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UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Almost 90 big companies in sectors from food to cement to telecommunications are pledging to slash their greenhouse gas emissions in a new campaign to steer multi-nationals towards a low-carbon future, organizers said on Sunday.

We Mean Business, a coalition of advocacy groups, said dozens of companies had joined the initiative in the two months leading up to a United Nations summit taking place on Monday, which aims to spur faster action on climate change.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- Swedish Deputy Prime Minister Isabella Lovin said Saturday that striving for zero emission is the basis for the long-term industrial success and Swedish businesses have embraced this idea.

At a meeting setting the context for the industry transition program at the Climate Action Summit, Lovin said the upcoming meeting is an "excellent opportunity" to discuss the huge opportunities of industrial transition to low-carbon economy.

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 21 (APP): Prime Minister Imran Khan will join a galaxy of leaders from around the world on Tuesday when the U.N. General Assembly begins its annual debate to discuss issues of peace and security, with Pakistan’s Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi saying that the Pakistani leader will be on ‘Mission Kashmir’ in New York.

UNITED STATES (AP) —  Wall Street closed out a volatile week with losses Friday as investors worried that upcoming trade talks aimed at resolving the costly trade war between Washington and Beijing could be in trouble.

The selling, which erased modest early gains for the market, snapped a three-week win streak for the S&P 500. The benchmark index is still up 2.2% for September.

NEW YORK (AP) — The United States on Friday signed an agreement that paves the way for the U.S. to send many asylum-seekers to one of the world’s most violent countries, El Salvador.

But both countries must first take necessary legal actions and implement major border security and asylum procedures before it would go into effect, according to a draft copy of the agreement obtained by The Associated Press.

NEW YORK (AP) — Young people afraid for their futures protested around the globe Friday to implore leaders to tackle climate change, turning out by the hundreds of thousands to insist that the warming world can’t wait any longer.

Marches, rallies and demonstrations were held from Canberra to Kabul and Cape Town to New York. More than 100,000 turned out in Berlin.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Zhang Jun said Thursday that China has to vote against a Security Council draft resolution on Syria as the text missed the essence of the humanitarian issue and failed to address China's core concerns.

The draft prepared by Belgium, Germany and Kuwait won the support of 12 of the 15 members of the Security Council, but was unable to be adopted because of "No" votes from Russia and China, which have veto power.

MOSCOW, Sept 20 (NNN-SPUTNIK) — The Global Climate Strike, inspired by 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, who calls for immediate action on climate change, started worldwide on Friday, reported Sputnik news agency.

The strike will be held on two successive Fridays, on September 20 and 27. The event coincides with UN Climate Action Summit 2019 that will start in New York on September 23.

NEW YORK, Sep 19 (APP): A coalition of Muslim and human rights organizations called on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to cancel its plans to award Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi its Global Goalkeeper Award, citing Modi’s revocation of the disputed Kashmir region’s special status.

On August 5, Modi announced plans to scrap the constitutional article giving Kashmir autonomy, putting down a repressive lockdown and cutting internet and communications services.

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 18 (Xinhua) -- The 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 74) will spotlight climate change in the coming days when leaders gather at the UN headquarters in New York to discuss issues of common concern, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday.

"We will spotlight climate change, which threatens everyone and everything," the UN chief told reporters at a press conference.

Recalling his recent trip to the Bahamas, Guterres said that "the level of devastation was unlike anything I have ever seen."