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gba 777 online casino philippines register Multilateral climate action the only wayMADRID (AP) — Spanish King Felipe VI used his traditional Christmas Eve speech to remember the victims of the catastrophic Valencia flash floods , and urged the country to remain calm despite public debates around hot-button issues such as immigration and housing affordability. In a pre-recorded speech that usually reviews the year's most relevant issues, Felipe said Spain “must never forget the pain and sadness" the flood have caused. The Oct. 29 floods killed more than 225 people in eastern Spain, damaging countless homes and leaving graveyards of cars piled on top of each other. In some towns, the heavy downpours that caused the floods dropped as much as a year's worth of rain in just eight hours. In early November, as Spaniards' shock at the wreckage turned into frustration, a political blame game began, directed especially at regional authorities who failed to send timely emergency alerts to cell phones on the day of the floods. The frustration of residents in hard-hit Paiporta near Valencia was on display when people tossed mud and shouted insults at the king and government officials in early November when they made their first visit to the town. “We have seen — and understood — the frustration, the pain, the impatience, the demands for greater and more effective coordination," Felipe said about how the disaster was managed, adding that he had asked that aid be sent to everyone who needed it. He also addressed the country's housing crunch and high rents, which have become a leading concern in this European Union country that is the eurozone's fourth-largest economy. Fast-rising rents are especially acute in cities like Barcelona and Madrid, where incomes have failed to keep up, especially for younger people in a country with chronically high unemployment. Felipe urged that “all the actors involved reflect” and "listen to each other” so that they facilitate bringing access to housing under “affordable conditions.” Spain's immigration debate should keep in mind the country's European partners and immigrants' countries of origin, Felipe said, warning that “the way in which we are able to address immigration ... will say a lot in the future about our principles and the quality of our democracy.” Felipe said Spain need to remain calm in the public sphere, even in the face of a “sometimes thunderous” contest in its politics.

NoneBlack Friday is inching closer, but shoppers may want to lower their expectations for the biggest shopping day of the year. Personal finance website WalletHub said that 41% of products offer no greater savings on Black Friday compared to prices in the days and weeks before. That isn't to say you won't find great deals on Black Friday, but it can vary depending on where you look. WalletHub said jewelry had the best savings at 37% off, followed by apparel and accessories at 31%. Discounts on toys are generally about 23%. Consumer electronics generally have discounts of less than 20%. “WalletHub found that around 41% of Black Friday items offer no real savings for consumers compared to their usual prices, but the items that are on sale are an average of 24% off, with the highest markdown at 89%," Chip Lupo, a WalletHub analyst said in the report. RELATED STORY | Forget about Black Friday; plumbers are getting ready for Brown Friday Last year, a record 200.4 million consumers shopped over the five-day holiday weekend from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, according to the National Retail Federation. On Black Friday itself, over 76 million Americans shopped in person while more than 90 million people shopped online. Of those who shopped during Thanksgiving weekend last year, 49% purchased clothing and accessories. The National Retail Federation expects Black Friday to be quite busy again this year with 131.7 million people to shop online, in-person or both the day after Thanksgiving. RELATED STORY | Thanksgiving meals expected to be cheaper in 2024 as turkey prices drop Retailers say it's not just deals that attracts customers. There is a social aspect involved with shopping on days like Black Friday. “Younger shoppers are most likely to take advantage of Thanksgiving weekend deals this year, with 89% of young adults between 18-24 planning to shop over the weekend,” Prosper Insights & Analytics Executive Vice President of Strategy Phil Rist said. “The social aspect of holiday shopping is also enticing to this age group, and they are most likely to shop because it’s a group activity that can be enjoyed with friends and family (20%).”

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Dec. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Remote-First Company -- Clover Health Investments, Corp. CLOV ("Clover," "Clover Health" or the "Company"), today announced that its Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Toy, will present at the 43rd Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. A live webcast and replay of the presentation and Q&A session will be accessible from Clover Health's investor relations website at https://investors.cloverhealth.com/ . About Clover Health: Clover Health CLOV is a physician enablement technology company committed to bringing access to great healthcare to everyone on Medicare. This includes a health equity-based focus on seniors who have historically lacked access to affordable, high-quality healthcare. Our strategy is powered by our software platform, Clover Assistant, which is designed to aggregate patient data from across the healthcare ecosystem to support clinical decision-making and improve health outcomes through the early identification and management of chronic disease. For our members, we provide PPO and HMO Medicare Advantage plans in several states, with a differentiated focus on our flagship wide-network, high-choice PPO plans. For healthcare providers outside Clover Health's Medicare Advantage plan, we aim to extend the benefits of our data-driven technology platform to a wider audience via our subsidiary, Counterpart Health, and to enable enhanced patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs on a nationwide scale. Clover Health has published data demonstrating the technology's impact on Medication Adherence , as well as the earlier identification and management of Diabetes and Chronic Kidney Disease . Press Contact: Andrew Still-Baxter press@cloverhealth.com Investor Relations Contact: Ryan Schmidt investors@cloverhealth.com © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

