Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni says security forces are on the trail of an ISIS-linked rebel group blamed for the killing of two foreign newlyweds celebrating their honeymoon at a popular tourist destination in the country.

The couple was killed Tuesday alongside their local safari guide at the Queen Elizabeth National Park in southwestern Uganda, police said, adding that the victims’ vehicle was also set ablaze by their killers.

Uganda’s Wildlife Authority said the newlyweds were British and South African nationals but did not provide their names. It added that the national park was “safe and secure” for visitors despite the tragedy.

President Museveni, who described the killing as “a cowardly act”, said the ADF rebels were fleeing a Ugandan military operation when they spotted and killed the tourists Tuesday evening.

“These terrorists will pay with their own wretched lives,” Museveni said in a statement Wednesday.

“However, killing these wretched individuals will not bring back the lives of these wonderful friends of Uganda who had chosen our country for their honeymoon out of the 193 countries of the world,” he added.

“Our High Commission in the UK will reach out to their families and provide whatever support is necessary in this tragic situation,” the president further said.

Following the killing, Britain’s foreign office warned UK nationals to avoid nonessential travel to Queen Elizabeth National Park.

In an updated travel advice on Wednesday, the UK’s foreign office further advised against trips to Semuliki National Park, also located in western Uganda “and the area immediately southwest of Kasese.”

Kasese was the scene of a brutal ADF attack in June when its fighters invaded a school, killing dozens of students, some as young as 12.

The Ugandan military has struggled to restrain the ADF from carrying out deadly attacks in the densely populated East African nation.

On Sunday, Museveni said police foiled an attempt by the ADF to bomb churches in central Uganda’s Butambala district.

The ADF was designated as a terrorist organization by the United States in 2021 and was sanctioned by the United Nations in 2014.

According to Museveni, Uganda’s security forces are on the verge of “wiping out” the ADF despite attempts by the group to “commit some random terrorist acts.”

A Hamas spokesman is reportedly among more than 60 members of the militant organization that Israel arrested in overnight raids across the West Bank, the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territory that is increasingly feeling the impact of the fighting in Gaza.

Hassan Yousef, a leading Palestinian political figure who served as the official Hamas spokesperson in the West Bank, was arrested in his home, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Club, an NGO representing Palestinian detainees.

“Occupation forces arrested Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef from his home in Beitunia, as part of a wide-scale arrest campaign in the occupation (sic) West Bank,” the Palestinian Prisoners Club statement reads.

Yousef has been arrested by Israeli forces on several occasions and has spent a total of 24 years in Israeli jails on various charges of incitement, entering Jerusalem without permission and for being a Hamas member.

He has made regular appearances on international media, this week telling Canadian outlet The Globe and Mail he thought Hamas would be prepared to free the estimated 200 hostages it is holding if Israel agrees to a 24-hour ceasefire to allow aid into Gaza.

It comes amid a broader crackdown by Israeli security forces, which according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) saw more than 80 people detained, including 63 alleged “Hamas terror operatives.”

“Following wide-scale counterterrorism activity overnight in Judea and Samaria [the Jewish biblical names for the West Bank], over 80 wanted suspects were apprehended, including 63 Hamas terror operatives,” it said.

A total of 850 Palestinians have been detained in the occupied West Bank since Hamas’s brutal attack inside Israel on October 7, according the Palestinian Prisoners Club, including lawmakers, prominent figures, journalists, and former detainees who have served extended terms in Israeli jails.

“Every night, they are conducting more and more arrests. The number of Palestinian prisoners now in Israeli jails is up to 6,300,” Barghouti added. “They’re not charged, they’re not taken to court. They’re no due legal process and that’s what they call administrative detention, including no less than 200 children who are now in Israeli jails.”

The Israeli crackdown comes as the Gaza conflict has increasingly spilled over to the West Bank since Hamas launched its surprise assault, resulting in settler attacks and clashes that have left dozens of Palestinians dead.

Three Palestinians were shot dead in clashes with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, according to the Palestinian Authority’s Ministry of Health. Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops have been reported at a number of locations.

Since Israel took control and occupied the West Bank in 1967 from Jordan following the six-day war, the territory, which residents hope will form part of a future Palestinian state, has been partially settled by Israeli civilians, often under Israeli military protection.

Most of the world considers these settlements illegal under international law, but despite this successive Israeli governments have pledged support for them.

Israel views the West Bank as “disputed territory,” and contends its settlement policy is legal.

A two-state solution to establish an independent Palestine is the “fundamental way out” of the Israel-Hamas conflict, Xi Jinping said Thursday in the Chinese leader’s first public comments on the war since it broke out nearly two weeks ago.

