#CHINA: Xi Unveils Plans To Restructure The World Order

[world politics news]

 

The White House has confirmed that U.S. President Joe Biden plans to meet later this year with his Japanese, Australian and Indian counterparts — a four-country grouping dubbed the “Quadrilateral Security Dialogue” or QUAD.

The announcement came just days after Chinese Communist Party General-Secretary Xi Jinping marked the centenary of the party with an incendiary oratory that was short on Marxism but long on nationalist promises “to build a new type of international relations.”

This is Xi’s doctrine of “the community of the common destiny of mankind” under future People’s Republic of China (PRC) global domination, which includes making irrelevant the current institutions that promote peace, prosperity and justice, such as the United Nations, World Trade Organization, G-20 and G-7.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#GERMANY: Law Gives Children A Voice In Decisions Affecting Them

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Last week, the German Bundestag (Federal Parliament) passed the law on the reform of youth protection in the media, presented by Federal Minister for Family Affairs Franziska Giffey. With the new regulations, the participation of children and young people, and thus one of the basic principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, is anchored in the legislative text for the first time.

Article 12, paragraph 1 of the UNCRC states that: “States Parties shall assure to the child who is capable of forming his or her own views the right to express those views freely in all matters affecting the child, the views of the child being given due weight in accordance with the age and maturity of the child.”

Children and young people will be represented in an advisory board that will be established at the new Federal Agency for the Protection of Minors in the Media, where they will also participate in the regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the law.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#THEPHILIPPINES: UN Human Rights Commission To Probe Duterte's Controversial Drug War

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The United Nations Human Rights Council approved a resolution seeking action into Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's "war on drugs" that critics say has killed over 27,000 over the last three years and say has turned police and citizens into vigilantes. The resolution calls for a "comprehensive report on the human rights situation" in the Philippines by June 2020, and asks Duterte to cooperate.

Speaking shortly before the resolution was approved, Duterte called the resolution “crazy” but said he would consider allowing UN staff into the country. "Let them state their purpose and I will review it," he said.

The Philippines' UN delegation called the resolution "ill-advised" and "politically motivated" and therefore it "can never be balanced." Members of the Council voted 18 in favor of, and 14 against, the resolution, which was submitted by Iceland and 27 other European countries on July 4. Fifteen other nations abstained from voting.

[FULL STORY HERE AND HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: UN Testimony By Singer/Activist Interrupted By Chinese Delegation

[world politics news]

China's delegation to the UN Human Rights Commission twice interrupted Hong Kong singer-activist Denise Ho's speech in Geneva, Switzerland, on behalf of UN Watch, protesting Hong Kong's bill enabling extradition of citizens to China and interference in democracy on the island.

"Will the UN convene an urgent session to protect the people of Hong Kong? Will it suspend China from this Council?" she asked.

Delegates from China interrupted her two times during her 90 second speech.

Read the [FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#IRELAND: Health Minister Seeks Legal Advice On Mandatory Vaccinations

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Minister for Health Simon Harris has sought the advice of Attorney General Seamus Woulfe on whether it is possible to make it mandatory for children to be vaccinated if they attend schools.

The request comes as a United Nations report warned that the number of measles cases in Ireland had increased more than three-fold and that millions of children worldwide are missing out on the measles vaccine.
[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BELGIUM: PM Michel Resigns Over Support For UN.Migration Pact After Violent Protests

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Prime Minister Charles Michel has resigned after losing a Socialist-led vote of no confidence amid a political crisis over the controversial UN migration pact. Michel told parliament he would take his offer to quit to the king. 

He was forced to reshuffle his government to avert its collapse after the New Flemish Alliance party pulled their support in protest over Belgium’s decision to adopt the United Nation’s Global Compact on Migration, a decision which sparked violent protests in the nation's capital.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BELGIUM: Coalition Partner Says It Will Not Support Gov't Signing UN Migration Accord; Gov't Insists It Will Still Sign It

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Charles Michel had promised to sign a new UN migration pact back in September, but that seemed in doubt this week after the Reform Movement Party's coalition partner, the New Flemish Alliance, expressed concerns about the proposal."We will not sign off on this text," said a spokesman for Theo Francken, secretary of state for asylum and migration, and prominent Alliance Party member.

The spokesman said the Global Pact for Migration is in conflict with the Belgian government’s own governing accords, established in 2014. Michel later reportedly "firmly" made known to his government partners that Belgium will sign the pact. Government officials argue that the pact is non-binding, but opponents disagree, saying it infringes on national sovereignty.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#POLAND: Gov't Announces It Will Not Sign UN Migration Pact; Joining Israel, US, Hungary, Others

[world politics news]

World Politics News reported on Oct. 22 that Poland would likely not sign the UN Global Migration Pact. Today the Polish government announced that indeed it will not sign the United Nations Global Compact for Migration. In doing so, Poland joins the United States, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Estonia and Austria.

In a statement released today, the government said: "The Polish government has decided that Poland will not support the Global Compact … neither in Marrakesh nor during the subsequent vote at the UN General Assembly." Earlier in the day, Israel refused to support this migration pact.

Pictured: Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#HONGKONG: Gov't Official Defends City-State's Human Rights Record After UN Panel's Criticism

[world politics news]

Hong Kong’s second-ranking government official defended the city’s human rights record at a United Nations review session – a response non-governmental organizations have criticized as “evasive and disappointing." Chief Secretary for Administration Matthew Cheung spoke at the Universal Periodic Review for China in Geneva.

