good morning. We are covering India’s rapidly growing Covid crisis and a major US pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
India has suffered from the worst Covid crisis in the world
With daily new coronavirus cases approaching 300,000 on Wednesday, India is surpassing US records from its peak of escalation To become a global hotspot. It is the fastest growing Covid-19 crisis in the world.
The healthcare system is collapsing under pressure, with one of the most worrisome aspects The second wave in India Being a diminished oxygen supply. Several hospital officials said they were only hours away from running out of fuel, and 22 people died from oxygen loss in one hospital after an accident.
Hospital beds and vaccines are also declining, with mounting criticism of the government’s handling of the crisis: Worshipers celebrating Kumbh Mela continue to gather in large numbers, and critics say Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has done little to prevent the festival’s transformation into a superspreader event.
Course of action: In a televised address, Mr Modi urged people to be more cautious, but said lockdowns were a last resort. Countries and cities are increasingly turning to lockdowns on their own. Maharashtra, the second largest state, was expected to announce a 15-day lockdown.
Travel restrictions: The outbreak has prompted neighboring Sri Lanka to delay plans for a travel bubble. France said that travelers from India will have to complete a 10-day quarantine. Britain It also imposed such restrictions and advises the United States not to travel to India.
Here Latest updates And the Pandemic Maps.
In other developments:
Biden announces an ambitious goal for US emissions
President Biden will On Thursday he pledged to nearly halve US emissions By the end of the decade, a goal that will require Americans to change the way they live.
The target date for the closely watched Earth Day summit that Mr. Biden is hosting on Thursday and Friday has been set to show that the United States is rejoining international efforts to combat climate change.
Chinese President Xi Jinping We will attend Almost, along with the leaders of nearly 40 other countries including Brazil, India and Canada, The only country in the G7 that has increased its greenhouse gas emissions since the Paris Agreement. Brazil promises to end illegal deforestation by 2030, but President Jair Bolsonaro wants the international community to do so Pledges billions of dollars to pay for conservation.
Challenges: Experts said that significant actions are needed across the US economy to achieve the goal, especially with regard to the two largest sources of emissions: cars and power plants. The new goal nearly doubles the pledge made by the Obama administration to cut emissions 26 percent to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, although the United States will have another five years to do so.
Strong warning to Putin
President Vladimir Putin The West warned against crossing what it called the “red line.” With Russia in his annual State of the Union address. He delivered his speech where about 100,000 Russian soldiers were mobilized at the Ukrainian border and The demonstrators took to the streets.
Putin said Russia’s response would be “asymmetric, swift and difficult” if it were to defend its interests. He refrained from announcing any new military or foreign political steps.
Mr. Putin’s opponents called protests throughout Russia On Wednesday, in support of opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is on hunger strike in a Russian prison. Before the rallies, authorities arrested dozens of protest leaders in 20 cities.
Tensions: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned on Tuesday of a possible war with Russia. In a national address, he said that Moscow’s build-up of forces on the Ukrainian border had created “all the preconditions for escalation.” (be seen Pictures from the front line.)
at home: Navalny said in a message sent by his team that he is like “A skeleton is walking.” He insists that he be allowed to be seen by doctors of his choice.
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Flush with cash and spent the epidemic, Some workers have left their jobs To seize the opportunity and move to where they have always dreamed of living, get close to family or start a creative project for pets. Others turn to jobs that give them more work-life balance.
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All you need to know about climate change
The science of climate change is much more solid and widely agreed upon than you might think. Ahead of Earth Day, our climate team put together this guide to get the most accurate scientific information. This is an excerpt from our site Final answers to the big questions About climate change.
How bad are the effects of climate change?
It depends on how strong we act to tackle climate change. If we continue business as usual, by the end of the century, it will be Too hot to come out During heat waves in the Middle East and South Asia. The drought will take hold Central America, the Mediterranean, and South Africa. And many island nations and low-lying areas, from Texas to Bangladesh, will be outdone by rising sea levels. Conversely, climate change could lead to a welcome warming of temperatures and extended growing seasons to the United States The upper midwestAnd Canada, the Nordic countries and Russia. But further north, the loss of snow, ice and permafrost will overturn indigenous traditions and threaten infrastructure.
How much does it cost to do something about climate change, versus do nothing?
One of the most common arguments against taking drastic action to combat climate change is that doing so will Kill jobs And the economy was crippled. But it does mean that there is an alternative where we pay nothing for climate change. Unfortunately, there is no. In fact, it does not address Climate change will cost a lot, cause immense human suffering and environmental damage, while the transition to a greener economy will benefit many people and ecosystems around the world.
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