“The top priority now is a ceasefire as soon as possible, to avoid the conflict from expanding or even spiraling out of control and causing a serious humanitarian crisis,” Xi was quoted as saying by China’s state-broadcaster CCTV.

Xi, who made the comments in a meeting with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly in Beijing, said China is willing to work with Egypt and Arab nations to “promote an comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue,” according to CCTV.

The Egyptian leader was in Beijing to attend the Belt and Road Forum, a high-profile event marking a decade of Xi’s ambitious and controversial global infrastructure initiative.

Xi also praised Egypt for playing an “important role” in cooling tensions, adding that China supports its efforts to let in humanitarian aid to Gaza, CCTV reported.

On Wednesday, Egypt agreed to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah border crossing, in a deal brokered by US President Joe Biden and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in a phone call.

Biden struck the deal during his 7-hour visit to Israel Wednesday – a high-stakes diplomatic mission to show staunch support for the American ally while urging restraint in its response in Gaza.

But it is not yet clear when the aid convoy will be allowed to enter Gaza and the initial deal for 20 trucks is a fraction of the 100 trucks a day the World Health Organization says is needed.

The conflict, which began after Hamas launched a brutal and coordinated terror attack on Israel on October 7 that killed some 1,400 people, has served as a stark showing of the deepening divisions between world powers.

Israel’s subsequent bombardment and siege of Gaza has killed some 3,500 Palestinians, including hundreds of children, according to local health authorities.

Hours before Biden landed in Israel, Russia’s Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing for the Belt and Road Forum. The diplomatically isolated leader was received as a guest of honor, seated next to Xi and speaking directly after him at the opening ceremony ahead of three hours of bilateral talks.

During their meeting, the two leaders discussed the conflict in the Middle East, which Putin said was a “common threat” that brought Russia and China closer together.

China and Russia have both called for a ceasefire in the spiraling conflict and have declined to explicitly condemn Hamas – cutting a stark contrast to the outpouring of support for Israel from the US and leaders across Europe.

Beijing’s refusal to condemn Hamas has prompted anger and a deep sense of disappointment from Israel – as well as criticism from US officials. China has also stayed clear of condemning Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, causing anger in many European capitals.

As Israel’s war escalates, Beijing has come out more strongly in support for the Palestinians. Last weekend, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused Israel’s actions of going “beyond the scope of self-defence.”

Nevertheless, China has sought to present itself as a neutral mediator in the conflict.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry has said it is sending Middle East Envoy Zhai Jun to the region this week to promote peace talks and push for a ceasefire.

China has deep economic interests in both Russia and the Middle East, which it wants to safeguard at all cost, in particular the importation of oil and gas.

A two-day global gathering billed as China’s “most important diplomatic event” of the year wrapped up in the Chinese capital on Wednesday, with Beijing touting its outsized role in world development – and its alternative vision to that of the United States.

Two dozen leaders and more than a hundred delegations, largely from the Global South, came together for a packed schedule of forums and bilateral meetings revolving around Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – the global infrastructure drive that has cemented China’s place as a major international player since its launch a decade ago.

The gathering – in which Vladimir Putin was the guest of honor – also provided a window into Xi’s vision for a world absent of the norms and values promoted by liberal democracies, which have shunned the Russian leader following his brutal invasion of Ukraine.

Also hanging over the event was the war in the Middle East, where Israel’s fight with Hamas militants threatens to embroil the region in a broader conflict in which China, Russia and the US would all have a stake.

Here are the main takeaways from China’s Belt and Road Forum.

No doubt over Putin’s prominence

The gathering left no question over who was the most important world leader in attendance in the eyes of China’s Xi.

At a lavish welcome banquet in Beijing’s Great Hall of the People on Tuesday, golden doors opened to reveal Xi and Putin striding into the room side-by-side, with other leaders and their spouses trailing behind.

Putin was the first among a handful of visiting leaders to deliver remarks at the forum’s opening ceremony on Wednesday. There, and in three hours of bilateral meetings with Xi later that day, the Russian leader stressed his close alignment with China.

The two countries shared “common threats,” which strengthened “Russian-Chinese interaction,” Putin told reporters before departing Beijing, after saying he and Xi had discussed the “situation” in both the Middle East and Ukraine “in detail.”

China and Russia have both publicly called for a ceasefire in the spiraling crisis in Gaza and neither has explicitly condemned Hamas for its attack on Israel that sparked the conflict – cutting a stark contrast to the outpouring of support for Israel from leaders across Europe and the US.

