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Saudi Arabia Announces Historic UNCCD Green Zone, Thematic Days to Accelerate Action on Land Degradation

Saudi Arabia Announces Historic UNCCD Green Zone, Thematic Days to Accelerate Action on Land Degradation
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Saudi Arabia Announces Historic UNCCD Green Zone, Thematic Days to Accelerate Action on Land Degradation

Saudi Arabia Announces Historic UNCCD Green Zone, Thematic Days to Accelerate Action on Land Degradation

The Presidency of COP16 Riyadh, which will be hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from December 2 to 13, has announced the establishment of a Green Zone and the organization of seven thematic days. This initiative marks a first in the history of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
For the first time, a UNCCD COP will feature a Green Zone and thematic days as part of Saudi Arabia's leadership under its incoming COP16 Presidency. This landmark program reflects the Kingdom's commitment to galvanizing global action to combat land degradation, drought, and desertification, SPA reported.
The Green Zone aims to raise global awareness about land degradation and to connect key decision-makers from the scientific, NGO, political, business, and at-risk communities. The goal is to develop and fund lasting solutions. Thematic days in both the Green and Blue Zones will address key issues, including agri-food systems and finance.
"Land degradation, desertification, and drought affect almost every corner of the planet and every living being on it, from species at risk of extinction to the livelihoods of those impacted by severe drought," said Deputy Minister for Environment at the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and Advisor to the UNCCD COP16 Presidency Dr. Osama Faqeeha.
"Saudi Arabia will host the first-ever UNCCD COP16 Green Zone to mobilize the international community and maximize the opportunity during December's conference to deliver lasting global change. Whether you wish to attend as a visitor engaging in critical conversations about land restoration or as an exhibitor showcasing innovation, I encourage people to register and be part of the solution," Dr. Faqeeha added.
The Green and Blue Zones will host seven thematic days designed to foster action and dialogue among key stakeholders. Land Day will spotlight land restoration initiatives and nature-based solutions. The Business for Land Forum will bring together global leaders to discuss the economic imperatives of sustainable land practices. Finance Day will address the financing gap in combating land degradation. A special ministerial dialogue will showcase innovation in Sustainable Land Management financing, tackling the challenge highlighted by the UN Environment Program: $7 trillion is invested annually in activities that harm nature, equivalent to 7 percent of global GDP. Governance Day will focus on improving women's land rights and addressing pressing policy issues surrounding land tenure and resource governance. Agri-Food Systems Day will explore food security, crop resilience, and sustainable farming practices. Resilience Day will address water scarcity, drought resilience, and early warning systems for sand and dust storms. People's Day will feature a youth caucus addressing the critical role of young people, a gender caucus, and discussions about increasing the participation of at-risk groups. According to UNCCD, one billion people under the age of 25 live in regions heavily dependent on land and natural resources for livelihoods.
Science, Technology, and Innovation Day will emphasize the role of science in land restoration and prevention of further degradation. This day will nurture long-term solutions, ensure synergies with climate and biodiversity fields, and address research and funding gaps.

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Varieties

In Europe First, Netherlands to Allow Teslas to Self-Drive

01 September 2025, Brandenburg, Gruenheide: The Tesla logo is seen on a vehicle at the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. (dpa)
01 September 2025, Brandenburg, Gruenheide: The Tesla logo is seen on a vehicle at the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. (dpa)
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In Europe First, Netherlands to Allow Teslas to Self-Drive

01 September 2025, Brandenburg, Gruenheide: The Tesla logo is seen on a vehicle at the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. (dpa)
01 September 2025, Brandenburg, Gruenheide: The Tesla logo is seen on a vehicle at the Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg. (dpa)

In a first for Europe, the Netherlands is poised to allow Tesla owners to use their car's self-driving feature -- as long as they are in the vehicle and keeping a watchful eye over it.

