Latest world news

US withdraws from UN Human Rights Council, Supports Israel

Published

8 years ago

June 20, 2018

US withdraws from UN Human Rights Council, Supports Israel

Nikki Haley announces calling world body as “chronic bias against Israel”

Continuing isolationist moves the US administration has withdrawn from the Geneva based United Nations’ Human Rights Council accusing it of being a “chronic bias against Israel”. Washington’s move triggered criticism by human rights groups while several world leaders described it regrettable.

Nikki Haley, US ambassador to UN announced the decision to pull out of the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday. She said, “We take this step because our commitment does not allow us to remain a part of a hypocritical and self-serving organisation that makes a mockery of human rights.” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was standing beside her during the announcement.

Haley criticised Russia, China and Egypt for thwarting US efforts to reform the council. She did not spare even the countries which shared US values and encouraged Washington to remain but “were unwilling to seriously challenge the status quo.”

“Look at the council membership, and you see an appalling disrespect for the most basic rights,” she said Haley, citing Venezuela, China, Cuba and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

She also said the “disproportionate focus and unending hostility toward Israel is clear proof that the council is motivated by political bias, not by human rights.”

Reacting to the US decision, Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the UN high commissioner for human rights, called it “disappointing, if not really surprising”. He further said , “Given the state of human rights in today’s world, the US should be stepping up, not stepping back.”

The European Union said the move “risks undermining the role of the US as a champion and supporter of democracy on the world stage”, while British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called it “regrettable”.

It was appreciated by Israel, a major ally of the US, calling it a “courageous” move. The UN Human Rights Council voted last month to probe the killing of scores of Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip accusing Israel of excessive use of force.

The US exit from the 47-member Geneva-based body did not come as a shock, as Haley had talked about it almost from the moment she became the US ambassador to the UN in early 2017.

Commenting on the US Ambassador Nikki Haley’s announcement, Aljazeera’s Washington based reporter Rosiland Jordan said, “She was quite adamant at the time that the council held a very deep anti-Israel bias and that the US was going to try to root it out; otherwise it would leave the council.”

“But the primary reason why the US is pulling out of the council now is because of its efforts to reduce or eliminate of the unfair criticism, in the US’ view, of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians,” she added.

In their remarks, both Haley and Pompeo said the decision had been made after a long year of efforts to shame the council into reform.

On Monday, UNHRC’s chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein called on Washington to halt its child separation policy from their immigrant parents at the US-Mexico border. He said, “The thought that any state would seek to deter parents by inflicting such abuse on children is unconscionable.”

US President Donald Trump administration move of withdrawing from UNHRC is the latest US rejection of multilateral engagement after it pulled out of the Paris climate agreement and the Iran nuclear deal.

The US move has attracted criticism from a wide range of organisations at home and abroad. Jamil Dakwar, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s Human Rights Program, said Trump’s “misguided policy of isolationism only harms American interests.”

Human Rights First, Save the Children and CARE, had earlier warned Secretary of State Mike Pompeo that the US withdrawal would “make it more difficult to advance human rights priorities and aid victims of abuse around the world.”

The US’ move is unprecedented in the 12-year history of the council because no country has ever dropped out voluntarily. Libya’s membership was suspended in 2011 after Tripoli’s crackdown on protesters.

The council’s 47 members are elected by the UN’s General Assembly for a three-year period, and can only serve for two terms in a row. A specific number of seats are allocated for each region of the globe.

Washington is halfway through a three year term and Trump administration had long threatened to quit if it was not overhauled. Under President Barack Obama the US was elected to the UN human rights top body for the maximum two consecutive terms. After a year off, it was re-elected in 2016.

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Published

8 hours ago

September 26, 2026

APNLive Desk

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

Published

3 days ago

September 23, 2026

APNLive Desk

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.

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PM Modi’s Canada visit could help wrap trade talks, says Canada PM Mark Carney

Canadian PM Mark Carney said he is looking forward to hosting PM Narendra Modi, with both countries aiming to conclude their ongoing trade negotiations.

Published

3 days ago

September 23, 2026

APNLive Desk

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he is looking forward to hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as India and Canada continue efforts to advance their bilateral relationship and conclude ongoing trade negotiations.

The two countries have been working towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), with both sides previously setting a target to conclude the negotiations in 2026.

Carney and Modi have held discussions on strengthening economic ties between India and Canada, including trade and investment. Their engagement has gained momentum following Carney’s visit to India earlier this year.

India-Canada trade talks

India and Canada formally resumed efforts towards a broader trade agreement after a period of strained bilateral ties. The two sides have committed to advancing negotiations on a CEPA covering their economic relationship.

In June, Carney and Modi reviewed progress in bilateral economic cooperation during their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France. They expressed satisfaction with the progress in CEPA negotiations and reaffirmed their shared objective of concluding the talks in 2026.

During Carney’s visit to India in March, the two leaders had also agreed to accelerate negotiations on the CEPA and work towards finalising the agreement during 2026.

Modi’s proposed Canada visit

Carney had invited PM Modi to visit Canada in 2026, and the two leaders agreed to remain engaged through diplomatic channels to work towards a mutually convenient date for the visit.

The proposed visit comes as New Delhi and Ottawa seek to build on renewed diplomatic and economic engagement, with trade negotiations remaining a key part of the relationship.

The focus on completing the trade talks comes as both countries look to expand commercial ties and establish a broader economic framework through the proposed CEPA.