UN: Carbon-cutting pledges by countries nowhere near enough

The newest pledges by countries to cut greenhouse gas emissions are falling far shor t of what’s needed to limit global warming to what the Paris climate accord seeks, a new United Nations report finds.

So the U.N.’S climate chief is telling nations to go back and tr y harder.

Most countries — especially top carbon polluters China, United States and India — missed the Dec. 31 deadline for submitting of ficial emission-cutting targets for November’s climate negotiations in Scotland. Friday’s report provides an incomplete snapshot of the world’s ef for ts: The world’s pledges so far are only enough to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions to less than 1% below 2010 levels by 2030.

The world has to cut carbon pollution 45% below 2010 levels to achieve the more stringent official Paris goal of limiting future warming to another half a degree from now, U.N. officials said.

Explosion strikes Israeli-owned ship in Mideast amid tension

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — An explosion struck an Israeli-owned cargo ship sailing out of the Middle East on Friday, an unexplained blast renewing concerns about ship security in the region amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran.

The crew and vessel were safe, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy. The explosion in the Gulf of Oman forced the vessel to head to the nearest port.

Dryad Global, a maritime intelligence firm, identified the stricken vessel as the MV Helios Ray, a Bahamian-flagged roll-on, roll-off vehicle cargo ship. Another private security of ficial, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, similarly identified the ship as the Helios Ray.

CIA creates task force on ‘Havana Syndrome’ amid new scrutiny from Biden team

WASHINGTON — The Central Intelligence Agency has set up a task force bringing together exper ts to advance the investigation into a series of mysterious attacks on Americans in Havana, a source familiar with the matter told Mcclatchy.

The task force was launched late last year and involves doctors, human resources professionals and counterintelligence agents working jointly in a centralized probe into the events that became a major stumbling block in U.S.-CUba relations.

Diplomats stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Havana first began reporting strange symptoms in 2017, including dizziness, tinnitus, visual problems, ver tigo and cognitive dif ficulties. Doctors at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Miami found evidence of brain injur y and damage to the inner ear’s vestibular system in diplomats and their family members. Similar events were reported in China.