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Hi, I'm VOA's Alexis Strope with your worldwide news update.
"I invite parties to turn to agenda subitem 11A 'New collective quantified goal on climate finance.' I had invited the CMA to adopt the draft decision contained in the document CMA/2024L .22." That was COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev after 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 met two years late in 2022 and expires in 2025. Countries also agreed Saturday evening on rules for a global market to buy and sell carbon credits that proponents say could mobilize billions more dollars into new projects to help fight global warming. Russian strikes have damaged port infrastructure facilities in Ukraine. VOA's Christina Menenti reports. Russian drone and missile attacks have damaged 321 Ukrainian port infrastructure facilities since July last year, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday. Twenty merchant ships belonging to other countries were also damaged by Russian strikes, he added. Ukraine is a major global wheat and corn grower, and before the Russian invasion, it exported via the Black Sea. When Russia launched its invasion in February, 2022, it blockaded Ukraine's Black Sea ports. Shipments were resumed in July, 2022 under the Black Sea Grain Initiative, but a year later, Russia exited the agreement. Since then, Ukraine has exported using its own corridor, which passes through the territorial waters of Romania, Bulgaria and Turkey. Christina Menenti, VOA News. This is VOA News. As airstrikes continue in Gaza, the humanitarian crisis continues to grow. AP correspondent Charles De Ledesma reports. The U.N. humanitarian office earlier this month warned of a stark increase in the number of households experiencing severe hunger in central and southern Gaza. Fadi ??? is from one of an increasing number of households in Khan Yunis needing food support. He says he had had to sleep overnight outside the bakery in the hope of getting bread but he's come away empty handed due to the hundreds of people queuing up. In Deir al Balah, local bakeries had had to shut most of the week, and the price of a bag of bread climbed above $13. On Friday, a few bakeries could open and feed people. At least two women were fatally shot on Saturday while waiting in a line for bread in the city, relatives and witnesses told the AP. I'm Charles De Ledesma. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken departed for Italy on Saturday to attend a meeting of the Group of 7 major democracies next week amid rising tensions in the war in Ukraine. G7 leaders last Saturday reiterated a pledge to keep imposing severe costs on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine through sanctions, export controls and other measures and vowed to support Kyiv for as long as it takes. The State Department said Blinken would discuss issues including conflicts in the Middle East, Russia's war against Ukraine, Indo-Pacific security and the ongoing crisis in both Haiti and Sudan at the gathering in Italy. A storm dumps record rain in northern California and thousands of power outages are reported. AP correspondent Julie Walker reports. In Issaquah, Washington, hundreds without power went to a senior center, including Melissa Tryon, who had to charge her motorized wheelchair. "The next big purchase I make is going to be a large battery backup. So I don't wanna be in this position anymore." Mayor Mary Lou Pauly says it's been difficult. "... proud of how the community is holding up so far. It's been, you know, three, four days, very challenging circumstances." PSE blames the storm and says some residents won't get back power until Monday. The bomb cyclone arrived in the Pacific Northwest Tuesday and is responsible for killing two people. I'm Julie Walker. Thousands of Colombians have taken to the streets to oppose the policies of President Gustavo Petro, who accused demonstrators of trying to destabilize the government. Protesters on Saturday decried a series of proposed health, labor and pensions reforms and accused Petro's administration of corruption. The crowd included retired military officials and opposition lawmakers. Petro, a former leftist guerrilla who has denied the accusations, said that only some 20,000 people participated in Saturday's demonstrations as he accused them of trying to overthrow the government and mock voters. That wraps up this update, but the world and news never stop. For additional updates, visit our website. I'm Alexis Strope, VOA News. |