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Boyko Borissov, Vorsitzender der GERB-Partei (EVP), hat Verhandlungen mit der pro-russischen Bulgarischen Sozialistischen Partei (BSP) und den Populisten von „Es gibt ein solches Volk“ (ITN/EKR) über eine mögliche bulgarische Regierung aufgenommen.

Die SBB und Stadler Rail präsentieren in Weinfelden TG den neuen Regionalzug. Der Flirt Evo ist modern und grosszügig geschnitten, wie ein erster Gang durch die Abteile zeigt. 2 Milliarden Franken investieren die SBB in die Erneuerung der Nahverkehrs-Flotte.

Wenige Stunden vor einer entscheidenden Abstimmung zur EU-Entwaldungsverordnung (EUDR) hat die konservative Europäische Volkspartei (EVP) sechs ihrer 15 Änderungsanträge zurückgezogen. Dennoch bleibt ein entscheidendes Schlüsselelement der EU-Verordnung zur Bekämpfung der Entwaldung zur Diskussion. 

Guam compte 40 fois plus d'araignées que les îles voisines - et une population de serpents envahissants si voraces qu'ils ont vidé les forêts de tout oiseau.

Unheimlicher Vorfall in El Sereno in den USA: Die Polizei hat einen nackten Mann im Keller einer Seniorin verhaftet. Familienmitglieder hörten zuvor wochenlang seltsame Geräusche.

Die rumänischen Senatoren haben am Mittwoch (13. November) einem Gesetzentwurf endgültig zugestimmt, der den Kauf des weltweit modernsten Kampfflugzeugs, der F-35, genehmigt. Die erste Lieferung wird für 2031 erwartet.

Der Chef des Bundesamts für Strassen lässt sich für eine Pro-Autobahn-Kampagne einspannen. Beim Departement von Bundesrat Albert Rösti sieht man kein Problem.

Tusk wants Poland's easter border to be “an impassable boundary for possible aggressors or attackers.” 

Les Socialistes et Démocrates du Parlement européen (S&D) s’opposent à la fois à l’Italien Raffaele Fitto et au Hongrois Oliver Varhelyi aux postes de commissaires européens après des jours de négociations enlisées qui mettent l’Europe en danger, d’après des sources S&D.

Während eines abendlichen Trainings in der Turnhalle warfen Unbekannte einen Staubsauger in die Tiefe. Das schwere Gerät traf eine Turnerin, was leicht böse Folgen hätte haben können. Die Kantonspolizei sucht die unbekannte Täterschaft.

Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz hat Undine Ruge mit den Aufgaben seines einflussreichen ehemaligen europapolitischen Beraters Jörg Kukies betraut. Damit überlässt Scholz der relativ unauffälligen Beamtin die Leitung der Verhandlungen der nächsten EU-Gipfeltreffen.

Le ministère des Affaires étrangères algérien a fermement démenti des informations publiée récemment par un quotidien privé, qui a attribué à tort des déclarations au […]

L’article Fake news : le ministère des affaires étrangères rétablit la vérité sur le sommet de Riyad est apparu en premier sur .

England steht vor zwei wichtigen Spielen in der Nations League und muss auf viele Spieler verzichten. Harry Kane versteht das nicht. Und auch der künftige Trainer Thomas Tuchel steht in der Kritik.

A Lebanese family resides in a small camp on the streets of Beirut following a series of airstrikes that destroyed significant amounts of civilian infrastructure. Credit: UNICEF/Fouad Choufany

By Oritro Karim
UNITED NATIONS, Nov 14 2024 (IPS)

As winter approaches, the ongoing airstrikes and bombardments on Lebanon has threatened the lives and livelihoods of civilians across the country and neighboring regions, which has resulted in skyrocketing death tolls and levels of displacement. Since hostilities escalated in September, Lebanon has seen the destruction of a significant amount of critical infrastructure, including historical sites that are integral to Lebanese history.

Over the course of the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, airstrikes from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have not spared civilians. Repeated airstrikes in the capital city of Beirut have caused widespread fear among civilians that Hezbollah officials are hiding among them, opening them up to further attacks.

