Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a light-hearted exchange with boxer Narender Berwal on Sunday as the CWG medalists were honoured for their performance at Glasgow 2026.

PM Modi reacts to 'Narendra' story, greets CWG medalists 

India's 'golden boy' Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the final of the javelin throw at the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow. All three Indian made it to the final, which will take place on Friday.

Three Indians qualify for CWG Javelin Final | Wion Sports 

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow from Jul 23 to Aug 2, bringing together thousands of athletes from across the Commonwealth. The multi-sport event will begin with the opening ceremony on Jul 23, marking the start of 11 days of competition. The Games will be staged across four venues in Glasgow, Glasgow International Arena, Scottish Event Campus, Scotstoun Stadium and Tollcross International Swimming Centre. The opening ceremony will include cultural performances, a parade of athletes and the official launch of the Games.<h3>Here's everything you need to know before the event</h3><h2>Where will the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games be held in Glasgow?</h2>The opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held at OVO Hydro in Glasgow.<h2>What is the start time of the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in India (IST)?</h2>The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday (Jul 23) and is scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM IST.<h2>Who will carry the Indian flag during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games?</h2>India’s flag will be carried by Olympic medallists Lovlina Borgohain and Mirabai Chanu, who will also serve as the country’s baton bearers during the opening ceremony.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ind-vs-zim-1st-t20i-when-and-where-to-watch-live-streaming-in-india-1784716083853">IND vs ZIM, 1st T20I: When and where to watch live streaming in India?</a><h2>Which performers will entertain the audience during the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony?</h2>The ceremony will feature performances by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, folk musician Nathan Evans and Scottish music group Saint PHNX.<h2>Which distinguished guests are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games?</h2>King Charles III and Queen Camilla are expected to attend the ceremony. The King is also set to officially inaugurate the Games.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-odi-rankings-joe-root-jumps-big-india-trio-close-in-on-no-1-spot-1784722222951">ICC ODI Rankings: Joe Root jumps big, India trio close in on No. 1 spot</a><h2>Which TV channels and OTT platform will broadcast and live stream the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony and the Games in India?</h2>Indian viewers can watch the Commonwealth Games and the opening ceremony live on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD &amp; HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 Hindi SD &amp; HD and Sony Sports Ten 4. Live streaming will be available on the Sony Liv app.&nbsp;Competition will feature sports such as athletics, swimming, cycling, gymnastics, boxing and several others, with medal events taking place throughout the Games. The event will conclude with the closing ceremony, which will also include the official handover to the next host city, Ahmedabad.&nbsp;Ahmedabad will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, a landmark edition that will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games 2026 will officially begin with the opening ceremony at the Hydro arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday (Jul 23). Here's everything you need to know before the event.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held in Glasgow from Jul 23 to Aug 2, bringing together thousands of athletes from across the Commonwealth. The multi-sport event will begin with the opening ceremony on Jul 23, marking the start of 11 days of competition. The Games will be staged across four venues in Glasgow, Glasgow International Arena, Scottish Event Campus, Scotstoun Stadium and Tollcross International Swimming Centre. The opening ceremony will include cultural performances, a parade of athletes and the official launch of the Games. Here's everything you need to know before the event Where will the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games be held in Glasgow? The opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games will be held at OVO Hydro in Glasgow. What is the start time of the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony in India (IST)? The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday (Jul 23) and is scheduled to begin at 10:30 PM IST. Who will carry the Indian flag during the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games? India’s flag will be carried by Olympic medallists Lovlina Borgohain and Mirabai Chanu, who will also serve as the country’s baton bearers during the opening ceremony. Also Read - IND vs ZIM, 1st T20I: When and where to watch live streaming in India? Which performers will entertain the audience during the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony? The ceremony will feature performances by Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall, folk musician Nathan Evans and Scottish music group Saint PHNX. Which distinguished guests are expected to attend the opening ceremony of the 2026 Commonwealth Games? King Charles III and Queen Camilla are expected to attend the ceremony. The King is also set to officially inaugurate the Games. Also Read - ICC ODI Rankings: Joe Root jumps big, India trio close in on No. 1 spot Which TV channels and OTT platform will broadcast and live stream the 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony and the Games in India? Indian viewers can watch the Commonwealth Games and the opening ceremony live on Sony Sports Ten 2 SD & HD, Sony Sports Ten 3 Hindi SD & HD and Sony Sports Ten 4. Live streaming will be available on the Sony Liv app. Competition will feature sports such as athletics, swimming, cycling, gymnastics, boxing and several others, with medal events taking place throughout the Games. The event will conclude with the closing ceremony, which will also include the official handover to the next host city, Ahmedabad. Ahmedabad will host the 2030 Commonwealth Games, a landmark edition that will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Commonwealth Games.

The Commonwealth Games 2026 will officially begin with the opening ceremony at the Hydro arena in Glasgow, Scotland, on Thursday (Jul 23). Here's everything you need to know before the event.

Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony: Date, time, performers & all you need to know

US President Donald Trump landed in Glasgow, Scotland, on Friday, and urged Europe to "stop buying windmills", stressing that immigration and windmills are his two biggest problems in Europe, which are "killing" the continent. The POTUS arrived at the Glasgow Prestwick Airport and is staying at his golf properties.&nbsp;The US president was addressing the reporters at the airport and said, "Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries, I really mean it.”&nbsp;He added that these are ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and also killing your birds.&nbsp;“It's so sad, you fly over and you see these windmills are over the place, ruining you're beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds, if they're stuck in your ocean, ruining your oceans. Stop the windmills," Trump said.&nbsp;The US president has been opposing the windmill sector for a very long time now. He even filed an unsuccessful lawsuit alleging that a neighbouring wind farm blocked players' views from one of his Scottish golf courses.<h2>Netizens slam Trump for his three-word windmill remark</h2>What Trump said created an uproar among people, as windmills are considered one of the best clean energy sources in various European nations, including the Netherlands.&nbsp;As Trump said, "stop buying windmills", one of the users on X wrote, "I say STOP TRUMP!.&nbsp;&nbsp;Another user wrote, "Netherlands would like a word with you," pointing to the country's several windmill attractions."A third user mockingly asked, "He's never been to Colorado or Texas?"&nbsp;“Why? Are they making us look bad by being progressive?” another Trump critic wrote on social media. While a user said, “Telling Europe to ‘stop the windmills’ ignores the reality: clean energy is about long-term security, jobs, and a livable planet—not just politics."&nbsp;Later, Trump is scheduled to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss trade and tariffs.&nbsp;After spending the weekend at his holdings close to Turnberry, Trump will visit one of his golf sites in Aberdeen next week, where he is planning to launch a second golf course. &nbsp;

As Trump urged Europe to stop buying windmills, netizens started slamming the US president, as windmills are considered one of the best clean energy sources in various European nations, including the Netherlands.

US President Donald Trump landed in Glasgow, Scotland, on Friday, and urged Europe to "stop buying windmills", stressing that immigration and windmills are his two biggest problems in Europe, which are "killing" the continent. The POTUS arrived at the Glasgow Prestwick Airport and is staying at his golf properties. The US president was addressing the reporters at the airport and said, "Stop the windmills. You're ruining your countries, I really mean it.” He added that these are ruining your beautiful fields and valleys and also killing your birds. “It's so sad, you fly over and you see these windmills are over the place, ruining you're beautiful fields and valleys and killing your birds, if they're stuck in your ocean, ruining your oceans. Stop the windmills," Trump said. The US president has been opposing the windmill sector for a very long time now. He even filed an unsuccessful lawsuit alleging that a neighbouring wind farm blocked players' views from one of his Scottish golf courses. Netizens slam Trump for his three-word windmill remark What Trump said created an uproar among people, as windmills are considered one of the best clean energy sources in various European nations, including the Netherlands. As Trump said, "stop buying windmills", one of the users on X wrote, "I say STOP TRUMP!. Another user wrote, "Netherlands would like a word with you," pointing to the country's several windmill attractions. "A third user mockingly asked, "He's never been to Colorado or Texas?" “Why? Are they making us look bad by being progressive?” another Trump critic wrote on social media. While a user said, “Telling Europe to ‘stop the windmills’ ignores the reality: clean energy is about long-term security, jobs, and a livable planet—not just politics." Later, Trump is scheduled to meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss trade and tariffs. After spending the weekend at his holdings close to Turnberry, Trump will visit one of his golf sites in Aberdeen next week, where he is planning to launch a second golf course.

As Trump urged Europe to "stop buying windmills", netizens started slamming the US president, as windmills are considered one of the best clean energy sources in various European nations, including the Netherlands.

'I say STOP TRUMP!': US president slammed after urging Europe to 'stop buying windmills' during his Scotland visit

Glasgow is set to host the 2026 Commonwealth Games after receiving backing from the Scottish government. Commonwealth Games Federation chief Chris Jenkins speaks to Wion's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo on the future and relevance of the event.

CGF Chief on the Future of the Commonwealth Games

Indian Diaspora in Glasgow celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi, they also organized a march from Om Hindu mandir to George Square. Watch to know more.

Hindu Devotees hold traditional yatra in Glasgow

A Pro-Palestine protester was detained by the Glasgow police on Friday (May 31) after he tied himself to the goal post before the Women’s Euro 2025 qualifier between hosts Scotland and Israel. The contest&nbsp;set to be played behind closed doors due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine was delayed after a protester wearing a “red card for Israel” T-shirt stormed onto the pitch at Hampden Park. As a result, the match had a 45-minute delay before the protester was taken off the pitch.

<h2>What was the incident?</h2>

A group of Pro-Palestine supporters had announced a protest against Israel ahead of the much-awaited Euro 2025 qualifier. Some 400 fans gathered near the premises of the famous Hampden Park stadium in Scotland with some carrying small coffins and Palestinian flags as reported by BBC.

Signs included one reading “Israeli team not welcome in Glasgow.”

