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Russia, US accuse each other at UN Security Council meeting of sabotaging world order

Special Russia, US accuse each other at UN Security Council meeting of sabotaging world order
Russian FM Sergei Lavrov speaks to delegates as he chairs a meeting of the United Nations Security Council at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, US, July 16, 2024. (Reuters)
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Updated 17 July 2024

Russia, US accuse each other at UN Security Council meeting of sabotaging world order

Russia, US accuse each other at UN Security Council meeting of sabotaging world order
  • Russian foreign minister says US ‘has long, through the words of its presidents, declared its own exceptionalism’ and ‘demands unquestioning obedience’ from allies
  • US condemns Russia for hosting a meeting to discuss the ideals of the UN while ‘actively engaged in a war of aggression against its neighbor’

NEW YORK CITY: The very foundations of the international legal order, strategic stability and the UN-centric system of global politics are being put to the test, Russia’s minister of foreign affairs said on Tuesday.
It will be “impossible” to resolve the conflicts that are multiplying around the world without getting to their root causes and restoring faith in the ability of nations to join forces in pursuit of the common good and justice for all, he added.
Sergey Lavrov accused the US and its allies of impeding international cooperation and efforts to build “a more just world.”
He added: “They’re taking entire countries and regions as hostages (and) distracting from the necessary joint efforts to regulate conflicts in the Middle East, Africa and other regions, in reducing global inequality, eliminating terrorism, drug trafficking and famine.”
As he chaired a signature meeting of the Security Council, of which Russia holds the rotating presidency this month, Lavrov said: “Not all states represented in this room recognize the key principle of the UN charter of the sovereign equality of all states.
“The United States has long, through the words of its presidents, declared its own exceptionalism. This also ties to Washington’s attitude toward its allies, from whom it demands unquestioning obedience, even to the detriment of their national interests.
“Rule America: That is the essence of the notorious rule-based order, which is a direct threat to multilateralism and international law.”
The high-level open debate, attended by more than 50 states including Ƶ, the UAE and Kuwait, was titled “Multilateral cooperation in the interest of a more just, democratic and sustainable world order.”
Lavrov accused Western countries of interpreting the UN Charter in a “perverse and selective manner depending on what instructions are handed down from the White House.”
He added: “The sabotage of resolutions on the Middle East can be discussed endlessly. Everyone remembers the statement of the US permanent representative regarding the fact that Resolution 2728 of March 25, demanding an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, was not legally binding.
“In other words, these American rules are more important than Article 25 of the UN Charter.”
Quoting George Orwell’s allegorical novel “Animal Farm,” Lavrov said: “‘All animals are equal but some are more equal than others.’ If you fulfill and obey the will of the hegemon, you’re permitted to do anything you wish. But if you dare defend your national interests, you will be declared a pariah and sanctioned.
“Washington’s hegemonic policy has not changed for decades. Every Euro-Atlantic security arrangement, without exception, has been based on ensuring US dominance. This has included the subjugation of Europe and the containment of Russia.”
Lavrov accused NATO of subjugating the EU, and blamed the crisis in Ukraine — and what he described as the “coup d’etat” of 2014, referencing the protests in the country a decade ago that
culminated in the ousting of President Viktor Yanukovych after he rejected closer integration with the EU — on the “reckless expansion” of the military alliance.
He urged “all those genuinely interested in overcoming the Ukrainian crisis to take into account in their proposals the key issue of the rights of Russians and other national minorities. Silencing it devalues peace initiatives.”
Lavrov said that the West’s “illegal sanctions, multiple protection measures (and) restrictions in access to leading technologies are contrary to true multilateralism, and create serious obstacles to achieving the (UN’s) 2030 agenda” for sustainable development.
He accused Washington of “jettisoning” developing countries, the attributes of a free market economy, fair competition, the inviolability of the practice of private property, the presumption of innocence, and the free movement of people, goods and capital.
“Geopolitics have buried the once-sacred laws of the market for the West,” Lavrov added.
He called for reform of the multilateral system, including changes to the structure of the Security Council, in which he said “there’s a clear overrepresentation of the countries of the collective West,” to eliminate geographic imbalances and enhance the representation of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Lavrov also advocated changes to the staffing policy of the UN Secretariat, the organization’s executive branch, “to eliminate the overrepresentation of nationals of the West.” The UN secretary-general’s “staff must adhere strictly to the principles of impartiality and neutrality,” he added.
The US representative to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, responded by saying she thought she was “in the wrong room, because this seemed to be a session whining about the United States and the West and I hardly heard the word multilateralism mentioned.”
She accused Russia of eroding confidence in global institutions, and violating the core tenets of the UN Charter, including territorial integrity, respect for human rights, and international cooperation.
She criticized Moscow for hosting a meeting to discuss the ideals of the UN while “actively engaged in a war of aggression against its neighbor. A war that has weaponized food, worsening food insecurity not only for Ukrainians but for tens of millions of hungry people around the world.
“A war that has killed thousands of innocent people, including dozens just last week at a pediatric hospital in Kyiv. A war that has facilitated the unlawful transfer of thousands upon thousands of people from their homes, including children. And a war that has caused Moscow to resort to nuclear brinkmanship and to violate international sanctions obligations.”
Thomas-Greenfield conceded that the UN is not perfect, as it “reflects a deeply imperfect world, one filled with conflict and contradiction. We need an effective United Nations to tackle the kind of borderless challenges that affect us all.”
She said her country is committed to “modernizing and strengthening” the UN to better reflect the priorities of all member states, including developing countries. This commitment, she added, includes working with multilateral development banks to address the economic barriers to achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, and the championing of efforts to reform the Security Council itself, to ensure it incorporates geographically diverse perspectives, including permanent representation of the Global South.
She pledged US commitment to international treaties and conventions, including international humanitarian law and World Trade Organization rules “not, as my Russian counterpart might argue, to keep other nations down but rather to help them build up to ensure that everyone plays
by the rules, and that the rules are fair to everyone, including the developing nations that have for far too long been used and abused by Russia.”


