WHO warns even deadlier pandemic may surface
WHO officials ended the year with a warning that a future pandemic more severe than the coronavirus may hit one day if the world is not ready.
United Nations
The United Nations is the world's primary forum for diplomacy and peace. Founded in the wake of WWII to prevent global conflict, this organization of 193 member nations now serves as the stage for addressing our most pressing challenges — from climate change to human rights. We cover the U.N.'s policies and efforts to build a more peaceful, just, and prosperous world.
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Tug-of-war over pulled WHO Italy report
A suppressed WHO report on Italy's pandemic response says hospitals were "chaotic," dangers to elderly went unrecognized, and training was haphazard.
ICJ steps into Guyana-Venezuela border dispute
ICJ ruled it has jurisdiction to settle a border dispute going back to colonial-era claims over a resources-rich jungle region between Guyana and Venezuela.
WTO subsidy talks to curb overfishing drag on
Diplomats failed to meet an end-of-year deadline for a deal on halting government subsidies that contribute to overfishing, WTO officials said.
Five years on, Paris climate accord recharges
World leaders honored five years of the 2015 Paris Agreement at a virtual summit energized by U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's vow to rejoin it.
UNEP report points to catastrophic warming
Unmet promises to cut carbon emissions put the planet on track for temperatures to rise "in excess of 3 degrees Celsius this century," UNEP reported.
New U.N. 'day' to aid efforts against epidemics
After holding its first high-level session on the pandemic, the U.N. General Assembly created a new "international day" to prevent health crises like COVID-19.
U.N. calls on nations to end 'war on nature'
The U.N. chief appealed to world leaders to start fixing our "broken" planet by ringing in 2021 with a commitment to a carbon pollution-neutral future.
IUCN finds climate top threat to UNESCO sites
Climate change is damaging one-third of the world's UNESCO sites and has become the single-biggest threat they face, IUCN warned.
Humanitarian aid groups confront toll of pandemic on poor nations
U.N. officials released a 2021 humanitarian plan that projects a 40% increase in people who need aid from a year earlier.
Report: UNDP audit looks into GEF projects
UNDP said in response to a news article it examined possbible "misuse of funds" affecting almost US$100 million in GEF-funded projects.
U.N. talks open on Syria national governance
Syrian representatives, dogged by mistrust from an almost decade-long civil war, began a fourth round of peace talks on a new system of governance.
Global coronavirus cases surpass 60 million
The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections across the world topped 60 million with 1.4 million deaths as drug makers rush to produce new vaccines.
WMO says CO2 levels again at record high
Atmospheric CO2 levels reached a record high in 2019 and are expected to keep rising this year despite an economic slowdown due to the pandemic.
Biden U.N. pick signals U.S. return to alliances
U.S. President-elect Joe Biden’s selection of Linda Thomas-Greenfield to serve as ambassador to the U.N. signals America's pivot back to multilateralism.
G-20 pledges global access to vaccines
G-20 leaders ended a summit promising to make COVID-19 vaccines affordable and equally accessible for all and to support the U.N. health agency.