United Nations Security Council

The United Nations Security Council has unanimously passed further sanctions on North Korea stemming from the aftermath of Pyongyang’s successful detention of what is thought to be a hydrogen bomb.
While Donald Trump sought to place North Korea under a complete oil embargo, it was widely understood that China and Russia would veto such a measure as both countries are opposed to what Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called “strangling” the people of the DPRK with sanctions.

South Korea has responded to North Korea’s recent missile launch by ordering a large military drill employing F15 fighter jets dropping bombs in an exercise which took place near Taebaek, a South Korean town near the 38th parallel which divides the two Korean states.

The exercises were said to be ordered by South Korean President Moon Jae-in shortly after the North Korean missile launch which took place early on the morning of the 29th.
According to the chief of North Korea’s Security Council,

(COMMONDREAMS) As the city of Hiroshima, Japan, prepared to mark the 72nd anniversary of the United States’ deadly atomic bombing, the United Nations Security Council voted unanimously Saturday to impose harsh sanctions on North Korea, in the hopes that they will deter the country from using its own nuclear weapons.

This week, Russia’s embassy in Damascus came under attack from motor fire by the al-Qaeda group known as al-Nusra Front.
At a plenary session of the United Nations Security Council, Russia asked the body to condemn the savage terrorist attack, but the United States and its allies blocked this from happening, as though tacitly endorsing the attack on a peaceful diplomatic compound.

North Korean claims to have successfully tested its first intercontinental ballistic missile, one which according to Pyongyang could strike anywhere in the world.
North Korean media stated,

“The test launch was conducted at the sharpest angle possible and did not have any negative effect on neighbouring countries”.

And here it is: the Hwasong-14 pic.twitter.com/du15E7d6eK
— Chad O'Carroll (@chadocl) July 4, 2017

The United Nations Security Council has met to debate US proposals on further sanctions against North Korea. Although the US adopted a serious tone, it nevertheless is symptomatic of a climb-down from last week’s overt military threats.
READ MORE: Trump climbs down on China, North Korea. No military action threatened
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson used harsh language to describe the American position saying,

For news of the world, peel away from those who follow the daily offerings of bombings and supposed terror attacks, as bulls in the ring chase a red cape to their ritualistic slaughter. Look instead in places like Haiti, where it is easy to discern the lies from the truth. In such places, where no one appears to be watching, the sanctimonious missionaries do not hide their faces as they morph into kidnappers and pedophiles. The bribes are publicly offered and accepted.

Russia has vetoed a UN Security Resolution jointly proposed by the US, UK and France. The resolution is a slightly revised version of the one proposed last week which essentially calls for an investigation into the infamous chemical weapons attack in Idlib Governorate, while  pre-assigning guilt to Syria, a party that by any objective means does not and could not bear responsibility for the attack.

Russia has tabled a UN Security Council resolution calling for a through investigation of the chemical weapons incident in Idlib Governorate.
Vladimir Safronkov, Russia’s acting Ambassador to the UN who has stepped in to fill the position of the late Vitaly Churkin has said,

“…we submitted our short draft resolution, drawn up in a business manner and aimed at conducting a true investigation rather than to appoint the guilty ones until the facts are established”.

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley speaks to reporters after a Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2017 at U.N. headquarters. (AP/Mary Altaffer)