"A Government that violates international law and, therefore, the principles and values of the EU cannot be our partner," Sanchez wrote

Behind peaceful scenes, Iran's economy is in tatters, and people are fearful of a new government clampdown and angry about the destructive airstrikes.

A new round of US-Iran talks begins in Pakistan, but key issues like the Strait of Hormuz remain unresolved.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday called on Angolans to “build hope for the future” and fight corruption, as he celebrated Mass before an estimated 100,000 people outside the capital.

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The IDF is operating south of the Forward Defense Line to "dismantle Hezbollah terror infrastructure sites" and "prevent direct threats to communities in northern Israel," the military said.

Allegations of sexual misconduct have rocked the Gaza Freedom Flotilla as a senior member faces accusations of inappropriate behavior aboard the ship, sparking an investigation.

Ben-Gurion recognized early on what became a well-known reality in the following decades: front lines that reach population centers, and the home front becoming a critical component of the war.

Tondo Smart, founded by IDF Unit 8200 graduates, successfully commercialized Israeli defense-derived technology with a system that efficiently detects and manages low-altitude airspaces.

After decades of fragmentation, Iranian Kurdish groups form a new coalition with strategic implications for the region.

Military success may weaken Tehran, but without a viable opposition force, the regime will endure and harden.

The largest performing arts market on the African continent is back in Abidjan. The 2026 edition of MASA took over the capital’s Culture Palace with hundreds of diverse shows.

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Extreme rainfall and flooding have become increasingly frequent in Brazilian cities. In this context, the renaturalization of urban rivers is one of the strategies experts advocate to help cities adapt to the impacts of climate change. Restoring and reopening waterways can make these areas more resilient.

Urban landscape architect Cecília Herzog, a member of the Network of Experts in Nature Conservation (RECN), says river restoration is an urgent measure given the current climate scenario.

Notícias relacionadas:

• Forty municipalities under emergency after floods in Amazonas state.
• Floods have affected 3,000 health care units in Rio Grande do Sul.
• Research reveals 82% of Brazilians concerned about climate change.

According to her, the development model that channeled rivers and covered the soil with asphalt and concrete has exacerbated the effects of rainfall.

“It’s important to remember that water doesn’t disappear. When it rains, it always flows to the lowest points and, at some point, can flood them, especially in flatter or low-lying areas,” Herzog said.

With fewer permeable surfaces, water runs off more quickly, increasing the risk of flooding. In this context, river restoration must be accompanied by a broader revitalization of the urban landscape, including the expansion of green spaces and natural drainage systems. Permeable soil helps slow runoff.

“Water seeps into the soil, is retained for a while, and then continues its course in a more balanced way. In open rivers, with their natural course and riparian vegetation, the impact of rainfall is much smaller,” the landscape architect explained.

Ongoing projects

This understanding is beginning to gain traction in Brazil. In São Paulo, the future Bixiga Municipal Park envisions reopening part of the Bixiga stream, as well as preserving springs and expanding green spaces. The project is the result of more than four decades of mobilization by civil society.

In 2024, the city council approved the allocation of the land for the creation of the public space, and in January this year, the city launched a national public competition to define the design of the future park. The result is expected to be announced in May.

In Rio de Janeiro, a working group coordinated by the Municipal Secretariat for the Environment and Climate is studying the rehabilitation of the Maracanã River through nature-based solutions. Researchers from public and private universities are participating in the initiative.

The proposal includes measures to restore some of the river’s original characteristics and expand the region’s drainage capacity. In March, a partnership was established with the Brazilian Institute of Architects (IAB-RJ) to hold a national public design competition for the renaturalization project. No date has yet been set for the call for proposals, but it is expected to be released later this year.

New standards

Architect and urban planner Juliana Baladelli Ribeiro, project manager at the Boticário Group Foundation, emphasized that renaturalization is part of a new urban development paradigm.

“This concept also includes the implementation of green roofs, rain gardens, vegetated swales, small retention basins, extensive tree planting, and other structures that allow for temporary water retention, facilitate infiltration into the soil, and promote evapotranspiration by plants,” Ribeiro noted.

In addition to reducing flooding, these solutions also help mitigate heat waves, which are becoming increasingly frequent in cities.

Experts emphasize that isolated measures will not be sufficient in the face of increasingly intense extreme weather events. Climate adaptation requires integrated actions tailored to the reality of each territory.

“It will be necessary to create a system for revitalizing the urban landscape. The idea is to restore to the city areas of living soil and native vegetation capable of performing important ecological functions that are currently compromised,” the architect stated.

“This may include sunken areas designed to collect rainwater and various types of green infrastructure, ranging from small-scale interventions to larger projects, depending on the characteristics of each city. Adapting to climate change is always a local challenge that must be addressed in each specific area,” Herzog added.

A White House official later confirmed that US Vice President JD Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff, and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner would be among those heading to Pakistan.

Because Evertsen was operating as part of a wider strike group in the Mediterranean, even the exposure of one ship could have helped adversaries infer the movements of the broader naval format.

Rabbi Michael Khoury was the reported target of an attack, state media said that the cell intended to target “a religious figure in the vicinity of the Maronite Church in Bab Touma on April 11."

'Despite the extraordinary tensions in Israel, there was the ebullience of being together, as if we’d met fellow Israelis in a Chabad House in Seoul or Fairbanks, Alaska.'

Multi-instrumentalist Binnun sets out his expansive cultural stall Confederation House.

Israel asks citizens to fight together, to sacrifice together, and to carry the weight of war and uncertainty together, and yet it governs them as if they are not equal partners in that burden.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva strongly criticised the members of the United Nations Security Council during the Meeting in Defence of Democracy in Spain on Saturday.

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