Trump calls for MAGA base to end ‘Epstein Files’ obsession

Trump calls for MAGA base to end ‘Epstein Files’ obsession
Updated 53 min 39 sec ago

Trump calls for MAGA base to end ‘Epstein Files’ obsession

Trump calls for MAGA base to end ‘Epstein Files’ obsession
  • “Let’s...not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform
  • The “Epstein Files” were a hoax perpetrated by the Democratic Party for political gain, he told his MAGA supporters
  • Trump has denied allegations that he was named in the files or had any direct connection to the notorious sex offender

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump urged his political base on Saturday to stop attacking his administration over files related to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a case that has become an obsession for conspiracy theorists.
Trump’s Department of Justice and the FBI said in a memo made public last week there was no evidence that the disgraced financier kept a “client list” or was blackmailing powerful figures.
They also dismissed the claim that Epstein was murdered in jail, confirming his death by suicide at a New York prison in 2019, and said they would not be releasing any more information on the probe.
The move was met with incredulity by some on the US far-right — many of whom have backed Trump for years — and strident criticism of Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel.
“What’s going on with my ‘boys’ and, in some cases, ‘gals?’ They’re all going after Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is doing a FANTASTIC JOB!” Trump said Saturday in a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform.
“We’re on one Team, MAGA, and I don’t like what’s happening. We have a PERFECT Administration, THE TALK OF THE WORLD, and ‘selfish people’ are trying to hurt it, all over a guy who never dies, Jeffrey Epstein,” he added, referring to his “Make America Great Again” movement.

 

 

Many among the MAGA faithful have long contended that so-called “Deep State” actors were hiding information on Epstein’s elite associates.
“Next the DOJ will say ‘Actually, Jeffrey Epstein never even existed,’” furious pro-Trump conspiracy theorist Alex Jones tweeted after last week’s move. “This is over the top sickening.”
Far-right influencer Laura Loomer called for Trump to fire Bondi over the issue, labeling her “an embarrassment.”
But on Saturday, Trump came to the defense of his attorney general, suggesting that the so-called “Epstein Files” were a hoax perpetrated by the Democratic Party for political gain, without specifying what benefits they hoped to attain.

"Why are we giving publicity to Files written by Obama, Crooked Hillary, Comey, Brennan, and the Losers and Criminals of the Biden Administration...?” he said.

On Saturday, Trump struck an exasperated tone in his admonishment of his supporters.
“For years, it’s Epstein, over and over again,” he said. “Let’s...not waste Time and Energy on Jeffrey Epstein, somebody that nobody cares about.”

