OTTAWA – The Michener Awards Foundation has announced Cogeco Media, CBC Edmonton, Global News, The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, and The Vancouver Sun as the finalists for the 2017 Michener Award for meritorious public service journalism.Gov. Gen. Julie Payette will host the Michener Awards ceremony at Rideau Hall on June 12 where the winner of the 2017 Michener Award will be announced.Cogeco Media is nominated for work by reporters Monic Neron and Emilie Perreault at Montreal radio station 98.5FM. They earned the trust of 10 women, who risked their careers to go on record and speak openly about alleged harassment and sexual assault suffered at the hands of Just For Laughs founder Gilbert Rozon.CBC Edmonton’s Jennie Russell and Charles Rusnell uncovered serious irregularities involving grants to Pure North, a private health foundation of a wealthy Calgary oilman. Following CBC’s series, the government cancelled the clinic’s funding, and Health Canada and the Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta launched investigations.A Global News team exposed serious flaws in the way Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada handled permanent residency applications for people with disabilities and medical conditions. The multi-platform investigation revealed that immigration officials used faulty and outdated academic research to determine “a cost threshold” and each year rejected as many as 450 viable applicants as medically inadmissible.Globe and Mail reporter Grant Robertson discovered some marijuana companies were cutting corners by using illegal toxic pesticides — and scores of consumers were becoming seriously ill. One patient’s medical marijuana, independently tested by the Globe, contained no fewer than five banned pesticides. Robertson’s investigative reporting ultimately caused Health Canada to institute new federal legislation for mandatory testing.In a massive investigation involving more than 250 Freedom of Information requests, the Globe and Mail’s Robyn Doolittle tracked dismissed, or “unfounded,” sexual assault cases handled by Canadian police. The result was a 2017 series that showed police were dismissing one in five such complaints. The series spurred the federal government to pledge better police oversight, training and policies.A year-long Toronto Star investigation revealed how companies are increasingly turning to temp agencies to limit their liability for workplace accidents, reduce employers’ responsibility and cut costs. Using Freedom of Information requests and undercover work in one of the continent’s largest industrial bakeries, Star reporters Sara Mojtehedzadeh and Brendan Kennedy revealed how some of the most vulnerable segments of the population were exposed to dangerous, and even fatal working conditions.In two series, the Vancouver Sun and Globe and Mail exposed a shocking failure of Canadian security regulators and governments to protect investors. Sun reporter Gordon Hoekstra’s databases for B.C. uncovered unpaid penalties of more than a half-billion dollars over the past 10 years, and fraudsters with $31 million in assets.Globe reporters Grant Robertson and Tom Cardoso took the investigation of white-collar crime national, analyzing almost 30 years of security offences. Data revealed that one in nine white-collar criminals are repeat offenders, evading regulators and fines by moving provinces. Both series sent shock waves through the investment community and governments.The Michener Award, founded in 1970 by late former governor general Roland Michener, honours excellence in public service journalism.
