Climate-vulnerable nations ‘fight for their lives’ at COP26
Researchers say a climate change draft document is weak on the crucial issue of finance for poorer nations with vague language on commitments and enforcement rules.
Climate change researchers at COP26 challenged a final draft communique released by the United Nations on Wednesday, questioning its ability to protect the planet from disastrous weather chaos.
The draft – released ahead of Friday’s final day of negotiations among 197 nations to curtail runaway climate change – was lauded for highlighting the need to end fossil fuel subsidies for the first time, but criticised for vague language on commitments to cut greenhouse gas emissions, and a lack of firm accountability provisions.
Thai court rules calls for curbs on monarchy are ‘abuse of freedoms’
Constitutional court’s ruling in case against three protest leaders is denounced as ‘judicial coup’
A Thai court’s ruling that protesters’ calls for reform of the monarchy amounted to an attempt to overthrow it has been likened to “a judicial coup”.
Thailand’s political establishment was shocked last year when the leaders of a wave of youthful protests that broke a long-held taboo in calling for curbs on the royal family issued a 10-point list of demands, including that the royal budget be reduced and that the king not interfere with politics.
The constitutional court, ruling in a hearing on the cases of three protest leaders – Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul, 23, Arnon Nampa, 37, and Panupong Jadnok, 24 – said such demands were an “abuse of the rights and freedoms and harmed the state’s security” and ordered an end to them.
Merkel pressures Putin to act on Poland-Belarus standoff
Germany's outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged Russia's Vladimir Putin to help resolve the ongoing migrant standoff between Poland and Belarus.
In a telephone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel decried the "instrumentalization of migrants" by Belarus as "inhumane and unacceptable."
She also asked the Russian leader to act on the matter, according to her spokesman, Steffen Seibert.
According to a statement from the Kremlin, Putin suggested discussing the issues through "direct contact between EU member states and Minsk."
Garbage piles and violent clashes: The waste crisis roiling Tunisia’s Sfax
Uncollected waste has been piling up in the streets of the Tunisian city of Sfax for more than 40 days and the stench of the rotting garbage has become unbearable for many locals. In recent days, public anger has spilled over into violent protests, with reports of at least one person having died. The crisis is the result of the closure of the region’s landfill following protests by residents who charged that toxic waste was also being dumped at the site.
The US and Europe have finally reconnected, but they're moving in different directions on Covid-19
Updated 1235 GMT (2035 HKT) November 10, 2021
In September, when the White House announced its long-awaited plan to welcome vaccinated European travelers, the United States was consumed by a Covid-19 surge that far outpaced Europe's.
Millions of college students use Chegg, which professors say enables cheating – and possibly blackmail
Chris Quintana, USA TODAY
An apparent good Samaritan had bad news for math professor Juan Gutiérrez: One of his students cheated on an exam.
The person, who identified himself as an incoming graduate student in the USA, said he helped an undergraduate on a test after the two connected online. The emailer said he worked for Chegg, a website that sells itself as a one-stop shop for collegians who need help with their studies.
Some academics and students know Chegg for another reason: claims it enables cheating in the classroom.
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