China, world’s largest carbon polluting nation, announces new climate goal
China will cut emissions by 7-10 percent by 2035, President Xi Jinping told a high-level climate summit on Wednesday, as the world’s largest carbon-polluting nation announced an ambitious target. Alongside the economy-wide emission-reduction goal, Xi stated that within the next 10 years, China plans to increase its installed capacity of wind and solar power to more than six times its 2020 levels. It also plans to boost its share of non-fossil fuels in domestic energy consumption to more than 30 percent. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list In a video address, Xi pledged to make pollution-free vehicles mainstream and “basically establish a climate-adaptive society.” China spews more than 31 percent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. At the same time, Xi called on the world’s developed countries to take the lead in stronger climate actions. He referred, though not by name, to the United States for moving away from the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate. “Green and low-carbon transformation is the trend of our times. Despite some countries going against the trend, the international community should stay on the right track, maintain unwavering confidence, unwavering action, and undiminished efforts,” Xi said, calling for increased global climate cooperation. On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump used his United Nations General Assembly speech to blast climate change as a “con job” and criticise European Union member states and China for embracing renewable energy technologies. Trump ordered a second withdrawal by Washington from the 10-year-old Paris Agreement on climate, which aimed to prevent global temperatures from rising beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) through national climate plans. The US is the world’s biggest historical greenhouse gas emitter and second-biggest current emitter, behind China. Advertisement Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said their infrastructure and investment in renewable energy and the price of carbon had all increased, and their emissions are down nearly 40 percent since 1940. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is hosting the upcoming climate conference, said, “No one is safe from the effect of climate change. Walls at borders will not stop droughts or storms,” Lula said. “Nature does not bow down to bombs or warships. No country stands above another.” Guterres said, “The science demands action. The law commands it. The economics compel it. And people are calling for it.” Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif said his country knows this all too well, with recent floods that have affected five million people across more than 4,000 villages, killing more than 1,000. “As I speak to you, my country is reeling from intense monsoon rains, flash floods, mudslides and devastating urban flooding,” he said. “We are facing this calamity at a time when the scars of the 2022 floods that inflicted losses exceeding $30bn and displaced millions are still visible across our land.” Under the 2015 Paris climate accord, 195 nations are supposed to submit new, more stringent five-year plans on how to curb carbon emissions. UN officials said countries really need to get their plans in by the end of the month so the UN can calculate how much more warming Earth is on track for if nations do what they promise. Former US President Joe Biden submitted America’s plan late last year before leaving office. Before 2015, the world was on a path for 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) of warming since pre-industrial times, but now has trimmed that to 2.6 degrees Celsius (4.7 degrees Fahrenheit), Guterres, the UN chief, said. However, the Paris accord set the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius since the mid-19th century, and the world has already warmed about 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 degrees Fahrenheit) since. Adblock test (Why?)
Israel kills 85 people in Gaza despite calls for truce from world leaders
At least 85 Palestinians killed across the territory, including 12 at a makeshift shelter, as global leaders demand end to the war at UNGA. At least 12 Palestinians, among them seven women and two children, have been killed in a strike on a stadium sheltering displaced families in the Nuseirat refugee camp in Gaza, as Israel pressed ahead with its relentless attacks despite calls for a ceasefire from world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly. The al-Ahli Stadium, which has been converted into a makeshift refuge for Palestinians fleeing the Israeli onslaught, became the site of another massacre on Wednesday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “I only had what I had in my hand. I left with nothing,” Najwa, a displaced woman from Gaza City, told Al Jazeera. “We are frightened. Transportation is expensive. We can’t pay to bring our things.” ‘Inflicting terror’ Israel’s assault on Gaza intensified overnight, with at least 85 Palestinians killed across the territory on Wednesday – more than double the number of those killed yesterday. As the UN warned that Israel’s military is “inflicting terror on the Palestinian population of Gaza City and forcing tens of thousands to flee”, Israeli military chief of staff Eyal Zamir claimed Palestinians were being pushed southward “for their safety”. But UN investigators have rejected those claims. A commission of inquiry this week concluded that Israel’s actions are aimed at establishing permanent control over Gaza while ensuring a Jewish majority in the occupied West Bank and inside Israel. Zamir added that “most of Gaza’s population has already left Gaza City” and that the army “will continue a systematic and thorough advance” into the enclave’s largest urban centre. Advertisement Since the war began on October 7, 2023, at least 65,419 Palestinians have been killed and 167,160 wounded, with thousands more believed to be buried beneath the rubble. Israel launched what campaigners say is a war of vengeance after 1,139 people were killed in Israel in a Hamas-led attack in October 2023. About 200 were taken captive by the Palestinian fighters, out of which more than 40 still remain in Gaza. Condemnation at the United Nations At the UN General Assembly in New York, Israel’s war on Gaza has dominated proceedings, drawing condemnation from leaders across the world. Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian told world leaders: “If you have no sympathy for human pain, the name of human you cannot pertain. Those criminals who bully by murdering children are not worthy of the name ‘human being’, and they shall never prove to be trustworthy partners.” Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa also demanded an immediate ceasefire: “We stand firmly with the people of Gaza, its children and women and all peoples facing violations and aggression. We call for an immediate end to the war.” Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide told Al Jazeera that quiet talks are taking place on ending the conflict, building on the “New York Declaration” roadmap endorsed by 142 states in July. “Those of us who are closest to the Israeli position are beginning to understand that we cannot just continue with this endless, senseless war, and that includes the United States,” he said. Smoke billows over Gaza City following an Israeli airstrike, as displaced Palestinians flee northern Gaza through Wadi Gaza on Wednesday, September 24, 2025 [Abdel Kareem Hana/AP Photo] Meanwhile, US special envoy Steve Witkoff said Washington was “hopeful … even confident that in the coming days we’ll be able to announce some sort of breakthrough” and confirmed that President Donald Trump’s 21-point peace plan had been circulated among world leaders. But previous peace proposals have been derailed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Earlier this month, Netanyahu ordered the assassination of Hamas leaders gathering in Doha to discuss a peace proposal by Trump. The Israeli leader unilaterally pulled out of the last ceasefire agreement on March 18 and launched fierce air strikes and imposed a total aid blockade, resulting in famine and starvation deaths. He faces an arrest warrant for war crimes issued by the International Criminal Court. As Israel becomes increasingly isolated, protests have erupted in Tel Aviv. Hundreds gathered at Ben Gurion airport to denounce Netanyahu as he departed for the UN meeting. Advertisement Before leaving, the Israeli prime minister once again rejected international calls for a Palestinian state. “The shameful surrender of some leaders to Palestinian terrorism will not bind Israel in any way,” his office said. Adblock test (Why?)
Senegal: Gaza has ‘become hell for thousands of souls’
NewsFeed At the 80th UNGA, Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye condemned the war in Gaza, calling it a “humanitarian catastrophe” and urging immediate global action. He demanded justice for Palestinians and fairer governance that respects sovereignty worldwide. Published On 24 Sep 202524 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Protests seeking statehood in India’s Ladakh turn deadly
Leading activist says three to five people feared killed in police fire, but no official word yet on casualty figures. Published On 24 Sep 202524 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A protest in the Indian Himalayan region of Ladakh demanding statehood for the federal territory has turned violent as protesters clashed with police and set fire to a paramilitary vehicle and the office of the country’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Police fired tear gas on Wednesday and charged demonstrators with batons, injuring dozens of them, police said. Some among the injured were in critical condition, residents said. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Authorities banned the assembly of more than five people in Leh district, the capital of the Ladakh region, after the clashes. No official statement has been released on the number of casualties, but a local activist who has been on hunger strike seeking more power for the region bordering China told Indian media that three to five people are believed to have been killed in police gunfire. “We have reports that many people have been injured. We don’t know the exact count,” Sonam Wangchuk was quoted as saying by the Indian Express site. Al Jazeera could not independently verify the casualty figures. Protests erupted after youth groups called for the shutdown of Leh. Demonstrators attend a sit-in demanding constitutional safeguards and statehood for the Himalayan region of Ladakh on March 21, 2024 [Reuters] The protests are part of a larger movement in the federally governed region that seeks statehood and constitutional provisions from the Indian government for autonomy over land and agricultural decisions. Ladakh lost its autonomy in 2019 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government carved the region out of India-administered Kashmir. Since then, the majority Muslim-Buddhist territory has been directly governed from New Delhi. Advertisement Protesters have called for Ladakh to be given special status that would allow for the creation of elected local bodies to protect its tribal areas. At its core, the protests are calling for Ladakh to be included under the Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution, which provides provisions for tribal areas and allows local communities to have a say in how the regions are administered. Wangchuk called for restraint as he called off his hunger strike, which he launched two weeks ago. “My message of peaceful path failed today. I appeal to [the] youth to please stop this nonsense. This only damages our cause,” he said. In a public notice, District Administrator Romil Singh Donk announced a ban on demonstrations, public gatherings and inflammatory speech. Activists and local politicians in Ladakh have accused Modi’s government of not addressing their concerns. Several rounds of talks between local politicians and representatives from New Delhi in the past few years have not yielded results. The next round of talks is expected to take place on October 6. Ladakh, which shares a long border with China, is a strategically important territory for India. Ladakh was the site of deadly clashes between Indian and Chinese soldiers in 2020 that strained the ties between the two Asian countries. The two Asian giants have recently moved to mend their ties in the wake of Trump’s punishing tariff war. Adblock test (Why?)
