Inner City Press: Global Inner Cities Report

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October 26, 2020

On UN Day Failing Guterres Invites Killers Like Lankan Rajapaksa As Hides Rapes Bans Press

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive Video
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - CJR - PFT

UN GATE, Oct 23 -- Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General who rarely takes questions as he undermines what's left of the UN's credibility and even had the Press which asked him about his links to the convicted UN briber CEFC China Energy thrown out of the UN, rolled up in three large SUV vehicles to the publicly-funded mansion he usually lives alone in, just before the COVID-19 pandemic spread in March Video here, & YouTube and Facebook.

Now on October 23 - UN Day - Guterres has bragged to staff that "our global survey to mark this anniversary confirmed that the people of the world continue to put their trust in us to prevent conflict, promote human rights, advance justice, protect our planet and uphold the equality of women and men." This as he daily covers up rapes by UN peacekeepers and bans the Press which asks, as he fails on Cameroon and the UN has on other conflicts like in Sri Lanka and as even the Mayor of New York won't meet with UN officials like the PGA.

For UN Day, as simple one example, the UN invited a speech by Sri Lanka's Mahinda Rajapaksa, responsible for the Bloodbath on the Beach, which the UN supposedly learned from. The UN75 event is led by a sexual harasser on the 38th floor, as Guterres covers up for UN staffer Elkorany who drugged and rapes women in Iraq and refuses to answer why his own head of Partnerships Amir Dossal was on the board of sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell's Terramar.

Back on October 19 in a session exposed by Inner City Press - after an invite by a disgusted Ambassador -- Guterres bragged that he will travel in two weeks to Massachusetts to meet his semi-estranged wife who lives in Portugal, a country from which quarantine would be required in New York. This is open evasion of quarantine rules - or not open, since it was said in a meeting several disgusted participants invited Inner City Press to observe.

Inner City Press asked UN Spokespeople Stephane Dujarric and Melissa Fleming: "Immediately confirm what SG Guterres said this morning, that he plans to travel to Massachusetts in two weeks and meet his wife coming in from Portugal and explain how his is not evasion of applicable quantantine rules." Hours later, no answer at all. (Contrary to, for example, IMF answers to Inner City Press here.)

And then asked Guterres online, here.

Perhaps most significantly, Guterres in the meeting expressed open preference in the current US president election saying that if one side wins, "Net Zero Emissions" can be advance, and if the other (Trump) wins, Guterres and the UN will rely on bankers like JPMorgan Chase.

Guterres also spoke about social media platforms - not the censorship of investigative articles but the need to censors more, citing what he called "Social Dilemna" a show he says he is watching on Netflix. We will have more on this.

Normally, one could ask Guterres' spokespeople to explain. But they refuse to answer questions, even for clarification of Spokesman Stephane Dujarric reference to two, and not one, trips. They are corrupt.

After his return and faux quarantine for ten days, including maskless men going in and out of his mansion, on August 19 Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that US Secretary of State would be meeting directly with Guterres in the mansion on August 20 at 2 pm, see below.

Meanwhile Guterres ordered UN headquarters staff to return to New York by September 15 - or two weeks before, so that they (unlike him) can quarantine. See video leaked to Inner City Press, here, including on that Guterres' contempt for the public is spreading.

On August 20 Inner City Press, though also covering the indictment and arraignment of Steve Bannon in the SDNY courthouse it covers, rushed uptown to see if this blatant violation of quarantine by Guterres would take place. It did: streaming Periscope video here; now on YouTube here. There were many UN staff and security, a waste of public money occasioned only by Guterres' selfishness and arrogance.

October 19, 2020

At UN Ivory Coast Majority Against Outtara No Answer From Guterres So Q&A With Bamba

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - CJR - PFT

UN GATE / SDNY COURT, Oct 15 – A fight is brewing in the corrupt UN of Antonio Guterres, and current UN Security Council President Russia.

It involved Ivory Coast or Cote d'Ivoire, where octogenarian ruler Ouattara seeks another term.

Former Cote d'Ivoire ambassador Bamba called Inner City Press on October 3 and expressed frustration at the UN Security Council. France will support whoever wins and gives it money. Tunisia is in chaos.

Inner City Press informed the seasoned diplomatic who colonial Guterres was willing to support another octogenarian FrancAfrique asset Paul Biya in Cameroon. "Keep up the fight," he said.

