Euro News

Bordeaux, France just surpassed Paris in a new ranking of the world's most beautiful cities, with Europe dominating nine out of the top 10 spots. The rankings are based on buildings that adhere to the 'golden ratio' for balanced and harmonious structures. Venice takes the lead as the most beautiful city, followed by Rome and Barcelona in second and third place respectively. Despite iconic landmarks, Paris lands at 12th place. In fifth place is the only non-European city to make the top 10: New York City.

9 Out of 10 of the World’s Most Beautiful Cities Are in Europe, Says New Ranking

The moment a woman steps into Regan Gamble’s taxi, something familiar happens. “The first question is, ‘Where are you from?’” she says.

From there, the conversation flows naturally. Gamble, a member of Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation in Saskatchewan, has built more than a taxi business—she’s building a network of trust. Her company, SheDrives, launched in Edmonton just before the holidays. In a short time, it’s already grown into something much bigger than she imagined.

“I have that connection because of the experiences that I've had… whether they're a residential school survivor, whether they're a Sixties Scoop survivor, whether they're a survivor of violence of any sort,” Gamble said.

SheDrives offers safe, women-only transportation for Indigenous women and others who simply want a more comfortable ride. Gamble knows what music to put on—be it Ernest Monias or Fawn Wood—but more importantly, she knows how to listen.

It’s not just a ride. She offers companion services, too—driving elders to medical appointments, shopping on their behalf, and even sitting through court dates alongside domestic violence survivors. She’s driven women more than 400 kilometres from Edmonton and picked others up at RCMP detachments after assaults.

“That is why SheDrives exists. For women in crisis,” she said.

The idea came from her kokum, who struggled to find rides to get where she needed to go. “Anywhere we wanted to go, she had to phone somebody,” Gamble said.

Now, women are calling Gamble.

She’s received thank-you messages from people who haven’t even booked a ride. Women from the Northwest Territories are booking her services months in advance for trips into Edmonton. And she’s constantly working—sometimes from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m.

Across the province in Grande Prairie, Angelika Urich knows the feeling.

When she launched Women First in 2021, she was pregnant with her fifth child and working 18-hour days to get it running. “I kept seeing how badly women, children and seniors needed a safe, caring transportation service,” she said.

Urich says she was taking job applications within a couple of weeks of launching. The business eventually switched from taxi to rideshare, allowing more flexibility and more drivers—all of them moms.

“Our drivers are all moms with big hearts,” Urich said. “We pray in our cabs, we vent, we talk, we laugh. We’re like mothers… or sisters to the customers.”

Both SheDrives and Women First were born out of the same need: safety.

Gamble has heard horror stories from women who’ve had to jump out of moving vehicles after drivers refused to stop. Urich’s passengers have recounted similar experiences.

The difference with these companies isn’t just who’s behind the wheel. It’s who’s in the passenger seat—and how they feel while they’re there.

Now, both businesses are thinking bigger. Urich says Women First is looking for investors to help expand into 110 cities. Gamble is also looking to grow, hoping to bring on more drivers and serve even more women.

“I’ve got really big dreams,” Gamble said. “This is just the beginning.”

Cree Woman's Taxi Provides Safe Haven For Indigenous Women In Crisis

A steel mill in northern Sweden is about to transform one of the world’s most polluting industries.

SSAB, the country’s largest steel producer, is ditching coal-powered blast furnaces in Luleå and replacing them with a compact electric arc furnace powered entirely by fossil-free electricity. By the end of 2029, the company expects to be producing so-called “green steel”—a milestone that could cut Sweden’s total CO₂ emissions by 7 percent.

“When we are building this new plant in Luleå, we will take away all of that coal and we will use fossil-free electricity instead to melt this scrap coming into the plant,” said Jonas Lövgren, head of SSAB’s production and processing department.

Traditionally, steel is made by heating iron ore with coal and coke, a process that emits massive amounts of carbon dioxide. SSAB’s new method will rely on electricity instead, using recycled steel as raw material and removing coal entirely from the process.

The Luleå site currently produces around 6,500 tonnes of steel per day—roughly equivalent to the weight of the Eiffel Tower. When the new plant is completed, it will produce even more, without the emissions.

