World News

Young lured to tobacco addiction via e-cigarettes – WHO

GENEVA, July 27 (Reuters) - The tobacco industry's sleek marketing is attracting youngsters to e-cigarettes which can lead to tobacco addiction, despite claims by some executives that they aim to…

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WHO proposes fresh mission to China and lab audits

The World Health Organization has proposed a second phase of studies in China into the origins of the coronavirus, including audits of laboratories in Wuhan, but there is no sign…

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Child diseases on rise as COVID-19 slows routine vaccinations -U.N.

Nearly 23 million children missed out on routine vaccinations last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the highest number in more than a decade, fuelling outbreaks of measles, polio and…

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WHO panel advises against COVID-19 vaccination proof for travel

The World Health Organization's Emergency Committee on Thursday maintained its stance that proof of COVID-19 vaccination should not be required for international travel, amid a growing debate on blocking the…

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UNHCR warns of imminent humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is warning of a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan as the escalating conflict brings increased human suffering and civilian displacement. An estimated 270,000 Afghans have…

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WHO warns against mixing and matching COVID vaccines

The World Health Organization's chief scientist on Monday advised against people mixing and matching COVID-19 vaccines from different manufacturers, calling it a "dangerous trend" since there was little data available about the…

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World hunger, malnutrition soared last year mostly due to COVID-19 – U.N. agencies

World hunger and malnutrition levels worsened dramatically last year, with most of the increase likely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a multi-agency United Nations (U.N.) report published on…

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Question open on need for COVID booster shot, data awaited, WHO says

The World Health Organization said on Friday that it was not clear whether COVID-19 booster vaccines will be needed to maintain protection, until further data is collected. Pfizer Inc plans…

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World food prices fall in June for first time in a year -FAO

World food prices fell in June for the first time in 12 months, pushed lower by declines in vegetable oils, cereals and dairy products, the United Nations food agency said…

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More than 8,500 children used as soldiers in 2020: U.N.

More than 8,500 children were used as soldiers last year in various conflicts across the world and nearly 2,700 others were killed, the United Nations said on Monday. U.N. chief Antonio Guterres' annual report to…

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WHO chief scientist disappointed by CureVac trial

The World Health Organization's chief scientist said on Friday that results from the CureVac COVID-19 vaccine's initial trial were disappointing. German biotech firm CureVac' vaccine proved only 47% effective in…

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WHO Europe head warns of the spread of the more transmissible delta variant

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned European countries against becoming complacent in their efforts to put an end to the coronavirus pandemic. Across the continent, governments have been increasingly…

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UPDATED: U.N. chief Guterres appointed for second term

The 193-member United Nations General Assembly on Friday appointed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for a second five-year term, beginning on Jan. 1, 2022. Guterres succeeded Ban Ki-moon in January 2017, just…

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U.N. adopts new measures to cut ship emissions, critics call for more

The U.N. shipping agency approved further measures to boost the energy efficiency of commercial vessels although critics said the move fell short of what was needed to cut the industry's…

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Number of people forced to flee homes has risen, says U.N.

The number of people forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution and human rights abuses has doubled in the past decade to reach 82.4 million at the end…

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After NATO, Biden turns to EU for renewal of transatlantic ties

U.S. President Joe Biden will intensify his post-Trump push to renew transatlantic relations on Tuesday, meeting with European Union leaders to cool trade tensions and join forces to beat COVID-19, uphold democracy and…

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UPDATED: At NATO, Biden says defence of Europe a “sacred obligation”

U.S. President Joe Biden told fellow NATO leaders on Monday the defence of Europe, Turkey and Canada was a "sacred obligation" for the United States, a marked shift from his…

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Decisions for NATO’s first summit with Biden

NATO leaders hold their first summit with U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday, aiming to repair transatlantic ties after his predecessor Donald Trump said the Western military alliance was "obsolete".…

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UPDATED: G7 calls for study in China on COVID origins, agree on increased climate finance

