UNITED NATIONS — Dr. Felipe Paullier is quick to say he doesn’t speak for the world’s roughly 2 billion tweens, teens and young adults. But as the United Nations’ first assistant secretary-general for youth affairs, he’s tasked with advocating for young people and their concerns to be incorporated into the organization’s work — a goal … Read more
UNITED NATIONS — The U.N. General Assembly approved a blueprint Sunday to bring the world’s increasingly divided nations together to tackle 21st-century challenges from climate change and artificial intelligence to escalating conflicts and increasing inequality and poverty. The 42-page “Pact of the Future” challenges leaders of the 193 U.N. member nations to turn promises into … Read more
JERUSALEM — A campaign to inoculate children in Gaza against polio and prevent the spread of the virus began on Saturday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said, as Palestinians in both the Hamas-governed enclave and the occupied West Bank reeled from Israel’s ongoing military offensives. Children in Gaza began receiving vaccines, the health ministry told a news … Read more
GENEVA — The World Health Organization said member countries on Saturday approved new steps to improve global preparedness for and response to pandemics like COVID-19 and mpox, and set a new deadline for agreeing on a broader treaty. Countries agreed by consensus to amend the International Health Regulations, which were last changed in 2005, such … Read more
GENEVA — The World Health Organization begins its annual meeting on Monday with government ministers and other top envoys hoping to reinforce global preparedness for the next pandemic in the devastating wake of COVID-19. But the most ambitious project, to adopt a pandemic “treaty,” has been shelved for now after 2 1/2 years of work … Read more
GENEVA — A global treaty to fight pandemics like COVID is going to have to wait: After more than two years of negotiations, rich and poor countries have failed — for now — to come up with a plan for how the world might respond to the next pandemic. After COVID-19 triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended … Read more
GENEVA — After the coronavirus pandemic triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies and killed millions, leaders at the World Health Organization and worldwide vowed to do better in the future. Years later, countries are still struggling to come up with an agreed-upon plan for how the world might respond to the next global outbreak. A ninth … Read more
HONG KONG — An appeals court on Wednesday granted the Hong Kong government’s request to ban a popular protest song, overturning an earlier ruling and deepening concerns over the erosion of freedoms in the once-freewheeling global financial hub. “Glory to Hong Kong” was often sung by demonstrators during huge anti-government protests in 2019. The song … Read more
VENICE, Italy — The artist and curators representing Israel at this year’s Venice Biennale announced Tuesday they won’t open the Israeli pavilion exhibition until there is a cease-fire in Gaza and an agreement to release hostages. Their decision was posted on a sign in the window of the Israeli national pavilion on the first day … Read more
Gaza’s Health Ministry says 150 people have been killed in the territory in the last 24 hours and another 313 were wounded as Israeli forces continue to battle militants, even in the northern part of the territory. The north, where entire neighborhoods have been flattened, was the initial target of Israel’s ground offensive in late … Read more
