| | | | | | | Hello. With a swift motion of the gavel, COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber declared the climate talks over, with a deal that stresses the need to transition away from fossil fuels. Our team in Dubai brings you the reaction and analysis. In DC, North America correspondent Anthony Zurcher witnesses Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky's chilly reception from US lawmakers. We're also looking at the impact of the military service-induced BTS hiatus and watch motorists chase after a chihuahua on the loose on a US highway. |
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| | | | Top of the agenda | | A swift end to nail-biting climate talks | | | | There was a sense of shock at how quickly the deal was gavelled through. Credit: EPA |
| | Intense negotiations at COP28 in Dubai have come to an end. The UAE presidency, apparently in a rush to conclude the summit, moved to approve the deal without opening the floor to final remarks. Usually, those who criticise elements of the deal will make their views known, even if ultimately voting in its support. While the fall of the gavel was swift, it wasn't without protest, as island nations representatives complained they were not in the room at that crucial moment. The summit's presidency dubbed the deal "historic" for the inclusion of language mentioning a "transition away from fossil fuels", namely coal, oil and gas, whose consumption emits planet-warming greenhouse gases. But, as climate editor Justin Rowlatt writes, the agreement is fundamentally weak, because it simply “call[s] on parties to contribute” to a series of actions to tackle climate change. For now, the extent of that contribution is up for each country to decide. | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | AT THE SCENE | Washington DC, USA | | Border priorities overshadow Ukraine | | Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to DC to rally support for his country's military efforts against Russia. He received a different reception from his previous two trips. | | | | Anthony Zurcher, North America correspondent |
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| | It wasn't exactly a slap on the back and a half-hearted "good luck", but it might as well have been. After meeting with Mr Zelensky on Tuesday morning, Republican senators were clear that, while they sympathised with Ukraine's plight, they view the situation at the US border as a more pressing national security concern. "I admire him, but he didn't change my mind at all about what we need to do," Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, long considered a foreign-policy hawk, told the BBC. "I know what needs to happen to get a deal. I want to secure our border." |
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| | | | Beyond the headlines | | BTS Army stand by their idols | | | | The band is arguably South Korea's most famous cultural export. Credit: BTS/X |
| | The question of whether members of one of the most popular bands in the world should take a break to serve their military duty has consumed South Korea, where most men must spend 18 months in the army by the age of 28. The inevitable could no longer be postponed, but BTS fans - themselves known as ARMY (Adorable Representative MC for Youth) - are still showing their charting power. | | | | |
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| | | | Something different | | Warning whistle | | There's a sound that accompanies tornadoes that humans can't hear. | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | Future Earth Newsletter | | Essential climate news and hopeful developments, in your inbox every Tuesday. | | |
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– Sofia |
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