The Russian and Chinese leaders’ meeting in Beijing coincided with US President Joe Biden’s arrival in Israel, in a staunch show of support for the country and of American diplomatic muscle to expedite humanitarian aid.

In his meeting with Putin, Xi hailed the China-Russia partnership as “a long-term commitment,” stressing “ever-lasting good neighborliness and mutually beneficial cooperation,” and alluding to their shared 4,300-kilometer border and mutual aims. Both see the other as a critical partner in pushing back on what they perceive to be a US-led world order stacked against them.

Clear divisions among the world’s major powers

Xi’s show of solidarity with Putin at the Belt and Road Forum also underscored the deepening division between the world’s major powers.

The event was attended by 24 leaders – far fewer than the 37 who traveled to the previous BRI forum four years ago.

Among key missing dignitaries were those from European countries. In 2019, then-Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte attended, as did leaders from Greece, Austria, Portugal and the Czech Republic.

Since then, skepticism about China’s global ambitions has risen in Europe, in particular over Beijing’s economic and diplomatic support for Moscow. Italy, the only G7 member to join the BRI, is considering exiting the project when its membership expires next year.

Leaders who did attend included Hungary’s Viktor Orban, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Indonesia’s Joko Widodo, and others from Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Taliban – which is not widely recognized as Afghanistan’s government – also sent a delegation.

In their speeches, many leaders told the forum of their hopes to spur much-needed, sustainable development in their countries, while some also called for a more multilateral, cooperative world.

While he did not mention the US by name, Xi made apparent jabs against what Beijing sees as America’s efforts to keep itself on top and stifle China’s rise.

“Viewing others’ development as a threat or taking economic interdependence as a risk will not make one’s own life better or speed up one’s development,” he warned in his opening address.

War in the Middle East casts a shadow on global relations

The war in the Middle East hung over the gathering, which began as news poured in of a devastating blast at a Gaza hospital that likely killed hundreds of displaced Palestinians sheltering from Israeli airstrikes.

But mention of the situation was largely absent from the forum. None of the national leaders who spoke at the opening ceremony raised the conflict.

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres, however, said he couldn’t not mention the situation during his opening ceremony address, in which he demanded an immediate humanitarian ceasefire.

Palestinian grievances after five decades of occupation, as serious as they may be, “cannot justify the acts of terror against civilians committed by Hamas on October 7 (which) I immediately condemned,” Guterres said. “But those events cannot justify the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”

On Thursday, Xi made his first public statement on the conflict since Hamas launched its October 7 attack.

In a meeting with Egypt’s representative to the forum, the Chinese leader called for a ceasefire and an end to the war “as soon as possible,” while backing a two-state solution that would establish an independent Palestinian state.

Xi also said China is willing to strengthen coordination with Egypt and other Arab countries to “promote an early, comprehensive and lasting solution to the Palestine issue,” according to a readout from state broadcaster CCTV. China has yet to name Hamas in its statements.

Beijing on Sunday said it would dispatch its special envoy for the Middle East Zhai Jun to the region in the coming days.

China emphasizes ‘high-quality’ global development

The forum also pointed to the next chapter of the Belt and Road Initiative, which enters its second decade as China’s economic growth slows and borrowing costs have risen worldwide.

The program, which Beijing says has mobilized as much $1 trillion in finance, has played a substantial role in helping developing nations to build roads, bridges, ports and railways – but has faced accusations of saddling countries with too much debt and having negative environmental impacts.

Chinese officials hailed what they framed as efforts to move the initiative into a new phase of “high-quality” development, and focused in separate forums on the digital economy and how to promote sustainable “green development.”

There have also been questions about whether China would continue to liberally fund major infrastructure projects, as data also shows a significant decline in such funding in recent years.

But when asked at a closing news conference about infrastructure-funding programs proposed by other nations like the US in recent years, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi appeared to suggest Beijing would continue to stake its claim in this space.

“Obviously, competition should not mean working against each other but mutually improving each other,” he said, while touting the quantity of China’s global development projects.

“Why don’t we take a look at the international track record, in terms of who can build more roads, railways and bridges for developing countries, and who can build more schools, hospitals and stadiums for the people of developing countries,” he said.

“We have the confidence and the capability.”

Hottest day, hottest week, hottest month, and – increasingly likely – hottest year; 2023 has garnered unwanted records as the climate crisis escalates.

Animals, like humans, are greatly affected by the rising temperatures. Species that have evolved tactics to combat the heat are relying on those behaviors to try to keep cool.

From peculiar methods like “splooting,” to changing physiology altogether, here are four ways different creatures are trying to beat the heat.

