U.N. establishes fund for developing nations affected by climate change: the U.S. pledged $17.5 million, while the United Arab Emirates pledged $100 million and the European Union promised $225 million — nbcnews — 30 November 2023 (LINK)

Climate change misinformation in Latin America threatens efforts to combat it: A new study looked at the online spread of false narratives in Spanish and Portuguese after climate-fueled natural disasters hit Brazil, Peru and Chile — nbcnews — 30 November 2023 (LINK)

A new solar system has been found 100 light-years away in the Milky Way around star known as HD 110067. All 6 planets are perfectly in-sync, astronomers say — cbsnew — 30 November 2023 (LINK)

— A pair of planet-hunting satellites — NASA's Tess and the European Space Agency's Cheops — teamed up for the observations that discovered the solar system. "We're looking at what a solar system may have looked like billions of years ago, even what our solar system may have looked like billions of years ago." None of the planets are within the star's so-called habitable zone, which means little if any likelihood of life, at least as we know it.

Hostage families criticise Red Cross for 'failing to fulfill its role' (video) — france24 — 30 November 2023 (LINK)

Israeli prisoner release shines light on system of detaining Palestinians without charge: Of the 300 prisoners identified as eligible for release in exchange for hostages, 80% were not convicted of any crimes, an NBC News analysis revealed — v — 30 November 2023 (LINK)

Oklahoma executes man who claimed self-defense in double homicide — cbsnews — 30 November 2023 (LINK)

— Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt declined to commute his sentence, despite a clemency recommendation from the state's Pardon and Parole Board. His legal team filed paperwork in October asking for DNA testing on the physical evidence from the homicide, which the team said could prove that he acted in self-defense. The State and court denied the request, court documents said.

Vail Resorts to acquire Crans-Montana mountain ski and cable cars, the company's second ski resort in Europe: not buying resort itself despite announcement — vailresorts — 30 November 2023 (LINK)

— Vail Resorts is acquiring an 84-percent ownership stake in Remontées Mécaniques Crans Montana Aminona (CMA) SA, which controls and operates all the resort's lifts and supporting mountain operations, including 4 retail and rental locations. The company is acquiring an 80-percent ownership stake in SportLife AG, which operates one of the ski schools located at the resort. Vail Resorts is also acquiring 100 percent ownership of 11 restaurants located on and around the mountain.

Cop28 president denies on eve of summit he abused his position to sign oil deals — ground.news: 30 media reports — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

COP28 should seek total fossil fuel 'phaseout': UN chief to AFP — AFP / barrons — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

COP28: four key issues that will dominate the latest UN climate summit — theconversation — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

— Whether the host really matters, a fight over the agenda, the global stocktake, phasing down (or out) fossil fuels.

COP28: 7 policies could help save a billion lives by 2100 — theconversation — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

— "A 2 C temperature rise equates to a billion prematurely dead people over the next century. Direct mortal effects of climate change include heat waves, which have already caused thousands of human deaths by a combination of heat and humidity and even threaten babies. Intermediate causes of death involve crop failures, droughts, flooding, extreme weather, wildfires and rising seas. Crop failures, in particular, can make global hunger and starvation worse. More frequent and severe droughts can lead to more wildfires that also cause human deaths, as we saw in Hawaii. Droughts can also lead to contaminated water, more frequent disease and deaths from dehydration."

On the other hand, climate change can also cause flooding (and crop failures from too much water), which also drives hunger and disease. Climate change drives sea level rise and the resultant submersion of low-lying coastal areas and storm surges exacerbate flood risks, which are life-threatening for billions of people in coastal cities who face the prospect of forced migration.

Climate change also increases extreme weather events, which kill and cause considerable damage to essential services such as the electric grid and medical facilities. Salt water intrusion also threatens coastal agriculture, further reducing food supplies.

Finally, climate change also indirectly increases the probability of conflict and war. Although the academic consensus on climate-change-induced war is far from settled, there is little doubt climate change amplifies stress and can cause more localized conflict.

1. We must mandate all new construction be net-zero buildings or positive energy buildings.
2. Mandate mass purchases of energy conservation or renewable energy technologies and make them freely available to everyone with zero-interest loans that are easily paid back with energy savings.
3. Immediately end the sale of fossil fuel vehicles which will save considerable carbon and money as electric vehicles already have a lower lifetime cost than gas vehicles).
4. Revoke the charters of fossil fuel companies and disperse their assets if a company or industry is responsible for killing more people from emissions than they employ. The United States coal industry already kills more people from air pollution per year than it employs, and that does not include climate change-related deaths.
5. Immediately stop investing in more fossil fuels and heavily tax all fossil fuel-related investments, and/or hold climate emitters as well as investors economically liable for harm caused by carbon emissions in the future.
6. Retrain fossil fuel workers en masse for renewable energy jobs which would help both society and workers who could expect an on average seven per cent pay rise moving to the solar industry.
7. Immediately ban the extraction of fossil fuels with enforced moratoriums.