Advertisement Advertisement LEAVE A REPLY Cancel replyLog in to leave a comment Toronto-born actress Sarah Gadon has been working in the entertainment industry since she was in elementary school, but she considers her role in Netflix’s adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s “Alias Grace” the first chance she’s had to truly express her range as a performer. “When I read this, I said ‘This is the most complicated, intelligent, difficult job I have ever been presented with, so I should chase it!’ Gadon says. “I’m really grateful for that opportunity because I know they’re few and far between.”What was the biggest allure of the project for you? Were you a fan of the novel?“Alias Grace” was not an Atwood book that I studied in school, so I actually hadn’t read it before I read the scripts. What drew me immediately to the project was Sarah Polley. I was a huge fan of hers both as an actor and as a writer/director. She has been a bit quiet for the past couple of years, and I knew she was going to come back with something amazing that she had been simmering with, and so as soon as I got the call that this was Sarah’s brainchild, I was like “Oh my god, yes yes yes!” She’s so smart and special, and I’ve kind of always felt this weird secret kinship to her because she also grew up in Toronto and came up in the landscape of Canadian filmmaking like me. SARAH GADON – PHOTO BY WESTON WELLS FOR VARIETY What was your first introduction to Atwood’s work?I read “Oryx and Crake” in school, but a lot of what I read of hers were her more sci-fi books and writings.READ MORE
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A SECTION OF Donegall Street, in Belfast city centre, was closed for around half an hour this afternoon after police were contacted with reports of what appeared to be a gun pointing out the window of a building.PSNI armed response units were dispatched shortly after 2pm to conduct a search of the building in question, and recovered three replica firearms in one room.A spokesperson for the police service said an investigation was now under way to try and apprehend anyone involved.The street was re-opened shortly before 2.50pm.Read: US court reduces number of Boston College tapes to be handed over to PSNI >Read: Vince Vaughan has made a film about the Northern Ireland murals >
If you can get one of the increasingly elusive good jobs, then you can probably afford the car, the house and to bring up your family with some dignity. But there are simply not enough jobs to go around and the forces of globalisation and technological change help explain why this has happened with computers reducing the need for clerical workers.He said that extreme inequality “has very real consequences”.How can things be changed?Dr O’Connor will unveil a series of proposals at today’s conference aimed at solving the issue. These include:Targeted investment in key infrastructure like clean energy, providing training for people who are long-term unemployed and provision of local authority rental housingEnsure all workers receive at least a living wage from full-time employment.Enshrine trade union rights, including collective bargaining, in law.Accelerate the drive to a universal system of health care in Ireland.Improve childcare and elder care.Further reform the education system.Develop and implement a comprehensive social and affordable housing strategy.Ensure everyone has sufficient income.Pension policy reform is also needed, including reduced tax breaks and an increased tax-funded basic state pension.Reduce the cost of living.He will also call for adjustments to be made to Ireland’s tax system so that the proposed improvements to our public services can be paid for.What do you think of Dr O’Connor’s proposals? Tell us in the comments.Read: Poor us: Ireland is less wealthy than the EU average>Read: What can be done to help Ireland’s “unacceptable” rate of jobless households?> IRELAND IS SPLIT between people who have good jobs – and people who don’t.That’s the opinion of the director of the progressive think-tank TASC, Dr Nat O’Connor, who said today that improving infrastructure and incomes, access to education, health and social care services along with reforming the tax system are central to tackling inequality.He believes that Irish society is split between those with ‘good jobs’, full-time on good pay, and those without work or those in low-paying, part-time or irregular jobs.Challenge of economic inequalityDr O’Connor will speak at TASC’s fifth Annual Conference, The Challenge of Economic Inequality to Recovery and Wellbeing, which is being hosted in conjunction with the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) in Croke Park today.The keynote address at the conference will be given by Thomas Piketty, Associate Chair, Paris School of Economics and author of Capital in the Twenty-First Century. Patrick Honohan, Governor of the Central Bank, will deliver the response to his address.Dr O’Connor describes getting good quality employment as remaining the primary equaliser for many people.