Splooting

You might never have heard of it but if you’re a cat or dog owner, you’ve almost definitely seen a “sploot.”

Also known as “frogging” or “pancaking,” splooting is the flat-out, spread-eagle posture beloved by many four-legged animals and animal-lovers alike.

Yet splooting – which was added to the Collins Dictionary in 2021 – serves a purpose beyond comfort and cuteness. In scientific circles, it’s known as “heat dumping.”

The term shot to prominence in August 2022 after pictures of squirrels splayed out on their bellies in New York City sent the internet into a frenzy. Scientists offered a logical explanation.

Splooting is a popular method of thermoregulation for squirrels, especially among larger species, as they do not lose much body heat through sweating, Devitz explained.

“It’s quite possible there’s a higher incidence of this type of behavior in squirrels that are in urban areas, just because they’re more in need of ways to cool down,” she said.

“With climate change, overall temperatures are rising. We’re seeing more of these heat spikes, more drought. I think it’s quite possible that this behavior will be more and more prominent and more and more necessary for the squirrel.”

Shapeshifting

Some warm-blooded animals are developing different body shapes to adapt to a hotter climate, scientific research has found.

A 2021 report noted that some animals are developing larger beaks, legs and ears to better regulate their body temperatures. One Australian parrot species showed an increase in beak size of up to 10% since 1871 – the biggest shift in appendage size seen in the review, with smaller increases recorded in shrews’ tails and bats’ wings.

“We also don’t know whether these shape-shifts actually aid in survival (and therefore are beneficial) or not. This phenomenon of shape-shifting shouldn’t be seen as a positive, but rather it is alarming that climate change is pushing animals to evolve like this, under such a relatively short timeframe.”

The study also noted that while climate warming was a “compelling argument” as the driving force behind these changes, it was difficult to be certain given the multifaceted effects climate change has on the environment.

Spitting and snotting

Two Australian animals put their bodily fluids to good use in the battle to beat the scorching temperatures of the outback.

Red kangaroos, the largest species of marsupial, lick their forearms, covering a packed network of blood vessels and capillaries in spit. As the glistening coat of saliva evaporates, it lowers their body temperature.

Meanwhile, echidnas, small quill-covered mammals also known as spiny anteaters – have been found to blow snot bubbles to help combat overheating, according to a 2023 study.

Unable to sweat or pant, it was once thought that their primary defense from high temperatures was simply hiding from the sun.

However the report, which used thermal vision to monitor wild short-beaked echidnas, showed that they blow mucus bubbles that wet the tip of their snouts. When the moisture evaporates, it cools a large pool of blood located in a sinus at the beak’s tip.

Lead author Dr. Christine Cooper said in a press release that understanding how echidnas keep cool could help predict how they might respond to climate change.

Pooping

Storks are one of a handful of birds known to excrete liquid onto their legs when they overheat. The liquid – which contains both feces and urine – evaporates, lowering body temperature in a process akin to sweating in humans.

The method – known as “urohidrosis” – is more common in longer-legged birds such as storks, condors, and boobies, and requires regular access to drinking water, according to a 2021 report.

Other birds, including pelicans and cormorants, use a technique known as “gular fluttering” – opening their mouths and rapidly vibrating their moist throat membranes to cause evaporation.

The report noted that understanding how animals regulate heat could help to “improve our capacity to make accurate predictions of climate change’s impact on biodiversity,” and determine how vulnerable some species are to heat stress.

With most of the world’s population residing in cities, it’s often challenging to understand how our actions affect remote and wild regions. For Call to Earth Day 2023, we will focus on the vital link between urban areas and wilderness, and shed light on the impact cities have on distant natural spaces.

This year’s Call to Earth Day will take place on Wednesday, November 28, with the theme “Our Shared Home.” From the inner city to the suburbs, the plains, the mountains, the jungle, and beyond, we must protect and nurture our connected ecosystems.

Here, we explore how our cities can be part of the great tapestry of habitats on Earth.

Keeping cities clean

Pollution remains a significant challenge in city centers. Urban areas produce roughly 78% of carbon emissions worldwide and an estimated 60% of plastic waste found in the ocean begins its journey in a city, but innovative solutions to combat pollution can be found across the planet.

One example comes from Varanasi, a city on the Ganges, India’s holiest river. Here, discarded temple flowers clog up the waterways, so a local initiative started collecting the floral waste and transforming it into sustainable products.

By repurposing these blooms, the project reduces river pollution and waste while providing employment opportunities for local people who process the waste flowers to create carbon-free incense and eco-friendly artificial leather.

This effort highlights how cultural practice and environmental consciousness can go hand in hand.