One of the protesters found a way to enter the pitch area where he&nbsp;tied himself to a goalpost with a heavy-duty bike lock and wore&nbsp;a black t-shirt that said “red card for Israel.”

The protest had been a feature in the build-up to the match as the government and Football Association of Scotland had already declared that the match would be played behind closed doors to avoid any fan violence. Therefore no Israel fans traveled to the match while Scotland fans were asked to stay at home.

As soon as the game kicked off demonstrators booed and blew whistles, while fireworks were let off, according to BBC.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/t20-world-cup-2024-virat-kohli-lands-in-united-states-unlikely-to-participate-in-warm-up-matches-727526">T20 World Cup 2024: Virat Kohli lands in United States, unlikely to participate in warm-up match</a>

Before the start of the game, Israeli players held up a 'Bring Them Home' shirt with a picture of Israeli hostage Naama Levy written on it after she was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7.

It has been almost eight months since Israel and Hamas are at war which has divided the world. While some nations have protested against Israel&nbsp;few have&nbsp;supported their move of carrying out military action against Hamas, that is declared an international terrorist group.

UEFA has to avoid any such conflicts and considering fans safety has switched Israel’s reverse fixture against Scotland to BSC Stadium in Budapest, Hungary.

A Pro-Palestine protester was detained by the Glasgow police on Friday (May 31) after he tied himself to the goal post before the Women’s Euro 2025 qualifier between hosts Scotland and Israel.

A Pro-Palestine protester was detained by the Glasgow police on Friday (May 31) after he tied himself to the goal post before the Women’s Euro 2025 qualifier between hosts Scotland and Israel. The contest set to be played behind closed doors due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine was delayed after a protester wearing a “red card for Israel” T-shirt stormed onto the pitch at Hampden Park. As a result, the match had a 45-minute delay before the protester was taken off the pitch. What was the incident? A group of Pro-Palestine supporters had announced a protest against Israel ahead of the much-awaited Euro 2025 qualifier. Some 400 fans gathered near the premises of the famous Hampden Park stadium in Scotland with some carrying small coffins and Palestinian flags as reported by BBC. Signs included one reading “Israeli team not welcome in Glasgow.” One of the protesters found a way to enter the pitch area where he tied himself to a goalpost with a heavy-duty bike lock and wore a black t-shirt that said “red card for Israel.” The protest had been a feature in the build-up to the match as the government and Football Association of Scotland had already declared that the match would be played behind closed doors to avoid any fan violence. Therefore no Israel fans traveled to the match while Scotland fans were asked to stay at home. As soon as the game kicked off demonstrators booed and blew whistles, while fireworks were let off, according to BBC. ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2024: Virat Kohli lands in United States, unlikely to participate in warm-up match Before the start of the game, Israeli players held up a 'Bring Them Home' shirt with a picture of Israeli hostage Naama Levy written on it after she was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7. It has been almost eight months since Israel and Hamas are at war which has divided the world. While some nations have protested against Israel few have supported their move of carrying out military action against Hamas, that is declared an international terrorist group. UEFA has to avoid any such conflicts and considering fans safety has switched Israel’s reverse fixture against Scotland to BSC Stadium in Budapest, Hungary.

Pro-Palestine protester detained in Glasgow before Scotland-Israel Women's Euro 2025 qualifier

Police were called to an “immersive event” inspired by Willy Wonka in Glasgow after furious parents complained about the quality of the event. Watch in for more details!

Police called to 'Willy Wonka' chocolate experience as families 'furious'

Officials at Glasgow Museums say a sculpture, worth $3.7 million, by world-famous artist Auguste Rodin has gone missing. The museum purchased the plaster version of Les Bourgeois de Calais back in 1901.

Jérôme le Blay, the museum’s director, has regretted the disappearance of the statue but has insisted that it “must be put into the context of the times.”

The Guardian reported that the missing sculpture had sustained damages at the time of the 1949 open-air exhibition.

Now, Blay hopes that the unlocated remains of the artefact will be found in the archives at a later date.

It must be noted that almost 1,750 items have been listed as “missing or stolen” by the museum authorities.

<h2>Loss dubbed as ‘shameful’</h2>

According to Paris-based Comite Rodin, which publicises and catalogues Rodin's work, the disappearance of the statue was “utterly shameful.”

Watch:&nbsp;Glasgow: Two Khalistani extremists Shamsher Singh and Ranveer Singh from London named

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/glasgow-two-khalistani-extremists-shamsher-singh-and-ranveer-singh-from-london-named-641435/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

"Museums may have 100,000 items, so occasionally things get dropped or get lost in shipping. Art is often destroyed in acts of war - that's life - but when it goes missing as a result of mishandling or mismanagement by people it is utterly shameful,” a statement released by Comite Rodin said.

"It really is deeply disappointing to discover Glasgow has lost art of this significance and importance," it added.

<h2>More about Rodin and the sculpture</h2>

Rodin, who would later gain recognition for his iconic "Thinker" sculpture, was legally permitted in France to create various renditions of "Les Bourgeois" in both plaster and bronze materials.

One such life-size bronze rendition of the sculpture stands prominently within the gardens of the Houses of Parliament in London.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/g20-nations-spent-record-money-on-fossil-fuel-subsidies-in-2022-despite-glasgow-pledges-628373">Also read:&nbsp;G20 nations spent record money on fossil fuel subsidies in 2022 despite Glasgow pledges</a>

"Les Bourgeois de Calais" vividly portrays the hardships endured by the residents of the French port city during an arduous 11-month siege by the English, which transpired in the late Middle Ages during the Hundred Years War.

In a poignant act of sacrifice, the townsfolk (Les Bourgeois) offered their lives in exchange for the sparing of their beloved city.

(With inputs from agencies)

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Officials at Glasgow Museums say a sculpture, worth $3.7 million, by world-famous artist Auguste Rodin has gone missing. The museum purchased the plaster version of Les Bourgeois de Calais back in 1901.

Officials at Glasgow Museums say a sculpture, worth $3.7 million, by world-famous artist Auguste Rodin has gone missing. The museum purchased the plaster version of Les Bourgeois de Calais back in 1901. Jérôme le Blay, the museum’s director, has regretted the disappearance of the statue but has insisted that it “must be put into the context of the times.” The Guardian reported that the missing sculpture had sustained damages at the time of the 1949 open-air exhibition. Now, Blay hopes that the unlocated remains of the artefact will be found in the archives at a later date. It must be noted that almost 1,750 items have been listed as “missing or stolen” by the museum authorities. Loss dubbed as ‘shameful’ According to Paris-based Comite Rodin, which publicises and catalogues Rodin's work, the disappearance of the statue was “utterly shameful.” Watch: Glasgow: Two Khalistani extremists Shamsher Singh and Ranveer Singh from London named × "Museums may have 100,000 items, so occasionally things get dropped or get lost in shipping. Art is often destroyed in acts of war - that's life - but when it goes missing as a result of mishandling or mismanagement by people it is utterly shameful,” a statement released by Comite Rodin said. "It really is deeply disappointing to discover Glasgow has lost art of this significance and importance," it added. More about Rodin and the sculpture Rodin, who would later gain recognition for his iconic "Thinker" sculpture, was legally permitted in France to create various renditions of "Les Bourgeois" in both plaster and bronze materials. One such life-size bronze rendition of the sculpture stands prominently within the gardens of the Houses of Parliament in London. Also read: G20 nations spent record money on fossil fuel subsidies in 2022 despite Glasgow pledges "Les Bourgeois de Calais" vividly portrays the hardships endured by the residents of the French port city during an arduous 11-month siege by the English, which transpired in the late Middle Ages during the Hundred Years War. In a poignant act of sacrifice, the townsfolk (Les Bourgeois) offered their lives in exchange for the sparing of their beloved city. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Glasgow museum reveals its $3.7 million sculpture by Auguste Rodin goes missing

India's High Commission to the United Kingdom, on Saturday (Sep 30), said that it has raised the “disgraceful incident” at Glasgow Gurudwara with the authorities in the UK where elements from outside Scotland “deliberately disrupted” a planned interaction organised for the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami.

“On September 29, 2023, three persons - all from areas outside Scotland - deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised by the Gurudwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India. This interaction was to discuss community and consular issues”, the High Commission of India, London said in a statement.

It further said that it has reported “this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth &amp; Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police.”

"The organizers included senior community leaders, ladies and Committee members, and a member of the Scottish Parliament. They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC and CG decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival," read the statement.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Press Release on the incident at Glasgow Gurudwara Saheb.<a href="https://twitter.com/MEAIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MEAIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PTI_News?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PTI_News</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ANI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/VDoraiswami?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VDoraiswami</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/sujitjoyghosh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sujitjoyghosh</a> <a href="https://t.co/MZhpV3eSLP">pic.twitter.com/MZhpV3eSLP</a>
— India in the UK (@HCI_London) <a href="https://twitter.com/HCI_London/status/1708099292882145367?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

The Indian Mission in London further highlighted that one of the non-local extremist elements tried to violently force open Doraiswami's car door, which it said is a matter that will "require suitable police consideration."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-khalistan-radicals-prevent-indian-high-commissioner-from-entering-gurdwara-641133">UK Khalistani radicals prevent Indian high commissioner from entering Gurdwara</a>

It then underlined that because one of the organisers was vigilant enough to quickly act and pacify the situation, “a bigger incident was avoided.”

"One of the non-local extremist elements attempted to violently force open the HC's car door - a matter that will require suitable police consideration. It is due to the quick reaction of one of the organizers, who physically intervened at the car door, that a bigger incident was avoided," the statement added.

Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Sabha on Saturday released a statement saying, "An incident occurred on 29 September 2023 at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit, facilitated by a member of Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises. After the departure of the visitors, these unruly individuals continued to disturb the Gurdwara congregation. Police Scotland was in attendance thereafter and have taken cognizance of the matter. Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship. The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
An incident occurred on 29 September 2023 at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit, facilitated by a member of Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the… <a href="https://t.co/9wcAe3gyP8">pic.twitter.com/9wcAe3gyP8</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1708198433377648934?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

Earlier on Saturday (Sep 30), government sources said that India had raised the issue with the United Kingdom foreign office and the police.

“Doraiswami was on Friday stopped by a few radicals from entering a gurdwara in Glasgow. The Indian High Commissioner decided to leave instead of getting into an argument," the sources had said.

<h2>UK Minister says 'concerned' over the incident</h2>

United Kingdom Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said that she was "concerned" to see how Doraiswami was stopped from meeting the Gurdwara Committee in Glasgow.

Trevelyan said, "Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurdwara Committee at the Gurdwara in Glasgow. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner <a href="https://twitter.com/VDoraiswami?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VDoraiswami</a> was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow. 
 
The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all.
— Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP (@annietrev) <a href="https://twitter.com/annietrev/status/1708098916544344309?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

<h2>Scotland Police responds</h2>

Scotland Police released a statement saying that it did respond to a report of a disturbance in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow around 1:05 pm GMT on Friday (Sep 29), further adding that a probe was ongoing into the matter.

“We were called around 1.05 pm on Friday, 29 September, to a report of a disturbance that happened in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow," news agency ANI quoted a Scotland police spokesperson as saying.

The spokesperson added, "There were no reports of any injuries and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances."

(With inputs from agencies)

&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

India's High Commission to the United Kingdom, on Saturday (Sep 30), said that it has raised the “disgraceful incident” at Glasgow Gurudwara with the authorities in the UK where elements from outside Scotland “deliberately disrupted” a planned interaction organised for the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami.

India's High Commission to the United Kingdom, on Saturday (Sep 30), said that it has raised the “disgraceful incident” at Glasgow Gurudwara with the authorities in the UK where elements from outside Scotland “deliberately disrupted” a planned interaction organised for the Indian High Commissioner Vikram Doraiswami. “On September 29, 2023, three persons - all from areas outside Scotland - deliberately disrupted a planned interaction organised by the Gurudwara Committee for the community, the High Commissioner and the Consul General of India. This interaction was to discuss community and consular issues”, the High Commission of India, London said in a statement. It further said that it has reported “this disgraceful incident to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the Metropolitan Police.” "The organizers included senior community leaders, ladies and Committee members, and a member of the Scottish Parliament. They were threatened and abused by these elements. In an effort to prevent any potential altercation, the HC and CG decided to leave the premises shortly upon their arrival," read the statement. Press Release on the incident at Glasgow Gurudwara Saheb.@MEAIndia @PTI_News @ANI @VDoraiswami @sujitjoyghosh pic.twitter.com/MZhpV3eSLP — India in the UK (@HCI_London) September 30, 2023 × The Indian Mission in London further highlighted that one of the non-local extremist elements tried to violently force open Doraiswami's car door, which it said is a matter that will "require suitable police consideration." Also read: UK Khalistani radicals prevent Indian high commissioner from entering Gurdwara It then underlined that because one of the organisers was vigilant enough to quickly act and pacify the situation, “a bigger incident was avoided.” "One of the non-local extremist elements attempted to violently force open the HC's car door - a matter that will require suitable police consideration. It is due to the quick reaction of one of the organizers, who physically intervened at the car door, that a bigger incident was avoided," the statement added. Glasgow Gurdwara Guru Granth Sahib Sikh Sabha on Saturday released a statement saying, "An incident occurred on 29 September 2023 at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit, facilitated by a member of Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the visiting party decided to leave the premises. After the departure of the visitors, these unruly individuals continued to disturb the Gurdwara congregation. Police Scotland was in attendance thereafter and have taken cognizance of the matter. Glasgow Gurdwara strongly condemns such disorderly behaviour to disrupt the peaceful proceedings of a Sikh place of worship. The Gurdwara is open to people from all communities and backgrounds, and we welcome everyone openly as per our principles of faith." An incident occurred on 29 September 2023 at Glasgow Gurdwara where the Indian High Commissioner was on a personal visit, facilitated by a member of Scottish Parliament. Certain unknown individuals from outside the Glasgow area attempted to disrupt this visit, following which the… pic.twitter.com/9wcAe3gyP8 — ANI (@ANI) September 30, 2023 × Earlier on Saturday (Sep 30), government sources said that India had raised the issue with the United Kingdom foreign office and the police. “Doraiswami was on Friday stopped by a few radicals from entering a gurdwara in Glasgow. The Indian High Commissioner decided to leave instead of getting into an argument," the sources had said. UK Minister says 'concerned' over the incident United Kingdom Minister of State for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said that she was "concerned" to see how Doraiswami was stopped from meeting the Gurdwara Committee in Glasgow. Trevelyan said, "Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurdwara Committee at the Gurdwara in Glasgow. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all." Concerned to see that the Indian High Commissioner @VDoraiswami was stopped from meeting with the Gurudwara Committee at the Gurudwara in Glasgow. The safety and security of foreign diplomats is of utmost importance and our places of worship in the UK must be open to all. — Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP (@annietrev) September 30, 2023 × Scotland Police responds Scotland Police released a statement saying that it did respond to a report of a disturbance in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow around 1:05 pm GMT on Friday (Sep 29), further adding that a probe was ongoing into the matter. “We were called around 1.05 pm on Friday, 29 September, to a report of a disturbance that happened in the Albert Drive area of Glasgow," news agency ANI quoted a Scotland police spokesperson as saying. The spokesperson added, "There were no reports of any injuries and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India condemns ‘disgraceful incident’ after high commissioner denied entry to UK Gurudwara

London was the home of two of the three Sikh revolutionaries who attacked the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in Glasgow. Dissimilar to the Sikh Protection Committee of India, the Glasgow Guru Granth Sahib Gurudwara has extended a personal apology to Vikram Doraiswami, the Indian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, after he was stopped from visiting the temple premises on Friday by Sikh radicals residing in London.

Glasgow: Two Khalistani extremists Shamsher Singh and Ranveer Singh from London named

Ali Ahmed Aslam, a Glasgow-based chef, who claimed to be the inventor of ‘chicken tikka masala’ dish, died at the age of 77.

Aslam, who opened the Shish Mahal restaurant in 1964, passed away on Monday, his family announced through social media.

“Mr Ali&nbsp;#shishmahal&nbsp;just passed away this morning we are all absolutely devastated and heartbroken,” Shish Mahal wrote on Twitter.

He claimed to have invented the famous dish ‘chicken tikka masala’ in&nbsp;the 1970s after a customer complained about the dryness of his meat, reports BBC.

Known as “Mr Ali”, he was born in Pakistan but moved with his family to Glasgow, Scotland as a young boy.

Speaking to AFP news agency, Ali had described the moment he came up with one of the most favourite dishes that the Westerners enjoy.

"Chicken tikka masala was invented in this restaurant, we used to make chicken tikka, and one day a customer said, 'I'd take some sauce with that, this is a bit dry'," he recalled.

"We thought we'd better cook the chicken with some sauce. So, from here we cooked chicken tikka with the sauce that contains yogurt, cream&nbsp;and spices."&nbsp;

"It's a dish prepared according to our customer's taste, usually they don't take hot curry, that's why we cook it with yogurt and cream."

It cannot certainly be proved that he was the original inventor of the dish. His bid to get the dish safeguarded under the Protected Designation of Origin status back in 2009 failed as a number of other establishments around the UK also claimed to have invented the dish.

Had the bid to protect the dish been successful, other restaurants would have had to call the curry "Glasgow Tikka Masala", similar to an Arbroath Smokie or a Melton Mowbray Pork Pie.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE: 

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Ali Ahmed Aslam, a Glasgow-based chef, who claimed to be the inventor of ‘chicken tikka masala’ dish, died at the age of 77. Aslam, who opened the Shish Mahal restaurant in 1964, passed away on Monday, his family announced through social media.

Ali Ahmed Aslam, a Glasgow-based chef, who claimed to be the inventor of ‘chicken tikka masala’ dish, died at the age of 77. Aslam, who opened the Shish Mahal restaurant in 1964, passed away on Monday, his family announced through social media. “Mr Ali #shishmahal just passed away this morning we are all absolutely devastated and heartbroken,” Shish Mahal wrote on Twitter. He claimed to have invented the famous dish ‘chicken tikka masala’ in the 1970s after a customer complained about the dryness of his meat, reports BBC. Known as “Mr Ali”, he was born in Pakistan but moved with his family to Glasgow, Scotland as a young boy. Speaking to AFP news agency, Ali had described the moment he came up with one of the most favourite dishes that the Westerners enjoy. "Chicken tikka masala was invented in this restaurant, we used to make chicken tikka, and one day a customer said, 'I'd take some sauce with that, this is a bit dry'," he recalled. "We thought we'd better cook the chicken with some sauce. So, from here we cooked chicken tikka with the sauce that contains yogurt, cream and spices." "It's a dish prepared according to our customer's taste, usually they don't take hot curry, that's why we cook it with yogurt and cream." It cannot certainly be proved that he was the original inventor of the dish. His bid to get the dish safeguarded under the Protected Designation of Origin status back in 2009 failed as a number of other establishments around the UK also claimed to have invented the dish. Had the bid to protect the dish been successful, other restaurants would have had to call the curry "Glasgow Tikka Masala", similar to an Arbroath Smokie or a Melton Mowbray Pork Pie. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Ali Ahmed Aslam: Chef who claimed to have invented ‘chicken tikka masala’ dies at 77

Jurgen Klopp said the mood around Liverpool had been lifted after Mohamed Salah came off the bench to score the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history in a 7-1 demolition of Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday.

The Reds had won just four of their first 11 games of the season and fell behind for the eighth time this campaign when Scott Arfield fired the Glasgow giants into an early lead.

