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Killer Whales Get Stranded Again in Russia's Far East

Rescuers and volunteers try to save killer whales stranded at the mouth of the Bolshaya Vorovskaya River at the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia October 2, 2024. Head of the Sobolevsky Municipal District of the Kamchatka Region Andrei Vorovskiy via VK/Handout via REUTERS
Rescuers and volunteers try to save killer whales stranded at the mouth of the Bolshaya Vorovskaya River at the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia October 2, 2024. Head of the Sobolevsky Municipal District of the Kamchatka Region Andrei Vorovskiy via VK/Handout via REUTERS
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Killer Whales Get Stranded Again in Russia's Far East

Rescuers and volunteers try to save killer whales stranded at the mouth of the Bolshaya Vorovskaya River at the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia October 2, 2024. Head of the Sobolevsky Municipal District of the Kamchatka Region Andrei Vorovskiy via VK/Handout via REUTERS
Rescuers and volunteers try to save killer whales stranded at the mouth of the Bolshaya Vorovskaya River at the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, on the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia October 2, 2024. Head of the Sobolevsky Municipal District of the Kamchatka Region Andrei Vorovskiy via VK/Handout via REUTERS

A family of killer whales has again become stranded in a silted estuary in Russia's far east just hours after researchers helped the two adults and two calves into deeper water, the emergency ministry said on Thursday.
Russian researchers and volunteers spent all of Wednesday dousing the killer whales with water after they beached in the estuary on the Kamchatka Peninsula and when the tide rose managed to get the orcas to deeper water.
But on Thursday, the family was again stranded, Reuters reported.
"This morning they swam away from the shallow water towards the open sea," the emergency ministry said.
"Sadly, the animals could not find the narrow exit from the estuary and at low tide they found themselves in shallow water again."
One of the orcas was shown by Izvestia lying in shallow water on its side and was distressed.
The newspaper cited an unidentified source as saying the family group might be refusing to swim into the ocean because one of the group was injured and so was unable to go into deeper waters.
Orcas, or killer whales, belong to the sub-order of toothed whales but are also the largest member of the dolphin family, according to Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

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Famed Jerusalem Stone Still Sells despite West Bank Economic Woes

Quarry work in the occupied West Bank is tough, but there are few other options available in the territory's wilting economy. JOHN WESSELS / AFP
Quarry work in the occupied West Bank is tough, but there are few other options available in the territory's wilting economy. JOHN WESSELS / AFP
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Famed Jerusalem Stone Still Sells despite West Bank Economic Woes

Quarry work in the occupied West Bank is tough, but there are few other options available in the territory's wilting economy. JOHN WESSELS / AFP
Quarry work in the occupied West Bank is tough, but there are few other options available in the territory's wilting economy. JOHN WESSELS / AFP

Despite the catastrophic state of the Palestinian economy, Faraj al-Atrash, operator of a quarry in the occupied West Bank, proudly points to an armada of machines busy eating away at sheer walls of dusty white rock that stretch into the distance.

"This here is considered the main source of revenue for the entire region", Atrash said at the site near the town of Beit Fajjar, close to the city of Hebron.

The quarry is a source of Jerusalem stone, the famed pale rock used throughout the Holy Land and beyond for millennia and which gives much of the region its distinctive architectural look.

But Atrash, in his fifties, said "our livelihood is constantly under threat".

"Lately, I feel like the occupation (Israel) has begun to fight us on the economic front," he said.

Atrash fears the confiscation of the quarry's industrial equipment, the expansion of Israeli settlements and the Palestinian financial crisis, said AFP.

The war in Gaza, triggered by Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, dealt a severe blow to a Palestinian economy that was already in poor shape.

The Palestinian territories are "currently going through the most severe economic crisis ever recorded," according to a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development presented in late November.

Israel, which has occupied the West Bank since 1967, has recently set up hundreds of new checkpoints across the territory, paralyzing commercial transport.

Beyond restrictions on freedom of movement, a halt in permits for West Bank Palestinians seeking work inside Israel has also had a severe impact.

- Soaring costs -

"There are problems with exports and market access because we used to export most of the stone to Israel, and after October 7, we ran into difficulties," explained Ibrahim Jaradat, whose family has owned a quarry for more than 40 years near Sair, also near Hebron.

The Palestinian Authority, which exercises partial civilian control over some of the West Bank, is on the brink of bankruptcy.

Public services are functioning worse than ever, Atrash said, adding that fixed costs such as water and electricity had soared.

Quarries account for 4.5 percent of Palestinian GDP and employ nearly 20,000 workers, according to the Hebron Chamber of Commerce.

Around 65 percent of exports are destined for the Israeli market, where some municipalities mandate the use of Jerusalem stone.

"The people who buy the stones from us to resell them to construction sites are mostly Israelis," said Abu Walid Riyad Gaith, a 65-year-old quarry operator.

He lamented what he said was a lack of solidarity from Arab countries, which he said do not buy enough of the rock.

- 'Afraid to build' -

Other threats hang over the industry.

Most of the roughly 300 quarries in the West Bank are located in Area C, land which falls under full Israeli authority and covers the vast majority of its settlements.

"Many (Israeli) settlers pass through here, and if Israel annexes Palestine, it will start with these areas," said one operator, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Some members of Israel's government, one of the most right-wing in the country's history, openly discuss plans to annex parts or all of the West Bank.

Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.

They are expanding at the fastest rate since at least 2017, when the United Nations began tracking such data, according to a recent report by the UN chief.

The physical demands of working in a quarry are intense, but for many Palestinians there are few other options as the West Bank's economy wilts.