Creating spaces for wildlife

As urbanization continues to accelerate, so does the loss of biodiversity – a predicted 11 to 33 million hectares of natural habitat will be lost by 2100 as a result of urban development. But around the world people are working to carve out safe havens for animals among the high-rises and intersections.

The concrete jungle of Hong Kong is home to yellow-crested cockatoos, which, despite not being native to the area, are thriving thanks to safe nesting spaces created in an effort to conserve the critically endangered species. The feral flock is thought to represent around 10% of the remaining population, showing how cities can be safe spaces for wildlife.

Across the globe, cities are making strides to provide urban habitats for wildlife, such as the introduction of floating ecosystems to city waterways, offering refuge to urban aquatic species.

As cities grow, it becomes crucial to incorporate green spaces to maintain ecological balance and protect biodiversity.

Letting animals move

Through the sprawl of cities, animals increasingly encounter challenges in navigating their once-open territories. Land-crossing migratory routes and even birds’ flight paths are under threat.

A 2021 report on the disruption of wild animal migratory patterns found that a third of the animals studied had changed their normal migration route due to disturbance caused by human activities, such as hunting, agriculture, and logging.

Wildlife bridges, tunnels, and corridors – such as those constructed in Canada’s Banff National Park – enable animals to migrate safely.

These initiatives foster coexistence between humans and wildlife, ensuring animals can roam freely without risking their lives on busy roads.

Nature-friendly buildings

As populations continue to rise, cities will continue to grow and eat into natural landscapes, but we can help combat the damage by making the buildings greener.

Nature-friendly buildings aim to harmonize with the environment rather than imposing on it. Such structures incorporate green roofs, vertical gardens, and energy-efficient designs, reducing their carbon footprint.

From carbon-neutral office buildings to penthouses cloaked in leafy plants, cities around the planet are already adopting climate-friendly constructions. Some cities are even offering incentives to developers who integrate nature-friendly features, encouraging a more sustainable urban landscape.

By blending the urban and natural worlds, these buildings can become a crucial part of the solution to create greener cities for future generations.

Coexisting

Keeping cities clean through imaginative pollution solutions, creating spaces for wildlife, facilitating animal movement, and constructing nature-friendly buildings can mean a healthier and more sustainable coexistence between humans and the natural world.

These positive changes not only benefit local ecosystems and biodiversity but also enhance the health and quality of life for city dwellers.

For Call to Earth Day 2023, we will celebrate the initiatives that pave the way for greener, wildlife-friendly, and more resilient cities in the face of global environmental challenges. Join us for Call to Earth Day, “Our Shared Home,” on November 28th 2023.

The Neretva River carves its way through Bosnia and Herzegovina’s impenetrable forest. A mesmerizing blue-green, it runs 140 miles (225 kilometers) from deep within the Dinaric Alps to the Adriatic Sea – at some points disappearing into subterranean channels before re-emerging in bubbling springs.

One of the coldest rivers in the world, it is home to unique ecosystems and myriad rare species, from marble trout and yellow-bellied toads to the elusive olm – blind salamanders that live in the river’s network of caves.

But this could change. The river, like many worldwide, is threatened by dams. According to the Center for Environment, a Bosnian conservation organization, more than 50 hydropower projects are proposed along its length and its tributaries, with almost half of these planned for the upper reaches, which have so far remained wild and unobstructed.

These dams could harm not only the river and its inhabitants but the wider environment that depends on this unique waterway.

At Ulog, a village on the Neretva, you can see the potential destruction firsthand. A 35 megawatt hydropower plant with a 53-meter high dam is in the advanced stages of construction: felled trees line the river bank, making way for what will become a reservoir, and access roads for logging trucks and construction vehicles cut like scars through the forested landscape.

It’s here, just upstream of the construction site, that more than 60 scientists from 17 countries converged in June for “Neretva Science Week.” Most had traveled there as self-funded volunteers, united in a common purpose: to save the Neretva.

“They want to help us save this remarkable river,” says Ulrich Eichelmann, CEO of Riverwatch and coordinator of the Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign to protect Balkan rivers. “It’s probably one of the most biodiverse and valuable rivers in Europe, and at the same time, it’s the most threatened.”

Dammed up

Europe has the most obstructed river landscape in the world, with more than one million barriers, from dams and weirs to ramps, fords and culverts, according to an EU research project. This has taken its toll on wildlife, with one in three freshwater fish species threatened with extinction.

But the Neretva has managed to remain relatively unscathed, fostering a healthy ecosystem including what scientists believe could be one of the last spawning areas of the endangered soft-mouthed trout.