The country's RDW agency for roadworthiness certifications said in a statement late Friday: "Thanks to the type approval, the driver assistance system can now be used in the Netherlands, with possible future expansion to all member states of the European Union."

The move aligns the Netherlands with what is allowed in the United States, where Tesla owners can already use the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) (FSD Supervised) function in the cars.

That mode hands over driving to the Tesla's computer system, including steering, braking, route navigation and parking, all under the active supervision of the driver, who remains at the controls ready to take over if needed.

The European subsidiary of Tesla, the electric-vehicle company run by the world's richest person, Elon Musk, hailed the Netherlands' move.

"FSD Supervised has been approved in the Netherlands & will begin rolling out in the country shortly!" it said on X.

"No other vehicle can do this. We're excited to bring FSD Supervised to more European countries soon."

The Dutch RDW agency stressed the difference between FSD Supervised, with a human remaining at the controls, and full autonomous driving.

"A vehicle with FSD Supervised is not self-driving. It is a driver assistance system, and the driver remains responsible and must always maintain control," it said.

RDW's decision has to go to the European Commission for authorization, so that its national certification has EU weight.

Tesla sales have been facing headwinds in Europe -- including in the Netherlands -- in the last couple of years.

Potential clients have turned off by Musk's political activism supporting hard-right politics in the US and Germany, while the brand is also facing increased competition from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers.

Varieties

'A Perfect Mission': Artemis II Astronauts Return to Earth

In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew, counterclockwise from top left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover pose with eclipse viewers during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew, counterclockwise from top left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover pose with eclipse viewers during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
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'A Perfect Mission': Artemis II Astronauts Return to Earth

In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew, counterclockwise from top left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover pose with eclipse viewers during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this image provided by NASA, the Artemis II crew, counterclockwise from top left, Mission Specialist Christina Koch, Mission Specialist Jeremy Hansen, Commander Reid Wiseman, and Pilot Victor Glover pose with eclipse viewers during a lunar flyby, Monday, April 6, 2026. (NASA via AP)

An elated NASA late Friday was celebrating its successful voyage around the Moon, after four astronauts safely returned to Earth having completed the first lunar flyby in more than 50 years.

The NASA spacecraft carrying four astronauts -- three Americans and one Canadian -- splashed down without a hitch off the California coast, capping the US space agency's crewed test mission that returned with spectacular images of the Moon, said AFP.

"What a journey," said mission commander Reid Wiseman, who reported that the crewmembers -- himself along with Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Jeremy Hansen -- were "stable" and "green."

"They're in great condition, that's what that means," said Rob Navias, the NASA public affairs official who narrated their return on the agency's livestream.

Following an expected but nerve-wracking communications blackout during their high-stakes re-entry, Wiseman's voice triggered relief that the astronauts were well on their way back home.

"We have you loud and clear," he said following a voice check from mission control in Houston.

NASA personnel and the US military helped extract the astronauts from the bobbing capsule -- to the applause of those watching from mission control.

By late Friday, helicopters had lifted the astronauts to a recovery ship off the Pacific coast near San Diego, where they all proved capable of walking unassisted.

NASA administrator Jared Isaacman called the voyage "a perfect mission."

"We're back in the business of sending astronauts to the Moon," he said, and "this is just the beginning."

- 'A great day' -

As the astronauts returned to Earth their spacecraft reached maximum speeds more than 30 times the speed of sound, and faced searing temperatures around half as hot as the surface of the Sun.

It was a key test of their heat shield, which in an earlier trial uncrewed mission had faced complications that they attempted to mitigate this time around by shifting the return trajectory.

"If you didn't have anxiety bringing this spacecraft home, you probably didn't have a pulse," said flight director Rick Henfling.

But the Artemis II re-entry was smooth sailing.

The Orion capsule will now be painstakingly examined to assess how it fared.

US President Donald Trump praised the astronauts for their "spectacular" trip and said he "could not be more proud" -- while wasting no time in looking ahead to the eventual goal of sending missions even further into space.