From climate-denying bots on X/Twitter to Big Oil Facebook ads and right-wing news sites, an echo chamber of disinformation is set to muddy efforts to cut emissions in the UAE — dw — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

UNFCCC partners with Microsoft to use AI and advanced data technology to track global carbon emissions and assess progress under the Paris Agreement — microsoft — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

At least 40 civilians killed by al Qaeda-linked rebels in a Burkina Faso town near Mali, U.N. says — ground.news main source: AP 54, media reports — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Russia fails to win seat on chemical watchdog board — AFP / themoscowtimes — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

Sri Lanka says it struck a deal with creditors on debt restructuring to clear way for IMF funds — ground.news: 26 media reports — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Swiss bid to host Winter Olympics falls at first hurdle — swissinfo — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

— Only France in contention for 2030 and Salt Lake for 2034. However, the IOC does not want to completely bury Switzerland's Olympic aspirations. It allows Switzerland to have a so-called "privileged dialogue" for the 2038 edition of the Olympics, a kind of preferential right, if it applies again.

India mistakenly hired an undercover drug officer to kill Sikh American activist in Canada, U.S. federal prosecutors say — theintercept.com — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Israel confirms release of 5th hostage group by Hamas — foxnews — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

— Israel confirmed a list of 50 female Palestinian prisoners it is willing to release in exchange for 20 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza over the next two days. Israel and Hamas agreed to a two-day extension to their cease-fire. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Tony Blinken is set to return to the Middle East to negotiate the flow of aid into Gaza.

Ukraine makes new push to defeat Russia's electronic warfare — CNN — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Henry Kissinger, American diplomat and Nobel winner, dead at 100 — ground.news: 428 media reports — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

The Atlantic: Lauded for his strategic insights, the former secretary of state is better remembered for his callousness toward the victims of global conflict — (LINK)

Daily Beast: Henry Kissinger, architect of U.S. Foreign policy and owner of its disasters, dies at 100 — (LINK)

theconversation: academics consider his legacy — (LINK)

Venezuela's planned vote over territory dispute leaves Guyana residents on edge — ground.news: 20 media reports — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

US sanctions financial network tied to Iranian oil sales that benefit mklitary — ground.news: 23 media reports — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Ugandan woman, 70, who gave birth to twins after IVF and became oldest woman to give birth in Africa says their Dad left when he found out 2 babies were on the way — themessenger — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

LGBTQ couple in Nepal becomes 1st to receive official same-sex marriage status — ground.news: 48 media reports — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Elon Musk to advertisers who are trying to 'blackmail' him: 'Go f––– yourself', with apology for antisemitic remark — ground.news: 91 media reports — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

— He apologized for sharing an antisemitic post on X and expressed regret for his response, stating he should have explained his intent better. He also criticized advertisers and stated that an advertising boycott could kill the company.

The US economy grew by 5.2% in the third quarter, even faster than previously estimated — CNN — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Pope evicting anti-LGBTQ+ Cardinal from his home and yanking his pay — lgbtqnation.com — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Switzerland: Abuse in the Church: more than 10 complaints filed in less than one week in Valais — lenouvelliste (French) — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

'Old People Smell' is real, here's what causes it and how to avoid it — wealthofgeeks — 29 November 2023 (LINK)

Lightning strikes in India's Gujarat kill 24 — ground.news: 39 media reports — 28 November 2023 (LINK)

All 41 workers rescued from collapsed tunnel in India after 17-day ordeal — ground.news: 233 media reports — 28 November 2023 (LINK)

Police arrest more than 100 climate protesters at Australian coal port — ground.news: 50 media reports — 28 November 2023 (LINK)

Honduran opposition party leader David Chávez Madison flees arrest after being stopped in airport for carrying two passports before traveling to US: Hours later, a judge ordered Chávez's capture based on the investigation of a 2016 complaint by the nongovernmental National Anticorruption Council related to irregularities during Chávez's time as director of the National Institute of Professional Training, a government agency managing workforce training programs. — ground.news main source: AP, 8 media reports — 28 November 2023 (LINK)

Net-Zero Industry Tracker: $13.5 trillion investment needed to fast-track decarbonization of key hard-to-abate industry sectors — weforum — 28 November 2023 (LINK)

