United Nations

Pompeo says U.S. may never restore WHO funds

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the COVID-19 pandemic shows the need to overhaul the World Health Organization, warning that Washington may never restore WHO funding and could even…

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Actor Idris Elba launches UN coronavirus fund for poor farmers

British actor and filmmaker Idris Elba launched a new United Nations fund to help farmers in poorer nations, calling on richer economies to provide aid to prevent "needless hunger and…

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Australia says all WHO members should support a proposed coronavirus inquiry

All member nations of the World Health Organization (WHO) should support a proposed independent review into the coronavirus pandemic, Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday, further threatening strained…

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U.N. warns coronavirus outbreak risks becoming a human rights crisis

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday the coronavirus could give some countries an excuse to adopt repressive measures for reasons unrelated to the pandemic as he warned that the…

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UNICEF and Microsoft launch global learning platform to help address COVID-19 education crisis

UNICEF and Microsoft Corp. announced the expansion of a global learning platform to help children and youth affected by COVID-19 continue their education at home. The Learning Passport started off…

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Coronavirus very likely of animal origin, no sign of lab manipulation: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) said that all available evidence suggests the novel coronavirus originated in animals in China late last year and was not manipulated or produced in a…

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U.N. warns world is facing ‘famine of biblical proportions’ because of coronavirus

The world is facing widespread famine “of biblical proportions” because of the coronavirus pandemic, the chief of the UN’s food relief agency has warned, with a short time to act…

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People facing food shortages set to double in 2020

The number of people facing acute food insecurity and shortage stands to rise to 265 million in 2020, up by 130 million from the 135 million in 2019, as a…

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UN members call for “equitable, efficient and timely access” to future anti-coronavirus vaccines

Equitable, efficient and timely access to any future vaccines developed to fight coronavirus was demanded by the 193 members of the UN General Assembly through a resolution approved by consensus.…

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WHO Director-General warns that “worst is yet to come” in coronavirus pandemic

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, warned this evening that "the worst is yet ahead of us" with regard to the global impact of the coronavirus pandemic.…

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U.N. warns economic downturn could kill hundreds of thousands of children in 2020

Hundreds of thousands of children could die this year due to the global economic downturn sparked by the coronavirus pandemic and tens of millions more could fall into extreme poverty…

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Even during COVID-19, art ‘brings us closer together than ever’ – UNESCO

With billions of people either in lockdown or on the front lines battling the COVID-19 pandemic, this first celebration of World Art Day is a timely reminder that “art has…

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WHO warns that Europe is still “in the midst of a storm”

Despite optimistic signs that there have been declining numbers of new Covid-19 cases in some European countries, the World Health Organization’s regional director for the continent warns “we remain in…

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Italy proposes international vaccine-alliance

Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Wednesday phoned UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to present Italy's proposal to the UN and the World Health Organization for a grand international alliance to…

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UN head warns world faces misinformation epidemic about virus

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Tuesday that the world is facing “a dangerous epidemic of misinformation” about COVID-19 and announced a U.N. campaign to flood the internet with facts and…

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Bill Gates condemns Donald Trump for stopping US payments to WHO

Bill Gates has said Donald Trump's decision to stop US funding of the World Health Organisation "during a world health crisis" is as "dangerous as it sounds". The Microsoft founder…

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France striving for global ceasefire

French President Emmanuel Macron said he has secured the agreement of three of the five permanent members of the United Nations’ Security Council to back a call by the UN…

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“Not the time” to reduce resources for WHO operations – UN Secretary General

UN Secretary General António Guterres released a statement on the World Health Organization, following Trumps’ decision, saying now “is not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of…

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US to suspend WHO funding

The United States is suspending funding to the World Health Organization while the Trump administration studies what Donald Trump called the group's "disasterous" role in "covering up" the outbreak of…

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WHO investigating reports of some COVID-19 patients testing positive again

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday that it was looking into reports of some COVID-19 patients testing positive again after initially testing negative for the disease while being…

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African leaders rally around WHO head after Trump criticism

African leaders have rallied around the Ethiopian head of the World Health Organization (WHO) after U.S. President Donald Trump criticised the United Nations agency and threatened to withhold his country’s…

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UN issues children’s story book to help children cope with COVID-19

A new story book that aims to help children understand and come to terms with COVID-19 has been produced by a collaboration of more than 50 organizations working in the…

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WHO chief urges end to ‘politicisation’ of virus

Please don’t politicise this virus,’ urged World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus a day after US president Donald Trump tried to pin blame on the WHO for…

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Lady Gaga organizes coronavirus international benefit concert

Lady Gaga is to curate One World: Together at Home, a live-streamed and televised benefit concert in support of the World Health Organization’s Covid-19 solidarity response fund and in celebration…

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UN chief urges end to domestic violence, citing global surge

