Baku's biggest legacy will be a reform of COP

As cities across the world face the growing impacts of climate crises, with each season proving to be more erratic than the last, the latest edition of the United Nations' annual Conference of the Parties (COP) in Baku, Azerbaijan fell woefully short of meeting much-needed requirements for climate finance, and transitioning away from fossil fuels.

- MARK WATTS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF C40 CITIES

NEW DELHI: A man allegedly stabbed to death a former neighbour in New Ashok Nagar, east Delhi, on Monday night over suspicions of the victim having an extramarital affair with his wife, police said. The victim, Bechu Ram, originally from Uttar Pradesh, succumbed to his injuries at Lal Bahadur Shastri (LBS) Hospital, they said. The accused remains absconding.

Deputy commissioner of police (east) Apoorva Gupta said, "The accused suspected Ram of being in a relationship with his wife. A case has been registered, and multiple teams are searching for the accused." The officer withheld the suspect's identity, citing the ongoing investigation.

Police received a call around 10.30pm from LBS Hospital regarding Ram's admission with stab wounds. He was brought to the hospital by his relative, Amit Ranjan Mishra, but was declared dead upon arrival.

Ram had moved into a one-room flat in New Ashok Nagar two months ago. Police said the accused, who lived in the same building, was evicted two weeks ago with his wife after assaulting Ram over similar suspicions. "The house owner asked the couple to leave, but Ram, who was unmarried, stayed on," Mishra said.

On Monday, the accused, intoxicated and enraged, confronted Ram, accusing him of hiding his wife. "He stabbed Ram multiple times in the lower abdomen and fled," an officer said.

"Teams are working to apprehend the absconding accused," DCP Gupta added. Investigators are also questioning the accused's wife to locate him.

Mark Watts, the executive director of C40 Cities - a network of 100 international cities, including five from India spoke to Shivani Singh about the efficacy of climate negotiation and its impact on cities in the Global South. Edited excerpts:

Has the underwhelming outcome of COP29 derailed the city climate agenda?