VALLETTA, Malta – The Commonwealth on Saturday, November 28, pledged itself towards an "ambitious", legally-binding outcome from the world climate change summit, saying it was "deeply concerned" about the disproportionate threat to its most vulnerable members.

Leaders from the 53-country family, which represents around a third of the world's population, produced a "message of Commonwealth ambition and determination" for the COP21 talks in Paris, which kick off Monday. (TIMELINE: The long road to the climate summit of the century)

"We are committed to working towards an ambitious, equitable, inclusive, balanced, rules-based and durable outcome of COP21 that includes a legally-binding agreement," they said in a Statement on Climate Action, agreed at their summit in Malta.

"Such an outcome, joined and implemented by all parties, should put the global community on track towards low-emission and climate-resilient societies and economies."

Commonwealth leaders at the organization's biennial gathering agreed the statement following a day of talks amongst themselves alone in a mediaeval coastal fortress.

Because its membership includes industrialized G7 powers like Britain and Canada, emerging giants like India and tiny island microstates such as the Maldives, agreement in the Commonwealth has historically boded well for deals being struck beyond its bounds.

Among the few things concluded at the flop 2009 Copenhagen global climate change summit were those things agreed beforehand by the Commonwealth.

Debt for climate action swaps

"We are deeply concerned by the threat posed by climate change, which continues to put at risk the economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being of our member states and citizens," the leaders' statement said.

"Many of our most vulnerable states and communities are already facing the adverse impacts of climate change."

It committed to hold the increase in global average temperature "below two or 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels".

The Commonwealth launched a Climate Finance Access Hub, a network aimed at smaller island states that want to get access to funds to mitigate against the effects of climate change.

"Access to finance, technology and capacity development are at the heart of the ability to respond to climate change adaptation and mitigation," said Mauritian Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth, who announced its establishment.

The organization has also come up with a debt swap for climate change action initiative, where developing countries could see their debt written down in return for undertaking projects on improving the environment.

Leaders held talks Saturday at a retreat session in Fort St Angelo, a bastion on Valletta's harbour controlled by the Sovereign Military Order of Malta and dating to the middle ages.

The retreat sessions feature just the leaders and the Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma: no advisers, press or other ministers are allowed in.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and French President Francois Hollande had been guests at the summit's special session on climate change Friday and said they were strongly encouraged by what they saw.

Cameron links corruption, extremism

Commonwealth leaders also discussed combating radicalization and corruption, and coping with migration.

"We need to expose this extremism for what it is: a belief system that divides our communities and glorifies violence," British Prime Minister David Cameron said.

"We've committed to do more to counter extremist propaganda on the Internet and to share expertise on prevention."

He said he would host a conference in London in May on tackling corruption.

Extremism and corruption were linked, Cameron said, insisting malfeasance "can foment terrorism if people give up hope in a good and honest government providing the things they need".

Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, said terrorists were most scared of "well-educated young girls and boys -- especially girls -- and a prosperous economy".

"The Commonwealth's natural territory is working more on education and bringing the tools for economic development."

Sharma said leaders were concerned about the "scourge of terrorism", saying: "The phrase 'politics by murder' was used."

Queen Elizabeth II, the head of the Commonwealth since 1952, wrapped up her three-day state visit to Malta with a trip across the capital Valletta's Grand Harbour and a visit to the racecourse.

Commonwealth leaders agreed to hold their next summit in Britain in early 2018, meaning the 89-year-old, who has discontinued long-haul travel for the summits, should be attending in person once again. – Robin Millar, Ella Ide, AFP/Rappler.com

BAMAKO, Mali (UPDATED) – Two United Nations peacekeepers and a civilian contractor were killed Saturday, November 28, in a rocket attack on a UN base in northern Mali claimed by the jihadist Ansar Dine group, which the Security Council warned could be a war crime.

Some 20 people were also wounded in the pre-dawn attack on the camp in Kidal, four of them seriously, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Mali (MINUSMA) said.

The attack comes a week after a deadly siege at a Bamako hotel, and at a time of heightened global concern about terrorism after killings in Paris and the downing of the Russian jet, both claimed by Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists.

"Our camp in Kidal was attacked early this morning by terrorists using rockets," a MINUSMA official told Agence France-Presse.

The dead included two Guinean peacekeepers and a contractor from Burkina Faso, the UN said.

"The terrorists fired shots and then fled," another UN source added.

The UN Security Council's 15 members urged the Malian government to investigate and stressed that "those responsible for the attack should be held accountable".

"The members of the Security Council underlined that attacks targeting peacekeepers may constitute war crimes under international law," they said in a unanimous declaration.

An "outraged" UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and wished the wounded a speedy recovery.

A senior Ansar Dine (Defenders of the Faith) figure, Hamadou Ag Khallini, told AFP that the attack was "in response to the violation of our lands by the enemies of Islam."

"We claim the attack in the name of all the mujahedeen," he said.

The Ansar Dine group is allied to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and the Macina Liberation Front, the latter of which claimed responsibility for the November 20 attack on the luxury Radisson Blu hotel in Mali's capital during which 20 people died, including 14 foreigners. 

In a siege that last around nine hours, armed men held around 170 guests and staff hostage before Malian, French and US forces stormed the hotel to free the captives, killing two assailants.

Two separate jihadist groups claimed responsibility for that assault: the Al-Murabitoun group, an Al-Qaeda affiliate led by notorious one-eyed Algerian militant Mokhtar Belmokhtar, and the Macina Liberation Front from central Mali.

Four days later, a UN employee was killed in an attack on a peacekeeping convoy near the historic desert town of Timbuktu.

Perilous peacekeeping mission

MINUSMA chief Mongi Hamdi said in a statement Saturday that the attacks "would not dent the determination of the UN to support the Malian people and the peace process".

Mali has been plagued by unrest since the north of the vast west African state fell under the control of Tuareg rebels and jihadist groups linked to Al-Qaeda in 2012.

The Islamists soon sidelined the Tuareg to take sole control of Timbuktu, Kidal and other northern towns but lost most of the ground they had captured in a French-led military intervention in January 2013.

Nearly three years later, large swathes of Mali still remain lawless despite a June peace deal between the government and Tuareg rebels seen as crucial to ending decades of instability in the north that left it vulnerable to extremism.

Some splinter groups had opposed the agreement, including the Tuareg head of the Ansar Dine group, Iyad Ag Ghaly, who called in an October recording for further attacks, including against France.