At least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in the northern West Bank around the city of Tulkarem on Tuesday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said, including three people it said were killed by Israeli airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. Elsewhere in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian city of Bethlehem was marking a second somber Christmas Eve under the shadow of the war in Gaza, with most festivities cancelled and crowds of tourists absent. Israel's bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza has killed over 45,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between fighters and civilians in its count. Winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas’s attack on southern Israel in October 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 250 taken hostage by Palestinian militants. Around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza , although only two thirds are believed to still be alive. Here’s the latest: NUR SHAMS REFUGEE CAMP, West Bank — The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least eight people were killed by Israeli military operations in and around the city of Tulkarem in the northern West Bank on Tuesday. The ministry reported three of the dead were killed by airstrikes. The Israeli military said it opened fire after militants attacked soldiers, and it was aware of some uninvolved civilians who were harmed in the raid. An Associated Press photojournalist captured images of Israeli forces detonating an explosive device planted by Palestinian militants during a raid in the Nur Shams refugee camp. Israel has carried out several large-scale raids in the West Bank since the start of the war in Gaza, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel. While airstrikes were once rare in the West Bank, they have grown more common since the outbreak of war as Israeli forces clamp down, saying they aim to prevent attacks on their citizens. Israeli fire has killed at least 800 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since October 2023, Palestinian health officials say. In that time, Palestinian militants have launched a number of attacks on soldiers at checkpoints and within Israel. SAYDNAYA, Syria — A large crowd of Syrians gathered near a historic monastery in Saydnaya on Christmas Eve to witness the lighting of a towering tree adorned with glowing green lights. Tuesday's celebration offered a rare moment of joy in a city scarred by over a decade of war and an infamous prison , where tens of thousands were held. Families and friends stood beneath the illuminated tree — some wearing Santa hats, others watching from rooftops — while a band played festive music and fireworks lit up the sky “This year is different, there’s happiness, victory and a new birth for Syria and a new birth for Christ,” said Houssam Saadeh, one attendee. Another, Joseph Khabbaz, expressed hope for unity across all sects and religions in Syria, dismissing recent Christmas tree vandalism as “isolated incidents.” Earlier in the afternoon, pilgrims visited the historic Our Lady of Saydnaya Monastery, one of the world’s oldest Christian monasteries, believed to be built in the sixth century. In Homs, a similarly grand Christmas tree was illuminated as security officers patrolled the area to ensure a safe and peaceful gathering, according to Syria’s state media. UNITED NATIONS -- Recent attacks on hospitals in North Gaza, where Israel is carrying out an offensive, are having a devastating impact on Palestinian civilians still in the area, the U.N. humanitarian office says. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs expressed deep concern at reports that the Israeli military entered the Indonesian Hospital on Tuesday, forcing its evacuation. The humanitarian office, known as OCHA, also expressed deep concern at attacks reported in recent days in and around the two other hospitals in North Gaza that are minimally functioning – Al Awda and Kamal Adwan. OCHA said the Israeli siege on Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahia and parts of Jaballiya in North Gaza continued for a 79th day on Tuesday, and while the U.N. and its partners have made 52 attempts to coordinate humanitarian access to besieged areas in December 48 were rejected by Israel. While four missions were approved, OCHA said the U.N. and its partners faced impediments as a result of Israeli military operations and “none of the U.N.-coordinated attempts to access the area have been fully facilitated.” Throughout the Gaza Strip, OCHA said that Israeli authorities facilitated just 40% of requests for humanitarian movements requiring their approval in December. WASHINGTON — A leading global food crisis monitor says deaths from starvation will likely pass famine levels in north Gaza as soon as next month. The U.S.-created Famine Early Warning System Network says that’s because of a near-total Israeli blockade of food and other aid in that part of Gaza. The finding, however, appears to have exposed a rift within the Biden administration over the extent of starvation in northern Gaza. The U.S. ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, disputes part of the data used in reaching the conclusion and calls the intensified famine warning “irresponsible.” Northern Gaza has been one of the areas hardest-hit by fighting and Israel’s restrictions on aid throughout its 14-month war with Hamas militants. UNITED NATIONS — Israel’s foreign minister has requested an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council to condemn recent missile and drone attacks by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and to condemn the group's Iranian allies for allegedly providing the group with weapons. Gideon Saar said in a letter Tuesday to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the United States, which holds the council presidency this month, that the Houthis are violating international law and council resolutions. “This Iranian-backed terrorist group continues to endanger Israel’s and other nations’ security, as well as the freedom of maritime navigation, in flagrant violation of international law,” Saar said. “All of this malign activity is done as part of a broader strategy to destabilize the region.” The U.S. Mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to an email asking when the council meeting will be held. The Houthis have said they launched attacks on shipping in the Red Sea – and on Israel -- with the aim of ending Israel’s devastating air and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli war in Gaza followed Hamas’ deadly October 2023 attacks in southern Israel. TEL AVIV, Israel — An Israeli military investigation has concluded that the presence of troops inadvertently contributed to the deaths of six hostages killed by their Hamas captors in Gaza. The hostages' bodies were discovered in a tunnel in late August, an event that shook Israel and sparked some of the largest anti-war protests since the war began. The investigation found that the six hostages were killed by multiple gunshots from their captors after surviving for nearly 330 days. The Israeli military’s “ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists’ decision to murder the six hostages,” the report found. According to the investigation, the Israeli military began operating in the area where the hostages were being held in southern Gaza about two weeks before their discovery, under the assumption that the chances of hostages in the area was medium to low. On August 27, hostage Qaid Farhan Alkadi was found alone in a tunnel , causing the Israeli military to halt operations for 24 hours to determine if there could be other hostages in the area. The military discovered the opening leading to the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were located on August 30. A pathological report estimated the six hostages were killed on August 29. The six hostages killed were Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin , whose American-Israeli parents became some of the most recognized spokespeople pleading for the hostages’ release, including addressing the Democratic National Convention days before their son’s killing. “The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal,” the Hostages Families Forum said in response to the investigation. “Every passing moment puts the hostages’ lives in immediate danger.” JERUSALEM — The Israeli negotiating team working on a ceasefire returned from Qatar to Israel on Tuesday, the prime minister’s office said, after what it called “a significant week” of talks. After months of deadlock, the U.S., Qatar and Egypt resumed their mediation efforts in recent weeks and reported greater willingness by the warring sides to reach a deal. According to Egyptian and Hamas officials, the proposed agreement would take place in phases and include a halt in fighting, an exchange of captive Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, and a surge in aid to the besieged Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding 100 hostages, over one-third of whom are believed to be dead. On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there was “some progress” in efforts to reach a deal, but added he did not know how long it would take. CAIRO — Israeli soldiers took control of a hospital in isolated northern Gaza after forcing all the patients and most of the doctors to leave, the Palestinian Health Ministry said Tuesday. Some of the patients had to walk to another hospital while others were driven by paramedics, according to Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi. He did not specify how many patients had evacuated. The Israeli military confirmed its troops had entered the Indonesian Hospital in the town of Jabaliya as part of an operation searching for Hamas fighters. The army later said its soldiers had left the hospital. The military said it had assisted with evacuating the patients and had not ordered the hospital closed. However, al-Wahidi said only one doctor and maintenance person were left behind. The Indonesian Hospital is one of three hospitals left largely inaccessible in the northernmost part of Gaza because Israel has imposed a tight siege there since launching an offensive in early October. The Israeli army said Tuesday’s operation at the Indonesian Hospital came after militants carried out attacks from the hospital for the past month, including launching anti-tank missiles and planting explosive devices in the surrounding area. The Health Ministry accused Israel of “besieging and directly targeting” the three hospitals in northern Gaza. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, said Israeli drones detonated explosives near the hospital and that 20 people were wounded, including five medical staff. The Israeli military declined to comment on the operation around the hospital. DAMASCUS — Scores of Syrian Christians protested in the capital Damascus on Tuesday, demanding greater protections for their religious minority after a Christmas tree was set on fire in the city of Hama a day earlier. Many of the insurgents who now rule Syria are jihadis, although Ahmad al-Sharaa, the leader of the main rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has renounced longtime ties to al-Qaida and spent years depicting himself as a champion of pluralism and tolerance. It remains unclear who set the Christmas tree on fire Monday, which was condemned by a representative of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham who visited the town and addressed the community. “This act was committed by people who are not Syrian, and they will be punished beyond your expectations," the HTS representative said in a video widely shared on social media. "The Christmas tree will be fully restored by this evening.” On Tuesday, protesters marched through the streets of Bab Touma in Damascus, shouting slogans against foreign fighters and carrying large wooden crosses. “We demand that Syria be for all Syrians. We want a voice in the future of our country,” said Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of the Syriac Orthodox Church as he addressed the crowd in a church courtyard, assuring them of Christians’ rights in Syria. Since HTS led a swift offensive that overthrew President Bashar Assad earlier this month, Syria’s minority communities have been on edge, uncertain of how they will be treated under the emerging rebel-led government. “We are here to demand a democratic and free government for one people and one nation,” another protester said. “We stand united — Muslims and Christians. No to sectarianism.” DOHA — Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said that ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza were ongoing in Doha in cooperation with Egyptian, Qatari, and American mediators. “We will not leave any door unopened in pursuit of reaching an agreement,” said Majid al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Tuesday. Al Ansari added that rumors the ceasefire would be reached before Christmas are “speculation.” The ceasefire negotiations come at a time when winter is hitting the Gaza Strip and many of the nearly 2 million Palestinians displaced by the devastating 15-month war with Israel are struggling to protect themselves from the wind, cold and rain. Families of the approximately 100 hostages who have been held for 445 days in Gaza are also worried their loved ones will not survive another winter. In a press conference, al-Ansari also called on the international community to lift sanctions on Syria as quickly as possible on Tuesday. “The reason was the crimes of the previous regime, and that regime, with all of its authority, is no longer in place, therefor the causes for these sanctions no longer exist today,” he said. DAMASCUS, Syria — American journalist Austin Tice is believed to be still alive, according to the head of an international aid group. Nizar Zakka, who runs the Hostage Aid Worldwide organization, said there has never been any proof that Tice, who has been missing since 2012, is dead. Zakka told reporters in Damascus on Tuesday that Tice was alive in January and being held by the authorities of ousted Syrian President Bashar Assad. He added that U.S. President Joe Biden said in August that Tice was alive. Zakka said he believes Tice was transferred between security agencies over the past 12 years, including in an area where Iranian-backed fighters were operating. Asked if it was possible Tice had been taken out of the country, Zakka said Assad most likely kept him in Syria as a potential bargaining chip. Biden said Dec. 8 that his administration believed Tice was alive and was committed to bringing him home, although he also acknowledged that “we have no direct evidence” of his status. TEL AVIV, Israel — Hannah Katzir, an Israeli woman who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, and freed in a brief ceasefire last year, has died. She was 78. The Hostages Families Forum, a group representing the families of people taken captive, confirmed the death Tuesday but did not disclose the cause. Her daughter, Carmit Palty Katzir, said in a statement that her mother’s “heart could not withstand the terrible suffering since Oct. 7.” Katzir’s husband, Rami, was killed during the attack by militants who raided their home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. Her son Elad was also kidnapped and his body was recovered in April by the Israeli military, who said he had been killed in captivity. She spent 49 days in captivity and was freed in late November 2023. Shortly after Katzir was freed, her daughter told Israeli media that she had been hospitalized with heart issues attributed to “difficult conditions and starvation” while she was held captive. TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel's military said the projectile was intercepted before crossing into Israeli territory, but it set off air raid sirens overnight in the country's populous central area, sending residents looking for cover. Israel’s rescue service Magen David Adom said a 60-year-old woman was seriously wounded after being hurt on her way to a protected space. There was no immediate comment from Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It was the third time in a week that fire from Yemen set off sirens in Israel. On Saturday, a missile slammed into a playground in Tel Aviv, injuring 16, after Israel’s air defense system failed to intercept it. Earlier last week, Israeli jets struck Yemen’s rebel-held capital and a port city, killing nine. Israel said the strikes were in response to previous Houthi attacks.