IFRC gains entry to scale up aid efforts as Venezuelan crisis deepens
Venezuelans who cannot flee are in the grips of a humanitarian crisis from lack of food and basic services.
United Nations
Founded at the end of World War II, the New York-based United Nations is an international organization with 193 member nations. It began with 50 nations meeting at San Francisco in 1945 to maintain international peace and security. Over two months, the U.N. Charter was created as the basis for the organization's hope of preventing another world war. Founding members Britain, China, France, the Soviet Union and the United States took permanent veto-wielding seats on the powerful Security Council.
Enjoy our Free+ stories and our weekly newsletter
Start your free accessAlready have an account? Log in
Climate-linked extreme weather blamed for rising impacts globally
Flooding, the worst of the impacts globally, continued to affect the largest number of people, more than 35 million.
Global carbon emissions hit record high driven by surging power sector
Energy-related CO₂ emissions rose 1.7% to 33.1 billion tons from the previous year, the highest rate of growth since 2013.
More children die of illness due to contaminated water than from war
Hundreds of millions of youth are at risk of contracting water-borne diseases because more countries suffer from conflicts.
Ex-Bosnian Serb leader sentenced to life in 1995 genocide at Srebrenica
The judgement in a Netherlands-based tribunal brings to a close the legal odyssey of 73-year-old Radovan Karadžić.
U.N. and Israel in clash over human rights in Gaza border protests
A panel found Israeli soldiers used live ammunition against thousands of unarmed protesters, killing 189 Palestinians.
War crimes court rebuffed and threatened by Trump administration
These are turbulent times for the International Criminal Court, created 17 years ago as a court of 'last resort.'
Students in Friday strike movement demand climate action worldwide
Climate protests organized in 2,083 cities across 125 nations made for one of the world's biggest ever demonstrations.
Nairobi-based U.N. agency's health checkup finds Earth in 'dire' shape
U.N. Environment's global assessments are a touchstone among scientists, policy experts and decision makers.
As World Wide Web turns 30, its inventor urges 2.0 ethics upgrade
Since unleashing his invention on the world at CERN, Tim Berners-Lee has continued to wrestle with the implications.
Western nations rebuke Saudi Arabia over Khashoggi killing
The E.U. and eight nations condemned Saudi Arabia, demanding it cooperate with a U.N.-led investigation.
U.N. health agency chief unveils plans to add new divisions and staff
WHO announced a major restructuring plan to cut red tape and reduce tensions between headquarters and field offices.
Dispute over economic sanctions ends Trump-Kim nuclear talks
The leaders had contradictory accounts of why there was no agreement on dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons.
Ruling in IFC pollution case cracks U.S. immunity of organizations
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled international organizations should be treated like foreign nations regarding immunities.
British envoy to U.N. links gold to Venezuela's authoritarian leader
Access to Venezuela's U.K.-held gold could help determine the leader's fate as his country collapses into economic chaos.
Human rights agenda seen to be 'losing ground' around the world
The Human Rights Council began with warnings of broken norms despite some powerful movements for social justice.