China opposed the representation of Taiwan at the international stage after the US called for a more "meaningful" participation of the island in United Nations bodies.

Madagascar has been hit by one of the worst droughts in the region in 40 years, affecting over 1 million people the United Nations has said, warning that the country is facing a severe humanitarian crisis that needs urgent attention.

The United Nations has expressed concern about possible violations of international law and an increasingly dire refugee situation. The Ethiopian government has said the conflict is reaching its decisive stage.

The United Nations Development Programme has launched an appeal for a temporary basic income to slow the spread of the coronavirus and support the world's most vulnerable populations. Kate Moody speaks to George Gray Molina, its chief economist. Also in this week's show: is a pandemic the ideal moment to start a new business? French entrepreneurs are jumping into a rapidly changing landscape. Plus, our reporters in Beirut got a rare inside look at Lebanon's black market for foreign currency.

When delegates from 50 states signed the founding charter of the United Nations, the world was still grappling with the ravages of WWII. Today, the ideals they signed up to are undergoing an unprecedented stress test.

When delegates from 50 nations met in San Francisco to sign the United Nations Charter in June 1945, they found a special message in their hotel room: a vase with a single rose bearing a special name.

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg discussed the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic in her country. She also called for "stronger multilateral cooperation" and urged more countries to contribute to a multi-donor fund Norway has created at the United Nations to help developing nations deal with the consequences of the global health crisis.

The United Nations expert for monitoring human rights in Iran criticized the Tehran government for its use of the death penalty against minors. Two people aged under 18 have been executed by the state so far this year.

Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, who has come under attack for wildfires that are raging in the Amazon, tells the United Nations that the rainforest is his country's sovereign territory. "It is a fallacy to say that the Amazon is the heritage of humankind, and a misconception confirmed by scientists to say that our Amazon forests are the lungs of the world," he says.

The United Nations and other agencies in Nigeria involved in humanitarian work marked the humanitarian day in honour of aid workers all over the world. The day was also specifically dedicated to aid workers who died in the course of duty.

Iceland has been commemorating the loss of Okjokull with the prime minister and guests from international universities and the United Nations. A ceremony at the site highlighted the urgency of climate protection.

According to the United Nations, more than 40 million people are estimated to be trapped in forced labor, forced marriages and other forms of sexual exploitation.