United Nations

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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
...

Palestinians to Buck US, Seek Statehood

They hope it'll strengthen negotiating position with Israel

(Newser) - Barring some kind of last-minute diplomatic magic trick, Mahmoud Abbas will ask the UN Security Council for membership next week, the Palestinian foreign minister said today—even as US diplomats traveled to the West Bank for last-ditch negotiating efforts. “We will see if anyone carries … any credible offer,...

Family Tells UN: We Own Machu Picchu

Asks UN agency to consider their case

(Newser) - Talk about a property dispute: A Peruvian family says it owns the land of the Machu Picchu ruins, and is taking the case to the United Nations. Seventy-year-old Edgar Echegaray Abril still has the sale deed showing that his family bought the land with gold in 1910. Yes, they sold...

UN Court Convicts Serb General for Balkan Atrocities

Momcilo Perisic gave military aid to Bosnian Serbs behind massacre: court

(Newser) - The Yugoslav war crimes tribunal sentenced the former chief of the Yugoslav army to 27 years in prison today for providing crucial military aid to Bosnian Serb forces responsible for the Srebrenica massacre, as well as a deadly four-year campaign of shelling and sniping in Sarajevo. The case against Gen....

US Asks Palestinians to Delay Vote on Statehood

But with large majority support, little Palestinian interest in waiting

(Newser) - With a UN vote looming on recognizing a Palestinian state on Sept. 20, the White House has started a last-minute diplomatic campaign to get the Palestinians to give up their attempt at statehood for more peace talks, reports the New York Times . Although the United States can veto a request...

WikiLeaks: UN Peacekeepers Demanded Sex for Food

Beninese booted from Ivory Coast for violations with underage girls

(Newser) - UN peacekeepers routinely pressured underage girls for sex in exchange for food and shelter in the Ivory Coast, according to explosive new information uncovered in a US Embassy cable released by WikiLeaks. Eight of 10 underage girls polled in 2009 "said they had ongoing sexual relationships with Beninese soldiers...

Car Bomb Rocks UN Building in Nigeria; 7 Dead

'We believe there are many casualties,' says a UN official

(Newser) - A car laden with explosives rammed through two gates and blew up at the United Nations' offices in Nigeria's capital today, killing at least seven people and shattering part of the concrete structure. The brazen attack, carried out as the UN offices teemed with staff, comes as Africa's...

UN Condemns Syria as 45 More Die

Security Council issues statement, falls short of resolution

(Newser) - In its first meaningful action since the Syria uprising began five months ago, the UN Security Council issued a statement yesterday condemning the government's use of force against civilians. The statement, finally agreed upon after three days of talks , "condemn[s] widespread violations of human rights" and calls on...

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