But Rangers are being schooled on their return to the Champions League for the first time in 12 years as they crumbled to a record-equalling European defeat in the second half.

The Glasgow giants remain without a point and have conceded 16 goals in four games. "The first half and the last half an hour was night and day," said Van Bronckhorst. "I cannot explain it. The performance was not the way we want to represent this club."

Roberto Firmino's double either side of half-time turned the game around before the Brazilian teed up Darwin Nunez to kill off the contest.

Klopp had left Salah, Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota on the bench with one eye on Sunday's clash against Manchester City in the Premier League.

But they were brought on in the final quarter and Salah did not miss the chance to cash in against a beleaguered Rangers defence.

The Egyptian's treble arrived in just six minutes and 12 seconds to beat the previous record held by Bafetimbi Gomis in Lyon's 7-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb in 2011.

"It changes the mood definitely, and that's good," said Klopp. "We all know who is coming on Sunday. That will be different, but it's better to go in with the feeling from tonight.

"When we play to our potential we're a pretty good football team. That's what we showed tonight."

Harvey Elliott rounded off the scoring on a sobering night for a Rangers side that only months ago reached the Europa League final. 
A draw in Amsterdam will suffice for Liverpool to reach the last 16 when they face Ajax in two weeks' time.

But Napoli remain out in front in Group A after a 4-2 win over Ajax sealed their place in the knockout stages.

Klopp's team selection was partly a reaction to losing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip and Luis Diaz to injury in a 3-2 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday that left the Reds already 14 points adrift of the Premier League leaders.

The visitors have made a habit of slow starts this season and were caught cold again when Arfield's run was not tracked from midfield and the former Canadian international produced a brilliant finish to find the bottom corner.

Fortunately for last season's Champions League finalists, Rangers' own defensive frailties were exposed for the equaliser on 24 minutes.

Not for the first time this season, Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men were guilty of soft defending from a set-piece as Firmino was given the simple task of nodding in Kostas Tsimikas' corner.

Liverpool clicked through the gears after the break with Firmino again doing no harm to his case to be handed a contract beyond the end of this season.

Firmino stroked home his eighth of the season from Joe Gomez's fine low cross and then teed up Nunez as the Uruguayan grabbed another much-needed goal for his fragile confidence by curling into the far corner past Allan McGregor.

Rangers' 40-year-old goalkeeper performed heroics to keep the score down as Liverpool won the first meeting between the sides 2-0 at Anfield last week.

But McGregor's age showed as Salah came off the bench to end his goal drought from open play in style.

Salah fired in from a narrow-angle before catching out McGregor on his near post and then completed his hat-trick with a sumptuous finish on his left foot.

The pain was not over there for Rangers as Elliott swept home the rebound after McGregor denied Jota and a VAR review overturned the linesman's initial decision to rule the goal out for offside.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Jurgen Klopp said the mood around Liverpool had been lifted after Mohamed Salah came off the bench to score the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history in a 7-1 demolition of Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday.

Jurgen Klopp said the mood around Liverpool had been lifted after Mohamed Salah came off the bench to score the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history in a 7-1 demolition of Rangers at Ibrox on Wednesday. The Reds had won just four of their first 11 games of the season and fell behind for the eighth time this campaign when Scott Arfield fired the Glasgow giants into an early lead. But Rangers are being schooled on their return to the Champions League for the first time in 12 years as they crumbled to a record-equalling European defeat in the second half. The Glasgow giants remain without a point and have conceded 16 goals in four games. "The first half and the last half an hour was night and day," said Van Bronckhorst. "I cannot explain it. The performance was not the way we want to represent this club." Roberto Firmino's double either side of half-time turned the game around before the Brazilian teed up Darwin Nunez to kill off the contest. Klopp had left Salah, Thiago Alcantara and Diogo Jota on the bench with one eye on Sunday's clash against Manchester City in the Premier League. But they were brought on in the final quarter and Salah did not miss the chance to cash in against a beleaguered Rangers defence. The Egyptian's treble arrived in just six minutes and 12 seconds to beat the previous record held by Bafetimbi Gomis in Lyon's 7-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb in 2011. "It changes the mood definitely, and that's good," said Klopp. "We all know who is coming on Sunday. That will be different, but it's better to go in with the feeling from tonight. "When we play to our potential we're a pretty good football team. That's what we showed tonight." Harvey Elliott rounded off the scoring on a sobering night for a Rangers side that only months ago reached the Europa League final. A draw in Amsterdam will suffice for Liverpool to reach the last 16 when they face Ajax in two weeks' time. But Napoli remain out in front in Group A after a 4-2 win over Ajax sealed their place in the knockout stages. Klopp's team selection was partly a reaction to losing Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip and Luis Diaz to injury in a 3-2 defeat by Arsenal on Sunday that left the Reds already 14 points adrift of the Premier League leaders. The visitors have made a habit of slow starts this season and were caught cold again when Arfield's run was not tracked from midfield and the former Canadian international produced a brilliant finish to find the bottom corner. Fortunately for last season's Champions League finalists, Rangers' own defensive frailties were exposed for the equaliser on 24 minutes. Not for the first time this season, Giovanni van Bronckhorst's men were guilty of soft defending from a set-piece as Firmino was given the simple task of nodding in Kostas Tsimikas' corner. Liverpool clicked through the gears after the break with Firmino again doing no harm to his case to be handed a contract beyond the end of this season. Firmino stroked home his eighth of the season from Joe Gomez's fine low cross and then teed up Nunez as the Uruguayan grabbed another much-needed goal for his fragile confidence by curling into the far corner past Allan McGregor. Rangers' 40-year-old goalkeeper performed heroics to keep the score down as Liverpool won the first meeting between the sides 2-0 at Anfield last week. But McGregor's age showed as Salah came off the bench to end his goal drought from open play in style. Salah fired in from a narrow-angle before catching out McGregor on his near post and then completed his hat-trick with a sumptuous finish on his left foot. The pain was not over there for Rangers as Elliott swept home the rebound after McGregor denied Jota and a VAR review overturned the linesman's initial decision to rule the goal out for offside. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Salah scores the fastest Champions League hattrick as Liverpool demolish Rangers

We have all been told for years now that time is of the essence when it comes to climate change. Some alarmists predict dire consequences in the near future, while moderates, such as myself, understand that while some climate change is actually natural, the pollution we emit can't be good and that clean energy is a worthy cause.&nbsp;

Wherever you are on the spectrum, we can all agree that with enough international collaboration, we can do better for our planetary homeland. The 2021 Climate Summit in Glasgow was just such an effort, but was criticised as a PR stunt. Is there any truth to the accusation?&nbsp;

Consider that China accounts for twice as much carbon pollution as the United States. I lived in the Central Valley of California, south of Fresno, and can personally attest to poor air quality carried over the Pacific from Beijing, not from Los Angeles.&nbsp;

While countries like Denmark are removing farmland from use, countries like Germany are closing their nuclear power plants, and the United States is funding clean energy programs, China is continuing towards a projected peak pollution by 2030. Yes, you read that correctly. China will continue increasing its carbon pollution until around 2030, and doesn't project to be carbon neutral until 2060.&nbsp;

"But China is the largest investor in solar and wind power!" You might comment. While China is the largest investor in clean energy, they do so at the mercy of the economy. With 1.3 trillion residents, China is the most populous country on earth. As such, they can be both the largest investor in clean energy and the largest producer of carbon emissions at the same time. So do we give them a free pass for their clean energy investment, or do we continue to criticize them for their contribution to carbon emissions?&nbsp;

During the Middle Ages, clergy within the Catholic Church sold indulgences. A person could pay the church to absolve them of sins: past, present, or future. These proceeds were supposed to go to the poor, but we know that they were used to fatten the purses of friars and priests. I believe this is what we are watching happen before our eyes with climate change pledges from countries like China. Smaller countries will jeopardize their economies, and by extension their citizens, attempting to meet these climate pledges that are merely a drop in the bucket compared to the pillars of black smoke rising from China’s most populous regions. Carbon taxes and climate pledges are nothing more than modern indulgences while the biggest polluter does as it pleases. &nbsp;

There are many people just like me who feel we need to do better for our environment while dismissing the alarmist hype coming from the media. Wind and solar cannot sustain the entire earth. Nuclear energy must be examined and not vilified. The effect of lithium mines must be acknowledged. China’s complete dismissal of it’s own role in carbon emissions must be addressed. Until world leaders are prepared to look at the big picture rather than turning a blind eye to “the church” as it were, they will never realize full participation. Until that point, they are merely selling indulgences while the climate priests get fat.

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

We have all been told for years now that time is of the essence when it comes to climate change. Some alarmists predict dire consequences in the near future, while moderates, such as myself, understand that while some climate change is actually natural, the pollution we emit can't be good and that clean energy is a worthy cause.