Zelenskyy slams UN’s weakness over Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan wars
NewsFeed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy slammed the UN and other international institutions as being too weak to stop wars in Gaza, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine during a speech at the UN General Assembly. Published On 24 Sep 202524 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Russia, Iran sign nuclear power plants deal as sanctions loom
Agreement between Rosatom and Iran targets energy expansion with eight new nuclear plants planned by 2040. Published On 24 Sep 202524 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Russia and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding on the construction of small nuclear power plants in Iran, according the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom, as Tehran has been engaged in a diplomatic push to avert new sanctions over its nuclear programme. The agreement was signed by Rosatom chief Alexei Likhachev and Iran’s top nuclear official, Mohammad Eslami, on Wednesday at a meeting in Moscow. Rosatom described it as a “strategic project”. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Eslami, who is also Iran’s vice president, told Iranian state media earlier this week that the plan was to construct eight nuclear power plants as Tehran seeks to reach 20GW of nuclear energy capacity by 2040. Iran, which suffers from electricity shortages during high-demand months, has only one operating nuclear power plant, in the southern city of Bushehr. It was built by Russia and has a capacity of approximately 1GW. The development comes amid looming sanctions on Iran, after the United Nations Security Council voted on Friday not to permanently lift economic sanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, meaning sanctions will return by September 28 if no significant deal is reached beforehand. Russia was among four nations that voted to stop the sanctions from being reintroduced. Iran pushed back against the UNSC vote, saying the resumption of sanctions would “effectively suspend” the country’s cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the UN watchdog. The vote followed a 30-day process launched in late August by the United Kingdom, France and Germany – known as the E3 – to reinstate sanctions unless Tehran meets their demands. Advertisement The E3 have accused Tehran of breaching its nuclear commitments, including by building up a uranium stockpile of more than 40 times the level permitted under a 2015 nuclear deal, from which Trump unilaterally withdrew in 2018, during his first term. The deal allowed Iran to enrich uranium up to 3.67 percent purity. In its defence, Iran says it boosted its nuclear enrichment only after Trump withdrew from the deal and reimposed sanctions on the country. Tehran deems the US action a violation of the 2015 deal. Iranian officials have accused the European trio of abusing the dispute mechanism contained in the 2015 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), which allows for the application of sanctions under a “snapback mechanism”. New sanctions would result in freezing of Iranian assets abroad, a halt in arms deals with Tehran, and penalise the development of ballistic missile programme, among other measures. Iran has repeatedly denied pursuing nuclear weapons but affirmed its right to peacefully pursue nuclear energy. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would never seek a nuclear bomb. On Tuesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Tehran will not directly negotiate with the United States over Iran’s nuclear programme, calling talks with the US “a sheer dead end”. Tensions escalated this June, when Israel launched a 12-day war on Iran, with Israeli and US forces striking several nuclear facilities. Adblock test (Why?)
Colombia blasts genocidal Israel and allies over Gaza atrocities
NewsFeed Colombian President Gustavo Petro told the UNGA the world must end the “genocide in Gaza,” blasting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the US, and Europe as genocidal. He also tied US strikes on Caribbean boats to wider abuses driven by racism and domination. Published On 24 Sep 202524 Sep 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
Where and how to watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! And who is boycotting?
