- Wednesday, 20 August 2025
Reuters
At COP27, climate change framed as battle for survival
World leaders and diplomats framed the fight against global warming as a battle for human survival during opening speeches at the COP27 climate summit in Egypt, with the head of the United Nations declaring a lack of progress so far had the world speeding down a “highway to hell”.
IMF chief says $75/ton carbon price needed by 2030
The price of carbon needs to average at least $75 a ton globally by the end of the decade for global climate goals to succeed, the head of the International Monetary Fund told Reuters. Speaking on the sidelines of the COP27 climate talks in the Egyptian coastal resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the pace of change in the real economy was still "way too slow".
COP27 puts climate compensation on agenda for first time
Delegates at the U.N.'s COP27 climate summit in Egypt agreed to discuss whether rich nations should compensate poor countries most vulnerable to climate change for their suffering. "This creates for the first time an institutionally stable space on the formal agenda of COP and the Paris Agreement to discuss the pressing issue of funding arrangements needed to deal with existing gaps, responding to loss and damage," COP27 president Sameh Shoukry told the opening plenary.
Passengers stranded as pilots at Kenya Airways strike
More than two dozen flights were cancelled and thousands of passengers stranded as pilots at Kenya Airways PLC (KQNA.NR), one of Africa's biggest carriers, began a strike on Saturday, despite the government urging them to call it off.
Last year's deforestation pledge is off to a slow start
One year after more than 140 countries pledged to halt all deforestation by 2030, little has been done to finance protections or pass new conservation laws, experts say.
Twitter temporarily closes offices as layoffs begin
Twitter Inc temporarily closed its offices on Friday after telling employees they will be informed by email later in the day whether they are being laid off. The move follows a week of uncertainty about the company's future under new owner Elon Musk.
Delhi's air a 'crime against humanity', spurs calls to close schools
Delhi's 20 million residents were effectively breathing smoke on Thursday as the air quality index (AQI) breached the "severe" and "hazardous" categories in nearly all monitoring stations of the Indian capital, raising calls to close schools.
Musk says Twitter will charge $8/month for blue check mark
Twitter Inc will charge $8 a month for its Blue service, which includes its sought-after "verified" badge, new boss Elon Musk has said as he seeks to boost subscriptions and make the social media network less reliant on ads.
Brazil's 2021 climate emissions highest since 2005, report says
Brazil's greenhouse gas emissions rose more than 12% in 2021 largely due to surging deforestation in the Amazon rainforest under far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, a non-profit report has said.
WHO says monkeypox remains global health emergency
The monkeypox outbreak continues to represent a global health emergency, which is the World Health Organization's highest level of alert, the UN agency's Emergency Committee has said.
Farm fires big culprit as Delhi air quality worsens
The share of farm fires affecting Delhi's pollution has surged to more than 20% since the weekend, higher than the levels a year ago, government data showed on Tuesday as the Indian capital's air quality turned "severe" at many places.
Cyber officials from 37 countries, 13 companies to meet on ransomware in Washington
The White House will host officials from 37 countries and 13 global companies in Washington this week to address the growing threat of ransomware and other cybercrime, including the illicit use of cryptocurrencies, a senior U.S. official said.
-original-thumb.jpg)
Delhi stops construction as pollution set to worsen from Tuesday
Delhi has suspended most construction and demolition activities as air quality in the Indian capital is set to worsen from Tuesday because of calmer winds and other meteorological conditions, a government minister said.
Lula wins Brazilian election, Bolsonaro has not conceded
Brazilian leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva narrowly defeated President Jair Bolsonaro in a runoff election, but the far-right incumbent did not concede defeat on Sunday night, raising concerns that he might contest the result.
South Korea's Yoon declares mourning period after Halloween crush kills 151
South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol declared a period of national mourning on Sunday after a Halloween crush killed some 151 people in a packed nightlife area in Seoul. Yoon expressed condolences to the victims, mostly teenagers and people in their 20s, and his wishes for a speedy recovery to the many injured.