The transition doesn’t come cheap. SSAB has committed €4.5 billion to the project, most of it from its own funds. The European Union’s Just Transition Fund is contributing €71 million, some of which is earmarked for retraining workers.

That retraining effort is already underway. “From today and until we are up and running with the new plant, all of these 1,100 people somehow need to be educated,” said Lövgren. “So first of all, we have started actually with electricians.”

Victoria Blom is one of those workers. A former machinist at the Luleå plant, she was selected for an electrician training program through the SSAB Academy. Chosen from 60 applicants, she completed seven months of theory and hands-on learning. “You use both body and mind,” she said. “Problem solving starts with reading the plans, before going out to measure, check and observe with your own eyes.”

SSAB’s shift to fossil-free steel is more than just a company milestone. It fits into Sweden’s broader climate agenda, which aims to hit carbon neutrality by 2045—five years ahead of the European Union’s 2050 target.

Kristin Hedstöm, Programme Manager at the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket), said the country has already cut emissions by nearly 30 percent since 2010. “The green transition in Sweden is happening in many, many ways,” she said.

While Sweden positions itself as a leader in clean industry, the SSAB project is being closely watched across Europe. The steel sector is one of the continent’s biggest carbon emitters, and replicating Luleå’s model elsewhere could represent a turning point for heavy industry.

By replacing fossil fuels with clean electricity, SSAB isn’t just building a new plant—it’s laying the groundwork for a greener industrial future.

Swedish Steel Giant Begins €4.5 Billion Shift to Fossil-Free Production

Science Daily

A team of scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine may have opened the door to a new generation of psychiatric and neurological treatments after discovering how to modulate a class of brain proteins long considered inactive.

The proteins, called delta-type ionotropic glutamate receptors, or GluDs, help neurons communicate by regulating the flow of electrical signals in the brain. Although researchers have known about GluDs for years, they lacked a clear picture of how the proteins functioned—until now.

“This class of protein has long been thought to be sitting dormant in the brain,” said Edward Twomey, assistant professor of biophysics and biophysical chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Our findings indicate they are very much active and offer a potential channel to develop new therapies.”

The study, published in Nature, was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and could lead to targeted treatments for conditions such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and cerebellar ataxia, a neurological disorder that affects movement and balance.

Twomey’s team used cryo-electron microscopy, a powerful imaging tool, to observe the molecular structure of GluDs in unprecedented detail. What they saw was a central ion channel that manages the flow of charged particles, allowing GluDs to interact with neurotransmitters—key messengers that help brain cells communicate.

“This process is fundamental for the formation of synapses, the connection point where cells communicate,” said Twomey.

The implications go far beyond basic neuroscience.

In patients with cerebellar ataxia, the research showed that GluDs become hyperactive even when there’s no electrical activity in the brain. That overactivity may disrupt motor control and balance. Twomey said the discovery could lead to medications that calm GluDs down—effectively “turning the volume down” on faulty signaling.

The opposite appears to be true in schizophrenia. In that case, GluDs are underactive. “Future drugs could aim to boost their activity instead,” said Twomey.

Because GluDs play a central role in synapse function, the research also raises the possibility of developing drugs that maintain or repair synapses over time—a potentially powerful approach to slowing cognitive decline and memory loss associated with aging.

“Because GluDs directly regulate synapses, we could potentially develop a targeted drug for any condition where synapses malfunction,” Twomey said.

The team is now looking to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies to develop therapies based on these findings. In parallel, they’re studying specific GluD mutations that have been linked to psychiatric conditions like anxiety and schizophrenia.

Co-authors of the study include Haobo Wang, Fairine Ahmed, Jeffrey Khau, and Anish Kumar Mondal. The Johns Hopkins University has filed a patent on the techniques used to measure GluD activity.

Funding support came from the NIH (R35GM154904), the Searle Scholars Program, and the Diana Helis Henry Medical Research Foundation.

