- Honda and Nissan expected to begin merger talks
- 'Draconian' Vietnam internet law heightens free speech fears
- Israeli women mobilise against ultra-Orthodox military exemptions
- Asian markets track Wall St rally as US inflation eases rate worries
- Tens of thousands protest in Serbian capital over fatal train station accident
- Trump vows to 'stop transgender lunacy' as a top priority
- Daniels throws five TDs as Commanders down Eagles, Lions and Vikings win
- 'Who's next?': Misinformation and online threats after US CEO slaying
- Only 12 trucks delivered food, water in North Gaza Governorate since October: Oxfam
- Langers edge Tiger and son Charlie in PNC Championship playoff
- Explosive batsman Jacobs gets New Zealand call-up for Sri Lanka series
- Holders PSG edge through on penalties in French Cup
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin to talk gas deliveries
- Daniels throw five TDs as Commanders down Eagles
- Atalanta fight back to take top spot in Serie A, Roma hit five
- Mancini admits regrets over leaving Italy for Saudi Arabia
- Run machine Ayub shines as Pakistan sweep South Africa
- Slovak PM Fico on surprise visit to Kremlin
- Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill 35
- 'Incredible' Liverpool must stay focused: Slot
- Maresca 'absolutely happy' as title-chasing Chelsea drop points in Everton draw
- Salah happy wherever career ends after inspiring Liverpool rout
- Three and easy as Dortmund move into Bundesliga top six
- Liverpool hit Spurs for six, Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth
- Netanyahu vows to act with 'force, determination' against Yemen's Huthis
- Mbappe back from 'bottom' as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- Ali hat-trick helps champions Ahly crush Belouizdad
- France kept on tenterhooks over new government
- Salah stars as rampant Liverpool hit Spurs for six
- Syria's new leader says all weapons to come under 'state control'
- 'Sonic 3' zips to top of N.America box office
- Rome's Trevi Fountain reopens to limited crowds
- Mbappe strikes as Real Madrid down Sevilla
- 'Nervous' Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
- Pope again condemns 'cruelty' of Israeli strikes on Gaza
- Lonely this Christmas: Vendee skippers in low-key celebrations on high seas
- Troubled Man Utd humiliated by Bournemouth
- 2 US pilots shot down over Red Sea in 'friendly fire' incident: military
- Man Utd embarrassed by Bournemouth, Chelsea held at Everton
- France awaits fourth government of the year
- Germany pledges security inquest into Christmas market attack
- Death toll in Brazil bus crash rises to 41
- Joshua bout only fight left for beaten Fury says promoter Hearn
- Odermatt stays hot to break Swiss World Cup wins record
- Neville says Rashford's career at Man Utd nearing 'inevitable ending'
- Syria's new leader vows not to negatively interfere in Lebanon
- Germany pledges security inquest after Christmas market attack
- Putin vows 'destruction' on Ukraine after Kazan drone attack
- Understated Usyk seeks recognition among boxing legends
- France awaits appointment of new government
COP29 fight for climate money 'humiliating': Bangladesh's Yunus
Bangladesh's interim leader on Wednesday slammed the "humiliating" fight for climate finance at the COP29 talks, demanding rich countries and emitters pay for the problems they caused.
Muhammed Yunus, who leads one of the world's most climate-vulnerable nations, said countries who bear little responsibility for global warming were being forced to haggle for help adapting to the consequences.
"I think that's very humiliating for nations, to come and ask for money to fix... (the) problem that others caused for them," he told AFP on the sidelines of UN climate talks in Azerbaijan.
"Why should we be dragged here to negotiate?" he added.
"You know the problem... it's not a fish market."
The comments illustrate the frustration of developing countries seeking substantially more money from rich nations to help them adapt to climate shocks and transition to cleaner energy.
Sharpening their focus, a new report warned that planet-warming carbon emissions from fossil fuels rose to record highs this year and much faster action is needed to meet climate pledges.
That means that to meet the Paris agreement's ambitious goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the world now needs to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by the late 2030s -- instead of 2050, the scientists at the Global Carbon project said.
"This is what the presidency has been promoting since the beginning of this year -- the time window is narrowing, shrinking -- and we need to act urgently," Yalchin Rafiyev, Azerbaijan's lead negotiator for COP29, told AFP.
"There are still possibilities for keeping 1.5C within reach", and striking a deal on climate finance "will definitely pave the way for us to realise this opportunity".
- 'Magic money tree' -
Negotiators still have a large mountain to climb on any deal, however, with a fresh draft Wednesday leaving most sticking points completely unresolved.
Most developing countries want an annual commitment of at least $1.3 trillion -- over 10 times what donors including the United States, the European Union and Japan currently pay.
The donor countries want others to join them in paying, particularly China and wealthy Gulf states, and are reluctant to promise large new amounts of public money at a time when they face economic and political pressure at home.
They want instead to promise private sector mobilisation, an option NGOs describe as "wishful thinking".
"They always like to look at the private sector as the magic money tree," said Debbie Hillier, global climate policy lead for Mercy Corps.
For developing countries already buried in debt, the aid must be in grants rather than loans.
Philip Davis, the prime minister of the Bahamas, said small island nations have spent 18 times more on debt repayment than they have received in climate finance.
"The world has found the ability to finance wars, the ability to mobilise against pandemics," Davis said.
"Yet when it comes to addressing the most profound crisis of our time, the very survival of nations, where is that same ability?"
With progress on finance moving no faster than on emissions, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama ditched his prepared remarks to complain that "our speeches full of good words about climate change, change nothing".
He skewered the many leaders who skipped the event, saying their absences added "insult to injury".
- Diplomatic tensions -
Hanging over proceedings was a brewing diplomatic spat between host Azerbaijan and France, whose ecology minister said she would not travel to Baku after "unacceptable" remarks by Azerbaijan's president.
The comments were in reference to bloody protests that rocked New Caledonia this year.
Relations between Paris and Baku are very frosty over France's longtime support for Azerbaijan's arch-rival Armenia.
Last year, Azerbaijan defeated the country in a lightning offensive when it retook the breakaway Armenian-populated region of Nagorno-Karabakh -- leading to an exodus of more than 100,000 Armenians.
Wednesday was not entirely without progress, though: next year's COP host Brazil formally submitted its updated climate commitments, pledging to reduce greenhouse gases 59-67 percent from 2005 levels by 2035.
The pledge would be ambitious "as long as the country strives for the highest end," said Karen Silverwood-Cope, climate director at WRI Brasil.
"If Brazil only meets the low end... the country will veer well off track from delivering on its climate goals."
S.Gregor--AMWN