The Nobel Committee announced that Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado is the winner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.

Peace seems in short supply these days.

Israel marked the end of the second year of its war on Gaza by attacking Hamas leaders in Qatar. Hamas has since agreed to parts of the peace plan the U.S. had proposed, with conditions. We will see where that goes.

August’s Alaska peace talks to end Russia’s three-year invasion of Ukraine instead led to escalated attacks on civilian and government targets in Ukraine, as well as drone incursions into neighbouring countries.

Over the last year, NATO’s eastern countries have revisited crisis-response protocols for health-care ­facilities, organizing training exercises and shifting operating theatres underground.

The European Commission now recommends every citizen stockpile enough food to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.

France has asked its health agencies to prepare for possible war by next March, Belgium’s government is urging its universities to prepare medical students for war, and Germany has passed a draft bill introducing voluntary military service.

More pertinent to Canadians,........

© Times Colonist