Pandemic treaty talks are in high gear (again). There's a tight deadline.
Negotiators have until next year to try for a deal in WHO's decision-making body, but aim for a special session this year.
United States (U.S.)
The U.S. is a major global power and a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. It is a founding member of NATO and a key participant in a vast network of international organizations, including the G-7, G-20, OECD, and World Bank. It is currently re-evaluating its alliances and relationships, particularly with China and Russia, while also engaging in diplomatic efforts to end the Ukraine war and addressing new trade tensions with key partners like India.
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Swiss and U.S. voters could teach each other a few things
I'm an 18-year-old Swiss-American learning how two similar democracies can have such different political cultures.
U.N. biodiversity summit ends without financing deal in overtime
World leaders failed to reach agreement over who should pay what into which fund toward the global biodiversity goals.
Atmospheric CO2 is accumulating faster than any time we've known
In 1958, climatologist Charles David Keeling pioneered CO2 measurement in the atmosphere on a Hawaiian volcano.
U.N. official: 'The entire population of North Gaza is at risk of dying'
Hospitals are attacked, health care workers detained, and men and boys are rounded up by Israeli forces in northern Gaza.
Commonwealth heads agree formal debate on slave reparations needed
Dozens of countries that enslaved and sold people owe trillions of dollars in reparations, according to a 2023 study.
Inflation is down, but politics and conflicts dim economic outlook
International Monetary Fund blames a lackluster economy on slowing growth, potential trade wars and regional conflicts.
Hello, I'm Felix. I just got the right to vote in two countries.
As a Swiss-American, I'm represented by a Swiss woman president who spoke at the U.N. Maybe the U.S. will follow?
Russia defies isolation at BRICS summit joined by China and India
Some nations hope to use BRICS as a financial platform to defy the West, but the bloc also has geopolitical divisions.
U.N. panel commits to anticipating science and technology
Promotion of science diplomacy as a tool for handling complex global challenges is a signature issue for Switzerland.
Global demand for electricity is growing at a record pace, IEA says
A new report shows governments and consumers face tough choices over cheap supplies and surging electricity demand.
Israel urged to stop shooting at and ensure safety of U.N. peacekeepers
The U.N. and dozens of nations demanded Israel stop firing at U.N. peacekeepers while attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Climate change now 'a global emergency beyond any doubt'
An international team of scientists finds a growing number of the planet’s key climate indicators have reached record levels.
Tribunal orders ex-U.N. official to repay 'massive financial losses'
The former official was found to have made deals that included millions of dollars of personal and family benefits.
Global water supplies stressed as rivers dry at highest rate in 30 years
The U.N. weather agency calls for urgent action to protect water supplies, the ‘canary in the coalmine of climate change.'
The war in Gaza is permanently disabling thousands of children
For disabled kids and their families, navigating forced displacements amid the rubble is a life-or-death challenge.