Instead of a wall, a binational park to be built at the border of Texas and Mexico
The historic project at the border of Laredo, Texas and Nueva Loredo, Tamaulipas will span six miles and focus on the conservation of the Rio Grande River.
International cooperation
Ukraine and Moldova join European power grid, ending their dependence on Russia
ENTSO-E, whose 39 members operate the world’s largest interconnected electrical grid, said the move means they will be able to help maintain the stability of the nations’ power systems.
China makes billion-dose vaccine pledge to Africa to help overcome the coronavirus pandemic
China will donate a billion vaccines, advance billions of dollars for trade and infrastructure, and write off interest-free loans to African countries to help them recover from the pandemic.
105 countries pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030
The Global Methane Pledge announced at COP26, commits signatories, including the US, Japan and Canada, to reducing their overall emissions by 30% by 2030, compared with 2020 levels.
Germany to return Mayan ancient artifacts to Guatemala and Mexico
The historic objects were discovered last year in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The owner says he bought them at a flea market in Leipzig in 2003 not knowing where they came from.
Turkey ratifies Paris Agreement, becoming the last G20 country to join
Turkey’s parliamentarians on Wednesday unanimously approved the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change, which aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.
U.S. and Canada establish first international transboundary Dark Sky Park
The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park is a collaborative National Park established on the border between the US and Canada in the state of Montana and Alberta, just south of Calgary.
U.S. to return Gilgamesh tablet and 17,000 other looted artifacts to Iraq
The U.S. will return more than 17,000 ancient artifacts, including the Gilgamesh Dream Tablet, after authorities recently reached a repatriation agreement with Baghdad to return artifacts seized from dealers and museums.
130 countries agree to global minimum corporate tax rate
130 countries around the world — including, crucially, China and India — agreed on a 15% minimum corporate tax rate to combat tax dodging. Any profitable firm with revenues over $24 billion will be included from the start, with that number expected to decline to $12 billion in time.
91 countries now offer COVID-19 vaccinations to refugees
To date, refugees and asylum-seekers have begun receiving vaccinations in 91 of the 162 countries that UN High Commissioner for Refugees has been monitoring.