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China announced a $500 million contribution to the WHO over five years, stepping in as the UN agency faces a funding shortfall after the U.S. cut support.
China will provide an additional $500 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) over the next five years, Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong announced at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. The pledge comes as the UN health agency grapples with a budget crisis following the expected withdrawal of U.S. funding under the Trump administration.
"The world is now facing the impacts of unilateralism and power politics bringing major challenges to global health security," Liu said. "Multilateralism is a sure pass to addressing difficulties."
China’s commitment is expected to elevate it to the position of the WHO’s top state donor, replacing the United States, which has historically been the largest single contributor.
In response to its financial difficulties, the WHO has proposed a 21% reduction in its 2026–2027 budget, lowering it to $4.2 billion. The World Health Assembly is set to approve a new funding model that includes a 20% increase in mandatory membership fees from countries.
It remains unclear whether China's $500 million pledge includes its increased assessed contribution or is in addition to it. Nonetheless, the announcement was welcomed as a stabilizing gesture at a time when the WHO is seeking to preserve core programs in global health.
The WHO has emphasized the importance of predictable, long-term funding to maintain readiness for health emergencies and support health systems worldwide. China's new commitment is expected to play a critical role in filling the gap left by reduced U.S. contributions.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, an incident that has triggered protests and intensified tensions between state and federal authorities.
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday the country should not fear pursuing energy ties with the United States, as Caracas seeks to expand oil and gas production and attract foreign investment.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected a U.S. magazine report on the death toll during January unrest. Nationwide protests erupted in response to soaring inflation and a national currency crisis.
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
Diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine remain stalled after talks in Abu Dhabi ended without an agreement. Moscow has since ruled out dialogue with the EU’s top diplomat.
Millions of people in Britain are struggling to afford basic necessities, with a new report warning that the number living in the deepest levels of poverty has reached a 30-year high, driven by soaring housing costs and rising child poverty.
India and the European Union have finalised a long-pending trade deal, both sides said on Tuesday, calling it the “mother of all deals” as they seek to hedge against uncertainty in U.S. trade ties.
The Trump administration has signalled to Ukraine that U.S. security guarantees depend on Kyiv agreeing to a peace deal likely requiring it to cede the Donbas region to Russia, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
France’s National Assembly has approved a bill banning access to social media for children under 15, a move backed by President Emmanuel Macron and the government as part of efforts to protect teenagers’ mental and physical health.
Russian drones and missiles knocked out power in Kharkiv late Monday, while 23 people were wounded and an energy facility damaged in an overnight attack on Odesa, officials said.
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