By , RIO DE JANEIRO/GENEVA (Reuters) - Brazil reached more than a million confirmed coronavirus cases and 50,000 deaths over the weekend as throngs of people swarmed Rio de Janeiro beaches, but the World Health Organization said on Monday that even more cases were likely going uncounted.Brazil’s health ministry said on Monday that an additional 21,432 confirmed cases of the virus and 654 new deaths had been registered in the previous 24 hours.A day earlier, swimmers and sunbathers packed Rio’s famous beaches, with many neither wearing masks nor respecting the WHO’s guidance to maintain 1...…By , RIO DE JANEIRO/GENEVA (Reuters) - Brazil reached more than a million confirmed coronavirus cases and 50,000 deaths over the weekend as throngs of people swarmed Rio de Janeiro beaches, but the World Health Organization said on Monday that even more cases were likely going uncounted.Brazil’s health ministry said on Monday that an additional 21,432 confirmed cases of the virus and 654 new deaths had been registered in the previous 24 hours.A day earlier, swimmers and sunbathers packed Rio’s famous beaches, with many neither wearing masks nor respecting the WHO’s guidance to maintain 1...WW…

By GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of expression on Monday accused the White House of mounting an “onslaught” against the media and referred to a negative “Trump effect” on global press freedom.In his last official press briefing before his six-year tenure ends later this month, David Kaye said in a series of forthright comments that he hoped “attacks” on U.S. journalists would end when President Donald Trump leaves office.“Clearly the signature issue over the past four years now has been the way in which this particular president addresses the media: The way he...…By GENEVA (Reuters) - The U.N. special rapporteur on freedom of expression on Monday accused the White House of mounting an “onslaught” against the media and referred to a negative “Trump effect” on global press freedom.In his last official press briefing before his six-year tenure ends later this month, David Kaye said in a series of forthright comments that he hoped “attacks” on U.S. journalists would end when President Donald Trump leaves office.“Clearly the signature issue over the past four years now has been the way in which this particular president addresses the media: The way he...WW…

By , , SEOUL/GENEVA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was poised to become the first African and first woman to lead the embattled World Trade Organization, after a South Korean rival withdrew on Friday and the United States reversed its previous opposition.The government of President Joe Biden expressed its strong support for Okonjo-Iweala in a statement late Friday, lauding her experience at the World Bank and leading Nigeria’s finance ministry, and pledging to work with her on needed reforms.The twin developments ended months of uncertainty over the leadership of the...…By , , SEOUL/GENEVA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was poised to become the first African and first woman to lead the embattled World Trade Organization, after a South Korean rival withdrew on Friday and the United States reversed its previous opposition.The government of President Joe Biden expressed its strong support for Okonjo-Iweala in a statement late Friday, lauding her experience at the World Bank and leading Nigeria’s finance ministry, and pledging to work with her on needed reforms.The twin developments ended months of uncertainty over the leadership of the...WW…

By GENEVA (Reuters) - The world is on the brink of “catastrophic moral failure” in sharing COVID-19 vaccines, the head of the World Health Organization said on Monday, urging countries and manufacturers to spread doses more fairly around the world.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the prospects for equitable distribution were at “serious risk” just as its COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme aimed to start distributing inoculations next month.He noted 44 bilateral deals were signed last year and at least 12 have already been signed this year.“This could delay COVAX deliveries and...…By GENEVA (Reuters) - The world is on the brink of “catastrophic moral failure” in sharing COVID-19 vaccines, the head of the World Health Organization said on Monday, urging countries and manufacturers to spread doses more fairly around the world.WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the prospects for equitable distribution were at “serious risk” just as its COVAX vaccine-sharing scheme aimed to start distributing inoculations next month.He noted 44 bilateral deals were signed last year and at least 12 have already been signed this year.“This could delay COVAX deliveries and...WW…

