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Nations strike deal at COP28 to transition away from fossil fuels

United Arab Emirates Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber attends the plenary, after a draft of a negotiation deal was released, at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 13th December, 2023

Dubai, United Arab Emirates Reuters Representatives from nearly 200 countries agreed at the COP28 climate summit on Wednesday to begin reducing global consumption of fossil fuels to avert the worst of climate change, signalling the eventual end of the oil age. The deal struck in Dubai after two weeks of hard-fought negotiations was meant to […]

Russia, Ukraine to sign deal on restarting grain exports, Turkey says

Ukraine Odesa grain terminal

Reuters Russia and Ukraine will sign a deal on Friday to reopen Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, Turkey said, a potential breakthrough that could ease the threat of hunger facing millions around the world as a consequence of Russia’s invasion. Ukraine and Russia are both among the world’s biggest exporters of food, and Ukraine’s ports, including […]

UN: Yemen’s Houthi rebels agree to stop using child soldiers

Yemen child soldier

United Nations AP Yemen’s Houthi rebels have agreed to rid their ranks of child soldiers, who have fought by the thousands during the country’s seven years of civil war, the United Nations said Monday. The Houthis signed what the UN described as an “action plan” to end and prevent recruiting or using children in armed […]

Australia enters agreement to buy 51 million doses of Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine

Australia vaccine Novavax agreement

Reuters The government of Australia has signed an advanced agreement to purchase 51 million doses of Novavax Inc’s experimental COVID-19 vaccine, the company disclosed in a regulatory filing on Thursday. Australia will have the option to purchase up to an additional 10 million doses, with the initial doses expected to be delivered by mid-2021, the […]

Landless Thais get homes in mangrove forest in conservation push

Phuket Thailand

Bangkok, Thailand Thomson Reuters Foundation Thai authorities have reached an agreement with a landless community that will allow villagers to live in a mangrove forest if they help protect the area, a unique collaboration that could work across the country, land rights groups said. Under a memorandum of understanding between the government, human rights groups […]

James MacDonald and Harvest Bible Chapel reach multi-million-dollar agreement

James MacDonald 2019

RNS The Chicago-area megachurch Harvest Bible Chapel has reached a multi-million-dollar agreement with its former pastor James MacDonald, who was fired last year for insulting his critics who had written unfavourably about his leadership style. As part of the settlement – reached through a Christian arbitration group – MacDonald was given the right to continue […]