TEHRAN –During a ceremony held on Thursday, the head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, unveiled an atlas of the country’s biosphere reserves as well as the endemic fish poster.

TEHRAN –Due to low precipitation and insufficient water right allocation, some 43 percent of the wetlands of the country are subject to dryness, the head of the Department of Environment has said.

Putin projected an image of a leader in control, guiding a nation that is defying the odds and reshaping the global order Read Full Article at RT.com

Sahra Wagenknecht has said hostilities wouldn’t have erupted had Washington not attempted to drag Kiev into its “zone of influence” Read Full Article at RT.com

Commuters living in the north-east region who travel before 7.15am or between 8.45am and 9.45am will enjoy discounts of up to 80 per cent off their fares from Jan 2 next year. This is part of the Land Transport Authority's (LTA) expanded Travel Smart Journeys programme, which is aimed to encourage passengers to travel outside of the morning peak period on weekdays. In a news release on Friday (Dec 20), LTA said commuters must tap in at Punggol Coast, Punggol, Sengkang, Hougang or Buangkok MRT stations along the North East Line (NEL), or any station along the Punggol and Sengkang LRT lines to be eligible for the discounts. Those who do so will be awarded points on the SimplyGo app that can be converted into e-vouchers. This incentive is on top of the existing morning pre-peak fare scheme, where rail passengers can save up to 50 cents off their fares if they tap in before 7.45am on weekdays.

A charity group in Singapore has raised over $2.6 million to help children and families affected by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  The fundraiser, which ran from Sept 18 to Dec 13, was organised by the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Foundation (RLAF) together with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Jordan Hashemite Charity Organization (JHCO), and local organisation Humanity Matters (HM). A total of $2,608,717 was raised over the three-month period, said RLAF in a press release on Friday (Dec 20). RLAF is a charity set up by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.  Some of the fundraiser activities included an event on Nov 17, which involved some 300 volunteers collecting donations from the public. They also distributed One Nation, One Humanity stickers across the island. On Dec 1, over 300 volunteers packed more than 20 tonnes of essential supplies which included food, healthcare and hygiene products, for shipment to Jordan.  The supplies are expected to be delivered in January 2025.

Congress has limited time to avert a government shutdown by passing a continuing resolution after the latest Trump-backed bill failed Thursday.

The EU has removed the phrase in a statement in an apparent posture shift in the Ukraine conflict Read Full Article at RT.com

INS Tushil is departing Kaliningrad on its inaugural mission to engage with foreign navies, New Delhi said Read Full Article at RT.com

TEHRAN – The Iranian robotics team ranked first, securing a gold and a silver medal in the third Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Countries Worker Skills Contest, held in Qingdao, China’s Shandong, from December 15 to 18.

TEHRAN –The tenth international congress on nanoscience and nanotechnology is scheduled to be held from January 29 to 30 in Rafsanjan, a city in the southern Kerman province.

TEHRAN –During a ceremony held on Thursday, the head of the Department of Environment (DOE), Shina Ansari, unveiled an atlas of the country’s biosphere reserves as well as the endemic fish poster.

[WHO-AFRO] The outbreak of Marburg Virus Disease was declared over today by the Government of Rwanda with no new cases reported over the last 42 days after the last patient tested negative for the virus twice, as per the usual protocol for ending these types of outbreaks.

Karnataka BJP MLC CT Ravi, arrested for derogatory remarks against a minister, accused the Congress government of acting like dictators. He alleged a conspiracy to kill him through a false case. Fellow BJP leader HD Kumaraswamy condemned the attack on Ravi and questioned the state's democratic values and police conduct.

Sambhal MP Zia Ur Rehman's house steps were demolished in an «anti-encroachment» drive. He was also fined ₹1.91 crore for alleged electricity theft and his power supply disconnected. Rehman faces charges related to November's mosque survey violence. His father, Mamlukur Rehman Barq, was booked for threatening officials during the electricity inspection.

Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan accused BJP MPs of feigning injuries during a parliamentary clash, suggesting their dramatic falls deserved acting awards. The confrontation stemmed from INDIA bloc protests against alleged disrespect towards Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Bachchan questioned the BJP's narrative, while Rahul Gandhi denied allegations of pushing and misbehavior.

A Bengaluru techie's mother has filed a habeas corpus plea in the Supreme Court seeking custody of her four-year-old grandson after her son's suicide. The techie had accused his wife and in-laws of harassment in a suicide note and video. The Supreme Court has issued a notice to Haryana, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh governments, with a hearing scheduled for January 7, 2025. The child's whereabouts are currently unknown.

Republicans revolted against a bipartisan bill, then the House rejected a party-line alternative. The shutdown deadline is hours away.

Donald Trump has waffled on his vows to punish enemies from the White House. But many of his critics — and targets — fear the retribution is already underway.

Federal agencies face four years under a president who promised “to remove rogue bureaucrats … very aggressively.”

[allAfrica] The 16 Days of Activism campaign was led by government and business accounts on South Africa X (formerly Twitter), according to a new report published by the Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC).

Russia should boost productivity and focus on high-tech to cut reliance on low-skilled foreign workers, the president has said Read Full Article at RT.com

Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg has accused Moscow of staging cyberattacks and attempting to sow discord via social media Read Full Article at RT.com

Western officials are concerned about the idea of sending military instructors into Ukraine, The Times has reported Read Full Article at RT.com

The former Russian president said Kiev only expects money and weapons from the US and has no intention of talking to Moscow Read Full Article at RT.com

Malawi is seeking billions of dollars in unpaid revenues from three foreign companies, including Columbia Gem House and TotalEnergies Read Full Article at RT.com

Jowhar (HOL) – Al-Shabab militants launched a deadly attack on a Somali government military base in Hawadley area, Middle Shabelle region, early Friday morning.

[allAfrica] The Centre for Analytics and Behavioural Change (CABC) has released its latest report, Gender-Based Violence and Misogyny TikTok Analytics and Narrative Update in South Africa, on the online conversation regarding gender-based violence and misogyny.

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, December 20th

The situation is similar at several other sections of the frontline in the DPR

Russia remains the leader among oil suppliers to China