United Nations

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Arab League Gives Syria 3 Days
 Arab League Gives Syria 3 Days 
Nov 17, 2011 7:25 AM CST

Arab League Gives Syria 3 Days

Assad must accept its peace plan, let monitors in

(Newser) - The Arab League has given Syria three more days to implement its peace plan, offering to send monitors to the country to ensure the bloodshed has stopped, in what amounts to a temporary reprieve from Saturday’s decision to suspend the country . But Qatar’s foreign minister insisted that sanctions...

Israel Punishing Palestinians With Rushed Settlements

Funds also frozen after Palestine's UNESCO membership

(Newser) - Palestine's membership in UNESCO has met a fierce response from Israel. A day after Palestine joined the United Nations' cultural body , Israel ordered the accelerated construction of 2,000 new homes in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. In what officials acknowledge is punishment for "unilateral actions,"...

Palestine Named Member of UN Cultural Body

Controversial move prompts cheers at UNESCO

(Newser) - Palestine became a full member of UNESCO today, in a highly divisive move that the United States and other opponents say could harm renewed Mideast peace efforts. US lawmakers had threatened to withhold roughly $80 million in annual funding to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization if it...

7-Billionth Babies Born: Danica in Philippines, Nargis in India
 Meet Baby No. 7 Billion 
Oct 31, 2011 7:56 AM CDT

Meet Baby No. 7 Billion

UN, activists pick representatives for population landmark

(Newser) - The world’s 7 billionth baby has been born, and a number of infants are vying for the title. The UN has chosen Danica May Camacho—born in Manila, Philippines, just before midnight—as its symbolic No. 7 billion, the Guardian reports. UN officials offered Danica’s family a cake...

UN: Solitary Confinement Amounts to Torture

Isolation longer than 15 days should be banned, says lead investigator

(Newser) - Solitary confinement doesn't just sound like torture—it literally can be torture, according to the UN's lead investigator on the topic. Juan Mendez has called for a ban on solitary confinement in excess of 15 days, and a total ban on the practice when juveniles or people with...

Afghanistan Routinely Tortures Prisoners: UN

'Even stones confess here,' one guard said; Kabul promises reform

(Newser) - A UN investigation has uncovered “a compelling pattern … of systemic torture and ill-treatment” in Afghan prisons, with prisoners reporting being beaten and shocked with electrical cables, hung by their hands, and having their genitals twisted until they passed out, the New York Times reports. Nearly half of all...

1 in 50 Central American Men Murdered by Age 31: UN

Situation is nearing a 'crisis point'

(Newser) - This is basically insane: A new UN report says that one in 50 Central American 20-year-old men will be murdered before they turn 31. Unsurprisingly, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime says the situation is nearing a "crisis point." The report places much of the blame on...

Palestine Bid for UNESCO Membership Moves Forward

Initial approval granted yesterday

(Newser) - Palestine's bid for statehood took one step forward yesterday as it gained initial approval for full membership in the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Membership in UNESCO would allow Palestine to apply to protect its monuments and historical sites as World Heritage Sites, which would increase conflict...

Fidel Castro Accuses US of Genocide in Libya

Former Cuban leader calls Obama's UN speech 'gibberish'

(Newser) - One person who is not a fan of the US intervention in Libya: Fidel Castro. The former Cuban leader spoke out against President Obama's address to the UN in an opinion column published on a Cuban government website today, calling it "gibberish" and referring to NATO’s actions...

Libyan Forces Fight for Gadhafi's Hometown

New leaders promise interim government in coming week

(Newser) - With NATO jets roaring overhead, revolutionary forces fought their way into Moammar Gadhafi's hometown today in the first significant push into the stubborn stronghold in about a week. Libya's new leaders also tried to move on the political front, promising to announce in the coming week a new...

Palestinians Request UN Membership

Abbas makes formal appeal to UN chief Ban Ki-Moon

(Newser) - Defying US and Israeli opposition, Palestinians asked the United Nations today to accept them as a member state. In his letter accompanying the application, Mahmoud Abbas asked UN chief Ban Ki-moon to immediately forward the request for full UN membership to the Security Council. Action on the membership request could...

Jon Stewart Steps Up for Palestine

One strategy: Change name to 'Palestein'

(Newser) - On last night’s Daily Show , Jon Stewart summarized the US response to Palestine seeking UN membership: To win a seat, “all you need to do is settle your differences with Israel!” Though a “spelling change” could also help--instead of “Palestine,” how about “Palestein”...

US Walks Out on Ahmadinejad's UN Speech

Same old, same old

(Newser) - It was business as usual at the UN General Assembly today: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad gave an anti-America speech, and America walked out. Or, at least, its representatives did. As the Iranian president described the "mysterious" 9/11 attacks as a "pretext" for US attacks on Iraq and Afghanistan, US diplomats...

Palestine to Security Council: Take Your Time

Statehood resolution doesn't have votes to pass

(Newser) - Palestine won’t push for an immediate Security Council vote on its push for full UN membership, because it doesn’t appear to have the requisite nine votes—even if the US weren’t promising to veto the move. “We will give some time to the Security Council,”...

Obama: UN 'Shortcut' Won't Bring Mideast Peace

Netanyahu praises stance as 'badge of honor'

(Newser) - No big surprises in President Obama's address on Palestinian statehood today: He reaffirmed US opposition to a Security Council vote on the matter and said it had to be accomplished through Israeli-Palestinian negotiations instead, reports the Wall Street Journal . The takeaway quote: "There is no shortcut to the...

Obama Botches Group Photo
 Obama Botches Group Photo 
Sep 21, 2011 4:06 AM CDT

Obama Botches Group Photo

President waves at exactly the wrong moment after UN speech

(Newser) - After giving a speech at the United Nations yesterday to mark the launch of the Open Government Partnership initiative for greater transparency in government, President Obama joined other leaders for a group photo—and apparently failed to realize he isn't transparent. The president waved during the photo, completely blocking...

Deal in Works to Prevent US-Palestine UN Showdown

Mahmoud Abbas would submit a letter, but not force a vote

(Newser) - The international community is hammering out a deal that would spare the US from having to veto Palestine’s move for statehood . There are several ideas floating about, but all revolve around the premise that Mahmoud Abbas would deliver a letter to the Security Council requesting statehood, but would not...

Poll: World Backs Palestinian State

Survey of people in 19 countries shows 49% support Palestine, 21% oppose

(Newser) - More people support than oppose UN recognition of Palestine as a state, with 49% of those surveyed in 19 countries supporting the proposal and 21% opposed, according to a poll of 20,466 people conducted in July and August by the BBC (and GlobeScan). About 11% think their country should...

Abbas: We're Going for Statehood

Palestinian leader says he needs world to 'recognize the occupation'

(Newser) - It’s official: Mahmoud Abbas will demand full UN membership from the Security Council next week, despite an almost certain veto from the US. Abbas formally committed to the gambit for the first time in a speech today, the New York Times reports, saying that “We need a state,...

5 Reasons US Should Allow Palestinian State

If Palestinians wait much longer, it will be too late: Reza Aslan

(Newser) - Palestinians plan to push for full statehood in the UN later this month, and the US vows to block them. Reza Aslan offers five reasons in the Los Angeles Times why America should buck Israel ("it is not political suicide") and change its mind:
  • Failed talks: Twenty years
...

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