One million animal and plant species - that's one in eight - are at risk of extinction.
That's according to a landmark UN assessment of the state of nature released Monday.
"The essential, interconnected web of life on Earth is getting smaller and increasingly frayed,” said Professor Josef Settele, who co-chaired the study by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
Elena Casas reports from Paris:
Arab Parliament welcomes direct municipal elections in Somalia
The Arab Parliament has welcomed the holding of direct municipal elections in Somalia, considered to be the first in the country since 1969.
Bangladesh leader considered PM frontrunner returns from exile
Bangladesh Nationalist Party acting Chairman Tarique Rahman returned from nearly 17 years in exile on Thursday, a homecoming the party hopes will energise supporters with Rahman poised to be the top contender for prime minister in February.
Syria to start currency swap on January 1
Syria will start swapping old banknotes for new ones from January 1, 2026, Central Bank Governor Abdelkader Husrieh said on Thursday, under a plan to replace Assad-era notes to try to strengthen the currency's value.
Five killed in Nigeria mosque attack, police say
At least 5 were killed and 35 others injured when a bomber detonated an explosive inside a mosque in Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's Borno state, during evening prayers, police said.
Helicopter crash on Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro kills five, aviation authority says
A helicopter has crashed on Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro, killing five people, the civil aviation authority said on Thursday, while local media reported that the aircraft was on a medical rescue mission.
Abu Dhabi Police has reported five cases of suffocation in the UAE due to the use of charcoal and firewood for heating inside homes.
The UAE has expressed its solidarity with Tanzania following the crash of a helicopter during a civil defense rescue mission that killed at least five people.
Abu Dhabi's Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT) has announced new rules allowing hotels and restaurants holding tourism licenses to welcome guests with their pets, like cats and dogs.
