UN launches search for next secretary-general as first straw poll puts Grynspan ahead
The United Nations has begun the process of choosing its next secretary-general, opening a succession race that will determine who follows Antonio Guterres after a decade in office. The first informal Security Council straw poll has placed former Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan in the lead, while several other candidates remain in contention. The vote marks the first clear procedural step in a contest that is expected to continue for weeks or longer.In the non-binding poll held by the 15-member Security Council, Grynspan received 10 votes to encourage her candidacy. Former Guyanese Foreign Minister Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett received nine... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 30 Jul 2026 23:00 LONDON
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Netanyahu says Israeli special forces would respond to any ICC arrest attempt as New York trip stands
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israeli special forces would be ready if anyone tried to arrest him under an International Criminal Court warrant, sharpening his response to renewed calls for his detention. He also confirmed that he still plans to travel to New York in September for the United Nations General Assembly. The remarks came in an interview after his meeting with US President Donald Trump at the White House.Netanyahu said he had considered the possibility of an emergency landing in a country that recognises the ICC and could try to enforce the warrant. Asked about the risk,... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 30 Jul 2026 15:29 LONDON
India condemns attacks on vessels in Strait of Hormuz as casualties reported
India has expressed deep concern over renewed violence in West Asia and condemned recent attacks on maritime vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking at a United Nations Security Council open debate on the Middle East, India's Permanent Representative, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, called for immediate de-escalation of tensions. He said the resumption of attacks after a brief pause was deeply concerning and urged the restoration of unimpeded navigation and trade through international waterways.Harish said India strongly condemned attacks on several vessels, including GFS Galaxy, MT Al Bahiyah and MT Mombasa, which were struck during transit through the Strait of Hormuz... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 29 Jul 2026 05:29 LONDON
US delegation walks out again at UN Security Council amid row with France over rights rhetoric
The United States delegation walked out of a United Nations Security Council meeting in New York on Monday while France's ambassador was speaking, extending a public dispute that began over a vote on the UN human rights chief's term. The latest protest took place during an emergency council session on Russia's war in Ukraine. It followed a weekend exchange in which France criticised Washington's position on human rights voting.The immediate trigger was the US decision to join North Korea and Russia in voting against extending Volker Turk's term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. France's UN mission compared the... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 28 Jul 2026 13:02 LONDON
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Iran publicly executes two Isfahan protesters despite UN calls to stop
Iran has publicly executed two protesters from Isfahan, in a move that adds to mounting concern over the country's treatment of dissent. The executions were carried out on 28 July 2026, according to the supplied report, and were described as taking place despite calls from the United Nations to halt them. The case is being presented as a fresh and severe escalation in Iran's domestic crackdown.The two men were identified in the report as protesters from Isfahan, a major city in central Iran. No further details were provided in the supplied material about the charges, the court process, or the... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 28 Jul 2026 10:30 LONDON
UN condemns Israel's planned West Bank settlement expansion amid escalating violence
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned Israeli plans to accelerate settlement development in the occupied West Bank, saying the settlements have "no legal validity" and amount to a "flagrant violation" of international law. His statement comes as violence in the territory continues to rise and as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government will move to legalise farm outposts and establish new ones. The remarks add a fresh diplomatic layer to an already volatile situation in the West Bank.Guterres said the settlements remain a major obstacle to a two-state solution and to a "just, lasting and comprehensive peace"... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 27 Jul 2026 23:05 LONDON
Netanyahu says he will still attend UN General Assembly amid Mamdani dispute
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he still plans to travel to New York in September for the United Nations General Assembly, despite a dispute with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani over whether he could be arrested if he arrives. Netanyahu said he was not concerned about the prospect of legal action and accused Mamdani of spreading rhetoric that makes Jews feel unsafe in the city. The comments were made in an interview broadcast on Sunday.The row centres on an International Criminal Court warrant issued in 2024 that accuses Netanyahu of alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 27 Jul 2026 15:33 LONDON
Israel launches new military incursion into southwestern Syria amid UN condemnation
Israeli forces have reportedly advanced toward villages in southwestern Syria in a new cross-border incursion that has drawn condemnation from the United Nations. According to Syria's state news agency, soldiers moved toward the area on Sunday, set up a checkpoint at Al-Ardah and dropped leaflets warning residents not to obstruct Israeli vehicles. Shelling was also heard nearby, adding to the sense of tension along the frontier.The reported operation came as United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was visiting Syria. He condemned what he described as persistent violations of Syria's sovereignty and said breaches of the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement were... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 26 Jul 2026 19:00 LONDON
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Guterres arrives in Syria for first official UN chief visit in 17 years
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Syria for the first official visit by a serving UN chief in 17 years. He landed at Damascus international airport on Saturday morning and was met by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, according to the Syrian state news agency. The trip is being treated as a diplomatic milestone after Syria's political transition in 2024.During the visit, Guterres is due to meet President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who was under UN Security Council sanctions until last year, as well as al-Shaibani, other government officials and representatives of Syrian civil society. The UN chief is also expected... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 25 Jul 2026 09:00 LONDON
Volker Turk wins second UN human rights chief term after 144-10 vote
UN member states have voted to reappoint Volker Turk for a second four-year term as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. The vote on Friday was 144 in favour, 10 against, with 13 abstentions, despite opposition from the United States, Israel, Russia, North Korea and six other countries. Turk's current term was due to expire on October 11, but he will now remain in post for another four years.The Austrian lawyer said he was deeply grateful to be re-elected. In a social media post, he said human rights are the antidote to today's turbulence and defeatism, and pledged... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 25 Jul 2026 01:30 LONDON
Venezuela announces withdrawal from the International Criminal Court over bias claim
Venezuela has informed the United Nations that it will withdraw from the International Criminal Court, accusing the tribunal of bias against countries in the Global South. The announcement was made on Friday by Foreign Minister Felix Plasencia in a social media post, and he said the decision was ordered by interim President Delcy Rodriguez. The move marks a formal break with the court after months of political and legal friction.Plasencia said Venezuela considers the court's actions to show a "demonstrated geographical bias" that has concentrated its work on African and Latin American countries. He argued that this pattern has been... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 24 Jul 2026 22:02 LONDON
ICC member states vote to remove Karim Khan after misconduct finding
Member states of the International Criminal Court have voted to remove chief prosecutor Karim Khan after a misconduct investigation and an earlier suspension from duty. The decision was taken in New York at United Nations headquarters, where the court's member states were meeting, and it marks a major leadership change at the world's permanent war-crimes tribunal. According to the confirmed vote count, 82 members backed his removal.The court's oversight body found in June that Khan had committed a serious breach of duty and serious misconduct, saying he had engaged in an improper sexual relationship with a junior ICC staff member... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 24 Jul 2026 21:01 LONDON
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