Open Newswire

Up in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, the gradual disappearance of the region’s shola grasslands has changed how birds navigate the landscape, highlighting the importance of habitat connectivity in preserving endemic biodiversity. The shola sky islands are unique montane forests separated by rolling grasslands. They’re biologically significant because they host a large number species whose global […]

Australian diplomat Katrina Cooper named as conciliation commission chair on Thailand-Cambodia maritime dispute Australian diplomat and legal expert Katrina Cooper has been appointed as the chair of the compulsory commission to resolve the Thailand-Cambodia maritime dispute. The date of the first meeting is expected to be held in September 2026. Australian legal expert Katrina Cooper has been appointed as the chair of the commission in conciliation proceedings between Thailand and Cambodia, according to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA)’s press release. In addition, the PCA will act as Registry in the proceedings for this case.According to the Thai Foreign Ministry, Cooper is a former diplomat and well-regarded international lawyer. She possesses extensive knowledge, expertise, and experience in international law and negotiation. In addition, She previously served as Australia’s Ambassador to Mexico and as Co-Agent of the Australian Government in the conciliation proceedings under UNCLOS between Australia and Timor-Leste, which reflected her direct and relevant experience for the discharge of these duties.The compulsory conciliation is one of the maritime dispute resolution processes under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The process was invoked by Cambodia earlier this year to resolve the long-standing Thailand-Cambodia maritime dispute.The process involved a third party called ‘a conciliation committee,’ which consisted of four conciliators appointed by the both countries and a chairperson who is selected by the four conciliators. In this case, the conciliation was initiated by Cambodia on 2 June  by notifying Thailand. On 19 June, Thailand then submitted its response to the notification of conciliation.Cambodia named Jean-Marc Thouvenin and Peter Taksøe-Jensen were named as Cambodia's conciliators, and appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Prak Sokhonn and Lam Chea, Minister in charge of the State Secretariat of Border Affairs, as its Agent and Deputy Agent.Meanwhile, Thailand named its two conciliators: Judge Albert J. Hoffmann of South Africa and Judge Rüdiger Wolfrum of Germany. Both are former Presidents of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and are highly respected in international law.Thailand also appointed Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister, and Songchai Chaipatiyut, Ambassador to Kuwait, as Agent and Deputy Agent for the conciliation proceedings.After the chair of the conciliation commission was appointed, the Commission will determine the date of the first meeting, which is expected to be held in September 2026.The Key agenda for the first meeting will include consideration of the Rules of Procedure, which will establish the rules and framework for the Commission’s work and serve as guidance for subsequent meetings and related proceedings.Typically, the commission will take approximately 12 months to complete the report and recommendations, but could extend depending on the relevant parties. Notably, the commission’s recommendations will not legally bind, and the outcome will not result in either a loser or a winner. Both Thailand and Cambodia will have to enter into bilateral talks based on the recommendations in order to reach an amicable solution.  eng editor 3 Fri, 2026-08-14 - 23:30 News Thai-Cambodian conflicts Thai-Cambodia relations Thai-Cambodian maritime disputes Cambodia United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea Katrina Cooper

In his latest Radio Free America column, Aaron Kleinman argues DNC Chair Ken Martin could protect Democratic incumbents and push back against special-interest influence by restricting ActBlue strictly to candidates and party committees.

АЕС «Пакш-2», яку в Угорщині будує «Росатом», мала запрацювати 2 роки тому, але досі фактично на стадії фундаменту

LINCOLN — Former state Sen. Dan McKeon’s criminal case in Lancaster County Court was dismissed after he successfully completed a court diversion program, according to court documents. McKeon, of Amherst, faced a Class III misdemeanor charge stemming from allegations that he inappropriately touched a legislative staff member during an end-of-session party last May, according to […]

The federal government last week proposed sweeping changes to Head Start, describing them as a way to expand access for children. For families of children with disabilities, the question is what support will still be there once a child enters the classroom. I’ve been around long enough to know that when it comes to meeting […]

В четырех странах Центральной Азии — Казахстане, Узбекистане, Кыргызстане и Таджикистане — 14 августа произошел масштабный блэкаут, сообщает информационное агентство «Фергана». Отключения затронули Алматы и другие регионы Казахстана, южные области Узбекистана, а также ряд населенных пунктов Кыргызстана и Таджикистана. В Алматы и Алматинской области из-за отключения электричества остановились метро и канатная дорога на курорте Шымбулак.

