Carbon offsets got a big boost from November’s U.N. climate summit. New rules could make it easier for companies to pay for carbon-cutting projects in other countries, rather than doing it themselves.
Beijing has warned Washington against affecting cooperation in “important areas” by calling for a diplomatic boycott of the upcoming Winter Olympics in China and brushing off the US behavior as “grandstanding.”
Calls for a boycott should stop, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Zhao Lijian, told a news conference on Monday, adding that a failure to do so on the part of US politicians might “affect the dialogue and cooperation between China and the United States in important areas.”
If Washington “insists in willfully clinging to its course,” Beijing would “take resolute countermeasures,” Lijian added, while describing the calls for a boycott as nothing but “grandstanding.” US President Joe Biden’s administration has not yet officially announced any moves. It is expected to do so this week, though, according to a CNN report on Sunday.
Last month, Biden said he was considering a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Games to protest China’s human rights record, including what Washington describes as a “genocide” of Uyghurs – a Muslim minority living in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region.
Western nations, including the US and the UK, have accused China of establishing camps in Xinjiang that reportedly enforce sterilization and slave labor. Beijing has repeatedly denied these accusations, calling the sites vocational education and training centers.
The White House did not comment on the CNN report. The potential boycott would prevent the US officials from attending the Olympics but would not stop American athletes from competing there. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is reportedly considering a similar boycott as well.
UNITED NATIONS, Dec 06 (IPS) – The 21-month long pandemic, which began with the outbreak of the deadly corona virus back in March 2020, ravaged hundreds and thousands of businesses and industries resulting either in widespread losses, closures or bankruptcies.
Mount Semeru, located on Indonesia’s most densely populated island, spewed thick columns of ash more than 40,000 feet into the sky, and sent searing gas and lava flowing down its slopes.
A man lunged at French far-right presidential hopeful Eric Zemmour, grabbing him by the neck as the former was about to kick off his first campaign rally. The event was mired by scuffles between his supporters and “anti-racists.”
Zemmour was making his way to the stage of his inaugurate campaign event in the Paris suburb of Villepinte on Sunday when a man appeared to have charged at him, briefly locking his arms behind the candidate’s neck.
The incident was captured on video, which has been making rounds online.
Zemmour’s security detail promptly rounded up the individual, handing him over to police. The man was taken into custody on suspicion of “premeditated violence,” French BFM TV channel reported. The alleged attacker was known to police over his involvement in “common law offences,” the channel said.
Seemingly unperturbed by the incident, Zemmour proceeded to the stage, hosting a rally before some 12,000-strong crowd despite reportedly injuring his wrist in the melee.
At his first rally since declaring his presidential bid, Zemmour, known primarily for his anti-immigrant stance, also vowed to withdraw France from NATO. Popular talk show host-turned politician, Zemmour pledged to protect French businesses from American and Chinese corporations, raise workers’ compensation and remove the teaching of “inclusiveness” from school curriculum.
At one point the fired-up crowd broke out into singing the French national anthem, ‘La Marseillaise.’
WATCH: French presidential hopeful Éric #Zemmour holds a big rally. The crowd sang “La Marseillaise” as Zemmour spoke about dismantling “illegal immigration networks” and restoring France to greatness. Some say Zemmour is France’s Tucker Carlson.pic.twitter.com/j0gylymj4c
The event was mired by violent clashes between Zemmour’s supporters and self-styled anti-racism activists. About a dozen members of SOS Racisme group showed up at the rally with a “No to Racism” banner, and claimed that they were attacked by Zemmour’s supporters.
One clip shows an unknown man hitting a woman, apparently a SOS Racisme activist, at the beginning of the showdown.
Action de SOS Racisme ”Non aux racistes !” en fond de salle, devant les caméras des journalistes.
En réaction, des personnes attaquent, une chaise est lancée en l’air.
