The force that through the green fuse drives the flower / Drives my green age; that blasts the roots of trees / Is my destroyer. / And I am dumb to tell the crooked rose / My youth is bent by the same wintry fever¡¦.by Dylan Thomas
reitera 2019-12-12 (13:48) IP address :185.198.242.123
On Tuesday night, Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gantz reiterated that they were willing to form a national unity government and avoid another election.
Mr Gantz said his party was making "efforts to find a way to form a government without us giving up the fundamental principles that brought us into politics".
Mr Netanyahu told his rival: "After 80 days, it's time that for one day, for the citizens of Israel, we sit and have a serious discussion about forming a broad unity government. It's not too late."
countries 2019-12-10 (21:44) IP address :45.41.147.17
"All those countries are here making declarations about cutting emissions, Ecuador and Peru are making declarations about protecting the Amazon but what we are seeing is a whole different plan to expand extraction, there's a gap between what countries are committing too and what they are actually planning to do in terms of fossil fuel expansion."
Indigenous leaders here are pressing for a moratorium on drilling - they say the oil should stay in the ground.
"We have been protecting our forests. We have kept many oil companies away," said Sandra Tukup, an indigenous leader from Ecuador.a
military 2019-12-10 (20:21) IP address :45.41.147.17
The Ovation of the Seas - passengers are in mourning
It was meant to be just another cruise journey around New Zealand.
But for some on the Ovation of the Seas - it would turn out to be anything but.
The Royal Caribbean cruise ship had been docked at Tauranga, a coastal city near White Island.
Many of the ship's passengers were on board when the captain announced that several from the ship had made the trip to White Island - and were there when it erupted.
volcano 2019-12-10 (20:00) IP address :45.41.147.17
Statement from the island's owners
Local media are widely quoting a statement put out by the island's owners the Whakaari Management Ltd. In it they say: "We are all shocked by what has occurred on Whakaari yesterday and our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragedy."
The volcano is unusual for being privately owned. Decades ago the government tried to buy it from the Buttle family, but in the end reached an agreement that the site would become a scenic reserve.
Ecuador 2019-12-10 (19:27) IP address :45.41.147.17
Ecuador is due to leave the OPEC oil consortium in 2020, allowing it to boost its oil production. The country is also under pressure from China to supply oil because of financial debts.
"There's about $14bn that Ecuador owes China right now and that's a big part of the drive to expand production and look for new oil," said Kevin Koenig, from Amazon Watch who authored the report.
"In addition there are about $6bn in hidden debt in these oil for loan deals between PetroChina and Petroecuador which Ecuador is paying in barrels of oil."
Ministry 2019-12-10 (18:40) IP address :45.41.147.17
'Possible that not all patients will survive'
Ministry of Health spokesman Pete Watson said earlier on Tuesday that 27 people suffered burns to more than 30% of their body.
Others suffered inhalation burns.
Mr Watson said all patients were receiving care at the highest level but that it was possible that "not all" of them would survive.
He added that the burns unit at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland had received "a year's worth of work in one day".
Vessels 2019-12-10 (18:40) IP address :45.41.147.17
Tourism on White Island
An estimated 10,000 people visit White Island, or Whakaari, each year according to Newshub.
Vessels often dock on the eastern side of the island and tourists walk from the beach to the centre of the active volcano where they then stand on the crater's edge. Here are some visitors that have made the journey to the island over the years.
But there are now some expressing concerns about the wisdom of active volcano tourism - albeit others saying it could be managed safely.
poorest 2019-12-09 (19:22) IP address :85.203.21.136
The question of loss and damage sees developing countries looking for a new facility in the UN talks that would deal with the impacts of events like sea level rise or major storms that have a climate component.
They argue that the poorest are the ones feeling the impacts of a climate they didn't create.
Rich countries have long resisted the idea feeling they will be on the hook for billions of dollars for centuries to come.
Up to now these discussions have been led by civil servants, but the arrival of ministers will likely clarify if both can be resolved by political horse trading.
It's possible that a compromise could be arrived at that would see both issues resolved here. Or not!