At the three-hour long session, representatives from around 150 countries gave comments and recommendations on the human rights situation in China, Hong Kong and Macau. The group condemned the government’s “irresponsible, wholesale denial” of human rights problems in Hong Kong.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#FRANCE: UN Human Rights Panel Says 2010 Law Banning Full-Face Veils "Violated Human Rights"

[world politics news]

The UN Human Rights Committee criticized France's so-called burqa ban, saying the law violated the rights of two women who were fined for wearing full-face veils in public. The committee said the women should be compensated and their fines refunded for violating a 2010 law forbidding people from publicly wearing clothing that conceals their face. The committee, made up of independent experts, urging nations to stick to their human rights commitments, but it does not have enforcement powers. The  ruling is said to be reigniting the debate over religious clothing bans and balancing the need for security in European nations where they've been implemented. It also is raising issues of national sovereignty in Europe.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#THEPHILIPPINES: Pres. Says Nation's Re-Election To UN Human Rights Council Vindicates Controversial Drug War

[world politics news]

Granting the Philippines another three-year term on the UN. Human Rights Council has vindicated President Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown on drugs and shown his detractors to be "morally corrupt," senior officials said. Human rights activists say Duterte's "war" on drugs after taking office in June 2016 – since when the police have killed more than 4,800 people – made his government unfit for a seat at the body. But the Philippines was re-elected to the 47-seat council by secret ballot at the UN. General Assembly last Friday, winning 165 out of 193 votes, with one abstention.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#SPAIN: Gov't Announces Doubling Aid To UN Agency Helping Palestinians

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The Spanish government will double its humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, following the United States' decision to pull funds from the UN agency that allocates material assistance to five million Palestinians. The announcement came from Spanish Foreign Minister José Borrell at a press conference in Madrid with his Palestinian counterpart Riyad Maliki. Borrell said it is a, "symbolic gesture" because, "our contribution, going from one million to two million, is still very far from what the United States brought." Maliki said, "The United States have shown that they wish to be part of the problem, not the solution."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#JORDAN: Gov't Planning Regional Conference To Raise Support For UN Agency Offering Palestinian Refugees Relief

[world politics news]

Jordan is planning a regional conference with Arab and friendly countries to rally support for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The conference will seek to garner financial and political support for the agency, so it can continue its services to the Palestinian refugees. The conference will be co-chaired by Jordan, Sweden, Japan, the EU and Turkey, in its capacity as Chairman of the UNRWA advisory committee. The agency is currently facing a $200 million annual financial deficit.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#BURUNDI: Parliament Votes Overwhelmingly To Leave Int'l Criminal Court

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Burundi's parliament has voted overwhelmingly to withdraw from the International Criminal Court, a move no other country has taken despite complaints from Africa that the court disproportionately targets the continent. Only two lawmakers voted in favor of staying under the jurisdiction of the Dutch-based ICC, while 94 voted to leave. Pro-government lawmaker Gabriel Ntisezerana said the court was "a political tool used by powers to remove whoever they want from power on the African continent." It now moves to the upper house for approval.

#CANADA: MP's Seeking UN To Vote Against China Seat On Human Rights Council

[world politics news]

MPs from all major parties are calling for Canada to vote against major human rights abusers in their bid for seats on the UN Human Rights Council. The UN will vote Oct. 28 to select 14 countries for the 47-member Human Rights Council. Countries sit on the council for three years, with a crop of seats coming open every year. China, Cuba, Russia and Saudi Arabia all currently sit on the council and are all up for another term.

Pictured: The UN Human Rights Council, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland

[FULL STORY HERE]

#AUSTRALIA: Former PM Kevin Rudd Finding Opposition In His Quest For UN Top Job

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Former Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has taken the critical step of requesting Australian government support for his bid to become the next United Nations Secretary-general. He must receive approval from the cabinet. Political opponents are noting his "large ego" as an impediment to his candidacy.

#SWITZERLAND: UN To Renovate 1930s-Era Euro HQ With Help Of Swiss Loan

[world politics news]

The government is asking parliament to approve a loan of $440 million for renovation projects to refurbish the Palais des Nations, the European headquarters of the United Nations, which was built in the 1930s. The complex hosts about 10,000 UN employees, more than its official headquarters in New York. Renovations will be completed by 2023.

#FRANCE: At UN, Foreign Min. Demands That #Assad Leave Power

[world politics news]

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius has demanded that talks on Syria’s future yield assurances that Pres. Bashar al-Assad will leave power after the adoption of a resolution endorsing a peace process. The resolution calls for a ceasefire and peace talks to begin in early January, but does not address the issue of Assad’s future.

#NORWAY: Foreign Min. Votes "No" To "Polarizing" UN Resolution Banning Nuclear Weapons

[world politics news]

Despite pressure from opposition parties, Norway's foreign minister voted against a UN resolution stating that all nations should ban nuclear weapons. Foreign Minister Børge Brende told a newspaper that a ban on nuclear weapons violates the NATO Strategic Concept from 2010 that states that NATO will be a nuclear alliance as long as there are nuclear weapons. He also tweeted that the resolution was "unbalanced and polarizing."

#PALESTINIANAUTHORITY: Boycott of Israeli Goods Begins Over Withheld Tax Revenues

[world politics news]

The Palestinian Authority's Fatah Party is spearheading a boycott of Israeli goods in West Bank shops over Israel's ongoing tactic of withholding tax revenues from the PA. They took the action after the Palestinian government joined the UN's International Criminal Court, which could lead to indictments of Israeli soldiers.