Category: General

London: The oldest fossilized forest ever found, dating back 390 million years, has been unearthed along the Devon and Somerset coast in South West England.

Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Cardiff made the discovery, marking it as the oldest known fossil forest on Earth, surpassing the previous record-holder in New York State by four million years.

These ancient trees, ranging from two to four meters tall, shed branches, creating a forest floor rich with vegetation litter that supported invertebrates.

Published in the Journal of the Geological Society, the discovery offers insight into the Devonian Period’s impact on Earth’s ecosystem, highlighting changes in land plants and their influence on sedimentary systems.

The fossil forest, part of the Hangman Sandstone Formation, reveals a glimpse into a semi-arid plain crisscrossed by river channels during the Devonian era.

Source: Oman News Agency

The Islamic Resistance issued on Tuesday the following statement: ‘In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and in support of their valiant and honorable resistance, the Mujahideen of the Islamic Resistance, targeted at 02:00 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the spy devices at the enemy’s Birkat Risha site with appropriate weapons and achieved direct hit.’

In another statement, the ‘Islamic Resistance’ announced that ‘at 2:25 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, its mujahideen targeted the spy devices at the enemy’s Jal al-Allam site with appropriate weapons and achieved direct hit.’

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Wellington: Marine researchers uncovered around 100 potential new species, including a mysterious starlike creature.

Conducted aboard the research vessel Tangaroa, the three-week voyage delved into the little-explored depths of the ocean, collecting nearly 1,800 samples from depths of up to 3 miles.

Led by Dr. Daniel Moore of Ocean Census, the team aims to identify 100,000 unknown species within a decade.

The findings from the expedition are being closely examined, with scientists intrigued by one unidentified organism, initially mistaken for a sea star or sea anemone.

Dr. Michela Mitchell from the Queensland Museum Network suggests it could be a new type of deep-sea coral or even an entirely novel group, which would significantly contribute to understanding the planet’s biodiversity.

Notably, the team also stumbled upon a new species of fish, emphasizing the vast gaps in knowledge of oceanic life.

The expedition employed various sampling techniques, including trawling nets and underwater cameras, to ex
plore the diverse terrain.

Source: Oman News Agency

National News Agency correspondent reported that at 4.00 pm this afternoon, Israeli warplanes launched an air raid on the outskirts of the Naqoura area in south Lebanon and fired two missiles.

At approximately 4 pm this afternoon, Israeli warplanes carried out an air strike targeting the northern outskirts of the southern Lebanese town of Aita al-Shaab in the Bint Jbeil district with two missiles.

National News Agency correspondent in Tyre reported that a second enemy air raid targeted the center of the town of Aita al-Shaab.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Wellington: Marine researchers uncovered around 100 potential new species, including a mysterious starlike creature.

Conducted aboard the research vessel Tangaroa, the three-week voyage delved into the little-explored depths of the ocean, collecting nearly 1,800 samples from depths of up to 3 miles.

Led by Dr. Daniel Moore of Ocean Census, the team aims to identify 100,000 unknown species within a decade.

The findings from the expedition are being closely examined, with scientists intrigued by one unidentified organism, initially mistaken for a sea star or sea anemone.

Dr. Michela Mitchell from the Queensland Museum Network suggests it could be a new type of deep-sea coral or even an entirely novel group, which would significantly contribute to understanding the planet’s biodiversity.

Notably, the team also stumbled upon a new species of fish, emphasizing the vast gaps in knowledge of oceanic life.

The expedition employed various sampling techniques, including trawling nets and underwater cameras, to ex
plore the diverse terrain.

Source: Oman News Agency

An unexploded missile was found on Tuesday near the main road in the town of Hrajel in the district of Keserwan.

It is believed that the unexploded missile fell from an Israeli plane while it was flying towards the Bekaa Valley to carry out raids.

Security forces and a military expert arrived at the scene to dismantle the missile.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Copenhagen: A study by the European Environment Agency revealed air pollution’s grave threat, especially in cities, linking both short- and long-term exposure to diseases.

WHO highlights air pollution’s ties to stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc., with PM2.5 being a major concern. Children are particularly vulnerable, lacking influence on policies.

In 2020, EU saw 238,000 premature deaths from PM2.5, a 45% decrease since 2005.

Energy consumption is a key source, but emissions dropped significantly from 2005 to 2020.

WHO and EU introduce new guidelines to tackle pollution, aiming for a 55% reduction in premature deaths by 2030.

