COP27 AGREES TO ADOPT LOSS AND DAMAGE FUND BUT FINER DETAILS MISSING
Extended negotiations during the Conference of the Parties (COP27) at Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt have resulted in a landmark decision to create the first-ever ‘Loss and Damage Fund (LDF)’ to compensate developing nations for harm caused by climate extremes. But there was little progress on other key issues, such as India’s call for “phasing down” all fossil fuels.
The final implementation plan released by the UN — after the climate talks got stretched by nearly three days — stated: “It welcomes the consideration, for the first time, of matters relating to funding arrangements responding to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including a focus on addressing loss and damage.”
The UN further stated it welcomes the “adoption of decisions on matters relating to funding arrangements responding to loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change”.
Finer details on the LDF were, however, missing, especially regarding funding. The text said “institutional arrangements of the Santiago network for averting, minimising, and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change to enable its full operationalisation”. Not many rich countries supported setting up such a fund, despite several developing economies, especially African and South Asian nations, clamouring for it.
It was only the European Union that made a historic intervention on the penultimate day of the negotiations, agreeing to provide financial help to poor countries facing climate extremes.
AGREEMENT: BETWEEN THE LINES
-Nothing in agreement on emission reductions or mobilising greater financial and tech resources to fight climate change
-Issues critical to operationalisation of LDF have not been addressed
-$4-6 trn a year needed for global transformation to a low-carbon economy
-$100 bn a year funding by developed nations isn't a reality yet
-‘Transitional committee’ to make recommendations on how to operationalise new funding arrangements
-Loss and Damage Fund is the only bright spot
ZAPORIZHZHIA N-PLANT SHELLED, UN WARNS AGAINST PLAYING WITH FIRE
Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, which is under Russian control, was rocked by shelling on Sunday, drawing condemnation from the U.N. nuclear watchdog which said such attacks risked a major disaster.
More than a dozen blasts shook Europe's biggest nuclear power plant on Saturday evening and Sunday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said.
Moscow and Kyiv both blamed the other for the shelling of the facility as they have done repeatedly in recent months after earlier explosions.
IAEA head Rafael Grossi said news of the blasts was extremely disturbing.
"Explosions occurred at the site of this major nuclear power plant, which is completely unacceptable. Whoever is behind this, it must stop immediately. As I have said many times before, you're playing with fire!" he said in a statement.
Citing information provided by plant management, the IAEA team on the ground said there had been damage to some buildings, systems and equipment, but none of them critical for nuclear safety and security so far.
The team plans to conduct an assessment on Monday, Grossi said in a statement issued later on Sunday.
TWO PROMINENT IRANIAN ACTRESSES ARRESTED - STATE MEDIA
Two prominent Iranian actresses have been arrested for publicly supporting mass anti-government protests, the country's state-run media reports.
Hengameh Ghaziani and Katayoun Riahi are accused of collusion and acting against Iran's authorities, Irna news agency says.
Both women earlier appeared in public without their headscarves - a gesture of solidarity with demonstrators.
Ms Ghaziani and Ms Riahi - both multiple-award winning actresses - were detained on Sunday on the orders of Iran's prosecutor's office, Irna says.
Before the arrest, Ms Ghaziani wrote on social media that "whatever happens, know that as always I will stand with the people of Iran".
"This maybe my last post," she added.
The actresses are among a number of high-profile Iranian public figures to have expressed support for the protesters rallying against the country's clerical establishment.
SPORADIC VIOLENCE, LOW TURNOUT IN NEPAL POLLS
KATHMANDU, Nepal -- Sporadic violence and lower-than-expected turnout on Sunday marred Nepal's parliamentary elections, which many hoped would bring political stability in the Himalayan nation that has changed 13 governments in the last 16 years.
One person was killed, two were wounded and voting stopped in at least 15 places, said Nepal’s Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya. He said that elections would be repeated in those locations in the next two days while counting of votes in most places, including capital Kathmandu, will start Sunday night.
It wasn't immediately clear what triggered the violence.
Army helicopters will fly ballot boxes from remote mountain villages to district capitals on Monday, he said.
Turnout was estimated at 61%, which he said was lower than anticipated.
