One person died and two others were injured in a knife attack by a 26-year-old French national near the Eiffel Tower in central Paris. The attacker, who had been sentenced to four years in prison in 2016 for planning another attack and was on the watch list of French security services, was quickly arrested by police using a Taser stun gun.
The assailant, known to have psychiatric disorders, attacked a tourist couple with a knife, fatally wounding a German national. He then proceeded to attack two other individuals with a hammer before being apprehended by the police.
Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin reported that the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack near the Eiffel Tower and expressed grievances about Muslim deaths in Afghanistan and Palestine, as well as the situation in Gaza.
The anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office has taken charge of the investigation. This incident, occurring less than eight months before Paris hosts the Olympic Games, may raise concerns about security for the upcoming global sporting event. Paris is planning an unprecedented opening ceremony on the Seine River, expected to draw a large crowd.
120 Nations Commit to Tripling Renewable Energy by 2030 at UN Climate Talks
Meanwhile, during UN climate talks, nearly 120 nations pledged to triple the world’s renewable energy within seven years, emphasizing alternatives to fossil fuels. This commitment, supported by over half of all nations, aims to triple global renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.
Major oil producers, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, and Iran, did not join, and China is absent from the list. Additionally, oil and gas companies responsible for 40% of global production, including Saudi Aramco and UAE’s ADNOC, pledged to decarbonize operations by 2050 and curb methane emissions.
Critics argue that these pledges lack customer fuel pollution consideration and repackage non-binding commitments. The US Environmental Protection Agency announced tighter curbs on methane emissions, targeting the elimination of routine flaring and comprehensive monitoring. Methane, responsible for about one-third of greenhouse gas warming, will face stricter regulations.
In a call led by the US, over 20 nations advocated tripling nuclear energy capacity by 2050, asserting its role in achieving carbon neutrality. However, nuclear energy remains controversial due to safety risks and nuclear waste disposal concerns.
