According to the spokesman, Hamas fighters «tried to pull the hostages from under the rubble, and they managed to get one of them out, but their fate is unknown»

It is planned to launch it in general circulation in early 2025

«The Syrian people have the right to elect their government and approved the constitution,» Secretary General of Hezbollah movement Sheikh Naim Qassem said

FBI official thinks "there has been a slight overreaction” to the situation

Nikolay Bordyuzha noted «that the Ukrainian population was actually fostered in the spirit of hatred of Russians, everything Russia, and Russia»

The emergency department (ED) doors at LHSC Victoria Campus were being repaired Saturday morning after a person fired a gun into the glass.

Negotiators failed to produce an agreement on how to respond to drought at Saudi-hosted UN talks, participants said on Saturday, falling short of a hoped-for binding protocol addressing the scourge. The 12-day meeting of parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), known as COP16, concluded early on Saturday morning, a day later than scheduled as parties tried to finalise a deal. Prior to the talks, UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiaw said the world expected negotiators «to adopt a bold decision that can help turn the tide on the most pervasive and the most disruptive environmental disaster: drought». But addressing the plenary session before dawn, Thiaw acknowledged that «parties need more time to agree on the best way forward». A press release on Saturday said the parties -- 196 countries and the European Union -- had «made significant progress in laying the groundwork for a future global drought regime, which they intend to complete at COP17 in Mongolia in 2026». The Riyadh talks came after the partial failure of biodiversity talks in Colombia, the failure to reach a UN deal on plastics pollution in South Korea, and a climate finance deal that disappointed developing nations at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. The outcomes have «highlighted the challenges facing global negotiations,» said Tom Mitchell, executive director of the London-based International Institute for Environment and Development. «More than ever, the fractured geopolitical landscape is proving to be a stumbling block to the COP process and some voices are being squeezed out. »These issues come at a time when the crises these summits are designed to tackle become ever more urgent.« - Growing threat - Droughts »fuelled by human destruction of the environment« cost the world more than $300 billion each year, the UN said in a report published on December 3, the second day of the talks in Riyadh. Droughts are projected to affect 75 percent of the world's population by 2050, it said. A delegate at COP16 from a country in Africa, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations, told AFP that African nations had hoped the talks would produce a binding protocol on drought. That would ensure »every government will be held responsible« for devising stronger preparation and response plans, the delegate said. »It's the first time I've seen Africa so united, with a strong united front, with respect to the drought protocol.« Two other COP16 participants, also requesting anonymity, told AFP that developed countries did not want a binding protocol and instead were pushing for a »framework«, which African countries deemed inadequate. Indigenous groups also wanted a protocol, said Praveena Sridhar, chief technical officer for Save Soil, a global campaign backed by UN agencies. This would allow for better monitoring, early warning systems and response plans, she said. Yet the absence of a protocol from COP16 »shouldn't delay progress«, as national governments can still allocate »budgets and subsidies to financially support farmers in adopting sustainable soil and land management«. - Funding needs - Ahead of the Riyadh talks, the UNCCD said 1.5 billion hectares (3.7 billion acres) of land must be restored by decade's end and that at least $2.6 trillion in global investments was needed. The first week saw pledges of more than $12 billion from bodies such as the Arab Coordination Group, a collection of national and regional institutions, and the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership, which is meant to mobilise public and private money to help at-risk countries. Activists accused Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, of trying to water down calls to phase out fossil fuels at last month's COP29 UN climate talks in Baku. However, desertification is a major issue for the Gulf kingdom. Along with the drought resilience partnership, Saudi Arabia launched initiatives to promote early warning for sand and dust storms and to get the private sector involved in land preservation, Saudi Environment Minister Abdulrahman AlFadley said in his closing remarks. Saudi Arabia is dedicated »to working with all parties to preserve ecosystems, enhance international cooperation to combat desertification and land degradation, and address drought«, he said. Sridhar of Save Soil said Saudi Arabia had succeeded in raising the profile of land-related issues, which she described as more »unifying« than the climate talks in Baku. »Attending to land, agriculture lands, farmers, livestock –- it's not a contested subject. Nobody's going to say 'I don’t want food',« she said. »The use of fossil fuels or not is a very polarising subject. This is not." © Agence France-Presse  

Fifty-six high schools are being targeted under a tactical programme being implemented by the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information to significantly enhance student performance in Mathematics and English language in the Caribbean...