France has more than 1,000 troops in Mali, a former colony and a key battleground of its Barkhane counter-terror mission spanning five countries in Africa's restive Sahel region.

The UN mission in Mali comprises around 10,200 peacekeepers, who have come under frequent attack.

With more than 50 fatalities so far, MINUSMA has been one of the deadliest UN missions in recent years.

This year has seen the violence spread to the centre and south of Mali, which had previously been largely spared by the extremists. – Serge Daniel, AFP/Rappler.com

PARIS, France – The global climate talks that officially open on Monday, November 30, in Paris are a massive undertaking both diplomatically and logistically, with some 40,000 visitors expected daily amid heightened security fears.

The summit will operate like a temporary town over the coming two weeks – providing work space, food and protection for its guests that include scores of world leaders.

Here are some of the key numbers:

{source}<img style="max-width:100%" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/727087687667810305/1024/10/scaletowidth#tl-727087687667810305;1043138249'" class="alwaysThinglink"/><script async charset="utf-8" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/jse/embed.js"></script>{/source}

– Text by Agence France Presse; Graphic by Alyssa Arizabal / Rappler.com

VALLETTA, Malta – Cannon shots rang out across the harbor in Valletta on Saturday, November 28, in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II as she sailed across the bay on the final leg of her state visit to Malta.

The 89-year-old monarch and her husband Prince Philip were aboard the "Maryanne", a boat from the early 1950s and the period when the couple had called the Mediterranean island home.

The trip on the dghajsa – a traditional water taxi – was the highlight of a nostalgic day, which saw the royals return to several of their favorite haunts from their youth – possibly for the last time.

Dressed in a bright turquoise A-line coat, the queen held her hat on in the wind as the red, yellow and green-striped boat, with the royal standard flying from its stern, sailed towards Britain's HMS Bulwark assault ship, which was adorned with colorful signaling flags.

The queen lived in Malta between 1949 and 1951 as a princess with her new husband, who was stationed on the island as a Royal Navy officer.

It was reportedly the happiest time of their lives and the pair have returned several times over the years – most recently in 2007 to celebrate their diamond wedding anniversary.

A royal three cheers

"Visiting Malta is always very special for me. I remember happy days here with Prince Philip when we were first married," the queen said in a speech before the boat ride.

On their return in 2007, which was dubbed a "second honeymoon", "we could not help but be impressed by the progress and the sense of optimism" in Malta, she said.

As a princess, she had a dghajsa commissioned by the Royal Navy to ferry her around, and looked pleased to be hopping back on one despite the overcast day.

As the cannons fired from the Barrakka gardens on the sea front – where Elizabeth, then in her early 20s, used to come and wave in the navy fleet – the crew of the HMS Bulwark performed a royal salute, holding their caps aloft and cheering "hip hip hooray!".

Security was heavy, with snipers on the rooftops and four patrol boats with armed sailors circling the bay for the ride, which wound up a 3-day state visit that began Thursday, November 26.

The British monarch had requested to land at Customs Wharf, 72 years after her father King George VI disembarked there to award Malta the George Cross for its bravery during a World War II siege. It was the only time the award has been bestowed on a country.

Bygone age

Earlier, the couple had visited the Heritage Malta center which conserves the country's historical sites, including ancient temples which folklore has it were built by giants.

The centre is in the former Bighi Hospital – a major navy infirmary that served a vast area from 1832 until 1970, giving Malta the nickname "The Nurse of the Mediterranean".

The hospital tended to casualties of the first and second world wars, and the then-princess paid tribute to their service in 1949, visiting patients here on Christmas Eve.

It was a hugely independent time for the future queen, who used to beetle around the island in her own car and enjoyed shopping, partying and spending the day at the races.

The queen spent her last hours on the island at the Marsa racecourse, where she reportedly used to come to ride but also to dance the night away at an on-site club.

The royals viewed children's trotting races at the club – the second oldest polo club in the world – before awarding prizes to the victors.

They then set off for the airport in cars from the 1950s – Austin Princesses with leather seats and walnut wood interiors – in a final nod to a bygone age of liberty.

The Maltese armed forces band played them off, with a medley including the 1939 British song "We'll meet again" – one of the most famous tunes from the Second World War and a sign the island hopes this might not be the last visit from the elderly monarch. – Ella Ide, AFP / Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – The Society of Jesus, which runs a network of prominent Ateneo schools in the Philippines, sees a recently publicized sex abuse case as a call to examine itself, especially its work of caring for minors.  

The sex abuse case involves a former Jesuit, now dead, who allegedly abused a Jesuit high school student named Lucas (not his real name) from 1984 to 1987. At the time, the alleged abuser was a Jesuit seminarian.

Citing “institutional culpability,” Lucas wants the Society of Jesus, better known as the Jesuits, to pay him $16 million in damages. He also wants justice, making those in positions of power, who were allegedly complicit in the abuse, accountable.

In an interview with Rappler on November 22, Fr Jose Quilongquilong SJ said, “On the part of the Society, we see this as an invitation to examine ourselves, because in terms of the mind of the Church – with all the cases which happened since 2000 in other places, and with Pope Francis now – there is no place for this sexual abuse in the Church.” 

Quilongquilong is the priest assigned by Fr Antonio Moreno SJ, the head or provincial superior of the Society of Jesus in the Philippines, to investigate Lucas’ case. The president of the Loyola School of Theology, he also represented Moreno in at least two meetings with the alleged victim’s lawyer.

Explaining the call to examine themselves, he referred to the work that their 475-year-old religious order is known for – running schools around the world. One of these is the Philippines’ Ateneo de Manila University, which has produced leaders such as President Benigno Aquino III himself. 

Quilongquilong said: “Especially because the Society of Jesus is committed to the formation of the young, education, there is no place for this kind of incident. So it is our moral obligation to address immediately cases like this, especially if it involves minors.”

'Really a call for integrity'

He added: “It calls us to really examine our mission, as the Society of Jesus. It's a mission of service, it's a mission of trust, it's a mission of the Gospel, and for that mission to be effective, we have to be men of integrity. Because if that is violated, then it affects the goal of our mission.” 

“It's really a call for integrity,” he said. “And integrity means really consistency of our way of life regarding the profession of our vows, of poverty, chastity, and obedience.” 

Quilongquilong also stressed the weight of their religious order’s name. “Society of Jesus pa naman, 'no.” (It’s even called the Society of Jesus.)

