Is climate change killing Canada's reputation as a winter wonderland? Top Stories

With melting glaciers and disappearing backyard rinks is climate change altering Canada's reputation as a winter wonderland? And, comedian Jerry Seinfeld had a most special guest for his web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, the President of the United States. These are two of our top stories worth your time this morning.

Local

Hamilton man returns favour for program that got him out of homeless shelter

Ron Hartwick is sitting in the Hamilton Public Library, selling tuques and socks to benefit Hamilton's homeless community. He's been there for the past week and he's closing up shop Thursday afternoon.

"It's Christmas," said Hartwick. "This is the worst time to be alive if you're homeless." He should know. Hartwick was living in a Hamilton homeless shelter as recently as 2013.

Don't mix alcohol with cooking or driving: Emergency services

If you plan to drink alcohol over the holidays, remember it's best not to do anything that involves too much of your attention, emergency responders in Hamilton say.

"The hustle and bustle of the holidays can dramatically increase your risk of having a fire," Fire Chief Rob Simonds said in a press release Monday. "All too often, these fires are started by unattended cooking and in many cases alcohol is involved."

Elsewhere

Climate change, El Nino blamed for balmy December in parts of Canada

If climate change is weighing on your mind this holiday season, especially after the signing of the Paris agreement, you're not alone.

There's a meme, or image, that's been slowly circulating on the internet. It's of an older, bearded man, his smile tentative, his eyebrows furrowed. The caption reads, "When ur enjoying the warm weather in December, but deep down u know it's because of global warming."

Presidents in cars getting coffee? Obama does Seinfeld show

U.S. President Barack Obama will be Jerry Seinfeld's first guest when the seventh season of his online talk show, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, opens Dec. 30.

The show features the New York comedian picking up fellow comics in classic cars and taking them out for coffee and conversation.

Obama and Seinfeld spoke at the White House earlier this month.

And the Internet's best animal photos on 2015

There's no cat-herding required when cats outnumber people six to one.

Japan's cat island captured the hearts and minds of cat lovers everywhere in 2015 when photographer Thomas Peter's photos of Aoshima Island popped up in magazines and online. It's one of the top animal photos of the year. Check out Reuters' picks for top dog here: