The latest discussions between Cypriot leaders broke up because of conflicting governance and property claims, dashing hopes for a deal this year.

Zombie corals, which look healthy but cannot reproduce, have been discovered by researchers, dashing hopes that such reefs could repopulate areas destroyed by bleaching.

That left the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and associated hangers-on looking fractious and dysfunctional, dashing hopes of coordinated action to support oil prices.