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Sunday night that there has been “a horrifying global surge in domestic violence” as fear of the coronavirus has grown along with its social…

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COVID-19 affecting weather alert accuracy

UN weather experts warned that the coronavirus pandemic risks disrupting key forecasting services, including early warning alerts around the world. Both the quantity and quality of weather observations and forecasts,…

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WHO coronavirus masks advice could change after new evidence emerges

Official advice on whether people should wear masks in public could be changed after new evidence emerged suggesting they could protect people from coronavirus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has…

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UN secretary general: recovery from the coronavirus crisis must lead to a better world

In a column for the Guardian, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres has called for a coordinated global response to the pandemic, but said it must lead to greater global resilience and…

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UN issues its first coronavirus resolution

The UN has issued its first coronavirus resolution as global cases surpass 1 million. The resolution, which was approved by consensus, also stresses "the need for full respect for human…

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UN Global Tourism Crisis Committee releases coronavirus recovery blueprint

The World Tourism Organisation has released a set of recommendations calling for urgent support for the global tourism sector. If followed, the body hopes the sector will not only…

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WHO warns number of global Covid-19 cases to reach 1 million

The head of the World Health Organization says confirmed cases of coronavirus infection will reach one million, with 50,000 deaths, in the next few days. Over the past five weeks,…

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Covid-19 splits UN General Assembly

How should the U.N. General Assembly and its 193 member states respond to the coronavirus pandemic? Members have been sent two rival resolutions for consideration — and under new voting…

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UN says coronavirus pandemic is the greatest challenge since WWII

The current coronavirus outbreak is the biggest challenge for the world since World War Two, UN Secretary General António Guterres has warned. He said it could bring a recession "that…

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Over 80 UN staff members around world infected

The United Nations says 86 staff members around the world have reported cases of COVID-19. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said most of the infected staff members are in Europe, but…

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WHO warns countries will have to ‘live with’ coronavirus until vaccines emerges

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual news conference in Geneva on Friday that while developing a vaccine will take at least 18 months, he announced that Norway and…

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WHO cautions “We’re only at the beginning of this fight”

A dire lack of protective gear for health workers battling the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most pressing threats in the fight to prevent deaths, the World Health Organization…

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UN warns ‘rapid deterioration’ in global investment flows as Coronavirus spread

Foreign direct investment flows are liable to drop by 30 to 40 per cent during 2020, into next year, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a far more severe economic blow…

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WHO warns G20: “We are at war”

The leaders of the powerful G20 countries have been urged to unite to find joint solutions to the coronavirus pandemic and “ignite a new global movement” to ensure it never…

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WHO lists ‘key actions’ to control the pandemic

The World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a WHO briefing on Wednesday that over 16,000 people worldwide have died of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Warning…

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WHO expresses optimism coronavirus in Italy may peak this week

The World Health Organization said Wednesday that Italy's coronavirus epidemic may peak this week. "The slowing in the pace of growth is an extremely positive factor, and in some regions…

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UN urges G20 to adopt ‘wartime plan’

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged leaders of the worlds 20 major industrialised nations to adopt a wartime plan including a stimulus package in the trillions of dollars for businesses, workers and…

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U.N. to create global coronavirus fund

The United Nations will create a fund to support the treatment of coronavirus patients worldwide, Norway’s foreign ministry said on Monday. “A multi-donor fund under UN auspices will provide predictability…

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WHO warns lockdowns not enough

Countries can’t simply lock down their societies to defeat coronavirus, the World Health Organization’s top emergency expert said on Sunday, adding that public health measures are needed to avoid a…

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“We are in an unprecedented situation and the normal rules no longer apply” says UN chief

As public fear and uncertainty grow around the COVID-19 pandemic, “more than ever before, we need solidarity, hope and the political will to see this crisis through together,” UN Secretary-General…

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WHO announces global ‘solidarity trial’ to jumpstart search for COVID-19 treatment

Just 60 days after the genetic sequence of COVID-19 was shared by China, the first vaccine trial has begun, the UN health chief said on Wednesday, calling it “an incredible…

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UN secretary General calls for ‘prudence, not panic’, WHO launches solidarity fund

In a video message recorded on Friday afternoon, UN chief António Guterres assured the world that the COVID-19 virus will peak, and the global economy will recover but, until…

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WHO: Don’t expect travel bans to beat coronavirus, dispels myth about hot weather beating virus

Countries may gain time in the short-term as they limit travel to fight the new coronavirus pandemic, but the World Health Organization thinks overall that “it doesn't help to restrict…

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WHO urges countries to fight ‘controllable’ pandemic

With the COVID-19 outbreak now a pandemic, countries should not let up on efforts to fight its spread, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said in Geneva on Thursday. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was speaking during his regular update on the new coronavirus…

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