U.S. Government Faces Brief Shutdown as Congress Delays Funding Deal 
Asian Currencies Hold Firm as Dollar Rebounds on Fed Chair Nomination Hopes 
Starmer’s China Visit Signals New Era in UK–China Economic Relations 
Burkina Faso and Mali’s fabulous flora: new plant life record released 
LA fires: Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke is poorly understood − and a growing risk 
Gold and Silver Prices Plunge as Trump Taps Kevin Warsh for Fed Chair 
Rise of the Zombie Bugs takes readers on a jaw-dropping tour of the parasite world 
Extreme heat, flooding, wildfires – Colorado’s formerly incarcerated people on the hazards they faced behind bars 
The UK is surprisingly short of water – but more reservoirs aren’t the answer 
Fungi are among the planet’s most important organisms — yet they continue to be overlooked in conservation strategies 
Wall Street Slides as Warsh Fed Nomination, Hot Inflation, and Precious Metals Rout Shake Markets 
Indonesia Stocks Face Fragile Sentiment After MSCI Warning and Market Rout 
Why Trump’s new pick for Fed chair hit gold and silver markets – for good reasons 
Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Unilever, and Ikea led over 70 brands in issuing a joint statement calling for a global treaty against plastic pollution that would include limiting the production of the material.
According to the group, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) that begins next month with government officials gathering to begin talks on a treaty on plastic pollution, is the decisive, most auspicious moment to turn the tide on the global plastic pollution crisis.
The negotiations are expected to face resistance from big oil and chemical firms and major plastic-producing countries.
In November, a study revealed that the world had generated over 8 million tons of COVID-19 outbreak-related plastic waste, with over 25,000 tons of plastic polluting the world's oceans since the pandemic began.
