Shibbir Ahmed, WASHINGTON DC — The United States has extended visa sanctions against members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA), citing what the State Department described as continued failures to meet commitments made to Washington.

In a September 16 media note, the State Department said it had notified Congress that the PLO and PA had again failed to comply with commitments outlined under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002.

The department accused the two organizations of pursuing actions at international institutions that Washington says contradict previous commitments related to UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338. It also cited efforts to pursue the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through international legal institutions, including the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Court of Justice (ICJ), as well as efforts to obtain unilateral international recognition.

The State Department also cited what it described as continued payments to individuals convicted of terrorism and the glorification of terrorism and terrorists in public statements and educational materials. These are U.S. government allegations and were presented as the basis for the policy.

As a consequence, Washington said it would extend visa restrictions denying entry visas to PLO members and PA officials under Section 604(a)(1) of the Middle East Peace Commitments Act. The State Department said it would continue a standing waiver for personnel notified to the PLO Observer Mission to the United Nations, as in previous determinations.

The announcement comes ahead of the 81st UN General Assembly, when Palestinian representatives are expected to participate in high-level diplomatic meetings in New York. Reuters reported that the restrictions continue measures imposed previously, including the denial of a U.S. visa to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, preventing him from attending the General Assembly in person.

The Palestinian Authority holds observer status at the United Nations rather than full UN membership. The latest U.S. action adds another point of tension to Washington-Palestinian relations as international attention remains focused on the Gaza conflict and efforts toward a broader Israeli-Palestinian political settlement.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the world is entering an “era of deep uncertainty,” urging governments to strengthen international cooperation as leaders prepare to gather in New York for the 81st UN General Assembly.

Speaking ahead of the General Assembly’s high-level week, Guterres identified rapidly advancing artificial intelligence, the climate crisis and deepening inequalities as major existential threats facing the international community.

Guterres devoted much of his remarks to the growing risks associated with artificial intelligence. While acknowledging AI’s potential to accelerate development, improve education and health systems and strengthen climate resilience, he warned that technological development is advancing faster than the world’s understanding of its risks.

He called for stronger safeguards to make AI development safe, transparent and accountable, with human dignity at the centre. Guterres said national action is important but stressed that global coordination is essential because AI and its risks do not stop at national borders.

The UN chief also urged world leaders to address ongoing conflicts. He reiterated his call for a ceasefire in the Russia-Ukraine war and urged implementation of a two-state solution in the Middle East. He also called for de-escalation and the protection of civilians.

The General Assembly’s high-level week begins in New York on September 18, with the General Debate scheduled to begin on September 22. Leaders from all 193 UN member states are expected to address global challenges, including conflicts, climate change, international security and sustainable development. Guterres said international cooperation is more necessary than ever as governments confront interconnected global crises.

Shibbir Ahmed, New York — UN Secretary-General António Guterres has called for a major overhaul of the international system, saying the institutions created after the Second World War must change to reflect the growing economic and geopolitical influence of emerging economies. Speaking to leaders at the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sunday, Guterres said the world of today is fundamentally different from that of 1945 and that global institutions must reflect current economic, demographic and geopolitical realities.

“Today’s economic, demographic and geopolitical realities are not those of 1945,” Guterres said. “Our institutional structures must reflect it.”

He said the countries represented at the summit reflected the changing balance of global power and pointed to the emergence of an increasingly multipolar world. Guterres argued that multipolarity can bring greater balance and equity to international institutions, but said that would require reforms to bodies including the UN Security Council and the Bretton Woods institutions.

The UN chief outlined four priorities for what he described as inclusive global growth: financing, technology, climate justice and peace. On development financing, Guterres said developing countries need substantial international support to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. He urged multilateral development banks to become “bigger, better and bolder” to help meet the scale of financing required. Turning to artificial intelligence, he warned that the benefits of the technology remain concentrated among a relatively small number of companies and countries.

“Unchecked, the AI divide will widen every other divide — in income, in opportunity, in security, and in sovereignty,” Guterres warned.

Climate change was another major focus of his address. Guterres pointed to extreme heat, melting glaciers, wildfires and devastating floods as signs of the worsening climate crisis and warned that a stronger El Niño could make conditions even more difficult as the world approaches the 1.5-degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels.

He called on wealthy nations to honor existing climate-finance commitments, including increased adaptation financing and stronger support for countries facing loss and damage. He also criticized the exploitation of critical minerals, calling for an end to what he described as “plundering.”

On peace and security, Guterres highlighted conflicts and crises in Gaza, the wider Middle East, Ukraine and Sudan. He urged countries to uphold the UN Charter, including the principles of sovereign equality, territorial integrity and the peaceful settlement of disputes. Guterres said reforming the international system should be viewed as a shared responsibility rather than a concession to emerging powers.

“As we move irreversibly to a multipolar world, all countries must work to strengthen and safeguard a multilateral system that delivers for all with the United Nations at its centre,” he said.

The BRICS summit, hosted by India, brought together leaders of major emerging economies and senior international officials as discussions focused on global governance, economic cooperation, development, technology, climate change and international peace and security.

Shibbir Ahmed, UN, New York: United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called for peace and an end to conflicts from Gaza and the wider Middle East to Ukraine and Sudan, warning that the world urgently needs greater international cooperation to address escalating crises.

Speaking at the BRICS Summit in New Delhi on Sunday, Guterres said conflicts around the world continue to cause immense suffering and instability, underscoring the need for countries to work together to promote peace and resolve disputes through diplomacy.

He highlighted the devastating humanitarian situation in Gaza and other conflict zones, while also pointing to the wars in Ukraine and Sudan as major challenges facing the international community. Guterres said the international community must not allow ongoing conflicts to become normalized and stressed the importance of collective efforts to achieve lasting peace.

His remarks came as world leaders gathered for the BRICS Summit, where global security, economic cooperation and major international crises were among the key issues under discussion. The UN chief has repeatedly called for an immediate end to violence in conflict zones and urged world powers to strengthen diplomatic efforts to protect civilians and uphold international law.

DHAKA: Bangladesh has strongly condemned Israel’s plan to advance settlement construction in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank, saying the move violates international law and threatens prospects for a viable two-state solution.

In a statement issued today, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the planned settlement expansion was contrary to international law and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The ministry said the proposed construction would further undermine the territorial integrity of the occupied Palestinian territory and diminish prospects for the establishment of a viable and sovereign Palestinian state. Bangladesh called on Israel to immediately halt all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Dhaka also reaffirmed its unwavering support for the legitimate and inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to establish an independent and sovereign State of Palestine based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Bangladesh urged the international community to intensify diplomatic efforts to prevent actions that could undermine Palestinian statehood and to advance a just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East based on international law and the two-state solution.

“Bangladesh stands in solidarity with the people of Palestine and remains committed to supporting their legitimate aspirations for freedom, dignity, justice and statehood,” the statement said.