"We are working ourselves to death," Atrash said, pointing to his ten laborers moving back and forth in monumental pits where clouds of dust coat them in a white film.

In the neighboring quarry, blinking and coughing as he struggled with the intense work was a former geography teacher.

With the Palestinian Authority's budget crisis meaning he was no longer receiving his salary, he had looked for work in the only local place still hiring.

All the laborers AFP spoke to said they suffered from back, eye and throat problems.

"We call it white gold," said Laith Derriyeh, employed by a stonemason, "because it normally brings in substantial amounts of money".

"But today everything is complicated; it's very difficult to think about the future."

"People have no money, and those who do are afraid to build," he added.

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Riyadh Becomes First City in Region to Receive Global Active City Certification

General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
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Riyadh Becomes First City in Region to Receive Global Active City Certification

General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)
General view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (SPA)

The Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) announced that the capital has been awarded the Global Active City (GAC) certification, becoming the first city in the Middle East to attain this designation, in recognition of its efforts to promote healthy lifestyles, physical activity, and community well-being for all.

According to a press release issued by the commission Monday, CEO of the RCRC Eng. Ibrahim bin Mohammed Al-Sultan explained that this achievement reflects the continued support and ambitious vision of the Kingdom’s leadership, which has enabled Riyadh to make significant progress in improving quality-of-life indicators across the city, in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030, SPA reported.

Eng. Al-Sultan expressed appreciation to the main partners, Ministry of Sport and Saudi Sports for All Federation, whose active contributions played a vital role in securing this international recognition. He also acknowledged the efforts of relevant entities, noting that their collaboration highlights the Kingdom’s regional and global leadership in enhancing quality of life.

The release added that the Active Well-being Initiative, founded by Association for International Sport for All (TAFISA) and Evaleo Organization, and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), awards the Global Active City certification to cities that excel in creating active living opportunities and implementing targeted systems and standards aimed at encouraging physical activity across all segments of society.

This achievement reaffirms RCRC’s commitment to transforming the capital into a city that enables residents and visitors to live healthier, more active lifestyles. This approach aligns with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Quality of Life Program through an integrated, citywide strategy that expands access to public spaces, walking and cycling paths, sports facilities, and community programs that inspire active living.

Riyadh’s approach brings together the sport, health, transport, education, and urban planning sectors to build a supportive urban environment that enhances well-being and ensures inclusivity for all members of the community.

The certification process was led by RCRC, with the support and participation of Ministry of Sport, Saudi Sports for All Federation, and more than 20 relevant entities. This collaborative effort has made physical activity an essential and accessible part of Riyadh’s urban vision.

The Global Active City classification reflects Riyadh’s progress in infrastructure, programs, governance systems, and policy frameworks dedicated to improving quality of life, strengthening community participation, and supporting sustainable well-being. It also recognizes the city’s measurable advancements in promoting physical activity and public health.

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Interstellar Comet Keeps Its Distance as It Makes Its Closest Approach to Earth

This image, provided by NASA, shows the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on Nov. 30, 2025, about 178 million miles (286 million kilometers) from Earth. (NASA, ESA, STScI, D. Jewitt (UCLA), M.-T. Hui (Shanghai Astronomical Observatory), J. DePasquale (STScI) via AP)
This image, provided by NASA, shows the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on Nov. 30, 2025, about 178 million miles (286 million kilometers) from Earth. (NASA, ESA, STScI, D. Jewitt (UCLA), M.-T. Hui (Shanghai Astronomical Observatory), J. DePasquale (STScI) via AP)
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Interstellar Comet Keeps Its Distance as It Makes Its Closest Approach to Earth

This image, provided by NASA, shows the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on Nov. 30, 2025, about 178 million miles (286 million kilometers) from Earth. (NASA, ESA, STScI, D. Jewitt (UCLA), M.-T. Hui (Shanghai Astronomical Observatory), J. DePasquale (STScI) via AP)
This image, provided by NASA, shows the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas captured by the Hubble Space Telescope on Nov. 30, 2025, about 178 million miles (286 million kilometers) from Earth. (NASA, ESA, STScI, D. Jewitt (UCLA), M.-T. Hui (Shanghai Astronomical Observatory), J. DePasquale (STScI) via AP)

A stray comet from another star swings past Earth this week in one last hurrah before racing back toward interstellar space.

Discovered over the summer, the comet known as 3I/Atlas will pass within 167 million miles (269 million kilometers) of our planet on Friday, the closest it gets on its grand tour of the solar system.

NASA continues to aim its space telescopes at the visiting ice ball, estimated to be between 1,444 feet (440 meters) and 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) in size. But it’s fading as it exits, so now’s the time for backyard astronomers to catch it in the night sky with their telescopes, The AP news reported.

The comet will come much closer to Jupiter in March, zipping within 33 million miles (53 million kilometers). It will be the mid-2030s before it reaches interstellar space, never to return, said Paul Chodas, director of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies.

It’s the third known interstellar object to cut through our solar system. Interstellar comets like 3I/Atlas originate in star systems elsewhere in the Milky Way, while home-grown comets like Halley's hail from the icy fringes of our solar system.

A telescope in Hawaii discovered the first confirmed interstellar visitor in 2017. Two years later, an interstellar comet was spotted by a Crimean amateur astronomer. NASA’s sky-surveying Atlas telescope in Chile spotted comet 3I/Atlas in July while prowling for potentially dangerous asteroids.

Scientists believe the latest interloping comet, also harmless, may have originated in a star system much older than ours, making it a tantalizing target.