It’s probably one of the most biodiverse and valuable rivers in Europe, and at the same time, it’s the most threatened.”

Ulrich Eichelmann, CEO of Riverwatch

It is this brown, unremarkable-looking fish that brought Kurt Pinter, a freshwater ecologist, all the way from Vienna, Austria in his retro orange campervan to study the river. Using techniques such as electro-fishing – a process that creates an electric field in the water to attract fish towards a net – and environmental DNA samples, he hopes to find evidence of the species living and breeding in the upper Neretva and its tributaries, providing ammunition against the proposed hydropower projects.

Dams, weirs, and all shapes and sizes of hydropower projects can endanger fish species because they block or hamper migration, he explains. In a natural river system, fish usually spawn in upstream areas and feed and mate downstream.

“This open system is really important for the fish to migrate into areas where they have very high reproductive success,” he says. The proposed dams along the course of the Neretva would disrupt the soft-mouthed trout’s breeding cycle and, he fears, push the already-endangered species to extinction.

While the loss of a single species is devastating, the impact does not stop there. “If you take the fish out of this river, then the surrounding environment, the surrounding terrestrial species will be affected,” says Pinter.

At Neretva Science Week, it’s not just fish experts who are concerned. There are specialists studying bats, fungi, butterflies and bears, among others. All believe that hydropower projects could have dire consequences for their chosen species group.

“It’s all connected,” says Eichelmann, explaining that silt from construction builds up on the riverbed, killing small creatures such as mussels that filter and clean the water. As the water becomes dirtier, plants and animals in the river and along its banks are affected. And the nature of the river means that the pollution cannot be contained: “What you do to a little river, you do to the bigger one, and in the end to the ocean.”

Hydropower hotspot

There is, however, a delicate balancing act between these environmental challenges and the growing demand for renewable energy. In Bosnia, hydropower is a key source of electricity – responsible for 37% of the country’s total electricity production in 2021. As the country, and the world, transitions from fossil fuels, hydropower could offer a cleaner source of energy.

The Balkans is seen as an untapped resource, full of rivers that – unlike the rest of Europe – have not yet been developed. Initiatives, some funded by the EU, which aims to be climate-neutral by 2050, are driving hydropower development across the region. As of 2022, more than 3,300 plants were either planned or under construction in the Balkans, in addition to the 1,700 plants already operational.

Radomir Sladoje, mayor of Kalinovik (the local municipality), echoed this when speaking on the first day of Neretva Science Week. Addressing scientists, he acknowledged that many of them might be angry that the local authority had approved the Ulog dam, but he pleaded: “We are a small community which needed a financial boost.”

Related: Environmental hero’s mission to save the most over-fished sea in the world

The Save the Blue Heart of Europe campaign says its goal is not to ban hydropower altogether, but to ensure it follows a strict planning approach that prioritises nature conservation. It would also like no-go zones implemented in areas of key biodiversity.

“There is a purpose for hydropower,” says Eichelmann. “But like in medicine, while small doses might be correct and healthy, if you take too much of it, it’s deadly.”

Wild rivers

Preserving a free-flowing river can also bring economic wins through the development of tourism activities such as rafting, angling and trekking.

Earlier this year, in southern Albania, this argument was successfully won in the case of the Vjosa River, which was declared the world’s first wild river national park. The move granted protection of more than 248 miles (400 kilometers) of rivers and streams, covering the full length of the river and all its major tributaries. Through responsible tourism, Albania’s government says that it will benefit local communities and help address depopulation in the area.

The Vjosa has brought hope for campaigners. “(It) proved that you can win these cases against the government, and this created a little flush of waves across the Balkans,” says Eichelmann.

Related: Underwater photos showcase one of the world’s most-threatened ecosystems

Already dammed in parts, the Neretva would not qualify as a wild river national park, but preserving intact stretches is still valuable. Although it may be too late to stop the Ulog dam, which is due to commence commercial operations in 2024, there are signs that the campaign could prevent hydropower projects planned for the pristine waters upstream.

Recently, contracts for 15 small hydroelectric power plants planned for the Neretvica, a tributary to the Neretva, were terminated, and in 2022, the campaign gained the support of the Bern Convention, an international agreement to protect European fauna and flora.

For now, the current is running with them, but Eichelmann hopes this force can be sustained across the entire Balkans.

“We call it the ‘blue heart’ because it is the last area where we have this jewel. It’s like a gift to Europe, to the Earth, that these rivers survived the decades of destruction,” he says. “We have one chance to keep this blue heart beating.”

