From the UN: We Must Not Sleepwalk into War, Secretary-General Warns in General Assembly, Citing Nuclear Peril, Terrorism, Inequality among Most Severe Global Threats
Press release issued 9/ 19/ 17 (link source)
Following is UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ address to the General Assembly in New York today:
I am here in a spirit of gratitude and humility for the trust you have placed in me to serve the world’s peoples.
“We the peoples”, and the United Nations, face grave challenges. Our world is in trouble. People are hurting and angry. They see insecurity rising, inequality growing, conflict spreading and climate changing. The global economy is increasingly integrated, but our sense of global community may be disintegrating. Societies are fragmented. Political discourse is polarized.
Trust within and among countries is being driven down by those who demonize and divide. We are a world in pieces. We need to be a world at peace. And I strongly believe that, together, we can build peace. We can restore trust and create a better world for all. I will focus today on seven threats and tests that stand in our way. For each, the dangers are all too clear. Yet, for each, if we act as truly united nations, we can find answers.
First, the nuclear peril. The use of nuclear weapons should be unthinkable. Even the threat of their use can never be condoned. But, today, global anxieties about nuclear weapons are at the highest level since the end of the cold war. The fear is not abstract. Millions of people live under a shadow of dread cast by the provocative nuclear and missile tests of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). Within the DPRK itself, such tests do nothing to ease the plight of those who are suffering hunger and severe violations of their human rights.
I condemn those tests unequivocally. I call on the DPRK and all Member States to comply fully with Security Council resolutions. Last week’s unanimous adoption of resolution 2375 (2017) tightens sanctions and sends a clear message regarding the country’s international obligations. I appeal to the Council to maintain its unity. Only that unity can lead to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and — as the resolution recognizes — create an opportunity for diplomatic engagement to resolve the crisis. (see link source for full statement)
WH: Remarks by President Trump at the Reforming the United Nations: Management, Security, and Development Meeting
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 9/ 18/ 17 (link source)
PRESIDENT TRUMP: Well, thank you very much. (Applause.) Thank you.
I actually saw great potential right across the street, to be honest with you, and it was only for the reason that the United Nations was here that that turned out to be such a successful project.
So I want to thank you, Ambassador Haley, for your introduction and for your steadfast advocacy for American interests on the world stage.
On behalf of the co-host countries, I would like to also thank Secretary General Guterres for -- and you have been fantastic -- for joining us, and we affirm our commitment to the United Nations reform. And reform is what we're talking about.
I applaud the Secretary General for laying out a vision to reform the United Nations so that it better serves the people we all represent. We support your efforts to look across the entire system and to find ways the United Nations can better, and be better at development, management, peace, and security. (See link source for complete statement)
US MISSION TO THE UN: Remarks to the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly President Donald Trump
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 9/ 19/ 17 (link source)
Quote: " We were all witness to the regime's deadly abuse when an innocent American college student, Otto Warmbier, was returned to America only to die a few days later. We saw it in the assassination of the dictator's brother using banned nerve agents in an international airport. We know it kidnapped a sweet 13-year-old Japanese girl from a beach in her own country to enslave her as a language tutor for North Korea's spies.
If this is not twisted enough, now North Korea's reckless pursuit of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles threatens the entire world with unthinkable loss of human life.
It is an outrage that some nations would not only trade with such a regime, but would arm, supply, and financially support a country that imperils the world with nuclear conflict. No nation on earth has an interest in seeing this band of criminals arm itself with nuclear weapons and missiles.
The United States has great strength and patience, but if it is forced to defend itself or its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea. Rocket Man is on a suicide mission for himself and for his regime. The United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary. That’s what the United Nations is all about; that’s what the United Nations is for. Let’s see how they do.
It is time for North Korea to realize that the denuclearization is its only acceptable future. The United Nations Security Council recently held two unanimous 15-0 votes adopting hard-hitting resolutions against North Korea, and I want to thank China and Russia for joining the vote to impose sanctions, along with all of the other members of the Security Council. Thank you to all involved.
But we must do much more. It is time for all nations to work together to isolate the Kim regime until it ceases its hostile behavior.
We face this decision not only in North Korea. It is far past time for the nations of the world to confront another reckless regime -- one that speaks openly of mass murder, vowing death to America, destruction to Israel, and ruin for many leaders and nations in this room." (see link source for complete speech)
US STATE DEPT: Secretary Tillerson Launches PEPFAR Strategy for Accelerating HIV/AIDS Epidemic Control
PRESS RELEASE ISSUED 9/ 19/ 17 (link source)
Today, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson released the new U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) Strategy for Accelerating HIV/AIDS Epidemic Control (2017-2020), which reaffirms U.S. support for HIV/AIDS efforts in more than 50 countries, ensuring access to services by all populations, including the most vulnerable and at-risk groups.
The Strategy also outlines plans to accelerate implementation in a subset of 13 high-burden countries that have the potential to achieve HIV/AIDS epidemic control by 2020, working in collaboration with host governments; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund); the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS; and other partners.
The latest PEPFAR data show that, largely through the U.S. government’s support, the HIV/AIDS epidemic is coming under control in five of these 13 countries: Lesotho, Malawi, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These data also indicate that the previously expanding HIV epidemic in Uganda has now stabilized.
The United States remains the largest bilateral donor to the global HIV/AIDS response, support which is made possible through the goodwill, compassion, and generosity of the American people. Today’s announcements demonstrate the remarkable impact of these investments over the past fourteen years.
US DEFENSE DEPT: U.S., Japanese, South Korean Aircraft Conduct Show of Force Flights
CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii, Sept. 18, 2017 — U.S. Air Force and Marine Corps aircraft joined Japanese and South Korean military aircraft in a sequenced show of force over the Korean Peninsula yesterday in response to North Korea's Sept. 14 launch of an intermediate range ballistic missile over Japan.
NATIONAL NEWS BRIEFS
Bloomberg: Trump Aides Defend `Rocket Man' Tag in UN Speech on North Korea
(Bloomberg) -- President Donald Trump’s warning to North Korea of annihilation if it menaces the U.S. or its allies, and his reference to its leader as “Rocket Man” in his United Nations speech, were defended by aides as making an honest yet provocative argument to leaders of the world about collective threats.
AP: Farmers deal huge blow to proposed California water tunnels
FRESNO, Calif. — Two massive, $16 billion tunnels that looked to be the future of California's water system have been thrown into limbo by a group of powerful farmers, and Gov. Jerry Brown and other tunnel proponents are facing the prospect that the project may end up just a pipe dream.
AP: Missouri governor put to the test by St. Louis protests
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — As a candidate for Missouri governor, Eric Greitens asserted that there could have been peace "by the second night" if a governor with a calm and commanding presence had intervened in the violent protests in Ferguson after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown.
NBC NEWS: Sessions Visits a Sanctuary City, Tells it to Stop
Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Tuesday visited Portland — a sanctuary city — to rail against what he calls the evils of such jurisdictions, bringing up an alleged undocumented immigrant rapist in their midst to make his case.
Daily Bible Verse: Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God; For He has given you the former rain faithfully, And He will cause the rain to come down for you— The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month.
Joel 2:23 NKJV
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