All articles tagged with #united nations
The Trump administration is pushing to shape the UN secretary-general selection, with five of eight nominees being women, while seeking reforms and budget cuts at the world body that align with U.S. priorities; the outcome will hinge on Security Council votes and potential vetoes from permanent members.
Iran condemns the new US sanctions as an 'extraterritorial' violation of sovereignty and a return to colonialism, while Washington vows severe economic penalties for any country doing business with Tehran; Tehran says the measures will fail as peace talks stall, the Strait of Hormuz remains constrained, and Iraqi tankers have briefly passed through with Tehran's permission.
Guyana’s Ambassador Rodrigues Birkett leads the UN Security Council’s second non-binding straw poll in the race to succeed Antonio Guterres, with eight 'encourage' votes and others close behind (Grynspan and Grossi each had seven); the process remains non-binding and iterative, as the council narrows the field toward a formal recommendation for the General Assembly before Guterres’ December 31 departure.
Russia’s UN ambassador Vasily Nebenzya says mass mobilization of Russian soldiers is not currently planned, but he stops short of ruling it out after Russia’s parliamentary elections, as Zelensky warns Moscow could mobilize hundreds of thousands post-election; history shows Russian officials have denied mobilization before later announcing it, underscoring ongoing tensions in the Ukraine war.
NATO jets, including Italian Eurofighters from Lithuania and Turkish F-16s from Estonia, were scrambled after a Ukrainian-backed drone breached Latvia's airspace amid attacks on Russian ports; Russia later said it shot down dozens of drones west of St. Petersburg, while the UN reported July civilian casualties in Ukraine rose to 437 killed and 2,610 injured, many in urban centers.
The United Nations warned that the occupied West Bank is at a breaking point due to an unprecedented spike in violence, driven by Israeli settler attacks and military operations that have left at least 75 Palestinians dead and more than 3,800 displaced this year. The UN Security Council noted about 1,430 incidents affecting around 260 communities, with demolitions and expulsions intensifying, as settlement expansion continues and the broader Israel-Gaza conflict complicates prospects for peace.
Public executions resurfaced in Iran as authorities widen a crackdown after months of war and mass protests; at least 56 people have been executed on national-security charges since March, including 27 linked to January protests, with three young men hanged in Isfahan amid a crane-equipped public square and heavy security, while families allege torture and forced confessions and rights groups warn more are at risk.
The UN rights chief Volker Türk voiced alarm at a surge in Iran's executions since March, reporting at least 56 people executed on national-security charges (including 27 tied to January protests) and more than 100 at risk, amid ongoing drug-offense executions. He urged Iran to halt executions and move toward abolition, citing lack of fair trials, coerced confessions, and public executions, while noting Iran remains among the world's top executors.
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urged Israel to halt its occupation of southern Lebanon and stop house demolitions, stressing adherence to international humanitarian law to protect civilians amid escalating border tensions.
US diplomats walked out of a UN Security Council meeting on the Ukraine-Russia war after France condemned the Trump era’s human-rights record, as Washington defended 10–12.5% tariffs on imports from more than 80 countries over alleged forced-labor; France fired back on social media while the administration also moved to oppose the reappointment of UN rights chief Volker Türk. The controversy unfolded alongside a global vote on Türk’s tenure (144 in favor, 9 no, 13 abstentions), highlighting tensions over human-rights leadership and multilateral norms.
The UN General Assembly approved Volker Türk for a second four-year term as High Commissioner for Human Rights (144-10, 13 abstentions), extending his tenure from Oct 2026 to Oct 2030. France immediately attacked the U.S. on social media, accusing Washington of abandoning its human rights leadership and aligning with autocrats after the vote; U.S. envoy Mike Waltz characterized the French attack as a distraction from rights abuses. France’s ambassador defended Türk, while observers noted the rushed process and mixed reactions among member states.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will address the United Nations in New York despite an ICC arrest warrant and a New York City mayor's claim that he is not welcome, framing the trip as defending Israel and the Israeli‑American alliance amid shifting US opinion on Israel. The piece notes mixed views of Netanyahu and Mayor Zohran Mamdani among US Jews, highlights ongoing debates over Gaza and US support for Israel, and mentions a disputed claim that Mamdani’s wife celebrated the Oct. 7 Hamas attack.
Volker Türk has been reappointed UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for another four-year term by the General Assembly, winning 144 votes in favour, 10 against and 13 abstentions, and becoming the first person to serve two full terms in the post since its 1993 creation. The reappointment drew vocal objections from the United States, Russia and Israel over perceived bias and a rushed process, while supporters say the move followed UN rules and that Türk has strongly pressed on rights issues from Gaza and Ukraine to Afghanistan and Xinjiang. Critics say he could have done more publicly on some crises; his office says he has pursued rights through both private diplomacy and public advocacy.
New York City's Mayor Zohran Mamdani faced swift backlash after saying he would seek a legal loophole to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his fall visit to NYC for the UN General Assembly, with critics calling the move delusional and reckless and urging Mamdani to focus on city issues; Mamdani argues Netanyahu belongs at The Hague at the International Court of Justice and has discussed potential legal avenues for arrest.
The United Nations welcomed Japan’s passage of a bill revising the Imperial House Law to help ensure a larger pool of imperial family members, describing it as a step toward advancing women’s rights and gender equality. It marks the first substantive change to the law since 1947 and follows a 2024 UN recommendation to amend for equality. However, the reform preserves male-line succession to the throne, a point of ongoing contention, with the Japanese government arguing that throne succession touches the state’s foundations.