Twenty-seven-year-old labourer, Nicholas Pryce, of Savannah Cross, Clarendon, was killed in a motorcycle crash in Old Harbour, St Catherine, on Friday. It is reported that he was riding his motorcycle when he was hit by a motor car at the...

In the Grundarhverfi district of Kjalarnes, you can find the Danish glassblower Anders Vange, who was given a place to create art at Sigrún Einarsdóttir's workshop. On tables and shelves, you can see a myriad of hand-blown glasses, candlesticks, vases, and other treasures that Vange has designed and made himself. He is lightly dressed, wearing shorts and a T-shirt, which is a bit unusual now that winter has set in. But the reason for that becomes clear as soon as he invites the journalist to watch the glassblowing. The heat from the furnace is substantial!

La zone des îles sous le vent et Mopelia ont été placés en vigilance orange pour fortes pluies. Les îles du vent et une partie des Australes, elles sont en vigilance jaune.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said he will travel to Russia along with Slovakian PM Robert Fico to celebrate the defeat of fascism Read Full Article at RT.com

A decision by the US to impose sanctions on Serbia’s main oil firm NIS is due to its Russian ownership, the president of Serbia has stated Read Full Article at RT.com

The 71-year-old Spanish billionaire founder of Mango fashion chain Isak Andic has died in a hiking accident near Barcelona Read Full Article at RT.com

Environment Canada has issued multiple weather warnings throughout B.C. for the weekend, including along the South Coast, where B.C. Ferries preemptively cancelled numerous Saturday sailings. 

Congress MP Alfred Arthur criticized Prime Minister Modi's silence on the Manipur crisis, questioning his lack of accountability to the suffering population. Arthur highlighted the loss of life and displacement, emphasizing the government's failure to protect its citizens. He implored the ruling party to prioritize justice and deliver it to the people of Manipur.

Lt. Kabilan V, a 23-year-old from a small village near Madurai, overcame numerous hardships, including the loss of his mother and his father's paralysis, to achieve his dream of joining the Indian Army. He balanced work as a rescue volunteer with relentless preparation for the entrance exams, finally earning his commission in the Para regiment.

Jatin Kumar, son of a retired havildar, achieved his lifelong dream by winning the Sword of Honour and President's Silver Medal at IMA's Autumn Passing Out Parade. Despite facing previous rejections, Kumar's perseverance, fueled by family support, led to this triumph. Fellow graduate, Mayank Dhyani, also celebrated his bronze medal, attributing his success to his family and determination.

The Indian government is introducing bills for 'one nation, one election,' aiming to synchronize Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. The proposed change aims to reduce election expenses and disruptions caused by the Model Code of Conduct, reverting to a system prevalent until 1967. Consequential amendments are also proposed for Union Territories.

Lara Trump’s interest in replacing Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, complicates an already fraught relationship between Trump and the state’s Republican governor.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the U.S. government is communicating with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which remains on a State Department terrorism list.

The meeting came as health secretary pick Robert F. Kennedy Jr. prepared to head to Washington to meet with senators.

A landslide shut down the Sea to Sky Highway near Lions Bay in both directions Saturday morning.

It has been closed since March 2012

The Russian president also said that the veterans who returned with injuries must receive special attention and full support

The Russian leader added that all objectives set forth for Russia in the near future and the long-term perspective will be fulfilled

Russian President noted that their leadership qualities must be fully engaged in tackling national tasks, including within the framework of the Times of Heroes program

The fall of Bashar Assad will likely usher in a period of chaos in Syria, the political pundit said Read Full Article at RT.com

EU’s ad campaign on social media platform X had violated its own privacy regulations Read Full Article at RT.com

HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Julani comments on Syria’s future relations with Moscow Read Full Article at RT.com

Landspítali National Hospital has almost 440 million ISK outstanding due to unpaid bills from uninsured individuals who visited the hospital between 2021 and 2023. These people do not have health insurance in Iceland or the EEA.

The Commission of Inquiry into the June 10 plane crash that claimed the life of former Vice President Saulos Chilima has released its findings, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and dismissing allegations of foul play. The report concludes that the accident resulted from a combination of adverse weather conditions and human error, […] The post Malawi finds closure: Commission clears Chakwera, cites weather and human error in Chilima plane crash appeared first on Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi.

The police have identified one of the three men who were fatally shot in separate incidents involving the police in St Catherine on Friday. He is Rori Foster, also known as 'Tuff Tuff', 34, of Central Way, Silverstone, St Catherine....