Inner City Press has in writing asked Guterres, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric and Deputy Amina J. Mohammed, chief of staff Maria Luisa Viotti and chief censor Melissa Fleming: "On Cote d'Ivoire, what are the comments and actions if any of SG Guterres on events and upcoming election in the country - has the Secretariat heard from former Ambassador Bamba, now in NYC? and this: A delegation of African and UN envoys on Wednesday expressed "deep concern" ahead of Ivory Coast's tense presidential election this month as it wrapped up a visit to the capital Abidjan. Envoys from the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations met with government officials, the opposition and civil society as calls grow for a postponement of the West African country's October 31 vote."

As of this writing on October 15, no answer. On October 15 Inner City Press, invited to the press conference, asked Ambassador Bamba and Herman J. Cohen about the response of the UN. Ambassador Bamba said Cote d'Ivoire has been a failure of the UN, failure to monitor. No follow through the DDR, nor SSR. Cohen suggested the AU could be trusted more.

Inner City Press says Guterres has gutted the UN, siding with octogenarian dictators like Paul Biya in Cameroon. Inner City Press asked a follow up question about France, whose interference in Cote d'Ivoire Inner City Press has long reported on.

Inner City Press will have more on this. Watch this site.

October 12, 2020

Antonio Guterres Botched UN Racism Study Over 50% Has Examples Requiring His Ouster

By Matthew Russell Lee, Exclusive Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - CJR - PFT

UN GATE / SDNY COURT, Oct 9 – While it took Antonio Guterres' tweet about patriachy to push the calls for him to resign into new audiences, many of whom had not even been aware who the UN Secretary General was, it is the hypocrisy that should ensure his needed departure.

This hypocrisy and incompetence, shielded by censorship of Press, extends to matters of race as well.

Today Inner City Press exclusively publishes findings from the UN racism (UNPAD) survey leaked to it. Over 50% of those surveyed (52%) have experience racism. And here are some examples from the report - Guterres must go --

I have heard colleagues being referred to as monkeys on occasion. • Once a colleague referred to Africans as still living in trees. • I was harassed by my own staff and encouraged by my manager to resign without a proper process. • I found a way to test the racism in my organization by drafting something and asking my European junior to send it – it received praise whereas when I would submit my work myself, I would face negative comments. • A white colleague once asked me “Can you speak English” while mocking my accent.

Many Black colleagues are sent to particularly difficult duty stations – in the deep field as retaliation. • I was told to hand over my duties to a junior White colleague and redeployed to a remote field location. • Blacks receive the most severe punishment. • I witnessed a woman of colour get punished and kicked out ruthlessly for reporting bad procurement practices. • I was transferred to a remote area as punishment because of my race. • The feeling of everyone in the office is that the Westerner has benefitted from senior management’s indulgence and given a second chance while the African has been punished harshly for the same thing. • I face retaliation for reporting wrongdoing – abuse of power and mismanagement of resources. • There is retaliation if you stand up for yourself by damaging your reputation and blacklisting you. • I have been threatened with job termination and retaliated against when I challenged decisions that put me in a compromising position in relation to my professional integrity

It’s very hard to see Africans appointed at HQ level. • Under qualified White candidates are often given jobs over qualified Black ones. • The most important decisions such as the recruitment of an international staff are based on racial criteria. • When a recent recruitment exercise resulted in only Whites being selected, I was told it was because there were no qualified black people

A white colleague refused to report to a Black Supervisor. • The white staff in my office did not accept my leadership and would systematically undermine me. • Whites at a lower grade do not accept Black supervisors (P3/P4 level) and prefer to report to more senior supervisors who tend to be White. • As a team leader, I get described as aggressive and abrasive if I put my foot down. • Gaslighting and general disrespect to local staff

The UN proudly quoted Guterres, on Twitter, "The #COVID19 pandemic is demonstrating what we all know: millennia of patriarchy have resulted in a male-dominated world with a male-dominated culture which damages everyone – women, men, girls & boys."

But this is the same Guterres who in June when Inner City Press, which Guterres has banned from the UN for 798 days and counting, published a video of UN staff in Tel Aviv having groups sex with a prostitute in a UN van, refused to answer about.

Then Guterres lied that the driver Juan Carlos Cunillera has been put on leave without pay, even when that wasn't true: he is being paid.

