Five countries elected to UN Security Council for 2026/27
The UN General Assembly elected Bahrain, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia to the Security Council for two-year terms starting in 2026. These five nations will replace Algeria, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Guyana, and Slovenia. Annalena Baerbock, former German foreign minister, was also elected as president of the General Assembly for its upcoming 80th session.
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The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday elected Bahrain, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Latvia, and Liberia to the 15-member U.N. Security Council for two-year terms starting on Jan. 1, 2026.The Security Council is the only U.N. body that can make legally binding decisions such as imposing sanctions and authorizing use of force. It has five permanent veto-wielding members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.The remaining 10 members are elected, with five new members joining every year. Bahrain, Colombia, the DRC, Latvia, and Liberia - who were all elected in uncontested slates - will replace Algeria, Sierra Leone, South Korea, Guyana and Slovenia.To ensure geographical representation, seats are allocated to regional groups. But even if candidates are running unopposed in their group, they still need to win the support of more than two-thirds of the General Assembly.Bahrain received 186 votes, DRC 183 votes, Liberia 181 votes, Colombia 180 votes and Latvia 178 votes.The General Assembly on Monday elected former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock as president of the 193-member body for its 80th session, which begins in September.
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Time of India
43 minutes ago
- Time of India
In eastern Germany, youths embrace nationalism, extremism
Representative AI image Right-wing extremism and racism have spread significantly in the city of Dessau, in the eastern German state of Saxony-Anhalt. This has also become visible as graffiti: swastikas, pro-Hitler images and Nazi slogans are a common sight on the streets. It's become a trend across cities and regions in Germany — especially in the east. Holger Münch, head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, warned in May that authorities have increasingly seen a "radicalization of very young people with far-right views," some of whom are organizing to "commit serious crimes." "In parts of rural eastern Germany, 'Nazi' has become part of pop culture," said Lukas Jocher, who works for Projekt GegenPart, a mobile counseling team that fights right-wing extremism in Dessau. "And it's become cool to write out that song, 'Heil Hitler,' by US rapper Kanye on a wall." Young people who spoke with DW in Dessau confirmed that to them, being far-right has somehow become "cool." A 17-year-old boy who was walking with two teenage girls in the city center laughed when asked about right-wing extremism at their school. "Hitler is glorified big time!" they said, adding that the Hitler salute is now a regular part of their school life and that it seemed normal to sing the slogan "Foreigners out!" at parties. "We just sing along," said the 17-year-old, who didn't give his name, laughing, "It doesn't matter what kind of music is playing." Are hate and incitement the new normal? How did it come to this? Young people rarely become radicalized in a single step — it's a gradual process. Dessau, with its roughly 75,000 residents, is a regional hub that serves surrounding areas with its shopping centers, hospitals and museums. Cities like this are home to nearly a quarter of the German population. Following a merger with a neighboring town, Dessau is now officially called Dessau-Rosslau. The reunification of East and West Germany in 1990 brought significant freedoms to the people of Dessau. However, it also went hand in hand with economic collapse, mass unemployment and an enormous exodus of young, well-educated residents. The city continues to shrink to this day. However, authorities in the state of Saxony-Anhalt made massive investments. In Dessau alone since reunification, around €1 billion ($1.16 billion) have been invested in the economy, infrastructure and cultural institutions. Today, the city looks polished and well-kept. And Dessau is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized as the epicenter of the most influential architectural style of the 20th century — Bauhaus. It stands for modernity, for new beginnings, for a better and more just future, for humanism. The Bauhaus movement came to Dessau a century ago, and the city is still shaped by its buildings and housing projects. Nearly a thousand international students breathe life into this legacy and transform the city and its university into a global center of teaching and learning. Dessau plagued by racism and violence But despite all of its investments, cultural initiatives and engagement efforts, Dessau has in recent decades made international headlines first and foremost for incidents of hate and violence. In 2000, far-right youths murdered 39-year-old Alberto Adriano — kicking him to death without provocation simply because he was Black. Adriano was from Mozambique. In the aftermath of the attack, then-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder