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UN says Ethiopia has no legal right to expel 7 UN officials

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations chief informed Ethiopia on Friday that it has no legal right to expel seven U.N. officials and warned that severe restrictions on desperately needed aid to the conflict-wracked Tigray region have created a humanitarian and human rights crisis that is “spiraling out of control.”

Tigray is facing a near-blockade by the government on deliveries of food, fuel and other humanitarian supplies, and children are reportedly dying of famine.

Guterres ‘shocked’ as Ethiopia expels 7 UN aid officials

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 01 (APP): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed “shock” after the Ethiopian government announced Thursday the expulsion of seven senior UN humanitarian officials working in the strife-torn country.

“In Ethiopia, the UN is delivering lifesaving aid, including food, medicine, water, and sanitation supplies, to people in desperate need,” the UN chief said in a statement. “I have full confidence in the UN staff who are in Ethiopia doing this work.”

Pakistan reaffirms commitment to UN Charter on its membership anniversary

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 01 (APP): Marking the 74th anniversary of Pakistan’s membership of the United Nations, Ambassador Munir Akram has said that Pakistan remains committed to the UN Charter, and would work towards enabling the world body achieve its full potential and promise.”


Pakistan joined the United Nations on 30 September 1947, just over a month after its independence.

U.N. Security Council to discuss Ethiopia expulsion of U.N. staff

NEW YORK, Oct 1 (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council will privately discuss on Friday a decision by Ethiopia to expel seven senior U.N. officials, diplomats said, as malnutrition rates rise and famine looms in the country's war-torn northern region of Tigray.

The United States, Britain, Ireland, Estonia, France and Norway, plan to raise the issue during a closed-door meeting of the 15-member body, but diplomats say any strong action is unlikely as Russia and China have long made clear they believe the conflict is an internal affair for Ethiopia.

UN chief 'shocked' by expulsion of UN officials from Ethiopia

30 Sep 2021; MEMO: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said today that he "was shocked" at the expulsion of seven senior UN officials by Ethiopia for "meddling in internal affairs", Anadolu Agency reports.

The UN chief said all UN humanitarian operations are guided by the core principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence.

USA: SpaceX’s Dragon cargo spacecraft undocks from ISS

NEW YORK, September 30. /TASS/: The SpaceX Dragon cargo spacecraft was undocked from the International Space Station Thursday, according to a live stream at the NASA website.

The spacecraft undocked at 09:12 Eastern Time [16:12 Moscow Time]. The spacecraft is expected to land in the Atlantic near Florida in less than 24 hours.

On August 30, the Dragon delivered various scientific equipment for scientific experiments to the ISS within the framework of SpaceX’s 23rd commercial resupply mission, including ophthalmological instruments.

‘Urgent’ international response needed in Myanmar after coup: UN Sec-Gen

UNITED NATIONS, Sept 30 (NNN-AGENCIES) — UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an “urgent” international response to the political crisis created in Myanmar by the Feb 1 military coup, in a new report released by the United Nations.

In the document on “the situation of human rights of Rohingya Muslims and other minorities in Myanmar,” the UN chief also said he feared that the military’s grip on power would become increasingly difficult to counter.

Pause in Israeli settlement activity in occupied Palestinian territory must become permanent -- UN envoy

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 29 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Tor Wennesland said Wednesday that the current pause in Israel's settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, must become permanent.

There were no new settlement housing plans advanced, approved or tendered between June 12 and Sept. 27, Wennesland told the Security Council in a briefing.

Syria constitution drafting committee to meet in October: UN envoy

29 Sep 2021; MEMO: Invitations have been issued for a sixth meeting of the committee charged with producing a new constitution for war-torn Syria, United Nations special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, said yesterday.

"We should all now expect the Constitutional Committee to begin to work seriously on a process of drafting – not just preparing – a constitutional reform," Pedersen told the Security Council.

Pakistan urges international regulatory framework to stop spread of disinformation

UNITED NATIONS, Sep 28 (APP): Pakistan Monday underscored the need for establishing a balance between freedom of expression and preventing disinformation, saying the international community must come together to build mechanisms to counter fake news.

“Pakistan is committed to counter disinformation,” Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister, Fawad Chaudhry told a side-event on ‘Promoting Transparency to Counter Disinformation and Build Trust’, held on the margins of the 76th session of United Nations General Assembly in New York.

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