This undated trial evidence image obtained December 8, 2021, from the US District Court for the Southern District of New York shows British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell and US financier Jeffrey Epstein. (AFP)

The US president called for Patel and Bondi to instead focus on what he terms “The Rigged and Stolen Election of 2020,” which Trump lost to Joe Biden.
The Republican has repeatedly perpetuated unfounded conspiracy theories about his loss being due to fraud.
He called for the FBI to be allowed to focus on that investigation “instead of spending month after month looking at nothing but the same old, Radical Left inspired Documents on Jeffrey Epstein. LET PAM BONDI DO HER JOB — SHE’S GREAT!“
Trump, who appears in at least one decades-old video alongside Epstein at a party, has denied allegations that he was named in the files or had any direct connection to the financier.
“The conspiracy theories just aren’t true, never have been,” said FBI Director Patel on Saturday, hours before Trump’s social media post.
Not everyone, however, seemed to be on the same page.
US media reported that Dan Bongino — an influential right-wing podcast host whom Trump appointed FBI deputy director — had threatened to resign over the administration’s handling of the issue.


Nigeria says jailed 44 for terrorism financing

Nigeria says jailed 44 for terrorism financing
Updated 13 July 2025

Nigeria says jailed 44 for terrorism financing

Nigeria says jailed 44 for terrorism financing
  • Counterterrorism agency says it has now secured a total of 785 convictions involving terrorism-related offenses
  • Nigeria is listed as a “gray list country” by world monitors due to deficiencies in preventing money laundering and terrorism financing

 

KANO, Nigeria: Nigeria on Saturday slapped 44 Boko Haram jihadists with jail terms of up to 30 years for funding terrorist activities, a spokesman for a counterterrorism agency said.
The convicted were among 54 suspects arraigned in four specially-constituted civilian courts set up at a military base in the town of Kainji in central Niger state, Abu Michael, a spokesman for Nigeria’s counterterrorism center said in a statement.
On Wednesday, Nigeria resumed trials of the suspects seven years after it suspended prosecution of over 1,000 people suspected of ties with the jihadist group that has been waging an insurgency since 2009 to establish a caliphate.
“The verdicts delivered from the trials resulted in prison sentences ranging from 10 to 30 years, all to be served with hard labor,” Michael said.
“With the latest convictions, Nigeria has now secured a total of 785 cases involving terrorism financing and other terrorism-related offenses,” said the statement.
The trial of the remaining 10 cases was adjourned to a later date, he said.
Nigeria is listed as a “grey list country” by international monitors alongside South Sudan, South Africa, Monaco and Croatia due to deficiencies in preventing money laundering and terrorism financing.
The Nigerian military’s 16-year campaign to crush the jihadists in the northeast has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced around two million from their homes, according to the United Nations.
The violence has also spilt over into neighboring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
In October 2017, Nigeria began mass trials of the Islamist insurgents, more than eight years after the start of the violence.
That phase of the trials, which lasted five months, saw the convictions of 200 jihadist fighters with sentencing ranging from “death penalty and life imprisonment to prison terms of 20 to 70 years,” Michael said.
The offenses for the convictions included attacks on women and children, the destruction of religious sites, the killing of civilians, and the abduction of women and children.
Human rights groups accused the military of arbitrarily arresting thousands of civilians, with many being held for years without access to lawyers or being brought to court.
 


A look at the countries that received Trump’s tariff letters

A look at the countries that received Trump’s tariff letters
Updated 13 July 2025

A look at the countries that received Trump’s tariff letters

A look at the countries that received Trump’s tariff letters
  • Nearly every country has faced a minimum 10 percent levy on goods entering the US since April, on top of other levies on specific products like steel and automobiles. And future escalation is still possible