He continued: “Society of Jesus, and then we have this particular case. That's the cause of the scandal. Society of Jesus, and you are not Christ-like because of the evil that happened. It draws us back again to our motivation as religious in terms of our following of Christ.”

For now, Quilongquilong said, one of their measures to prevent sexual abuse is “to create safe environments” for the flock and shepherds.

They make sure, for instance, that counseling rooms have windows to ensure transparency and “create safe environments.”

Moreno, for his part, told the Philippine Jesuits in a memo dated November 19: “It is painful for me to bring this matter before you but, more than ever, we wish to be a Society of transparency, committed to truthful and compassionate responses to those who have been sexually abused. Therefore all efforts will be made to investigate the allegations in an impartial manner and to respond in compassion and justice.”

Victims: ‘Great holocaust’ of girls and boys

Still, beyond the Society of Jesus, accusations of sex abuse have also long hounded the Catholic Church. (READ: What do Church rules say about ex-Jesuit’s sex abuse case?)

In the Philippines, previous high-profile cases involved top officials – Bishops Teodoro Bacani and Crisostomo Yalung. Both of them resigned from their posts a decade ago after reportedly committing indiscretions with women. 

Recently, another case in Granada, Spain, has been described as one of the worst sexual abuse cases under Pope Francis.

The case involves David Ramírez Castillo who was allegedly abused by Fr Román Martínez when he was 7. 

Ramirez said he “was repeatedly abused by Martínez or made to watch him and others, including several priests, perform sex over three years, starting in 2004 when he was 14,” according to a New York Times Service article carried by the Catholic news website Crux.

Eventually Ramírez reportedly wrote the Pope about his case. In return, the Pope called him up and “personally ordered an investigation,” the New York Times News Service reported.

In a separate article, Crux said that in the US alone, “more than 6,500 clergy have been accused of abuse, comprising about 6% of all priests who served during that period.”

Victims, however, claim that the Catholic Church often covers up for its ministers’ sexual abuses. 

In a letter made public in Mexico City, the victims said only civilian trials and Church reform can end the “great holocaust of thousands of boys and girls who were sacrificed to avoid scandal and salvage the image and prestige of the Catholic Church's representatives in the world.”

They also told the Pope, “Words are not enough.” – with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Philippine President Benigno Aquino III is expected to push for a binding commitment to curb climate change at the upcoming UN summit in Paris, sharing the Philippines' experience on weather-related disasters to underscore the devastating effects of global warming on vulnerable countries.

Aquino left the country on Sunday, November 29, for a two-day working visit in Paris before heading to Rome and Vatican City.

At the UN summit in Paris, which will kick off on Monday, November 30, Aquino will share the Philippine experience in weather natural disasters and recovery efforts.

Meanwhile, at the Climate Vulnerable Forum, a high-level event on the sidelines of the summit, Aquino will speak on behalf of other countries most vulnerable to stronger typhoons, severe droughts, and other natural disasters worsened by climate change. 

Aquino said the new climate talks in Paris is an important opportunity to move forward and stress unity in tackling the problem of climate change after failed efforts to agree on a consensus in Denmark in 2009.

While in France, the president will also meet with known companies to drum up investor interest in the Philippines.

"Taas-noo nating ipagmamalaki ang mas maaliwalas nang pagnenegosyo sa ating bansa. Sa paghikayat natin sa kanilang mamuhunan at magpalawak ng negosyo dito sa Pilipinas, mas dumadami ang nalilikhang pagkakataon para sa ating mga kababayan," he said.

(We can be proud of better business opportunities in our country. As we encourage investors to bring their business to the Philippines, more opportunities for our citizens are created.)

After Paris, Aquino will head to Rome for meetings with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, and a private meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on December 4.

In Rome, Aquino is set to hold bilateral talks with the two leaders and meet with the Filipino community there.

At the Vatican, Aquino will meet with Pope Francis, who visited the Philippines in January this year. The government earlier said Aquino's visit will also be an opportunity for him to update the pontiff on the rehabilitation efforts in Tacloban City, ground zero of Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) which devastated Central Philippines in 2013.

During his Philippine visit in January, the Pope ventured outside the capital Manila to meet with and comfort the survivors of the strongest typhoon to hit land. – Rappler.com

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – Contrary to public belief, the line "for better and for Worse" still binds Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and his ex-wife Elizabeth Zimmerman.

Much has been said about their broken relationship, but not many outside the family knows they remain very good friends. The two have 3 children - Vice Mayor Paolo, Sara, and Sebastian. (READ: ‘Philandering’ Rodrigo Duterte cause of marriage annulment)

Last August, Duterte had to cancel his schedules in Manila, as he had to rush home to attend the operation of Zimmerman who was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. As people wondered why the pre-scheduled events were cancelled, Duterte only said he had to attend to a "personal errand."

Duterte arrived midnight in Davao City and rushed to the side of Zimmerman. Upon arrival, he made sure his former wife was ready for the operation.

On Thursday, November 25, after the mayor and his daughter Sara went to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) to withdraw his mayoralty bid, the two went to the hospital to visit Zimmerman.

"Mama was in bed when Papa and Inday (Sara) arrived and showed us their COC (Certificates of Candidacy)," the vice mayor said, referring to the COCs of Duterte for president and Sara for mayor.

On Saturday, November 28, after finishing his public engagements in the province at midnight, Duterte still took time to visit his ex-wife in the hospital. His executive assistant Christopher Lawrence Go told Rappler, "the mayor will visit Ma'am Beth before going for the taping" of his show Gikan Sa Masa, Para sa Masa.

Mending ties

Since 1998, political rivals of Duterte have thrown allegations against the popular mayor. Among the issues hurled at him is his failed marriage with Zimmerman, who, in the face of controversy, remained silent.

In 1998, Zimmerman filed a petition in Pasig to nullify their marraige. Court records show that it was Zimmerman who was on the receiving end of “emotional abuse” from Rodrigo whom she described as a “womanizer” who had frequent “outbursts of temper.”

Two years later, the court decided in her favor, ending the 27-year marriage.

But despite a bitter past, Zimmerman continued to support the father of her children.

"Even (if) Mama and Papa have separated, Papa is with us every Christmas. He arrives before the Noche Buena and during New Year, he arrives before the Media Noche," the vice mayor told Rappler.

"Since the annulment, we remain friends and I never issued any statement about us about what we went through. Our separation has even worked best for both of us, meaning me and Duts (referring to the mayor), more time to serve the Davao people and I remain objectively looking at his work being a public servant," Zimmerman told Rappler.