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. The company and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced the plan Monday. The new investment will boost the amount it has committed to spending in Ohio by the end of 2029 to more than $23 billion. AWS launched its first data centers in the state in 2016 and currently operates campuses in two counties in central Ohio, home to the capital city of Columbus. The new investment will allow AWS to expand its data centers to new sites, but the company said those locations have not been determined yet and noted that its investment plans are contingent upon the execution of long-term energy service agreements. AWS said the new data centers will contain computer servers, storage drives, networking equipment and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. In June 2023, AWS said it would invest $7.8 billion by the end of 2029 to expand its data center operations in central Ohio. That was on top of $6 billion already invested through 2022. Advertisement

NoneABU DHABI, Egyesült Arab Emírségek--(BUSINESS WIRE)--dec. 12, 2024-- Az Abu Dhabiban megrendezett Nemzetközi Mangrove Természetvédelmi és Restaurációs Konferencián a Fejlett Technológiai Kutatótanács VentureOne szervezete bemutatta a Nabat elnevezésű új klímatechnológiai vállalkozást, amely mesterséges intelligencia és robotika segítségével konzerválja és állítja helyre a mangrovefákat és más ökoszisztémákat a régióban. Ez a sajtóközlemény multimédia-tartalommal rendelkezik. A teljes tartalmat itt találja: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211580764/hu/ Nabat, New Abu Dhabi Climate Tech Venture, to use AI and Robotics to Restore Mangroves and Boost Climate Resilience (Photo: AETOSWire) A Nabat bemutatta fejlett technológiáját, köztük drónokat, mesterséges intelligencia által hajtott szoftvereket, illetve rugalmas vetőmechanizmusokat, amelyeket az elkövetkező hét év során több ezer hektár mangrove megőrzésére és helyreállítására használnak majd az Egyesült Arab Emírségekben. A mangrovefák akár ötször több szenet tárolnak, mint az esőerdők, és létfontosságú részét képezik az Egyesült Arab Emírségek ökoszisztémájának, valamint a világ éghajlatváltozás elleni küzdelmének. „A Nabat kiváló példája annak, hogy az Egyesült Arab Emírségek hogyan fordítja a fejlett technológiát az emberiség javára” – árulta el Őexcellenciája (H.E.), Faisal Al Bannai, a Fejlett Technológiai Kutatótanács (ATRC) főtitkára. „Az innováció és a tudomány egyesítésével az ökoszisztémák helyreállítására, a biológiai sokféleség növelésére és a klímaváltozással szembeni ellenálló képesség erősítésére törekszünk, hogy felgyorsítsuk országunk nettó zéró kibocsátás felé vezető útját.” „A technológia és a természet gyakran ellentétesnek tűnnek – ám ha a kritikus problémák megoldása érdekében a technológiát tudományos alapú kutatással ötvözzük, a technológia a természet egyik legerősebb szövetségesévé válhat” – nyilatkozta Dr. Najwa Aaraj, az ATRC alkalmazott kutatási részlegének, a Technológiai Innovációs Intézetnek a vezérigazgatója, valamint a Nabat mögött álló technológia fejlesztője. „Rendszerünk segít megoldani a megőrzéssel kapcsolatos számos kritikus kihívást, amelyek közül az egyik legfontosabb az adatgyűjtés. Nincs két egyforma ökoszisztéma – mindegyikhez személyre szabott, adatvezérelt megközelítésre van szükség.” A Nabat mesterséges intelligencia (AI) és robotika precíziós térképezést, vetést és megfigyelést tesz lehetővé, biztosítva, hogy a megőrzés és helyreállítás minden ökoszisztéma egyedi és összetett igényeihez igazodjon. Ellentétben a hagyományos mangrove-ültetéssel, amely igen munkaigényes és akár a környező ökoszisztémákat is károsíthatja, a Nabat rendszere a lehető legkisebb hatást gyakorolja az élőhelyekre. A feltérképezési fázisban a Nabat technológiája hatalmas mennyiségű adatot szolgáltat a talajról, valamint a természetes élőhelyek sűrűségéről, magasságáról, illetve hidrológiájáról. A drón vetésmechanizmusa optimalizált pályatervezést és rugalmas vetésmintákat használ annak biztosítására, hogy a magokat pontosan és csak a szükséges módon ültessék el. A rendszer az elültetett fák biztonságos növekedése érdekében felügyeleti képességekkel is rendelkezik. A Nabat technológiája még a nehezen elérhető, távoli területeken is működik, így lehetővé teszi a konzervációs és helyreállítási erőfeszítések hatékony méretezését, miközben minimalizálja a költségeket. Reda Nidhakou, a VentureOne, a Nabat anyavállalatának megbízott vezérigazgatója a következőket mondta: „A VentureOne lelke olyan startupokat indít, amelyek úttörő technológiát hoznak el a világ számára. A legértékesebb technológia nem csupán innovatív, hatékony vagy nyereséges – a legfontosabb, hogy mérhető pozitív hatást fejtsen ki. Megtiszteltetés számomra, hogy a csapattal és tágabb ökoszisztémánkkal együttműködhettünk annak érdekében, hogy ilyen alapvető módon hozzájáruljunk az Egyesült Arab Emírségek fenntarthatósági utazásához.” Míg a vállalat kezdetben az Egyesült Arab Emírségekben található mangrovefákra összpontosít, a tervek szerint a régió más részeire is terjeszkedik majd, és további ökoszisztémákat szolgál ki, köztük sivatagos területeket, mezőgazdasági területeket, erdőket és korallzátonyokat. *Forrás: AETOSWire E közlemény hivatalos, mérvadó változata az eredeti forrásnyelven közzétett szöveg. A fordítás csak az olvasó kényelmét szolgálja, és összevetendo a forrásnyelven írt szöveggel, amely az egyetlen jogi érvénnyel bíró változat. Forrásverzió a businesswire.com címen: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211580764/hu/ CONTACT: Audrey Fernandes Audrey.fernandes@edelman.com KEYWORD: MIDDLE EAST UNITED ARAB EMIRATES INDUSTRY KEYWORD: GREEN TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT OTHER SCIENCE RESEARCH SUSTAINABILITY SOFTWARE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH DATA MANAGEMENT DRONES SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES AGRICULTURE NATURAL RESOURCES ROBOTICS CLIMATE CHANGE SOURCE: Nabat Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/12/2024 02:10 PM/DISC: 12/12/2024 02:08 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241211580764/huAnambra state government awards more road contracts