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump has sent letters this week outlining higher tariffs countries will face if they don’t make trade deals with the US by Aug. 1.
Some mirror the so-called “reciprocal” rates Trump unveiled against dozens of trading partners in April — the bulk of which were later postponed just hours after taking effect. But many are higher or lower than those previously announced amounts.
So far, Trump has warned the European Union and 24 nations, including major trading partners like South Korea and Japan, that steeper tariffs will be imposed starting Aug. 1.
Nearly all of these letters took the same general tone with the exception of Brazil, Canada, the EU and Mexico, which included more specifics about Trump’s issues with those countries.
Nearly every country has faced a minimum 10 percent levy on goods entering the US since April, on top of other levies on specific products like steel and automobiles. And future escalation is still possible. In his letters, which were posted on Truth Social, Trump warned countries that they would face even higher tariffs if they retaliated by increasing their own import taxes.
Here’s a look at the countries that have gotten tariff letters so far — and where things stand now:
Brazil
Tariff rate: 50 percent starting Aug. 1. Brazil wasn’t threatened with an elevated “reciprocal” rate in April — but, like other countries, has faced Trump’s 10 percent baseline over the last three months.
Key exports to the US: Petroleum, iron products, coffee and fruit juice.
Response: In a forceful response, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said Trump’s tariffs would trigger the country’s economic reciprocity law — which allows trade, investment and intellectual property agreements to be suspended against countries that harm Brazil’s competitiveness. He also noted that the US has had a trade surplus of more than $410 billion with Brazil over the past 15 years.
Myanmar
Tariff rate: 40 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 44 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Clothing, leather goods and seafood
Response: Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the spokesperson for Myanmar’s military government said it will follow up with negotiations.
Laos
Tariff rate: 40 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 48 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Shoes with textile uppers, wood furniture, electronic components and optical fiber
Cambodia
Tariff rate: 36 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 49 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Textiles, clothing, shoes and bicycles
Response: Cambodia’s chief negotiator, Sun Chanthol, said the country successfully got the tariff dropped from the 49 percent Trump announced in April to 36 percent and is ready to hold a new round of negotiations. He appealed to investors, especially factory owners, and the country’s nearly 1 million garment workers not to panic about the tariff rate announced Monday.
Thailand
Tariff rate: 36 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Computer parts, rubber products and gemstones
Response: Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said Thailand will continue to push for tariff negotiations with the United States. Thailand on Sunday submitted a new proposal that includes opening the Thai market for more American agricultural and industrial products and increasing imports of energy and aircraft.
Bangladesh
Tariff rate: 35 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 37 percent announced in April.
Key export to the US: Clothing
Response: Bangladesh’s finance adviser Salehuddin Ahmed said Bangladesh hopes to negotiate for a better outcome. There are concerns that additional tariffs would make Bangladesh’s garment exports less competitive with countries like Vietnam and India.
Canada
Tariff rate: 35 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 25 percent imposed earlier this year on goods that don’t comply with a North American trade agreement covering the US, Canada and Mexico. Some of Canada’s top exports to the US are subject to different industry-specific tariffs.
Key exports to the US: Oil and petroleum products, cars and trucks
Response: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney posted on X early Friday that the government will continue to work toward a trade deal by the new Aug. 1 deadline.
Serbia
Tariff rate: 35 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 37 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Software and IT services; car tires
Indonesia
Tariff rate: 32 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Palm oil, cocoa butter and semiconductors
Algeria
Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Petroleum, cement and iron products
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 35 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Weapons and ammunition
The European Union
Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 20 percent announced in April but less than the 50 percent Trump later threatened.
Key exports to the US: Pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments, and wine and spirits.
Iraq
Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 39 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Crude oil and petroleum products
Response: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the tariffs would disrupt essential supply chains “to the detriment of businesses, consumers and patients on both sides of the Atlantic.” She said the EU remains ready to continue working toward an agreement but will take necessary steps to safeguard EU interests, including countermeasures if required.
Libya
Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 31 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Petroleum products
Mexico
Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 25 percent imposed earlier this year on goods that don’t comply with the free trade agreement covering the US, Mexico and Canada. Some of Mexico’s top exports to the US are subject to other sector-specific tariffs.
Key exports to the US: Cars, motor vehicle parts and accessories, crude oil, delivery trucks, computers, agricultural products
South Africa
Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Platinum, diamonds, vehicles and auto parts
Response: The office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said in a statement that the tariff rates announced by Trump mischaracterized the trade relationship with the US, but it would “continue with its diplomatic efforts toward a more balanced and mutually beneficial trade relationship with the United States” after having proposed a trade framework on May 20.
Sri Lanka
Tariff rate: 30 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 44 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Clothing and rubber products
Brunei
Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 24 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Mineral fuels and machinery equipment
Moldova
Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 31 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Fruit juice, wine, clothing and plastic products
Japan
Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 24 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Autos, auto parts, electronic
Response: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the tariff “extremely regrettable” but said he was determined to continue negotiating.
Kazakhstan
Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 27 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Oil, uranium, ferroalloys and silver
Malaysia
Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s up from 24 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Electronics and electrical products
Response: Malaysia’s government said it will pursue talks with the US A cabinet meeting is scheduled for Wednesday.
South Korea
Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s the same rate that was announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Vehicles, machinery and electronics
Response: South Korea’s Trade Ministry said early Tuesday that it will accelerate negotiations with the United States to achieve a deal before the 25 percent tax goes into effect.
Tunisia
Tariff rate: 25 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 28 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Animal and vegetable fats, clothing, fruit and nuts
Philippines
Tariff rate: 20 percent starting Aug. 1. That’s down from 17 percent announced in April.
Key exports to the US: Electronics and machinery, clothing and gold

