United Nations

President Joe Biden has left open the possibility of extending the ongoing evacuation beyond August 31, the date he previously set to end the US military mission in Afghanistan, Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday. Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen, however, made clear in an interview with Sky News that such extension would be unacceptable. At a White House briefing on Monday, Sullivan told reporters that the US has been consulting with allies and the Taliban on the evacuation issues.

As the Taliban engaged in fierce clashes with Afghan security forces in Herat on July 30, the UN's main compound in the city came under attack by rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire, according to the UNAMA. "So-called 'anti-Government elements' targeted entrances of the clearly marked UN facility with rocket-propelled grenades and gunfire just hours after Taliban fighters penetrated Herat city and clashed with Afghan security forces near UNAMA's provincial headquarters," the mission added.

"Today, as we reflect on the suffering of all victims and survivors of grave crimes, I encourage all states to ratify the Rome Statute, and call on the international community to drive forward efforts to achieve accountability and justice for all," he said on Saturday on the Day of International Criminal Justice,. The UN is also deeply involved in assisting member states to better address impunity at the national level..

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on July 2 issued new guidance related to the next phase of returning to work at the headquarters, which has been closely guided by the authorities in New York State, Stephane Dujarric, the UN chief's spokesman, said on Tuesday. Daily occupancy limits have now been lifted and all personnel who have been working remotely are expected to return to the workplace.

The 76th session of the UNGA will open on September 14 and continue till September 30. In the run up to the UNGA, Indian listening posts have come across messaging to ensure negative publicity about Kashmir and also proliferate it in the international media. A process is already on to ramp up negative sentiments by Pakistan as #KashmirRejectsModiAPC is trending on Twitter.

"As a European, I'm particularly proud with the contribution that I consider the most important contribution of Europe to global civilization -- and that is in my opinion, the Enlightenment, the values of the Enlightenment. The primacy of reason, tolerance," Guterres said at a press conference with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Xinhua reported.

As the Assembly failed year after to make headway on the reform process, the intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) have been quietly bumped to the next session's agenda, but this time on Tuesday the G4 prevailed in bringing the issue to the open for a discussion and have the decision amended to reflect the call of world leaders to reinvigorate the reform process.

"He has proven worthy of the post," Council President Sven Jurgenson said while announcing the decision after a brief closed-door meeting of the UN body which effectively has the final say on the appointment. The recommendation for another five-year term will now go to the 193-member General Assembly for a formal vote. India, which is a non-permanent member of the Security Council, supports Guterres's re-election.

Kicking off the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the UN chief said on Friday that the planet was rapidly reaching a "point of no return", cutting down forests, polluting rivers and oceans, and ploughing grasslands "into oblivion", reports Xinhua news agency "We are ravaging the very ecosystems that underpin our societies," he warned.

The resolution was adopted with 24 countries voting in favour of the motion while 9 votings against it. India was amongst the 14 countries that abstained. The resolution was denounced by the Israeli authorities who called it an attempt to “whitewash crimes committed by the terror”. The Israel foreign ministry immediately said that it was not going to cooperate with the probe.