damnit, "five translators had to be hospitalized from confusion' is a very good UN joke

"If you don't see it, let me cross. I negotiate with you."

Gabriel Boric formally nominates Michelle Bachelet as Chile's candidate for the United Nations Secretary General

rats 1 rat czar 0

So far by my lights Gabriel Boric has quoted both Gabriela Mistral and Albert Camus in his pitch for global solidarity with the children of Gaza and the children of Ukraine

These are enforced disappearances under international law and should be reported to the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances immediately: www.ohchr.org/en/special-p...

Suriname’s president Jennifer Geerlings-Simons has had some really good lines this morning: she says Haiti is still paying the price for being the first to throw off the chains of slavery, and she says, “Suriname doesn’t HAVE diversity, Suriname IS diversity.”

The Korean presiden is up now, and is emphasizing both South Korea’s deep ties to the UN and the remarkable achievement of Korea’s pro-democracy popular movement against December’s coup, which he says embodies the UN spirit.

they're ringing that UNGA bell SO hard to try and get people to sit down again for the next speech but they should just let these people run around the chamber and scream like toddlers for a few minutes and get it out of their system before making them sit back down

Donald Trump begins with a laugh line: he says he's very happy to be up there without a teleprompter, because the teleprompter isn't working. He's doing crowd work, saying he'll speak from the heart, and that whoever operates the teleprompter is in trouble. The crowd is laughing with him so far.

if you want to tune in to UNGA for Trump, he's up next

Big applause for Lula, whose simultaneous interpreter seems to have some kind of acute respiratory infection

António Guterres is addressing the 80th UNGA now: 80 years on, he says, we face the same question the UN's founders did, but more urgent: "what kind of world do we choose together?...a world of raw power, or a world of law?"

I love this so much

You know what, something fantastic happened today. This guy Alaa who's been rotting in an Egyptian jail got released today, after lots of campaigning from good people all over www.reuters.com/world/africa...

I'll continue to be "I do not regret to inform you that we are going to win"-posting, so figure I should address this point that seems to come up every so often Q: "is it still 'winning' if only *some* good things happen in the near term instead of total planetary eco socialist revolution?" A: yes

Peter Alexander, Cat, 1987-1999

Last week, Disney/ABC caved to Trump administration pressure. Millions of Americans helped them find their backbone. Whether you watch Jimmy Kimmel or not, today's decision is a victory for free speech. We've reached out to WABC to reschedule the town hall.

crackpot-ass democratic decline

the strangeness of the current moment lies in how the administration is consolidating authoritarian power while also being extremely weak

Monday of UNGA high level week and there is, no joke, a giant oil leak on First Avenue ten blocks south from UNHQ

If this is not the same as his UNGA speech, also slated for tomorrow morning, I have to assume he’s going to fall asleep during his UNGA speech

mood

Unnerving point from @bcfinucane.bsky.social: The White House appears to be quietly trying to get Republicans to formally turn over a large swath of Congress's warmaking powers to Trump. That's what this new draft bill would do. From our pod discussion: newrepublic.com/article/2007...

It's particularly the case among the Americans who are paid to decide which news is important, and who despite everything still can't bring themselves to accurately describe the fact that the president is serially murdering people and our systems are unable to stop him

for all people mock it wikipedia is genuinely one of the wonders of the modern world

Mike Waltz was just confirmed as US ambassador to the UN; during his confirmation hearing, Van Hollen asked him about the killing of a US citizen in Gaza. Pressed, he said he thought the US should have done more. Waltz will be in an UNGA spotlight this week & someone could ask him about this again.

I can't imagine any other country repeatedly killing US citizens with US weapons, with zero repercussions.

oh no not during UNGA

International law experts say the Trump administration’s legal justification for US strikes against suspected drug boats doesn’t hold up. Thanks again to @becingber.bsky.social @bcfinucane.bsky.social @mikeschmitt.bsky.social theworld.org/segments/202...

“What unites the many actions of the Trump administration, from the sledgehammer it has taken to government programs to the demonstrative cruelty it has built into immigration raids, is that they transform the daily physical, economic and psychic experience of life…”

The study Olúfémi cited here is long and detailed, but I want to highlight two specific paragraphs which get at why, like him, I know we will win.

I do not regret to inform you that we are going to win (h/t @miriamposner.com) www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

I Am Trying to Protest-Cancel Another Subscription But I Don’t Remember My Password: The Anjali Kaushlesh Dayal Story

Nick Kristof went to talk to some of the moms losing their beloved children to Trump’s aid cuts. We are paying storage on already existing food rather than release it to starving kids. “I loved my child so much” www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/o...

Broadview ICE "processing facility" outside Chicago:

To Save Us from Hell -- globaldispatches.org -- outline key stories and themes to follow in their pre UNGA80 podcast. They'll also be providing analysis after high level week. Hosted by @anjalikdayal.bsky.social and @markleongoldberg.bsky.social

UNGA always gives crucial signals in a condensed time for what the future of multilateralism might be. We'll be analyzing these signals for the UN Futures Lab support to anticipatory governance & foresight. In the meantime. A few good places to get insights and analysis of UNG80 are in this thread 🧵

"Don't speak to me that way" is a perfectly acceptable response, as is "Don't speak to her that way." Reporters, you don't have to simply bear witness, day after day, year after year.

This brilliant photo by @staceywescott.bsky.social.

🚨🚨🦦🦦🦦🚨🚨

what a world

Only seven Senate Democrats are signed onto a resolution put forward by Jeff Merkley for the United States recognize the State of Palestine. They are: Sen. Jeff Merkley Chris Van Hollen Tim Kaine Bernie Sanders Peter Welch Tina Smith Tammy Baldwin Mazie Huron

look who woke up from a five year nap I guess

We are so very privileged in New York City to have @bradlander.bsky.social and these elected officials --Bobby Carol, Marcela Mitayanes, Julia Salazar, Emily Gallagher, Jabari Brisport, Jessica Gonzalez Rojas -- representing us and fighting for our neighbors' rights.

HICCUPS FOR SPUDLET

The arrests happened after an hour long standoff where law makers refused to leave, here is AM Marcela Mitaynes explaining in Spanish why she came today.

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All 11 local elected officials have now been released and given summonses for obstructing, they are due back in federal court in November. Full story here: www.thecity.nyc/2025/09/18/d...