Negotiations for a pandemic treaty gain ground in political declaration
The U.N. health agency praised world leaders for a 'historic' commitment to working together against future pandemics.
U.N. General Assembly (UNGA)
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Ukraine's president warns Russian 'mass destruction' threatens world
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Joe Biden each took the stage at the U.N. General Assembly to emphasize there are global stakes in the outcome of the war.
Most of U.N.'s most powerful members to skip high-level meeting
Despite the absences, the politics of catastrophe and climate inaction toward Earth's impaired health await the assembly's annual gathering of world leaders next week in New York.
WSJ seeks U.N. working group opinion to free Evan Gershkovich
Dow Jones’ lawyers want the working group to use its mandate from the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva to investigate the reporter's highly politicized case.
Top 10 organizations in own league as new platforms gain
Almost all of the most popular international organizations have more than 10 million followers combined.
Global climate litigation to force action more than doubles in 5 years
As climate litigation increases, the body of legal precedent grows, forming an increasingly well-defined field of law.
U.N. sounds alarm on universal roadmap to lift people out of poverty
Just 15% of the SDGs – which include 169 specific targets and 17 broad goals that the world agreed to in 2015 – is on track.
U.N. adopts pioneering treaty to protect high seas biodiversity
Its aim is to protect and sustainably use marine life in high seas covering almost half of Earth's surface.
Nuclear diplomacy suffers major setback in Russia’s war on Ukraine
The total number of nuclear warheads fell worldwide, but the amount of operational nuclear weapons started to rise.
Slovenia outdistances Belarus in U.N. vote that reflects war in Europe
The U.N. General Assembly's vote for the next five seat-holders on the powerful Security Council for 2024-25 delivered a resounding win to an E.U. member over a Russian ally.
Global talks kick off on hazardous chemicals and waste management
Virtually all the world's nations are negotiating proposals under the legally binding Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions to limit toxic chemicals, pollutants and wastes.
Putin, charged with war crimes, takes over U.N.'s most powerful arm
Russia's status as U.N. Security Council president is bound up in a frozen-in-time power structure dating to World War II.
European court hears first citizen complaints over climate inaction
The European Court of Human Rights heard two climate cases brought by citizens against Swiss and French authorities.
Vanuatu's 'epic' win lets top U.N. court set climate obligations
The ICJ is being asked for a legal opinion on nations' legal obligations to fight global warming – and the consequences if they don't.
World marks horrific slave trade history to guard against more abuses
The idea is to preserve and teach an ugly chapter of history that might help ward off humanity’s worst impulses.
Nations back ambitious clean water and sanitation goals this decade
The voluntary commitments fall far short of a legally binding agreement like the 2015 Paris Agreement for climate change.