A civilian watch group in Beirut examines neighborhood demographics to ensure that no Hezbollah members are among them. “The circumstances require our patrols to be more attuned than ever. There is a big fear of Hezbollah members coming and hiding in some apartments, in some houses and we’re trying to be available at any time [residents] ask us to check any suspicious activity,” says Nadim Gemayel, a member of the Lebanese parliament and founder of the neighborhood watch program.

According to the latest report conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the first seven days of November saw over 214 civilian deaths from Israeli attacks. In the same reporting period, the IDF had attacked 3 healthcare facilities, leading to 2 deaths and 7 injuries among healthcare workers.

On November 11, the IDF conducted a raid on Saksakiyeh in the Sidon district of southern Lebanon which killed a total of 54 people. On the same day, another Israeli missile hit a residential building in Ain Yaaqoub, a town located in the far north of Lebanon. According to a November 13 post shared to X (formerly Twitter) by the Lebanese Health Ministry, the total death toll in Lebanon since last year has reached approximately 3,365 civilians.

High levels of displacement only put more pressure on humanitarian efforts, in what has become a crisis. According to a report conducted by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), roughly 473,000 people residing in Lebanon have fled to Syria since the escalation of hostilities in September. It is added that approximately 500 to 600 refugees on average cross Lebanon’s borders daily.

Evacuation orders are frequent throughout all districts of Lebanon. When asked about new forced displacement orders and bombardments, then-Israeli defense minister Israel Katz told reporters, “We will make no ceasefires, we will not take our foot off the pedal, and we will not allow any arrangement that does not include the achievement of our war objectives. We will continue to strike Hezbollah everywhere.”

According to a study conducted by AMEL Association International, a Lebanese non-profit organization that aims to support vulnerable communities in Lebanon, over 1.2 million Lebanese civilians are displaced, with 193,000 residing in overcrowded displacement shelters. These shelters are situated on mountainous land and lack heating infrastructures, making living conditions particularly harsh during this period.

“We have entered the winter and are stripped of necessities to protect ourselves from the cold and storms. The first rain that hit Lebanon a few days ago is one of the calamities that awaits us, including stronger storms and heavy snow,” says Saeda Abdallah, a resident of a shelter in eastern Lebanon.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has condemned the IDF’s attacks on Lebanese heritage sites. The ancient city of Tyre was just one of the many culturally and historically important sites that was targeted by IDF bombardment. Tyre, which UNESCO recognized as a World Heritage Site in 1984, is known as one of the earliest Phoenician metropolises in the world, and is home to the Tyre Hippodrome, an ancient arena that hosted chariot races.

“The Tyre bombing is something that has really moved all the people, because Tyre is a concept, a symbol, a World Heritage Site,” said Helene Sader, a professor at the American University of Beirut, in an interview for New Line Magazine.

Beginning on October 23, Israeli missiles ravaged Tyre and destroyed significant civilian infrastructures. Historians and UNESCO personnel fear that delicate historical sites may have sustained significant levels of foundational damage.

“We know almost nothing from an archaeological point of view from these areas, and the bombings could have destroyed precious evidence in the form of ancient sites,” said Francisco Nunez, a professor of Mediterranean archaeology at the University of Warsaw.

The ancient town of Mhaibib has been demolished from Israeli bombardment. Situated on the border of northern Lebanon, Mhaibib is known for housing the shrine to Benjamin, an Islamic prophet. This site is considered to be extremely sacred and culturally significant. The statue and shrine has sustained considerable damage from Israeli airstrikes and as of late October, it is unknown if the shrine still stands.

Graham Philip, a professor of archaeology at Durham University, opines that cultural heritage sites in Lebanon are of great importance to Lebanon’s cultural identity and history, almost akin to “the soul of a population”. “Imagine how people would feel in Britain if the Tower of London or Stonehenge were destroyed. It’s part of their identity,” he said.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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However, there is one amendment that could significantly alter the law: the creation of a "no risk" countries category.