Saudi capital Riyadh chosen to host World Expo 2030 — ground.news: 85 media reports — 28 November 2023 (LINK)

Geneva Graduate Institute to establish the first chair in peace mediation in Switzerland with the support of private philanthropy — graduateinstitute.ch — 28 November 2023 (LINK)

US, Britain, other countries ink agreement to make AI 'secure by design' — ground.news: 31 media reports — 27 November 2023 (LINK)

North Korea, US envoys engage in rare, public sparring match at UN — Reuters ● — 27 November 2023 (LINK)

UAE reportedly planned to use COP28 climate summit to lobby for oil and gas deals — ground.news: 47 media reports — 27 November 2023 (LINK)

ICC prosecutors halt 13-year Kenya investigation that failed to produce any convictions — ground.news: 15 media reports — 27 November 2023 (LINK)

Niger's junta revokes key law that slowed migration for Africans desperate to reach Europe — ground.news: 21 media reports — 27 November 2023 (LINK)

Paris mayor says she's quitting Elon Musk's 'global sewer' platform X after 14 years as city gears up for Olympics — ground.news: 61 media reports — 27 November 2023 (LINK)

Former airline boss Christopher Luxon sworn in as New Zealand prime minister, says priority is to improve economy — ground.news: 42 media reports — 27 November 2023 (LINK)

South Korea: Man gets 14-month jail term for praising North in poem: 68-year-old previously jailed for 10 months for a similar offense and had also posted anti-state content on South Korean websites — ground.news: 28 media reports — 27 November 2023 (LINK)

Joe Biden will not attend COP28 climate summit in Dubai this week, says US official: contrasts with his attendance at previous COP summits since his inauguration in 2021 — ground.news: 27 media reports — 26 November 2023 (LINK)

Japan culls 40,000 birds after 1st avian flu outbreak of season reported — ground.news: 17 media reports — 26 November 2023 (LINK)

US passage of Ukraine, Israel aid package unlikely before end of year — ground.news main source: Bloomberg, 6 media reports — 26 November 2023 (LINK)

Israeli PM Netanyahu visits Gaza for first time since war began, tells Israeli troops 'nothing will stop us' — ground.news: 82 media reports — 26 November 2023 (LINK)

Swiss Central Bank slashed AMC stake, sells Apple, Nvidia, and Tesla stock — Barrons ● — 26 November 2023 (LINK)

World's largest iceberg A23a breaks free, heads toward Southern Ocean — Reuters ● — 25 November 2023 (LINK)

Israel releases 39 Palestinian women and minors from prison facilitated by ICRC in cease-fire swap as 13 Israeli mothers and children handed to ICRC — ground.news: 98 media reports — 25 November 2023 (LINK)

More than 200 medical journals have asked the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency either at or before the next World Health Assembly in May 2024, from the combination of biodiversity loss and changing global temperatures: "The climate crisis and loss of biodiversity both damage human health, and they are interlinked." — thecooldown.com — 25 November 2023 (LINK)

Thai former soldier shoots dead bride and two of her relatives at own wedding after wedding party argument — ground.news: 23 media reports — 25 November 2023 (LINK)

At least 10 Thai hostages released by Hamas apart from main swap — ground.news:186 media reports — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

Switzerland is ending its collaboration with three Palestinian non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It accuses them of "breaching the code of conduct and the anti-discrimination clause" — SDA — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

Surprise visit by Swiss President Alain Berset to Ukraine — tdg.ch (French) ● — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

Almost 400,000 deaths in Europe in 2021 attributable to filthy air — EU report — Reuters ● — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

South Africa, Colombia and others fight drugmakers over access to TB and HIV drugs — ground.news main source: AP, 24 media reports — 25 November 2023 (LINK)

Calm restored to Dublin streets after 34 arrested for riots — Reuters ● — 25 November 2023 (LINK)

WHO 'concerned' over arrest Al-Shifa hospital chief and four staff by Israel — ground.news: 9 media reports — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

3 New Zealand leaders reach agreement to form next government today ending six years of left-wing rule led by Labour — ground.news: 37 media reports — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

Four-day ceasefire begins but IDF says 'war is not over yet': Aid trucks are reported to have entered Gaza and some Israeli hostages are due to be released later today — see_link — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

Israel pounds Gaza ahead of truce, killing and injuring dozens The air raids hit UN school, Indonesian hospital and residential buildings across Gaza — aljazeera — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

Hezbollah fires rockets at north Israel after an airstrike kills 5 of the group's senior fighters — ground.news: 26 media reports — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