EXPLAINER As Kimmel returns, he is expected to address the controversy that led major station groups to drop his late-night comedy show. Comedian Jimmy Kimmel returns to ABC on Tuesday in the United States after being suspended for nearly a week following controversial remarks about the alleged assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which provoked backlash from the administration of President Donald Trump. As he takes the stage again, Kimmel is expected to address the controversy, which stirred outrage among some viewers, triggered threats of federal regulatory action, sparked a debate over freedom of speech, and led two major television station groups to pull the late-night comedy show Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their schedules. Here is what we know: When will Jimmy Kimmel come back on air? Jimmy Kimmel Live! is scheduled to return on Tuesday night in its regular 11:35pm ET slot (03:35 GMT on Wednesday), airing on ABC, with episodes also available to stream on Hulu. However, Sinclair Broadcast Group – a major operator of local TV stations that include more than 30 ABC affiliates – announced that those stations will avoid Kimmel’s show, and instead, will air local news programming. Washington, DC, and parts of California and Florida will be among the parts of the US that will be affected by Sinclair’s decision. Separately, Nexstar, also a big owner of ABC affiliate stations, announced on Tuesday that it will replace Jimmy Kimmel Live! with different programming. Where can you watch it? Viewers in major US markets, such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, where Disney owns and operates local ABC affiliates, will be able to watch the show. It will also be available nationwide on abc.com and via streaming on Hulu. Advertisement You can also watch ABC on the following platforms: DirecTV FuboSling Hulu + Live TV Full episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Live! are available the next day on Hulu and Disney+, with clips posted to the show’s YouTube channel after an episode airs, including Kimmel’s opening monologue. What is expected to happen on the show? Kimmel is expected to address the events of the past week – in terms of what happened to him. But how he does this, and what else he focuses on, is unclear. What happened to Kimmel and his show? On September 10, conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot and killed while speaking at a university event in Utah. After a 33-hour manhunt, police arrested 22-year-old Tyler Robinson and charged him with aggravated murder. Prosecutors have since said that though Robinson comes from a staunchly Republican family, his own politics had veered to the left in recent years, based on interviews with his relatives. Before those revelations from prosecutors, Kimmel had criticised President Donald Trump and his supporters over their response to Kirk’s death. On his show, he accused the “MAGA gang” of twisting the story for political gain by suggesting that the suspected assassin was left-leaning. Kimmel also mocked Trump’s reaction to Kirk’s death – the president had described the killed activist as a close friend, but then, in public comments, also appeared distracted about renovations at the White House – as childish. Kimmel’s remarks led to a strong backlash. On September 17, broadcast groups Nexstar and Sinclair pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! from their stations. The dispute grew after Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr called for action against Kimmel, Disney and ABC, a move some condemned as government overreach. Since the suspension, some viewers have begun cancelling subscriptions to Disney+ and Hulu, using hashtags like #CancelDisney and #CancelABC to protest. Who are the guests expected in this show? US reports say that on Tuesday, Jimmy Kimmel Live! will host American actor Glen Powell and Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. The following night, the guests are set to include American actors Ethan Hawke and Lisa Ann Walter. On Thursday, the show’s couch will feature retired American football star Peyton Manning and actor Oscar Nunez, with Alex G taking the stage as the musical act. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump administration rehires laid-off employees after cost-cutting blitz
Hundreds of federal employees in the United States who lost their jobs in Elon Musk’s cost-cutting blitz are being asked to return to work. The General Services Administration (GSA) has given the employees, who managed government workspaces, until the end of the week to accept or decline reinstatement, according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press news agency. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Those who accept must report for duty on October 6 after what amounts to a seven-month paid vacation, during which time the GSA in some cases racked up high costs – passed along to taxpayers – to stay in dozens of properties whose leases it had slated for termination or were allowed to expire. “Ultimately, the outcome was the agency was left broken and understaffed,” said Chad Becker, a former GSA real estate official. “They didn’t have the people they needed to carry out basic functions.” Becker, who represents owners with government leases at Arco Real Estate Solutions, said the GSA has been in a “triage mode” for months. He said the sudden reversal of the downsizing reflects how the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under Musk’s prior leadership had gone too far, too fast. The GSA was established in the 1940s to centralise the acquisition and management of thousands of federal workplaces. Its return-to-work request mirrors rehiring efforts at several agencies targeted by DOGE. Last month, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said it would allow some employees who took a resignation offer to remain on the job. Advertisement The Labor Department has also brought back some employees who took buyouts, while the National Park Service earlier reinstated a number of purged employees. Critical to the work of such agencies is the GSA, which manages many of the buildings. Starting in March, thousands of GSA employees left the agency as part of programmes that encouraged them to resign or take early retirement. Hundreds of others – those subject to the recall notice – were dismissed as part of an aggressive push to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Though those employees did not show up for work, some continue to get paid. GSA representatives did not respond to detailed questions about the return-to-work notice, which the agency issued on Friday. They also declined to discuss the agency’s headcount, staffing decisions or the potential cost overruns generated by reversing its plans to terminate leases. “GSA’s leadership team has reviewed workforce actions and is making adjustments in the best interest of the customer agencies we serve and the American taxpayers,” an agency spokesman said in an email. Democrats have assailed the indiscriminate approach to slashing costs and jobs by the administration of President Donald Trump. Representative Greg Stanton of Arizona, the top Democrat on the subcommittee overseeing the GSA, told the AP that there is no evidence that reductions at the agency “delivered any savings”. “It’s created costly confusion while undermining the very services taxpayers depend on,” he said. DOGE identified the agency, which had about 12,000 employees at the start of the Trump administration, as a chief target of its campaign to reduce fraud, waste and abuse in the federal government. A small cohort of Musk’s trusted aides embedded in the GSA’s headquarters, sometimes sleeping on cots on the agency’s sixth floor, and pursued plans to abruptly cancel nearly half of the 7,500 leases in the federal portfolio. DOGE also wanted the GSA to sell hundreds of federally-owned buildings with the goal of generating billions in savings. The GSA started by sending more than 800 lease cancellation notices to landlords, in many cases without informing the government tenants. The agency also published a list of hundreds of government buildings that were targeted for sale. The Government Accountability Office, an independent congressional watchdog, is examining the GSA’s management of its workforce, lease terminations and planned building disposals, and expects to issue findings in the coming months, said David Marroni, a senior GAO official. Advertisement Adblock test (Why?)
