IN PHOTOS Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
The Group of Seven major economies agreed Monday to reject Moscow's demand to pay for Russian natural gas exports in rubles.
German energy minister Robert Habeck told reporters that "all G7 ministers agreed completely that this (would be) a one-sided and clear breach of the existing contracts" for natural gas, which is used to heat homes, generate electricity and power industry.
The energy ministers of France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, as well as the European Union energy commissioner, met by videoconference and reaffirmed that contracts "must be respected," with most stipulating payments be in euros or dollars, a G7 statement said.
"Payment in ruble is not acceptable, and we will urge the companies affected not to follow (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's demand," Habeck said.
Putin announced last week that Russia will demand "unfriendly" countries pay for natural gas only in Russian currency from now on, instructing the central bank to work out a procedure for buyers to acquire rubles in Russia. The demand sent already high gas prices even higher amid fears it could be a prelude to a natural gas shutoff, which could disrupt Europe's economy and hurt Russia's finances.
Economists said the move appeared designed to try to support the ruble, which has collapsed against other currencies since Putin invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24 and Western countries responded with far-reaching sanctions against Moscow. But some analysts expressed doubt that it would work.
Asked by reporters earlier Monday if Russia could cut natural gas supplies to European customers if they reject the demand to pay in rubles, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in a conference call that "we clearly aren't going to supply gas for free."
"In our situation, it's hardly possible and feasible to engage in charity for Europe," Peskov said.
Asked what happens if Russia turns off the taps now, Germany's energy minister said, "We are prepared for all scenarios."
"Putin's demand to convert the contracts to ruble (means) he is standing with his back to the wall in that regard, otherwise he wouldn't have made that demand," Habeck said, adding that Russia needs rubles to finance its war at home, such as payments to troops.
European governments have shied away from imposing a ban on energy imports from Russia over fears of the impact it would have on the economy. Europe gets 40% of its gas and 25% of its oil from Russia, and since the war, has scrambled to set out proposals to reduce its dependency. Russia is just as reliant on Europe, with oil and gas its dominant sector and paying for government.
Estimates of the impact of a gas boycott or embargo on Europe vary but most involve a substantial loss of economic output, especially since the war and the resulting surge in energy and raw material prices is already weighing on Europe's economy. U.S. sanctions permit exceptions for payments for oil and gas, though it has banned Russian energy imports itself.
Putin's rubles payment proposal led Germany's utilities association, the BDEW, to call on the government to declare an "early warning" of an energy emergency.
A spokeswoman said Monday that the government does not see the need for an early warning declaration at this time.
When pressed by reporters on making the declaration, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said "the contracts we know lay down the euro as payment currency and the companies will pay according to the contracts they have signed."
What currency is used to buy Russian energy "doesn't really matter," said Robin Brooks, chief economist at the Institute of International Finance, a trade group for the world's banks.
"What matters is that energy exports give Russia purchasing power, which it can convert into goods from abroad," she said.
Putin's demand for payment in rubles "is mostly window dressing. It doesn't change the underlying transactions," Brooks said. "At the margin, I would call this another `own goal' by Putin, since it increases the focus on gas purchases by Western Europe and could potentially raise the odds of an import stop."
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AP Economics Writer Paul Wiseman contributed from Washington
Do you have both Ukrainian and Russian family members? How are you handling the crisis? Email dotcom@bellmedia.ca.
From London, to Mildmay, Collingwood and St. Thomas, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
The Netherlands' contestant in the Eurovision Song Contest was dramatically expelled from competition hours before Saturday's final of the pan-continental pop competition, which has been rattled by protests over the participation of Israel.
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Evan Bouchard scored 5:38 into overtime and the Edmonton Oilers bounced back for a 4-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks in the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Friday.
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An evacuation alert was issued for two Wood Buffalo communities Friday night, as crews battled an out-of-control wildfire near Fort McMurray.
A cyclist turned herself in and received a fine after striking a four-year-old girl who was crossing the street to catch a school bus.
A family of fifth generation farmers from Ituna, Sask. are trying to find answers after discovering several strange objects lying on their land.
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.
A small Ajax dessert shop that recently received a glowing review from celebrity food critic Keith Lee is being forced to move after a zoning complaint was made following the social media influencer’s visit last month.
The Canada Science and Technology Museum is inviting visitors to explore their poop. A new exhibition opens at the Ottawa museum on Friday called, 'Oh Crap! Rethinking human waste.'
The Regina Police Service says it is the first in Saskatchewan and possibly Canada to implement new technology in its detention facility that will offer real-time monitoring of detainees’ vital health metrics.
The stakes have been set for a bet between Vancouver and Edmonton's mayors on who will win Round 2 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
A grieving mother is hosting a helmet drive in the hopes of protecting children on Manitoba First Nations from a similar tragedy that killed her daughter.
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
A P.E.I. lighthouse and a New Brunswick river are being honoured in a Canada Post series.