Researchers Identify Promising Drug Target for Schizophrenia, Anxiety, and Movement Disorders

BBC News

An 86-year-old widower celebrating his birthday alone at an Italian restaurant in England was left stunned when strangers at a nearby table quietly paid for his entire meal.
Bob Leigh, a retired electrician and former rugby league referee, had put on his best suit to mark his birthday at Caffe Caruso in Warrington, Cheshire. The Saturday outing to his favourite restaurant was meant to be a solo celebration, but it quickly turned into something more.
While enjoying his chicken curry pasta, a dessert, and two glasses of wine—followed by an Irish coffee—Leigh struck up a friendly conversation with diners at the next table. What he didn’t know was that the group had quietly decided to pick up his £38 tab after learning it was his birthday.
Staff informed him just as he was preparing to pay the bill.
“I was amazed,” Leigh told the BBC. “I can’t thank them enough. I was blown away by their kindness.”
He said he initially tried to refuse, but the group insisted and made it clear it wasn’t up for discussion. “They said they’d talked about it and were doing it. End of story,” he recalled.
Leigh, who has been widowed for several years, said he hadn’t mentioned the loss of his wife to the group, only that it was his birthday. Still, the gesture left a lasting impression.
“It warms my heart,” he said, reflecting on the moment. “With all the bad news out there, something like this really stands out.”
A spokesperson for Caffe Caruso said similar acts of generosity have happened before at the restaurant. Sometimes, patrons choose to quietly pay for another person’s meal—especially when they notice someone dining alone.
For Leigh, the kindness of strangers turned what could have been a quiet, solitary birthday into something he’ll remember for a long time.

Strangers Pick Up Birthday Tab for Widowed 86-Year-Old Dining Alone in UK Restaurant

Fox News

What started as a hometown burger now has national championship energy behind it.

Fans in Bloomington have been turning out in droves — not just to cheer, but to eat. And one item on the menu is doing more than just satisfying hunger.

The Mendoza Bros. Burger, a Cuban-inspired specialty at local staple BuffaLouie’s, is raising funds for multiple sclerosis research in honor of Fernando and Alberto Mendoza’s mother, Elsa Mendoza, who has been living with MS for nearly 20 years.

“It’s been amazing that we get to support our mother, who has MS, and her fight against that,” Alberto Mendoza told Fox News Digital. “It’s just been amazing to be able to raise awareness.”

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana’s starting quarterback and 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, helped lead the Hoosiers to an undefeated season heading into Monday’s championship game against the Miami Hurricanes. Off the field, he’s using his rising fame to give back.

“All the proceeds of that burger that I would get goes to that research,” Mendoza said. “I know how much it means to myself… and I also know how much it means to my mother.”

The burger, created in partnership with local restaurateur Ed Schwartzman, features double smashed patties, grilled onions, Swiss cheese, mustard, and hot ham on a brioche bun — no ketchup, by design. It's a nod to the brothers’ Cuban heritage and a product of thoughtful collaboration.

Schwartzman, who owns BuffaLouie’s and Gables Bagels, where a matching Mendoza Bros. Cubano sandwich is also sold, was immediately drawn to the idea once he realized it wasn’t just another sponsorship request.

“They were obviously not looking for money,” he said. “They just wanted a local restaurant to partner with them for a good cause.”

Each purchase contributes directly to MS research, with Schwartzman donating 20% of the retail price — and then matching that donation out of pocket. So far, the effort has raised over $150,000, according to Tim Coetzee, president and CEO of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

“The Mendoza brothers’ partnership with Schwartzman’s restaurants is a beautiful testament to their mother Elsa and the power of community,” Coetzee said in a statement. “We are extremely grateful to them for leading the charge.”

The burger’s name was another intentional choice. Though Fernando is the face of the football team, he made it clear the project was a family effort and insisted it be called the Mendoza Bros. Burger.

“NIL can be seen in such a negative light,” he said, referring to the NCAA’s name, image, and likeness policy. “However, my thought is, ‘Hey, I’ve been inspired by other college players. Let’s do it for a good cause.’”

Teammates have rallied behind the effort. Kicker Josh Placzek said the breakfast sandwich version has become a go-to post-workout staple.

“It’s delicious,” he said. “And it’s supporting a great cause, so it’s a win-win.”

He added that the initiative speaks volumes about the brothers' values.