The folks behind the Super League are back . A22 Sports, the company attempting to organise an alternative competition to the UEFA tournaments (Champions League, Europa League and Conference League) announced on Tuesday that it had petitioned UEFA to recognize its new cross-border tournament, the "Unify League." This comes nearly a year after the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that UEFA held a dominant position and to comply with competition law, they could not oppose the creation of other cross-border tournaments provided they met certain criteria. Among them are the stipulations that any such tournament must have a qualification process that's inclusive and meritocratic, and that complies with the FIFA match calendar. So that's it? We now have a rival to the Champions League? Not exactly, as there are a ton of hoops to jump through first. Technically speaking, the ECJ judgement found that the UEFA's regulations gave them too much power to block rival cross-border competitions, so UEFA wrote new ones immediately after the verdict -- ones they say comply with the ECJ ruling. Some of those UEFA regulations lay out criteria in terms of open and meritocratic qualification -- things the Unify League appears to meet -- while others, according to A22, do not comply with the ECJ ruling. Editor's Picks Super League revived as 96-team 'Unify League' 8h Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez Man United's statement win, Barca look good but lose, more: Marcotti recaps the weekend 1d Gabriele Marcotti The VAR Review: Why Robertson's red card was wrong; Højlund penalty claim 1d Dale Johnson A22 say there are too many to mention, but they do cite one that prohibits any new club competition from "adversely affect the good functioning" of UEFA tournaments. (Which is kinda the point of competition: disrupt your rivals and grow your market share.) But A22 argues that UEFA's rules, as written, basically force teams who qualify for UEFA competitions to play in them. We haven't heard from UEFA yet, but you assume they think their rules are compliant with ECJ rulings. So I think we can expect more arguing between lawyers and possibly letters to the European Court to clarify this, but that's really just the first hurdle... What's the next one? Well, even if they clear that hurdle and they get their way -- which, as A22 write, means "clubs are free to decide which tournament they want" -- they then need to persuade them it's in their interest to do so. And that's not going to be easy, because while clubs are interested in prestige, history, having a say in their competitions and engaging with fans -- all that good stuff -- let's face it, money is a prime motivator. It's not clear how the Unify League's business model is going to generate more revenue in terms of commercial and media rights. (The UEFA Champions League has certainly cornered the market when it comes to being an event, arguably the Super Bowl of the sport.) What is A22's model anyway? There isn't too much detail, but presumably they'll have sponsors just like UEFA does. The big difference, though, is in media rights. Instead of selling rights to broadcasters and streamers, they're going to have their own streaming service , the Unify Platform. All games will be shown for free, albeit with advertising. And for those who don't enjoy commercial breaks, there will be the opportunity to purchase "affordable premium subscriptions" that will offer more technological bells and whistles than standard TV. Is it possible to make more money this way? The question raises a bunch of pretty obvious questions. If all you have to do to make more money than they do in the existing competitions is show games for free with commercial breaks, why haven't existing broadcasters thought of this? And if the secret to more revenue is having "affordable premium subscriptions" -- rather than the current expensive ones -- why haven't they done that? Sure, there's some merit in questioning the current pricing model -- free to air delivers a bigger audience and more exposure for sponsors, which can mean higher ad rates, while lower subscription fees might make it a volume play, where you get more subscribers and end up with more money -- but it takes a real leap of faith to think these guys can make it work where everybody else has failed. That said, they're convinced their format will be more exciting and generate bigger audiences... How so? You can watch their video explainer here , but in a nutshell there will be four leagues, with the top two -- the Star League and Gold League (don't ask) -- comprised of 16 clubs each. Each league is split into two groups of eight and they play everybody home and away for a total of 14 games. The top four in each group qualify for the quarterfinals, which will also be home and away fixtures, and the semifinals and final will be single-leg affairs. I make that a total of 246 games -- marginally more than the total in the existing "Swiss Model" Champions League (237 games), but, of course, that has 36 clubs vs. the 32 in the combined Star and Gold Leagues, so I guess they can divide their pie in fewer slices and have a slightly bigger pie. As to whether it's more exciting, I'm not sure. You're going to get a lot of the same teams playing each other in a group game, year after year and, I imagine, you'll get a fair few meaningless games because, with four of eight qualifying, you could get teams knowing whether they're in or out with three or four games to go, making the final match days rather irrelevant. (Of course, this concept has been seen at tournaments before, and we're still not sure whether the first-ever Champions League matchday 8, with all 36 teams playing at the same time, will have high stakes hanging in the balance.) There's also the fact that the ECJ ruling forces them to be "merit-based" and "open to all," as that could boomerang against them. What do you mean? Well, the old/aborted European Super League had 12 guaranteed mega-clubs in it -- 15 in the original proposal, before Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain said no. Based on A22's regulations, if the competition had kicked off this season, clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid -- all of whom are in the Champions League -- would not be guaranteed a place in the competition, but would need to battle their way through multiple qualifying rounds for one of the playoff spots. And guess what? Clubs like sure things and hate uncertainty, especially when it comes to revenues. But won't they end up in the next league down? You mean the "Gold League," right? Actually Atletico and Borussia Dortmund wouldn't even be guaranteed a place in that either; they'd need to get there via the playoffs. But yes, the next league down will presumably generate substantially less revenue than the top league, just as the Europa League makes less money than the Champions League. That's the rub. It's a really tough sell and they'll have a difficult time convincing the clubs this is more lucrative. Unless... GAB & JULS PODCAST Gabriele Marcotti and Julien Laurens dive into the latest news and gossip, analyze matches with special guests, and give their perspective on the world of football. Stream now Unless what? Unless there's somebody out there willing to offer clubs a big, fat downside guarantee, somebody who says "I'll guarantee you more than what you're making now." And that's tough because right now, UEFA generate around €4.4 billion ($4.6bn) from their three competitions. Just over a billion of that goes on administrative costs (€387m), payments to clubs that don't qualify (€440m), subsidies for the Women's and Youth competitions (€25m) and in UEFA's coffers (€230m) to be redistributed to member associations. Now, A22 obviously might be able to run a leaner tournament so their administrative costs will be lower, and maybe they won't want to subsidize the women's competition. (They say they'll have one too, though it remains to be seen how the numbers work out there.) They might not pay as much to