Manufacturing has been the engine of growth in Asia, but a transition to modern, tradable services could be new source of growth and productivity. Credit: JohnnyGreig/iStock by Getty Images, via IMF

By Chikako Baba, Rahul Giri and Krishna Srinivasan
BANGKOK, Thailand, Nov 14 2024 (IPS)

The Asia-Pacific region prospered by becoming the source of more than half of global factory output, but another transformation to higher-productivity services has the potential to further support growth.

Employment and production typically move from agriculture to manufacturing to services, as part of natural progression that comes with rising income. Today, many Asian countries—including China, Indonesia, Korea, and Thailand—are highly industrialized. If history is a guide, industry’s share of production will shrink as more activity passes to services.

Indeed, the growth of services has already drawn about half of the region’s workers into that sector, up from just 22 percent in 1990, as hundreds of millions moved from farms and factories. This shift is likely to accelerate with further expansion of international trade in modern services such as finance, information, and communication technology, as well as business outsourcing (for example, as already done in India and the Philippines).

By contrast, traditional services—for example, tourism or distribution services—have lower productivity and contribute less to economic growth.

Policymakers should embrace this shift to modern services because they have higher productivity, as we show in an analytical note accompanying our October 2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Economic Outlook. Transitioning to a more services-led economy comes with greater economic growth opportunities, provided the right policies are in place.

Productivity is an important variable when considering which sectors can best deliver growth in coming years. Manufacturing productivity in Asia is already close to the level of global leaders, so further improvement offers only limited scope to boost productivity and growth.

By contrast, services in Asia don’t enjoy the same efficiency advantage, so the region’s economies have more to gain by catching up with countries that have the most efficient services sectors.

In addition, in several services sectors like finance and business services, productivity is higher than in manufacturing, which means greater contributions to growth. For example, Asia’s labor productivity in financial services is four times higher than in manufacturing, and it’s twice as high in business services, our new analysis shows.

Even so, countries need to have the right conditions in place to benefit from services. Manufacturing benefited from low trade costs and greater global integration, but services sectors are relatively protected in Asia, which can hamper progress.

Just like Asia’s higher tariffs on agriculture, which average 12 percent versus 7.5 percent globally, foreign companies that hope to enter the services sector face various restrictions. These include outright bans, approval requirements, local presence, and higher tax rates.

Policymakers should also recognize that workers leaving agriculture and manufacturing need the skills to find good jobs in services. With waves of new digital technologies replacing some jobs like clerical support, policies should ensure widespread internet and technology access, and introduce education and training to develop a digitally skilled workforce capable of leveraging artificial intelligence.

With growth projected to slow in many Asian countries due to rapid aging, boosting productivity by nurturing productive services is a key to Asia’s future success.

This IMF blog is based on an analytical note, “Asia-Pacific’s Structural Transformation: The Past and Prospects,” included in the October 2024 Asia-Pacific Regional Economic Outlook.

Source: IMF BLOG

Chikako Baba, Rahul Giri & Krishna Srinivasan, International Monetary Fund (IMF)

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Co-chairs of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) have arrived at a workable basis for discussion on the Summit’s top priority finance goal.

By Joyce Chimbi
BAKU, Nov 14 2024 (IPS)

Three days into the landmark COP29 conference, the co-chairs of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) have arrived at a workable basis for discussion on the summit’s top priority goal—a new climate finance goal. The COP29 Presidency says the draft will, moving forward, “guide conversations around potential landing zones and help identify concerns.”

The NCQG is a new global climate finance goal that the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA) shall set from a floor of USD 100 billion per year, prior to 2025. Parties have welcomed the decision, edging the summit closer to setting ambitious goals. 

“This is a significant step but there are still many options to be resolved. We now want to hear everyone’s views and we will create spaces for them to provide their inputs throughout COP29. But the parties must remember that the clock is ticking and we only have 10 days left,” COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev commented about the draft.

Mambagri Ouoba, Party in the Burkina Faso country delegation, has expressed his optimism that, at last, this COP will chart a sustainable financial path to finance effective, efficient and sustainable climate action to push back on the climate onslaught. Stressing that vulnerable, high-risk and poor countries in the Global South are in need of substantial financial and technical support to build resilience.