Positive trends suggest reaching zero pollution target by 2032, a vital step in combating air pollution’s harmful effects.

Source: Oman News Agency

The ‘Islamic Resistance’ announced in a statement, ‘In support of our steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and in support of their brave and honorable resistance, our mujahideen targeted at 04:00 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the enemy’s Birkat Risha site with Burkan missiles, and achieved direct hit.’

The Islamic Resistance also announced in another statement that it had targeted ‘at 04:45 pm on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, the enemy’s Zarit barracks with Burkan missiles, and inflicted direct hit.’

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Warplanes belonging to the Israeli enemy on Tuesday breached the sound barrier multiple times in the southern Lebanese skies.

Additionally, enemy reconnaissance aircraft flew over villages in the western and central sectors, reaching the outskirts of Tyre city. They also released flares over the district of Tyre and the coastal area during the night.

Last evening, at around 7:00 pm, the enemy’s military aircraft raided the southern town of Naqoura, targeting an uninhabited house, resulting in its complete destruction.

Many surrounding houses incurred damages, causing significant material losses to properties and infrastructure, notably to the electricity and water networks.

Minutes later, the Israeli aircraft targeted an uninhabited house in the town of Ayta Al-Shaab, in southern Lebanon’s central sector, causing substantial damage to properties, crops, and nearby homes.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Dozens of Palestinian civilians were killed and injured on Tuesday dawn following intense bombardment by Israeli warplanes and artillery shelling on various areas in the Gaza Strip, on the 158th day of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Health sources at Al-Shifa Medical Complex in the Gaza Strip said that nine people were killed and more than 20 were wounded after the occupation targeted masses at the Kuwait Junction in Gaza City, as they were waiting for aid to arrive.

A number of people were also injured in an Israeli bombing that targeted a house in the Saudi neighborhood, west of the city of Rafah.

Artillery shelling targeted the eastern areas of Abasan Al Kabira and Khuza’a in Khan Yunis, resulting in the killing and injury of a number of citizens.

The Israeli occupation army committed seven massacres against families in the Gaza Strip, claiming 67 civilian lives and leaving 106 injuries during the past 24 hours.

In a non-final death toll, the Israeli aggression on Gaza has so far killed 31,
112 and left 72,760 injuries since last October 7, according to the Ministry of Health.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Copenhagen: A study by the European Environment Agency revealed air pollution’s grave threat, especially in cities, linking both short- and long-term exposure to diseases.

WHO highlights air pollution’s ties to stroke, cancer, Alzheimer’s, etc., with PM2.5 being a major concern. Children are particularly vulnerable, lacking influence on policies.

In 2020, EU saw 238,000 premature deaths from PM2.5, a 45% decrease since 2005.

Energy consumption is a key source, but emissions dropped significantly from 2005 to 2020.

WHO and EU introduce new guidelines to tackle pollution, aiming for a 55% reduction in premature deaths by 2030.

Positive trends suggest reaching zero pollution target by 2032, a vital step in combating air pollution’s harmful effects.

Source: Oman News Agency

National News Agency correspondnet in Tyre reported that enemy artillery shelling targeted the outskirts of the southern Lebanese border town of Ramieh, adjacent to the Blue Line, in the central sector.

Israeli artillery also shleed the outskirts of Naqoura, Dhaira and Alma Shaab.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon

Caretaker Minister of Energy and Water, Walid Fayyad, on Tuesday held an extensive meeting with the Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy of Greece, Ms. Alexandra Sdoukou, during his official visit to Athens, Greece, accompanied by an official delegation from the ministry.

The meeting took place in the presence of senior officials from the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy, in response to an official invitation from the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy.

The meeting was attended by the Charge d’Affaires of the Lebanese Embassy in Greece, Ambassador Ghadi Khoury.

Discussions centered on the scope of work of both ministries and avenues for cooperation in the areas of sanitation, dams, renewable energy projects, and the legal framework governing the operations of the regulatory authority for the electricity sector in Greece.

Minister Fayyad, along with the accompanying delegation and officials from the oil sector in Greece, visited petroleum refineries, storage facilities, and distribution
facilities in Athens to explore prospects for cooperation between the two countries in the areas of exploration, refining, and storage.

Tomorrow, Minister Fayyad and the accompanying delegation will continue their working visit by meeting with the regulatory authority for the electricity sector in Greece.

Source: National News Agency – Lebanon