Author: News Desk

People walk past the logotype at the venue for the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku on November 11, 2024. Alexander Nemenov | Afp | Getty Images Countries agreed on Sunday to an annual finance target of $300 billion to help poorer countries deal with the impacts of climate change, with rich countries leading the payments, according to a hard-fought deal clinched at the COP29 conference in Baku. The new goal is intended to replace developed countries’ previous commitment to provide $100 billion per year in climate finance for poorer nations by 2020. That goal was…

French President Emmanuel Macron attends commemoration ceremonies of Strasbourg liberation. ADVERTISEMENT French President Emmanuel Macron commemorated the 80th anniversary of Strasbourg’s WWII liberation by attending several ceremonies on Saturday. At Broglie Square in Strasbourg, he reviewed troops and bowed before a monument to General Philippe Leclerc, who led the Free French troops into the city on November 23, 1944. Macron also visited the Bruche Valley for a “memorial tour” including the Natzweiler- Struthof concentration camp near Strasbourg, the only concentration camp built by the Nazis in France. He called for honoring the often overlooked victims of World War II.…

At the European Political Community (EPC) meeting in Budapest, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined a strategic vision for Europe’s future, emphasizing transatlantic relations, economic resilience, and defense preparedness. Von der Leyen began by congratulating Donald J. Trump on his recent electoral victory, expressing eagerness to strengthen the transatlantic bond. This gesture underscores the EU‘s commitment to robust relations with the United States, a key ally in addressing global challenges. The President highlighted Europe‘s unity in overcoming recent crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy challenges stemming from Russia’s war in Ukraine. She stressed the importance…

Ukraine was bound to lose the territory it held in Russia, said FRANCE 24’s correspondent in Ukraine Emmanuelle Chaze. “At the height of the Ukrainian offensive in the Kursk region, the Ukrainian army controlled over 1300 square kilometres of land, and within four months, Russia has managed to reclaim 40% of this land,” she said. “This didn’t come as a surprise for the Ukrainians, simply because the Ukrainian army is outnumbered, in men and equipment,” she added. “The Ukrainian army is outnumbered, in men and equipment”

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin on Saturday signed a law that allows debt forgiveness for new recruits signing up to fight in Ukraine, government announced. The new legislation allows those signing up for a one-year contract to have their bad debts of up to 10 million roubles (€92,000, $95,835), written off. Law won’t apply to those already enlisted The law — approved by parliament earlier this month — will be applicable to potential recruits who have had debt collection proceedings initiated against them before December 1. Those who have already been enlisted would not be eligible for the new measure to…

On 28 November, it will be one year since a SWAT team of around 175 policemen wearing black masks, helmets, and bullet proof vests, simultaneously descended at 6 am on eight separate houses and apartments in and around Paris but also in Nice where Romanian yoga practitioners had decided to go into spiritual retreat. The police forces were then brandishing semi-automatic rifles, shouting, making very loud noises, crashing doors and putting everything upside down. The November 2023 raids were not an operation against a terrorist or armed group or a drug cartel. They were raids targeting eight private places…

Richard “Ric” Grenell, the former acting director of National Intelligence in President-elect Trump’s first administration, is reportedly under consideration to be special envoy for the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Currently, there is no special envoy responsible for bringing an end to the war in Eastern Europe. Trump is strongly considering whether to create the role, Reuters reported, citing four sources familiar with the president’s deliberations. If he does create the new position, Grenell is said to be a leading candidate, though Trump may select someone else, the sources told Reuters. There is also no guarantee that Grenell would accept the position if…

Defense alliance NATO chief Mark Rutte has met US President-elect Donald Trump to discuss global security issues, according to a NATO spokesperson. The meeting took place in Palm Beach, Florida. During his first term as US president, 2017-2020, Trump pushed for European NATO countries to spend more on defense and described the alliance’s cost-sharing as unfair to the US. Rutte took over as NATO chief from Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg in November. Before taking office in January, Trump has nominated Pete Hegseth for the post of defense secretary, which has raised eyebrows among many allies. Hegseth, 44, has served as an…

Multiple missiles were fired in an airstrike towards a densely populated part of Lebanon’s capital early on Saturday. The huge airstrike targeted Beirut’s Basta neighbourhood, and no prior warnings were given by the Israeli military. The largely residential area was struck last month. At least one violent explosion was heard across the city, Reuters witnesses said, and plumes of smoke could be seen. Scenes of massive destruction at the site were shared online, including a massive crater in the ground. “Beirut, the capital, woke up to a horrific massacre, as the Israeli enemy’s air force completely destroyed an eight-story residential building with…

Local government ombudsman report into SEND in England offers damning assessment a complete failure of special educational needs system. That has put children’s development back by years. England’s special education system is failing, causing thousands of children to have their development put back by months or even years, according to a damning report by the local government ombudsman. Failure of special educational needs system in England Last year, 576,000 children and young people in England had an EHCP, an assessment and agreement detailing the extra support they require, funded from a council’s high-needs budget. A further 1.2 million children are estimated to…