During this time, Inner City Press published Guterres' racial survey. It was retracted, but it now being relaunched under the very official who was in charge of the first fiasco, Catherine Pollard (who laughed heartily as Guterres guards pushed Inner City Press out in June 2018). Here it is:

Subject: SG letter to Staff Members on Task Force on Addressing Racism and Promoting Dignity for All in the United Nations
Sent: Wednesday, September 9, 2020

Dear Colleagues, I write to inform you that I have established a Task Force on Addressing Racism and Promoting Dignity for All in the United Nations for one year. This is a continuation of my efforts to strengthen my campaign of dialogue and action on eradicating this scourge from the Organization. The Task Force is mandated with identifying the extent of personal, interpersonal, structural and institutional racism in the Organization and its impact on mandate delivery. On this basis, the Task Force is required to devise a long-term Strategic Action Plan for my consideration on how to end racism and racial discrimination in the United Nations, propose measures to promote diversity and inclusion and on how to develop policies and tools to create a safe environment in which racism can be reported and addressed promptly without fear of reprisal. The Task Force will be chaired by the Under-Secretary-General for Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance and will comprise a diverse group of senior level staff and a staff representative from the Staff-Management Committee. During the execution of its mandate, the Task Force will also engage with other key stakeholders and experts on racism and racial discrimination. Based on the legitimate concerns raised by staff on the content of the recent Survey on Racism, I requested its suspension to allow for necessary revisions in order to address the issues raised by staff. On this note, the Task Force is also mandated with directing and overseeing the Survey process prior to its relaunch. As we move forward in earnest to address the issue of racism and racial discrimination in the Organization, I would like to take this opportunity to urge you to continue to hold deeper and honest dialogues on the issue of race and ethnicity, deliberately and harmoniously, and with great sensitivity and awareness. Since assuming office, I have placed the issue of diversity and inclusion at the heart of my reform agenda. As we make progress in addressing gender equality and geographic representation in the Organization, I count on you all once again to give the same zeal to my efforts of ensuring a United Nations where every race, colour, gender, religion, creed or sexual orientation finds a sense of belonging and safety and is granted an equal opportunity to participate in the activities of the Organization at all levels. Yours sincerely, António Guterres."

Fraud.

Last week another UN staffer, Karim Elkorany, was arrested and arraigned in the U.S. Court for the Southern District of New York for drugging and raping women in Iraq where he was a UN communications strategist.

Guterres has refused to answer Inner City Press' written questions about why, once the UN was informed Elkorany's drugging and raping, he was allowed to simply leave Iraq and set up shop in New Jersey.

This same "repatriation" is the only punishment Guterres mete out to UN Peacekeepers accused of raping children, most but not all of these girls and some as young as five, in the DR Congo and Central African Republic and Haiti.

Then, unlike even his predecessor Ban Ki-moon, Guterres through his spokesman Stephane Dujarric refuses to provide basic if-asked information about the cases. Inner City Press has also published leaked audio about Guterres ordering the end of a probe of sexual harassment by one of his cronies, audio here.

Also in the SDNY is the higher profile sex trafficking case of Ghislaine Maxwell, on whose Terramar Project board of directors Guterres' head of "UN Partnerships" Amir Dossal was one of only five members. Guterres has refused to answer or act on this as well.

So alongside his talk of patriarchy, Antonio Guterres sits atop what could be described as an international sex trafficking conspiracy, misusing the UN's and his own legal immunity and having roughed up and banning the Press which asks about it.

The UN being the UN, with full impunity, will probably double down and have propagandist Melissa Fleming, funded by IKEA and Pierre Omidyar, claim that Guterres being under fire for saying patriarch makes him a hero. But he is a hypocrite.

October 5, 2020

As Law Professors and OSI Sue Trump For ICC Free Speech They Ignore UN Press Censorship

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - CJR - PFT

UN GATE / SDNY COURT, Oct 3 – A group of law professors, represented by a Washington lobbyist firm, has sued on the theory that their First Amendment rights to support the UN-affiliated International Criminal Court have been impaired. Fine. Interesting.

But the parties should be aware: the UN is no friend of free speech.

Under current Secretary General Antonio Guterres, the UN roughed up and has banned Inner City Press 823 days now, for its questions about Guterres' failures on Cameroon (a France-supported mass killing event not taken up by the ICC) and his undisclosed links to convicted UN bribers at CEFC China Energy. Video here, background here.

Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric - a US as well as French citizen - helped organize the rough up then initially promised on camera to at least answer Inner City Press' request questions, here. He has since stopped, and said "Mr. Lee's status remains unchanged."