called on the public to show civil courage and stand up to right-wing extremism. Five years later, in 2005, asylum-seeker Oury Jalloh died in a Dessau police prison cell. He had burned to death, tied to a mattress. Many pieces of evidence pointed to third-party involvement, but the case was never solved. A decade later, Chinese student Li Yangjie was pursuing her master's degree at Dessau's renowned school of architecture. In May 2016, just before graduation, she was brutally assaulted and murdered. Two years later, Sebastian F. — the son of a police officer — was handed a life sentence for the crime. Following the murder, the Chinese Embassy in Berlin issued a travel warning for Dessau, stating: "People there are traditionally hostile toward foreigners." Mayor with a neo-Nazi past Now, in 2025, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the second-strongest party across Germany, and far ahead in most of the eastern states. Extremist AfD politician Laurens Nothdurft was elected mayor of Dessau-Rosslau — with backing from other parties — in July 2024. Nothdurft's duties include congratulating residents on milestone occasions and delivering speeches at memorial events attended by students. He has said he feels a strong connection to young people. On May 8, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Germany and the country's liberation from Nazi rule, Nothdurft gave a speech in Dessau with students in attendance. Attendees remarked later that he did not mention German war crimes or the mass murder of European Jews. When DW inquired about the content of his speech, Nothdurft replied: "The core of my speech was to look forward — quite explicitly toward a positive future. "Nothdurft was a far-right youth organization leader in the late 1990s. The group, Heimattreue Deutsche Jugend, was banned in 2009 for its ideological proximity to National Socialism and the Hitler Youth. Technically, Nothdurft's AfD membership runs counter to the party's official policy barring individuals with neo-Nazi affiliations. However, when DW asked the AfD about the contradiction, the party refused to comment. In Saxony-Anhalt, the AfD won 37% of the general election earlier this year. The party has now set its sights on winning an absolute majority in the 2026 state election. Citizens take a stand against far right "Extremism is becoming ever more mainstream and becoming more socially acceptable," said Marcus Geiger in an interview with DW. He and his wife, Mandy Mück, are active members of the Dessau-based civic group, Buntes Rosslau ("Colorful Rosslau"). For the couple, hostility has become a daily reality. "We've been insulted on the street and called 'leftist scum.' Someone once pitched a beer bottle through our window at home, and nails have been tossed over our garden gate," said Mück, adding that their neighbors also avoid them. "No one hears anything, no one sees anything, and no one ever comes by." And they've noticed a troubling trend: the aggressors seem to be getting they're not alone: along with the GegenPart project and Buntes Rosslau, many Christian Scout groups, teachers and other individuals, the university and several schools, local associations, civic groups and even some conservative politicians are confronting hostility and hate. Young people are also playing a vital role standing up to the far right, though they also confirmed far-right views are becoming increasingly common among the youth. "The other day, I walked past my old elementary school," said Sophie at the Alternative Youth Center. "I overheard some kids saying there should be a class made up only of pure-blooded Germans." "Some days, you're just constantly afraid in Dessau," she added. "Especially on certain holidays, when there's a lot of drinking." "I only walk around in the area where I live," added Max, a friend. "Many of us have had experiences like that," said Paul Nolte, who also serves as city council representative for alternative youth. "Timm and I were threatened with a knife," he added, indicating a young bearded man wearing a ball cap nearby. They feel the situation in their city, and across Germany, is worrying. And yet, some maintain a positive outlook. "Every person counts in Dessau. You can make a difference here." Despite hostility and challenges, none of them wants to leave. Dessau, they say, is their home.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Mercedes-Benz expects Q2 margin headwind of less than 3% over tariffs, brokerage Bernstein says
Mercedes-Benz expects tariff-related headwinds to the profit margin at its core cars division to be less than 3% in the second quarter, brokerage Bernstein wrote in a note, following a regular investor call ahead of quarterly results. This was due to "some de-escalation of tensions between the US and China, some tariff offsets and timing because tariffs were only ramping up in April", the brokerage said following a call with Mercedes-Benz's head of investor relations . The investor call, which was closed to the press, was held before a closed period on company information before second-quarter results scheduled for July 30. Mercedes-Benz in April pulled its earnings guidance for 2025 amid uncertainty over the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on car imports. The German carmaker's finance chief at the time only said that if auto tariffs -- implemented in April -- remained in place all year, it would reduce profit margins by 300 basis points (3%) on cars and 100 basis points (1%) on vans. Mercedes-Benz's European car sales were said to be "robust", and the U.S. saw continued solid momentum at the retail level, Bernstein said in the note. Mercedes-Benz was not immediately available for comment.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- The Hindu