Asked about her supposed statement circulating on social media, she denied saying anything negative about her ex-husband.

"I don't know about it, let them be, hayaan lang sila if that what makes them happy, I am used to it but I know I never said anything about us," she said.

The mayor is a known ladies' man and has been vocal about his girlfriends. But his close friends, quoting Duterte, said, "If I am to marry again, I will marry the mother of my children."

And now that Duterte is off to a bigger battle in 2016, Zimmerman has only good things for her former husband, "He has my prayers." – Rappler.com 

PARIS, France – After years of intense haggling, the best hope for protecting Earth's climate is contained in a non-paper littered with no-text options on everything from CBDR to mitigation. Say what?

For the uninitiated, the 195-nation effort to craft a climate rescue pact can be a minefield of institutional jargon.

Here is a guide.

ADAPTATION: Measures to cope with climate impacts – building reservoirs as a defense against drought and dykes against sea level rise, or sowing heat-resistant crops.

ADP: Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, negotiators given a mandate in 2011 to craft a new climate agreement.

ALBA: A Latin American bloc which gathers heavily oil-reliant nations, headed by export-giant Venezuela, and is often at odds with the other regional grouping, AILAC, pushing for more aggressive emissions cuts.

ANNEX I & ANNEX II: A division between rich and developing countries enshrined in the convention of the UN's climate forum in 1992. It places emission reduction targets on Annex I countries, responsible for historic emissions.

AOSIS: The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), highly vulnerable to sea-level rise. 

AR5: The last Fifth Assessment Report of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the science authority on global warming and its impacts.

BAU: Business As Usual. Used for projections of global warming based on unaltered carbon emission trajectories.

BASIC: The negotiating bloc comprising Brazil, India, China and South Africa.

BOTTOM-UP/TOP-DOWN: Bottom-up means non-binding, voluntary targets on emissions cuts. Top-down means a global target divided among parties who sign up to binding commitments – the now unpopular approach used under the Kyoto Protocol.

CAP AND TRADE: Buying and selling unused carbon emissions quotas under a cap, or ceiling, imposed on a country, region or industrial sector.

CARBON INTENSITY: How much fossil fuel you burn to produce an economic unit – in other words, a measure of energy efficiency. Used by China to define its action on carbon.

CBDR-RC: "Common But Differentiated Responsibility and Respective Capabilities", a phrase enshrined at the founding of the UNFCCC. Traditionally, it meant placing a higher responsibility for climate aid and emissions curbs on developed nations – a thorny issue today as China, Brazil and India are now huge carbon emitters.

CCS: Carbon Capture and Storage, a fledgling technology to siphon and store carbon dioxide from power plants to stop it adding to the greenhouse effect.

COP: Conference of Parties, the UN climate forum's decision-making body, which meets once a year. The November 30-December 11 meeting in Paris will be the 21st, hence COP 21.

GCF: Green Climate Fund (GCF), designed to channel potentially hundreds of billions of dollars in climate aid to poor countries.

GHGs: Greenhouse gases.

G77 & CHINA: The Group of 77 developing nations, plus China – in fact 134 countries in total negotiating as a bloc. It is divided into sub-groups along the lines of their differing interests – including the African Group, BASIC and AOSIS.

HOT AIR: A surplus of greenhouse-gas quotas allotted under the Kyoto Protocol.

INDCs: Intended Nationally Determined Contributions. Voluntary emissions-curbing pledges that will form the backbone of the new climate deal, due to take effect in 2020.

KP: Kyoto Protocol, the 1997 accord on carbon emissions to be replaced by the Paris agreement.

LDCs: Least Developed Countries.

LMDCs: Like-Minded Developing Countries, also a G77 party.

LULUCF: Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry. A KP provision to count trees as CO2-absorbing "sinks".

MITIGATION: Measures to reduce or slow emissions of greenhouse gases.

MRV: A system of Measuring, Reporting and Verification of mitigation pledges. 

NAMAs and NAPAs: Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action and National Adaptation Programmes for Action. Initiatives to help LDCs ease carbon emissions or strengthen climate defenses.

NON-PAPER: An informal document used to float possibly controversial ideas, or an agreement under development.

NO TEXT: Within a non-paper, which usually lists many country options for dealing with any given issue, "no text" is listed as one of the options when a country wants the issue to disappear altogether.

REDD+: A forest program (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation). 

UMBRELLA GROUP: A negotiating bloc including countries heavily reliant on fossil fuels, including the United States, Canada, Russia, Kazakhstan, Australia, Japan, Iceland and Norway.

UNFCCC: The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, a global treaty with the aim of curbing global warming.

- Mariette Le Roux, AFP / Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – Two Chinese nationals were rescued in a search and rescue (SAR) operation for the sunken Panamanian-registered cargo vessel M/V Fortune Life that recently capsized in the waters off Vigan, Ilocos Sur.

Captain Leovigildo Panopio, commander of PCG Northwestern Luzon, said the Chinese nationals were rescued by M/V Nord Delphinus and M/T Tal Tal on Saturday, November 29.

The PCG has placed the total number of rescued crewmen of M/V Fortune Life at 8, while 11 others are still missing.

It earlier reported that M/T Ashley“rescued 6 crew members” of M/V Fortune Life before continuing its passage to Japan. 

A report from the Coast Guard Action Center said Aircraft Rescue 44 from Hong Kong is conducting an “aerial survey” to find the remaining missing crewmen.

On Friday, November 27 at around 11am, the Hong Kong Maritime Rescue Coordination Center received a distress call from the ill-fated M/V Fortune Life. HKMRCC then notified the PCG about the maritime incident.

The cargo vessel left Kaohsiung port in Taiwan and was on its way to Kuching, Sarawak in Malaysia when the sea tragedy happened.  The ship was carrying 7,500 metric tons of feldspar.

The ship had 19 crew on board – 18 Chinese and 1 Vietnamese nationals – who all remain unidentified to date. – Rappler.com 

ENTEBBE, Uganda – Pope Francis headed on Sunday, November 29, to conflict-ridden Central African Republic (CAR), the most dangerous destination of his three-nation Africa tour, after euphoric celebrations in his honor in Uganda and Kenya.

Thousands of believers, many from neighboring countries, are expected to pour into CAR's capital Bangui to see the 78-year-old pontiff, and workers have been busily repairing potholes and sprucing up the cathedral square for the visit.

