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BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — In the wee hours Sunday at the United Nations climate talks, countries from around the world reached an agreement on how rich countries can cough up the funds to support poor countries in the face of climate change. It's a far-from-perfect arrangement, with many parties still unsatisfied but some hopeful that the deal will be a step in the right direction. World Resources Institute president and CEO Ani Dasgupta called it “an important down payment toward a safer, more equitable future,” but added that the poorest and most vulnerable nations are “rightfully disappointed that wealthier countries didn’t put more money on the table when billions of people’s lives are at stake.” The summit was supposed to end on Friday evening but negotiations spiraled on through early Sunday. With countries on opposite ends of a massive chasm, tensions ran high as delegations tried to close the gap in expectations. Here's how they got there: What was the finance deal agreed at climate talks? Rich countries have agreed to pool together at least $300 billion a year by 2035. It’s not near the full amount of $1.3 trillion that developing countries were asking for, and that experts said was needed. But some delegations said this deal is headed in the right direction, with hopes that more money flows in the future. The text included a call for all parties to work together using “all public and private sources” to get closer to the $1.3 trillion per year goal by 2035. That means also pushing for international mega-banks, funded by taxpayer dollars, to help foot the bill. And it means, hopefully, that companies and private investors will follow suit on channeling cash toward climate action. The agreement is also a critical step toward helping countries on the receiving end create more ambitious targets to limit or cut emissions of heat-trapping gases that are due early next year. It’s part of the plan to keep cutting pollution with new targets every five years, which the world agreed to at the U.N. talks in Paris in 2015. The Paris agreement set the system of regular ratcheting up climate fighting ambition as away to keep warming under 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels. The world is already at 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) and carbon emissions keep rising. What will the money be spent on? The deal decided in Baku replaces a previous agreement from 15 years ago that charged rich nations $100 billion a year to help the developing world with climate finance. The new number has similar aims: it will go toward the developing world's long laundry list of to-dos to prepare for a warming world and keep it from getting hotter. That includes paying for the transition to clean energy and away from fossil fuels. Countries need funds to build up the infrastructure needed to deploy technologies like wind and solar power on a large scale. Communities hard-hit by extreme weather also want money to adapt and prepare for events like floods, typhoons and fires. Funds could go toward improving farming practices to make them more resilient to weather extremes, to building houses differently with storms in mind, to helping people move from the hardest-hit areas and to help leaders improve emergency plans and aid in the wake of disasters. The Philippines, for example, has been hammered by six major storms in less than a month , bringing to millions of people howling wind, massive storm surges and catastrophic damage to residences, infrastructure and farmland. “Family farmers need to be financed," said Esther Penunia of the Asian Farmers Association. She described how many have already had to deal with millions of dollars of storm damage, some of which includes trees that won't again bear fruit for months or years, or animals that die, wiping out a main source of income. “If you think of a rice farmer who depends on his or her one hectare farm, rice land, ducks, chickens, vegetables, and it was inundated, there was nothing to harvest,” she said. Why was it so hard to get a deal? Election results around the world that herald a change in climate leadership, a few key players with motive to stall the talks and a disorganized host country all led to a final crunch that left few happy with a flawed compromise. The ending of COP29 is "reflective of the harder geopolitical terrain the world finds itself in,” said Li Shuo of the Asia Society. He cited Trump's recent victory in the US — with his promises to pull the country out of the Paris Agreement — as one reason why the relationship between China and the EU will be more consequential for global climate politics moving forward. Developing nations also faced some difficulties agreeing in the final hours, with one Latin American delegation member saying that their group didn't feel properly consulted when small island states had last-minute meetings to try to break through to a deal. Negotiators from across the developing world took different tacks on the deal until they finally agreed to compromise. Meanwhile, activists ramped up the pressure: many urged negotiators to stay strong and