Russia says Moscow now occupies all of Ukraine's Luhansk region, illegally annexed in 2022
A Russia-appointed official in Ukraine's occupied Luhansk region said Monday (June 30, 2025) that Moscow's forces have overrun all of it — one of four regions Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in September 2022 despite not fully controlling a single one. If confirmed, that would make Luhansk the first Ukrainian region fully occupied by Russia after more than three years of war and as recent U.S.-led international peace efforts have failed to make progress on halting the fighting. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected a ceasefire and hasn't budged from his demands, which include Moscow's control over the four illegally annexed regions. There was no immediate comment from Kyiv on the claim made by the Moscow-installed leader of the occupied region, Leonid Pasechnik. In remarks to Russia's state TV Channel One that aired Monday evening, Mr. Pasechnik said he received a report 'literally two days ago' saying that '100%' of the region was now under the control of Russian forces. The development came just hours after the top German diplomat said that Germany aims to help Ukraine manufacture more weapons more quickly as Kyiv looks to strengthen its negotiating position in peace talks with Russia. 'We see our task as helping Ukraine so that it can negotiate more strongly,' Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said during a visit to the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, accompanied by German defense industry representatives. 'When Putin speaks of peace today, it is pure mockery," Mr. Wadephul told a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. "His apparent readiness to negotiate is only a facade so far.' Russia's invasion shows no sign of letting up. Its grinding war of attrition along the roughly 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and long-range strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine have killed thousands of troops and civilians. Ukraine is outgunned and shorthanded on the front line and international aid has been vital for Ukraine's resistance against its neighbor's bigger army and economy. Germany has been Ukraine's second-largest military backer after the United States, whose continuing support is in doubt. 'We want to build new joint ventures so that Ukraine itself can produce faster and more for its own defense, because your needs are enormous,' Wadephul said while standing next to Sybiha. 'Our arms cooperation is a real trump card — it is a logical continuation of our delivery of material,' Wadephul said. 'And we can even benefit mutually from it — with your wealth of ideas and your experience, we will become better.' Mr. Wadephul was also due to meet with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The top German diplomat's trip to Kyiv came less than 48 hours after Russia launched its biggest combined aerial attack against Ukraine over the weekend, Ukrainian officials said, in an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in peace efforts. Ukraine's air force said Monday it detected 107 Russian Shahed and decoy drones in the country's air space overnight. Strikes in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region left two civilians dead and eight injured, including a 6-year-old child, regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said Monday. The aerial onslaughts are calculated by Russia to squeeze Ukraine into submission, according to the Institute for the Study of War. 'Russia is continuing to use increasingly large numbers of drones in its overnight strike packages in order to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses and enable subsequent cruise and ballistic missile strikes,' the Washington-based think tank said late Sunday. 'The increases in Russia's strike packages in recent weeks are largely due to Russia's efforts to scale up its defense industrial production, particularly of Shahed and decoy drones and ballistic missiles,' the institute added. Sybiha thanked Germany for its contribution to Ukraine's air defense and urged Berlin to send more antimissile systems. The Russians 'are attacking civilian targets in order to create panic, to influence the mood of our population,' he said. 'The key is the air defense system.' Berlin has balked at granting Zelenskyy's request to provide Ukraine with powerful German- and Swedish-made Taurus long-range missiles, which could potentially hit targets inside Russia. That is due to fears such a move could enrage the Kremlin and draw NATO into Europe's biggest conflict since World War II. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz pledged in May to help Ukraine develop its own long-range missile systems that would be free of any Western-imposed limitations on their use and targets.
