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Expert says climate change could turn Brazil’s lush Amazon into savannah

Brazilian scientist Carlos Nobre said the rainforest "has already become a source of emissions"

BUENOS AIRES, December 8. /TASS/. The Amazon rainforest may turn into a dry grassy savannah as a result of climate change, Brazilian scientist Carlos Nobre said in an interview with the Lusa news agency.

"We are very close to the point of no return. In the southern Amazon, the dry season has become much longer. It used to be three to four months. Today it's four or five months," he said. The scientist said the rainforest "has already become a source of emissions" because the planet's main "lungs" in the Brazilian states of Para and Mato Grosso have emitted more carbon dioxide than they have absorbed.

On December 7, Chairman of Petroleo Brasileiro SA in Brazil Pietro Sampaio Mendes, said on the sidelines of the COP-28 that the drought in the Amazon’s equatorial rainforest region was one of the worst in recent memory.

According to a report by the World Resources Institute's Global Forest Watch released in late June, the area of rainforests lost worldwide in 2022 was about 4.1 million hectares, which is about 10% of all the world's rainforests.

According to the Institute, tropical forests shrank by an area equal to 11 soccer fields every minute last year. The institute estimated that the countries with the largest number of rainforests include Brazil (320 million hectares), the Democratic Republic of Congo (100.2 million hectares), Indonesia (84.7 million hectares), Peru (67.3 million hectares) and Colombia (53.4 million hectares).

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"The enemy views our space capabilities, both civilian and military, as targets," Michael Traut, the head of Germany's Military Space Command, noted

Hezbollah reports rocket attack on Israeli Air Force Ramat David airbase

The Israel Defense Forces press service previously reported shelling of northern regions of the country

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The Turkish President said he would address the UNGA to ask the participants to remember "the need for taking action against genocide in the Gaza Strip and Israel's aggressive policies"

Russia’s Akhmat special force destroys military storage facility in Kursk direction

Akhmat also eliminated one armored personnel carrier and one self-propelled artillery weapon, the deputy chief of the Main Military-Political Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces Apty Alaudinov said

Hezbollah handing out pagers hours before their detonation — agency

The sources said that the Shiite movement did not have any specific suspicions about these pagers and their "checks had been part of a routine 'sweep' of its equipment to find any indications that they were laced with explosives"

Russia cautions Chisinau against involvement in Ukrainian conflict — Foreign Ministry

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US carries out mock electronic launch of Minuteman III ICBM

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As a result of active actions, the group took more advantageous lines and inflicted damage on formations of six brigades of the enemy

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Rustem Umerov did not specify for what period exactly the specified amount was spent

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Sergey Shoigu pointed to the importance of keeping production at its full capacity and ensuring early deliveries to the troops

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Two unmanned aerial vehicles have been downed near Tikhoretsk

Iran's supreme leader calls on Islamic countries to sever economic ties with Israel

"The Zionist regime is committing crimes shamelessly and without hiding it," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said

Israel wants no war with Lebanon — ambassador to UN

Unless de-escalation is reached through diplomacy, Israel will have no other choice except to use all means for protection of its citizens, Danny Danon said

Over 30 foreign leaders invited to BRICS summit in Kazan, 18 RSVP — Kremlin

"We have not organized such a large-scale international event in quite a long time," Yury Ushakov underlined

Israeli air force attacks 290 Hezbollah facilities in Lebanon in 24 hours

According to IDF, 180 targets were hit

Bundestag members address Cabinet with query regarding Ukraine’s attack on Kursk Region

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"We underscore the need to prevent the conflict from escalating and spilling over in the region," said a joint statement by the leaders

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Russian investigators have initiated three criminal cases against Ukrainian militants involved in crimes against civilians in the Kursk Region

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The minister to say that NATO is becoming increasingly interested in the Arctic region

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Russian prime minister says Islam is integral part of national historical heritage