Rights groups in CAR, one of Africa's poorest and most unstable countries, hope the Argentinian pope will address the religious violence that has raged for more than two years.

Stalls have sprung up across the capital selling everything from Vatican flags to paper crowns to welcome the pope.

"We are very pleased to see the pope," said Fidele Nodjindorom who lives in a camp for people displaced by the conflict that the pope is due to visit.

"He knows that things have happened in our country and maybe he has come to ask God to save us."

The pontiff wrapped up his two-day visit to Uganda, flying out at around 0645 GMT Sunday, a day after huge crowds celebrated as Francis honored Christians martyred for the faith on the second leg of his first trip to Africa, which he dubbed "the continent of hope.”

Francis, who railed against corruption and wealthy minorities who hoard resources at the expense of the poor on his first stop in neighboring Kenya, struck a more optimistic tone in Uganda.

"The world looks to Africa as the continent of hope," he said, praising the east African nation for accommodating hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighbouring war-torn states.

But he also offered prayers for "the beloved people of Burundi" that the troubled central African nation will end months of strife that has sparked fears of renewed civil war.

'No real threat' 

The Central African Republic was plunged into chaos after president Francois Bozize was ousted in a coup in March 2013.

The mainly Muslim rebels behind the coup went on a rampage that triggered the creation of the equally dangerous anti-Balaka militia in mostly Christian communities.

Concerns about the pope's safety have been running high ahead of his visit, and the pontiff's chief bodyguard, Domenico Gianni, has spent several days consulting with local security forces in Bangui.

The Vatican's spokesman said Saturday that Francis' itinerary had been confirmed and all was expected to go ahead as planned, "if there are no particular surprises".

He is scheduled to visit a mosque in Bangui's PK5 district, a maze of red dirt roads and flimsy shacks that has been a flashpoint in the sectarian conflict tearing apart the impoverished nation.

The area saw an unprecedented wave of violence pitting majority Christians against minority Muslims in late 2013 and early last year. 

Francis is also due to celebrate mass in the Barthelemy Boganda sports stadium and visit a camp for people who have been displaced by the violence.

"Everything has been done to ensure the safety of the pope... there is no real threat," said CAR Public Security Minister Chrysostome Sambia, although he admitted there have been reports of "ill-intentioned groups in some areas".

At the height of the massacres, around one in five of CAR's 4.6 million people were displaced and half the population depended on humanitarian aid.

Violence continues to stalk the country, with at least 61 people killed in Bangui in late September before UN and French peacekeeping forces intervened.

Ilaria Allegrozzi of rights group Amnesty International said the pope "has a real opportunity to call for the protection of civilians of all faiths, and use his great moral authority to help reduce the tension that has recently resulted in deadly violence.” – Jean-Louis de la Vaissiere, Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com

SEOUL, South Korea – South Korea's major labor group vowed on Sunday, September 29, to hold a massive anti-government protest this week, a day after authorities banned the rally over concerns it could turn violent. 

The planned demonstration on Saturday follows a major protest earlier this month – the largest in more than 7 years – that saw police clash with demonstrators. 

Critics say the conservative government of President Park Geun-Hye, daughter of the late heavy-handed ruler Park Chung-Hee, is slipping back into past authoritarian rule.

The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions said the police ban on the planned march was "unconstitutional" and vowed to press ahead with the march.  

"Such ban is an outright denial of constitutional rights... and was prevalent only during dictatorship," the umbrella union said in a statement, referring to the 1960-70s era military rule under Park Chung-Hee. 

"Our plan to hold the rally remains unchanged," the group added.  

Police had on Saturday banned the planned demonstration scheduled for December 5, citing safety concerns. 

The protesters are demanding that Seoul scrap its labor reform plan that critics say would make it easier for firms to fire workers. They are also calling for the government to cancel a controversial scheme to impose state-issued history textbooks in schools.

The protests on November 14 – involving more than 60,000 people – led to violent clashes with police, who sprayed water cannons and pepper spray at demonstrators. 

Police have come under fire for what critics describe as excessive use of force that left dozens injured and one protester in critical condition after he was hit by a water cannon.

President Park condemned the rally as an effort to "deny the rule of law" and urged strong measures against those identified as inciting violence.

Park also called for a ban on wearing masks during demonstrations, drawing parallels between masked protesters and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group – prompting angry reactions from opponents. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON, United States – A suspected shooter reportedly spoke of "no more baby parts" after his arrest following a five-hour siege of a family planning clinic in Colorado Springs that left three people dead, including a police officer.

Details began to emerge Saturday, November 28, about what may have driven the suspect, Robert Lewis Dear, 57, to enter the Planned Parenthood clinic with a high-powered rifle on Friday and fire on police and civilians outside the building.

The clinic performs abortions – a highly emotive and divisive issue in America.

NBC News, citing two law enforcement officials, said that when questioned after his arrest Dear mentioned "no more baby parts" in reference to Planned Parenthood.

The agency came under intense scrutiny earlier this year over videos purportedly showing that it was involved in trafficking fetal organs and tissue – allegations that it has vehemently denied.

Dear also mentioned President Barack Obama, so the sources told NBC that it was unclear whether he targeted the clinic because of abortions.

However for Vicki Cowart, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Rocky Mountains, the connection was clear.

"Eyewitnesses confirm" that Dear "was motivated by opposition to safe and legal abortion," Cowart said. 

"This is an appalling act of violence targeting access to health care and terrorizing skilled and dedicated health care professionals."

Reacting to the shooting, Obama made an impassioned call for tighter controls on military-style weapons.

"This is not normal. We can't let it become normal," a frustrated Obama said.

"If we truly care about this ... then we have to do something about the easy accessibility of weapons of war on our streets to people who have no business wielding them.

"Enough is enough."

Planned Parenthood – a major provider of women's health services that receives funding from the government – offers preventive checkups, contraceptives and abortions. 

It has 700 clinics around the United States and has been violently targeted before. 

"We've seen an alarming increase in hateful rhetoric and smear campaigns against abortion providers and patients over the last few months. That environment breeds acts of violence," Cowart said.

"We should not have to live in a world where accessing health care includes safe rooms and bullet-proof glass."

Community in mourning

Police and officials said little about Dear, who appeared in police booking photos with a bushy gray beard.

But US media described him as a seemingly troubled loner who had had several previous but minor brushes with the law.