We have all been told for years now that time is of the essence when it comes to climate change. Some alarmists predict dire consequences in the near future, while moderates, such as myself, understand that while some climate change is actually natural, the pollution we emit can't be good and that clean energy is a worthy cause. Wherever you are on the spectrum, we can all agree that with enough international collaboration, we can do better for our planetary homeland. The 2021 Climate Summit in Glasgow was just such an effort, but was criticised as a PR stunt. Is there any truth to the accusation? Consider that China accounts for twice as much carbon pollution as the United States. I lived in the Central Valley of California, south of Fresno, and can personally attest to poor air quality carried over the Pacific from Beijing, not from Los Angeles. While countries like Denmark are removing farmland from use, countries like Germany are closing their nuclear power plants, and the United States is funding clean energy programs, China is continuing towards a projected peak pollution by 2030. Yes, you read that correctly. China will continue increasing its carbon pollution until around 2030, and doesn't project to be carbon neutral until 2060. "But China is the largest investor in solar and wind power!" You might comment. While China is the largest investor in clean energy, they do so at the mercy of the economy. With 1.3 trillion residents, China is the most populous country on earth. As such, they can be both the largest investor in clean energy and the largest producer of carbon emissions at the same time. So do we give them a free pass for their clean energy investment, or do we continue to criticize them for their contribution to carbon emissions? During the Middle Ages, clergy within the Catholic Church sold indulgences. A person could pay the church to absolve them of sins: past, present, or future. These proceeds were supposed to go to the poor, but we know that they were used to fatten the purses of friars and priests. I believe this is what we are watching happen before our eyes with climate change pledges from countries like China. Smaller countries will jeopardize their economies, and by extension their citizens, attempting to meet these climate pledges that are merely a drop in the bucket compared to the pillars of black smoke rising from China’s most populous regions. Carbon taxes and climate pledges are nothing more than modern indulgences while the biggest polluter does as it pleases. There are many people just like me who feel we need to do better for our environment while dismissing the alarmist hype coming from the media. Wind and solar cannot sustain the entire earth. Nuclear energy must be examined and not vilified. The effect of lithium mines must be acknowledged. China’s complete dismissal of it’s own role in carbon emissions must be addressed. Until world leaders are prepared to look at the big picture rather than turning a blind eye to “the church” as it were, they will never realize full participation. Until that point, they are merely selling indulgences while the climate priests get fat. (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Opinion: China and the empty promises from Glasgow

Defending its move on joining with India in changing “phase down" instead of "phase out" of coal in the final text of the COP26 conference declaration, China asked developed countries to stop using the coal first and provide financial aid to developing countries to adopt green technologies.

Responding to COP26 Chairman Alok Sharma’s comments highly critical of China and India for rejecting calls on “phasing out” coal firepower, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said:&nbsp;“To optimise energy structure and reduce the proportion of coal consumption is an incremental process. The varying national conditions, development stage and resources endowment of different countries should be respected.”

The official told a media briefing that a complete phase out of coal was not possible, as many developing, and least developed countries don’t have adequate finance for an alternate source of energy.

“In many developing countries, not everyone has access to electricity and energy supply is not adequate. Before asking all countries to stop using coal, consideration should be given to the energy shortfall in these countries to ensure their energy security,” he said.

“We encourage developed countries to take the lead in stopping using coal while providing ample funding, technological and capacity-building support for developing countries’ energy transition. We need concrete actions more than slogans,” Zhao added.

On Saturday, negotiators from nearly 200 countries accepted a new climate agreement after the COP26 summit in Glasgow concluded with the deal, which recognises India’s intervention for the world to “phase down” rather than “phase out” fossil fuels.

Alok Sharma said he was “deeply frustrated” after India, backed by China and other coal-dependent developing nations, refused to completely end use of coal energy.

(With inputs from agencies)

Defending its move on joining with India in changing “phase down" instead of "phase out" of coal in the final text of the COP26 conference declaration, China asked developed countries to stop using the coal first and provide financial aid to developing countries to adopt green technologies.

Defending its move on joining with India in changing “phase down" instead of "phase out" of coal in the final text of the COP26 conference declaration, China asked developed countries to stop using the coal first and provide financial aid to developing countries to adopt green technologies. Responding to COP26 Chairman Alok Sharma’s comments highly critical of China and India for rejecting calls on “phasing out” coal firepower, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said: “To optimise energy structure and reduce the proportion of coal consumption is an incremental process. The varying national conditions, development stage and resources endowment of different countries should be respected.” The official told a media briefing that a complete phase out of coal was not possible, as many developing, and least developed countries don’t have adequate finance for an alternate source of energy. “In many developing countries, not everyone has access to electricity and energy supply is not adequate. Before asking all countries to stop using coal, consideration should be given to the energy shortfall in these countries to ensure their energy security,” he said. “We encourage developed countries to take the lead in stopping using coal while providing ample funding, technological and capacity-building support for developing countries’ energy transition. We need concrete actions more than slogans,” Zhao added. On Saturday, negotiators from nearly 200 countries accepted a new climate agreement after the COP26 summit in Glasgow concluded with the deal, which recognises India’s intervention for the world to “phase down” rather than “phase out” fossil fuels. Alok Sharma said he was “deeply frustrated” after India, backed by China and other coal-dependent developing nations, refused to completely end use of coal energy. (With inputs from agencies)

COP26: China defends move on joining India to ‘phase down’ instead of ‘phase out’ coal

Days after world leaders signed the Glasgow pact to contain global warming, the United States climate envoy John Kerry has said that COP26 has opened a new phase of accountability in the world's battle against climate change.

John Kerry: No government has the money to fight climate change | COP26 Glasgow summit

Finally, a new global climate deal has been signed at COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. But at the conclusion of the summit, Britain's president of the conference Alok Sharma seemed to 'fight back tears' as the leader apologised for a last-minute change on the wording over coal. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/as-un-chief-warns-its-not-enough-cop26-deal-finalised-with-compromises-429150" hreflang="en">As UN chief warns 'it's not enough', COP26 deal finalised with compromises</a>

After talks went over 24 hours, leaders at the summit reached a deal on Saturday. It also prompted ire after a last-minute change was forced over the wording&nbsp;about coal. &nbsp;

At the last minute, the Glasgow Pact was watered down with the language of unabated coal. The burning of coal without climate change mitigating technology was changed from 'phase out' to 'phase down'. The alteration attracted heated responses from European and vulnerable countries. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/birds-in-amazon-turning-smaller-longer-winged-courtesy-climate-change-study-429020" hreflang="en">Birds in Amazon turning smaller, longer-winged, courtesy climate change: Study</a>

Sharma was also 'deeply sorry' for how the 'process' unfolded when he finalised the agreement. &nbsp;

After hearing from vulnerable nations, his voice broke with emotion, and he said, "May I just say to all delegates I apologise for the way this process has unfolded and I am deeply sorry. I also understand the deep disappointment but I think as you have noted, it's also vital that we protect this package." &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Finally, a new global climate deal has been signed at COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. But at the conclusion of the summit, Britain's president of the conference Alok Sharma seemed to 'fight back tears' as the leader apologised for a last-minute change on the wording over coal.

Finally, a new global climate deal has been signed at COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow. But at the conclusion of the summit, Britain's president of the conference Alok Sharma seemed to 'fight back tears' as the leader apologised for a last-minute change on the wording over coal. Also Read: As UN chief warns 'it's not enough', COP26 deal finalised with compromises After talks went over 24 hours, leaders at the summit reached a deal on Saturday. It also prompted ire after a last-minute change was forced over the wording about coal. At the last minute, the Glasgow Pact was watered down with the language of unabated coal. The burning of coal without climate change mitigating technology was changed from 'phase out' to 'phase down'. The alteration attracted heated responses from European and vulnerable countries. Also Read | Birds in Amazon turning smaller, longer-winged, courtesy climate change: Study Sharma was also 'deeply sorry' for how the 'process' unfolded when he finalised the agreement. After hearing from vulnerable nations, his voice broke with emotion, and he said, "May I just say to all delegates I apologise for the way this process has unfolded and I am deeply sorry. I also understand the deep disappointment but I think as you have noted, it's also vital that we protect this package." (With inputs from agencies)

Late change over coal forces COP26 president Alok Sharma to hold back tears as deal gets signed

International climate talks went into overtime Friday evening, as negotiators wrestled behind closed doors over several sticking points in an agreement that could determine whether nations can prevent the planet from growing dangerously hot by midcentury.

A draft agreement released Friday morning called for a doubling of money to help developing countries cope with climate impacts and said nations should strengthen their emissions-cutting targets by next year. The document urged countries to accelerate a coal phaseout and eliminate subsidies for fossil fuels.

Negotiators from about 200 countries worked into Saturday morning, arguing over several aspects of the document, including money for developing countries suffering the worst impacts, how to structure a global market for carbon, and whether countries should be asked to return next year with stronger emissions plans.

They even disputed whether the final agreement should mention the words “fossil fuels,” which have never before appeared in a global climate agreement even though their combustion is the principal cause of climate change.

One of the most divisive questions involves whether industrialized countries that have prospered by burning coal, oil and gas should pay developing countries for the irreparable harms they have caused.

The state of the negotiations reflected intensifying pressure on polluter countries to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions far more quickly than they have been willing but also to address the damage that those emissions have exacted on countries least responsible for the problem.

“There’s a huge disconnect between where we are, where we will be based on current projections and where we need to be in terms of what science is telling us,” said Saber Hossain Chowdhury, a negotiator from Bangladesh.

A new draft text was expected Saturday morning, according to summit organizers. To reach a final agreement, all parties must approve. By tradition, if one country objects to language in the agreement, the talks can deadlock.

The summit host, Britain, had said its goal was to ensure that the planet would not heat more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100, compared with preindustrial times. That is the threshold beyond which scientists say devastating heat waves, fires and floods become significantly more likely.

That goal is nowhere within reach.

The world has already warmed an average of 1.1 degrees Celsius since the Industrial Revolution, although some places have already heated more than that. One analysis found that even if all the pledges made in Glasgow are kept, temperatures will still skyrocket by 2.4 degrees Celsius by 2100.

The Kenyan environment minister, Keriako Tobiko, noted that an average global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius would translate into 3 degrees in Africa, intensifying erratic patterns of rainfall and drought that are already punishing farmers.

“In Kenya and Africa, we cry, we bleed. We bleed when it rains, we cry when it doesn’t rain,” he said. “So for us, ambition, 1.5 is not a statistic. It is a matter of life and death.”

Pressure mounted throughout the day to deliver a strong final document. At noon, more than 700 climate activists marched through the convention centre where the summit is being held, chanting “climate justice” and calling for more ambitious targets. They spilled out into the streets to join noisy throngs of more protesters.