Mikhail Mishustin called "invaluable" the contribution made by the Spiritual Board Russia’s Muslims to improving the inter-religious dialogue

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In total, the enemy has lost over 11,800 servicemen since fighting began in the region

Russia ready to help Brazil with hosting BRICS Games — head of Duma’s sports committee

Oleg Matytsin hopes that the BRICS Games will be held in an open format

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Air defenses eliminated UAVs over eight regions, Defense Ministry said

Israeli army declares strikes on 180 Hezbollah sites in Lebanon

"The Israel Defense Forces have completed a series of strikes on southern Lebanon," the army’s press service said in a statement

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I would like to note that we and our Belarusian counterparts have been and remain faithful allies and reliable partners

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Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian losses have amounted to over 300 troops and nine units of armored hardware, including an infantry fighting vehicle, two APCs, six armored combat vehicles, as well as six artillery guns

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The enemy fled from near Andreyevka where it has long been holding positions, it has retreated, law enforcement officers said

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The epicenter was located 158 km northwest of the city of San Luis

Russian Baltic Fleet's patrol ship ends visit to Dar es Salaam

The ship's crew replenished water, fuel and food supplies and conducted technical examination of the ship

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The two-day event is expected to set the direction for future action in the field of sustainable development, security and human rights

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Russian Defense Ministry’s air defense forces intercepted or destroyed 53 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles

Russia keeps balance in relations with Muslim countries — Muslim Board

Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin added that Russia was originally formed in the bosom of three monotheistic religions and for more than 1,000 years has continued and consolidated the tradition of communion, good-neighborliness and brotherhood of religions

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Those relations are the best in the whole history of ties that existed between two countries, Foreign Minister added

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Vyacheslav Volodin commented on a recent resolution of the European Parliament to allow strikes inside Russia with Western weapons

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According to Ritter this conflict would become "unsustainable for the Ukrainian sometime by the end of summer, early fall"

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Ludwig Schneider explained that such a percentage of iron oxide was to certify that the knife had remained in the grave for much longer than the true results of the analysis indicated

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According to Al Jazeera TV channel, the target of the shelling were cities in the northern part of the Jewish state

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"Russian territory and Russian regions cannot be the subject of any discussion or transfer to anyone," Dmitry Peskov emphasized

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The foreign minister still assured that Russia possesses weapons "that will have serious implications for the handlers of the Ukrainian regime"

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UN General Assembly adopts resolution on Golan Heights — results of vote

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The statement said that the Shiite units conducted these operations in response to the Israeli Air Force strikes on Lebanese populated localities

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The Russian foreign minister also drew attention to the growth of trade in national currencies between Russia and other countries

Hezbollah attacks Israeli Ramat David air base for second time

Movement used two types of rockets: Fadi-1, with a range of 80 km, and Fadi-2, with a range of 105 km

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"At its 214th session, held on December 15, 2023, the CERN Council decided to discontinue CERN agreements on international cooperation with Russia upon their expiration in November 2024. We believe that this decision was taken under political pressure," the press service said

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"The devastation resulting from such a confrontation would be catastrophic," the Cabinet’s spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit said

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This is quite obviously a positive development for us in some respects, Kovalchuk said

Kerimov transfers his stake in Polyus to Foundation for Support of Islamic Organizations

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At the same time, CERN will continue to work on projects already underway with about 270 employees of the Russian Joint Institute for Nuclear Research

US’ new military aid package for Ukraine to be worth $375 mln — agency

According to Reuters, the new package will include patrol boats, additional munitions for high-mobility artillery rocket systems

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Conflicts in space to increase over time, German general predicts

"The enemy views our space capabilities, both civilian and military, as targets," Michael Traut, the head of Germany's Military Space Command, noted

Russia welcomes normalization of Iran’s relations with Arab countries — Lavrov

It is in the interests of both Iran and its Arab countries to establish "friendly, normal, goods relations," Russian Foreign Minister added

