United Nations (U.N.)
The Lede
The International Court of Justice Takes On Climate Change
Thanks to the maneuverings of the tiny nation of Vanuatu, the entire industrialized world is effectively on trial in The Hague.
By Elizabeth Kolbert
Q. & A.
Why the Humanitarian Situation in Gaza Is Worse Than It’s Ever Been
As “imminent” famine looms, Israel’s legislature has voted to ban the main U.N. relief agency for Palestinians.
By Isaac Chotiner
Q. & A.
What a Top U.N. Official Sees on His Weekly Trips to Gaza
James McGoldrick describes the challenges of delivering aid during Israel’s bombardment.
By Isaac Chotiner
The Weekend Essay
UNESCO’s Quest to Save the World’s Intangible Heritage
For decades, the organization has maintained a system that protects everything from Ukrainian borscht to Jamaican reggae. But what does it mean to “safeguard” living culture?
By Julian Lucas
The Weekend Essay
The Road to Dubai
The latest round of international climate negotiations is being held in a petrostate. What could go wrong?
By Elizabeth Kolbert
Daily Comment
The U.N. Issues a Final Warning on the Climate—and a Plan
The I.P.C.C. report contains no new data; nevertheless, it manages to alarm in new ways.
By Elizabeth Kolbert
Daily Comment
Michelle Bachelet, Nicolás Maduro, and the U.N. Report on Human Rights in Venezuela
A new report from Bachelet’s office documents torture and extrajudicial executions under the Maduro government, but the issue is a delicate one for the U.N. High Commissioner, a former President of Chile who herself suffered human-rights abuses.
By Camila Osorio
News Desk
Trump Picks the Former Fox News Anchor Heather Nauert as His U.N. Ambassador
The appointment of Heather Nauert underscores Trump’s disdain for the world body.
By Robin Wright
Satire from The Borowitz Report
Heather Nauert Says Visit to “It’s a Small World” Ride Qualifies Her For U.N. Job
Trump’s choice for the post noted that, while career diplomats might spend twenty to thirty years learning about only one country, “I learned about twenty-five countries in fifteen minutes.”
By Andy Borowitz
Reflections
How Extreme Weather Is Shrinking the Planet
With wildfires, heat waves, and rising sea levels, large tracts of the earth are at risk of becoming uninhabitable. But the fossil-fuel industry continues its assault on the facts.
By Bill McKibben
News Desk
Trump’s Speech at the U.N. Triggers Laughter—and Disbelief
Trump’s U.N. address reflected the growing gap between the White House and the world. The theme throughout—whether on political, security, or economic challenges—was that nations are better off going it alone.
By Robin Wright