Palestinian officials will seek to galvanize opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial plan for Middle East peace at the UN Security Council in the coming weeks, Palestine’s ambassador to the UN said Wednesday. Speaking with reporters in New York, Riyad Mansour said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would address the …
Read More »UN orders Myanmar to prevent Rohingya genocide
In a major legal victory for members of the Rohingya Muslim minority, the United Nations’ top court on Thursday ordered Myanmar to take all measures in its power to prevent genocide against the Rohingya people. The court’s president, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, said the International Court of Justice “is of …
Read More »UN calls for Reforms & peaceful demonstrations in Iraq
UN Iraq Representative urges renewed push for reform, calls for demonstrations to remain peaceful With public demonstrations across many parts of Iraq in their fourth month, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, is urging a renewed push for reform and expressing concern about ongoing …
Read More »US says China, Russia halted resolution on Iraq embassy
Such expressions of support should not be controversial or warrant courage,’ says Washington’s UN mission The U.S. accused Russia and China on Monday of blocking a resolution condemning the attack on Washington’s Baghdad embassy. The U.S. mission to the UN said Moscow and Beijing did not allow the statement to …
Read More »Heavy rains kill 12 in Rwanda on Christmas night
Heavy rains that hit Rwanda on Wednesday night killed at least 12 people, a senior government official said here on Thursday. “It’s unfortunate that we confirm that 12 people have died due to heavy rains that hit different parts of our country on Christmas night,” said Rwanda’s Minister of Local …
Read More »World ‘faces 80% calorie increase by end of century’
The amount of food needed to feed the world’s population by the end of the century could increase by almost 80%, a study has suggested. Researchers from Germany said a trend of increasing Body Mass Index (BMI) is resulting in individuals requiring more calories. The authors warn that failure to …
Read More »Turkey’s parliament ratifies security accord with Libya: Report.
Turkey’s parliament has approved a security and military cooperation deal signed with Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) last month, state media report, an agreement that could pave the way for military help from Ankara. Turkey has been backing the Libyan government led by Fayez al-Serraj as it fights off …
Read More »African Union orders Britain to withdraw from Chagos Islands, end ‘colonial administration’
The African Union ordered Britain on Friday to withdraw from the Chagos Islands and end its “continued colonial administration” after a United Nations deadline for it to do so expired. The Chagos Islands belong to the Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius, according to the advisory opinion the top U.N. …
Read More »The Gambia files genocide case against Myanmar.
The small west African nation of The Gambia has filed a lawsuit at the UN’s top court formally accusing Myanmar of genocide against Rohingya Muslims. It was filed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which normally rules on disputes between states. Last year, the UN issued a damning report …
Read More »US calls on Iraq to hold early elections after weeks of protests.
The United States has called on Iraqi officials to hold early polls as more people fall victim to ongoing anti-government protests that Baghdad says are being hijacked by foreign-backed elements. In a statement issued Sunday, the White House asked the Iraqi government “to halt the violence against protesters and fulfill …
Read More »Iraq must ‘engage seriously’ with protesters, says US.
The US embassy in Baghdad called on the Iraqi government Wednesday to engage with Iraqis demanding reform and condemned the ongoing “cycle of violence.” “The government of Iraq and the country’s political leaders must engage seriously and urgently with Iraqi citizens who are demanding reform,” the embassy said in a …
Read More »Iraq begins talks to amend the constitution to calm protests.
Talks on amendments to the Iraqi constitution began on Tuesday as internet access was cut in Baghdad amid renewed clashes in the capital. The first meeting of a parliamentary committee that was formed last month to oversee the drafting of constitutional adjustments took place in parliament, with officials hoping it …
Read More »Iraq protests: UN calls for national talks to break the ‘vicious cycle’ of violence.
Special Representative of the Secretary-General, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said she had gone to Tahrir Square to engage with the people, and listen to their concerns, as part of the UN’s continuous efforts to promote dialogue with the Government, as news reports suggest that Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, is facing growing …
Read More »UN Urges Iraqi Forces, Protesters to Exercise “Maximum Restraint”
Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres has expressed strong concerns over the fresh demonstrations in Iraq, urging both the security forces and protesters to avoid violence and exercise “maximum restraint.” Thousands of people in capital Baghdad and other major cities have taken back to the streets since Friday morning, …
Read More »Ecuador government, protesters agree to talk amid curfew.
The United Nations (UN) and the Catholic Church say the government and indigenous groups in Ecuador have agreed to hold talks for the first time to end the crisis engulfing the Latin American country over fuel subsidy cuts. The UN office in Ecuador and the Church said in a statement …
Read More »China Tells Trump to Grow Up, Says Won’t ‘Play Game of Thrones on the World Stage’ With Him.
The US president went on the offensive against Beijing at the General Assembly on Tuesday, saying he wouldn’t accept a “bad deal” on trade, and accusing China of using “massive market barriers, heavy state subsidies, currency manipulation,” and other malign tactics, while urging the country to “honour” its commitment to …
Read More »Rouhani: ‘Wherever America goes, terror expands’
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said the United States has fueled terrorism in the Middle East, slamming US policies for spreading chaos and radicalism across the region. Joining Fox’s Chris Wallace for an interview that ran on Tuesday night, Rouhani rejected any notion that Iran was on a “fanatical” quest for …
Read More »Trump mocks teen activist Greta Thunberg.
US President Donald Trump mocked Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Twitter late Monday night after the 16-year-old excoriated world leaders for not doing enough to tackle the climate crisis. “She seems like a very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future. So nice to see!” …
Read More »‘You have stolen my dreams and my childhood’: Thunberg angrily tells UN.
Greta Thunberg has told world leaders they have stolen her ”dreams and … childhood with your empty words”. The Swedish teenager was speaking at the opening of a United Nations climate change summit on Monday. “This is all wrong,” she began. “I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back …
Read More »Backlash against Modi as Indian PM ‘endorses Trump for 2020’
Narendra Modi, India’s prime minister, has been accused of “interfering” in the next US presidential election after he gave a speech in Texas that critics say tacitly endorsed Donald Trump for re-election in 2020. Mr. Modi made the comments as he appeared onstage alongside the US president during a rally …
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