Group of Seven leaders called for a transparent, science-based study, including in China, into the origins of COVID-19, to be convened by the World Health Organization, a draft communique showed.…

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UPDATED: G7 provides 1 billion COVID vaccine doses, will work to give more – communique

Group of Seven countries will provide 1 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses over the next year and work with the private sector, the G20 and other countries to increase the contribution…

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Malta’s UN Permanent Representative elected Chair of the UN Economic and Financial Committee

Ambassador Vanessa Frazier, Malta's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has been elected Chair of the UN Second Committee (Economic and Financial Committee) for the 76th Session of the UN…

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What is a global minimum tax and what will it mean?

Finance Ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) rich nations have said they are close to a landmark accord setting a global minimum corporate tax rate, an agreement that could…

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UPDATED: G7 nations near historic deal on taxing multinationals

Group of Seven rich nations will seek to overcome long-standing differences on Saturday and strike a landmark deal to close the net on large companies that they say do not…

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U.N. refugee agency scorns Denmark’s law on asylum claims

The U.N. refugee agency has voiced strong opposition to a law passed by Denmark's parliament that would allow processing of claims lodged by asylum seekers outside Europe, calling it an…

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World food price index surges in May to highest level since 2011 -FAO

World food prices rose in May at their fastest monthly rate in more than a decade, posting a 12th consecutive monthly increase to hit their highest level since September 2011,…

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No recovery in global jobs market from pandemic until at least 2023 – ILO

At least 220 million people are expected to remain unemployed globally this year, well above pre-pandemic levels, with a weak labour market recovery exacerbating existing inequalities, the International Labour Organization…

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WHO approves Sinovac COVID shot in second Chinese milestone

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced it has approved a COVID-19 vaccine made by Sinovac Biotech for emergency use listing, paving the way for a second Chinese shot to be…

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WHO faces potential shake-up

The World Health Organization, battling to coordinate the global response to the coronavirus pandemic, agreed on Monday to study recommendations for ambitious reforms made by independent experts to strengthen the…

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Nature funding must triple by 2030 to protect land, wildlife and climate

Global annual spending to protect and restore nature needs to triple this decade to about $350 billion by 2030 and rise to $536 billion by 2050, a U.N. report said…

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Pressure builds for schools to put climate change study on curriculum

International bodies and pressure groups are calling for climate change studies to become a standard part of the school curriculum worldwide, saying the step is vital to reach targets on…

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Diplomats say Turkey pushed NATO allies into softening outrage over Belarus plane

Turkey pushed NATO allies into watering down an official reaction to the forced landing by Belarus of a passenger plane and the detention of a dissident journalist on Sunday, two…

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Rising global temperatures ‘inexorably closer’ to climate tipping point – U.N.

There is now a 40% chance that global temperatures will temporarily reach 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in the next five years -- and these odds are rising, a…

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EU partly to blame for Mediterranean migrant deaths -UN

The European Union is partly to blame for deaths of migrants taking boats across the Mediterranean due to unanswered distress calls, obstruction of humanitarian rescue efforts, and so-called “pushbacks” to…

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In climate push, G7 agrees to stop international funding for coal

The world’s seven largest advanced economies agreed to stop international financing of coal projects that emit carbon by the end of this year, and phase out such support for all…

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U.N. bodies set up ‘One Health’ panel to advise on animal disease risks

The World Health Organization and three other international bodies have formed a team of experts to help develop a global plan to prevent the spread of diseases from animals to…

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Inquiry into pandemic finds WHO should have declared global emergency earlier

The International Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response issued its report on Wednesday into the global handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling for a new transparent global system to be set up for…

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Pandemic plateauing with deaths and cases declining – WHO

The World Health Organization said on Monday the world was seeing a plateauing in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, with declines in most regions including the Americas and Europe, the…

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G7 should invest $1 trillion per year for sustainable COVID recovery