 


North Korean leader Kim reaffirms support for Russia on Ukraine, KCNA says

North Korean leader Kim reaffirms support for Russia on Ukraine, KCNA says
Updated 13 July 2025

North Korean leader Kim reaffirms support for Russia on Ukraine, KCNA says

North Korean leader Kim reaffirms support for Russia on Ukraine, KCNA says

SEOUL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un reaffirmed Pyongyang’s “unconditional support” for all actions taken by the Russian leadership to fundamentally resolve the Ukraine situation, the North’s state media reported on Sunday.
Kim made the comment during his meeting with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday, state news agency KCNA said.


Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the Upper Midwest when people want to be outside

Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the Upper Midwest when people want to be outside
Updated 13 July 2025

Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the Upper Midwest when people want to be outside

Unhealthy smoke from Canadian wildfires blankets the Upper Midwest when people want to be outside

BISMARCK, N.D.: Much of the Upper Midwest on Saturday was dealing with swaths of unhealthy air because of drifting smoke from Canadian wildfires, covering the northern region of the US at a time when people want to be enjoying lakes, trails and the great outdoors.
Most of Minnesota and parts of Montana, North Dakota and Wisconsin were ranked “unhealthy” for air quality on a US Environmental Protection Agency map. Part of North Dakota that is home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and other tourist attractions was ranked “very unhealthy,” some of the worst air quality in the nation.
In Minnesota, “If you have a nice pork loin you can hang from a tree, it’ll turn into ham,” quipped Al Chirpich, owner of the Hideaway Resort near Detroit Lakes, where people come to enjoy tree-lined Island Lake for fishing and other water activities.
Normally there would be boats and jet skis all over, but on Saturday he couldn’t see a boat on the lake, where the smoke impaired visibility and curtailed his camper business. None of his 18 RV sites was occupied. His seven rental cabins drew a handful of customers.
“I suspect when the weather clears, we’ll be swamped again. Fourth of July, I had probably 20 boats here lined up at my docks, and today my boat is the only one,” Chirpich said.
The conditions started Friday, dragging smoke from the Canadian wildfires down to the surface, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Jennifer Ritterling, in Grand Forks. Periods of bad air quality are expected to last through the weekend in the region, she said.
Limiting time outdoors, keeping windows closed and running air purifiers are good ideas for people with lung conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and even healthy people, Ritterling said.
“Our summers up here are fairly short and so everyone wants to get out and enjoy them, and it’s a little frustrating when there’s this smoke in the air,” she said.
Fires in Canada prompt state of emergency for some
All of Manitoba is under a state of emergency because of the wildfires, which have led to 12,600 people evacuating their homes in the province. The fires in the central Canadian province have burned over 3,861 square miles , the most land burned in 30 years of electronic record-keeping.
Under 1,000 people have evacuated their homes in Saskatchewan, where wildfires also continue to burn.
North Rim in Grand Canyon still closed
In Arizona, the North Rim in Grand Canyon National Park is still closed because of a 2.3 square-mile  wildfire and another fire nearby on Bureau of Land Management land that has burned nearly 17 square miles .
More than 200 firefighters and support personnel worked to halt the uncontained fire Saturday as it burned across a high-altitude plateau between the communities of Lonesome, White Sage and Jacob Lake.
In Colorado, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park remains closed because of a 4.4-square-mile  wildfire burning on the South Rim of the park, known for its dramatic, steep cliffs. A few miles from the fire, an evacuation was ordered for the community of Bostwick Park, and a nearby highway also was shut.
The fires in and near both national parks led to evacuations of hundreds of people.
Chirpich, the Minnesota resort owner, said he has plans to go to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park on Thursday and is “a bit pensive about how that’s going to be there.”
“I’m going to leave one smokehouse for another, I guess,” he said.