clubs who don't qualify or to member associations, though they say they'll have some solidarity mechanism. But they'll still need to get well north of that €4.4bn figure to make it worthwhile. And, remember, since they'll be running the games on their own platform, they'll also have marketing, technology and production costs that are currently absorbed by broadcasters. So yeah, I'd imagine it would take somebody willing to say "I'll chuck in €6bn a year in to cover the downside for the next couple of years to get this thing off the ground and guarantee that you clubs are better off with the Unify League than anywhere else." Frankly, that's a ton of money and, of course, there's the risk of a nightmare scenario for both UEFA and the Unify League. What's the "nightmare scenario" exactly? Imagine they end up competing directly with each other and A22 convinces some clubs, but not others. (Or, because there's also a whole hornets' nest of domestic legislation in various countries that prevents clubs from joining a league like this, and which may or may not be compliant with the ECJ ruling, some clubs simply can't.) What then? Let's say the Unify League has Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern and Inter. The Champions League has Barcelona, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus (presumably PSG too, unless Nasser Al Khelaifi jumps ship). Both competitions are markedly weaker and no, it's not a linear decline because the success of the Champions League is founded on having the best clubs all in one place. Take half of them away and the interest isn't halved, it goes down by a lot more than that. Mutually assured destruction might be an exaggeration, but it certainly would make life a whole heck of a lot tougher for everyone. So what happens next? I expect a lot of back and forth between lawyers, and maybe some ECJ clarification, but ultimately this feels like a power move, where A22 want to get UEFA to the table somehow. Except it's hard to see how A22 have any leverage at all because, let's face it: their business model seems goofy and nobody of note, other than Real Madrid, has gone to bat for them. Unless of course there's somebody in the shadows with several billions willing to bankroll the whole shebang.This year's PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted included a new trailer for EVE Frontier , CCP Games' upcoming survival-focused spinoff to the long-running EVE Online. The new space sim is promising an oppressive atmosphere, more granular combat, and punishing survival elements, all built on a blockchain-based framework that actually, as difficult as it is to believe, seems to add to the experience⁠—just don't call it a "blockchain game," its developers insist. Blockchain is involved, sure, but it's more about the fact that it is distributed and not centralized. With all the hoopla around AI, it's easy to forget that just a scant two years ago, NFTs and crypto were an unstoppable, overheated leviathan threatening to remake gaming with new forms of microtransactions and promises of an interoperable Fortnite-ification of all games. Those buzzwords have firmly landed on the "what's not" list since right alongside the metaverse, but EVE Online studio CCP Games is still working on a blockchain-based game (notably, there are no NFTs in sight). After seeing what the EVE Frontier team is working on and hearing the developers' vision for the game, I was persuaded that this sister game actually justifies its use of the tech. The most compelling argument I heard from CCP, and something that distinguishes EVE Frontier from every half-baked MMO project I saw at the height of crypto-mania, is that the blockchain stuff is meant to be in service to the game Frontier is trying to be and not the other way around. "When we were building EVE Online, we decided to build it on top of a database. Our choice of a database was hotly contested⁠—at least in this community of people making MMO-like games," said CCP CEO Hilmar Veigar Pétursson. "And never did we really position the game, 'Eve Online: The First Database Game!' And we're not really looking to do that with EVE Frontier either. It is not really a blockchain game, no more than EVE is a database game. "We're just being very explicit about it because it is a hot topic, and we don't want to hide it away. Blockchain is involved, sure, but it's more about the fact that it is distributed and not centralized." The top line is that CCP is using blockchain to make EVE Frontier moddable on the client side without compromising the basic integrity of the MMO. "Using blockchain technology also lets us open up this universe to a layer where other players will be able to modify and co-create this universe with us," said CCP chief blockchain engineer Cheryl Ang. The primary point of contact for this modability will be "Smart Assemblies," valuable space stations that will serve sort of like a survival game home base, but with added complexity. "You can think of it kind of like modding on a traditional game," explained EVE Frontier product manager Scott McCabe. "You can play the original game as it came. You can then start getting truly independent third party mods. And finally you can actually build your own, if you set up all the development environments and really get into the nitty gritty." The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team. McCabe was quick to clarify that you don't need to be an experienced coder to enjoy EVE Frontier or its mods. Just like how a vanguard of modders will spearhead a community of thousands or even millions on the Nexus or ModDB, McCabe and Ang hope to see sharing and trading of mods and coding expertise among Frontier's community. Some players programmed a Smart Assembly to automatically host king of the hill-style PvP tournaments, dispensing rewards to the victors. Others turned Smart Assemblies into vendors and even simple NPC questgivers. McCabe and Ang explained that the blockchain underpins something CCP calls "digital physics"—immutable rules in EVE Frontier that will limit what modders can create, ensuring that they can transform the game, but never "break" it. McCabe explained to me that you won't be able to cheat with Smart Assemblies, for example⁠—no infinite ammo and fuel, or cranking up your speed and damage beyond the impossible. What CCP's proposing with Eve Frontier⁠—client-side modding of a live multiplayer game without compromising the basic integrity of the experience⁠—doesn't sound like anything I've seen before in a game. I don't know how feasible it would have been to build it using tech with less controversy, name recognition, and investor interest than blockchain, but McCabe intimated that part of the motivation was to use blockchain's decentralization to eventually defer EVE Frontier's governance entirely to its players instead of CCP, and even ensure the game's continued operation in the event of CCP's dissolution. A move that impressed me on that front is CCP's plan to make the Carbon engine⁠—which powers both EVE Online and EVE Frontier⁠—open source. I find that to be more evidence of EVE Frontier being a genuine game design experiment rather than a belated passenger on the crypto hype train, though in-game transactions⁠—including the purchase of new ships⁠—will be done with a crypto wallet set up in character creation rather than EVE Online's ISK in-game currency. Some of what has already been done in EVE Frontier's playtests call to mind EVE Online's long and legendary history