Top Stories
Progress with Syria draft constitutional reforms

A sixth round of Syrian talks to draft a new constitution opened at the U.N. in Geneva, three-quarters of a year since the last round ended without progress.
In Depth
Trove of financial documents reveal ‘shadow economy’

An analysis found offshore assets of politicians and officials from 91 countries and territories, including 35 current and former leaders, ICIJ reported.
Under The Radar
With Biden, NATO warns on China, Russia

NATO agreed to address China’s military goals along with Russia’s aggressiveness at a summit on threats and challenges “from all strategic directions.”
How It Works
WHO chief urges treaty and ‘lot of work’

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus closed out the World Health Assembly with a warning against complacency and an appeal for a global pandemic treaty.
In Brief

K-pop superstars BTS were appointed South Korea’s celebrity diplomats to the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The U.N. Environment Program said the health-damaging era of leaded gasoline ended in July, when Algeria stopped selling it.

The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution condemning Myanmar’s military coup and urging a halt in arms sales to the nation.

U.N. climate officials reported some progress in talks but “a significant amount of work” remains before a November summit.

ICC chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda called on Sudan to hand over Omar al-Bashir and other Darfur war crime suspects.

The ILO reported first-quarter employment losses globally were equivalent to 140 million full-time jobs.

Featured Graphic
A Selection of ESG Indicators

Image credit: World Bank

Inside International Organizations
Report urges more water crisis planning

Nations must prepare better for more water-related disasters along with a growing lack of access to safe drinking water and sanitation, WMO reported.
U.N. report warns of ‘catastrophic’ climate failure

Governments must be far more ambitious about cutting greenhouse gases to avoid catastrophically overheating the planet, according to a new U.N. report.
U.N. raises billion-dollar ‘lifeline’ for Afghans

Donors pledged more than US$1.2 billion in emergency aid for Afghanistan at a U.N.-sponsored fundraiser as the Tabilan consolidates power.
Pandemic brings ‘short-lived’ air quality gains

Lockdowns and travel restrictions resulted in a “dramatic short-lived fall in emissions of key air pollutants” last year, the U.N. weather agency reported.
Organizations turn to airlift for Afghanistan

The U.N. health agency and other international organizations began airlifting emergency supplies to Afghanistan through neighboring Pakistan and its airline.
Extreme climate risks for 1 billion children

Almost half of the world’s 2.2 billion children face an “extremely high” potential for deadly exposure to multiple shocks, according to UNICEF.