- Trump rallies at site of failed assassination: 'Never quit'
- Too hot by day, Dubai's floodlit beaches are packed at night
- Is music finally reckoning with #MeToo?
- Fans hail Trump's 'guts' as he returns to site of rally shooting
- Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit south Beirut
- Miami on track for MLS record points after win in Toronto
- Monaco take top spot in Ligue 1 with win at Rennes
- Madrid beat Villarreal to level Liga leaders Barca
- Thuram treble fires Inter past Torino and up to second
- 'Fight': defiant Trump jets in to site of rally shooting
- Mexico City's new mayor sworn in with pledges on water, housing
- Israel on alert ahead of Hamas attack anniversary
- Guardians maul Tigers in MLB playoff series opener
- Macron criticises Israel on Gaza, Lebanon operations
- French rugby player whistled but 'serene' on return amid ongoing rape case
- Retegui hat-trick fires five-star Atalanta to hammering of Genoa
- Heavyweights Australia, England off to World Cup winning starts
- Visiting UN refugee agency chief decries 'terrible crisis' in Lebanon
- Spinners come to party as England defeat Bangladesh at T20 World Cup
- Search continues for missing in deadly Bosnia floods
- Man City sink Fulham to get title bid back on track
- France's Auradou whistled on Pau return in Perpignan loss amid ongoing rape case
- A 'forgotten' valley in storm-hit North Carolina, desperate for help
- Arsenal hit back in style after Southampton scare
- Hezbollah heir apparent Safieddine out of contact after strikes
- Liverpool stay top of Premier League as Arsenal, Man City win
- In dank Tour of Emilia, Pogacar shines in rainbow jersey
- DR Congo launches mpox vaccination drive, hoping to curb outbreak
- Trump returns to site of failed assassination
- Careless Leverkusen held to Bundesliga draw
- O'Brien's 'superstar' Kyprios posts landmark win on Arc weekend
- Liverpool suffer Alisson injury blow
- Habosi helps Racing beat Vannes before Auradou's playing return
- Thousands march in London in support of Palestinians, 1 year after Oct 7
- Israel readying response to Iran missile attack
- Schutt, Mooney help Australia beat Sri Lanka in Women's T20 World Cup
- Liverpool extend Premier League lead with win at Palace
- Djokovic 'shakes rust off' to make third round of Shanghai Masters
- 'Imperfect' PSG fighting on all fronts - Luis Enrique
- Struggling Pakistan look to thwart adaptable England
- Child 'trampled to death' in asylum seekers' Channel crossing: minister
- Gauff fights back to set up Beijing final against Muchova
- Guardiola claims Premier League won't delay season for Man City
- Israel to mark October 7 attack as Gaza war spreads
- Gauff fights back to reach China Open final
- Recovering Stokes ruled out of first Pakistan Test
- Hezbollah battles troops on border as Israel pounds Lebanon
- Alcaraz, Sinner breeze into third round of Shanghai Masters
- Bagnaia wins Japan MotoGP sprint to cut Martin's lead
- Alcaraz breezes into third round of Shanghai Masters
'Urgency of action': pressure grows for COP28 climate deal
UN climate talks negotiators were under growing pressure on Sunday as the deadline nears to strike a new global deal aimed at keeping global warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Before COP28's scheduled finish on Tuesday, officials warned progress was too slow as a critical dispute remains -- whether to include language on the winding-down of fossil fuel production.
- 'Most ambitious version' -
Germany's chief negotiator Jennifer Morgan urged the United Arab Emirates' COP28 presidency, led by state oil company CEO Sultan Al Jaber, to push for the "most ambitious" agreement.
"There is a real urgency of action to keep the planetary pain threshold of 1.5 degrees in reach," she said.
"Today is the day the presidency takes over primary responsibility for figuring out what the most ambitious version of an outcome package can be at this COP.
"The COP presidency has reiterated many times that they are here to facilitate an ambitious decision. This means there needs to be strong language on the phase-out of fossil fuels in line with 1.5C."
- 'Deep cuts' -
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged COP28 delegates to agree big cuts to emissions and called on oil and gas companies to lead the renewable energy transition.
"I urge fossil fuel companies to use their enormous resources to lead the renewables revolution," he told the Doha Forum in Qatar.
"And I urge global leaders at COP28 in Dubai to agree on deep cuts to emissions in line with 1.5 degrees. That is the only road not only to climate sustainability, but economic sustainability."
- 'Not nearly enough' -
The International Energy Agency said non-binding pledges made by governments and the oil and gas industry so far at COP28 would reduce energy-related greenhouse gas emissions by only 30 percent of what is needed by 2030.
"While the pledges are positive steps forward in tackling the energy sector's greenhouse gas emissions, they would not be nearly enough to move the world onto a path to reaching international climate targets, in particular the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius," it said.
The agency released an assessment of non-binding promises made in Dubai: tripling renewable energy and doubling energy efficiency by 2030, as well as sharp cuts in methane emissions.
According to the UN climate body, 130 countries have signed on to the pledge on renewables and energy efficiency.
- 'Small minority' -
A small minority of countries at the UN climate talks are blocking a growing consensus to phase out fossil fuels, at-risk Vanuatu's climate change minister told AFP.
"The majority here wants fossil-fuel language, language that takes us away from fossil fuels, that indicates a desire for us to move according to the science, according to the 1.5 degree target," Regenvanu said, adding that talks were at a "critical stage".
"So that is the will of the majority. We need the small minority of countries that is blocking progress to shift the position, and that's what we're working on for the next couple of days."
The low-lying Pacific islands nation faces a severe threat from rising sea levels and has been battered by three tropical cyclones this year, including a category-five storm in October.
- OPEC protest -
A small group of demonstrators briefly invaded the OPEC pavilion, calling for the phase-out of fossil fuels.
Half a dozen activists staged their protest two days after revelations that OPEC had urged its members to "proactively reject" a phase-out.
"We know that OPEC sent a letter to its members, asking them to reject a phase-out of fossil fuels, and we think it's a bad sign," Nicolas Haeringer of the 350.org NGO told a startled group of visitors.
"For us, having an OPEC pavilion at COP is like having a huge oil well in the negotiations."
- Pollution soars -
The world's tallest building, Burj Khalifa, was again shrouded by smog as Dubai's air pollution hit "unhealthy" levels, according to the WAQI.info tracking site.
The reading of 152 micrograms per cubic metre of PM2.5 pollution -- the fine particulate matter that is most harmful as it can enter the bloodstream -- is well above levels considered safe by the World Health Organization.
In "unhealthy" air quality, "everyone may begin to experience health effects; members of sensitive groups may experience more serious health effects", WAQI.info warns.
Last week, a Human Rights Watch report citing analysis of government air quality data and satellite imagery said the UAE suffers "alarmingly high" pollution levels fed by its fossil fuel industry.
P.L.Madureira--PC