of emergent shenanigans. Some players programmed a Smart Assembly to automatically host king of the hill-style PvP tournaments, dispensing rewards to the victors. Others turned Smart Assemblies into vendors and even simple NPC questgivers for other players. Since players have to build and maintain their own warp gates in the sparsely-populated Frontier, CCP observed players weaponizing warp gate control against enemy factions. Scary Space The combat and exploration of EVE Frontier are similar to EVE Online at first glance. You control a single ship from a zoomed out, overhead⁠—at least as much as you can be "overhead" in space⁠—perspective, as opposed to the first-person cockpit of Elite Dangerous or third-person rear view in something like Starfield. "The action's a little bit faster, more decisions that you have to make in the heat of the moment with imperfect information, and that will lead to some emergent gameplay," McCabe said of EVE Frontier's moment-to-moment combat. The new game will introduce line of sight and cover, meaning that stealth, surprise, and positioning will be critical in a way they never were in the original EVE. "You might not know what's behind the next rock, you might not know who is waiting for you, or perhaps how many reinforcements they have when you're setting your trap," explained McCabe, and that tension will only be heightened by EVE Frontier's more limited resources compared to EVE Online, where the loss of a ship can already be a devastating financial proposition⁠—McCabe suggested that these complications resulted in an experience that "bordered on survival horror." McCabe also hopes this will make EVE Frontier feel like a larger, more dangerous universe, reminding me of the way the beginning of a game of Civilization can feel so vast, threatening, and full of infinite potential, versus a Civ late game fully explored and settled map, represented by EVE Online. "You can't just perpetually fly around forever without eventually running out of energy. You will need to stop and do something. That makes the universe feel substantially bigger than infinite free travel." EVE Frontier sounds like a fascinating, unique space sim that makes a genuinely worthwhile use of crypto-derived technology I had basically written off. If nothing else, CCP's extensive experience with operating a digital economy that long preceded crypto commands a certain benefit of the doubt, as does its commitment to the project well after the gold rush already ended. If you're interested in EVE Frontier, you can go to the game's official website to purchase a founder's pack and participate in ongoing playtests.INDIANAPOLIS — It was just a 10-yard completion, easy to overlook in the wake of a record-setting rushing day and easy to dismiss as one of just 11 pass attempts throughout the Indianapolis Colts’ 38-30 victory Sunday against the Tennessee Titans. But Anthony Richardson’s third-and-8 pass to wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. just after the two-minute warning in the fourth quarter was pivotal to holding off the visitors’ late rally. If the Colts were forced to punt in that situation, a defense that had allowed touchdowns on three consecutive drives — of 70, 55 and 71 yards — would be back on the field with tremendous pressure to prevent the game going to overtime. Richardson was cold and out of rhythm. He’d been sacked on his most recent pass attempt — on third-and-9 with 6:51 remaining — and he hadn’t gotten a pass off since throwing an incompletion intended for wide receiver Josh Downs at the 11:20 mark. With the dual-threat quarterback and running back Jonathan Taylor combining for 270 of Indianapolis’ single-game franchise-record 335 rushing yards, Richardson had not completed a pass since the 8:33 mark of the third quarter, and he was just 1-for-2 in the second half. Still, he was calm and composed on the crucial third down — hitting Pittman on a simple out pattern to move the chains and keep the clock moving. When the Colts finally did punt the ball back to Tennessee, there were only three seconds remaining for the Titans to work with, It was a forgettable play in the grand scheme of the game, but it was also the most recent evidence of the 22-year-old quarterback’s ability to raise his level of play in the clutch. He’s 3-2 as a starter since taking the role back from veteran Joe Flacco, and the other two victories featured game-winning touchdown drives in the fourth quarter. “I think that’s a special trait — obviously as a young player — that he doesn’t flinch in those times, to lead those comebacks,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said. “Obviously, the (New York) Jets, the New England (Patriots) game, I mean, those are big-time drives to go win games. “You want that out of young players, especially (when) you see the veteran guys do it around the league all the time, but to do it as a young player speaks volumes of the person that he is.” Despite Richardson’s up-and-down season, Indianapolis has maintained steadfast belief in his potential. Even when he was benched for Flacco, the organization repeatedly stated it was not giving up on the quarterback as its future leader. There’s still plenty of work to be done. Richardon has completed just 47.7% of his passes, and he’s thrown 12 interceptions in 11 starts. His rushing ability again was evident Sunday, and he’s set franchise single-season records for a quarterback with 499 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns. And he has proven his big-play ability with a league-leading 14.4 yards per completion. The Colts still believe improved consistency will come with increased reps, and they hold out hope the fourth overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft can still become the long-term answer at the game’s most important position. For now, Richardson’s late-game heroics offer the most compelling argument in his favor. “I think it’s just me just playing all the way until the clock hits zero,” Richardson said of his mindset. “I never think about fourth quarter moments or anything like that. I just try to play until the game’s over. And it just happens sometimes that most of it happens in the fourth quarter. So I just try to play through the whistle and just play through the whole game.” After rushing for 218 yards and three touchdowns against the Titans – both the second-highest single-game totals of his career – Taylor has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. It was a major bounce-back performance after Taylor’s unforced fumble just short of the goal line cost the Colts dearly in a pivotal loss against the Denver Broncos a week prior. “It’s always exciting to see that dude just do what he does,” Richardson said. “It’s fascinating, honestly, just to see him hit a gap and just take it to the house. It’s just amazing, especially thinking about what happened in the Denver game. It honestly like wiped my mind. I wasn’t even thinking about it until people were talking about him coming back and having the game he did. “It’s like ‘OK, that’s the type of player he is, the type of person he is.’ He always wants to do better for the team and for himself. And just to see him do that and get what he did on Sunday is just a blessing.” The Colts officially signed right guard Mark Glowinski to the 53-man roster Tuesday after he’d been called up for game day in each of the past three weeks. Guard Antonio Mafi was re-signed to the practice squad after being released from the 53-man roster Monday.

