By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES HAVANA – Writing about the issue of race relations in Cuba is like walking through a minefield. That’s because the subject of race in Cuba is a political minefield. Shortly after taking power in 1959, Cuban leader Fidel Castro addressed the race issue in response to
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES It was the first ever criminal case against the tobacco industry alleging murder, manslaughter, and aggravated assault. Anne Marie van Veen, a Dutch lung cancer patient, and an Amsterdam lawyer, Bénédicte Ficq, filed a criminal complaint in 2016 accusing major tobacco
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES British Airways announced it will resume flights to Pakistan after a 10-year-absence, with service from Heathrow to Islamabad starting June 2, 2019. Tickets are currently on sale, the airline said. On Sep. 22, 2008, BA suspended all flights to Pakistan indefinitely following the suicide bomb attack on the Marriott hotel in Islamabad. The attack, killed more
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES HAVANA – Cubans seem to be able to hold on to old things and find new use for them while most of us in the First World would consider them junk and toss them into the dustbin of history. The
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES The presidential election in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that was scheduled this Sunday has been postponed until December 30, the DRC electoral commission announced today. Citing a fire that reportedly destroyed thousands of electronic voting machines, the DRC Independent National Election Commission (CENI) stated in was “technically
By Gary Raynaldo / DIPLOMATIC TIMES The United Nations General Assembly Wednesday adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration to help ensure the safety of refugees and migrants. “I welcome the adoption by the General Assembly of the Global Compact for Safe,
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda chastised states such as Jordan, Djibouti, and Uganda for failing to arrest and surrender Sudan’s President Omar Al-Bashir for suspected war crimes and crimes against humanity. Bensouda appeared before the U.N. Security
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES National Security Advisor John Bolton presented the White House’s Africa strategy last Thursday that is aimed at increasing efforts to counter Russian and Chinese influence on the Continent. The Strategy is focused on three areas: advancing U.S. trade and commercial ties in Africa,
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres has called for a “credible” investigation into journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, AFP reported Sunday. “It is absolutely essential to have a credible investigation and to have the punishment of those that were
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES European Union leaders meeting at the EU Council Summit meeting in Brussels gave a thumbs down to British Prime Minister Theresa May’s bid for a renegotiation on Brexit deal. The British leader arrived at the two-day Brussels Summit Dec. 13,
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Transnational crime is spreading across the African continent, according to a report by the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). The report found crimes are increasingly converging across Africa, underlining how transnational threats cannot be treated in isolation, according to INTERPOL. Published
By Gary Raynaldo Diplomatic Times Fatou Bensouda is a woman who hunts tyrants around the world to bring to justice for war crimes. Bensouda is the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court located in The Hague Netherlands. She has been busy lately. During
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES The US Senate voted Thursday to withdraw American support for Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, in a rebuke to President Donald Trump. It’s the first time the Senate has voted to withdraw forces from a war Congress didn’t approve.
DIPLOMATIC TIMES STAFF AFP news agency says the Gabonese government has confirmed President Ali Bongo’s recent bout of ill health was the result of a stroke. Gabon’s President Ali Bongo has for the first time, since his hospitalisation in Saudi Arabia last month, appeared in
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Speaking before the UN Security Council in New York Wednesday, U.S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said “it is clear that the Iranian regime’s ballistic missile activity has grown since the nuclear deal.” Pompeo urged the UN to reimpose a ban
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Central African Republic militia leader Patrice-Edouard Ngaïssona was arrested today in France pursuant to an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes, the ICC reported. The Hague-based war tribunal submitted a request to French authorities
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Today is International Human Rights Day as the Universal Declaration Of Human Rights turns 70. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a ground breaking historic document that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its third session on 10 December
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES The cause of a two-alarm fire at the Serbian Mission to the United Nations Sunday in Manhattan’s Upper East Side was “accidental, electrical wiring,” according to the Fire Department. Three civilians and one fire fighter were taken to Lenox Hill Hospital
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES U.S. Ambassador to Israel David M. Friedman stated Monday that “the US stands with Israel against terrorists even if others won’t.” Ambassador Freidman was reacting to a reported “terror attack” near Ofra in which the militant Palestine Hamas group allegedly
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Major Jewish groups are upset over the failure of the UN General Assembly to adopt the U.S.-sponsored resolution last Thursday condemning Palestinian militant organization Hamas. The resolution condemned Hamas for “repeatedly firing rockets into Israel and for inciting violence, thereby
