What’s making news today
Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of national and world news this Thursday, November 12. Here’s what you need to know today.
Albanese defends Australia as climate leader amid pressure to step up commitments
Antalya, Turkey: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has insisted the country is playing its part as a climate action leader as the head of the United Nations pressures Australia and COP hosts Turkey to push a more ambitious agenda on fossil fuels at this year’s climate conference.
Outgoing UN Secretary-General António Guterres told world leaders that “fossil fuels must go the way of the dinosaurs”.
Guterres’ comments came as COP31 president Turkish Climate Minister Murat Kurum and Australian Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who is presiding over negotiations, called on more than 190 nations to rapidly ramp up electrification rather than focus on fossil fuels, in the hopes of sidestepping a bitter fight at this year’s conference.
Albanese addressed the opening ceremony of the COP leaders summit minutes afterwards, declaring it “an historic moment for my country”.
Russia and Ukraine agree to prisoner exchange, talks end with no major breakthrough
Abu Dhabi, UAE: Russia and Ukraine agreed to a large exchange of prisoners of war, both sides as two days of US-mediated talks concluded with no major breakthrough on ending Moscow’s nearly five-year-old full-scale invasion.
Hopes had been low for any significant development in the first meeting in nine months between the delegations. Russia and Ukraine have from time to time swapped POWs but have remained far apart in their demands for accepting a peace settlement.
US officials say they are determined to revive Washington’s peace efforts that so far have failed to deliver significant results.
The talks in Abu Dhabi lasted just under two hours on Wednesday (UAE time), after a four-hour session the previous day.
What’s making news today
Hello and welcome back to our live coverage of national and world news this Thursday, November 12. Here’s what you need to know today.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
