UN Human Rights Chief Al-Hussein Makes Final Public Address | Al Jazeera English

Outgoing UN Human Rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein has made his final address in Geneva. The outspoken Jordanian royal was the first Muslim to lead the UN human rights body. Al-Hussein chose not to seek a second term because of frustration with the ineffective UN Security Council. Al Jazeera's Charlotte Bellis reports.

Blistering UN Report: Trump Administration’s Policies Designed to Worsen Poverty & Inequality

A group of top Democrats are demanding the Trump administration present a plan to Congress to address growing poverty in the United States, following an excoriating report by the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty, Philip Alston. Alston slammed the Trump administration’s policies for worsening the state of poverty in the United States. The report details how 40 million Americans live in poverty, and 18.5 million Americans live in extreme poverty. It also details how the United States has the highest rate of income inequality among Western countries and one of the lowest rates of intergenerational social mobility. We speak with Philip Alston, the U.N. special rapporteur on extreme poverty. He will be presenting his report next week in Geneva.

A Challenge to Saudi's War on Yemen?

The United Nations has overcome Saudi Arabian opposition to establish a human rights probe of the war on Yemen, just as Congressmembers seek a debate over the critical US military role

US - At United Nations, Rouhani Defends Iran Nuclear Deal against 'Rogue Newcomers'

Switzerland: 'Demonisation of the Press Is Poisonous' - UN Human Rights Official on Trump

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein, commented on US President Donald Trump's recent comments about the press at a rally in Phoenix, Arizona at a press conference in Geneva on Wednesday.

"The president prides himself as a taboo breaker. Indeed, his supporters see him as such, but at the time I expressed my feeling that this was grossly irresponsible because it has consequences, it emboldens those who may think similarly to sharpen their assaults" he said.


WIKI: Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad »

Russia's UN Ambassador Dies at Age 64

John Hannah reacts to the death and latest leaks

Pat Condell about the UN and Israel

Israeli Ambassador: Settlements Not Root Of Conflict | Morning Joe | MSNBC

Israeli Ambassador to U.S., Ron Dermer, says that settlements aren't the root of the current conflict and that Israel will work with incoming WH to undo damage of U.N. resolution.

Kerry: Two-state Solution Only Way for Peace between Israelis & Palestinians, Now in Jeopardy

US Secretary of State John Kerry is speaking on vision for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

Israel Claims It Has Clear Proof Obama Pushed UN Settlement Vote

Tel Aviv says it has solid proof that the Obama administration was behind a UN Security Council resolution, calling for an end to Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories.

Israel Cuts Working Ties With 12 Nations

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has temporarily scaled back relations with the nations who voted for the UN resolution to end construction of Israeli settlements in the West Bank. CNN's Elise Labott reports.

Inside Story - How's Israel Dealing with Fallout of UN Vote?

For years, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been forced to walk a thin line. Hardline conservatives within the country, and even within the governing coalition, want Netanyahu to dismiss the idea of a Palestinian state altogether.

Inside Story - Egypt Pulls Plug on UN Vote on Israeli Settlements

Cairo comes under pressure from US president-elect Donald Trump and Israel to withdraw resolution. Presenter: Sohail Rahman. Guests: Mustafa Barghouti, Timothy Kaldas, Oded Revivi

Inside the UN's Anti-Capitalist WHO Tobacco Conference in Delhi

Faith Goldy of TheRebel.media is in Delhi, India, reporting on the World Health Organization's meeting ostensbily about "tobacco control" but really about giving more power to unelected "busybodies," and raising your taxes.

Brigitte Gabriel Keynote Speaker at United Nations

Theresa May's Proposed Spying Law Is 'Worse Than Scary' United Nations Says

THE INDEPENDENT: The draft Investigatory Powers Bill would give the Government sweeping new spying powers

Theresa May’s proposed surveillance and spying laws are “worse than scary”, the United Nations’ privacy chief has said.