asserted that no deal would be better than a bad deal. But ultimately the desire for a deal won out. Some also pointed to the host country as a reason for the struggle. Mohamed Adow, director of climate and energy think tank Power Shift Africa, said Friday that “this COP presidency is one of the worst in recent memory,” calling it “one of the most poorly led and chaotic COP meetings ever.” The presidency said in a statement, “Every hour of the day, we have pulled people together. Every inch of the way, we have pushed for the highest common denominator. We have faced geopolitical headwinds and made every effort to be an honest broker for all sides.” Shuo retains hope that the opportunities offered by a green economy “make inaction self-defeating” for countries around the world, regardless of their stance on the decision. But it remains to be seen whether the UN talks can deliver more ambition next year. In the meantime, “this COP process needs to recover from Baku,” Shuo said. ___ Associated Press reporters Seth Borenstein and Sibi Arasu contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org . Melina Walling, The Associated PressHow mysterious murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson sparked frenzied NYC manhunt
Another important factor that could pave the way for political change in Syria is the growing disillusionment with the current regime among the Syrian population. Years of conflict, violence, and repression have taken a heavy toll on the Syrian people, leading to widespread discontent and anger towards the Assad regime. As the humanitarian crisis in Syria deepens and the economic situation deteriorates, more and more Syrians are seeking an alternative to the status quo, opening the door for a potential political transition.
Title: All Hail the National Idol! Lang Ping Celebrates her 64th Birthday, the Legendary Icon of Chinese Women's Volleyball, and Receives Blessings from the Olympics
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With the help of agricultural experts and modern cultivation techniques, Mr. Li's mushroom farm quickly became a model of efficiency and innovation. Rows of mushroom beds filled with oyster, shiitake, and other gourmet varieties now stand where piles of unused wood scraps once gathered dust.To the critics complaining about the humble Christmas tree that was generously donated to the town of Chester for the holiday season, Linus Van Pelt would like to have a word. His memorable quote from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” seems most appropriate after the white pine tree arrived in the center of town this week and lit up social media. “I never thought it was such a bad little tree. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love,” Linus famously said as he gently lifted up Charlie Brown’s drooping tree and wrapped his blue blanket around the base. In the wake of a resident’s post on the “Chester NH Front Porch Chatter” Facebook page griping about its appearance, other community members are now rallying around the tree that stands at the intersection of routes 102 and 121 and will be the focus of a special tree lighting ceremony on Saturday beginning at 5 p.m. “It’s really a shame that someone is denigrating a generous gift that another resident gave. That’s what I found sad,” Town Administrator Debra Doda said after she read the original post and some of the comments that followed. The post criticized the tree, saying it “looks like one of the scrub pines they have been cutting along Rt. 102 this week!” The resident also complained that for his $12,000 in taxes he expects “something better.” In another post that was supportive of the tree, one man complained, “Even Charlie Brown would be embarrassed by this tree. Come on Chester! We can do better!” The tree was donated by an anonymous resident who cut it down on his property and offered it to the town for the season. According to Doda, putting up a live tree in the center of town is a relatively new idea that began in December 2021 when a large Christmas tree was purchased as part of Chester’s 300th anniversary celebration in 2022. “It was so nice and we thought it would be nice to have one every year, but trees are expensive,” she said. Because the town doesn’t want to use tax dollars to buy a tree each year, Doda said it’s relying on generous residents to donate one instead. “It’s nice to have and you can drive by and look at it. It’s a very generous gift from a resident,” she said. Doda said this isn’t the first time that a tree has been the target of criticism. She recalled how some residents complained about the size of another tree two years ago. “I think it’s too bad. Maybe those people should donate a tree next year,” she said. But the tree, which sits just outside the Chester Public Library, is getting lots of love from library staff and others who have noticed it in recent days. “I love that we have the tree. I think it’s a beautiful gesture,” Library Director Kandace Knowlton said. Library aide Melody Roy is also appreciative of the tree and all that it symbolizes this time of year. “It’s nice to have something out there,” she said. The online chatter has also taken a more positive tone with many giving a picture of the tree hearts and supportive comments, suggesting the tree is a reflection of the true meaning of the holiday. One resident took a fitting line from Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” posting: “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