The demonstrations enlivened the two-week proceedings, which have been dominated by well-crafted speeches onstage and arguments over verbs in small meeting rooms. But they also served as a reminder to politicians and diplomats of the demands of ordinary citizens. Midway through the summit, over the course of two days, more than 100,000 protesters filled the streets of Glasgow, many of them young people, angrily demanding that world leaders take aggressive action to deal with the climate crisis.

A British diplomat closely following the negotiations said talks would go down to the wire.

“There are a number of key issues still in play here, and we’re still some distance from reaching an outcome,” said David Waskow, international climate director at the World Resources Institute, a Washington-based environmental think tank.

The latest draft also “requests” nations to return every year to strengthen their emissions-cutting targets until the 1.5 degree Celsius goal is within reach. In diplomatic terms, that is tamer than “urges,” which was used in the previous draft.

Even at current temperatures, Chowdhury said, “We see the destruction, the devastation, the pain, the suffering that all countries of the world are facing.” He received sustained applause from delegates in the plenary hall.

The latest draft calls on countries to accelerate “the phaseout of unabated coal power and of inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels.” Unabated coal refers to power plants that do not capture their carbon dioxide emissions using a nascent technology not currently available on a commercial scale. The language would allow power plants with the technology to continue burning coal and is a change from previous language asking nations to “accelerate the phasing out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels.”

John Kerry, U.S. special envoy for climate change, on Friday described fossil fuel subsidies as the “definition of insanity,” denouncing measures taken by governments that artificially lower the price of coal, oil or gas.

The world spends about $423 billion each year to subsidize oil, gas and coal, about four times the amount needed to help poor countries address climate change, according to the U.N. Development Program.

Officials from other countries argued that the words “unabated” and “inefficient” should be removed from the agreement.

“We need clear language on the need to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies, not only the inefficient ones, and to accelerate the phaseout of coal power,” said Andrea Meza, Costa Rica’s environment minister.

“Weasel words,” Catherine Abreu, executive director of Destination Zero, an environmental group, called them.

Kerry defended the language about unabated coal, saying commercial carbon capture technology could be available in the future.

It is unclear whether the coal language will stay in the final version, considering that countries such as China, India, Poland and the United States still rely heavily on coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel.

In the negotiations Friday night, diplomats were wrestling over how to write regulations to govern the fast-growing global market in carbon offsets, in which one company or country compensates for its own emissions by paying someone else to reduce theirs. One of the thorniest technical issues is how to properly account for these global trades so that any reductions in emissions aren’t overestimated or double-counted, and negotiators still haven’t resolved debates over how best to do so.

It is common for U.N. climate conferences, which are supposed to run for two weeks, to go into overtime. Diplomats often don’t get down to the nitty-gritty details until the final night.

Lia Nicholson, who represents small island nations in the negotiations, said the group “finds ourselves at the final hours of this conference overwhelmed at the work still ahead of us.”

International climate talks went into overtime Friday evening, as negotiators wrestled behind closed doors over several sticking points in an agreement that could determine whether nations can prevent the planet from growing dangerously hot by midcentury.

International climate talks went into overtime Friday evening, as negotiators wrestled behind closed doors over several sticking points in an agreement that could determine whether nations can prevent the planet from growing dangerously hot by midcentury. A draft agreement released Friday morning called for a doubling of money to help developing countries cope with climate impacts and said nations should strengthen their emissions-cutting targets by next year. The document urged countries to accelerate a coal phaseout and eliminate subsidies for fossil fuels. Negotiators from about 200 countries worked into Saturday morning, arguing over several aspects of the document, including money for developing countries suffering the worst impacts, how to structure a global market for carbon, and whether countries should be asked to return next year with stronger emissions plans. They even disputed whether the final agreement should mention the words “fossil fuels,” which have never before appeared in a global climate agreement even though their combustion is the principal cause of climate change. One of the most divisive questions involves whether industrialized countries that have prospered by burning coal, oil and gas should pay developing countries for the irreparable harms they have caused. The state of the negotiations reflected intensifying pressure on polluter countries to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions far more quickly than they have been willing but also to address the damage that those emissions have exacted on countries least responsible for the problem. “There’s a huge disconnect between where we are, where we will be based on current projections and where we need to be in terms of what science is telling us,” said Saber Hossain Chowdhury, a negotiator from Bangladesh. A new draft text was expected Saturday morning, according to summit organizers. To reach a final agreement, all parties must approve. By tradition, if one country objects to language in the agreement, the talks can deadlock. The summit host, Britain, had said its goal was to ensure that the planet would not heat more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100, compared with preindustrial times. That is the threshold beyond which scientists say devastating heat waves, fires and floods become significantly more likely. That goal is nowhere within reach. The world has already warmed an average of 1.1 degrees Celsius since the Industrial Revolution, although some places have already heated more than that. One analysis found that even if all the pledges made in Glasgow are kept, temperatures will still skyrocket by 2.4 degrees Celsius by 2100. The Kenyan environment minister, Keriako Tobiko, noted that an average global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius would translate into 3 degrees in Africa, intensifying erratic patterns of rainfall and drought that are already punishing farmers. “In Kenya and Africa, we cry, we bleed. We bleed when it rains, we cry when it doesn’t rain,” he said. “So for us, ambition, 1.5 is not a statistic. It is a matter of life and death.” Pressure mounted throughout the day to deliver a strong final document. At noon, more than 700 climate activists marched through the convention centre where the summit is being held, chanting “climate justice” and calling for more ambitious targets. They spilled out into the streets to join noisy throngs of more protesters. The demonstrations enlivened the two-week proceedings, which have been dominated by well-crafted speeches onstage and arguments over verbs in small meeting rooms. But they also served as a reminder to politicians and diplomats of the demands of ordinary citizens. Midway through the summit, over the course of two days, more than 100,000 protesters filled the streets of Glasgow, many of them young people, angrily demanding that world leaders take aggressive action to deal with the climate crisis. A British diplomat closely following the negotiations said talks would go down to the wire. “There are a number of key issues still in play here, and we’re still some distance from reaching an outcome,” said David Waskow, international climate director at the World Resources Institute, a Washington-based environmental think tank. The latest draft also “requests” nations to return every year to strengthen their emissions-cutting targets until the 1.5 degree Celsius goal is within reach. In diplomatic terms, that is tamer than “urges,” which was used in the previous draft. Even at current temperatures, Chowdhury said, “We see the destruction, the devastation, the pain, the suffering that all countries of the world are facing.” He received sustained applause from delegates in the plenary hall. The latest draft calls on countries to accelerate “the phaseout of unabated coal power and of inefficient subsidies for fossil fuels.” Unabated coal refers to power plants that do not capture their carbon dioxide emissions using a nascent technology not currently available on a commercial scale. The language would allow power plants with the technology to continue burning coal and is a change from previous language asking nations to “accelerate the phasing out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels.” John Kerry, U.S. special envoy for climate change, on Friday described fossil fuel subsidies as the “definition of insanity,” denouncing measures taken by governments that artificially lower the price of coal, oil or gas. The world spends about $423 billion each year to subsidize oil, gas and coal, about four times the amount needed to help poor countries address climate change, according to the U.N. Development Program. Officials from other countries argued that the words “unabated” and “inefficient” should be removed from the agreement. “We need clear language on the need to eliminate all fossil fuel subsidies, not only the inefficient ones, and to accelerate the phaseout of coal power,” said Andrea Meza, Costa Rica’s environment minister. “Weasel words,” Catherine Abreu, executive director of Destination Zero, an environmental group, called them. Kerry defended the language about unabated coal, saying commercial carbon capture technology could be available in the future. It is unclear whether the coal language will stay in the final version, considering that countries such as China, India, Poland and the United States still rely heavily on coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel. In the negotiations Friday night, diplomats were wrestling over how to write regulations to govern the fast-growing global market in carbon offsets, in which one company or country compensates for its own emissions by paying someone else to reduce theirs. One of the thorniest technical issues is how to properly account for these global trades so that any reductions in emissions aren’t overestimated or double-counted, and negotiators still haven’t resolved debates over how best to do so. It is common for U.N. climate conferences, which are supposed to run for two weeks, to go into overtime. Diplomats often don’t get down to the nitty-gritty details until the final night. Lia Nicholson, who represents small island nations in the negotiations, said the group “finds ourselves at the final hours of this conference overwhelmed at the work still ahead of us.”

Glasgow climate talks are down to the wire on money, ambition and fossil fuels

In Gaelic, “Glasgow” translates to “dear green place,” a nod to the parks, gardens and flourishing green spaces throughout the city. But according to Chris Mitchell, who was a garbage collector there for more than two decades, the only thing flourishing in Glasgow these days is “a mountain of waste.”

As diplomats at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow this week preach about the need to curb both greenhouse gas emissions and mass consumption to protect the planet, the reality of today’s throwaway society can be seen just a short way from the conference’s doorstep.

Outside the gleaming center of Scotland’s largest city, dumpsters and trash cans are overflowing. The city’s rat population has surged, with four garbage workers hospitalized because of attacks over the past five months. And litter is strewn across streets.

Mitchell, a senior official for the GMB Scotland trade union, which represents the city’s 1,000 garbage collectors among other workers, said they staged an eight-day strike that ended on Monday because they were tired of poor working conditions, lack of respect from management and low wages. It is a cry that has been echoed throughout Britain, the United States and other parts of the world, where essential workers who carried communities through the worst of the pandemic are saying they will no longer stand for being overworked and underpaid.

“We kept people safe,” said Mitchell, 45, who started working as a garbage collector when he was 16. “We cared for the most vulnerable. We cared for the elderly.” He appreciated the nightly clap for key workers during the pandemic. But now that coronavirus cases have subsided from peak levels, he feels the government has “abandoned low paid workers who have saved this nation.”

In parts of the city, trash is now collected only once every three weeks, down from once every two weeks about a year ago. That means garbage collectors, many of whom make less than 20,000 British pounds ($27,000) a year, have to carry heavier loads up and down steps.