Image: Richard Drew/AP By Associated Press Tweet thisShare on FacebookEmail this article http://jrnl.ie/3209316 Share3 Tweet Email2 This man working on Wall Street got a special baseball cap to mark the milestone Image: Richard Drew/AP Jan 29th 2017, 6:30 PM Q. Can the US stock market keep going higher?A. The Dow has more than tripled from its low point during the recession seven years ago. Some experts have been surprised the market has continued to rise so much in recent months, particularly since corporate profits have been mostly shrinking over the last year and a half, but that doesn’t mean the market can’t go any higher. The US market is now in the second-longest bull run since World War II, following the rally of 1990-2002.The election of Donald Trump as US president in November has made investors more optimistic about growth in the economy and the profit potential for industries like banking and energy, which are expected to benefit from his drive to roll back regulations, lower taxes and rev up economic growth.Q. If the market keeps setting record highs, does that mean stocks are getting expensive?A. By some measures, yes. The long drive up in the market has sent a key barometer of how expensive stocks are above its long-term average.A stock’s price is meant to reflect how much investors expect a company to earn in profits. If those profits grow, you’d expect the stock to rise. Sometimes, though, stock prices rise even if earnings don’t, and that’s when stocks start to look expensive relative to their historical norms. Source: Richard Drew/PAOne widely used measure of value divides the price of the Standard & Poor’s 500 index by the annual earnings at those companies over 10 years, adjusted for inflation. That number is currently 28.7, a bit above where it was 10 years ago but far below where it was prior to the dot-com implosion of 2000-2002. Since World War II, the average ratio has been 19.Q. So stocks have gone up a lot, what about bonds?A. Bond prices have gone down a fair bit since the election, which has sent long-term interest rates higher.Investors have been selling bonds because they expect that the infrastructure spending plans of Trump could lead to faster economic growth and higher inflation, both of which are bad for bonds.Q. What about other markets around the world, how are they doing?A. In general, not as well as the US market. In Europe, Italy’s market is up just 5.1% over the last year. France’s index has gained about half as much as the Dow has over the past year, while indexes in German and Britain lag the Dow slightly. Japan’s market is up 11.4% over the last 12 months, less than half of the Dow’s gain.Read: How a group of hackers and traders made $100 million – using press releasesRead: Here’s what Hillary Clinton told Goldman Sachs in paid speeches, according to Wikileaks The Trump Effect. https://t.co/wexrLY0ulp— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) January 25, 2017 This man working on Wall Street got a special baseball cap to mark the milestone 40 Comments THE DOW JONES industrial average, which shows the average value of 30 large industrial stocks in the US, closed above 20,000 points for the first time earlier this week.It hit the milestone figure on Wednesday and was met with celebrations among traders on Wall Street.But what exactly does it mean?Q. Ok, first things first: what exactly does the Dow Jones industrial average measure?A. The Dow Jones industrial average is calculated using the prices of 30 large, or blue chip stocks from various US industries. It’s been around since 1896, when it started out with 12 companies, one of which was General Electric, which is still in the index.Q. When did the Dow first close above 10,000?A. On 29 March, 1999, almost 18 years ago.Q: So 20,000 is a big milestone? A: Yes, for Wall Street. Source: Richard Drew/PAQ: Was this anything to do with Donald Trump? A: It depends on how you see it. The US economy has been doing well for some time now, and this had been widely predicted.However some people – including Kellyanne Conway, a key advisor to Donald Trump – would see the inauguration of the US president as giving a significant boost to the economy. The Dow Jones hit over 20,000 for the first time this week – but what does that mean? There were big celebrations on Wall Street. Source: Kellyanne Conway/Twitter 23,952 Views Short URL Sunday 29 Jan 2017, 6:30 PM
The Bianconeri manager has been linked with the Manchester United job after Portuguese boss Jose Mourinho was sackedAfter Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho was sacked, there have been many names linked with the position with the Red Devils.And one of those names if that of Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri.“I have a contract with Juventus and I am happy here,” Allegri told reporters according to The 42.
Lukaku backed to beat Ronaldo in Serie A scoring charts Andrew Smyth – September 14, 2019 Former Inter Milan star Andy van der Meyde is confident Romelu Lukaku will outscore Cristiano Ronaldo in this season’s Serie A.“We are doing a great job together with the fans. There are many games to win before the end of the season, there is time before June.”“Italian football is fascinating, I am not tired of it. I want to stay to improve Italian football,” he added.“Outside this world, there are many things to be done, we need to involve the kids to build a better future for this game.”