With that unacted on, and Guterres' head of media accreditation Melissa Fleming - a US citizen - denying Inner City Press' application for re-accreditation last months without even giving a reason, the ICC / Trump complaint says:

“The executive order and the regulations impermissibly restrict plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights to freedom of speech by prohibiting them from providing the speech-based services and assistance described above, including with respect to ICC investigations and prosecutions that the United States supports. The executive order and the regulations also lack the clarity required by the Fifth Amendment as to which acts subject a person to enforcement or designation, or which persons they cover.” Yeah.

The plaintiffs' lawyers are Shrutih Ramlochan-Tewarie and Nicholas Marcus Renzler of Foley Hoag LLP. The plaintiffs are The Open Society Justice Initiative, Diane Marie Amann, Milena Sterio, Margaret deGuzman and Gabor Rona. Are these professors, and Foley Hoag, really for free speech with regards to the UN and ICC? So far, it seems not.

Their case is Open Society Justice Initiative et al v. Trump et al, 1:20-cv-08121 (Failla)

September 28, 2020

UN of Guterres Blocks From UN Website IP of Inner City Press After UNCA Says Do Not Leak

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN

UN GATE, Sept 24 – While the United Nations speaks about press freedom and the upcoming UN General Assembly week under new President Zolkan Bozkir of Turkey, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has banned Inner City Press amid its questions about his finances and failures on Cameroon and in combatting or even just disclosing UN sexual abuse.

Complicit in all this is the UN Correspondents Association.

On September 17, Guterres' spokesman Staphane Dujarric was publicly asked about Guterres' ban on Inner City Press, and said "Mr. Lee's status remains uncharged. Video here.

But then something changed. On September 19 and still as of this writing on September 20, the IP address Inner City Press uses was blocked from the UN's website. Video here. The UN sites worked when checked from another's laptop. So can the UN use public money to block Internet access to their "transparency" page by media which ask and criticize them about it?

Certainly the UN Censorship Alliance / UNCA will not try to stop the UN's descent under Guterres.

On September 23, the UNCA Executive Committee of Reuters, France 24, Xinhua, AFP and others -- list of those most responsible for this censorship of Press here -- issued this, forwarded to Inner City Press by several of their disgusted members: "Dear colleagues, The UNCA Executive Committee deplores the situation that transpired in reference to the email from U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric on the background briefing by Assistant Secretary-General Volker Turk on the Secretary-General’s upcoming speeches that was sent last Friday. This behavior directly compromises the work of colleagues who respect and abide by the code of conduct outlined in the media guidelines when receiving accreditation as a United Nations Correspondent and will inevitably affect access to such briefings for all of us moving forward. We strongly advise that all colleagues reporting at the United Nations continue to conduct themselves in a professional manner and adhere to the ethical standards and the code of conduct as expected. Thank you for your attention and cooperation. On behalf of the UNCA Executive Committee, Valeria Robecco President, United Nations Correspondents Association."

[Note: This seems to obliquely refer to this video

Let's review: first this UN Censorship Alliance tried to suck up to Guterres by supporting the ouster of independent Press. Then when some of their members, as they should, leaked - UNCA supported blocking Press access to the UN's websites. This organization is a travesty.

Also: Inner City Press deals with and respects embargoes all the time - at the IMF, State Department, in the courts. But even organizations with lame representatives on the UNCA board agree, when one is not party to an embargo agreement, one is not bound. UNCA has supported ouster of media that actually covers the UN, in favor of retirees and state media. UNCA is anti-press, anti press freedom.

On September 20, as Guterres' UN blocks Inner City Press not only on Twitter but from its publicly funded websites, a strange message from UNCA bigwig Ali Barada of whom we've previously reported " Ali Barada of An-Nahar, filed a complaint against Inner City Press with the "Special Investigations Unit" of the UN Department of Safety and Security. The only basis? What Inner City Press said when Barada bragged that he immediately deleted without opening Inner City Press' email requesting to see the "information available on request" listed in the report Barada signed off on - and which was then sent anonymously to the government against Inner City Press. In fact, while all Inner City Press responded with was a run of the mill host country insult, Barada cited his involvement with a "terrorist" group, as a reason Inner City Press shouldn't express its opinion. Update: And on Friday, July 6, Inner City Press had to spend two and a half hours with UN Security responding to Barada's frivolous and pretextual complaint."

There's been more since - watch this site.

