Israel parliament begins mammoth judicial overhaul session with Netanyahu in hospital
After six months of street protests, parliamentary maneuvering, compromise talks and increasingly urgent pleas from Washington DC, Israeli lawmakers Sunday morning began debating the first judicial reform bill to come up for a final vote.
2023-07-24 00:55
Ukraine war: Satellite images reveal Russian defences before major assault
Fortifications against Ukraine's counter-attack are uncovered by a BBC analysis of satellite images.
2023-05-22 07:16
Spain announces a 1.4 billion-euro deal to help protect the prized Doñana wetland from drying up
National and regional authorities in Spain signed an agreement Monday to invest 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in areas around the treasured national park of Doñana in a bid to stop the park from drying up. Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera said the plan was aimed at encouraging farmers to stop cultivating crops that rely heavily on water from underground aquifers that have been overexploited in recent years, damaging one of Europe’s largest wetlands. “This is an agreement with which we put an end to pressure on a natural treasure the likes of which there are few in the world,” Ribera said. Andalusia regional President Juan Moreno said farmers will receive financial incentives to stop cultivating and to reforest land in and around some 14 towns close to Doñana. He said farmers who wish to continue cultivating will receive less money but must switch to farming dry crops ecologically. As part of the agreement, Andalusia will cancel previously announced plans to expand irrigation near Doñana, a decision that UNESCO, the central government and ecologists criticized for putting more pressure on the aquifer. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve, Doñana is a wintering site for half a million waterfowl and a stopover spot for millions more birds that migrate from Africa to northern Europe. Ecologists working in and near the park have long warned that its ecosystem of marshes and lagoons is under severe strain because of agriculture and tourism. The situation has been made worse by climate change and a long drought, along with record high temperatures. Andalusia recently announced a plan to allow the Doñana park to annex some 7,500 hectares (18,500 acres) by purchasing land from a private owner for 70 million euros. Doñana currently covers 74,000 hectares (182,000 acres) on an estuary where the Guadalquivir River meets the Atlantic Ocean on Spain’s southern coast. ___ Follow AP’s climate and environment coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment Read More Elon Musk visits Israel to meet top leaders as accusations of antisemitism on X grow Tesla sues Swedish agency as striking workers halt delivery of license plates of its new vehicles Qatar is the go-to mediator in the Mideast war. Its unprecedented Tel Aviv trip saved a shaky truce
2023-11-27 21:46
Some border counties declare disasters as Title 42 expires
With hours left before Title 42 expires Thursday night, the US has sent thousands of reinforcements to the southern border, anticipating the Trump-era border restriction policy's demise could spur an even heavier migrant influx than the country has seen in recent weeks.
2023-05-12 14:49
A fire inside a parked train kills 9 in southern India
A fire has erupted inside a stationary train compartment at a railway station in southern India, killing nine people
2023-08-26 21:45
Sudan conflict: Air strikes and clashes as new ceasefire begins
A fresh seven-day truce is officially under way - though more hostilities have been reported in Khartoum and other cities.