“The Mendozas are using their popularity, their talent, to bring awareness to the disease that their mom has and are creating such a great movement.”

With each game — and each burger sold — the brothers have drawn more attention not only to Indiana’s winning season, but to their family’s personal mission to help find a cure for MS.

“We’re still fighting to find a cure,” Alberto Mendoza said. “And hopefully my mom can be cured one day.”

Indiana’s Star Quarterback Turns Burger Into $150K Fundraiser for MS Research

People

Laila Edwards has always had Olympic dreams. Now, she's making history living them.

The 21-year-old forward from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, will take the ice in Milan this February as part of the U.S. women’s hockey team, becoming the first Black woman to represent Team USA in Olympic hockey. The milestone comes just one year after she became the first Black woman to make the U.S. women’s senior national team.

“It means everything,” Edwards told PEOPLE. “I think representation is so important, and role models are important too. So to be that potential role model for someone, it means the world to me. It's one of the biggest things that motivates me.”

Edwards has been skating since she was three. But it was watching the U.S. women’s team take on Canada for gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics that lit the spark. From then on, the goal was clear.

At the time, she never imagined that one day she’d be skating alongside her childhood idols — Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker, Kendall Coyne Schofield. “It’s so crazy. It’s unbelievable,” she said. “I mean, I was a little kid asking for all their autographs and pictures and fangirling and being so nervous. 

My mom had to do it for me, and now I'm sitting next to them in the locker room and going to the Olympics with them.”

That full-circle moment isn’t lost on Edwards, now a senior at the University of Wisconsin. A standout for the school’s Division I hockey program and a Red Bull athlete, she’s already won two NCAA championships and a spot in U.S. hockey history.

After a strong performance with the senior national team last year, she knew her Olympic shot was within reach. Once it became official, the next question was how to approach it.

“I was like, ‘Wow, I could take this one of two ways: shy away from it, or try to make a difference,’” she said.

Her story started on the ice in Cleveland Heights, where her dad, Robert Edwards, introduced her to figure skating at age three. “It was a part of my dad's plan all along. I had no idea, but he knew,” she said. “He was like, 'You're not going into figure skating. It's just to help with hockey.’” At five, she switched to hockey full-time and never looked back.

Edwards says her skills with the puck came naturally, though she had to work hard on her skating. “I’ve always been told I was a natural with the stick handling and handling the puck… I don’t know if I was so much a natural skater, but I did put a lot of work into skating. So yes, I do get that a lot, that I was a natural.”

Her rise hasn’t come without sacrifice — and she credits her family for making it all possible. Her parents, Robert and Charone Gray-Edwards, along with siblings Bobby, Colson, Chayla, and Britney, have been with her every step of the way.

“The sacrifices they've made are the reason I'm here… and it sounds cliché, but it’s very true,” she said. “I can’t even put into words how much money they’ve put into this and left work early to take me to a game, take me to practice. They’ve also mentally supported me and loved me and took care of me throughout this crazy journey and I can’t thank them enough.”
Life as a student-athlete isn’t exactly relaxing. Her days start with 8 a.m. ice time and are filled with classes, recovery, meals, and homework. But she says the support at Wisconsin has made a difference. “We have such good resources like our advisors, our tutors… we’re set up to succeed, which I think is really important.”
Back on campus, the buzz around her Olympic debut is growing. Edwards says the recognition has been heartening. “I think the more things come up, the more people recognize me, but everyone's just so nice and share a quick 'congratulations' or 'good luck,’” she said. “It's really special. I think everyone here is respectful and they care… it's just the little things that mean a lot.”

With her signature slap shot and smooth puck control, Edwards is bringing plenty of skill to Milan. But she's also bringing something else: visibility. She knows there aren’t many faces like hers in elite hockey, and she hopes that changes.

“Hopefully they see, especially young players of color, can watch me and say, ‘Okay, she made it there, and I can make it there,’” she said. “Even though there’s not many people in this sport that look like me.”
As for what she’s aiming for in Milan?

“Of course,” she said. “It’s the only thing that’s on the mind… and pasta and pizza.”