By , GENEVA (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organization said on Friday there is a “clear problem” that low- and middle-income countries are not yet receiving supplies of COVID-19 vaccines and urged countries to stop striking bilateral deals with manufacturers.“Rich countries have the majority of the supply,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in strongly-worded comments on vaccine nationalism at a Geneva news briefing.“No country is exceptional and should cut the queue and vaccinate all their population while some remain with no supply of the vaccine,” he...…By , GENEVA (Reuters) - The head of the World Health Organization said on Friday there is a “clear problem” that low- and middle-income countries are not yet receiving supplies of COVID-19 vaccines and urged countries to stop striking bilateral deals with manufacturers.“Rich countries have the majority of the supply,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in strongly-worded comments on vaccine nationalism at a Geneva news briefing.“No country is exceptional and should cut the queue and vaccinate all their population while some remain with no supply of the vaccine,” he...WW…

By GENEVA (Reuters) - Russia and China have opposed a candidate from Fiji seen as a staunch human rights defender to lead the top U.N. rights body, diplomats and observers say, creating a deadlock just as Washington may seek to rejoin the forum it quit in 2018.The Human Rights Council presidency rotates annually between regions and is usually agreed by consensus, with any contests typically resolved quickly and cordially, diplomats say.The impasse means the council, the only intergovernmental global body to promote and protect human rights worldwide, is set to resume work in Geneva next...…By GENEVA (Reuters) - Russia and China have opposed a candidate from Fiji seen as a staunch human rights defender to lead the top U.N. rights body, diplomats and observers say, creating a deadlock just as Washington may seek to rejoin the forum it quit in 2018.The Human Rights Council presidency rotates annually between regions and is usually agreed by consensus, with any contests typically resolved quickly and cordially, diplomats say.The impasse means the council, the only intergovernmental global body to promote and protect human rights worldwide, is set to resume work in Geneva next...WW…

By GENEVA (Reuters) - World Trade Organization negotiators have failed to reach a deal by a year-end deadline to cut the subsidies that have helped decimate the world’s fish stocks, but will try again next year, the chairman of the talks said on Monday.The failure is a significant blow to the world’s fish stocks, which environmentalists say could be replenished by a deal, and to the WTO, which faces questions about its ability to strike multilateral agreements.Colombia’s Santiago Wills said the talks had been hampered by delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, though sources who attended...…By GENEVA (Reuters) - World Trade Organization negotiators have failed to reach a deal by a year-end deadline to cut the subsidies that have helped decimate the world’s fish stocks, but will try again next year, the chairman of the talks said on Monday.The failure is a significant blow to the world’s fish stocks, which environmentalists say could be replenished by a deal, and to the WTO, which faces questions about its ability to strike multilateral agreements.Colombia’s Santiago Wills said the talks had been hampered by delays caused by the coronavirus pandemic, though sources who attended...WW…

By GENEVA (Reuters) - This year is on track to be the second hottest on record, behind 2016, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday.Five data sets currently place 2020, a year characterised by heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and raging hurricanes, as the second warmest since records began in 1850."2020 is very likely to be one of the three warmest years on record globally," the Geneva-based U.N. agency said in its State of the Global Climate in 2020 report. (Report: )Stoked by extreme heat, wildfires flared across Australia, Siberia and the United States this year,...…By GENEVA (Reuters) - This year is on track to be the second hottest on record, behind 2016, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday.Five data sets currently place 2020, a year characterised by heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and raging hurricanes, as the second warmest since records began in 1850."2020 is very likely to be one of the three warmest years on record globally," the Geneva-based U.N. agency said in its State of the Global Climate in 2020 report. (Report: )Stoked by extreme heat, wildfires flared across Australia, Siberia and the United States this year,...WW…

By , GENEVA (Reuters) - New coronavirus cases had their biggest daily increase ever as the pandemic worsens globally and has yet to peak in central America, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, urging countries to press on with efforts to contains the virus.“More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online briefing.More than 136,000 new cases were reported worldwide on Sunday, the most in a single day so far, he said. Nearly 75% of them were reported...…By , GENEVA (Reuters) - New coronavirus cases had their biggest daily increase ever as the pandemic worsens globally and has yet to peak in central America, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday, urging countries to press on with efforts to contains the virus.“More than six months into the pandemic, this is not the time for any country to take its foot off the pedal,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told an online briefing.More than 136,000 new cases were reported worldwide on Sunday, the most in a single day so far, he said. Nearly 75% of them were reported...WW…