United Nations

UN calls for seafarers to be designated ‘key workers’

Due to COVID-related travel restrictions, hundreds of thousands of the world’s two million seafarers have been “stranded at sea for months”, said the UN chief, calling for them to be…

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WHO warns pandemic “accelerating” in Africa

The coronavirus pandemic is "accelerating" in Africa, spreading from capital cities where it arrived with travellers, but it does not appear that severe cases and deaths are being missed, the…

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Gender focus essential to addressing linked climate change and security crises, urges UN report

As countries reel from the devastating social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, gender inequality is shaping the experience of crisis, as well as prospects for resilience and recovery.…

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UN warns overfishing on the rise as global consumption climbs

More than a third of the fish stocks around the world are being overfished and the problem is particularly acute in developing countries, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization…

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May confirmed as warmest on record, CO2 levels hit new high despite COVID economic slowdown

Last month was the warmest May on record and carbon dioxide levels also hit a new high despite the economic slowdown from COVID-19, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on…

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Independent rights experts urge US to address systemic racism and racial bias

Nearly 30 independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council are calling for the United States to reform its criminal justice system in the wake of a recent spate…

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WHO issues new advise to wear masks in public areas

The World Health Organization (WHO) has changed its advice on face masks, saying they should be worn in public to help stop the spread of coronavirus. The World Health Organization…

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WHO insists: “It’s not over until there is no virus anywhere in the world”

Some countries have seen "upticks" in COVID-19 cases as lockdowns ease, and populations must continue to protect themselves against the coronavirus, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday. "On…

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Donors fall short of U.N. target to save aid operations in Yemen

International donors raised $1.35 billion in humanitarian aid for Yemen on Tuesday but the amount fell short of the United Nations' target of $2.4 billion needed to save the world's…

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Strong multilateral system key to delivering for world’s most vulnerable, EU Foreign Policy Chief tells UN

The COVID-19 pandemic is a test of the multilateral system’s ability to overcome global challenges through collective action, the European Union’s foreign policy chief told the Security Council in a…

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Thirty countries launch alliance to share COVID-19 tools

Thirty countries led by Costa Rica and the World Health Organization launched an initiative aimed at sharing vaccines, medicines and diagnostic tools to tackle the global coronavirus pandemic. While the…

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WHO appeals for end of exploitation of children and young people by the tobacco industry

On World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization is launched a new kit for school students aged 13-17 to alert them to the tobacco industry tactics used to hook…

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WHO releases new guidance for outdoor events and mass gatherings

The World Health Organization released new guidance for mass gatherings amid the coronavirus pandemic, recommending a number of possible changes to large events -- once they’re allowed to take place.…

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UN warns Covid-19 pandemic risking of causing ‘unimaginable devastation’ globally

Unless countries across the world act together now, the COVID-19 pandemic will cause “unimaginable devastation and suffering around the world”, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday at a virtual…

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WHO warns second more deadly wave of coronavirus expected ‘to hit Europe this winter’

In an exclusive interview with The Telegraph, Dr Hans Kluge, director for the WHO European region warned European countries should brace themselves for a deadly second wave of coronavirus infections…

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European deaths spike since March linked to COVID-19

About 159,000 more people in 24 European countries have died since early March than would have ordinarily been expected, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Thursday, with a…

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On Peacekeepers Day, UN to spotlight vital role of women peace operations

In observance of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, on Friday, Secretary-General António Guterres will lay a wreath to pay tribute to all the UN blue helmets who have…

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U.N. delays crucial climate summit for a year

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted the United Nations to delay until late 2021 a crucial climate summit that had been scheduled for Britain this year, officials said on Thursday. This…

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International tourism faces biggest slump since 1950s – UNWTO

International tourism is set to fall by 70% this year, marking the sector's biggest slump since records began in the 1950s, United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili…

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WHO says Latin America has become the epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic

Latin America has become the new epicentre of the coronavirus pandemic, with infections and deaths set to substantially worsen in the coming weeks, the World Health Organization said . The…

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80 million children under one at risk of diseases such as diphtheria, measles and polio as COVID-19 disrupts routine vaccination efforts

COVID 19 is disrupting life-saving immunization services around the world, putting millions of children – in rich and poor countries alike – at risk of diseases like diphtheria, measles and…

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WHO creates Covid-19 guide for children

The World Health Organization has created a Covid-19 guide for children ages 8 to 17, WHO said in a statement. The guide “aims to help young people understand the science…

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World Health Organization members agree to investigate virus response

World Health Organization (WHO) member states have agreed to set up an independent inquiry into the global response to the coronavirus pandemic. The resolution, approved without objection by the WHO's…

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Coronavirus probe gains momentum ahead of World Health Assembly

More than 100 countries, including 50 African nations and all European Union member states, are backing a resolution calling for an independent probe into the coronavirus pandemic, Australia said in…

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Trump administration to restore partial funding to World Health Organization

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is set to restore partial funding to the World Health Organization, Fox News reported. The Trump administration will "agree to pay up to what China…

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Europe’s top WHO official warns second more deadly wave of coronavirus ‘to hit Europe this winter’

European countries should brace themselves for a deadly second wave of coronavirus infections because the pandemic is not over, the World Health Organisation’s top official in Europe has said. In…

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Presidents and prime ministers lead call for ‘people’s vaccine’, free to all

UNAIDS, the UN agency fighting against the deadly HIV/AIDS virus, has initiated a petition from global leaders requesting that when a successful COVID-19 vaccine is developed, it be made available…

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WHO health expert doesn’t know how long it will take to develop a coronavirus vaccine

Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the technical lead for the Covid-19 response at the World Health Organization, joined CNN's global town hall program Thursday night to discuss a coronavirus vaccine and how…

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WHO study shows virus could infect more than 200 million in Africa

The new coronavirus could kill 150,000 people in Africa in a year unless urgent action is taken, according to a WHO modelling study that says nearly a quarter of a…

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U.N. warns of global mental health crisis due to COVID-19 pandemic

A mental illness crisis is looming as millions of people worldwide are surrounded by death and disease and forced into isolation, poverty and anxiety by the pandemic of COVID-19, United…

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WHO warns coronavirus may never go away

The coronavirus "may never go away", the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned. Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, WHO emergencies director Dr Mike Ryan warned against trying to predict…

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UNICEF issues dire report on coronavirus’ deadly impact on children

UNICEF published a report on Tuesday saying an additional 6,000 children could die every day from preventable causes over the next six months as the coronavirus pandemic continues to weaken…

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UN head appeals to ‘common humanity’ across all faiths, in tackling the coronavirus

Our shared vulnerability to the coronavirus pandemic reveals “our common humanity”, the UN chief said on Tuesday during an online meeting with religious leaders on the important role they can…

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WHO sees ‘potentially positive data’ in treating coronavirus

The World Health Organization said on Tuesday that some treatments appear to be limiting the severity or length of the COVID-19 disease and that it was focusing on learning more…

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New resolution on global ceasefire during Covid-19 pandemic presented to UN Security Council

Germany and Estonia submitted Tuesday a resolution to the UN Security Council on a ceasefire in various conflicts around the world during the coronavirus pandemic, to replace one drafted by…

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COVID-19-related service disruptions could cause hundreds of thousands of extra deaths from HIV

A modelling group convened by the World Health Organization and UNAIDS has estimated that if efforts are not made to mitigate and overcome interruptions in health services and supplies during…

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WHO study confirms smokers likely to develop severe disease if infected with Covid-19

Smokers are more likely to develop severe disease with COVID-19, compared to non-smokers. In a statement, the World Health Organisation said that a review of studies by public health experts…

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WHO says world could face “significant alteration to our lifestyles” until there is a vaccine

Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the World Health Organization health emergencies program, said the lives of people across the world could face “significant alteration” until a coronavirus vaccine is…

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WHO says Coronavirus can infect cats, ferrets

A World Health Organization scientist said COVID-19 comes from bats and can spread among cats, amid an international debate about the virus's origin. The novel coronavirus comes from a group…

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US blocks vote on UN’s bid for global ceasefire over reference to WHO

The US has blocked a vote on a UN security council resolution calling for a global ceasefire during the Covid-19 pandemic, because the Trump administration objected to an indirect reference…

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Coronavirus pandemic is pushing up the price of illegal drugs

Coronavirus-related border controls, lockdowns and flight shortages are making illegal drugs more expensive and difficult to obtain around the world, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said in…

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China ‘open to cooperate’ with WHO on virus origin

China has said it is “always open to cooperate” with World Health Organisation (WHO) investigations into the origins of the coronavirus, as Donald Trump repeated claims that the outbreak…

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UN chief says pandemic is unleashing a ‘tsunami of hate’

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Friday the coronavirus pandemic keeps unleashing a tsunami of hate and xenophobia, scapegoating and scare-mongering and appealed for an all-out effort to end hate speech…

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WHO warns up to 190,000 could die in Africa if virus containment fails

Up to 190,000 people in Africa could die of coronavirus in the first year of the pandemic if containment measures fail, the World Health Organisation warned. The UN health agency…

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UN warns coronavirus pandemic could cause “multiple famines”

The United Nations has warned that the coronavirus pandemic could cause “multiple famines”. The comments came as the UN appealed for a further $4.7bn in funding for its global humanitarian…

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WHO warns against rushed end to coronavirus lockdowns

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Wednesday that countries emerging from restrictions to halt the new coronavirus must proceed “extremely carefully” or risk a rapid rise in new cases.…

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UNHCR begins emergency distributions in Libya to refugees and asylum-seekers

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has begun a series of emergency distributions in the Libyan capital Tripoli, to assist refugees and asylum-seekers during the holy fasting…

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WHO insists ‘no evidence’ to back US claims of man-made virus

The World Health Organization insisted that it had received no data or evidence by the American Government to support claims made by President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike…

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WHO reiterates world is in ‘fight of our lives’, but there is hope

Parts of the world are starting to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and to cautiously resume some sort of normal life, but the new coronavirus will pose significant risks until…

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WHO guidelines on the use of face masks

The World Health Organization has issued guidelines on how to wear and take care of face masks in view of the coronavirus pandemic. In a downloadable document, it provides advice…

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Greta Thunberg donates $100,000 to support children during pandemic

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg has donated a $100,000 prize she won from a Danish foundation to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for use against the COVID-19 pandemic, the…

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WHO cautions coronavirus linked complication seen in children is ‘rare’

The “vast majority” of children with COVID-19 have mild cases and recover completely, but a small number in a few countries have developed a rare inflammatory syndrome, the World Health…

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New UN projections predict calamitous impact on women’s health as COVID-19 pandemic continues

As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, the number of women unable to access family planning, facing unintended pregnancies, gender-based violence and other harmful practices could skyrocket by millions of cases…

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U.N. security council members to hold online summit

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday that other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council have agreed to hold an online five-way summit, proposed by Russian President…

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WHO insists, “No evidence” yet that recovered Covid patients cannot be reinfected

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that there was currently "no evidence" that people who have recovered from COVID-19 and have antibodies are protected from a second…

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‘No time to blame the messenger’ warns UN, amidst media clampdowns surrounding Covid-19

The coronavirus pandemic has spawned new threats to press freedom in some countries, according to the UN human rights chief, who declared on Friday that “credible, accurate reporting is a…

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WHO warns fight against malaria could be set back 20 years

The WHO is now warning that the battle against malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, where it already kills hundreds of thousands of people a year, could be set back by 20…

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