BERLIN (AP) — Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk caused uproar after backing Germany’s far-right party in a major newspaper ahead of key parliamentary elections in the Western European country, leading to the resignation of the paper’s opinion editor in protest. Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed last month in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Musk's guest opinion piece for Welt am Sonntag — a sister publication of POLITICO owned by the Axel Springer Group — published in German over the weekend, was the second time this month he supported the Alternative for Germany, or AfD. “The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the last spark of hope for this country," Musk wrote in his translated commentary. He went on to say the far-right party “can lead the country into a future where economic prosperity, cultural integrity and technological innovation are not just wishes, but reality.” The Tesla Motors CEO also wrote that his investment in Germany gave him the right to comment on the country's condition. The AfD is polling strongly, but its candidate for the top job, Alice Weidel , has no realistic chance of becoming chancellor because other parties refuse to work with the far-right party. An ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, the technology billionaire challenged in his opinion piece the party's public image. “The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!” Musk’s commentary has led to a debate in German media over the boundaries of free speech, with the paper's own opinion editor announcing her resignation, pointedly on Musk's social media platform, X. “I always enjoyed leading the opinion section of WELT and WAMS. Today an article by Elon Musk appeared in Welt am Sonntag. I handed in my resignation yesterday after it went to print," Eva Marie Kogel wrote. The newspaper was also attacked by politicians and other media for offering Musk, an outsider, a platform to express his views, in favor of the AfD. Candidate for chancellor, Friedrich Merz, of the Christian Democratic Union, said Sunday that Musk's comments were “intrusive and presumptuous”. He was speaking to the newspapers of the German Funke Media Group. Co-leader of the Social Democratic Party, Saskia Esken said that “Anyone who tries to influence our election from outside, who supports an anti-democratic, misanthropic party like the AfD, whether the influence is organized by the state from Russia or by the concentrated financial and media power of Elon Musk and his billionaire friends on the Springer board, must expect our tough resistance,” according to the ARD national public TV network. Musk's opinion piece in the Welt am Sonntag was accompanied by a critical article by the future editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Jan Philipp Burgard. “Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally wrong,” Burgard wrote. Responding to a request for comment from the German Press Agency, dpa, the current editor-in-chief of the Welt group, Ulf Poschardt, and Burgard — who is due to take over on Jan. 1 — said in a joint statement that the discussion over Musk's piece was "very insightful. Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression.” “This will continue to determine the compass of the “world” in the future. We will develop “Die Welt” even more decisively as a forum for such debates,” they wrote to dpa.
The legal battle between Zhang Jizhong and his former spouse has been ongoing for several years, with both parties trading accusations and seeking legal remedies. The latest ruling, which requires Zhang's company to pay a hefty sum in damages, is a significant setback for the renowned filmmaker.
In contrast, Yang Zi, a rising star in the entertainment scene, represents a new generation of talent that is making waves in the industry. With her youthful exuberance, infectious energy, and natural charm, Yang Zi has quickly captured the hearts of viewers both in China and abroad. Best known for her roles in popular TV dramas such as "Ode to Joy" and "Ashes of Love," Yang Zi brings a fresh and modern vibe to the screen.Sindh govt rebuilds hope by improved infrastructure in flood-hit areas
As the cute economy continues to gain momentum, it presents both opportunities and challenges for businesses looking to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. By understanding the preferences and motivations of young consumers, companies can tap into the power of cuteness to drive innovation, build brand loyalty, and create meaningful connections with their audience.1. Prompt Emergency Response: The company's emergency response team quickly mobilized to address the fire incident and ensure the safety of personnel and mitigate the impact on services. Firefighting efforts were immediately initiated, with the support of local authorities and emergency services.