United Nations

Obama Seeks to Bypass Congress with Climate Deal

August 29, 2014

The New York Times reports that because he would be unable to receive support for a legally binding climate treaty in the U.S. Congress, President Barack Obama will push for a deal in which an existing 1992 climate treaty is updated with "voluntary pledges," thus bypassing the need for ratification.
UN Body Warns of "Irreversible Impacts" of Global Warming

August 29, 2014

In a draft report, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which some argue has engaged in speculation and alarmism on global warming, says that unless action is taken quickly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, worldwide impacts of climate change could be "irreversible."
UN Rights Commissioner Compares Protest Response in U.S. to Apartheid

August 27, 2014

Arguing that scenes of Missouri police responding to protesters remind her of those in apartheid South Africa, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has called for respect of the right to protest and for an investigation into the "root causes" of racial discrimination in the U.S.
Report Indicates Lack of Oversight in UN Somali Operations

August 27, 2014

An audit of the UN Development Programme's operations in Somalia indicates that the agency failed to oversee the spending of millions of dollars in aid money to ensure that it was used for its intended purposes.
Waters: UN Is Growing Threat to Human Rights

August 27, 2014

Anne Marie Waters writes that in light of the UN's acceptance of a relative, society-specific approach to human rights and its "relentless pursuit" of Israel, the global body cannot advance human rights protection and in fact represents a threat to civil and political rights around the world.
ECLJ Seeks Explanation from UN on Hamas Rocket Storage

August 27, 2014

The European Centre for Law and Justice ("ECLJ") has sent a letter to the UN concerning possible violations of international law by the UN involved in the storage of rockets at its facilities in Gaza, as well as the return of these rockets to Hamas.
Report Reveals Lack of Funding Oversight in Gaza

August 27, 2014

George Russell has published an article highlighting a UN Development Programme internal audit revealing the possible misuse of development aid funds in Gaza.
Report to UN Calls for Redistribution for "Sustainable Development"

August 20, 2014

A report from the Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing to the UN General Assembly calls for a "reallocation" of $22 trillion in order to meet the finance needs of developing countries in achieving UN goals on sustainable development.
Bolton Calls for U.S. Defunding of UN Agencies

August 13, 2014

In response to statements from UN officials on Gaza and the actions of its agencies in the region, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton has called on the U.S. to pull out of the UN Human Rights Council and writes that the U.S. Congress should defund UN agencies that do not act in the country's interest.
AI Seeks Prosecutions for Israeli "War Crimes"

August 06, 2014

Amnesty International ("AI") has published a piece calling for the UN Human Rights Council to investigate alleged Israel missile strikes hitting schools and a power plant as "war crimes" and for the Council to ensure that those responsible are "brought to justice" for violating international law.