United Nations

UN Solicits Government Plans to Cut Emissions

January 28, 2015

In preparation for a UN climate summit in Paris this year, the UN has called for countries to submit by the end of March 2015 their plans for cutting greenhouse gas emissions in order to counter global warming.
UN Chief Pushes Human Rights Link to Development

January 23, 2015

As part of the UN's pressure for recognition of nontraditional economic, social, and cultural rights, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for countries to seek to advance such rights, such as a social security "safety net," in pursuing development strategies around the world.
ICC Prosecutor Examines Israeli Conduct in Gaza Conflict

January 21, 2015

International Criminal Court ("ICC") Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda announced that she has opened a "preliminary examination" of the recent Gaza conflict to determine whether to open a full investigation of potential war crimes committed by Israel and other actors in the territory.
WHO Calls for Action on Noncommunicable Diseases

January 21, 2015

In a new report, the UN's World Health Organization ("WHO") has called for countries around the world to implement policies to combat noncommunicable diseases, including policies countering tobacco use, alcohol intake, and physical inactivity.
UN Creates New Role to Advance Climate Agenda

January 21, 2015

In its efforts to drive forward negotiations on a worldwide greenhouse gas emissions deal prior to a December climate conference in Paris, the UN has announced that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Janos Pasztor as its first-ever Assistant Secretary-General on Climate Change.
UN Somalia Funding Diverted from Intended Recipients

January 21, 2015

George Russell writes that UN investigators have found three nongovernmental organizations claiming to do relief work in Somalia on behalf of the UN diverted aid money into their own pockets, and potentially to a terrorist group, through fake invoices and false reporting.
UN Approves Palestine Bid to Join ICC

January 14, 2015

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has announced that the Palestinian Authority's application to join the International Criminal Court ("ICC") was successful and that the ICC's statute, which enables the court to investigate alleged Israeli war crimes in Gaza, will enter into force in Palestine in April 2015.
Article: U.S. Must Pressure UN on Palestine

January 14, 2015

Brett Schaefer and James Phillips of the Heritage Foundation write that the U.S. must maintain a strong line on UN funding in order to prevent the organization from derailing the Israel-Palestine peace process by accepting Palestine's claims of statehood.
UN Aid Office Subject to Control by North Korea Regime

January 14, 2015

George Russell reports that the UN Children's Fund ("UNICEF") office in North Korea is unable to monitor where a portion of its aid is sent in the country and has been forced to accept dozens of staff members from the regime of dictator Kim Jong Un.
Fund: Groups Use UNHRC as "Political Weapon"

January 07, 2015

John Fund writes that the attempt of nongovernmental organizations to use the UN Human Rights Council ("UNHRC") to criticize the government of Sri Lanka demonstrates how groups around the world have politicized the concept of human rights in order to attack their opponents.