Watch this site.

Brenden Varma, for PGA Bozkir, has refused to answer Inner City Press' questions about his backsliding on the one reform from the UN corruption scandal Inner City Press reported on, often exclusively, about PGAs Ashe and Kutesa; Bozkir has an empty "Ethics" page.

Varma then blocked Inner City Press on Twitter. This is today's UN - we'll have more on this issue. Inner City Press should be given the codes to access and ask questions at briefings immediately, like the state media and retirees Guterres and Melissa Fleming prefer and favor.

September 21, 2020

UN General Assembly of 4 Day Old Speeches For 100 Tired State Media But No Inner City Press

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - ESPN

UN GATE, Sept 18 – While the United Nations speaks about press freedom and the upcoming UN General Assembly week under new President Zolkan Bozkir of Turkey, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has banned Inner City Press amid its questions about his finances and failures on Cameroon and in combatting or even just disclosing UN sexual abuse.

On September 17, Guterres' spokesman Staphane Dujarric was asked about it, and Inner City Press' formal application for access. Video here. Transcript below.

Dujarric said "Mr. Lee's status remains unchanged" - banned 808 days and counting. On September 18 he and PGA spokesman Brenden Varma refused written questions. They said that the in-house correspondents, including some without computers and many state media and retires, would get a private briefing at 3:30 pm.

It emerges that the UNGA speeches will not only be on tape - they will be four days old. US President Trump is not coming. Much to the UN Correspondents Association's displeasure, there will be no free lunch. This UNCA did not fight to get electronic access for journalists around the world, only the 100 who pay them money. To this has the UN sunk. Inner City Press will be covering UNGA, while demanding access.

From the September 17 transcript: Q: you were talking about press freedoms, a different part of the press. What's the latest with Inner City Press? They've apparently asked to be credentialed, and that's been ignored. They've played an active part in uncovering UN corruption over the years. Where does... where do they stand regarding UN credentialing?

UN Spokesman Dujarric: Mr. Lee's status remains unchanged. Okay...

Question: And does that mean that that's going to stay unchanged, meaning he's banned for the next... for this General Assembly?

Spokesman Dujarric: Well, I mean, there's no... we're not issuing any new credentials for this General Assembly, because there's really nothing... there are no physical... barely any physical events here. So, there's no... no temporary credentials are being given, anyway. All right. Thank you very much. I will leave you in the capable hands of Mr. [Brenden] Varma....

***

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September 14, 2020

UN Staffer In Iraq Indicted For Drugging and Raping Women Then Lying Now Discovery

By Matthew Russell Lee Patreon Periscope Song
BBC - Decrypt - LightRead - Honduras - Thread

SDNY Courthouse, Sept 10 – UN former staff member Karim Elkorany was arrested then freed on $500,000 bond on Wednesday in connection with drugging and raping women in Iraq while working for the UN in 2016, then allegedly lying to the FBI about it in 2017.

The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York states that Elkorany, "a former communications specialist with the United Nations in Iraq, was charged in an Indictment in Manhattan federal court with two counts of making false statements to special agents of the FBI in an effort to conceal his drugging and sexual assault of multiple women while he worked for the UN...In or around December 2016, Victim-1 reported the sexual assault to the UN. The UN initiated an investigation, through which ELKORANY was notified of the substance of Victim-1’s allegations against him."

The UN claims it has a zero tolerance and blacklisting policy for sexual abuse, but despite a victim complaining to the UN in this case, on Wednesday Elkorany was leaving freely in New Jersey when he was arrested.

On Wednesday evening after 6 pm, as exclusively reported by Inner City Press which has been banned from the UN for its questions, was released on a bond to be signed by his father and brother, but allowed to leave home to work from 8 am to 6 pm.

There was another proceeding on September 10, before District Judge Naomi Reice Bulkwald. Inner City Press live tweeted it, here:

Elkorany's lawyer has not responded to the US Attorney's proposed protective order. Note: little in this case should be withheld or sealed - it is about spending public's money for a UN staffer to drug and rape women in Iraq, then have the UN cover it up.

AUSA Pomerantz: There are cell phone and laptops that the FBI is in the process of extracting. [What will they show about the UN of @AntonioGuterres ? ]

Since the cell phones and devices are being extracted to produce discovery, next date is November 9, 11:45 am. Inner City Press will continue to cover this case and the UN.

