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UN approves resolution condemning Holocaust denial

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly approved an Israeli-sponsored resolution Thursday condemning any denial of the Holocaust and urging all nations and social media companies “to take active measures to combat antisemitism and Holocaust denial or distortion.”

The 193-member world body approved the resolution by consensus -- without a vote -- and with a bang of a gavel by Assembly President Abdulla Shahid. Israel’s No. 1 enemy, Iran, “disassociated” itself from the resolution.

UN rights chief calls for strategies to ensure women's participation in peace processes

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday called for strategies and investment to ensure women's full and meaningful participation in peace processes.

Between 1992 and 2019, only 13 percent of negotiators, 6 percent of mediators and 6 percent of signatories in major peace processes worldwide were women, she said.

USA: Man accused of fatal subway shove arraigned on murder charge

NEW YORK (AP) — The man accused of pushing a woman to her death in a New York City subway station was arraigned on a murder charge Wednesday and ordered held without bail.

Simon Martial, 61, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of Michelle Alyssa Go, who was shoved in front of a subway train in the Times Square station on Saturday.

A mental fitness exam was ordered for Martial, who authorities said was on parole for a prior felony conviction at the time of the attack. His next court date is Feb. 23.

USA: New York AG says Trump’s company misled banks, tax officials

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York attorney general’s office late Tuesday told a court its investigators had uncovered evidence that former President Donald Trump’s company used “fraudulent or misleading” asset valuations to get loans and tax benefits.

The court filing said state authorities haven’t yet decided whether to bring a civil lawsuit in connection with the allegations, but that investigators need to question Trump and his two eldest children as part of the probe.

Trump and his lawyers say the investigation is politically motivated.

Pakistan calls for Group of 77’s ‘concerted’ response to multiple challenges facing developing countries

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 18 (APP): Pakistan Tuesday called for “coherent and concerted” response to the “daunting” challenges the Group of 77 (developing countries) are facing to ensure that “none of us is left behind”.

“Our responsibility today to address the multiple challenges facing our countries is daunting,” Ambassador Munir Akram, who is the chairman of the the key group for 2022, told its first ambassadorial meeting.

USA: Oil hit 7-year highs as tight supply bites

NEW YORK, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Oil prices on Tuesday climbed to their highest since 2014 as possible supply disruption after attacks in the Middle East added to an already tight supply outlook.

Brent crude futures rose 35 cents, or 0.4%, to $86.83 a barrelby 1:36 p.m. EST (1836 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 88 cents, or 1.1%, to $84.70 a barrel.

During the session, both benchmarks touched their highest since October 2014 with Brent at $88.13 and WTI at $85.74.

U.S. braces for harsh weeks as Omicron surge has not yet peaked: Surgeon General

NEW YORK, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- The United States is bracing for "tough weeks" ahead in many parts of the country as the Omicron surge has not yet peaked, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has warned.

In an interview with CNN, Murthy spoke of the good news of the plateaus and drops in known cases in the Northeast, especially in New York City and New Jersey, while noting that challenges remain ahead, The New York Times reported on Sunday.

USA: Former AG William Barr’s memoir to be published March 8

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Attorney General William P. Barr has a memoir coming out March 8 titled “One Damn Thing After Another,” and billed by his publisher as a “vivid and forthright book” of his time serving two “drastically different” presidents, Donald Trump and George H.W. Bush.

USA: Bitcoin investors dig in for long haul in 'staggering' shift

Jan 17 (Reuters) - As bitcoin heads into 2022, a growing cohort of long-term investors is doubling down on its stashes of the cryptocurrency, hoping a December dip was merely a festive blip.

Some industry watchers point to the underlying stability of such long-term investments as potentially promising indicators for the capricious cryptocurrency.

Since last July, for example, the amount of bitcoin held in digital wallets with no outflows for more than five months has been steadily increasing, according to digital currency brokerage Genesis Trading.

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