UN: United States delegation walks out in protest of French criticism. A diplomatic spat erupted at the United Nations Security Council on Monday when the American delegation exited the chamber as the French ambassador began to speak. The US delegation denounced France’s comments as “hypocritical” after Paris had drawn parallels between Washington and nations like North Korea and Russia following a crucial human rights vote. Last Friday, the United States was among ten nations at the General Assembly that voted against renewing the four-year mandate of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk. In response, France’s mission to the United Nations in Geneva posted on X, stating, “The United States was once a model for human rights. This is no longer the case. Today, they find themselves alongside North Korea, Nicaragua, Mali, and Russia. Isolated. And the world no longer listens to them.” Such a walkout during a Security Council session is a rare occurrence. An official familiar with the situation indicated that the American delegation was taken aback by France’s “frontal” public attack.
Romania expels Russian embassy member amid repeated drone incursions. Romania’s Foreign Ministry announced Monday that Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lipaev had been notified of Bucharest’s decision to declare a member of his embassy “undesirable.” The individual has five days to depart the country. On Monday, fragments of a Shahed-type drone, utilized by the Russian military in Ukraine and reportedly shot down by a Romanian F-16 fighter, were presented to the ambassador. Bucharest had intercepted three drones over a three-day period late last week, with another incursion reported on Monday. The Russian Foreign Ministry “categorically rejected these unfounded accusations,” dismissing them as “another propaganda spectacle.” The ministry warned that the “unjustified expulsion of a Russian diplomat will not go unanswered.”
Saudi Arabia reports drone attack originating from Iraq. With a three-day lull in direct US-Iran hostilities, the Saudi Ministry of Defense reported that its national territory was targeted by what it described as “Iran-backed terrorist militias.” No specific group immediately claimed responsibility for this attack. Meanwhile, Yemen’s pro-Iranian Houthi rebels announced on Monday that they had targeted Saudi oil infrastructure, a claim Saudi Arabia has not confirmed. Riyadh, which supports the Yemeni government, and the Houthis resumed hostilities on July 13, ending a four-year truce. On July 20, Yemeni rebels declared their intention to blockade Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping lanes for vessels traveling to or from Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading crude exporter. Analysts explain the group’s actions are “to support its main ally, Iran, but also to compel Saudi Arabia and the international community to make political concessions in Yemen.” An analyst, April Alley, expressed “a real concern about the risk of the war” in Yemen “resuming with renewed intensity.”
Chad announces withdrawal from the International Criminal Court. N’Djamena justified its decision Monday by asserting that the ICC disproportionately focuses its investigations on African nations. The Chadian government criticized that out of the 13 investigations launched by the Court since its inception, nine “concern African states, compared to four opened in other regions of the world.” This decision appears to have been influenced by the United States. According to reports, US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Frank Garcia, urged Chad to reconsider its ICC membership during a telephone conversation with Chad’s foreign minister last Thursday. The United States initiated a significant diplomatic offensive against the ICC in mid-July, labeling its long-standing adversary as a “threat” to Americans, promising new sanctions, and encouraging its partners to withdraw.