They’re your childhood climbing frame, a canopy to shelter from the rain, a shady place to have a picnic; they offer sanctuary, fruit, a home for wildlife, protection against flooding and pollution, and an insight into the hidden history of the land – we are, of course, talking about trees.

In this year’s edition of the annual contest organized by the Woodland Trust, a non-profit headquartered in Lincolnshire, England, 13 of the UK’s very best trees will compete to be crowned “Tree of the Year.”

From trees that have narrowly avoided destruction through arson, wartime bombing, and city-council-mandated felling, to trees that have shaded royalty, the Woodland Trust’s panel of tree experts has shortlisted 12 of the UK’s top trees in urban locations, and a thirteenth tree has been nominated by the public.

“Ancient trees in towns and cities are vital for the health of nature, people and planet,” Naomi Tilley, lead campaigner at the Woodland Trust, said in a press release. “They give thousands of urban wildlife species essential life support, boost the UK’s biodiversity and bring countless health and wellbeing benefits to communities.”

According to a 2020 study, ancient trees are in global decline. Despite their demonstrated resilience across centuries, ancient trees might struggle to adapt to the rapid environmental and climatic shifts anticipated in the years ahead.

“Most ancient trees aren’t protected by law,” continued Tilley. “And those in urban areas are particularly vulnerable, like one of this year’s nominees – which narrowly escaped being cut down by Sheffield City Council in 2017.”

Voting for the Woodland Trust’s 2023 Tree of the Year is open to the public until Sunday, October 15 and the winner will be announced on Thursday, October 19.

Egypt has agreed to allow aid trucks into Gaza, as anger rises globally over Israel’s siege of the isolated enclave in response to the brutal, coordinated Hamas attacks nearly two weeks ago.

The relentless bombardment of Gaza by Israel has sparked growing protests across the Middle East and heightened fears that the war could spiral into a wider regional conflict.

Speaking on his way back from a visit to Israel, United States President Joe Biden said his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi had agreed to open the Rafah Crossing into Gaza for humanitarian aid – the only one not controlled by Israel.

Up to 20 trucks from an aid convoy waiting for days at the closed border gate would be allowed into Gaza, said Biden. The roads near the crossing, pocked with craters from Israeli airstrikes, will have to be fixed before the trucks can pass, Biden said. He added that work could be done over eight hours on Thursday before the first aid deliveries on Friday.

It’s also not clear how much of an impact the initial delivery will make for Gazan civilians caught up in a humanitarian catastrophe that the World Health Organization says is spiraling out of control and impacting hundreds of thousands of people.

“We hope it’s not a non-starter,” regional WHO representative Richard Brennan said Thursday of the aid deal, adding that there were “a lot of complexities to getting this aid operation going.”

“This is not a sprint. This is just the start. This is a marathon. An absolute marathon,” he said, adding that the goal was to get up to 100 trucks of aid distributed per day.

“We’re hearing figures now that suddenly people only have three liters of clean water per person per day, said Brennan, adding that at “absolute minimum” people need 15 liters for drinking, cooking and basic hygiene.

Located in Egypt’s north Sinai, the Rafah Crossing is the sole border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. It falls along an 8-mile (12.8-kilometer) fence that separates Gaza from the Sinai desert, and has been tightly controlled on each side of the border for years.

The decision to open the crossing followed several days of deliberations, despite pressure from the US that Egypt do so. Egypt initially said it won’t allow refugees to flood its territory, has instead insisted that Israel allow it to deliver aid to Gazans, and expressed concerns that Israeli air strikes could hit aid convoys.

The talks between the two leaders focused “on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and ways to facilitate the implementation of humanitarian aid,” according to a statement from the Egyptian president’s office.

“The call between President el-Sisi and the American President witnessed the agreement to enter humanitarian aid to the Strip through Rafah crossing in a sustainable manner,” the statement said.

Biden said the crossing would only be open for aid, not for evacuations – leaving an uncertain fate for the 2.2 million Palestinians with no way out of Gaza, including foreign nationals and dual citizens.

Israel has meanwhile said it will not block humanitarian aid going into Gaza from Egypt, according to a statement Wednesday from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But it will not allow supplies into Gaza from its own territory until Hamas releases all hostages.

On Thursday morning, at least 30 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on several areas in Rafah, according to the official Palestinian press agency WAFA, an indication of the difficulties of rushing aid through the area.

Calls for aid have grown increasingly desperate over the past week as Palestinians in Gaza fled south, heeding Israel’s warnings to evacuate from the north – though many soon found that nowhere was safe in the densely packed strip of land.

As near constant airstrikes pound the area, overwhelmed hospitals are running out of medicine and fuel to keep the lights on as stretched medics struggle to save lives.

