NewsBytes

The top United Nations court has opened a hearing to deliver an advisory opinion in a landmark case about nations' obligations to tackle climate change and consequences they may face if they don't. The president of the International Court of Justice is expected to read the non-binding opinion that is seen as a potential turning point in international climate law. The decision could serve as the basis for other legal actions, including domestic lawsuits, and legal instruments like investment agreements. The case is led by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu and backed by more than 130 countries. All UN member states including major greenhouse gas emitters like the United States and China are parties to the court. Outside the court, climate activists gathered. They held a banner that read: “Courts have spoken. The law is clear. States must ACT NOW.” The courtroom, known as the Great Hall of Justice, was packed.

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and CREDAI Kolkata have joined hands to restore the 127-year-old Roxy Cinema, a heritage landmark near New Market. Roxy, a single-screen theatre, had started as an opera house in 1908 before transforming into a cinema theatre in 1941. In the past, KMC had restored two other theatres — Star and Minerva. According to an MoU, CREDAI Kolkata, which represents developers across Kolkata and adjoining districts, has pledged Rs 5 crore towards the renovation. The realtors' body will primarily fund the interior restoration of the Art Deco-style building through a city-based architecture firm, while KMC will oversee the external civil work and monitor restoration under its Heritage Committee's guidance. Renovation work is set to begin shortly, marking a fresh chapter for one of Kolkata's oldest single-screen cinema halls.

The Centre on Wednesday said it has formed 3,438 Self Help Groups (SHGs) with 46,067 members exclusively from de-notified, nomadic and semi-nomadic communities (DNTs) as part of its Scheme for Economic Empowerment of DNTs (SEED). The scheme aims to improve access to education, healthcare, housing and livelihood for these historically marginalised groups. In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment B L Verma said the SEED scheme was launched to empower the DNT communities through targeted interventions, including free coaching for education and job opportunities, distribution of Ayushman Bharat health cards, promotion of livelihood activities through SHGs and provision of housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (both rural and urban). To coordinate efforts for the welfare of these communities, the ministry has also set up the Development and Welfare Board for De-notified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities (DWBDNC).

China warned on Wednesday against the risk of power supply disruptions as people struggled to keep cool in record heat baking large swathes of the country, which also spurred warnings to the elderly to guard against heat stroke. Power demand exceeded 1.5 billion kilowatts for the first time last week, energy officials said, the third successive record for China this month, when its first nationwide alert on heat-related health risks also went out. "High-temperature weather will ... have an impact on power generation and supply," weather official Chen Hui told a press conference on Wednesday, adding that it would hit hydropower output and reduce the efficiency of photovoltaic generation. Authorities will send alerts to notify electricity suppliers if measures such as peak shaving and cross-regional dispatching of power are called for, added Chen, an official of the China Meteorological Administration. Over the weekend, China announced that construction had begun on what will be the world's largest hydropower dam in Tibet, at an estimated cost of at least $170 billion, cheering investors but vexing downstream neighbours India and Bangladesh.