A friendship match is held at the headquarters of the United Nations in commemoration of the China-U.S. Ping-Pong diplomacy, 45 years after the Chinese Ping-Pong delegation came to the UN for the first time, in New York September 15, 2017. In 1971 and 1972, U.S. and Chinese table tennis teams exchanged visit after many years of estrangement and antagonism between the two countries, opening the door for the China-U.S. people-to-people contact.

From donating millions of dirhams to fighting hunger to personally delivering emergency aid to a cyclone-hit island, HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein’s charitable endeavors are many and often. [...] And now the royal is urging others to do their part – today in particular. September 5 marks the International Day of Charity, an occasion declared by the United Nations back in 2012 to help encourage fund-raising for worthy causes.

Japan on July 17 pledged US$1 billion (S$1.37 billion) over the next two years to back the United Nations' development agenda, raising its profile as one of the world's largest foreign aid donors. Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told a meeting at the UN that the funding will go to help children and youth worldwide, in particular to promote education, health, disaster response and gender equality.

The Fitzgerald Biosphere has retained international significance after United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization approved the site as a biosphere reserve this month. [...] Fitzgerald Biosphere spokesman Nathan McQuoid said the area was globally significant for its natural diversity and the renomination will ensure the site continued to be recognized.

On the second day of the UN Ocean Conference, side events focused on the ocean economy; global cooperation on ocean science; and environmentally sound waste management. [...] Representing the shipping industry, Carl Carlsson, described PPP collaboration method and project platform for safer, more energy-efficient maritime transport. A presentation ceremony appreciated The Seychelles, for innovative financing; Norway, for promoting professional involvement in ocean science; UN Environment to reduce plastic in the ocean, etc. 

Former Ethiopian health minister Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been chosen as the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO). He was nominated by the government of Ethiopia and elected by the WHO member states to begin his five-year term as director-general on 1 July 2017. He succeeds Hong Kong’s Dr Margaret Chan, who has held the position since 2007. [...] His successes with these two organisations included securing increased funding to fight life-threatening diseases in Africa. 

The UN General Assembly elected Kuwait, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Peru and Poland to the UN Security Council on Friday for a two-year term beginning next year, ASharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported Saturday.Kuwait, which will replace Egypt in the seat representing the Arab world, received 188 votes out of the 193-member General Assembly. During the membership campaign that it launched in 2016, Kuwait pledged to adopt balanced policies in dealing with the issues on the agenda of the Security Council.