Then in the docket, this: "Pretrial Conference as to Karim Elkorany held on 9/10/2020. Initial conference as to Karim Elkorany held by telephone on 9/10/2020. Lara Pomerantz, Amanda Houle and Daniel Richenthal for the government; Dawn Cardi for the defendant; Defendant Karim Elkorany; court reporter present. Conference scheduled for November 9, 2020 at 11:45a.m. Speedy trial time excluded until November 9, 2020."

UN Guterres Crocodile Tears For Killed Media As He Roughs Up and Bans Press From UNGA

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Periscope
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - CJR - PFT

UN GATE, Sept 11 – In the United Nations, on September 1 a list of speakers for the UN General Assembly week Sept 22-29 was released, photo here.

From 2006 into 2018, Inner City Press closely covered each UNGA week from inside the UN, asking questions in the UN Press Briefing Room (which which France once threatened to use Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric to have it removed and its accrediation pulled). Guterres used force, here.

Now on September 11, while still banning Inner City Press after 801 days, Guterres has issued this hypocritical statement: "The Secretary-General is appalled at the continued and increased numbers of attacks against journalists and media workers around the world. The recent killing of Julio Valdivia Rodríguez, a journalist at a newspaper in the State of Veracruz, Mexico, is yet another example of the hazardous and difficult conditions in which many journalists work globally. The Secretary-General condemns all attacks and killings of journalists and calls on the respective authorities to ensure that they are thoroughly investigated and that those responsible are held accountable. The Secretary-General reiterates his call that a free press is essential for peace, justice, sustainable development and human rights. No democracy can function without press freedom, which is the cornerstone of trust between people and their institutions. When media workers are targeted, societies as a whole pay a price. Stephane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General New York, 11 September 2020."

Now, after Guterres without any due process had Inner City Press roughed up by his personal guards and banned from the UN since, Inner City Press on September 5, 2020 submitted a formal application to cover this 2020 UNGA, including for access to the UN' online briefings, to ask questions about such crises as Cameroon, Yemen and China's expansionism. Receipt has been confirmed: photo here.

Guterres' chief propagandist Melissa Fleming, spending public money on a vanity podcast while refusing questions about what the UN actually, wants to limit physical entry into the UN building to so-called "resident correpondents." But even if that were legitimate (it is not), there is no reason to similarly limit access to online briefings. The IMF doesn't - Inner City Press is given the codes and asks questions and get answers.

Thin skinned Guterres is abusing his position to block the Press from covering actual leaders. So what will new President of the General Assembly Bozkir Vulkan do? And member states? We have asked and will continue reporting. Watch this site.

Most resident correspondents write nothing, or only propaganda. And who will decide on these "very limited non-resident" [sic] who will be allowed in? This is the beginning of a series. Thread here.

The censored UNGA Week will be even more lame than usual, with most speeches - other than Trump's? - by video. Still in the first morning there are China and Russia, Qatar, Morocco and Iran. Cameroon's dictator Paul Biya, supported in his killing like many others by Guterres, is on Friday September 24.

Yet only the same old retirees and state media will be allowed in, they say. Inner City Press will have more on this.

September 7, 2020

UN Staffer In Iraq Indicted For Drugging and Raping Women Then Lying As UN Role Questioned

By Matthew Russell Lee Patreon Periscope Song
BBC - Decrypt - LightRead - Honduras - Thread

SDNY Courthouse, Sept 2 – UN former staff member Karim Elkorany was arrested then freed on $500,000 bond on Wednesday in connection with drugging and raping women in Iraq while working for the UN in 2016, then allegedly lying to the FBI about it in 2017.

Inner City Press covered 6:20 pm presentment of Elkorany, here:

Elkorany is represented by Dawn Cardi of Cardi & Edgar LLP of 99 Madison Avenue.

Judge Cott: I take it you are retained, Ms. Cardi?

Cardi: I am.

Judge Cott: Mr Elkorany, if you are a citizen of another country you may have a right to consular notification.

Cardi: He pleads not guilty.

Judge Cott: First, confirm you are waiving a public reading.

Cardi: Correct.

AUSA Houle: "The parties have a proposed bail package. A $500,000 personal recognizance bond co-signed by his father Awny ELkorany and brother Nor Elkorany. Surrender of all passports by five pm tomorrow. Home detention at parents' home.

AUSA Houle: He can leave 8 am to 6 pm for work.

AUSA Houle: Refrain from any contact with victims. Drug testing and treatment as directed by Pre Trial Services. Release today provided he is fitted for GPS which we understand Pre Trial is prepared to do.

