International
UN high-level meet and proof of vaccination explained
AFP
The high-level 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly gets underway next week amid confusion about whether all delegates, including world leaders, have to be vaccinated against Covid-19 to attend.
Here, AFP answers the key questions surrounding the snafu, which started when New York issued a vaccine directive that the assembly initially supported, before reversing course after complaints from members.
– Where are we now? –
It appears delegates will not have to show proof of vaccination to enter the UN headquarters but they should have their vaccine cards ready if they want to eat or drink in any of New York’s many bars and restaurants.
The Big Apple began enforcing a vaccine mandate on Monday, requiring proof of at least one shot for many indoor activities, including dining, entertainment venues and gyms.
But UN officials say the city’s jurisdiction does not extend to the UN headquarters itself.
The United States does not require proof of vaccination to enter the country, only negative tests from some countries, so there is no enforcement at airports.
– How did this all start? –
In a letter dated September 9, the city government told the General Assembly president that “all persons” entering the UN headquarters for the purposes of attending the debate in the main hall would have to show proof of vaccination.
The mayor’s office cited its local vaccine mandate law and said the UN debate hall was classified as a “convention center,” meaning all attendees must be vaccinated.
“They must also show proof of vaccination prior to dining, drinking or exercising indoors on the UN campus, and in order to partake in all of New York City’s wonderful entertainment, dining and fitness activities,” it said.
– What was the UN’s response? –
On September 14, assembly president Abdulla Shahid of the Maldives wrote to members saying he “strongly supported” the proof of vaccination requirement laid out by the city authorities.
That was met with a quick backlash, led by Russia’s ambassador to the UN, who disputed that New York had the authority to enforce the mandate.
Vassily Nebenzia wrote to Shahid on September 15, saying the agreement between the United States and the UN about the headquarters prohibited US actors from regulating the running of the world body.
He added that preventing delegates to access the hall was a “clear violation of the UN charter” and that the directive failed to take into account the “rights of people who have received vaccines that are not approved by the CDC.”
Russia’s Sputnik V has not received approval from the World Health Organization, meaning it is not recognized in New York.
– Then what happened? –
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he no authority to issue a vaccine mandate for entry into the high-level dialogue.
But all public-facing UN staff are subject to a vaccine mandate, his spokesman added.
“Member states will have to come to a resolution amongst themselves,” his spokesman said Thursday.
That day, Shahid wrote to member states again, this time assuring them that entry to the UN headquarters for the debate will be based on an “honor system” regarding their vaccination status.
The city will host a vaccine pop-up site outside UN HQ next week to try to tempt anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated with a single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
International
Wildfires in France Burn Nearly Three Times More Land Than in 2025, Interior Minister Says
More than 50,000 hectares of land have been destroyed by wildfires across France since the beginning of the year, nearly three times the area affected during the same period in 2025, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said Friday in an interview with AFP.
Emergency crews are currently battling several major fires, including one near the popular Cap Ferret peninsula, where flames have already consumed more than 10,000 hectares, making it the largest wildfire of the season so far, according to the minister.
“Currently, we have 32 fires underway, which obviously do not all have the same level of importance,” Nuñez said.
“We have exceeded the threshold of 50,000 hectares burned since January 1 of this year. It is practically three times more than during the same period last year,” he added.
Despite the extensive resources deployed and the long hours worked by emergency teams — estimated to be two and a half times higher than last year — Nuñez said authorities remain “calm” and “determined” to contain the situation.
The minister acknowledged that the main concern is the fatigue affecting firefighters and emergency personnel who have been working under demanding conditions.
“The concern, if there has to be one, obviously lies in the state of exhaustion of the men and women who are committed. We have to hold on throughout the entire season,” Nuñez said.
France’s late spring and early summer have been marked by repeated periods of extreme heat, conditions linked by scientists to climate change and considered a major factor contributing to the increase in wildfire activity across the country.
International
Israel Says Saudi Recognition Would Mark ‘Historic Breakthrough’ for Middle East Peace
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Saudi Arabia’s recognition of Israel would represent a “historic breakthrough” toward achieving peace in the Middle East.
The statement came after the United States and Saudi Arabia announced an agreement on Wednesday to establish a civil nuclear program in the kingdom. U.S. President Donald Trump said the initiative would be linked to Riyadh’s decision to normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.
“Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords would represent a historic breakthrough toward peace in the Middle East,” Netanyahu’s office said following Trump’s announcement.
The statement added that recent developments, including joint military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran, as well as Israel’s efforts against what it described as Iran’s “terror axis,” have created new opportunities to expand regional diplomatic ties.
“The joint U.S.-Israeli military action against the genocidal regime in Tehran and Israel’s defeat of Iran’s terror axis have created the possibility of expanding the circle of peace,” the statement said.
A potential normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia would represent a major diplomatic shift in the region, as Riyadh has long been viewed as one of the key countries whose formal recognition could significantly reshape Middle Eastern relations.
International
Nicolás Maduro’s Son Calls U.S. Trial Against His Father and Cilia Flores “Unjust”
Venezuelan lawmaker Nicolás Maduro Guerra on Wednesday described as “unjust” the legal proceedings in the United States against his father, ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, following their capture in Caracas on January 3 by U.S. forces.
“Faced with the unjust trial taking place today, the people raised their voices with a single demand: We demand the immediate release of President Nicolás Maduro and the First Lady,” Maduro Guerra wrote on his Instagram account.
The lawmaker attended a rally in Caracas where supporters of the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV)gathered to show support for the former president, who faces charges in the United States including conspiracy to commit narco-terrorism and cocaine importation. Flores is accused of crimes related to drug trafficking and weapons possession.
The event was also attended by PSUV Vice President for Mobilizations and Events Nahum Fernández and Caracas Mayor Carmen Meléndez, according to photos shared by Maduro’s son.
The third hearing in the case against Maduro and Flores concluded Wednesday at a federal court in New York after lasting only about 18 minutes. During the hearing, the judge preliminarily set June 2027 as the expected start date for the trial.
One of the main arguments from the defense will focus on immunity. Maduro’s lead attorney, Barry Pollack, who has also represented WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, said the defense plans to request immunity for both defendants, arguing that Maduro was serving as head of state and Flores as first lady at the time of their detention.
Both Maduro and Flores pleaded not guilty during their first court appearance in New York on January 5.
Meanwhile, Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who assumed power after Maduro’s capture, has not yet commented on Wednesday’s hearing in the United States.
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