UN agencies have warned that stores are less than a week away from running out of food and that Gaza’s last seawater desalination plant has shut down, bringing the risk of further deaths, dehydration and waterborne diseases.

Dire conditions worsening

Israel has maintained an air, land and sea blockade on Gaza for nearly 17 years, meaning the strip has been almost totally isolated from the rest of the world. Conditions were already dire before the war – and are rapidly worsening after Israel cut off supplies to Gaza following the attack by Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls the strip.

That murder and kidnapping rampage killed an estimated 1,400 people in Israel, mostly civilians, in what has been described as the worst massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Hamas has also seized more than 200 hostages.

In the days since nearly 3,500 people have been killed in Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials, with hundreds of women and children among the dead.

Public fury had already been building, particularly in Arab nations. But it then erupted after a deadly blast tore through Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday, which Gaza authorities said killed hundreds of civilians. Palestinian officials have accused Israel of hitting the hospital, a claim Israel denies.

The blast, which took place hours before Biden was set to leave the White House for his trip to the Middle East, set off a furious scramble inside his administration – and caused the postponement of a highly anticipated summit with Arab leaders in Jordan.

He wouldn’t go into details about attempts to get Americans and other civilians out of Gaza, but said he was “hopeful” about efforts to do so.

With anti-Israel protests rising across the Middle East there are fears other fronts could open up, particularly on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon where the Iran-backed militia dominates and has increasingly clashed with Israel’s military over the last week.

“What some Hezbollah is doing now is dragging Lebanon into a conflict that it has no business to be in, and it surely won’t benefit from,” Conricus said.

Meanwhile Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Thursday that Beijing was ready to work with Egypt to “inject more certainty and stability into the region,” according to state media.

“Currently the international and regional situation is evolving in a profound and complex manner,” Xi told Madbouly, according to state-run CCTV.

The United States has vetoed a draft resolution at the UN Security Council which called for a humanitarian pause in besieged Gaza – sparking more criticism of political paralysis in the powerful global body.

The brief draft resolution, proposed by Brazil, condemned the October 7 terror attacks in Israel by Palestinian militant group Hamas, which killed over 1,400 people, and urged the release of hostages taken.

It also called on all parties to comply with international law and protect civilian lives in Hamas-controlled Gaza amid a ferocious retaliation by Israeli warplanes. The international community should engineer “humanitarian pauses” in the fighting to allow for aid delivery, it said.

Twelve of the council’s 15 members approved the draft on Wednesday, with the UK and Russia abstaining, and a US veto.

Speaking after the vote, US ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield explained that the US wanted more time to let American on-the-ground diplomacy “play out.” The US had previously delayed voting on the resolution.

Thomas-Greenfield also criticized the text for failing to mention Israel’s right to self-defense – a point later echoed by the British representative Barbara Woodward.

Since the Hamas attacks, Israel has been bombarding Hamas-controlled Gaza with airstrikes. It has also cut off the enclaves’ 2 million people from supplies of basic necessities, including food, water and electricity.

More than 3,000 people have died in the Israeli strikes – including more than 1,000 children and dozens of aid workers – and UN experts are warning of a widespread disaster if water and electricity are not restored.

The US, Egypt, Israel and UN have been negotiating for days over the possible opening of a humanitarian corridor that would bring aid in through the Rafah border crossing, which connects Gaza to Egypt.

In New York, several members of the Security Council expressed disappointment and frustration over the failure of a joint statement on the importance of aid and civilian protection.

“Sadly, very sadly, the council was yet again unable to adopt a resolution on these conflicts. Again, silence and inaction prevailed. To no one’s true long-term interest,” UN Ambassador to Brazil Sergio Franca Danese said following the veto.

The Security Council “missed an opportunity,” French representative Nicolas de Rivière told press after the vote.

“We deeply regret that this text has been rejected,” he said.

“We totally recognize the right of Israel to defend itself. And on the other hand, protecting civilians, granting humanitarian access, calling for the full respect of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions – there is absolutely no contradiction. This is basically what this resolution was doing,” he added.

Speaking to the council, the United Arab Emirates’ ambassador Lana Nusseibah said the resolution was not a “perfect text” but that her country had voted for it “because it clearly states basic principles which must be upheld and which this Council is obliged to reinforce and uphold.

She also expressed hope that US diplomatic efforts in the region “help lead us all off this brink that we are edging towards.”

The Security Council is the UN’s most powerful body, but is frequently hampered by the veto power held by each of its five permanent members. Recent draft resolutions have also been stymied by Russian vetoes when it comes to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia last week proposed another resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza that also failed to pass.