Top world leaders have strongly condemned the assault on the United States Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump Wednesday as the victory of Joe Biden in the presidential elections was being ratified. The leaders have called for a “peaceful” transition in the United States and have denounced “an unprecedented assault on American democracy.”
Tag: UN

Is Germany Hurting its Bid for a Permanent UNSC Seat?
Russia and China believe that Germany will not be able to upgrade to permanent member status on the United Nations Security Council. Furthermore, a Russian diplomat stated that Russia will not miss Germany when its term expires a the end of this month. The comments came on the heels of a scandal that broke out during the UN Security Council meeting.

Biden- Says He Will Return US to Paris Agreement
Joe Biden assured on Saturday that the United States will return to the Paris Climate Agreement “on the first day” of his government. He also said he plans to convene a world summit on the topic in his “first 100 days” at the White House.

UN Denounces North Korea’s ”Gross” Crimes Against Humanity
Over half of the 15 member states of the UN Security Council on Friday denounced in a joint statement the constant crimes against humanity that take place in North Korea as a result of “policies established from the highest level of the Kim Jong Un led administration.”

Iran to Install More Advanced Centrifuges in Natanz
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) informed its members in a confidential report on Friday (December 4th) that Iran intends to install more than 500 new centrifuges at the Nazanar nuclear facility in southern Iran. Reuters reports that it has seen the confidential report of the agency.

Coronavirus — Guterres Pans Countries Ignoring WHO’s Warnings
In a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to discuss global actions against COVID-19, Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the role of the World Health Organization (WHO), and said that science should be the basis of the global reaction to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mali- Top al-Qaeda Linked Militant Killed by French Forces
The French forces have claimed to have killed a militant who has been on the United Nations sanctions list. Bah Ag Moussa, was a top commander of the al-Qaeda linked militant group, Group to Support Islam and Muslim (GSIM). He is believed to be responsible for attacks on security forces in Mali.

Peru- Former President Martín Vizcarra Banned From Leaving The Country
Peruvian justice on Friday banned former President Martín Vizcarra from leaving the country for 18 months, four days after Congress impeached him for alleged corruption at the time when he served as a regional governor in 2014. The order was issued by Judge María Alvarez.

Ivory Coast — Ouattara Willing to Work with Opposition
Ivory Coast’s Alassane Ouattara has declared that he is ready to have a dialogue with opposition leaders in an effort to forge the country ahead. President Ouattara invited the head of opposition Henry Konan Bedie for a meeting. He was speaking during the final announcement of the election results by the constitutional council.

Is the UN Ridiculing Human Rights?
On October 24th, the United Nations celebrated its 75th anniversary of working for peace. During the celebration, the organization reaffirmed its commitment to multilateralism but did not mention a continued adherence to human rights, a historical, cross-cutting theme throughout UN policies and programs.

D.R Congo- 20 Dead in Village Attack
Over 20 civilians were killed in an attack on a village in an eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The area’s local authorities said the militant group known as the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)was behind the attack but the ADF hasn’t claimed responsibility for the attack.

Hong Kong- Seven Pro-Democracy Activists Detained
Seven members of the pro-democracy opposition in Hong Kong were arrested today for being involved in the clashes in May in the parliament of the Chinese special administrative region, the police announced. “All arrestees are being detained for further inquires. The operation is under way and further arrests may be made,” the police said.

UNICEF Donates Hand Washing Facilities, Soap to Kenya
In helping fight the Coronavirus pandemic, the international humanitarian organization, UNICEF, has embarked on distributing disinfectants and installing hand-washing facilities in many schools across Kenya. The organization is also partnering with the nation’s Ministry of Education in a ‘Back to School’ campaign.

Afghanistan — Five Dead, Dozens Wounded in Attack in Khost
At least five people were killed and scores others were left nursing injuries in an early morning attack Tuesday on a police special forces base in the southeastern province of Khost in Afghanistan, official sources said. The hours-long attack involved car bombs and a firefight.

Libya’s Warring Sides Sign Agreement for ‘Permanent Ceasefire’
Representatives of the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan National Army (LNA), the main parties to the conflict in the country, reached an agreement after four days of negotiations on a lasting ceasefire. UN Special Representative Stephanie Williams spoke of the historic moment when the agreement was signed.

Iranian Arms Embargo Ends Sunday
As of Sunday, all restrictions on the transfer of weapons, related activities and financial services have been lifted. “Automatically cease to operate” and all bans on entry into the country, as well as on transit through the territories of UN member States, which were previously imposed against a number of Iranian citizens and military officials, said Iranian Foreign Ministry.