“Delegates, Parties, Observers and people from indigenous and other vulnerable communities are following discussions very closely and any progress, such as this, is very much welcome. Any decision or outcome made here at Baku must reflect the wishes and aspirations of all of us in every corner of the world. It is our collective responsibility to build resilience against climate change,” Ouoba told IPS.

Simon Philbert Kimaro, Party in the Tanzania delegation, told IPS that it is important to set binding financial goals “as pledges do not work very well. Commitments must be binding so that nations and other relevant stakeholders can be held into account. COP28 was historic as it very quickly arrived at an agreement on the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund but we expected much more progress than what has been achieved over the last year. Nevertheless, we are hopeful, as there has been some positive progress in the last few days of COP29.”

The loss and damage fund was established to bring finance to millions of people in developing countries on the frontlines of the devastating climate onslaught. As of September 2024, a total of USD 702 million has been pledged to the Fund from 23 contributors. Delegates from the Global South say this is far from enough to meet the climate challenge.

In Baku, the loss and damage issue appears to be a key priority in the COP29 Presidency’s plan to enhance ambition and enable action. The Presidency has pushed for progress and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage is now ready to accept contributions after the signing of key documents.

The Fund will serve as a lifeline by providing critical and urgent support for those impacted by the devastating consequences of climate change. With this important milestone reached, the Fund is now expected to start financing projects in 2025.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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Elle était au « centre » d’un « système organisé » visant à faire du Parlement européen la « vache à lait » du RN : l’accusation a requis mercredi à Paris cinq ans de prison, dont deux ans de prison ferme aménageables, 300 000 euros d’amende et cinq ans d’inéligibilité contre Marine Le Pen.

Dans la soirée de ce mercredi 13 novembre 2024, le sélectionneur de l'équipe nationale, Gernot Rohr, répondait aux questions des journalistes lors de la traditionnelle conférence de presse d'avant-match. Le technicien sait ce qui attend son équipe face à une équipe nigériane à craindre sur le papier.

À la veille du choc Bénin vs Nigéria dans le cadre de la 5e journée des éliminatoires de la Coupe d'Afrique des Nations 2025, Gernot Rohr s'est présenté en conférence de presse. Avant de se livrer sur le match, le sélectionneur béninois a été interrogé sur les cas Ryan Adigo et Lenny Pirringuel.

"Ryan joue maintenant arrière latéral, depuis quelques mois, dans son club. On avait besoin de quelqu'un à ce poste, et c'est pour ça qu'il est là. Lenny a changé de club. Avec sa vivacité, il peut nous apporter. Les deux peuvent nous aider déjà dès demain. Ils sont bien !", a confié le technicien franco-allemand. Comptant sur les jeunes talents dont il dispose dans son équipe, Gernot Rohr se dit prêt à créer la surprise face aux Super Eagles.

"Quand je disais hier que le Nigéria est pratiquement au complet, ce n'est ni la peur ni la crainte. Je suis réaliste. On sait qu'ils sont favoris sur le papier et qu'il va falloir un exploit pour les battre encore. Mais, on est confiant, malgré les absences que nous avons, que nous pouvons faire un bon match. On a notre mot à dire. C'est vrai qu'on connaîtra le résultat du match Rwanda-Libye avant le démarrage de notre rencontre mais ça ne va pas influencer notre envie de gagner. Nous avons envie de remporter ce match.", ajoute-t-il.

Également présent face aux hommes des médias, Steve Mounié, capitaine des Guépards, sait ce qu'il faut faire pour mettre le Nigéria en difficulté. "Il faudra qu'on soit bien compact, qu'on défende bien ensemble, qu'on ait la même idée sur le terrain. Si on veut faire quoi que ce soit face à cette équipe du Nigéria, il faudra savoir aussi leur répondre offensivement tout en défendant bien. La clé, c'est de marquer des buts.", a-t-il déclaré.

Réponse ce jeudi au Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny d'Abidjan.

J.S