Laila Edwards, First Black Woman on U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, Reflects on Making History and More

A family in Oklahoma has been reunited with long-lost photos and keepsakes after a woman who found them in a desk drawer held onto them for more than three decades—just in case someone came looking.

Tammy Ritter discovered the collection in 1995, her first day on the job at the Tulsa County Assessor’s Office. Inside a yellow folder tucked into her new desk was a set of black-and-white photographs, postcards, golf scorecards from the 1940s, and even an old plane ticket from Oklahoma City to Tulsa.

“These were clearly personal items,” Ritter told News Channel 8. “And I felt they belonged to someone.”

Unable to find the owner at the time, Ritter made a decision that would quietly span the next 31 years of her life. She kept the folder. Every time she changed jobs or moved offices, she brought it with her.

Her supervisor, Chief Deputy Assessor Mark Liotta, described her loyalty to the forgotten file. “She’s hung on to the file of family mementos for 30 years,” he said. “And every time she’s moved jobs and moved offices, she’s taken that file with her.”

Now, with Ritter set to retire in 2026, Liotta—a self-described amateur genealogist—decided to try solving the mystery once and for all.

“I did some research, pieced together some old contact information, and I started making calls,” he said.

After working through about 50 leads, Liotta traced the items to the Evers/Cleveland family. He believed they once belonged to Mary Louise Evers, the adopted daughter of Marlin Lindsay Evers and Cuma Cleveland. Although that immediate family line had passed away, the trail led to Libby Doughty, a great-niece of Cuma Cleveland, who lives in Tulsa.

When Liotta called her, it didn’t take long for the pieces to click into place.

“Within moments of describing the items, Libby said, ‘That’s my Aunt Cuma!’” he recalled.

On January 13, Doughty and her sister visited the Tulsa County Assessor’s Office to retrieve the folder in person.

“It’s just a blessing that this folder was kept all these years,” Doughty told News on 6. “The fact that [Ritter] kept that is amazing. Who does that? Who cares enough to think that this belongs to someone and that there’s a family out there somewhere that these items mean something to?”

For Ritter, it was never about recognition.

“I’m just excited to hand it over,” she said.

After 31 years, a yellow folder once buried in a desk drawer is finally home—and with it, a small but meaningful piece of family history.

Decades-Old Family Treasures Returned After 31 Years Thanks to One Woman’s Kindness

Goodable

A new kind of robotic suit is giving teenagers with rare muscle disorders the strength to lift their arms — and, for the first time, a glimpse of independence.

At first glance, it looks like fabric. But this lightweight material can lift up to 15 kilograms, thanks to high-tech threads thinner than a human hair. Worn like clothing, the technology is part of a next-generation wearable robot being developed in South Korea to support people with progressive muscle weakness.

For 15-year-old Myung Ha-yul, the impact is personal. Diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy in elementary school, Myung now uses a powered wheelchair and relies on a personal assistant for daily tasks. But earlier this year, he joined a clinical trial for the robotic suit, which supports shoulder movements.

“It felt amazing because it was light and easy to wear, just like clothing,” he said. “I could lift my arms with much less effort.”

Backed by the Lee Kun-hee Child Cancer and Rare Disease Project — a $204 million initiative launched in 2021 by the family of the late Samsung chairman — the wearable robot is built on what researchers call “muscle fabric.”

The breakthrough comes from a team led by Park Cheol-hoon at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials. They developed a way to automatically weave shape-memory alloy threads into a soft, flexible textile that mimics muscle movement. Despite weighing just 10 grams, the fabric can lift more than 15 kilograms — enough to power robotic exoskeletons that move with the body, rather than against it.

Unlike traditional exoskeletons, which rely on heavy motors or loud pneumatic systems and usually only assist a single joint, this new design supports the elbow, shoulder, and waist at once. Early testing shows it reduces muscle use by more than 40 percent.

Clinical trials led by Professor Lee Woo-hyung at Seoul National University Hospital showed promising results for patients with muscular dystrophy and other conditions. Patients who used the 840-gram shoulder-assist robot — one of the lightest in the world — saw their shoulder range of motion improve by over 57 percent. Everyday tasks like eating, brushing teeth, or combing hair became easier.