MH17 — Tensions Increasing Between Russia and the Netherlands
Russia’s Ambassador to the Netherlands, Alexander Shulgin, was summoned to the Dutch Foreign Ministry after Russia decided not to participate in trilateral consultations on the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 (MH17) in 2014. That’s according to a message from the Kingdom’s Foreign Minister, Stef Blok, to the Dutch Parliament.

UN Calls on Iran to Release Nasrin Sotoudeh
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed concern about the situation of activists and imprisoned lawyers in Iran, calling for their release amid the expansion of the coronavirus. Michelle Bachelet expressed concern about the situation of Nasrin Sotoudeh, in Tehran’s Evin prison.

Russia Condemn’s Germany’s UN Speech
The Kremlin made a statement today pertaining to the speech by the German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, regarding the Alexey Navalny poisoning. Maas made his remarks, which were delivered remotely, during the 75th General Assembly of the United Nations on Tuesday.

UNGA — Putin, Trump Speeches Go As Expected
On September 22, many world leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and American President Donald Trump, gave speeches to the United Nations using online technology. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the UN had an option for a virtual interaction.

Trump: China Infected the World with COVID-19
United States President Donald Trump, on Tuesday, called upon the United Nations to compel China to “account” for “infecting the world” with COVID-19. He also hit out at the World Health Organization (WHO), describing it as a mere puppet of the Chinese government.

Saudis Reduce Sentences for Khashoggi Murder
A Saudi Arabian court on Monday announced that the nation’s justice department had reduced the penalties of the five people convicted in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi to a maximum of 20 years in prison. In the first instance, the accused had been sentenced to death.

Belarus — Tikhanovskaya Calls for UN Sanctions
Belarusian opposition leader and former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has today implored the United Nations Security Council to employ the use of “all mechanisms,” including sanctions, to end the Lukashenko-led administration’s “violence” and “human rights violations.”

Mali — EU Suspends Training After Coup
The European Union has suspended police and army training missions in Mali, owing to the recent coup that was carried out by the Army therein. The EU foreign affairs representative, Josep Borrell, made an announcement to the effect that civilians as well as the military training mission would be temporarily suspended.

Iran — European Trio Opposes US Snapback Mechanism
European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and his deputy say the United States will not be able to activate the trigger mechanism against Iran by withdrawing from the nuclear deal. The foreign ministers of the three European countries on the side of the UN Security Council have also reacted negatively to US efforts in this regard.

US Officially Triggers “Snapback” Mechanism on Iran
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo presented to the United Nations Security Council Washington’s request to bring back all international sanctions against Iran. The United States claims that the Islamic Republic has violated its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

US Tries to “Snapback” Sanctions on Iran
Washington is seeking to re-impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic of Iran. President Donald Trump has announced that the United States intends to activate a “trigger mechanism” at the United Nations to reinstate all sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program. “It’s a snapback,” Trump said on Wednesday.

Turkey Drilling Off Cyprus Coast Risks EU Sanctions
Turkey has issued a new notification to captains of Mediterranean vessels, via the NAVTEX international automated notification system. Sunday, as reported by NTV, NAVTEX is an international automated direct-printing service for promulgation of Maritime Safety Information (MSI), navigational and meteorological warnings, meteorological forecasts and other urgent safety-related messages to ships.

U.S. Accuses Iran of Boarding Oil Tanker
The United States accused Iranian forces of boarding an oil tanker in international waters before the United Nations Security Council was expected to vote on a US draft resolution to extend the arms embargo on Iran. The arms embargo is set to expire after about two months.

UN Denounces North Korea’s Abuse of Women
Dozens of women who left North Korea to look for work abroad have alleged abuse by elements of North Korean security forces once they were forced to return to the country. In a report published by the United Nations, these women said the abuse occurred on several occasions.

Will There be an Orange Revolution in Belarus?
Belarus continues to have protests amid its upcoming presidential election, scheduled for August. Alexander Lukashenko has been the nation’s only President since the office was established in 1994. There are many undemocratic actions observed in Belarus, including the detainment of one of the opposing candidates, Viktor Babariko.

14 Killed in Renewed Armenia-Azerbaijan Clash
Azerbaijan and Armenia exchanged fire on the northern border on July 12 and 13 and used heavy weapons. At present, 14 people have been killed and 10 are injured. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a statement on the evening of the 13th and expressed deep concern about the conflict.