بەسیم محەمەد وەزیری نەوتی عێراق ڕۆژی هەینی ڕایگەیاند، لە سەرەتای مانگی هەشتەوە هەناردەی نەوتی عێراق گەیشتووەتە دوو ملیۆن بەرمیل لە ڕۆژێکدا. ئاژانسی ڕۆیتەرز بڵاویکردەوە، ڕۆژی هەینی 14ی هەشت 2026، بەسیم محەمەد خوزیر، وەزیری نەوتی عێراق لە کۆنگرەیەکی ڕۆژنامەوانی هاوبەشدا لەگەڵ ئەسعەد ئەلعیدان پارێزگاری بەسرە ڕایگەیاند، وێستگەی غازی ناوەندی لە کێڵگەی نەوتی فەیحە’یش دەستی بە کارەکانی بەرهەمهێنانی غاز کردووە. وێستگەکە توانای بەرهەمهێنانی 130 ملیۆن پێ سێجا غازی هەیە لە ڕۆژێکدا، کێڵگەی فەیحەش...

Amid a spate of tunnels being dug from Belarus into the EU, border authorities say Minsk is dismissing intelligence alerting it to migrant tunnel construction.

This analysis and news roundup come from the Canary Media Weekly newsletter. Sign up to get it every Friday. The data center elections are officially upon us. Public frustration with data centers has been simmering, and in recent months it has become increasingly clear that the topic would reshape the 2026…

(The Center Square) — New York Gov. Kathy Hochul is giving county sheriffs a final ultimatum to end immigration agreements with the Trump administration or face possible legal action for violating a new state law. In a joint statement issued Friday, Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James put seven sheriffs on notice that they have until Aug. 25 to terminate their so-called 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that allow local cops to be deputized by ICE for immigration enforcement. The Democrats said since they sent notices to a dozen sheriffs in July demanding that they provide documentation verifying they have terminated the agreements, only five have complied with the request. They said the remaining seven sheriffs have 11 days to "formally unwind their agreements with ICE." “Local police should be focused on one thing: keeping their communities safe," they wrote. "That’s why New York passed these laws, why we will enforce them, and why we will continue standing up to federal overreach. Our job is to enforce the law, and that is exactly what we plan on doing." James has previously warned that the new Office of Immigrant Trust will take legal action against any local police or sheriff’s department that continued to cooperate with ICE after the deadline. In May, Hochul signed the "Local Cops, Local Crimes Act" that bans state and local law enforcement agencies from helping the federal government in civil immigration enforcement cases and bans ICE agents from wearing masks during operations. The new law specifically bans state and local governments or employees from cooperating with ICE in civil enforcement cases. But the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new law, which lawyers for the DOJ said would make ICE agents and other federal authorities subject “to criminal penalties" for wearing masks to protect their identities, among other claims. Several New York county leaders have publicly vowed that they will continue to cooperate with ICE while the federal court case plays out, arguing that it is unsettled law. "Rensselaer County’s participation in 287g allows for necessary checks on those at our jail who are in our country illegally, ensuring someone wanted for crimes elsewhere is not released into our communities," Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin and Sheriff Kyle Bourgault said in a statement. "These checks are the same that anyone else remanded to our jail would face." McLaughlin called the state's ban on ICE agreements "a bad idea" and said it "only came about because the Governor and Attorney General are desperate to cater to their progressive bosses." "They have failed to show how their new policy would make anyone safer, and because of that, we will not comply," the statement said. Others, like Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood, have said they will terminate the agreements to comply with the law, but will continue to cooperate with ICE on immigration enforcement. Hood, a Republican, is Nassau County Executive and gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman's running mate for lieutenant governor.

კომუნიკაციების კომისიის ანალიტიკური პლატფორმის მონაცემებით, პროსახელისუფლებო ტელეარხებს შორის შემოსავლების მიხედვით ლიდერი შეიცვალა.

J. Smith-Cameron y Jefferson White protagonizan 'In Our Own Sweet Way', el segundo largometraje de Jeff Rutherford, ya rodado y listo para estrenarse.

Песня оказалась внесена в список "экстремистских"

Песня оказалась внесена в список "экстремистских"

Песня оказалась внесена в список "экстремистских"

Песня оказалась внесена в список "экстремистских"

Самарский областной суд отменил регистрацию на выборах в Госдуму для действующего депутата от КПРФ Михаила Матвеева.

Bokserski savez Srbije posto je Srpski bokserski savez. A na putu da postane srpski je i Olimpijski komitet Srbije. Sledili su u tome odluku Vaterpolo saveza i Rukometnog, koji su ranije poneli naziv za koji kažu da "jasno definiše pripadnost naciji koju predstavljaju".

The move, adopted with buy-in from the energy industry, advocates, and state officials, could save thousands of electric customers looking to install solar panels across the state from being saddled with last-minute, seemingly random charges that could stretch past $10,000 per project.