On top of the less frequent collections, volumes of trash per household climbed over the past two years, a reflection of increased spending on takeout and online deliveries, according to Mitchell.

“The pandemic has created waste upon waste upon waste,” he said.

The city of about 635,000 has urged residents to reduce their waste to help protect the environment, but garbage collectors like Jack McGowan, 26, say that reducing collections is not an effective way to achieve that.

“The bins are always like that,” he said Wednesday, gesturing to several overflowing dumpsters behind a block of apartments in Scotstoun, an area west of the Glasgow city center. “We need better pay. Respect as well.”

McGowan said he lives with his mother because he cannot afford a mortgage on his salary of 19,000 pounds a year.

He said he had already seen four rats jump out of trash cans that morning alone.

Glasgow promotes its recycling program and efforts to become more environmentally friendly. But McGowan said he saw examples every day of people putting nonrecyclable trash in recycling bins.

Garbage collectors said they were likely to strike again in the run-up to Christmas if they do not get pay rises. In a statement, the Glasgow City Council said that the leader of the council had already had extensive conversations with the union and that the “door remains open to all trade union colleagues.”

Fiona Ross, a council spokeswoman, said she could not go into further detail because talks were continuing.

Meanwhile, the delegates inside the COP26 summit in Glasgow say they are making some progress toward an agreement to avert catastrophic levels of climate change.

On Wednesday, the United States and China issued a joint statement in which they pledged to do more to cut emissions this decade and in which China committed for the first time to address emissions from methane. Separately, the United Nations climate agency released a draft of an accord that urged nations “to accelerate the phasing out” of greenhouse gas emissions.

But outside the climate talks, there is a mounting frustration over the disconnect between policymakers and those most affected by climate change. There have been daily protests organized by youth activists, who say that pledges by countries that they will commit to goals that are decades away is not enough.

“Nobody really wants to incur the cost of preventing climate change today,” said Sayantan Ghosal, an economics professor at the University of Glasgow’s business school. “They’re willing to do it tomorrow, but they’re not willing to do it today.”

There has also been a gap between world leaders and business executives on the one hand, who have talked this week about the urgent need for a transition to clean energy, and the working class people on the other who will be most affected by the rising costs associated with that transition.

Many of the lowest paid workers in society, including garbage collectors, are more worried about increasing prices of food, rent and energy than about increasing temperatures. They often do not have the flexibility to spend more on food and clothing that are more sustainable.

As the U.S. economy picks up again, after a lull during the pandemic, people are quitting their jobs in record numbers, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. There are 5 million fewer people working than before the pandemic began, and employers have struggled to find enough health care workers, waiters, truck drivers and butchers.

This has given employees newfound leverage and power.

The number of workers on strike in the United States increased in October to more than 25,000, versus an average of about 10,000 in the previous three months, according to data collected by the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University.

The shortages have disrupted Britain, which has struggled to find workers to make up for the thousands of European workers who left in five years since Britain voted to leave the European Union.

Mitchell, the senior union official, said that 20 drivers had left the garbage collection team in recent weeks for other truck driving jobs that are offering better pay.

Peter Welsh, a union spokesman, said Scotland needed to invest in the workers who will help deliver a transition to a greener economy.

“There are huge, huge challenges that I don’t quite think mainstream politics have begun to grasp and understand,” he said.

In Gaelic, “Glasgow” translates to “dear green place,” a nod to the parks, gardens and flourishing green spaces throughout the city. But according to Chris Mitchell, who was a garbage collector there for more than two decades, the only thing flourishing in Glasgow these days is “a mountain of waste.

In Gaelic, “Glasgow” translates to “dear green place,” a nod to the parks, gardens and flourishing green spaces throughout the city. But according to Chris Mitchell, who was a garbage collector there for more than two decades, the only thing flourishing in Glasgow these days is “a mountain of waste.” As diplomats at the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow this week preach about the need to curb both greenhouse gas emissions and mass consumption to protect the planet, the reality of today’s throwaway society can be seen just a short way from the conference’s doorstep. Outside the gleaming center of Scotland’s largest city, dumpsters and trash cans are overflowing. The city’s rat population has surged, with four garbage workers hospitalized because of attacks over the past five months. And litter is strewn across streets. Mitchell, a senior official for the GMB Scotland trade union, which represents the city’s 1,000 garbage collectors among other workers, said they staged an eight-day strike that ended on Monday because they were tired of poor working conditions, lack of respect from management and low wages. It is a cry that has been echoed throughout Britain, the United States and other parts of the world, where essential workers who carried communities through the worst of the pandemic are saying they will no longer stand for being overworked and underpaid. “We kept people safe,” said Mitchell, 45, who started working as a garbage collector when he was 16. “We cared for the most vulnerable. We cared for the elderly.” He appreciated the nightly clap for key workers during the pandemic. But now that coronavirus cases have subsided from peak levels, he feels the government has “abandoned low paid workers who have saved this nation.” In parts of the city, trash is now collected only once every three weeks, down from once every two weeks about a year ago. That means garbage collectors, many of whom make less than 20,000 British pounds ($27,000) a year, have to carry heavier loads up and down steps. On top of the less frequent collections, volumes of trash per household climbed over the past two years, a reflection of increased spending on takeout and online deliveries, according to Mitchell. “The pandemic has created waste upon waste upon waste,” he said. The city of about 635,000 has urged residents to reduce their waste to help protect the environment, but garbage collectors like Jack McGowan, 26, say that reducing collections is not an effective way to achieve that. “The bins are always like that,” he said Wednesday, gesturing to several overflowing dumpsters behind a block of apartments in Scotstoun, an area west of the Glasgow city center. “We need better pay. Respect as well.” McGowan said he lives with his mother because he cannot afford a mortgage on his salary of 19,000 pounds a year. He said he had already seen four rats jump out of trash cans that morning alone. Glasgow promotes its recycling program and efforts to become more environmentally friendly. But McGowan said he saw examples every day of people putting nonrecyclable trash in recycling bins. Garbage collectors said they were likely to strike again in the run-up to Christmas if they do not get pay rises. In a statement, the Glasgow City Council said that the leader of the council had already had extensive conversations with the union and that the “door remains open to all trade union colleagues.” Fiona Ross, a council spokeswoman, said she could not go into further detail because talks were continuing. Meanwhile, the delegates inside the COP26 summit in Glasgow say they are making some progress toward an agreement to avert catastrophic levels of climate change. On Wednesday, the United States and China issued a joint statement in which they pledged to do more to cut emissions this decade and in which China committed for the first time to address emissions from methane. Separately, the United Nations climate agency released a draft of an accord that urged nations “to accelerate the phasing out” of greenhouse gas emissions. But outside the climate talks, there is a mounting frustration over the disconnect between policymakers and those most affected by climate change. There have been daily protests organized by youth activists, who say that pledges by countries that they will commit to goals that are decades away is not enough. “Nobody really wants to incur the cost of preventing climate change today,” said Sayantan Ghosal, an economics professor at the University of Glasgow’s business school. “They’re willing to do it tomorrow, but they’re not willing to do it today.” There has also been a gap between world leaders and business executives on the one hand, who have talked this week about the urgent need for a transition to clean energy, and the working class people on the other who will be most affected by the rising costs associated with that transition. Many of the lowest paid workers in society, including garbage collectors, are more worried about increasing prices of food, rent and energy than about increasing temperatures. They often do not have the flexibility to spend more on food and clothing that are more sustainable. As the U.S. economy picks up again, after a lull during the pandemic, people are quitting their jobs in record numbers, according to data from the U.S. Department of Labor. There are 5 million fewer people working than before the pandemic began, and employers have struggled to find enough health care workers, waiters, truck drivers and butchers. This has given employees newfound leverage and power. The number of workers on strike in the United States increased in October to more than 25,000, versus an average of about 10,000 in the previous three months, according to data collected by the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University. The shortages have disrupted Britain, which has struggled to find workers to make up for the thousands of European workers who left in five years since Britain voted to leave the European Union. Mitchell, the senior union official, said that 20 drivers had left the garbage collection team in recent weeks for other truck driving jobs that are offering better pay. Peter Welsh, a union spokesman, said Scotland needed to invest in the workers who will help deliver a transition to a greener economy. “There are huge, huge challenges that I don’t quite think mainstream politics have begun to grasp and understand,” he said.

Outside climate summit, trash in Glasgow piles high

The world is warming because of emissions from fossil fuels used by humans, like coal, oil and gas. Now who is responsible for climate change and how to save it ? Here is a climate meet to save the future.

COP26: Crucial global climate summit

A COP26 climate summit draft text on Wednesday urged countries to boost emission cutting goals by 2022, three years ahead of schedule. The text came after data showed that the world was far off track to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.&nbsp;

The text called on nations to "revisit and strengthen" their decarbonisation plans by next year. Delegates from nearly 200 nations have been holding discussions on how the world can implement the Paris Agreement temperature goals.

The draft said "rapid, deep and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions" were needed to avert the worst impacts of heating, which has already seen countries worldwide slammed by fiercer floods, droughts and storms. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-china-other-developing-nations-propose-13-trillion-per-year-in-climate-finance-428142">India, China, other developing nations propose $1.3 trillion per year in climate finance</a>

COP26 was billed by host Britain as an opportunity to "keep 1.5C" alive after a year-long delay due to Covid-19.&nbsp;

However, countries' latest decarbonisation plans are likely to see Earth warm 2.7C this century, according to a United Nations assessment of the pledges.&nbsp;

The 2015 Paris accord contains a "ratchet" mechanism requiring countries to update emissions plans ever five years.&nbsp;

Several large emitters missed the 2020 deadline for submitting new plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs).&nbsp;

Vulnerable nations say that the next deadline, in 2025, is too distant to deliver the short-term emissions cuts needed to avoid disastrous heating.

