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The world's landmark Paris Agreement is "more fragile" than it has ever been and disagreements risk "imploding" it, the UK's climate ambassador has warned.The seminal treaty obliges countries to produce regular plans on how they will cut greenhouse gas emissions in order to slow climate change. Since it was signed in 2015, predicted levels of global warming have fallen, the cost of wind and solar have plummeted and net zero targets have proliferated.But the Paris Agreement is "more fragile now than it has been in the nine years up to now", the UK's new climate envoy Rachel Kyte said yesterday evening.She added: "Certain countries push back on Paris because it's too effective, in some respects. And then you've got countries who are saying it's not effective enough." "It would be bizarre, if...

Football has never seen a stadium as audacious and outlandish before.A futuristic cliff-top venue will be built 350m above ground when the $1.5trn NEOM megaproject springs up from the Saudi Arabian desert. There are no limits on ambition or spending to bring the World Cup to the kingdom in 2034 - and no need to win a bidding contest.After flattering and funding FIFA, Saudi Arabia will today be confirmed as hosts of the 2034 World Cup by acclamation of football nations rather than a vote.Read more:FIFA awarding World Cups 'without transparency'FIFA has 'not changed its decision-making' It is the rapid conclusion to a 14-month process engineered to secure their victory but a strategic success for the kingdom in avoiding a protracted contest.And scrutiny of the fast-tracked process - ending a...

The family of a US journalist held captive in Syria for the last 12 years say they are "incredibly hopeful" that he can be returned safely to them amid the "chaos" following the fall of Bashar al Assad's regime.Austin Tice is thought to have been captured close to Damascus in August 2012 while covering the Syrian civil war. The freelance journalist was 31 years old at the time.His brother and sister told The World with Yalda Hakim on Sky News there had been a "hole in the family" ever since, but they had never given up hope of his return.Now, with the fall of the Assad regime in the wake of a rebel uprising in Syria, Mr Tice's family hopes the 43-year-old can finally be freed. His sister, Abigail Edaburn, said the family have also recently received proof of life from trusted sources, while...