Pope Leo XIV has appointed Bishop Ronald Hicks, the bishop of Joliet, Illinois, as the next archbishop of New York, a post that ranks among the most influential in the U.S. Catholic hierarchy. Hicks will succeed Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who submitted his resignation after turning 75, in line with church practice. The timing follows Dolan’s completion of a plan to establish a 300 million US dollars compensation fund for survivors of clergy sexual abuse who sued the archdiocese. At a news conference announcing the change, Hicks said he accepted the assignment “with humility and an open heart” and asked Catholics…
Author: Emily Harper
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France’s state-owned utility EDF said it will cap the cost of building six new nuclear reactors at 72.8 billion euros, a sharp rise from the 51.7 billion euros referenced when the plan was announced in 2022. The ceiling is stated in 2020 values, and EDF said it intends to improve both cost discipline and construction speed as the project moves toward an investment decision. The proposed reactors are expected to deliver around 10 gigawatts of capacity in total, helping to replace older facilities while underpinning future supplies. France generates about 70% of its electricity from nuclear power, and EDF has…
A Fresh Look at Titan’s Hidden Layers Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has long intrigued scientists because of signs pointing to a vast subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust. Earlier interpretations of data from NASA’s Cassini mission suggested that Titan’s interior was largely liquid, a conclusion based on how much the moon flexes under Saturn’s gravitational pull. A new scientific analysis now challenges that view, proposing a more complex and layered interior structure. Instead of a global ocean, Titan may be dominated by thick ice interspersed with slushy layers and isolated pockets of liquid water deep below the surface. The findings…
The Bank of England lowered its benchmark Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage point on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, taking it from 4% to 3.75%. The decision was the first reduction in roughly four months, following a period in which policymakers had kept borrowing costs unchanged after a cut in August 2025. The rate is now at its lowest level since February 2023, according to the central bank’s published rate history. The move comes as officials weigh signs that price pressures are easing against concerns that inflation remains above the BoE’s 2% target. Close Vote Highlights Ongoing Inflation Concerns The Monetary…
The White House has installed a series of new plaques in its colonnade that sharply criticize several former presidents, including Joe Biden and Barack Obama, while offering glowing assessments of President Donald Trump. The plaques are displayed beneath portraits as part of what the administration calls a newly added Presidential Walk of Fame. Their language and tone have sparked immediate debate in Washington about the appropriateness of using official space to promote partisan narratives. According to the White House, the plaques were recently mounted beneath portraits already on display. One plaque placed under a stand in for former President Joe…
The UK government has issued a final deadline to Roman Abramovich, warning the sanctioned Russian billionaire that he has 90 days to release £2.5bn from the sale of Chelsea FC or face court action. Ministers say the funds must be transferred to a new foundation created to support humanitarian causes in Ukraine, in line with commitments made when the club changed hands in 2022. Prime Minister Keir Starmer told MPs that a licence authorising the transfer had now been issued, calling it Abramovich’s last chance to comply. The announcement coincides with a high stakes EU summit, where leaders will be…
U.S. employers added 64,000 jobs in November, after payrolls fell by 105,000 in October, the government reported in releases that arrived late because a 43-day federal government shutdown delayed key labor-market data. The unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, the highest since 2021, up from 4.4% in September; no October unemployment rate was published because the shutdown disrupted the household survey used for that measure. The November gain was above economists’ forecast of about 40,000 jobs, but revisions to earlier data were less supportive. The Labor Department reduced previously reported payroll totals by a combined 33,000 jobs for August and September.…
The United States government has significantly widened its travel ban and entry restrictions, adding multiple countries to a list whose citizens will face new limitations on entry to the US. The proclamation, signed on 16 December 2025 by President Donald Trump, is set to take effect on 1 January 2026 and follows earlier travel restrictions implemented in June 2025. The move marks a major expansion of US immigration policy with implications for travel, visas, and international relations. Under the updated policy, nationals from five additional countries, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan and Syria, will be subject to full travel…
Quarterback Change Marks Shift in Miami’s Late-Season Approach The Miami Dolphins have decided to bench starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and hand the offense to rookie Quinn Ewers, signaling a clear change in direction as the team closes out the regular season. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced the decision while emphasizing that the move reflects what he believes gives the team the best chance to compete in its remaining games. Miami has already been eliminated from playoff contention, but the coaching staff stressed that winning and evaluating talent remain priorities. Tagovailoa, who signed a major long-term contract extension after a league-leading…
The newly opened Taichung Art Museum is reshaping how cultural institutions function in Taiwan, blending art, architecture, and everyday life into a single, fluid public space. Designed by the Japanese architecture firm Sanaa in collaboration with a local Taiwanese studio, the project merges an art museum and a municipal library into an interconnected complex that challenges traditional ideas of how visitors move through and experience culture. Rather than presenting a clear entrance and linear route, the building encourages wandering. Visitors pass seamlessly between gallery spaces, reading rooms, bridges, ramps, and outdoor terraces. The absence of strict boundaries between functions is…
