Confirmed cases top 300 million mark
The global number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed 300 million with 5.47 million deaths as nations reeled from an Omicron variant of the virus.
Global Issues
Enjoy our Free+ stories and our weekly newsletter
Start your free accessAlready have an account? Log in
Projected 17% rise in 2022 emergency aid
Some 274 million people will need emergency humanitarian aid in 2022 due to war, conflicts, hunger, climate change and the pandemic, the U.N. said.
Global climate deal reached in overtime
Negotiators from 197 countries clinched a "watered down" consensus agreement on a climate deal after two weeks of United Nations-brokered climate talks.
UNEP report shows off-track climate goals
U.N. researchers concluded the world is headed to 2.5 degrees C. of warming by 2100 because nations will not do what is needed to combat climate change.
Climate leaders push to 'seize this moment'
The U.N. climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland opened on Sunday for almost two weeks of critical negotiations on how to slow global warming.
G-20 supports corporate tax overhaul
Leaders at the G-20 summit in Rome endorsed a new measure to hinder multinationals from reaping huge profits where they pay few if any taxes.
New rise in Cold War tensions over science and technology feared
A Swiss science diplomacy foundation wants to prevent a new Cold War from being fought over science and technology.
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.
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.
Biden pledges 'new era' before U.N. leaders
U.S. President Joe Biden used his first address to the United Nations to reassure other nations his administration is committed to multilateralism.
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.
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.
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.
IPCC warns some warming is locked in
The U.N. chief called a major new report on human-caused global warming ‘a code red for humanity’ though a brief window exists to avoid the worst.
Global coronavirus cases surpass 200 million
Confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide topped 200 million with 4.25 million deaths, amid a surge in highly transmissible delta variant infections.
WMO's climate-linked 'summer of extremes'
Amid devastating floods in Western Europe, the U.N. weather agency stressed the rising frequency of extreme weather due to the climate crisis.