One-third of Japanese oppose holding Olympics in 2021: NHK poll
A majority of Japanese people oppose holding the coronavirus-postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021, favoring a further delay or outright cancellation of the massive event, new polling showed on Tuesday.
Shipping firm Hafnia says oil tanker hit by 'external source' in Saudi Arabia
Shipping company Hafnia said on Monday that one of its oil tankers, the BW Rhine, had been hit by an unidentified "external source" that caused fire and explosion while the ship was discharging at Jeddah port in Saudi Arabia.
Health center water crisis increasing virus risk: WHO
One in four health centers worldwide lacks access to water, putting around 1.8 billion people at increased risk of contracting the coronavirus, the World Health Organization said on Monday.
UN chief urges leaders of every country to declare 'climate emergency'
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on every country to declare a "climate emergency" on Saturday, as world leaders marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate accord made mostly incremental pledges relative to the scale of the crisis.
US ready for mass inoculations
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is expected to reach hospitals and other sites across the US by Monday morning, a top official said Saturday, ready to be injected into the arms of millions of the most vulnerable Americans as the world's death toll approached 1.6 million.
Vaccine documents hacked
Two pharmaceutical companies in line for first conditional approval for their COVID-19 vaccine by the EU's medicine regulator said Wednesday their documents were “unlawfully accessed” during a cyberattack on a European Medicines Agency (EMA) server.
Many countries to miss Paris deadline due to COVID-19
Many countries will miss a deadline to submit updated climate action plans by 2020 as mandated by the Paris climate pact due to COVID-19 delays, a UN report said on Tuesday.
UK rolls out vaccination program
The UK on Tuesday became the first Western country to start mass coronavirus vaccinations, as US President-elect Joe Biden pledged his administration would inoculate 100 million people in the US over the first 100 days of his presidency.
Over 80m people displaced, a 'bleak milestone': UN
Despite calls for cease-fires and compassion amid the COVID-19 pandemic, violence and persecution have continued to force people from their homes, with record numbers now displaced, the UN said Wednesday.
Five years on, summit aims to breathe life into Paris deal
Five years ago, countries agreed a plan to chart humanity's path away from climate catastrophe, with the landmark Paris Agreement paving the way to a greener, healthier future.
IS built up arsenal after 'red flags' ignored: CAR's study
Islamic State jihadists were able to build up a major arsenal of explosives, weapons and drones through a sophisticated procurement process that saw "red flags" ignored by governments and suppliers, a monitoring group said on Tuesday.
Iran says scientist killed by satellite-controlled machine gun
A satellite-controlled machine gun with "artificial intelligence" was used in November 27's assassination of a top nuclear scientist in Iran, the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards told local media on Sunday.
Singapore scholar says RCEP injects new impetus into China-ASEAN cooperation
The signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) has injected new momentum into the economic and trade cooperation between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, a Singapore scholar said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
UN chief calls for solidarity to confront COVID-19
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for global solidarity and a sense of urgency to confront COVID-19.
UN drug agency loosens global controls on cannabis, following WHO advice
The UN drug agency's member states on Wednesday narrowly voted to remove cannabis from the most tightly controlled category of narcotic drugs, following the World Health Organization's recommendation to make research into its medical use easier.
Feeling the heat yet? Scientists warn of climate shocks to global health
Heat-related deaths are surging around the world, particularly among older people, scientists said on Thursday, warning of growing pressure on health systems hit hard by COVID-19.
Britain approves vaccine use
Britain on Wednesday became the first Western country to approve a COVID-19 vaccine for general use, while Japan and Italy pledged free inoculations for all even as the global death toll rose toward 1.5 million.
US, Europe develop vaccine plans
The US and Europe on Tuesday fleshed out plans to administer COVID-19 vaccines as soon as they gain approval, with a US panel recommending that healthcare workers and nursing home residents be given top priority.