the final on Sunday, Germany will face either Olympic champions Norway or the other host nation, the Netherlands. "We are in the final, and now we want to win it," coach Markus Gaugisch said. D'll said: "I can't grasp what has just happened. Phenomenal. It was a great game." German teams have won the women's worlds four times, with the first three coming from East Germany. The last gold medal was after reunification in 1993, and the last medal a bronze in 2007. Germany last defeated…...

5+ hour, 2+ min ago (991+ words) Actor Richard Gere has been praised by his wife, Alejandra, for the selfless way in which he has urged her to "prioritize" herself in life and in their marriage'one year after he quit the U.S. and moved their family to Spain so she could be closer to her loved ones. Alejandra, 42, opened up about her relationship with Richard, 76, in a new interview with Harper's Bazaar Espa'a, explaining how the couple continue to "inspire each other" in life and in their work. "Richard makes me stop. He has taught me to prioritize myself,because many times I give everything without thinking about myself," she said. "And I inspire him with that energy of wanting to reach everyone, of not giving up. We inspire each other and we love what we do. That has brought us very close." That ethos is exactly what…...

5+ hour, 11+ min ago (421+ words) Madeira and Shannon in Portugal face tourism disruption as high winds and rough seas trigger mass flight cancellations and severe IPMA weather warnings. Madeira and Shannon Tourism Hit by Severe Weather as High Winds Cancel Most Flights at Madeira Airport in Portugal: All You Need to Know Published on December 13, 2025 IPMA issues orange wind warning and red sea warning Madeira Airport warns of operational restrictions into Saturday Safety guidance for residents and visitors during the storm Short-term tourism disruption but resilient long-term appeal Nonetheless, tourism authorities and safety agencies emphasize that these conditions are typically short-lived, with operations resuming once wind and sea states fall back within safe parameters. In the longer term, Madeira's reputation as a year-round nature, hiking and cruise destination remains robust, but the current event serves as a reminder for travellers to build flexibility and insurance…...

7+ hour, 5+ min ago (335+ words) Nemo, the artist who won the 2024 Eurovision, announced Thursday he would return the trophy in protest of Israel's inclusion in the contest. The Swiss artist was the contest's first-ever winner who claims to be non-binary posted Dec. 11 on Instagram to tell the public why he was no longer interested in keeping the trophy. "Even though I'm immensely grateful or the community around this contest and everything this experience has taught me both as a person and artist, today I no longer feel this trophy belongs on my shelf," Nemo wrote. "Eurovision says it stands for unity, inclusion, and dignity for all," Nemo continued. "Those values made this contest meaningful to me." "But Israel's continued participation, during what the UN's Independent International Commission of Inquiry has concluded to be a genocide, shows a clear conflict between those ideals and the decisions…...

8+ hour, 12+ min ago (109+ words) We would like to hear from young people who have left the UK in recent months "or are planning to do so Young people are leaving the UK in high numbers and we'd like to find out more about the reasons why. Is it about finding a better salary abroad or concerns about rising costs and tax in the UK? How did you choose where to move? How have you found the experience? You can tell us your experience of moving abroad using this form. For more information, please see our guidance on contacting us via WhatsApp. For fully anonymous communication please use our Secure Messaging service instead....

8+ hour, 25+ min ago (365+ words) iOS 26.2 is the next major iPhone update, and its launch appears imminent. There are lots of new features coming in the release, including these four changes I've been using almost every day. Daily puzzle games, recipes and cooking mode, and dedicated sports and politics hubs are all among my favorite additions. And in iOS 26.2, Apple has revamped navigation in the News app to make its various offerings easy to access. At the top of the Today tab, you'll now find quick links to Puzzles, Food, Politics, and more. These sections used to be buried inside the over-cluttered "Following' tab. But it's been great having them more accessible, so I can now open my daily crossword with ease. I love when podcasts offer chapters. They provide a helpful overview of everything an episode will cover, and allow listeners to skip to…...

8+ hour, 45+ min ago (462+ words) En un video de Instagram, Nemo sostuvo la presea de cristal en forma de micr'fono y expres': "hoy ya no siento que este trofeo deba estar en mi estante. "Eurovisi'n dice que representa la unidad, la inclusi'n y la dignidad para todas las personas, afirm' Nemo en la publicaci'n del jueves, a'adiendo que la participaci'n de Israel, dado su manejo de la guerra contra Ham's en Gaza, muestra que esos ideales est'n en desacuerdo con las decisiones de los organizadores. "Respetamos las opiniones profundamente arraigadas que Nemo ha expresado y siempre ser'n una parte valiosa de la familia del Festival de la Canci'n de Eurovisi'n, a'adi'. El cantante no binario gan' el concurso en mayo de 2024 con la oda pop-oper'tica "The Code. Cinco pa'ses han anunciado que boicotear'n el concurso de 2026 despu's de que los organizadores se negaran a expulsar…...

8+ hour, 47+ min ago (864+ words) BOUNCING down Benidorm's strip on an inflatable horse, a wall of 15 Popeyes hurtles past me. Party hits blast from a DJ on stage in the packed street as a man with a dartboard painted on his face dances around two nuns on a mobility scooter. This is Benidorm's annual British Fancy Dress Party and it's the most unhinged, brilliant thing I've ever witnessed. Every second or third Thursday in November, Spain's Brit-favourite resort hosts Europe's biggest fancy-dress gathering " part Rio Carnival, part hen do on steroids " and this year it attracted 30,000 Brits for a day and night of parades, fireworks and mayhem. But the Fancy Dress Party isn't your average Benidorm knees-up. Having exploded in popularity since its beginnings in the 1990s, it's the grand finale of Benidorm's annual November Fiestas " a week of parades, fireworks, religious and cultural celebrations, concerts…...