German state elections put fresh pressure on Chancellor Merz
German voters cast ballots on Sunday in two state elections that could add to the political pressure on Chancellor Friedrich Merz, as his governmen...
COP30 ended in Brazil with a compromise agreement that expands financial support for countries facing the sharpest climate impacts, after tense negotiations stretched beyond the summit’s deadline.
Brazil worked to secure unity on the final text, pushing the agreement through despite the absence of a U.S. delegation and growing frustration among several negotiating blocs.
The central outcome was a pledge for wealthy nations to triple adaptation finance by 2035, a target aimed at strengthening the ability of vulnerable states to respond to rising temperatures, floods and storms.
Many countries said the deal still leaves major gaps. Delegates criticised the absence of stronger language on greenhouse gas reductions and the lack of any reference to fossil fuels in the mitigation work plan. Colombia, Panama and Uruguay objected to the process, saying it sidelined scientific guidance and procedural rules.
Panama’s delegate Ana Aguilar said her country struggled to support the presidency on a text adopted without standard procedure. Her comments came after a senior expert at ODI Global described widespread dissatisfaction among countries that felt the final document fell short of expectations.
After a brief suspension, the Brazilian presidency confirmed that the agreement would stand. The EU, which had pushed for tougher commitments, stepped aside to avoid a collapse of the talks.
The deal launches a voluntary initiative to accelerate national climate action, aimed at helping states meet existing emissions pledges. Developing countries welcomed the additional funding signals but warned that the current measures are not enough to confront rapidly rising climate threats.
COP30 also opened a review of international trade rules linked to clean technology. Delegates said growing trade barriers risk slowing the global shift to low carbon industries unless climate and trade frameworks are aligned.
Türkiye will host COP31 in 2026, with Australia taking the lead on negotiations as countries prepare for another test of climate diplomacy.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that additional news organisations could be barred from the White House, hours after announcing bans on CNN, MS NOW and Politico over coverage he described as “fake news”.
Greenland and Antarctica have shed a combined 11.3 trillion tonnes of ice since 1979, according to the most comprehensive satellite study of the planet's ice sheets to date, with researchers warning the pace of loss has accelerated sharply in recent decades.
The European Union will continue allowing large-scale plastic waste exports to Türkiye despite concerns over recycling rates, environmental damage and the risk of illegal waste trafficking.
Hundreds of thousands of deep-diving turtles, known as olive ridley sea turtles, have arrived on Mexico’s southern coast for one of nature’s most striking nesting events. But conservation officials warn that climate change is making it increasingly difficult for their eggs to hatch.
August 2026 tied as the hottest month ever recorded globally, pushing average temperatures above the critical 1.5°C threshold as extreme weather swept across several regions, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said.
Increasingly intense wildfires and heat waves are threatening global efforts to improve air quality and protect public health, the United Nations’ weather agency has warned.
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