UN Report: World Hunger Still “Deeply Entrenched”
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations issued a report on the state of food security and nutrition in the world. According to current estimates, nearly 690 million people are hungry, accounting for 8.9% of the world’s total population. This is an increase of 10 million in one year, and an increase of nearly 60 million in five years.

JCPOA at Five: Iran Waits for Policy Consultations
July 14 is the fifth anniversary of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), commonly known as the Iran Nuclear Deal. The Iranian Foreign Ministry issued a statement in this regard, examining the long process of reaching a nuclear deal in 2015. The United States withdrew in 2018.

Syria — Russia & China Veto UN Aid Package
Since 2014, the humanitarian assistance provided by the United Nations has provided millions of Syrian people with basic survival supplies. Now, this rescue operation is facing a desperate situation because Russia and China once again used the veto power in the UN Security Council.

Yemen — US Seizes Ship, Arab League Targets Boat
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that US and allied forces seized a ship carrying Iranian weapons for Houthi rebels in Yemen on June 28. The names of all the passengers are not mentioned. Pompeo also renewed his call for the U.N. Security Council to extend its arms embargo on Iran.

Biden Vows to Reverse Trump’s WHO Withdrawal
Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden announced today that he will reverse yesterday’s decision by the current US president, Donald Trump to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization (WHO) should he win this year’s US presidential elections. The former Vice President made his announcement in a tweet.

UN Accuses Syria, Russia of Committing War Crimes
The UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria has reported that the Assad regime and its Russian allies have committed war crimes by targeting vital civilian facilities in Idlib and its environment. The Commission strongly condemned the attacks on civilians in the northwestern part of Syria in a report released on Tuesday.

UN: World Should Unite Against Coronavirus, Terrorism
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has spoken of the dangers posed by the outbreak of coronavirus disease to world peace. Guterres has expressed concern over the political exploitation by extremist groups around the world, such as al-Qaeda and Daesh, of the outbreak of COVID-19.

Iran Says IAEA Likely to Send Case to UN
Abbas Araghchi, the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran, warned at a meeting of senior officials on Monday that any move that “identifies Iran in the international arena as a threat is a game on American soil.” Araqchi reiterated, “we should not allow the United States to introduce Iran as a security threat once again.”

UN Expresses Alarm Over Hong Kong Law
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has expressed alarm over the many arrests that have been made since Wednesday in Hong Kong courtesy of the controversial new national security law. Hundreds of people have since been arrested in the former British colony since Wednesday.

U.S. Calls for Extension of Sanctions Against Iran
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, addressing representatives of countries participating in a virtual session of the UN Security Council, said that countries from Israel to the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, all “unanimously” want to extend and expand Iran’s arms embargo.

UN Renews Mali’s Peacekeeping Force
The United Nations has renewed its peacekeeping force in Mali for another year without reducing its troops, which comprise of 13,289 soldiers and 1,920 police officers. The UN mission in the country is known as Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

Father of Iranian Protester Appeals to UN
Manouchehr Bakhtiari, the father of Pouya Bakhtiari, one of the victims of last November’s protests, has called for an independent inquiry into international institutions, including the United Nations human rights body, on the “deadly violence of the Iranian government against protesters.”

Hook Blasts Iran’s “Mafia Tactics” on Embargo
In an interview with the Associated Press on Sunday, Brian Hook, the US State Department’s special envoy for Iran, stressed the importance of extending the UN’s arms embargo on Iran. He said the world should not care about Iran’s threats to retaliate if the embargo is extended.

Syria — Millions Below Poverty Line, U.S. Tightens Sanctions
United Nations relief agencies warned Friday that Syria is facing an unprecedented food crisis, as more than 9.3 million people lack adequate food. This comes at a time when the outbreak of the Coronavirus may accelerate in the country, although it appears to be under control.

US Calls for Permanent Iran Arms Embargo
News reports quoted diplomatic sources as saying that the United States had submitted a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for a continued unrestricted arms embargo on Iran. Iran’s arms embargo, under the IAEA Board, continues until October of this year.

Floyd’s Brother Calls on UN to Investigate Racism
George Floyd’s brother Philonise has appealed to the United Nations to investigate systematic racism in the United States and the killing of black people by police. Philonise said this on Wednesday during a debate convened by African countries at the UN Human Rights Council headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

Two UN Peacekeepers Killed in Mali
Two United Nations peacekeepers have been killed in northern Mali after gunmen attacked their convoy. The incident was confirmed by the UN peacekeeping force in the country, who said the convoy was attacked by unidentified armed individuals. The logistics convoy was travelling between the towns of Tessalit and Gao.