Wipro seems to be speeding up its automation moves across the company to improve efficiency and productivity after launching its cognitive intelligence platform ‘Holmes’.In the latest move, India’s third largest IT services firm has started using an in-house innovation called ‘soft robot’ or ‘genie’ to automate internal functions such as helpdesk management and recruitment, Business Standard reported.The aim is to enhance efficiency by ‘optimizing’ the usage of resources and bring down costs, said K R Sanjiv, chief technology officer of the Bengaluru-based company.Wipro’s Technovation Center, which is situated in the company’s campus in Electronic City in Bengaluru, is responsible for bringing out the innovations. The innovation team consists of about 300 researchers with varied backgrounds.Wipro’s new cognitive computing system is currently being tested at different customer locations. “We are just reacting to the environment outside. During the last 2-3 years, we have been creating sweet spots in few key areas where we believe disruption is going to happen in the future,” said Sanjiv. “We are focusing on four key themes including cognitive system, human machine interface, smart devices like Internet of Things (IoT) and next generation architecture,” he added.The IT major is also looking at starting a similar Technovation Centre in Mountain View, California, to tell its clients that the company is involved in carrying out many advanced innovations, besides working in partnership with startups.Recently, Wipro CEO TK Kurien said that the company’s focus on automation will bring down its headcount by a third in the next three years.”Wipro is moving its automation focus from service desk to application services, which would lead to a reduction of 30% of its headcount in the next three years,” Kurien, told The Economic Times on 27 April.
CARACAS, Venezuela – Venezuelan authorities demolished four protest camps in Caracas and detained more than 200 people in pre-dawn raids Thursday, striking at the remaining bastions of a months-long and at times deadly anti-government movement.But hours later, groups of youths were back out on the streets of the capital, where they were met by tear gas and rubber bullets.Riot police had earlier swept through the camps in the surprise raids, with Interior Minister Miguel Rodríguez Torres saying the sites occupied by students were “being used by more violent groups to commit terrorist acts.”He said the 243 people detained would be questioned to determine whether they should be prosecuted.Lawyer and human rights activist Elenis Rodríguez said “very few young people were able to escape the onslaught.”At least 41 people have died and more than 700 have been injured since students and other opponents of the socialist government took to the country’s streets in February to protest rampant crime, runaway inflation and shortages of basic goods.Over the past month, the protest movement has largely been concentrated in Occupy-style encampments in Caracas, with the main one set up opposite the office of the United Nations Development Program in a tony neighborhood.That site — which consisted of hundreds of tents and blocked three of six lanes of a major thoroughfare — was ravaged by the raid.Rodríguez Torres said police seized drugs, weapons, explosives, mortars, grenades and gas canisters during their operation — “everything you would use to confront the security forces on a daily basis.”But student leader Juan Requesens vowed the demonstrators would not be deterred.“The students will pursue their fight for rights,” he said.Spanish actor Antonio Banderas expressed solidarity with the protesters but urged them to use the ballot box for change.“I would tell Venezuelans who are fighting for their freedoms … that the magical moment will come once a vote occurs,” “The Mask of Zorro” star told reporters in Lima. A professor walks near tents in front the heaquaters of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), during a protest asking for UN’s observers, in Caracas on March 26, 2014. Juan Barreto/AFPKey hearing delayed The police action came just hours before a hearing for jailed opposition leader Leopoldo López was postponed.López “has again been transferred to the Ramo Verde military prison,” a statement from his Popular Will party said.The announcement did not specify a new court date.“What are they afraid of? Of the truth? They know I should be freed,” the party, via Twitter, quoted López as saying.The Harvard-educated economist has been in custody at a military jail since February 18 for allegedly inciting deadly violence during the protests. He was arrested in the midst of a massive opposition rally.The arrests of López and other opposition leaders have stoked the demonstrations, and their release was one of the conditions set by the opposition in talks aimed at ending the crisis.In Washington, Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson said the Venezuelan government’s actions “do not support the efforts at the dialogue table.”Jacobson also told a Senate hearing the U.S. was still considering sanctions against those responsible for human rights violations and “will