US climate envoy Kerry says Glasgow last chance for action
In his first speech since becoming US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry said failure is “simply not an option” at COP26, which is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON JAN 21, 2021 08:20 PM IST
US President Joe Biden’s climate czar promised to make a success of the next round of global warming talks, warning it will be the last chance the world has to avoid climate disaster.
In his first speech since becoming US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry said failure is “simply not an option” at COP26, which is taking place in Glasgow, Scotland, in November.
“We really have the world’s last, most important opportunity to come together to raise ambition and to take the next step from Paris,” he said Thursday at B-20, a business leaders event advising G-20 nations.
Biden rejoined the Paris Agreement on Wednesday immediately after taking office, reversing a decision by former President Donald Trump. The Paris deal pledges to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, striving to keep temperature increases as low as 1.5°C.
That decision was criticized by Republican Senator Ted Cruz on Wednesday evening, who tweeted that it shows Biden “is more interested in the views of the citizens of Paris than in the jobs of the citizens of Pittsburgh.”
Kerry praised Europe’s policies on tackling climate and blasted Trump’s stance as “reckless” and embarrassing. He said the US will now try to repair its reputation and seek to close the gap by increasing action. Biden plans to set a goal for net-zero US emissions by 2050.
Biden’s next task will be to announce a US emissions target for 2030, which will be key to success at COP26. While Kerry said the US will rejoin the accord with increased ambition, he stopped short of suggesting a figure for emissions cuts.
Analysts at Climate Action Tracker estimate the US would need a goal to cut emissions by at least 52% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels, in order to make a fair contribution.
US expresses grave concerns over reports of abuses in Ethiopia
AP
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 06:31 PM IST
Ethiopia's central government and regional officials in Tigray both believe that each other's governments are illegitimate after the pandemic disrupted elections.
Prince William backs anti-Covid-19 vaccines in call with Indian-origin family
PTI, London
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 06:30 PM IST
More than 18 million people have now had a first vaccine dose, equivalent to one in three adults in the UK.
Remove me if you can: Nepal PM Oli challenges Prachanda
PTI, Kathmandu
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 06:25 PM IST
Addressing an event in his home district, Jhapa, Prime Minister Oli challenged the Prachanda-led faction to table a vote of no confidence motion and endorse that, My Republica newspaper reported.
US Supreme Court could put new limits on voting rights lawsuits
AP
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 06:23 PM IST
The high court's consideration comes as Republican officials in the state and around the country have proposed more than 150 measures, following last year’s elections, to restrict voting access that civil rights groups say would disproportionately affect Black and Hispanic voters.
Saudi columnists tell US President to not bully Riyadh
Reuters
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 06:21 PM IST
Prince Mohammed, de facto ruler of the US-allied Gulf powerhouse, has denied any involvement in the 2018 murder of Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Germany limits travel from French region over Covid-19 virus variant
AP
UPDATED ON FEB 28, 2021 06:21 PM IST
Germany's disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, said it would add Moselle to the list of “variant of concern” areas that already includes countries such as the Czech Republic, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
Biden team readies wider economic package after virus relief
AP, Washington
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 06:07 PM IST
Biden has talked bigger numbers, and some Democrats are now urging him to bypass Republicans in the closely divided Congress to address a broader range of priorities urged by interest groups.
Newspaper photographer attacked, seriously hurt in France
AP, Paris
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 05:54 PM IST
The newspaper L'Union said Sunday that Christian Lantenois, 65, was in a serious but stable condition at a hospital in Reims in northeast France.
Russia launches space satellite Arktika-M to monitor climate in Arctic
Posted by Kunal Gaurav | Reuters
UPDATED ON FEB 28, 2021 05:44 PM IST
The Arctic has warmed more than twice as fast as the global average over the last three decades and Moscow is seeking to develop the energy-rich region.
Spacewalking Nasa astronauts prep station for new solar wings
Posted by Kunal Gaurav | AP, Cape Canaveral
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 05:40 PM IST
- With more people and experiments flying on the space station, more power will be needed to keep everything running, according to Nasa.
China rolls out first locally made single-dose Covid vaccine
By Sutritho Patranobis I Edited by Vinod Janardhanan
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 05:40 PM IST
The vaccine was jointly developed by Cansino Biologics, a Tianjin-based private company, and researchers from the Institute of Military Medicine under the Academy of Military Sciences led by scientist, Chen Wei.
Australia receives first batch of AstraZeneca vaccines
ANI
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 05:16 PM IST
In addition to AstraZeneca's jabs, Australia also has greenlighted the use of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine, and expects the arrival of 20 million doses this year. Vaccinations using Pfizer's shots started in the country a week ago.
China rolls out first one-jab Covid-19 vaccine: Report
PTI, Beijing
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 05:13 PM IST
Phase-I clinical trials of the vaccine started on March 16, last year, making it the world's first Covid-19 candidate vaccine that entered clinical trials.
'Vindication of Prince': Saudi commentators thank Biden for report on Khashoggi
Bloomberg
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 04:55 PM IST
Prince Mohammed has denied involvement in the Khashoggi killing, while saying he accepts symbolic responsibility as the country’s de facto ruler.
Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny reaches penal colony to serve prison term
Reuters, Moscow
PUBLISHED ON FEB 28, 2021 04:50 PM IST
Navalny's ally Leonid Volkov said on social media earlier on Sunday that Navalny's family and lawyers had not been officially informed about his whereabouts.
