While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Nov 16, 2025
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A protester from Guam joined thousands of people marching in Belem, Brazil, on Nov 15, to demand climate action from negotiators holding tough talks at the United Nations’ COP30 climate summit.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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Thousands of climate protesters rally at COP30
Thousands of people marched through the streets of Belem on Nov 15 to press for action from negotiators holding tough talks at the United Nations’ COP30 climate conference.
Under a baking sun, indigenous people mixed with activists gathered in a festive atmosphere, blasting music from speakers, carrying a giant beach ball of Earth and holding a flag of Brazil emblazoned with the words “Protected Amazon”.
It was the first major protest outside the annual climate talks since COP26 four years ago in Glasgow, as the last three gatherings were held in locations with little tolerance for demonstrations – Egypt, Dubai and Azerbaijan.
Branded the “Great People’s March” by organisers, the Belem rally comes at the halfway point of contentious negotiations and follows two Indigenous-led protests that disrupted proceedings earlier in the week.
Storm kills three in Portugal, causes floods in Britain
PHOTO: REUTERS
Violent weather brought on by Storm Claudia killed three people and injured dozens in Portugal, authorities there said on Nov 15, while in Britain rescue workers were organising evacuations due to heavy flooding in Wales and England.
Portugal and parts of neighbouring Spain have faced days of extreme conditions brought on by Storm Claudia, which had reached parts of Britain and Ireland by Nov 15.
Rescue workers found the bodies of an elderly couple inside their flooded home in Fernao Ferro, across the River Tagus from Lisbon, on Nov 13. They had apparently been sleeping and were unable to flee as the water rose during the night.
Turkey hotel evacuated after tourist deaths
PHOTO: X/@BPTHABER
The hotel where a family of Turkish-German tourists were staying when they suffered suspected poisoning that killed the mother and two children, was evacuated on Nov 15, local media reported.
All guests staying at the unnamed hotel in the Fatih neighbourhood near Istanbul’s historic peninsula were relocated to other hotels, BirGun newspaper said, without saying how many people were involved.
Another two tourists staying at the same hotel were taken to hospital on Nov 15 after coming down with nausea and vomiting, the paper said, without elaborating.
Chernobyl widow one of seven dead in Kyiv attack
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Nov 15 renewed his plea for more air-defence systems a day after Russian strikes on Kyiv killed seven people.
His latest comments came after Russian missiles struck apartment blocks across the Ukrainian capital Nov 14.
Among those who died, Mr Zelensky said was Mrs Nataliia Khodemnchuk, the wife of an operator at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant who died during the 1986 nuclear disaster.
Alcaraz secures ATP Finals showdown with Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner will face off for the ATP Finals title after tennis’ two biggest stars cruised into the final of the prestigious season-ending tournament on Nov 15.
Alcaraz, already confirmed year-end world number one, breezed past Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-2, 6-4 in Turin to set up the title match all tennis fans wanted to see after a series of thrilling battles between the pair this year.
The Spaniard has had the better of his clashes with Sinner 10-5, and has won four of this season’s five meetings which have all come in the final of top-level tournaments.
