Kiruna - Secretary of State John Kerry was engaged in a different type of Cold War last week as he met with representatives of nations bordering the Arctic at the conclusion of Sweden’s two year chairmanship of the Arctic Council.

The European Space Agency (ESA) announced Monday, the selection of ‘Biomass’ as the subject of its seventh Earth Explorer mission. The planned satellite will measure, to great accuracy, biomass and carbon stored in the world’s forests.

In response to the March 2013 decision to postpone Romania and Bulgaria entry in the visa-free Schengen zone under the threat of a German veto, a young group of people has decided to launch a solidarity initiative with Romanian and Bulgarian citizens.

European Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Olli Rehn has stated that while Cyprus was an exceptional case, big depositors could suffer losses in future EU bailouts.

Porsche last week unveiled two 911 GT3 RSR as the next step in the German manufacturer’s return to Le Mans 24 Hours in 2014. Now, there is speculation that Australian Formula 1 driver Mark Webber may be in talks with the Stuttgart based manufacturer.

Stallhagen, a microbrewery in Finland, says it can replicate beer found in a 200-year-old shipwreck. The beer had been found at the bottom of the sea in the summer of 2010. Now Stallhagen wants to bring the ale to market.

Oz The Great and Powerful has taken over box offices around the globe by storm. But after the transformations am I the only one thinking what's with Mila Kunis's makeup?

On Monday, a full ban on the testing of cosmetic products on animals came into force in the European Union. The complete ban was welcomed by animal rights groups but some in the cosmetics industry remain unconvinced.

The title of survey results on the Rick Hansen Institute website says it all: "Survey shows overwhelming support for safety changes to amateur hockey in Canada." Hockey parents and fans support a bodychecking ban for children, the institute survey found.

Lost amongst the Europe-wide furore concerning the discovery of horsemeat in processed foods, on February 14 the European Union quietly announced a partial lifting of the ban on animal proteins in feedstuffs.

In what will be considered rather ironical to some, The Pirate Bay in Sweden is suing an anti-piracy group in Finland for copyright-infringement, after they copied the TPB website.

Matt Cooke may have fooled many people by contritely telling cameras that raising his foot and jamming it down onto the back of Erik Karlsson's lower leg was an accident. But if you believe him, I'd like to talk to you about buying an ice-rink on Mars.

The European Space Agency has released details of space missions scheduled in 2013 and developments in prospect with current orbiters and satellites.

Right from the get-go this 2013 NHL season will be a sprint. The absence of 34 games will naturally make the 48 games each team plays, all in some 99 days, all the more meaningful and that could lead to surprises, in standings and in individual races.

Saint-nazaire - STX Europe shipyards, at Saint Nazaire on France’s Atlantic coast, and leading cruise company, Miami based Royal Caribbean Cruises, recently signed an agreement which will see the world’s largest cruise ship being built at the French shipyard.

Do you really care if Gary Bettman says sorry? Or says it again, because he already said sorry in his press conference Wednesday after the owners unanimously ratified the new CBA. His apology was full and sincere, or so I thought.

There's no need for a recitation of the NHL deeds of Roberto Luongo, even before coming to the Canucks the gold-medal goalie was an all-star. But he has a flaw and it's one that, with the lockout now over, may prevent him from being traded this season.

He does not fully answer questions, even when doing so gives away no damaging secrets. Some of his utterings do not make sense. He likes being the boss, that is clear. He's Donald Fehr and he stands between NHL fans and an NHL season.

A new offer from the NHL on Thur., Dec. 27 has renewed hope that the league will indeed have a 2012-13 season. The proposal, which comes after a near two weeks of virtual silence in the negotiations, was some 288 pages in length.

The most recent news is that the NHL and the NHLPA are once again back to not talking. This is disappointing, especially at such a crucial time in the ongoing fiasco that is their current attempts at a new CBA. Not even talking? So what's up with that?