use those when we think the time is right.”The opposition-government talks have suffered stops and starts since they began, with some sessions postponed at the last minute.A round of negotiations planned for this week has been postponed until next week. An opposition student writes an anti-government slogan on a shop window in Caracas, Venezuela, on May 8, 2014. Juan Barreto/AFPForce ‘not solving problems’ President Nicolás Maduro, narrowly elected last year to succeed late longtime leader Hugo Chávez, has described the protests as a coup attempt in the oil-rich OPEC nation that has seen inflation of near 60 percent.People often stand in line for hours outside supermarkets and consider themselves lucky if they leave with basics such as sugar, milk or toilet paper.Most economic experts blame the South American country’s problems on a decade of rigid currency and price controls, as well rising debt, dependence on imports and stagnant economic growth.The “use of brute force to limit freedom of expression stimulates more aggressive and dangerous protests that make dialogue more difficult,” political analyst Luis Vicente León told AFP.“You can crush your opponent, but you are not solving the problems.” Facebook Comments Related posts:Showdown looms for Venezuela, as protest leader Leopoldo López vows new march Why I support Nicolás Maduro Desperate for coffee in Caracas Venezuelan opposition wants to free prisoners, push Maduro
WASHINGTON, D.C. – A new study on the child migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border published by the Inter-American Dialogue states that the ongoing crisis – while dominating headlines recently – isn’t something that should have taken us by surprise.“The writing was on the wall way before anyone was talking about it. This is not a new phenomenon. It started a while back,” the Washington, D.C.-based think tank stated in one of the study’s key conclusions.IAD senior researcher Manuel Orozco told a packed gathering at IAD headquarters recently that observers have been following this trend of migration north for several years, noting that immigrants are arriving at the U.S-Mexico border because they are fleeing violence and a lack of economic opportunities in their home countries.“Just as people left Central America escaping violence in the ’70s and ’80s, now in the 21st century, youth are being persecuted by paramilitary forces, gangs, cartels, arms traffickers and extortionists,” the IAD study, “Understanding Central American Migration: The Crisis of Central American Child Migrants in Context,” stated.Violence in particular is the key driver of this migration and a lack of job prospects is another, according to IAD. A young boy joins faith leaders and activists in a protest against immigrant deportations in front of the White House in Washington, D.C., on July 31, 2014. Karen Bleier/AFP“A closer look at the situation and you’ll see that the lower the level of [economic] development, the higher the level of migration,” Orozco said. “You cannot address the problem without tackling the challenge of development in the region.”The situation could have been prevented, said Christina García, membership mobilization manager at the National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities.“We have a broken and outdated U.S. immigration system. Many of the undocumented immigrants already have relatives here in the United States, and we cannot talk about this situation without acknowledging that,” García said. “Our country hasn’t done anything in the past 20 years to allow people to immigrate in a legal manner.”García added that a “fear of backlash from the other side [of the political aisle] is preventing U.S. President Barack Obama and immigration reform supporters from moving forward with legislation that would address the issue.Orozco also pointed out that the situation has reached a crisis level in part because Central American leaders have done a poor job in the past of addressing the issue.“While here in Washington there has been talk of the surge [in the number of migrants without immigration documents], none of the Central American countries have people asking their leaders how is it that they were allowing undocumented immigrants to leave their country every day for the past five years. [It] is a fact of which many government officials were aware,” Orozco said.The expert also accused regional leaders of “significant neglect about the crisis and a trivialization in the region about what has been going on.”Central American leaders are sensitive to that criticism, however, and they claim to have taken steps recently to address the concerns.Several leaders met recently with President Obama in Washington, D.C., and they are planning additional meetings soon, according to Guatemalan President Otto Pérez Molina. Pérez Molina last week said he and his counterparts in El Salvador and Honduras hope to meet again with Obama to discuss an economic plan they say would offer their countries economic assistance to help stem the flow of migration.Pérez Molina, who spoke in Bogotá, where he was attending the inauguration of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, added