By Anna Mehler Paperny TORONTO (Reuters) - Four Canadian ministers publicly unveiled on Tuesday a border security plan they had privately presented to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration, with an emphasis on surveillance, intelligence and technology. Canadian ministers had an "encouraging" meeting with Trump's border czar Tom Homan, Public Safety, Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters. "I went through with Mr. Homan the information that we're sharing with you today... I'm encouraged by that conversation and by conversations I've had with the incoming Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick," LeBlanc said. LeBlanc and his colleagues announced Tuesday a plan to beef up the U.S.-Canada border with helicopters, drones, surveillance towers and sniffer dogs, as well as a "joint strike force" to target transnational organized crime. The embattled minority government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says it will invest C$1.3 billion ($909 million) toward border security over six years. The plan focuses on fentanyl, irregular migration and organized crime. Canada has been under pressure to beef up its border with the U.S. since Trump threatened Canada and Mexico with sweeping 25% tariffs if they did not stem the movement of migrants and drugs into the United States. U.S. authorities apprehended more than 23,000 people near the U.S.-Canada border in the 12 months ending in October, more than double the previous year but a tiny fraction of the 1.5 million people apprehended near the U.S.-Mexico border during that time. Canadian police say they have installed more cameras and sensors over the most-traversed section of the border over the past four years. Yet they acknowledge there is little they can do to stop southbound crossers. Experts told Reuters the flurry of attention to the U.S.-Canada border is as much about perception as reality. They said a more effective mode of interdiction may be to stop people from coming to Canada in the first place. As Reuters has reported, Canada is already attempting that - granting fewer visas and turning away visa-holders. Canada also plans to amend its immigration law to allow authorities to "cancel, suspend, or vary immigration documents for reasons deemed in the public interest." This might take place, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday, "for example, in cases of mass fraud." Miller said Canada also "will be introducing measures to streamline the asylum system to deal quickly with illegitimate claims." He has hinted at fast-tracking faint-hope refugee claims. Miller also announced an end to the practice of "flagpoling," in which temporary residents leave the country just long enough to come back in and renew their status. While the focus has been on migrants crossing southbound from Canada to the U.S., Canada has been bracing for the reverse influx as people flee Trump's threat of mass deportations. "To anyone considering entering Canada illegally, as we head into the coldest months of the winter, we want to make it clear that trying to cross into Canada between our official ports of entry is dangerous," Miller said. Trudeau's government was thrown into chaos Monday when his finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland quit. Trudeau, trailing in polls, faces calls from within his own caucus to resign. ($1 = 1.4309 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Anna Mehler Paperny; Editing by Stephen Coates)Environment Secretary Steve Reed has been asked to review “incompetence” at the Met Office that led to a “clear underestimation” of the impact of Storm Bert. Labour MP for Cardiff West, Alex Barros-Curtis, said warnings should have been “amber or red”, as Mr Reed told MPs that more flooding is “likely”. Hundreds of homes were left under water, roads were turned into rivers and winds of more than 80mph were recorded across parts of the UK. More than 130 flood warnings and 160 alerts remained in place across the UK on Monday. In the Commons on Monday, Mr Barros-Curtis asked: “Can I ask that the Secretary of State speak to his Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) colleagues to carefully look into the role of the Met Office here? “It is clear that their response was slow and that there was a clear underestimation of the impact of Storm Bert. “They put it yellow rather than amber or red. Our constituents have been let down by this incompetence before, and it cannot keep happening.” Mr Reed said: “In most parts of the countries that were affected, warnings were given with adequate time for people to prepare and I would encourage people to sign up on the Defra website, or the Environment Agency website for warnings and alerts if they live in an area that could be affected by flooding. “I’m aware of the particular concern that he mentions regarding the Met Office, and I will indeed be speaking to colleagues in DSIT as they review the circumstances of that and look at how the situation can be improved for future events of this kind.” During his update to the House, the Environment Secretary said that more flooding this week is “likely” but its impact “should be less severe” than has been seen. He said: “Around 28,000 properties are being protected by Environment Agency flood defences. “Unfortunately, an estimated 107 properties have flooded across England, principally from river and surface water flooding.” He added: “The Environment Agency and local responders have also been busy protecting properties elsewhere in England, including flooding from the River Teme in Tenbury Wells where around 40 properties have flooded. “The river has now peaked and local responders will be focusing on the lower reaches of rivers over the next few days.” He further stated: “Further flooding is sadly likely over the next few days as water levels rise in slower flowing rivers such as the Severn and the Ouse. “The Environment Agency anticipates that any impacts should be less severe than we have seen in recent days.” Mr Reed also described the flood defences they inherited from the previous government as being “in the worst condition on record following years of underinvestment”. He added: “Over 3,000 of our key flood defences are below an acceptable standard. “That is why we are investing £2.4 billion over the next two years to build and maintain flood defences.” Elsewhere in the session, Labour MP for Coventry South, Zarah Sultana, was among the MPs to call for a legal duty on fire services to respond to flooding. She said: “I want to express my solidarity and thanks to all of our emergency services, including firefighters on the front line. “Extreme weather events are on the rise and becoming ever more frequent due to climate change, highlighting the urgent need for proper funding and resources. “England is the only part of the UK without a statutory duty for flooding, leaving fire services underfunded and under-resourced to respond effectively. This must change, as the FBU (Fire Brigades Union) has long called for.” “When will the Government finally provide a statutory duty for Fire and Rescue authorities to respond to flooding incidents in England?” Mr Reed replied: “The fire and rescue authorities have the powers to intervene, but she’s quite right to point out there’s not a duty, and officials in my department, working with the Home Office, will review that to see that that remains appropriate.” Conservative MP for Mid Buckinghamshire Greg Smith said some communities in his constituency are flooding “for the first time in decades” as he accused the Government of wanting to “concrete over the countryside”. He said: “That is a result of some of the big infrastructure we are seeing being built, particularly HS2 where they will concrete over a field completely, it seems, unaware that that will have a knock-on effect to farmland next door. “So will the Secretary of State commit to working with the Transport Secretary (Louise Haigh) and I also suggest the Deputy Prime Minister (Angela Rayner) given their plans to concrete over the countryside to ensure that where construction takes place proper, and I really mean proper, flood mitigation measures are put into place.” Mr Reed replied: “This needs to operate across Government, and we will have those conversations and ensure that measures are put in place to support communities as much as is possible from the more severe weather events that we’re seeing as a result of climate change.”

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