Joseph Cannataci, the UN's special rapporteur on privacy, said the draft Investigatory Powers Bill heralded a “golden age of surveillance” unlike any that had come before.

The draft law, published by the Home Secretary earlier this month, would require internet companies to hand over any and all of their users’ communications as required by authorities.

Other provisions in the bill require the visited websites of all users to be stored on record for a year.

Technical experts have said that the proposed rules on intercepting communications could lead to some services like WhatsApp and iMessage to be de-facto banned because their secure encryption makes it impossible for their host companies to read users’ messages. Read on and comment » | Jon Stone | Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Arab Nations Ask UN to Designate Western Wall as Muslim Territory

FOX NEWS: False rumors about Israel's designs on a site held sacred by both Jews and Muslims helped trigger the bloody wave of attacks plaguing Jerusalem, but a tangible plan by six Arab nations to purge the Jewish State's claim to its holiest location will be voted on Wednesday by the United Nations' cultural arm.

A UN draft decision circulated by Algeria, Egypt, Kuwait, Morocco, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates reviewed by FoxNews.com “affirms that the Buraq Plaza is an integral part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque” – a statement that would specifically fold the Jewish Western Wall into Islamic domain on the Temple Mount.

“This is a clear endeavor to distort history, in order to erase the connection between the Jewish People and its holiest site, and to create a false reality,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a Monday statement. » | Cody Derespina | Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Saudi Arabia Insists UN Keeps LGBT Rights Out of Its Development Goals

THE INDEPENDENT: The Saudi Foreign Minister says LGBT rights are 'counter to Islamic law'

Saudi Arabia is insisting the UN removes gay rights from the organisation’s Global Goals, saying it is “counter to Islamic law”.

The protest comes from the Saudi Foreign Minister, Adel Al-Jubeir, who told the UN General Assembly that “mentioning sex in the text, to us, means exactly male and female. Mentioning family means consisting of a married man and woman,” AP reported.

He stated Saudi Arabia has the right not to follow any agenda that runs “counter to Islamic law”.

The Sustainable Development Goals program sets a series of “ambitious targets” for the UN’s 193 member states, related to poverty, equality and ending climate change.

However, overt references to LGBT equality were removed from the final agreement, Pink News reports.

The goals pledge to ensure that “human rights and fundamental freedoms are enjoyed by all, without discrimination on grounds of race, ethnicity, colour, sex, age, language, religion, culture, migration status, political or other opinion, national or social origin, economic situation, birth, disability or other status.”

Homosexuality is illegal under Sharia law in Saudi Arabia and punishments for those engaging in same-sex relationships include execution, chemical castration and imprisonment. » | Samuel Osborne | Tuesday, September 29, 2015

'Migration of Peoples Underway: Rising Africa, Declining Europe'

The UN has strongly criticised Europe's handling of the growing migrant crisis, calling it ineffective. The numbers of desperate migrants heading to Europe has surged ... and, so far, EU leaders have been unable to present a plan to tackle the crisis. Hugh Bronson, vice chairman of the Berlin branch of the Alternative for Germany party, says Germany is simply not ready to cope with increasing influx of migrants.

Islamic State Has Killed At Least 30 People for Sodomy, UN Told

THE GUARDIAN: US ambassador tells security council meeting it is ‘about time’ the issue of violence and discrimination towards LGBT people is highlighted

Islamic State has claimed responsibility for killing at least 30 people for sodomy, the head of an international gay rights organisation has told the first UN security council meeting in New York to focus on violence and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

“It’s about time, 70 years after the creation of the UN, that the fate of LGBT persons who fear for their lives around the world is taking centre stage,” said the US ambassador, Samantha Power, who organised the meeting with Chile’s UN envoy. “This represents a small but historic step.”

Diplomats said two of the 15 council members, Chad and Angola, had not attended the informal closed meeting. » | Associated Press in New York | Tuesday, August 25, 2015