“Existing braces and robots are heavy and expensive, which makes them difficult to use in everyday life,” Lee said. “The biggest achievement is that patients can put it on and take it off like clothing, while receiving active muscle support that leads to real functional improvement.”

Researchers believe the technology could also benefit older adults with age-related muscle loss. And thanks to automated weaving, the team is aiming for commercial versions that could cost as little as a few hundred thousand won — a fraction of current medical devices that can run into the tens of millions.

For now, the research continues with support from South Korea’s ACE program and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources. Future versions will aim to support other parts of the body, including the legs and back.

For Myung, the dream is more than physical. He hopes to become a pastor one day, someone who brings comfort and hope to others facing tough circumstances.

“I want to give hope to people who are sick or struggling,” he said.

With this new technology, he might just do both.

Light as Fabric, Strong as Muscle: Korea’s Wearable Robot Gives Hope to Teens With Rare Disorders

Sebbie Hall, a 22-year-old from Lichfield, Staffordshire, has been honoured with a World Humanitarian Award for his remarkable dedication to daily acts of kindness and community fundraising—despite living with a rare chromosome anomaly that affects his mobility, communication, and learning.

Selected to represent the UK at the One World One Culture Festival in southern India, Hall was celebrated for his impact on others through compassion and generosity. "I told you my ripple of kindness can travel across the world," he told his mother after receiving the award.

Hall believes that kindness is his superpower. Over the past five years, he’s turned that belief into action—donating more than 5,000 meals to food banks, delivering laptops to children who lack online access, and providing communication devices for disabled young people.

Through his charity, the Sebbie Hall Kindness Foundation, he has raised more than £100,000 for grassroots and national causes. Now, he’s aiming even higher: a £1 million goal to build an assisted living village for young adults with disabilities.

“Every day he is living with a rare condition and can't read or write but look how far his message of kindness has travelled,” said his mother, Ashley Hall. “He believes that everyone has the ability to make a difference, they just have to take the first step.”

Sebbie’s award is a recognition not only of his work, but of the way he’s inspired others. As his mother put it, “Organisers were looking for someone who transforms lives through compassion, and that’s what they saw in Sebbie.”

This Man Was Just Awarded the World Humanitarian Prize For Daily Acts Of Kindness

California is pumping $202 million into clean transportation projects across the state, aiming to cut pollution and make it easier for people to get around without relying on cars.

The new funding, announced this week by Caltrans, will support 143 local projects that prioritize public transit, electric vehicles, and lower emissions—especially in communities hit hardest by air pollution.

“Partnering with local transportation agencies, we’re building a thriving, more connected California,” said Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy. “These clean transportation projects will better serve communities most affected by air pollution, expand bus and rail service and support free or reduced fare programs.”

The funding comes through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program (LCTOP), part of the state’s California Climate Investments (CCI) initiative. CCI directs money from California’s Cap-and-Invest program into efforts that cut greenhouse gas emissions while boosting local economies and public health. To date, LCTOP has invested more than $1.4 billion in over 1,500 projects.

Here are some of the newly funded projects:

Los Angeles County: Metro’s A Line light rail service will receive $48.7 million to support operations. The expanded service covers 44 stations and runs daily.

San Francisco: The city will get $18 million to continue its Free Muni program, which eliminates transit fares for seniors, youth, and people with disabilities.

San Diego: The Metropolitan Transit System will use $8.5 million to buy up to 23 battery electric buses, replacing aging compressed natural gas vehicles.

Bakersfield: Golden Empire Transit District will receive $1.5 million to build a solar-powered “Smart Grid” system that stores energy during the day and charges electric buses overnight.

Lake County: The Lake Transit Authority will use $173,000 to upgrade nine bus stops in Clearlake, Lakeport, and surrounding areas with shelters, benches, and bike racks.

Nevada County: A new $86,000 fare subsidy will help low-income residents afford bus rides on the Nevada County Connects service.

The projects reflect a shift in transportation priorities—less about expanding highways, more about improving public transit and clean energy systems.

For more details and the full list of funded projects, visit the FY 24-25 LCTOP Award List (PDF)
 or explore updates at build.ca.gov.

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