MYSTERIOUS: 35 | Mind Blowing Facts

Western envoys, allies walk out on Lavrov speech to UN rights forum

More than 100 diplomats from some 40 Western countries and allies including Japan walked out of a speech by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to the top U.N. human rights forum on Tuesday in protest over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Reuters · Mar 1, 2022

Russia's Lavrov says there is a danger of Ukraine acquiring nuclear weapons

Russia's foreign minister told a Geneva disarmament meeting on Tuesday that Kyiv has been seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, calling this a real danger that it needed to prevent.

Reuters · Mar 1, 2022

Swiss ditch historic neutrality to enforce Russia sanctions

GENEVA — The Swiss government broke with a long-entrenched tradition of neutrality and agreed to enforce European Union sanctions against Russian companies and individuals including President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Tribune News Service · Mar 1, 2022

Sanctions vs. neutrality: Swiss fine-tune response to Russia

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has put Switzerland’s much-vaunted neutrality to the test — and along with it, the country’s traditional role as international intermediary and reputation as a safe haven for the assets of Russia’s richest and most powerful

The Independent UK · Feb 27, 2022

‘Misleading narrative’: India rejects UN’s allegations of ‘judicial harassment’ of Rana Ayyub

India has slammed the United Nations allegations of judicial harassment of journalist Rana Ayyub, calling them “baseless and unwarranted”. A tweet from India’s permanent representative at Geneva and other international organisations reiterated that the UN was “advancing a misleading narrative”.

Newslaundry · Feb 22, 2022

India rejects allegations of harassment of journalist Rana Ayyub as 'baseless, unwarranted'

Official sources in New Delhi said the matter will be followed up by a note verbale from the Indian mission in Geneva

The Hindu · Feb 21, 2022

In Elgin mural, CJ Hungerman is OK if you think he was painting the coronavirus

The Geneva artist says the work at the Hemmens Culural Center is ‘based on a painting I did in 2018. It does kind of mimic the coronavirus.’

Chicago Sun-Times · Feb 18, 2022

Russia touts Finland or Geneva as hosts for Lavrov-Blinken meeting - Ifax

Russia's ambassador to Britain touted Finland or Geneva as potential hosts for a meeting between Russia's top diplomat Sergei Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken next week, Interfax news agency reported.

Reuters · Feb 18, 2022

John Aldus obituary

Artist with a thought-provoking approach to what seemed familiar in Geneva and, for the last quarter-century, in London

The Guardian - UK · Feb 17, 2022

UN Envoy Says Syria Constitution Talks to Resume, 4 Killed

The UN's special envoy for Syria said Wednesday he expects a committee representing the Syrian government and the opposition to resume talks next month over draft constitutional reforms. Geir Pedersen's comments came as opposition activists reported that government shelling hit a fuel market in the country's northwest killing four people…

Asharq Al-Awsat · Feb 16, 2022