Falling glass and ‘decapitated’ plants: the race to protect Edinburgh botanic garden’s plants

• Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres today to discuss ongoing global conflicts. • The conversation focused specifically on the need to mitigate the negative impacts of these conflicts on the Global South, referring to developing nations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

• Diplomatic clashes during the recent United Nations General Assembly in New York highlighted how geopolitical instability threatens the global hospitality and aviation sectors. • Jordan’s monarch argued for diplomacy and international law as a counter to the unilateral military deterrence strategies emphasized by American and Israeli leadership.

• The 81st United Nations General Assembly met in New York to address the breakdown of multilateralism and the paralysis of the Security Council. • The assembly focused on the structural stagnation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the lack of binding laws for disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence.

• The DID Press Agency reported that the security and political order of the Middle East is undergoing a significant transformation due to recent regional conflicts. • The agency cited the "Al-Aqsa Flood" operation, direct confrontations between Iran and Israel, and Ansarullah's influence over Red Sea security as primary drivers of this change.

• Washington and Beijing are exploring a new framework to manage their rivalry as Donald Trump considers his second-term diplomacy. • The U.S. is weighing the costs of prolonged confrontation, including trade uncertainty and China's control over critical minerals.

Rock band will still tour the UK, Europe and US over the next year but say decision to ‘fall dormant’ feels ‘liberating’The British rock band Enter Shikari have announced they will go on hiatus at the end of 2027, a decision that may result in the band’s “extinction”.The St Albans band, who formed in 1999 as Hybryd, are due to tour the UK in November, Europe and the US next year, and said they hoped to play some of their favourite places “one last time”. Continue reading...

Landlords can no longer refuse pit bulls, rottweilers, dobermans or other breeds considered ‘scary’Landlords in Washington DC will no longer be able to refuse a tenant’s dog based on its breed, size or weight, nor can they impose special charges related to these factors.At least, that’s what a new law that took effect on Thursday aims to achieve. Animal welfare organizations and animal shelters applauded the legislation, emphasizing the benefits of reducing barriers to pet ownership in the US capital. Continue reading...

Democratic-led coalition says gutting key protections will set US back decades and worsen climate crisisStates and cities sued the Trump administration on Thursday for repealing rules that limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions from power plants fueled by coal and natural gas.Twenty-one states, led by New York, are challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s power plant rule. The Democratic-led coalition also includes Pennsylvania’s governor, the District of Columbia, New York City, Chicago and the city and county of Denver. They argue that “gutting one of the country’s most significant climate protections” will set the nation back decades and worsen the climate crisis. Continue reading...

MLB reportedly contacted White House about staging game at Wyoming park, to dismay of locals and conservationists A proposal to hold a Major League Baseball (MLB) game inside a national park is receiving backlash from locals and conservationists.On 26 September, the Washington Post reported that MLB reached out to the White House about staging a one-day game at the Grand Teton national park in Wyoming. Teton county describes itself as a “a year-round resort community” and sits within the Jackson Hole valley. It’s also a habitat for grizzly bears, osprey, bison and more. Continue reading...

Planned rule change forms part of Burnham’s bid to crack down on the ‘little charges that add up’Airlines will be blocked from charging parents extra to sit with their children on planes, according to government plans.The new rule would require airlines to seat passengers aged under 14 next to their parents or an accompanying adult free of charge. Passengers will also no longer need to pay to tweak the name on their flight booking if they need to correct a mistake. Continue reading...

Follow the day’s news live.Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAtlassian enters 10-year solar energy deal with community co-op to power Sydney HQA solar farm owned by a group of community investors has secured a 10-year deal with one of Australia’s biggest technology companies to help power its headquarters, Australian Associated Press reports.Our active volunteers and investor community worked patiently and diligently across a number of years to see this project come to fruition.To have a blue-chip Australian company like Atlassian come on board as a commercial partner is a huge vote of confidence in what we have built.While we have seen some safety improvements as a result of sustained regulatory pressure, including the recent court-enforceable undertakings we accepted from Roblox, there is still significant work to be done across the board to prevent serious harms in online gaming to children. Continue reading...