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Throughout President Donald Trump’s two-year-old administration, he has rewarded those who are loyal and trustworthy with plum cabinet positions despite a lack of experience. The president’s selection for his new U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations is no exception to this
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES If United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley was seeking to go out with a bang before leaving her post this month by pushing a U.S.-sponsored resolution to condemn the activities of the militant Hamas organization, she may now very well
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES (UNITED NATIONS -NEW YORK) The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a ground breaking historic document that was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its third session on 10 December 1948 as Resolution 217 at the
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES (UNITED NATIONS – NEW YORK) The United Nations Security Council Chamber is, without a doubt, the most important room in the world. The Security Council Chamber is where the U.N.’s most powerful body gathers. The U.N. Security Council
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Accused Central African Republic warlord Alfred Yekatom (AKA ‘Rambo’) appeared before Pre-Trial Chamber II of the International Criminal Court (“ICC ) today in The Hague, Netherlands. Authorities of the Central African Republic (CAR) surrendered Yekatom to the ICC last
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES NEW YORK -Despite growing pressure on the United Nations to establish an independent investigation into the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the international body has not done so yet. Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, on behalf of the Istanbul
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES With billions of dollars of Saudi Arabian investments on the line, President Trump declared Tuesday he is standing with the Kingdom despite a recent CIA report implicating the country’s crown prince in the murder of journalist Jamal
By Gary Raynaldo / DIPLOMATIC TIMES What gives!? Most of us know the former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is fluent in Russian, and is a classically trained pianist. But an NFL football coach?! Yes, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, who reported that the
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Alfred Yekatom (AKA ‘Rambo’) was surrendered to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague Saturday by authorities of the Central African Republic (“CAR”). The former militia leader will face trial for alleged crimes against humanity. The ICC had
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Pressure is mounting on President Trump and Saudi Arabia after a damning CIA report implicated the Kingdom’s Crown Prince in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. According to the Washington Post, the CIA has concluded that Saudi Crown Prince
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES The Trump administration Thursday announced sanctions against 17 Saudis for their alleged roles in the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul. Among those being sanctioned are Saud al-Qahtani, a former top aide to Saudi
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES At least 53 persons were killed when suicide bombers and gunmen attacked a hotel last Friday in the Somalia capital city Mogadishu. Attacks were reported on the popular Sahafi Hotel, near the country’s criminal investigations department as two car
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES United Nations experts have pointed to possible war crimes by parties to the ongoing armed conflict in Yemen. The UN is warning the Saudi-led assault is contributing to the death of a young child every 10 minutes in Yemen, a country at the southern
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan warned U.S. President Donald Trump not to pull “the trigger of war in the Middle East at the insistence of Israel,” speaking November 8 while on a visit to Iran. Farrakhan’s visit to
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES The State of Palestine has instituted legal proceedings against the United States in the International Court Of Justice over Washington’s decision to move the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Filed in the United Nations top court,
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Nine members of a criminal migrant network have been arrested in a joint operation carried out by Spain and France, EUROPOL, announced. The investigation revealed that around 1,200 migrants were smuggled by plane from Palestine to Northern Europe through Spain
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Gabonese President Ali Bongo is seriously ill but on the mend, his spokesman says, ending weeks of official silence on his condition, according to the BBC. Bongo is currently being treated in Saudi Arabia. According to media reports the
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES INTERPOL held a simulation exercise for war crimes investigators from around the world at the International Police Organization’s headquarters in Lyon. War crimes investigators were given the opportunity to hone their skills in real-life scenarios as part of a Nov. 5-9
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES New York – About 75 protesters gathered outside the Saudi Arabian Consulate in mid-town Manhattan Thursday a few blocks away from the United Nations to protest against the US-supported, Saudi-led assault on Yemen. The protesters blocked the Consulate’s front
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES President Donald Trump has told advisers that Heather Nauert, the State Department spokeswoman, is his leading choice to become US ambassador to the United Nations and he could offer the post as soon as this week, according to sources. Nauert
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES New York – Dag’s Patio Café, which serves up fast-food including burgers, hot dogs & breakfast in nondescript digs across from the United Nations, closed ahead of the winter season last week. Dag’s Patio Cafe, located at 342 E. 47th Street,
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES New York – Paul Biya, an octogenarian who has ruled Cameroon for 36 years, has been sworn in as the Central African country’s President for a seventh term. The opposition accused the October 7 elections of being rigged in favor