that El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras have asked the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) in Washington to help develop a study, the “Central American Economic Development Plan.” A mother and 3-year-old child from El Salvador await transport to a processing center for undocumented immigrants after they crossed the Río Grande into the United States on July 24, 2014 in Mission, Texas. John Moore/Getty Images/AFPThe study would look at job creation, infrastructure and anti-crime measures to determine how to decrease the number of Central American migrants making the trek north. It would be modeled around Plan Colombia, Pérez Molina – a former general and ex-member of Guatemala’s special forces unit, the Kaibiles – added. Advocates of Plan Colombia credit it with reducing crime and violence and spurring development in the South American country. Critics say it has led to human rights abuses and the militarization of the region.The Guatemalan leader told reporters that the IADB study is expected to be completed next month, around the same time that leaders from around the world will gather in New York for the opening session of the United Nations. It is there, Pérez Molina said, that he and the Central American leaders expect to meet with Obama to discuss the plan and address several other factors aimed at stemming the migrant flow north to the United States.Said Pérez Molina: “We are working together to resolve this issue.” Facebook Comments Related posts:Central American foreign ministers meet in Washington to lobby Obama on immigration crisis Central American child migrant crisis ‘one of the greatest tragedies,’ says Costa Rica’s Solís US nation-building efforts should be in Central America, not Iraq and Afghanistan Central American leaders offer plan to slow child migrant surge
Fannie Mae FHFA Freddie Mac FSGF Ginnie Mae Government Forum HUD industry Leaders mortgage 2018-10-22 Staff Writer Share in Daily Dose, News Ed Delgado, President and CEO of the Five Star Institute, and Ben Carson, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, speaking together at the 2018 Five Star Government Forum.The 2019 Five Star Government Forum has been announced and will take place this coming April 23 in Washington, D.C. Now in its 10th year, the Five Star Government Forum is renown for its impactful engagement of leaders across the mortgage industry. The day-long event has since its inception helped facilitate a meaningful back-and-forth that plays a role in ensuring sensible regulations are maintained to protect both homeowners and the housing market.Government officials and mortgage servicing leaders will gather at the Newseum, where the event was held last year, located between the U.S. Capitol and the White House, only a single block from the National Mall. Representatives from the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (BCFP), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), and many others are expected to attend.2018’s Five Star Government Forum began with U.S. Secretary of HUD Dr. Benjamin Carson in conversation with attendees. Peter J. Wallison, Senior Fellow and Arthur F. Burns Fellow with the American Institute, presented the 2018 morning keynote. The Hon. Edward DeMarco, who served as the acting Director of the FHFA from 2009 to 2014, led the afternoon keynote. “Over the past 10 years, the Five Star Government Forum has established itself as a critical event for our industry because it serves as a platform to foster and grow the collaborative working relationship between regulatory authorities and the industry stakeholders,” said Ed Delgado, President, and CEO of the Five Star Institute. “We look forward to hosting the conversations that drive progress once again.”Click here to learn more and take advantage of early bird registration which expires November 1, 2018.
October 22, 2018 638 Views Forum to Unite Housing and Government Leaders
Read more: 10 best things to do in Barcelona – a local’s guide4. Paris, France from £31Check pricesJet off to the City of Love for a romantic weekend without breaking the bank. Wining and dining in _gay Paris _can cost a pretty penny, but with the British pound strong against the euro, you can afford to sweep your other half off their feet. Your savings may not stretch to a meal at Le Meurice, one of Paris’ most expensive restaurants, but we suggest you check out Chez Georges for solid French classics. Read more: 10 amazing arty hotels in Amsterdam6. Rome, Italy from £37Check pricesWhen in Rome, eat your way around the city we say! Start off with a frothy cappuccino and pastry from Boulangerie MP, sample the goods on offer at Campo de’ Fiori Market, and dine at dusk on as much fresh pasta as you can pack in. Still got room for more? Grab a gelato from Gelateria Corona, arguably the best stop in Rome for the famous sweet treat.Read more: 10 most luxurious hotels in Rome7. Copenhagen, Denmark from £26Check pricesQuaff craft beers in the Danish capital for half the price while the exchange rate is on your side. Copenhagen is the home to Carlsberg beer, but there are many smaller breweries popping up across this