A landmark UN treaty to safeguard marine biodiversity on the high seas has now met the required 60 ratifications for entry into force, clearing the way for it to take effect in January 2026.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, September 19 (IPS) - On September 11, Charlie Weimers, a Swedish Member of the European Parliament and active within the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, rose up during a Parliamentary session and asked for a minute of silence to honour the memory of Charlie Kirk, who the day before had been shot and killed during a political meeting at the Utah Valley University in the U.S.

LONDON & SRINAGAR, September 19 (IPS) - At least 146 land and environmental defenders were murdered or forcibly disappeared in 2024 for standing up against powerful state and corporate interests, according to a new report released by Global Witness.

The room at the Swiss Inn Nexus Hotel in Bole was silent but tense as Sunita Narain, one of the world’s most influential environmental voices, fixed her gaze on rows of African journalists, scientists, and policymakers. Her tone was gentle, but the words cut deep.

MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay, September 19 (IPS) - Thousands of Afghans who fled to the USA when the Taliban took over in August 2021 now face the prospect of deportation to countries they’ve never been to. People who risked everything to escape persecution, often because they helped US forces, now find themselves treated as unwanted cargo under the Trump administration’s anti-migration policy.

UNITED NATIONS, September 19 (IPS) - A United Nations report calling for the global abolition of surrogacy has sparked intense debate among experts, with critics arguing that blanket bans could harm the very women the policy aims to protect.

NEW YORK, September 19 (IPS) - World leaders gathering at the United Nations General Assembly from September 22-30, 2025, should commit to protecting the UN from powerful governments seeking to defund and undermine the organization’s capacity to promote human rights and international justice, Human Rights Watch said today.

In the face of escalating Israeli military operations, thousands of Palestinian families continue to flee the northern Gaza Strip amid dire humanitarian conditions and transportation shortages.

Fifteen-year-old Reyyan Demiriz from Türkiye has been awarded first prize in a UN young writers’ competition which garnered a staggering 1.6 million entries from 65 different countries.

The UN General Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution allowing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to address next week’s high-level debate by pre-recorded video after the United States refused to issue visas for Palestine’s delegation.