"Next step, Mars!" he wrote on social media.

Artemis II was the inaugural crewed mission of NASA's program aiming to install a sustained presence on the Moon, including the eventual construction of a base that could be used for further exploration including to Mars.

- 'Fresh confidence' -

From liftoff to splashdown, the trip clocked in at nine days, one hour, 31 minutes and 35 seconds -- though NASA rounds up and calls it a 10-day mission.

It began with a dramatic launch from Florida on April 1, and was studded with firsts, records and extraordinary moments.

The four astronauts become the humans to travel furthest away from the Earth, at 252,756 miles (406,771 kilometers).

While hurtling through deep space and zipping around the Moon they took thousands of photographs, amassing a stunning portfolio of images that captivated people on Earth.

They also witnessed a solar eclipse along with extraordinary meteorite strikes on the lunar surface.

Several achievements added to the voyage's historic nature: Glover was the first person of color to fly around the Moon, Koch was the first woman, and Canadian Hansen the first non-American.

Astronomer Derek Buzasi of the University of Chicago called the mission "an almost flawless success."

"I admit to having had my doubts about the Artemis program, but now I have fresh confidence in our next steps as we go back to the Moon to stay," he told AFP.

- 'Eye on the prize' -

NASA is hoping it can put boots on the lunar surface as soon as 2028 -- the final full year of Trump's second White House term.

Experts, however, have voiced skepticism that the lunar landers being developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin, companies owned by billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos respectively, will be ready in time.

China, meanwhile, is forging ahead with its own effort targeting 2030 to put astronauts on the Moon.

In the meantime, NASA is hoping to capitalize on the Artemis II mission's success to drum up excitement about space exploration.

Clayton Swope, a space policy expert at of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, told AFP that the mission stands as "proof that when America keeps its eye on the prize, it can still do very great things."

Varieties

Sleepy Seal Diverts Traffic in Australian Seaside Town

This frame grab from handout video footage by Laura Ellen taken on April 10, 2026 shows traffic along a road in the seaside Australian town of Dromana, located south of Melbourne in the southern state of Victoria, that was briefly diverted after a local seal decided to take a nap. (Photo by Handout / LAURA ELLEN / AFP)
This frame grab from handout video footage by Laura Ellen taken on April 10, 2026 shows traffic along a road in the seaside Australian town of Dromana, located south of Melbourne in the southern state of Victoria, that was briefly diverted after a local seal decided to take a nap. (Photo by Handout / LAURA ELLEN / AFP)
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Sleepy Seal Diverts Traffic in Australian Seaside Town

This frame grab from handout video footage by Laura Ellen taken on April 10, 2026 shows traffic along a road in the seaside Australian town of Dromana, located south of Melbourne in the southern state of Victoria, that was briefly diverted after a local seal decided to take a nap. (Photo by Handout / LAURA ELLEN / AFP)
This frame grab from handout video footage by Laura Ellen taken on April 10, 2026 shows traffic along a road in the seaside Australian town of Dromana, located south of Melbourne in the southern state of Victoria, that was briefly diverted after a local seal decided to take a nap. (Photo by Handout / LAURA ELLEN / AFP)

Traffic in a seaside Australian town was briefly diverted on Friday when a local seal decided to take a nap on the road.

The dozy pinniped was spotted snoozing on a road in Dromana in the southern state of Victoria.

Local police placed cones around the seal -- known to some locals as Sammy -- who could be seen sunning himself with little concern for the traffic.

"You don't know where he will pop up next," local Laura Ellen, who spotted the slumbering animal, told AFP.

"He usually sleeps all day," she said.

"It made me laugh when I saw him on the road. Haven't seen him do that before."

The seal was later redirected back to the beach by wildlife rescuers and the lane was re-opened.

Seals are a common sight along Victoria's coast and it is illegal to touch or feed them, the state government says.