2023-05-23 05:21
Tragic 'last words' of hero pilots who died in plane crash fighting Greek wildfires
The tragic last words of two heroic pilots who died fighting wildfires in Greece have been revealed, as blazes continue to rage across Europe. Commander Christos Moulas, 34, and co-pilot Pericles Stefanidis, 27, were killed just before 3pm on Tuesday when their plane, which had been dropping water, crashed near the town of Karystos on the island of Evia near Athens. A firefighter on the ground is believed to be the last person to speak with the pair, telling Greek broadcaster OPEN: “I still can’t believe that three minutes ago I was talking to them and after exactly 10 minutes I learned that the plane had crashed. “We had contact with them,” he continued. “They did not report any problems with the aircraft. They told us, ‘We are ready to try. We go for a last supply and we leave.’ Have you been affected by this story? Email tara.cobham@independent.co.uk “A few minutes after we spoke, we learned over the radio that the aircraft had crashed,” he added. Footage showed the bright yellow CL-215 aircraft releasing its load of water before its wingtip apparently snagged on a tree branch. Moments later it disappeared into a deep fold in the ground from which a fireball erupted. The pilots, who were both said to be passionate about flying, died at the scene, with investigations into the tragedy ongoing, according to the Greek Fire Brigade. Greek City Times said Commander Moulas’ wife is believed to be three months pregnant with their first child. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said of the tragedy on Tuesday: “Today, we Greeks mourn the tragic loss of our pilots Christos Moulas and Pericles Stefanidis in Evia. “They gave their lives saving lives, proving how risky their daily firefighting missions are,” he continued. “The state respectfully stands by the families of the two heroes. They are two children, two brothers of all of us.” A three-day period of mourning in the Armed Forces was announced by the defence ministry to honour the pair. Mr Mitsotakis continued: “Words are poor to describe the national mourning for their loss... So, we grit our teeth and turn our silence into strength. In their memory, we continue the war against the destructive forces of nature.” The prime minister has warned of tough days ahead as Greece is bracing for at least another 48 hours of scorching wildfires and soaring temperatures, until conditions possibly improve after Thursday. He told ministers: “All of us are standing guard. In the face of what the entire planet is facing, especially the Mediterranean which is a climate change hot-spot, there is no magical defence mechanism.” The Greek Fire Brigade has already been battling more than 500 fires for almost two weeks, while the high temperatures of the recent new heatwave are set to peak throughout Europe on Wednesday, exceeding 44C in some areas of Greece. A blaze in Rhodes prompted “the biggest evacuation in Greek history”, with over 20,000 people forced to flee homes and hotels over the weekend, while around 2,500 people have already been evacuated from Corfu, which has been enduring dozens of blazes. Croatia, Portugal, Turkey, Italy and France are among the other European countries that have been battling wildfires in recent days, while the extreme weather conditions on the continent are being mirrored globally, from the US to Asia and Africa. Italy suffered a twin pounding from the elements when severe storms battered the north, killing a woman and a 16-year-old girl scout, while southern regions sweltered. In the south, a bedridden 98-year-old man died when fire swept through his home. The charred bodies of a couple in their 70s were found in their burnt-out home on the outskirts of Palermo, the regional capital of Sicily, according to Italian media reports. Another woman in her late 80s died in the Palermo province after an ambulance was unable to reach her home due to fires in the area. In north Africa, Algeria was fighting to contain devastating forest fires along its Mediterranean coast in a blaze, which has already killed at least 34 people. Read More Greece fires – live: Rhodes and Corfu brace for another 48 hours of wildfire hell as temperatures rise When will heatwave in Europe end? New forecast shows relief in sight Watch: Rhodes wildfire burns for seventh day as temperatures rise on Greek island How to tell if you have Covid or heatstroke Why do heatwaves in the UK feel hotter than abroad?
2023-07-26 20:59
Microsoft's chief product exec to step down. Panos Panay was behind Surface devices and Windows 11
A top product executive at Microsoft who launched its Surface line of devices and Windows 11 is leaving the company
2023-09-19 04:52
'The View' host Ana Navarro's 'best night' in Miami concert with Ricky Martin leaves fans jealous
Ana Navarro was spotted playfully fighting with best pal Eva Longoria over Ricky Martin
2023-11-13 16:29
US doctors' group adopts new policy on healthy weight assessment
By Nancy Lapid The American Medical Association (AMA) on Wednesday said it will advise doctors to pay less
2023-06-15 06:47
11 hurt when walkway collapses during Maine open lighthouse event
Eleven people were hurt when a walkway collapsed during an annual event that encourages tours of Maine lighthouses
2023-09-10 21:45
A new 'Exorcist' takes possession of N.America box office
Fifty years after the original, newly released "The Exorcist: Believer" topped the North American box office this weekend with an estimated $27.2 million in ticket sales...
2023-10-09 08:48
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