Israel killed my spouse. Now I raise alone a son who’ll never have a father
In Gaza, the war will not end when the bombs stop falling. It will continue to hurt us from within, having left behind wounds that cut deep – wounds that are not reported in casualty figures or news broadcasts. For my family, one of the cruellest reminders of this truth is my youngest son, Malik. At one year and four months, he has never seen his father. Anas, his father and my husband, was killed by an Israeli air strike while he was reporting as a freelance journalist in Gaza City. I was four months pregnant at that time. When I discovered I was expecting just before the genocide started, Anas was overjoyed. We spent evenings dreaming together of building a future for ourselves and our children, of having a new home, of continuing our studies – him pursuing a PhD and I: a master’s degree. We discussed baby names and agreed that if the baby were a boy, he would be called Malik. We never settled on a girl’s name. Israel did not only take my husband from me and the dream of growing old together, but also silenced a voice dedicated to exposing its crimes in Gaza. After his death, many urged me to name the baby after him, but I could not. I wanted to honour Anas’s own choice, so I named him Malik. Before the war shattered our lives, Anas had poured himself into fatherhood. With our first son, Ibrahim, now three years old, he was not just a father but a constant companion. I have countless photos and videos of the two together: Anas feeding him, taking him along to prayers, carrying him to work. When I attended university classes, Anas proudly stayed home with Ibrahim, tending to him with patience and devotion. Advertisement Those memories are now priceless treasures. Ibrahim has a living memory of his father’s love that he can turn to whenever absence becomes too difficult to bear. He can watch his father’s smile, hear his laughter, and feel his presence through the moments captured before war took him away. Malik, however, was born into his father’s absence. He has no photo, no video, no moment where his father’s face meets his eyes. He came into this world carrying a void that only stories can attempt to fill. Each time I look at Ibrahim’s images with his father, my heart breaks a little more. Not only because Anas is gone, but because Malik’s inheritance is emptiness. How will he find strength in a father he never knew? How will he build resilience without even a single memory to cling to? I will tell him, of course, how Anas longed for him even before he was born, how he imagined holding him and planned a bright future for him. But words alone cannot replace the tangible comfort of a father’s embrace, the warmth of his voice, or the touch of his hand. Our story is not an exception. It is part of a broader reality lived by thousands of children in Gaza. Children born orphans, or losing their mothers or fathers in their early years, deprived of the most basic right: to have a memory of the people who brought them into this world. These are not merely personal tales, but a collective wound that deepens every day. The Israeli occupation does not stop at killing the living – it robs future generations of memory, of connection, of even a single image or fleeting moment. A photo, a video, a shared smile – such simple things, taken for granted elsewhere, are impossible for so many children here. These are children who grow up with fragments, stories passed down to fill the voids left behind by their parents. I carry the weight of being a mother and a father, a caretaker and a memory-keeper. I work multiple jobs to feed them and try to secure a childhood for them, despite the genocide and the death of their father. I try to build Malik’s connection to his father through words, weaving a story strong enough to overcome the absence. Yet I know that despite my stories, he will never know what it is like to hear Anas’s laugh or feel the warmth of his embrace. This is the hidden cruelty of this genocidal war: It not only kills, it robs us of memories. It forces us to fight for remembrance as fiercely as we fight for survival. For children like Malik, memory must be invented, patched together from stories, to resist the erasure of their parents’ lives. Advertisement I write this story not to drown in grief, but to preserve what fragments I can for my sons. I write because, in a time when we are being silenced and erased, writing itself becomes resistance. Perhaps these words will give Malik something that ties him to his father. Perhaps, they will get the world to pay attention, to take action, to stop the massacres that leave children like my son struggling in the absence of a parent. The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance. Adblock test (Why?)