U.N. raises concerns about human rights records in over 40 nations
The U.N. human rights chief says that a quarter of all of humanity lives today in places that are affected by conflict, and unfortunately "it is civilians who suffer the most."
Global Issues
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U.N.'s early warning climate plan for extreme weather picks up support
The U.N. chief called for the initiative saying as climate impacts worsen, it's unacceptable that a third of the world, mainly in least developed countries and small island developing states, isn't covered by early warning systems.
Negotiators clinch historic deal for high seas biodiversity
The treaty is intended to strengthen marine protections on the high seas, which are the international waters beyond the 200 nautical mile (370 kilometer) jurisdiction of coastal nations.
Male-only parliaments are becoming a thing of the past
Six nations now have gender parity or a slight women's majority: Rwanda (61.3%), Cuba (53.4%), Nicaragua (51.7%), and Mexico, New Zealand and United Arab Emirates (50%).
Nations work to update draft of WHO's proposed pandemic treaty
The treaty takes aim at the huge inequalities in health care and access to products such as vaccines, therapeutics and tests that the COVID-19 pandemic brought into sharp focus.
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.
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.