G7 countries should invest $10 trillion to stoke an investment-driven recovery that puts COVID-19 vaccines in arms and triggers a sweeping energy transformation to slow climate change, according to a…

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Biden to join eastern European NATO states summit, focus seen on Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden will join a virtual summit of eastern European NATO states held in the Romanian capital Bucharest on Monday, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said, with a focus…

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WHO issues benchmarks for sodium content in food

Excessive salt in food and beverages is putting people at greater risk of potentially fatal heart disease and strokes, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday, issuing fresh guidelines…

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WHO chief Tedros plans to seek re-election – Stat News

(Reuters) - Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization, plans to run for a second five-year term as the head of the agency, Stat News reported on Monday,…

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UN chief appeals to address inequalities to end AIDS by 2030

Inequalities in addressing AIDS threaten global efforts to stamp out the disease as a public health threat by 2030, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned in a report published on the…

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Situation in India ‘beyond heartbreaking’ – WHO chief

The situation in India, where COVID-19 cases have surged, is "beyond heartbreaking", and the World Health Organization is sending extra staff and supplies there to help fight the pandemic, WHO…

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David Beckham leads global vaccination drive

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and founder of the 7 Fund for UNICEF, David Beckham, is fronting a global initiative to inspire confidence in vaccines and encourage parents around the world to…

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U.S. must halve emissions to galvanize global climate action – UN chief

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres wants the United States to commit this week to at least halving its greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 -- a move he said could…

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WHO says world seeing increased COVID-19 cases across all age groups

GENEVA, April 19 (Reuters) - A leading epidemiologist at the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday the latest rise in COVID-19 infections worldwide reflected increases among all age groups.…

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WHO, agencies urge countries to suspend sale of live wild mammals at markets

International agencies including the World Health Organization urged countries to suspend the sale of live wild mammals in food markets, warning they may be the source of more than 70%…

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IEA ups oil demand forecast as vaccinations brighten outlook

Vaccine rollouts are brightening the outlook for global oil demand, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday, though rising cases in some major oil-consuming countries show a recovery may…

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NATO forces to leave together from Afghanistan

A coalition of NATO-led troops in Afghanistan will leave the country in coordination with a planned U.S. withdrawal by Sept. 11, Washington's top diplomat said on Wednesday, ahead of a…

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WTO chief seeks solutions to ‘glaring’ vaccine inequity

The head of the World Trade Organization said on Monday a meeting this week to tackle "glaring" inequity in COVID-19 vaccine allocation will be attended by major manufacturers and look at solutions such as…

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WHO chief laments ‘shocking imbalance’ in COVID-19 shot distribution

There is a “shocking imbalance” in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide and most countries do not have anywhere near enough shots to cover health workers and others at high-risk,…

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World food price index rises in March for 10th month running -FAO

World food prices rose for a 10th consecutive month in March, hitting their highest level since June 2014, led by jumps in vegetable oils, meat and dairy indices, the United…

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Causal link between AstraZeneca shot and clots “plausible but not confirmed” – WHO

GENEVA, April 7 (Reuters) - The World Health Organization's advisory vaccine safety panel said on Wednesday a causal link between the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine and rare cases of blood clots…

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WHO says AstraZeneca benefits outweigh risks; assessing latest data

The World Health Organization expects there will be no reason to change its assessment that the benefits of the AstraZeneca vaccine against COVID-19 outweigh any risks, a regulatory official told…

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Ukraine says NATO path is only way to end war in eastern region

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday that a path towards membership of NATO was the only way to end war in the eastern Donbass region after speaking to the…

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Claims that vaccinated people are more likely to infect others have no scientific basis – WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly denied claims that Covid-19 vaccines were among the factors causing the spread of new variants of the virus. These reports were being fuelled…

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U.N. experts alarmed by Russian security contractors’ ‘abuses’ in Central Africa

U.N. experts expressed alarm over reports of executions and other abuses by Russian security contractors in Central African Republic and over their close contacts with U.N. peacekeepers. Russia first sent…

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