By Christopher Thompson US reportedly opposed deal, which follows concerns that villages in Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia had ‘turned into dumpsites’ Almost all the world’s countries have agreed on a deal aimed at restricting shipments of hard-to-recycle plastic waste to poorer countries, the United Nations announced on Friday. Exporting countries – including the US – […]

By Christopher Thompson U.N. negotiations seek deal on trade in plastic waste * Norway proposal would require importer’s prior consent * U.S. is a leading major plastics exporter, but not in treaty By Stephanie Nebehay GENEVA, May 7 – Countries are nearing agreement to tighten controls on trade in plastic waste, which would make it […]

By Christopher Thompson From native species to Indigenous land management and water efficiency: Australia’s role in the extinction crisis A devastating new UN report shows the planet is in serious danger from the accelerating decline of the Earth’s natural life-support systems. Here we look at 10 of the key points from the report – and […]

By Ryan Johnson Scientists reveal one million species at risk of extinction in damning UN report Human society is in jeopardy from the accelerating decline of the Earth’s natural life-support systems, the world’s leading scientists have warned, as they announced the results of the most thorough planetary health check ever undertaken. From coral reefs flickering […]

By Ryan Johnson ‘We are in trouble if we don’t act,’ say experts, with up to 1m species at risk of annihilation The world’s leading scientists will warn the planet’s life-support systems are approaching a danger zone for humanity when they release the results of the most comprehensive study of life on Earth ever undertaken. […]

Malta’s prime minister, Joseph Muscat, has used his platform at the U.N. to speak out on the potential of blockchain and cryptocurrency, calling them an “inevitable” part of a digital future. In a speech at the general debate of the 73rd Session of the General Assembly of the U.N. on Sept. 27, Muscat raised Malta’s move […]

US President Donald Trump has attacked the Iranian leadership, accusing it of sowing “chaos, death and destruction” across the Middle East. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York, he defended his decision to abandon the nuclear deal. Mr Trump also boasted that his administration had accomplished “more than almost any” other in US […]