Organizations alarmed at U.S. Capitol mob attack
International organizations reacted with shock and sadness at the state of American democracy after pro-Trump insurrectionists stormed the U.S. Capitol.
United Nations (U.N.)
Founded at the end of World War II, the New York-based United Nations is an international organization with 193 member nations. It began with 50 nations meeting at San Francisco in 1945 to maintain international peace and security. Over two months, the U.N. Charter was created as the basis for the organization's hope of preventing another world war. Founding members Britain, China, France, the Soviet Union and the United States took permanent veto-wielding seats on the powerful Security Council.
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China negotiating with WHO over experts visit
China said it is still negotiating the dates and terms of a visit by a World Health Organization-led team to study the origins of COVID-19.
Vaccine nationalism clouds the world's pandemic recovery efforts
Rich countries locked up most of the COVID-19 vaccine supply despite the COVAX Facility's efforts to provide equal access.
Iran begins 20% uranium enrichment
Iran resumed enrichment of uranium to 20% in a move closer to weapons grade levels and further away from the 2015 nuclear deal.
WHO lists first COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use
The WHO listed Pfizer-BioNTech’s coronavirus vaccine Comirnaty® for emergency use, the first such designation since the pandemic began earlier this year.
E.U. and China reach pact on business investment
The European Union moved to clinch a business investment deal with China despite concerns from the United States and human rights organizations.
WHO warns even deadlier pandemic may surface
WHO officials ended the year with a warning that a future pandemic more severe than the coronavirus may hit one day if the world is not ready.
Tug-of-war over pulled WHO Italy report
A suppressed WHO report on Italy's pandemic response says hospitals were "chaotic," dangers to elderly went unrecognized, and training was haphazard.
ICJ steps into Guyana-Venezuela border dispute
ICJ ruled it has jurisdiction to settle a border dispute going back to colonial-era claims over a resources-rich jungle region between Guyana and Venezuela.
WTO subsidy talks to curb overfishing drag on
Diplomats failed to meet an end-of-year deadline for a deal on halting government subsidies that contribute to overfishing, WTO officials said.
Five years on, Paris climate accord recharges
World leaders honored five years of the 2015 Paris Agreement at a virtual summit energized by U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's vow to rejoin it.
UNEP report points to catastrophic warming
Unmet promises to cut carbon emissions put the planet on track for temperatures to rise "in excess of 3 degrees Celsius this century," UNEP reported.
New U.N. 'day' to aid efforts against epidemics
After holding its first high-level session on the pandemic, the U.N. General Assembly created a new "international day" to prevent health crises like COVID-19.
U.N. calls on nations to end 'war on nature'
The U.N. chief appealed to world leaders to start fixing our "broken" planet by ringing in 2021 with a commitment to a carbon pollution-neutral future.
IUCN finds climate top threat to UNESCO sites
Climate change is damaging one-third of the world's UNESCO sites and has become the single-biggest threat they face, IUCN warned.
Humanitarian aid groups confront toll of pandemic on poor nations
U.N. officials released a 2021 humanitarian plan that projects a 40% increase in people who need aid from a year earlier.