The world is on 'a highway to climate hell,' UN chief says

World leaders meet in Sharm el-Sheikh for COP27 climate conference. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What The World is following UN chief says world is on 'a highway to climate hell' [Sameh Shoukry, president of the COP27 climate summit, left, speaks during an opening session at the COP27 UN Climate Summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, Nov. 6, 2022.] Credit: Peter Dejong/AP COP27 The COP27 climate conference has kicked off in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, with nearly 50 heads of state set to take the stage on Monday in the first day of “high-level” international talks. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in his [opening remarks]( on Sunday that the world is on “a highway to climate hell with our foot on the accelerator.'' He also called out China and the US as the two biggest polluting countries. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is serving as the [COP27 president]( and neutral arbiter of the 196 nations in attendance, with deliberations often becoming contentious. This year, the war in Ukraine and ensuing energy and economic crises have created further diplomatic rifts between nations. Shoukry has also offered to mediate between the US and China amid their frosty relations over Taiwan. The Philippines Authorities in the Philippines have [filed murder charges]( against the country’s top prisons official and an aide for masterminding the Oct. 3 killing of radio commentator Percival Mabasa, who used the broadcast name Percy Lapid. Bureau of Corrections chief Gerald Bantag has been suspended from his post, along with prisons security official Ricardo Zulueta and other key suspects. Mabasa had criticized Bantag and other officials for corruption. The 63-year-old was shot by two assailants on a motorcycle in the suburbs of the capital Manila. The Southeast Asian country is regarded as [among the most dangerous]( places in the world for journalists to work. Italy Charities are labeling a decision by the Italian government to prevent 250 people from disembarking from migrant rescue ships as "illegal." One of the charities is preparing to [take the Italian government to court](. Only children and people with medical issues have been allowed to disembark from the ships in Sicily. Meanwhile, one of the ships’ captains has refused demands by authorities to leave the port. The move is part of strict measures by Italy’s new prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, who has promised to [crack down on migrants]( traveling across the Mediterranean Sea. The UN says around 85,000 migrants have arrived on boats to Italy since the beginning of the year. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Netanyahu win is set to 'change the face of Israel,' Israeli reporter says]( [Former Israeli Prime Minister and the head of Likud party, Benjamin Netanyahu greets his party members after first exit poll results for the Israeli Parliamentary election at party's headquarters in Jerusalem, Nov. 2, 2022.]( Credit: Oren Ziv With Benjamin Netanyahu set to return to power, reporter [Noga Tarnopolsky discusses]( with The World's host Marco Werman what Israeli parliamentary election results will mean for the country. She said that under a new Netanyahu government, "Israel will no longer have an independent judiciary. There will no longer be a separation of powers, because the executive will be able to determine judicial outcomes [and] judicial appointments." [After 2 years of war, hope for peace in northern Ethiopia]( [Members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force hold national flags as they parade during a ceremony to remember those soldiers who died on the first day of the Tigray conflict, outside the city administration office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nov. 3, 2022.]( Credit: AP A [peace deal]( signed on Wednesday between Ethiopia's federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) brings hope that the country's devastating civil war might finally come to an end after two years of brutal conflict that's left thousands of people dead, hundreds of thousands on the brink of famine and displaced millions of others. The World covers elections — thanks to help from readers like you. During elections, reliable, nuanced journalism like ours is crucial — and not just when it comes to voting here in the US. As a reader, you know that we’re invested in the global consequences of local and national elections, wherever they may be. Just this year, we’ve covered key votes in Israel, Brazil, Kenya and the Philippines, tracking their ripple effects on migration, public health, the environment and other significant issues. This important work is possible thanks to donations from readers like you. If you value our in-depth coverage of elections all around the globe, [support The World with a gift today](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Double take A new British study shows that psilocybin — the substance found in hallucinogenic mushrooms — can help treat people with severe depression. But science writer Dana Smith cautions that psychedelic mushrooms are “not going to be a cure-all” and may not help everybody. 🍄 [Listen]( to the full interview. 🎧 In case you missed it on The World --------------------------------------------------------------- Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. [The World]( is produced by [PRX]( and [GBH](.