The Colorado Springs Gazette said he had arrest records in South and North Carolina on misdemeanor charges, and said he also faced peeping Tom charges in 2002 in South Carolina that were dismissed.

Mayor John Suthers, who along with police and other officials watched the drama unfold on the clinic's security cameras, paid tribute to police for hauling in the gunman without further bloodshed.

The wounded included five police, but none suffered serious injury.

Dear entered the Planned Parenthood building before noon Friday and started shooting from a window.

Several people managed to flee the building, running out into the snowy street, while others hid in the sanctuary of a clinic safe room.

Police said 24 people who at one point were held hostage were evacuated unharmed.

"We are in mourning today," Suthers told a news conference, saying that police, particularly SWAT teams, were "responsible for saving many, many lives."

The dead policeman was identified as Garrett Swasey, 44, a campus officer at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.

Officials were expected to name the two other dead on Monday.

Secret videos

In July, anti-abortion activist David Daleiden began releasing a series of secretly recorded videos allegedly showing clinic workers discussing the sale of fetal tissue and changing rules to leave certain organs of an aborted fetus intact.

Planned Parenthood insists that the videos were doctored, and warned that they would encourage acts of violence.

Anti-abortion lawmakers cited the videos as proof that Planned Parenthood must be shut down, but failed in their attempt to cut off federal funding in September and October. 

On Saturday Daleiden, through his group the Center for Medical Progress, tried to distance himself from the shooting. 

The group said it "condemns the barbaric killing spree in Colorado Springs by a violent madman," and "applaud the heroic efforts of law enforcement to stop the violence quickly and rescue the victims."– Carlos Hamann, Agence France-Presse / Rappler.com

TEHRAN, Iran – A high-profile performance in Iran by the Tehran Symphony Orchestra was cancelled at the last minute because it was due to feature female musicians, its furious conductor said on Sunday, November 29.

Ali Rahbari said he was told 15 minutes before the orchestra was scheduled to play at a major sporting event that they could not.

"The chairs were laid out and everything looked fine," he said, referring to the World Wrestling Clubs Cup competition which opened in the Iranian capital on Thursday.

"But before performing the national anthem, all of a sudden they announced women cannot play on stage."

Neither Rahbari or the ISNA news agency, which reported his comments, detailed who "they" were.

"I was offended and said it was impossible for me to accept such an insult," Rahbari added. "We either play all together or we leave".

Efforts to resolve the issue failed.

"It's absolutely impossible for women to play musical instruments on stage," Rahbari quoted organizers of the ceremony as saying.

Banned from singing solo in public since the Islamic revolution of 1979, female Iranian musicians have repeatedly complained of having been stopped from performing, particularly outside Tehran.

But Thursday's refusal, according to ISNA, was the first time a performance by the Symphony Orchestra, one of Iran's oldest, had been cancelled because of its female members.

"They invited us themselves and yet they disrespected us," Rahbari said. "Why shouldn't they be allowed to perform the national anthem of their country?”

The issue of music in public has resurfaced in the past year with artists repeatedly complaining they have been stopped from performing at short notice despite having official authorisation.

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, a moderate elected in 2013, has said that as long as artists and musicians have a permit from the culture ministry then no one should stop them from working.

But many concerts have been cancelled regardless with little explanation.

Religious leaders have spoken out against them and conservatives claim music can "excite and cause deviation" among the country's youth.

Since 1979, state television has rarely shown musical instruments on screen.

Recent concert cancellations have been viewed by some Iranians as a tactic used by the country's ultraconservative establishment to push back against Rouhani's government.

Rouhani has urged moderation and he was the political driving force behind a July deal with six world powers, led by the United States, on Iran's nuclear programme.

But that agreement was followed by warnings from Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the country must protect itself against American "infiltration". 

At the wrestling competition at Tehran's Azadi stadium, two Iranian clubs took first and third place.

The Titan Mercury Wrestling Club from the United States, who entered the stadium with an Iranian man carrying the US flag, came second. – Rappler.com

MANILA, Philippines – An agency under the Department of Finance (DOF) has only released P62.43 million out of the P1.12 billion allocated for the country’s poorest and strife-torn communities, according to the Commission on Audit (COA). 

In an audit report released on Thursday, November 26, COA said the goals of the Performance-Based Grant System (PBGS) under the Agrarian Reform Communities Project II (ARCP II) might no longer be attainable in 2015 due to the slow disbursement of funds by the Municipal Development Fund Office (MDFO), an agency under the DOF. 

The program aims to bring development to the 20 poorest provinces of the country by providing cash incentives to municipalities that have improved performance on areas such as planning, budgeting, financial management, governance, procurement, monitoring, and evaluation.

State auditors noted that the Department of Agrarian Reform caused “significant delays” in the release of funds, as it has only transferred P470.77 million to the MDFO, leaving an unreleased balance of P649.23 million.

“The low disbursement of the RCP II-PBGS fund poses a significant risk to the attainment of the PGBS objectives,” the COA said.

Aside from this, COA also reprimanded MFDO for rerouting funds to other projects.

“Verification also showed that P124,499,925 or 26% of the PBGS-ARCP II fund was disbursed for the implementation of other program component ARCP which is Rural Infrastructure. We recommended that management refrain from using PBGS fund for purposes other than those for which it was intended,” the COA said in its report.

The MFDO, for its part, defended the delays in fund release. The agency said it could not easily release funds because of the criteria for good performance, something that most LGUs struggle with.

Another challenge encountered, MFDO said, is the problems in the submission of necessary documents.

As for the realignment of funds, the MDFP explained they had to do it to cope with the influx of requests for fund releases under the rural infrastructure program, an entirely different program from the PBGS.

But it said it has already started returning funds to the PBGS coffers, with a total of P50.7 million returned as of April 23, 2015. – Rappler.com 

BEIRUT, Lebanon – The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group has executed more than 3,500 people in Syria, including nearly 2,000 civilians, since declaring its "caliphate" in June last year, a monitor said Sunday. 

In the last month alone ISIS executed 53 people – including 35 civilians – in areas it controls in Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The new figures from the Britain-based Observatory bring to 3,591 the number of people executed by ISIS in Syria since it declared its Islamic "caliphate" after seizing control of large parts of the country.

The new toll includes 1,945 civilians, including 103 women and 77 children, with civilians defined as those who are not taking part in the fighting.

Some were executed for alleged witchcraft, homosexuality and collaborating with the US-led coalition that has been bombarding ISIS in Syria since September 2014.

