Treaty to curb plastic pollution stalled as industry pushes back
Oil and plastic producing nations and lobbyists sought more emphasis on recycling instead of production cuts.
Saudi Arabia
Plastic pollution treaty targets production or waste management
This is the third round of talks to develop an international legally binding deal that includes plastic waste in the ocean.
Nations seeking to expand fossil fuel production despite climate pledges
Government plans would blow past limits needed to limit warming to 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
Majority of nations pass measure setting up U.N. vote on 'killer robots'
The first-of-its-kind provision cites an “urgent need for the international community to address the challenges and concerns raised by autonomous weapons systems."
World 'dangerously' unprepared for another pandemic, panel concludes
The Global Preparedness Monitoring Board urged more trust-building to boost monitoring, accountability and financing.
Caught up in the war in Gaza, civilians anxiously await aid
Despite some aid trickling into Gaza through Egypt's Rafah crossing, needs are soaring as tensions flare that could cause the Israel-Hamas war to spread to other countries.
UPU closes fourth 'Extraordinary Congress' in Riyadh on digital future
The talks centered on climate, financial services and more cooperation among governments and private partners.
Human rights groups protest lack of justice, closure in Khashoggi murder
“The path to justice for his killing remains fully blocked," said Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard.
Reprisals against human rights defenders cited among 42 nations
A new report's evidence of threats and retaliation extends to 12 of the U.N. Human Rights Council's 47 member nations.
Switzerland, Sweden and U.S. top WIPO's global innovation rankings
But the world's five biggest science and technology clusters are now in East Asia; Japan's is the largest and China has the most.
Danger of exhausting local water supply puts 1-in-4 at risk globally
'Extremely high water stress' afflicts 83% of the population in the Middle East and North Africa and 74% in South Asia.
U.N. starts unloading oil from Yemen tanker to prevent disaster
Without U.N. intervention, the tanker could have released as much as four times the oil spilled by the Exxon Valdez in 1989.
Talks open on plastics treaty to defuse environmental 'time bomb'
About 69% of all the plastics produced, mainly through fossil fuel burning, are used just once or twice before they are thrown away. About 22% is mismanaged. Just 9% is recycled.
Syrian government's isolation eases with Arab bloc summit appearance
Syrian President Bashar Assad, formerly ostracized by most Arab nations, was warmly readmitted to the Arab League.
U.N. conference raises 28% of emergency aid target for Yemen
The U.N. emergency relief coordinator's office set a US$4.3 billion target to help people suffering in the war-torn nation.
U.N. lets Iran arms ban lapse despite U.S. dissent
The signatories to the Iran nuclear deal allowed a U.N.-imposed embargo on arms trade with the nation and some travel bans to expire as planned.