Researchers find 1.77B children worldwide lack basic safety net
The number of children without basic social protections is increasing worldwide, UNICEF and ILO say in a new study.
Global Issues
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WHO's COVID origins investigation in China has become 'very difficult'
The U.N. health agency says it updated its plans based on China's response but there's been "no quiet shelving of any plans" for investigating how the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Malta elevates sea level rise on the world's peace and security agenda
The tiny island nation made the case that more attention must be focused on the threat of rising sea levels and gaps in international law about how to handle the loss of land.
At Munich summit, a focus on democracy versus autocracy
Human rights has become "a major flashpoint in the growing systemic competition" between competing ideologies and governance systems, according to the summit's annual report.
Pollution, climate change feed drug-resistant 'superbugs'
Fed by pollution and climate change, strains of bacteria immune to all known antibiotics may become a major cause of death by mid-century, says the U.N. environment agency.
Keywords for the next pandemic: accountability, equity, solidarity
Chief among the questions over a proposed pandemic treaty is an "accountability gap" that undermines the proposed treaty's potential, an independent coalition of global leaders said.
Pandemic treaty 'zero draft' gives WHO 20% share of responsibility
The rationale for the World Health Organization's proposed pandemic treaty is to erase the "gross inequities" between rich and poor that's been a scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Watchdog finds scant progress in fight against corruption
As the world becomes a less peaceful place, a new report finds a clear connection between more violence and corruption.
We're still living in a pandemic, U.N. health agency chief and panel agree
World Health Organization leaders agree COVID-19 remains an emergency but the pandemic may be approaching "an inflection point" of higher immunity resulting in fewer deaths.
U.N. health agency urges nations to update preparations for nuke risks
As recently as May almost half of WHO's 194 member nations said they "still lacked essential elements of preparedness for radiation emergencies," according to senior agency officials.
Doomsday Clock set at 90 seconds to ‘midnight’ - closest ever in its history
The symbolic clock was reset closer to the symbolic hour of apocalpyse largely due to Russia's war in Ukraine, which has raised the risk of a nuclear confrontation with the West.
WHO points to US$2.5B in 2023 humanitarian emergency needs
The money is needed for 54 ongoing emergencies around the world that require an "unprecedented" response from donors to provide aid such as medicines, supplies, and training for health workers, according to U.N. health agency officials.
In a world of human rights abuses, some 'extraordinary potential' too
The global snapshot that Human Rights Watch provides of the past year points to a "litany of human rights crises" but also a silver lining – some "cracks" emerged in authoritarian regimes where brave protesters took great risks demanding freedom.
WEF: Biggest risk to economy is cost-of-living crisis and social unrest
It's little wonder the World Economic Forum's latest report, based on the insights of more than 1,200 experts, finds the biggest short-term risk to the world economy is today's globalized cost-of-living crisis and widespread social unrest.
World's aging dams lose storage capacity at alarming rate
Trapped sediment robs dams of storage capacity. Storage loss by 2050 will equal the combined yearly water use of Canada, China, France, India and Indonesia, says a U.N. University report.
Study shows efforts to restore Earth's depleted ozone layer are 'on track'
If the policies and trends continue the ozone layer is expected to recover to 1980 values – before the appearance of the ozone hole – by around 2066 over the Antarctic, and by 2045 over the Arctic and 2040 for the rest of the world.