Members of Sunni Shaitat tribe account for around half of the civilians killed. ISIS killed 930 members of the clan in the northeastern Deir Ezzor province last year after they opposed the extremist Sunni Muslim group.

The monitor also documented 247 IS executions of rival rebels and Kurdish fighters, as well as the executions of 975 members of regime forces.

IS has also executed 415 of its own members it accused of crimes including spying, many of them captured as they were trying to desert the group, according to the Observatory, which relies on a network of activists, medical staff and fighters on the ground.

ISIS controls large swathes of Syria and neighboring Iraq.

In Syria, it controls areas in the Homs and Hama provinces in the centre, Deir Ezzor and Hassakeh in the northeast, as well as Raqa and Aleppo in the north.

The jihadist group counts tens of thousands of fighters and carries out abductions, rapes, beheadings and stonings in the areas under its influence.

The United Nations has accused it of "crimes against humanity."

More than 250,000 people have been killed and more than 4 million have fled the country since the Syrian conflict erupted in 2011. – Rappler.com

PARIS, France – Protesters linked hands near the violent heart of the Paris terror attacks on Sunday, November 29, giving an emotional jolt to world leaders flying into the French capital to try and save Earth from climate catastrophe.

As hundreds of thousands of people joined protests worldwide, the human chain aimed to send a highly symbolic message to leaders on the eve of the official opening of a 195-nation UN climate summit in Paris. (READ: What’s happening in Paris in December? 10 things to know) 

French authorities cancelled 2 climate demonstrations in the City of Light after gunmen and suicide bombers killed 130 people on November 13. 

Instead of marching, activists left thousands of pairs of shoes - weighing more than 4 ton according to organizers - on Place de la Republique square. A pair of running shoes was left by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and Pope Francis sent shoes to be placed on his behalf. 

In the first organized demonstration in the French capital since the attacks, climate protesters of all ages lined the wind-blown streets to link up in a 2-kilometer human chain. 

"Hear our voices! We are here!" they chanted, and held up placards with messages such as: "For a climate of peace".

"There was a lot of solemnity, dignity on the pavements. There was a powerful current that passed between people's hands," said Genevieve Azam, spokeswoman for organizing group Attac.

"It was a pleasure to be able to lift the lid that has weighed on French people since the attacks."  

Protesters left a 100-meter gap in the chain where flowers have been left outside the Bataclan concert hall, where the worst violence claimed 90 lives, as a mark of respect to the victims.

Superstorms, drought

Some 150 leaders including US President Barack Obama, China's Xi Jinping, India's Narendra Modi and Russia's Vladimir Putin will attend the official start on Monday, November 30, of the UN conference tasked with reaching the first truly universal climate pact. 

About 2,800 police and soldiers will secure the conference site, and 6,300 others will deploy in Paris.

French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said nearly 1,000 people thought to pose security risks had been denied entry into France.

The goal of the climate talks is to limit average global warming to no more than 2 degrees Celsius, over pre-Industrial Revolution levels by curbing fossil fuel emissions blamed for climate change.

"I hope this time the conference will lead to something solid," said protester Denis Diderot, a retired university teacher who joined the demonstration wearing a beret.

Rallies demanding curbs on carbon pollution have been growing around the world since Friday, with marches involving tens of thousands across Australia Sunday kick starting a final day of people-powered protest.

Similar events were planned for Rio de Janeiro, New York and Mexico City, with protesters echoing scientific warnings of super storms, drought and rising sea levels swamping vast areas if concrete action is not taken soon. 

In Madrid, about 10,000 people, many of them waving placards reading "Stop CO2", marched on the main Puerta del Sol square, led by a group of children.

'Mum, did you know?'

"In 10 years' time our children are going to say, 'Mum, did you know about this? What was everyone doing'?" said Kate Charlesworth, a doctor and mother in Sydney, where 45,000 people converged.

Religious leaders in Paris delivered petitions to the UN summit organizers with almost 1.8 million signatures demanding immediate climate action. 

In a sign of the urgency, the start of the negotiations themselves, conducted by bureaucrats, have been brought forward to Sunday - the eve of the official opening.

{source}

<div class="blob-left">
<blockquote>
<h4>#COP21: The Rappler climate coverage</h4>
<p class="caption">Follow Rappler's extensive coverage of climate change issues and the Paris talks. <a href="http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/environment/climate-change" target="_blank">Visit our #ClimateChange site</a>. Follow our <a href="http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/specials/114299-live-blog-cop21-un-climate-conference-paris" target="_blank">live blog</a> and <a href="http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/specials/114364-cop21-climate-conference-journal-notes-paris" target="_blank">trip journal</a> for daily updates courtesy of the Rappler team in Paris.</p>
</blockquote>
</div>

{/source}

In the past week, the UN's weather body said the average global temperature for the year 2015 is set to rise 1 degree Celsius above pre-industrial levels, halfway towards the targeted UN ceiling. 

Voluntary carbon-curbing pledges submitted by nations to bolster the Paris pact, even if fully adhered to, put Earth on track for warming of 2.7-3.5 degrees Celsius, according to UN climate chief Christiana Figueres.

French President Francois Hollande, host of the November 30-December 11 talks, has warned of obstacles ahead for the 195 negotiating nations. 

Potential stumbling blocks range from finance for climate vulnerable and poor countries to scrutiny of commitments to curb greenhouse gases and even the legal status of the accord.

The last attempt to forge a global deal, the ill-tempered 2009 Copenhagen summit, foundered upon divisions between rich and poor countries. – Rappler.com 

PARIS, France – French police detained 208 people and kept a total of 174 in custody, after activists clashed with police in Paris on Sunday ahead of key climate talks, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said.

The minister said the acts of violence in central Paris by the protesters, who hurled bottles and candles at police, must be "firmly" condemned.

The violence took place at the Place de la Republique where flowers and candles have been left in memory of the 130 people who died in the Paris attacks November 13. – Rappler.com

BERLIN, Germany – Clashes broke out Sunday, November 29, between hundreds of asylum seekers at a shelter in Berlin, in the 2nd mass brawl to erupt over the weekend in Germany's crowded migrant accommodations.

Several people were arrested at the fight that started in the food distribution queues at the former airport of Tempelhof, which has been turned into a temporary accommodation for 1,200 refugees, an AFP photographer witnessed.

The brawl came just hours after another mass fight at a refugee shelter in the Berlin suburb of Spandau, where migrants went at each other with fire extinguishers, a police spokesman said. 

