Global leaders gather in Colombia to boost biodiversity conservation efforts

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and several heads of state emphasized the need for countries to expedite negotiations to support global biodiversity conservation at the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, on Tuesday.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro highlighted the importance of discussing collective strategies to tackle the challenges posed by climate change and to protect biodiversity.

In light of the alarming loss of biodiversity, COP15 established the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. COP16 is viewed as a pivotal moment for action and implementing the framework's goals.

Guterres warned that the world is in a "war" with nature, a conflict that has no winners, and urged nations to take concrete steps to protect biodiversity and fully realize the framework's commitments.

Under the theme of "Peace with Nature", COP16 is underway in Cali from October 21 to November 1.

Global leaders gather in Colombia to boost biodiversity conservation efforts

Global leaders gather in Colombia to boost biodiversity conservation efforts

Russia said on Saturday that its armed forces still hold control of the strategic city of Kupyansk in the Kharkiv region, but the claim was denied by the Ukrainian side. The Russian Ministry of Defense said in Saturday's report that Kupyansk is now under the control of its western group army.

Russian forces are also searching for Ukrainian soldiers hiding in various buildings and basements in Kupyansk, according to the report.

However, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine responded on the same day that the Ukrainian side still controls some of the residential areas in Kupyansk, and they have managed to besiege some of Russia's remnant troops. The battle in the urban area is still going on, it said.

Located by the river of Oskil, Kupyansk is an important stronghold for the Ukrainian forces as all supply lines of the Ukrainian army on the left bank of the Oskil River pass through the city.

Russian media believed that getting hold of Kupyansk allows Russian forces to continue advancing westward and open up a direct route from the south to Vovchansk.

Russia claims holding Kupyansk while Ukraine denies it