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES President Trump is set to unleash on Monday the “toughest” economic sanctions the U.S. has ever imposed on the Republic of Iran. The Trump administration is reinstating all sanctions removed under the 2015 nuclear deal, targeting both Iran
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES International Criminal Court chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda Friday called for the arrest of Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, who is being sought by The Hague-based war tribunal. Bensouda made the remarks speaking before the UN
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES Since 1962, the United States has maintained a crippling economic embargo on Cuba. The UN General Assembly on Thursday called for an end to the decades-old US blockade on Cuba. The UN voted overwhelmingly 189-2 in favor of ending the
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES SAN FRANCISCO – I walk up an immensely steep hill on Green Street in San Francisco’s ritzy Pacific Heights neighborhood. The ‘smell’ of old, old San Francisco money is in the air. Pacific
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES NEW YORK – The President of the International Criminal Court, Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji, chose powerful words from American political icon Eleanor Roosevelt to drive home the importance of the war tribunal. The ICC President addressed the United Nations General Assembly Monday
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) issued a ruling last week that insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad is not protected by freedom of expression. The Strasbourg, France-based Human Rights Court ruled that defaming the Prophet “goes beyond
By Gary Raynaldo / DIPLOMATIC TIMES New York- Pret A Manger agreed to cough up nearly $1,000,000 to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the U.K.-based sandwich chain of underpaying staff at its stores in New York. A lawsuit was filed last month accusing the sandwich
By Gary Raynaldo Savile Row tailoring expert, Ozwald Boateng OBE, is to be the next in an auspicious line-up of British designers to develop uniforms British Airways, the airline announced. Boateng, who is known for bringing a modern contemporary twist to the classic British institution of tailoring, will be designing a
ICC Prosecutor ruffles feathers of United States for advocating investigation of American war crimes
The President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji held an official visit to the United Nations in New York from 23 to 25 September 2018 to attend the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit, as well as the opening of the High-Level general
By Gary Raynaldo NEW YORK – A statute of anti-apartheid South Africa hero Nelson Mandela was unveiled at the United Nations Sep. 24, 2018. The statue was exhibited during 73rd session of the UN General Assembly. South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa was on hand to personally
Photo: by Gary Raynaldo / Namibia’s head of state, President Hage Geingob, Ph.D. at Investment forum in New York Sep. 27, 2018 Namibia investment By Gary Raynaldo NAMIBIA is a little known country located in southwest Africa offering big investment opportunities. U.S. President Donald Trump erroneously referred to
Credit: Gary Raynaldo / United Nations world headquarters in New York By Gary Raynaldo / DIPLOMATIC TIMES The UN human rights office called for an independent probe into an Israeli airstrike that hit an apartment block in northern Lebanon on Monday, killing at least
Criminal Connoisseurs produced low-quality wine passed off as premium spirits to the unsuspecting. By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES Criminals in Italy were selling fake Grand Cru red wine for as much as 15,000 euros a bottle until police stopped them. French, Italian and Swiss police
The International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL, commonly known as Interpol, is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime control. It is the world’s largest international police organization (Wikipedia) By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES One of Ireland’s “most wanted” fugitives,
Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. ,chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. (Credit: U.S. Airforce) By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. visited Iceland Wednesday and met with defense leaders to discuss
By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES NATO’s military alliance is stronger after Finland joined last year, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Tuesday during a meeting with Finnish president Alexander Stubb. Rutte, NATO’s new secretary general, met with President Stubb at the alliance’s
The flag of Sudan (Wikipedia) By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES The U.S. imposed sanctions Tuesday on a senior leader of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for his role in obtaining weapons and war atrocities against civilians. Algoney Hamdan Daglo Musa was sanctioned for his
The national flag of Uganda (Wikipedia) DIPLMATIC TIMES STAFF REPORT The U.S. Department of State has sanctioned four Ugandan police officers for alleged gross violations of human rights including torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment. The individuals are Bob Kagarura, the then-Wamala
Ilwad Elman from the Elman Peace & Human Rights Centre, briefs the United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in Somalia at UN headquarters in New York Oct. 3, 2024. (UN Photo by: Eskinder Debebe) By Gary Raynaldo -DIPLOMATIC TIMES “We cannot afford to
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte meets with with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine in Kyiv Oct. 3, 2024. By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES NATO’s new Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Ukraine Thursday pledging the alliance’s continued support for the country’s war effort
Mark Rutte takes over as new NATO Secretary General at NATO Headquarters in Brussels Oct. 1, 2024 (Credit: nato.int) By Gary Raynaldo – DIPLOMATIC TIMES Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte officially took over as NATO Secretary General from his predecessor Jens Stoltenberg Tuesday
