Free Republic

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States announced Monday it is expelling 12 members of the Russian Mission at the United Nations, accusing them of being “intelligence operatives” engaged in espionage. The Biden administration's action came on the fifth day of Russia's invasion of neighboring Ukraine, which has sparked condemnation from the United States and dozens of other countries. The U.S. Mission to the United Nations said in a statement that the Russian diplomats “have abused their privileges of residency in the United States by engaging in espionage activities that are adverse to our national security.” Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia...

UNITED NATIONS — Mexico’s president warned Tuesday that the world is sliding from “civilization to barbarity” and called for the thousand richest people, the thousand largest private corporations and the 20 major economies to improve life for the 750 million people now existing on less than $2 dollars a day. Andrés Manuel López Obrador told the U.N. Security Council that this proposal could generate around $1 billion annually, which should go directly to the world’s poorest people “without any intermediaries, through a card or personalized electronic wallet.” He said the proposal can be financed with money from three sources: an...

With rising unilateralism challenging its very existence, the United Nations convenes its annual meeting of world leaders Monday and will try once more to tackle problems together as a community of nations, addressing threats ranging from Mideast conflicts to the effects of global warming — and also encouraging the glimmer of hope over the nuclear standoff in North Korea. This year, 133 world leaders have signed up to attend the General Assembly session, a significant increase from last year’s 114. Secretary-General António Guterres called the expected large turnout “eloquent proof of the confidence of the international community in the United...

International mediators trying to promote Mideast peace warned in a highly anticipated report Friday that Israel’s settlement expansion is eroding the viability of a Palestinian state and raises “legitimate questions” about its commitment to a two-state solution. The Quartet of Mideast negotiators — the U.N., U.S., European Union and Russia — also criticized the glorification of Palestinians who commit “terrorist attacks” against Israel and called on the Palestinian Authority to “act decisively” to stop incitement to violence and clearly condemn “all acts of terrorism.” While the Israeli and Palestinian leaders and the majority of people on both sides support a...

UNITED NATIONS – Key world powers trying to promote Mideast peace urged Israel and Hamas on Tuesday to immediately stop fighting in Gaza and southern Israel, the United Nations announced as international efforts to calm the conflict picked up pace. The Quartet of Mideast peacemakers — the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia — appealed "for an immediate cease-fire that would be fully respected," U.N. deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe said. The statement came four days after Israeli warplanes started bombing in Gaza, targeting Hamas-related installations and homes in an attempt to force a halt to militant rocket attacks...