Press review: Hezbollah pagers attack threatens wider war and Russia ready to test nukes

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, September 18th

Russia, China launch joint naval exercise in Vladivostok — Pacific Fleet

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Military record launch of 10 shells at northern Israel from Lebanon

According to its information, the shells were launched in the direction of the Jezreel Valley in the Lower Galilee

Theft of Russian assets to nullify trust towards EU — MFA

Maria Zakharova pointed out that the European Union had lost independence

Harris dismisses Trump’s proposal to hold September 4 debate on Fox News

Trump needs to stop playing games and show up to the debate he already committed to on 10 September, Harris’ campaign said

Hollywood action star Jackie Chan says he loves Russia, thanks his fans

The actor wished that the friendship between China and Russia would last forever

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Ursula von der Leyen stressed that 35 billion euros is the part which the European countries will contribute to the 45 billion euro loan approved by the G7 in Italy in the summer

Russia will not 'shoot itself in the foot' by halting gas supplies — Lavrov

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Ukraine puts pressure on FIDE General Assembly over admission of Russians — source

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Governor Alexander Bogomaz said earlier that the Russian Defense Ministry’s air defense forces were repelling a massive drone attack

Lavrov says he agrees with Trump about destructiveness of sanctions for US dollar

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Russia-Africa summit to be held in 2-3 years on African continent — Lavrov

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The situation on the frontline remains extremely difficult, Ukrainian President said

Russia’s Emergencies Ministry sapper dies in Kursk Region during mine clearance

Vyacheslav Tsoffka had to his credit than 10,000 detected and neutralized explosive items

Ukraine’s forces in Ugledar virtually encircled — sources

"Most positions around the city, including those at the most important sites and heights are Russian, the whole city is exposed to fire," the sources explained

As many as 1,200 people evacuated from municipality in southern Russia after drone attack

Two unmanned aerial vehicles were downed outside Tikhoretsk this morning

IAEA inspectors briefed on consequences of Ukraine’s attack on Zarya substation — ZNPP

The Zaporozhye NPP reported that the nearby city of Energodar had come under a repeated drone attack

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Press review: BRICS challenges existing security concepts and Europe's economy in trouble

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, September 13th

Russian Su-34 bomber destroys Ukrainian manpower, equipment in Kursk area

After receiving a confirmation from reconnaissance that the Ukrainian army’s temporary disposition location had been destroyed, the crew safely returned to the airfield of departure

Russian units strike energy facilities of Ukrainian military-industrial complex

Russia’s battlegroup Center has continued to advance into enemy defenses and wiped out more than 500 Ukrainian servicemen over the past 24 hours, the Defense Ministry said

Scholz says Germany not to send Kiev missiles ‘capable of reaching as far as Moscow’

German Chancellor emphasized the need to explore ways in order to peacefully resolve the Ukraine conflict

Press review: Israel declares new phase of war and Russia boosts drone production

Top stories from the Russian press on Friday, September 20th

US coalition’s aircraft violated Syria's airspace 12 times over past day

At the same time, no bombardments of Syrian government forces' positions by terrorist groups were recorded in the Idlib de-escalation zone

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It includes the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan and other states

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The top Russian diplomat noted that he had good relations with many of his Israeli counterparts

Neglect of Russia’s interests makes lasting settlement in Ukraine impossible — MFA

At the same time, Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova explained that Russian representatives "have not participated in any meetings within the framework of the ‘Buergenstock process’ and are not going to participate in any

Explosions in Lebanon pose interest for Russian intelligence — Kremlin spokesman

According to Dmitry Peskov, Moscow has not discussed the events in Lebanon with regional actors

Russian forces strike Ukrainian energy facilities, troops last night — top brass

Overnight, the Russian Armed Forces launched a group strike on energy facilities that supply electricity to Ukrainian defense plants and drone production cites as well as Ukrainian troops