cool city. Head to Mikkeller Bar in Viktoriagade where they have 20 beers on tap, 14 of which come from their own brewery.Read more: 7 best things to see and do in Copenhagen8. Berlin, Germany from £29Check pricesSee the iconic Brandenburg Gate, or admire the artwork that adorns what is left of the Berlin Wall. Just make sure you’ve got plenty of energy left to hit the dancefloor, as Berlin is renowned for its nightlife. Check out Clärchens Ballhaus; Berliners have been partying in this venue for over a hundred years and it was also used as a film set for Tarantino blockbuster Inglourious Basterds. Read more: An insider’s guide to Paris galleriesThings to do in Paris – a second timer’s guide5. Amsterdam, the Netherlands from £27Check pricesGet on your bike and cycle the canals of pretty Amsterdam, stopping for a pick me up at one of the cute cafés in the Jordaan. Feeling flush? Stay at the iconic five-star Amstel Hotel, located right on the water’s edge, and dine in the hotel’s Michelin star restaurant, La Rive. For less than £80* for return flights you could be having fun in one of Europe’s most expensive cities. Here are 10 pricey places to visit now to get more for your money:1. Oslo, Norway from £20Check pricesGet creative and visit one of Europe’s leading art centres, stopping by the National Museum to see Edvard Munch’s famous painting, The Scream. Typically you’d struggle to get change from 30 quid for cocktails for two in one of Oslo’s trendy bars like No.19 in the city centre. But with current rates you’ll be able to sip more mojitos with your holiday spends. Score! 2. Stockholm, Sweden from £28Check pricesGet the best deal on your holiday money, and then blow it all your krona shopping in the chic designer boutiques and vintage shops in Söder, a verified hipster hangout in suburban Stockholm. While winter may be on its way out, you might want to duck in to a café for a coffee and cake break to warm up a little – Café String is famous for its colourful décor and quirky furniture (which you can buy) as well as their delicious homemade pies.Read more: The 20 most hipster neighbourhoods in the world3. Barcelona, Spain from £34Check pricesGet more bang for your buck in Barcelona. Eat in excellent restaurants, sample fine Spanish wines and dance ‘til well past dawn in the city’s lively nightclubs . Not only do you get a great weekend city break, but you can also enjoy 4km of beaches just within the city limits at Barceloneta
That romantic break in Paris or lads’ weekend in Amsterdam could be more affordable than you might think!Now is the best time for Brits to take advantage of favourable exchange rates, as the pound strengthens against a number of European currencies including the euro, Swedish krona and Norwegian krona. Check out this graph from the Bank of England which shows that early 2015 has been a great time to purchase euros with the pound strongest againct the euro since 2008. Read more: 10 best free things to do in BerlinTop 10 most beautiful hotels in Berlin9. Vienna, Austria from £79Check pricesOh Vienna! With its cobble streets and fairytale spires the Austrian capital is one of Europe’s most charming, but priciest, city break destinations. So now is the perfect time to get yourself heaps of cheap euros and head over for your fill of fine art, seriously chocolatey _sachertorte _cake and musical culture at the Vienna State Opera House.10. Zurich, Switzerland from £58Find flightsOk, so the Swiss franc may still be strong, but flights from the UK are pretty cheap, so it’s still worth taking a trip to this swanky Swiss city soon – you’ll have more cash to splash on chocolate, one of the country’s most famous exports and the sort of souvenir loved ones actually want. Rub shoulders with the rich in Switzerland’s financial centre, where ultra-modern monuments to Zurich’s wealthy banking institutions sit alongside medieval market squares in the Old Town.Want more city break inspiration? Check these out:5 cool city break hotels in Europe8 of the most colourful cities in the world7 most romantic city breaks in Europe20 free things to do on a city break in EuropeHow much does it cost to go to Europe?Top 10 clubbing cities in Europe*_Flight prices correct at time of publication and are for return journeys from the UK between March and June 2015_.Skyscanner is the world’s travel search engine, helping your money go further on flights, hotels and car hire.ReturnOne wayMulti-cityFromAdd nearby airports ToAdd nearby airportsDepart14/08/2019Return21/08/2019Cabin Class & Travellers1 adult, EconomyDirect flights onlySearch flights Map RelatedTourism heats up after Icelandic Meltdown: 400% increase in Iceland flight searchesTourism heats up after Icelandic Meltdown: 400% increase in Iceland flight searches8 cheap half term holiday flights for less than £50School’s out, so head off to one of these fun European cities for less than fifty quid!10 amazing Eastern European cities you probably haven’t heard of but must seeThere’s much more to discover in Eastern Europe than those old favourites Prague and Budapest. We’ve picked out ten hidden gems that are ideal for a weekend city break or an even longer holiday.