Browsing: News

On April 18, 2023, the European Parliament greenlit crucial legislation, solidifying the European Union’s commitment to the “Fit for 55 in 2030 package,” aiming for a 55 percent reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030, as compared to 1990 levels. In line with the European Climate Law, Parliament endorsed the Emissions Trading System (ETS) reform, which mandates a 62 percent reduction in GHG emissions in ETS sectors by 2030 compared to 2005 levels. The ETS reform also includes the gradual elimination of free allowances for companies from 2026 to 2034 and the establishment of a separate ETS II for…

A recent UNESCO report has revealed that a $97 billion funding shortfall is standing in the way of countries reaching their 2030 national education targets. The study, titled “Can countries afford their national SDG4 benchmarks?” was prepared by the Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and presented during the spring meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The research centers on Goal 4 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which seeks to ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The findings make…

Archaeologists from the National Museum of Antiquities in Leiden (RMO) and the Egyptian Museum in Turin (Museo Egizio) have uncovered the remains of Panehsy’s tomb and several smaller chapels at Egypt’s Saqqara Necropolis, according to Ahram Online. Panehsy was the steward of Amun Temple during a period of ancient Egyptian history. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said that the discovery sheds new light on the development of Saqqara Necropolis and introduces previously unknown historical figures. Panehsy’s tomb, resembling a free-standing temple, features a gate entrance, an inner courtyard with columned porticoes, and a shaft to the…

Kuwait News website has introduced an artificial intelligence-based virtual news presenter named ‘Fedha.’ The AI news anchor appeared on the Twitter account of the website on Saturday. The website plans to make Fedha read online bulletins in the future. Abdullah Boftain, Deputy Editor in Chief of Kuwait News, said that the move aims to test AI’s potential to provide new and innovative content. Fedha made her debut as an image of a woman wearing a black jacket and white T-shirt with light-colored hair uncovered. In her first 13-second video, she introduced herself in classical Arabic and asked viewers about their…

Paris residents have overwhelmingly voted in favor of a ban on rental electric scooters in the city, with almost 90% of votes cast supporting the move. The referendum was called in response to growing concerns over the safety risks posed by e-scooters. Critics have argued that e-scooters were causing more harm than good in the city, with a rising number of injuries and fatalities being linked to their use. There were also concerns over the way people were driving the scooters, with many weaving through traffic and dodging pedestrians on pavements, while getting up to speeds of 17mph. Another problem…

Canadian MPs laughed when US President Joe Biden corrected himself after praising China’s immigration policies instead of Canada’s. While praising Canada’s stance on migration on Friday, President Biden mistakenly praised China. While discussing U.S. immigration policies at the Canadian Parliament in Ottawa, Biden made the gaffe. “We are expanding legal pathways for migration, demonstrating safety and humanitarianism, and discouraging unlawful migration that fuels exploitation and human trafficking.” “So today, I applaud China for stepping out…excuse me, I applaud Canada,” Biden stumbled while Canadian Members of Parliament laughed. Prior to Biden’s address to Parliament, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau noted China’s competitive…

Two centuries after they were stolen, three Parthenon sculpture fragments are being returned to Greece. Western museums are increasingly settling restitution disputes. It is not necessarily a state-to-state transfer, but Vatican officials should return to the Orthodox Christian archbishop of Athens and all Greece. AP reports that the British Museum is under pressure to reach an agreement with Greece about its Parthenon sculpture collection. The head of the Vatican city-state, Cardinal Fernando Vergez, signed an agreement to implement the transfer during a private Vatican Museums ceremony with Greek Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and a representative of the Orthodox Christian archbishop…

Suella Braverman, Britain’s interior minister, said the government’s plan to stop almost all migrants from claiming asylum was legal despite warnings that it would violate international law. According to Reuters, lawyers and charities said the plans would violate the UN convention on refugees, introduced after many countries turned away Jewish refugees during World War II. Under successive prime ministers, the Conservative government has put forward a series of immigration policies to stop people from arriving by small boats on the English coast. Asylum seekers who reach Britain in small boats will be detained without bail before being deported to their…

A Missouri state law declaring several federal gun laws invalid is unconstitutional, giving the Department of Justice a victory. A law signed by Republican Governor Mike Parson in 2021 declared that certain federal gun laws violated the constitution’s Second Amendment, Reuters reports. A federal judge in Jefferson City, Missouri, ruled that the state’s Second Amendment Preservation Act (SAPA) violates the Supremacy Clause, which holds that federal laws take precedence over state laws. The judge sided with Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration, calling the law’s practical effects “counterintuitive to its stated purpose.” “I am committed to defending Missourians’ fundamental rights to…

U.S. State Department on Friday announced $6 billion in funding commitments for ocean protection and climate change fighting. U.S. climate envoy John Kerry announced the amount at an oceans conference in Panama on Thursday and it encompasses 77 commitments, the Department of State said. State Department data shows that some $3 billion was committed to climate resilience and climate research as part of the Inflation Reduction Act last year. A total of $665 million will be spent on sustainable fisheries, while $200 million will be dedicated to marine pollution, Reuters reported. Thirty of the 77 commitments concern climate change, amounting…