Myanmar military says drone attack by ethnic armed groups in northeast destroyed about 120 trucks — ground.news: 11 media reports — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

Hezbollah fires rockets at north Israel after an airstrike kills 5 of the group's senior fighters — ground.news: 26 media reports — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

OpenAI's reported 'superintelligence' breakthrough is so big it nearly destroyed the company, and ChatGPT — techradar — 24 November 2023 (LINK)

Scientists find lidocaine anaesthetic kills cancer cells, particularly in mouth and throat, via unique mechanisms — newsweek — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

EU 'little Trumps' hail Wilder's victory but government still tough equation — euractiv — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

WHO confirms first sexual spread of mpox in Congo amid record outbreak: over 12,500 infections and 580 deaths — ground.news: 28 media reports — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

German woman missing after shark attack at West End, Grand Bahama — caribbeannationalweekly — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

King Charles secretly profiting from the assets of dead citizens — The Guardian UK ● — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

Former Obama adviser Stuart Seldowitz in custody, faces hate crime charges after halal cart confrontation — abc7ny.com — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

Hurricane season 2023 nears end, but Florida recovery from Idalia still underway — CBS — 23 November 2023 (LINK)

Study finds growing evidence of link between ultraprocessed food and cancer — ground.news: 8 media reports — 22 November 2023 (LINK)

Authorities warn that fake HIV drugs are found in Kenya despite a crackdown on counterfeits — ground.news main source: AP, 15 media reports — 22 November 2023 (LINK)

OpenAI brings Sam Altman back as CEO with new board less than a week after he was fired — ground.news: 86 media reports — 22 November 2023 (LINK)

Chemistry World: CRISPR-based gene therapy: a historic approval but probably expensive — Chemistry World — 22 November 2023 (LINK)

— "It's hard to talk about Casgevy without mentioning its price tag — probably £1 million or more. We're yet to see if the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Excellence deems that good value, but it's worth noting that this is a life-changing one-time treatment and could potentially reverse both diseases on a permanent basis."

The world is careening toward 3 degrees of warming, UN says ahead of climate conference — grist.org — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

Fund to compensate developing nations for climate change is unfinished business at COP28 — ground.news main source: AP, 20 media reports — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

U.N. warns World Food Program operations aiding 1.4 million in Chad could end over lack of funds — ground.news: 16 media reports — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

— Malnutrition is a major concern for nine out of ten new arrivals. Due to insufficient funds, the WFP has already suspended assistance to internally displaced people and refugees from Nigeria, Central African Republic, and Cameroon, with further cuts expected in Chad from January.

Deportation drive sparks 'sense of panic' among Afghan refugees in Pakistan: UNHCR — ground.news main source: Reuters, 8 media reports — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

Pakistan seeks BRICS membership, turns to Russia for support — ground.news: 15 media reports — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

More than 10,000 civilians killed in Ukraine since Russia invasion, UN says — ground.news: 41 media reports — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

U.S. forces carry out series of strikes against Iran-backed militia in Iraq for first time — ground.news: 11 media reports — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

Fox News: United Nations chief slammed as Gaza death comparison fact-checked by social media: 'lost any moral standing'. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry does not distinguish between civilian and combatant deaths — Fox News: — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

More than 1 million gallons of oil leaks into Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana, potentially putting endangered species at risk — cbsnews — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

UN General Assembly urges 'Olympic Truce' for 2024 Paris summer games — france24.com — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

Thailand's Cabinet approves a marriage equality bill to grant same-sex couples equal rights — AP — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

The No. 1 global city for expats: Malaga — cnbc — 21 November 2023 (LINK)

More than 200 people convicted in Italian mafia 'maxi trial' — The Guardian UK ● — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

Hundreds of OpenAI employees threaten to resign and join Microsoft — ground.news: 88 media reports — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

Sam Altman's attempt to return as OpenAI CEO fails as board turns to ex-Twitch CEO — ground.news: 20 media reports — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

Milei says could take two years to tame Argentina's high inflation — ground.news: 9 media reports — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

Trump and Bolsonaro salute Javier Milei as far right rejoice around the world — The Guardian UK ● — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

Meet the new pro-Bitcoin President� — milkroad — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

Musk's X sues liberal advocacy group Media Matters over its report on ads next to hate groups' posts — ground.news: 84 media reports — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

Crypto firm Tether says it has frozen $225 million linked to human trafficking — ground.news: 17 media reports — 20 November 2023 (LINK)

3rd release of treated water from Japan's damaged Fukushima nuclear plant ends safely, operator says — ground.news main source: AP, 26 media reports — 20 November 2023 (LINK)