Author: patd

Warming Up for a Hot Time

Attribution: Historic Temperatures by Bill Day, FloridaPolitics.com

World stands on frontline of disaster at Cop28, says UN climate chief | Cop28 | The Guardian

Global temperatures have broken new records in recent months, making this year the hottest on record, and perilously close to the threshold of 1.5C above pre-industrial levels that countries have agreed to hold to. Temperatures are now heading for a “hellish” 3C increase, unless urgent and drastic action is taken, but greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise.

[…]

The fortnight-long Cop28 talks will start this Thursday in Dubai, hosted by the United Arab Emirates, a major oil and gas-producing country. Scores of world leaders, senior ministers and officials from 198 countries will be in attendance, along with an estimated 70,000 delegates, making it the biggest annual conference of the parties (Cop) yet held under the 1992 UN framework convention on climate change.

The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is expected to attend, and King Charles will give the opening speech, along with the UN secretary general, António Guterres, and the UAE president, Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. The pope will also be there, the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and an invitation has been extended to Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria.

The presidents of the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters, Joe Biden of the US and Xi Jinping of China, are not expected to attend, but their envoys John Kerry and Xie Zhenhua have signalled their close cooperation before the talks.

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The Truce Be Told

Israel-Hamas war live updates: Hamas ‘close to reaching a truce,’ group’s leader says (nbcnews.com)

Multiple news reports quoting Hamas and Israeli officials this morning outlined a possible truce deal that would include a cease-fire, and at least 50 Israeli and international hostages freed along with Palestinian women and children detained in Israel released in exchange. Hamas’ leader said this morning the group is “close to a truce agreement.”

Israel-Hamas war live: Hamas leader says ‘we are close to reaching a truce’ but Israel yet to comment | Israel-Hamas war | The Guardian

  • Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said early on Tuesday morning that Hamas is “close to” a truce agreement with Israel. “We are close to reaching a deal on a truce,” Haniyeh said, adding that the group has delivered its response to Qatari mediators.
  • Hamas official Izzat el Reshiq told Al Jazeera that ongoing talks were for a truce that would last “a number of days” and include arrangements for the entry of aid in to Gaza, and a swap of hostages taken by Hamas for people imprisoned by Israel.
  • Two sources familiar with the truce talks told AFP a tentative deal includes a five-day truce, comprising a ceasefire on the ground and limits to Israeli air operations over southern Gaza. In return, between 50 and 100 prisoners held by Hamas and Islamic Jihad – a separate Palestinian militant group – would be released. They would include Israeli civilians and captives of other nationalities, but no military personnel.
  • Qatar’s prime minister said on Sunday that a deal to free some of the hostages in return for a temporary ceasefire hinged on “minor” practical issues.
  • Israeli national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir issued a statement Tuesday morning warning against a deal.