The main contestants in Sunday's election were the ruling alliance of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's Nepali Congress party and the Maoist communist party, which were running against the Nepal Communist Party (United Marxist-Leninist), headed by former Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli.
Security was stepped up across the country as a separate communist group, known for violence in the past, called for boycotting the polls and threatened to disrupt the election.
Sunday was declared a national holiday and vehicles were barred from the streets.
CLUB Q COLORADO SHOOTING: SUSPECT HELD AFTER FIVE KILLED IN ATTACK AT NIGHTCLUB
At least five people have been killed and 25 injured after a gunman opened fire inside a gay club in the US state of Colorado on Saturday night.
A suspect is in police custody and is being treated for injuries. Two "heroic" people in the club subdued the attacker, police say.
Club Q, in Colorado Springs, wrote on Facebook that it was "devastated by the senseless attack" on its community.
US President Joe Biden said Americans "cannot and must not tolerate hate".
Police asked people to be patient while they worked to identify victims and finalise the number of casualties, adding that some people had taken themselves to hospital.
Officers received an initial emergency call about an active shooter at 23:57 (06:57 GMT) on Saturday, they said.
The suspect was found inside the club. Two firearms were found at the scene, and the attacker is thought to have used a long rifle.
Police did not suggest a motive for the shooting but said the investigation would consider whether it was a hate crime, and if more than one person was involved.
MALAYSIA ELECTS FIRST EVER HUNG PARLIAMENT
An inconclusive general election in Malaysia has produced the country's first ever hung parliament.
Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim secured the most seats, but his Pakatan Harapan alliance fell well short of a majority.
The ruling coalition, led by Ismail Sabri Yaakob, suffered its worst electoral defeat ever, winning just 30 of the 178 seats it ran for.
Veteran politician Mahathir Mohamad lost his seat, suffering his first defeat in 53 years.
At 97, Mr Mahathir has dominated Malaysian politics for decades, first serving as the country's prime minister from 1981 to 2003, and he was credited for the country's rapid economic transformation from the 1980s.
The country is now however politically unstable, having seen three prime ministers since voters went to the polls in 2018.
The former ruling party UMNO suffered its worst ever election performance. Voters instead turned to Perikatan Nasional and the conservative Islamic party PAS.
Rival parties must now present the name of a candidate they think has the majority support in the lower house of parliament.
The stalemate means the backing of parties from eastern Malaysia, on the island of Borneo, will be essential, and they are expected to press for a better deal for their region under Malaysia's federal system.
A regional coalition, Gabungan Parti Sarawak, is willing to work with former premier Muhyiddin Yassin and the incumbent administration to form a new government, state media report.
TURKEY CARRIES OUT AIR RAIDS IN NORTHERN SYRIA, IRAQ
Turkey announced on Sunday it had carried out air strikes against the bases of outlawed Kurdish militants across northern Syria and Iraq, which it said were being used to launch “terrorist” attacks on Turkish soil.
The overnight raids in northern and northeastern Syria killed at least 31 people, said the British-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. They were mainly against positions held by Syrian Kurdish forces.
The offensive, codenamed Operation Claw-Sword, comes a week after a blast in central Istanbul killed six people and wounded 81, an attack Turkey has blamed on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The strikes targeted PKK bases in northern Iraq’s mountainous regions of Kandil, Asos and Hakurk, and bases of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG), in Ayn al-Arab, Tal Rifaat, Jazira and Derik regions in Syria, the Ministry said.
2 DEATH-ROW CONVICTS ESCAPE IN BANGLADESH
Two Islamist extremists sentenced to death for their role in the murder of a publisher escaped from a Bangladesh court on Sunday after their guards were subdued with a chemical spray, the police said.
The two men were among eight members of the outlawed Ansar al Islam group sentenced last year for the 2015 killing of Faisal Arefin Dipan, who was targeted for publishing the works of a prominent atheist writer.
“When the officers were bringing out the convicts, two motorbike riders came in and blinded officers by spraying their faces,” police detective branch chief Harunur Rashid told reporters.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan ordered a nationwide manhunt for the escapees and pledged a bounty of two million taka ($19,500) for any information leading to their arrest.
K.N. Roy Niyati, a spokesman for Dhaka Metropolitan Police, added that the men were aged 33 and 24 and used multiple aliases.
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