In what observers said was a "significant first mention" of the fuels driving global warming, the draft summit called on countries to "accelerate the phasing out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels".&nbsp;

Previous climate summit decisions and the Paris Agreement itself do not so much as mention fossil fuels, focusing instead on emissions.

One senior negotiator told AFP they were confident that the fossil fuel mention would appear in the final text, "in some form or another".

But environmental groups criticised the draft for failing to reflect the urgency of the crisis facing the planet.

"This draft deal is not a plan to solve the climate crisis, it's an agreement that we'll all cross our fingers and hope for the best," said Greenpeace International Director Jennifer Morgan.&nbsp;

"It's a polite request that countries maybe, possibly, do more next year."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A COP26 climate summit draft text on Wednesday urged countries to boost emission cutting goals by 2022, three years ahead of schedule. The text came after data showed that the world was far off track to limit warming to 1.

A COP26 climate summit draft text on Wednesday urged countries to boost emission cutting goals by 2022, three years ahead of schedule. The text came after data showed that the world was far off track to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The text called on nations to "revisit and strengthen" their decarbonisation plans by next year. Delegates from nearly 200 nations have been holding discussions on how the world can implement the Paris Agreement temperature goals. The draft said "rapid, deep and sustained reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions" were needed to avert the worst impacts of heating, which has already seen countries worldwide slammed by fiercer floods, droughts and storms. Also Read | India, China, other developing nations propose $1.3 trillion per year in climate finance COP26 was billed by host Britain as an opportunity to "keep 1.5C" alive after a year-long delay due to Covid-19. However, countries' latest decarbonisation plans are likely to see Earth warm 2.7C this century, according to a United Nations assessment of the pledges. The 2015 Paris accord contains a "ratchet" mechanism requiring countries to update emissions plans ever five years. Several large emitters missed the 2020 deadline for submitting new plans, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs). Vulnerable nations say that the next deadline, in 2025, is too distant to deliver the short-term emissions cuts needed to avoid disastrous heating. In what observers said was a "significant first mention" of the fuels driving global warming, the draft summit called on countries to "accelerate the phasing out of coal and subsidies for fossil fuels". Previous climate summit decisions and the Paris Agreement itself do not so much as mention fossil fuels, focusing instead on emissions. One senior negotiator told AFP they were confident that the fossil fuel mention would appear in the final text, "in some form or another". But environmental groups criticised the draft for failing to reflect the urgency of the crisis facing the planet. "This draft deal is not a plan to solve the climate crisis, it's an agreement that we'll all cross our fingers and hope for the best," said Greenpeace International Director Jennifer Morgan. "It's a polite request that countries maybe, possibly, do more next year." (With inputs from agencies)

COP26 climate summit: Draft deal urges nations to speed up emission goals in 2022

Glasgow protests: Protesters perform a zombie die-in; over 200 events planned worldwide

A large rainbow lit up the sky in Glasgow on Saturday (November 6) as thousands of protesters demanded bolder global action to address environmental issues. The Scottish city hosted COP26 climate summit a few days ago. Though pledges were made by global leaders to reduce carbon emissions, experts say that much more was needed to have been done.

Demonstrators began gathering on Saturday morning in a park near the COP26 summit venue, chanting: "Our world is under attack, stand up fight back!"&nbsp;

"I think a lot of politicians are scared of the power of this movement," said a 22-year-old Norwegian protester who gave her name as Jenny.

Delegates from nearly 200 countries are in Glasgow to hammer out how to meet the Paris Agreement goals of limiting temperature rises to between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius.

At the halfway stage of the COP26 negotiations, some countries have upgraded their existing pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while there have been separate deals on phasing out coal, ending foreign fossil fuel funding, and slashing methane.

The promises followed a pre-COP26 estimate from the UN that said national climate plans, when brought together, put Earth on course to warm 2.7C this century.

With just 1.1C of warming so far, communities across the world are already facing ever more intense fire and drought, displacement and economic ruin wrought by global heating.

And a major assessment last week showed global CO2 emissions were set to rebound in 2021 to pre-pandemic levels.

Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg said the summit had gone nowhere near far enough in a speech at Friday's youth march in Glasgow, where she labelled the conference "a failure".

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

A large rainbow lit up the sky in Glasgow on Saturday (November 6) as thousands of protesters demanded bolder global action to address environmental issues. The Scottish city hosted COP26 climate summit a few days ago.

A large rainbow lit up the sky in Glasgow on Saturday (November 6) as thousands of protesters demanded bolder global action to address environmental issues. The Scottish city hosted COP26 climate summit a few days ago. Though pledges were made by global leaders to reduce carbon emissions, experts say that much more was needed to have been done. Demonstrators began gathering on Saturday morning in a park near the COP26 summit venue, chanting: "Our world is under attack, stand up fight back!" "I think a lot of politicians are scared of the power of this movement," said a 22-year-old Norwegian protester who gave her name as Jenny. Delegates from nearly 200 countries are in Glasgow to hammer out how to meet the Paris Agreement goals of limiting temperature rises to between 1.5 and 2 degrees Celsius. At the halfway stage of the COP26 negotiations, some countries have upgraded their existing pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while there have been separate deals on phasing out coal, ending foreign fossil fuel funding, and slashing methane. The promises followed a pre-COP26 estimate from the UN that said national climate plans, when brought together, put Earth on course to warm 2.7C this century. With just 1.1C of warming so far, communities across the world are already facing ever more intense fire and drought, displacement and economic ruin wrought by global heating. And a major assessment last week showed global CO2 emissions were set to rebound in 2021 to pre-pandemic levels. Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg said the summit had gone nowhere near far enough in a speech at Friday's youth march in Glasgow, where she labelled the conference "a failure". (With inputs from agencies)

Glasgow: Rainbow lights up the sky during climate protest

Indonesian Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar has slammed the terms of deal under the COP26 to end deforestation by 2030, calling it “inappropriate and unfair” days after the island country’s President Joko Widodo joined with 127 other nations to sign the historic forest agreement.

In a Facebook post, Bakar said the authorities could not “promise what we can’t do”.

“The massive development of President Jokowi’s era must not stop in the name of carbon emissions or in the name of deforestation,” she said, referring to Widodo by his nickname.

“Indonesia’s natural wealth, including forests, must be managed for its use according to sustainable principles, besides being fair,” she said.

The deal was announced on Monday at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. It was the event’s first major announcement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-could-phase-out-coal-by-2040-with-financial-help-says-finance-minister-426322">Indonesia could phase out coal by 2040 with financial help, says finance minister</a>

It pledges $19.2 billion of public and private funds and promises to end and reverse deforestation by 2030.

The environment minister was joined by the country’s vice foreign minister, Mahendra Siregar, who on Thursday said that zero deforestation by 2030 was not even part of the COP26 pledge.

“The declaration issued does not refer at all to the ‘end deforestation by 2030’,” he said in a statement.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop26-climate-summit-world-leaders-pledge-to-end-deforestation-by-2030-425988">COP26 climate summit: World leaders pledge to end deforestation by 2030</a>

“It is important to move beyond mere narrative, rhetoric, arbitrary targets and sound bites,” he added.

He further said that the pledge did not mean to halt deforestation completely but to ensure there was no net loss of forested land.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/cop26-uk-to-push-plan-to-halt-and-reverse-global-deforestation-by-2030-421088">COP26: UK to push plan to halt and reverse global deforestation by 2030</a>

Mahendra later told Reuters that Indonesia interprets “halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030”, as stated in the pledge, as “sustainable forest management... not end deforestation by 2030”.

Indonesia is home to the world’s third-largest expanse of tropical forest cover, but rampant deforestation since the 1960s has seen half of the country’s forests cut down by illegal loggers and to make way for commercial plantations such as palm oil.

(With inputs from agencies)

Indonesian Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar has slammed the terms of deal under the COP26 to end deforestation by 2030, calling it “inappropriate and unfair” days after the island country’s President Joko Widodo joined with 127 other nations to sign the historic forest agreement.

Indonesian Environment Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar has slammed the terms of deal under the COP26 to end deforestation by 2030, calling it “inappropriate and unfair” days after the island country’s President Joko Widodo joined with 127 other nations to sign the historic forest agreement. In a Facebook post, Bakar said the authorities could not “promise what we can’t do”. “The massive development of President Jokowi’s era must not stop in the name of carbon emissions or in the name of deforestation,” she said, referring to Widodo by his nickname. “Indonesia’s natural wealth, including forests, must be managed for its use according to sustainable principles, besides being fair,” she said. The deal was announced on Monday at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. It was the event’s first major announcement. Also read | Indonesia could phase out coal by 2040 with financial help, says finance minister It pledges $19.2 billion of public and private funds and promises to end and reverse deforestation by 2030. The environment minister was joined by the country’s vice foreign minister, Mahendra Siregar, who on Thursday said that zero deforestation by 2030 was not even part of the COP26 pledge. “The declaration issued does not refer at all to the ‘end deforestation by 2030’,” he said in a statement. Also read | COP26 climate summit: World leaders pledge to end deforestation by 2030 “It is important to move beyond mere narrative, rhetoric, arbitrary targets and sound bites,” he added. He further said that the pledge did not mean to halt deforestation completely but to ensure there was no net loss of forested land. Also read | COP26: UK to push plan to halt and reverse global deforestation by 2030 Mahendra later told Reuters that Indonesia interprets “halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030”, as stated in the pledge, as “sustainable forest management... not end deforestation by 2030”. Indonesia is home to the world’s third-largest expanse of tropical forest cover, but rampant deforestation since the 1960s has seen half of the country’s forests cut down by illegal loggers and to make way for commercial plantations such as palm oil. (With inputs from agencies)

Indonesia calls COP26 deforestation pledge ‘unfair’, says development ‘won’t stop in the name of emissions’

glasgow

Glasgow, News on Glasgow, stories on Glasgow, articles on Glasgow, Glasgow stories at Wion, Glasgow news, Glasgow latest news