Windows were smashed, sofas were thrown, and fire extinguishers emptied, said police, adding that several residents of the shelter were wounded.

Some 500 people evacuated the building "in fear and panic" over the dispute.

Separately, 2 other fights broke out in other shelters.

At a refugee home in Berlin's Kreuzberg area, a 18-year-old struck a 17-year-old on the head with a belt, police said. 

Meanwhile, 5 people were injured in a fight between Syrians in the showers of an accommodation in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt.

Such disturbances have occurred before in other shelters in Germany, with tensions escalating quickly between often traumatized people from different cultures sharing packed spaces. 

At the same time, they have been relatively rare given the sheer numbers of new arrivals - Germany expects to take in a million asylum seekers this year alone, and has put up hundreds of thousands in flats, army barracks, sports halls and tent cities.

Germany's police union had called for refugees to be separated by religion and by country of origin to minimize the potential for conflict. – Rappler.com

WASHINGTON, United States – US President Barack Obama left Washington for Paris on Sunday, November 29, to take part in a United Nations climate summit aimed at reaching a deal to curb global warming.  

Air Force One, the presidential plane, took off late morning from Joint Base Andrews near the US capital.

Obama, who has made climate change a priority for both his terms, was at the 2009 Copenhagen summit, when an attempt to forge a global deal foundered upon divisions between rich and developing countries. 

This time around, he is hoping for a more ambitious outcome.

"What makes this gathering different is that more than 180 nations have already submitted plans to reduce the harmful emissions that help cause climate change," Obama said in a Facebook post ahead of his departure.

"And America's leadership is helping to drive this progress."

In the aftermath of the November 13 terror attacks in Paris, Obama was the first to confirm that he would go ahead participate in the high-level gathering alongside some 150 other leaders, despite security fears.

"It's an opportunity to stand in solidarity with our oldest ally, just two weeks removed from the barbaric attacks there, and reaffirm our commitment to protect our people and our way of life from terrorist threats," Obama said in the post.

"It's also an opportunity for the world to stand as one and show that we will not be deterred from building a better future for our children."

Obama is due to spend 2 days in Paris over the course of which he has several bilateral meetings planned, including with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Work at the COP21 summit was due to start Sunday, with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who is presiding over the talks, convening a plenary session to set a roadmap for negotiations ahead of the official opening.

"I'm optimistic about what we can achieve - because I've already seen America take incredible strides these past seven years," Obama said. – Rappler.com

LONDON, United Kingdom – Celebrities and activists dressed as polar bears joined hundreds of thousands of people in colorful rallies across the globe Sunday, November 29, to demand action on climate change, telling world leaders on the eve of a crunch UN summit that there is "no planet B."

From Sydney to London, humid Rio to chilly New York, at least 683,000 hit the streets in 2,300 events across 175 countries at the weekend, co-organizer and campaign group Avaaz said, calling it the largest number of people to protest over climate change all at once.

About 50,000 demonstrators gathered in London's Hyde Park alone, many donning animal costumes to resemble bumblebees, cows, polar bears and exotic fish, while others brandished placards bearing stark warnings.

"There is no planet B," "Our Children Need a Future" and "We Want 100 percent Clean Energy" read a selection, in scenes replicated across the world.

"This is the problem of our generation and the next," said 37-year-old Frenchwoman Katia Herault in London, who had only a Nemo costume protecting her from pouring rain and howling winds.

Also at the London event, Oscar-winners and best-selling musicians rubbed shoulders with protesters from the Pacific islands to Scandinavia.

"This is very personal to me. This is to do with my land. This is to do with our people," said 37-year-old Mikaele Maiava from the Tokelau islands, a territory of New Zealand threatened by rising waters.

Fashion designer Vivienne Westwood was also on the march from Hyde Park to the British parliament as leaders from 150 countries prepared to meet in Paris to hammer out a plan to cut emissions.

British actress Emma Thompson, who has campaigned against oil drilling in the Arctic, said she had seen the effects of climate change during a visit there last year.

"It helped me understand in a much more visceral, real way what was happening to the planet," she told Agence France-Presse.

"So I'm here today to really get behind the climate summit in Paris, which is actually a really historical event."

Rocker Peter Gabriel, founder of the band Genesis, said climate change was "a serious threat" and any pact negotiated in Paris should have "real means of enforcing the talk, which I'm sure will be in abundance."

"Politicians want to get re-elected. If there's enough of us, and this is happening all over the world, then they will respond," he said.

Human chains

The people-powered protests kicked off with marches across Australia, with 45,000 gathering in Sydney.

"There's nothing more important that I can be doing at the moment than addressing climate change," said Kate Charlesworth, a doctor and mother.

In Copenhagen, which hosted the previous UN climate summit in 2009, some 5,000 people marched to parliament.

Four of the protesters were dressed as polar bears to promote a sculpture they will bring to Paris this week, depicting a dead bear covered in oil.

Spells of rain failed to dampen spirits in Amsterdam, where 7,000 joined a march energized by drum bands and dancers. 

In true Dutch fashion, many turned out on their bikes to highlight pedal power as a means of sustainable energy.

In Paris, where a planned demo was cancelled over security concerns, activists responded by forming a human chain and placing empty shoes on a central square.

Thousands also linked hands in Brussels, urging leaders to reach a climate agreement.

"I hope that this chain shakes all the politicians in Europe and the rest of the world to forge a deep and sincere deal," said demonstrator Stephane Eelens.

In Berlin, around 15,000 marched from the central train station to Brandenburg Gate, where a stage was set up decorated with a globe clouded in black smoke.

Further south in Spain, some 20,000 people took part in the biggest climate march in Madrid's history, Greenpeace said.

'Christmas cancelled'

Equally colourful demos took place in Rio, Sao Paulo, Bogota, Lima, Washington and New York.

In Mexico City, about 1,000 people marched to the main square, the sprawling Zocalo, carrying flowers, balloons and banners with slogans such as, "I take care of my planet."

"Although many deny it, we are getting close to a problem with climate change and we hope grassroots pressure will make a change," said Victor Lupian, a demonstrator in his 40s.

And in New York, hundreds of people shrugged off the winter cold, including a "Mother Christmas" in knee-length black boots and a "Father Christmas" with a sign reading: "CHRISTMAS CANCELLED DUE TO MELTING NORTH POLE."  – Jacques Klopp, AFP / Rappler.com