Widespread Criticism Follows Saudi Arabia Joining U.N. Women's Rights Group

So one of the most repressive regimes in the world has somehow managed to get a spot in... wait for it... the UN committee on women's rights. Just let this sink in for a few seconds. Saudi Arabia will be supervising women's rights in the world. Oh, and by the way a few ( Read more... )

The best place to become witness of the gradual dismantling of the post-WW2 "world order" might well be the UN Security Council. If you are ever let in, of course - which is not going to happen. The sophisticated "public" sessions of that institution are mostly a smoke scren for the real dealings that as a rule happen behind closed doors.

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The World Bank’s action plan responding to an internal review on the bank’s resettlement practices does not address the serious failings the review found, 85 non-governmental organizations and independent experts from 37 countries said today in a letter to the World Bank president, Jim Yong Kim. (source)

World Bank breaks its own rules as millions ( Read more... )

The world probably just got its best New Year's present in many decades, it seems...

UN officials hail entry into force of landmark global arms trade treaty

"United Nations officials are welcoming the entry into force of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), hailing it as a new chapter in collective efforts to bring responsibility, accountability and ( Read more... )

In just 24 hours Saudi Arabia managed to do two unprecedented things. First, on October 17 the country was selected to be one of the ten temporary members of the UN Security Council for the first time in its history. Later, on October 18 it became the first country in history to decline that very same position.

And all this, given the fact that ( Read more... )

When I was a wee lass I heard tell of a nefarious organization of rabid right wing political activism named after some sort of toilet tree. At least that is the kind of association that a child's mind makes when she hears the words john and birch mentioned by adults. The John Birchers earned a reputation similar to the Satan worshipers portrayed ( Read more... )

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Before overwhelming the US east coast, the biggest Atlantic storm for 2012 swept through parts of the Caribbean where it killed almost 80 people, destroyed local infrastructure and demolished thousands of homes. In the north-eastern US states, Sandy was downgraded from a hurricane to a super-storm status, but even so it claimed 100 lives, ruined ( Read more... )

"At long last, the international community has signed the act that paves the way to a Palestinian state - and long overdue". This is how Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas commented on the UN vote from last month, where the Palestinian autonomy was upgraded to "observer" status. Still not a full member, but definitely a progress. Israel, of course ( Read more... )