AUSA Houle: Dan Richenthal has confirmed they can do it. Richenthal: Officer Trale (sp) told me it would be possible to 5 pm. So I'm not positive.

Judge Cott: What do you want to do? Cardi: I am proposing he return home and return tomorrow morning.

Cardi: The suretors probably can't sign today either.

Judge Cott: When was he arrested?

AUSA Houle: 6 am this morning.

Cardi: My client does not have his phone and no money to get back to New Jersey. Can someone lend him the money?

Judge Cott: I cannot deal with minutia like this right now.

Elkorany was listed as a UN "Communications Specialist" -- Fleming's forte -- on press releases about Toyota, here. He was interviewed on UN Radio, here. But of course, UN Spokesperson Staphane Dujarric claims he knows nothing about it and that Guterres has a "principled position."

Inner City Press is asking the UN, On UN staffer Karim Elkorany, indicted in SDNY for lying to FBI about drugging and raping women while working for UN in Iraq, immediately state what the outcome of the victim complaining to the UN was - and why Elkorany was back at liberty in New Jersey.

This is specifically asked in the context of this statement: "UNDP participates in a joint project with other UN agencies to maintain a system-wide database called "Clear Check" to ensure that former personnel involved in substantiated cases of sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse with one entity in the UN system cannot be employed by another entity." So what did the UN actually do, other than transport a rapist from New Jersey to Iraq then bringing him home to live free? Watch this site.

August 31, 2020

UNPGA Prez Volkan Bozkir Taps Brendan Varma As Spox With Conchita Wurst Echo Still Censored

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - CJR - PFT

UN GATE, Aug 26 – How corrupt is today's United Nations? On May 15 the UN General Assembly held a "informal interactive dialogue" for the lone rubber-stamp candidate to be UN President of the GA, Volkan Bozkir.

Since there is no other candidate, it was akin to a presidential debate in North Korea.

And now after Bozkir was rubber stamped, without yet taking any action on the banning from the UN of the most active Press, Inner City Press, Bozkir has begun stocking up. Now on August 26, his spokesman (who also represented Miroslav Lajcak) - Brendan Varma. Now, he use to answer questions from Inner City Press. But that was before corrupt Antonio Guterres took over. Will he now? We'll see - and report. From two 2018 UN transcripts:

9 July 2018: "Question: Yeah. I just want to ask a follow‑up to the question about the 3 July incident involving Inner City Press. Will the review include an evaluation of the actions by security itself that were alleged looking into whether, in fact, physical force… any physical force was used against Mr. Lee and the circumstances surrounding that as opposed to just his conduct, which, of course, I understand, but is… is the security's actions itself… are they going to be examined? Deputy Spokesman: We are looking into the matter thoroughly, including the actions taken by the security forces. At the same time, I would point out that there is a concern whenever anyone, whether media or otherwise, has an altercation with the security in the build… inside the building. Yes?"

8 August 2018

Question: Farhan, can you confirm receipt of a formal complaint that has been submitted to the Secretary‑General by Inner City Press on prohibited conduct? Did you… have you received…? Deputy Spokesman: I believe that has been received and is being reviewed. Question: What action will be taken into… in regards to that? And will that hold up a decision that has been ongoing on the status of Inner City Press? Deputy Spokesman: I don’t believe it will hold up any decision. I think, once a decision is made, we will convey it to Matthew, and then I will let you guys know. And with that, Brenden Varma, come on up.

No, it's been Come on down...

From Inner City Press on August 21: "Tegan Brink Chef de Cabinet to the President of the 75th Session of the UN General Assembly" - from Australia's mission. Will she ensure that active press can enter and ask questions in the UN? Or collude in censorship?

And in other ways too: Turkish "diplomatic" Volkan Bozkir is best known for saying, after "drag queen" Conchita Wurst's Eurovision win, "Thank God we no longer participate in Eurovision."

Yet watch corrupt UNSG Antonio Guterres speak warmly about it. Guterres believes in nothing but himself, wanting to "run" unopposed for a second term. This should be denied. Here's the notice, from another UN office whose spokesperson Reem Abaza like Guterres' Stephane Dujarric refuses to answer Inner City Press' written questions about its corruption:

"The President of the 74th session of the General Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande will convene an informal interactive dialogue with the candidate for the position of President of the 75th session of the Assembly, Volkan Bozkir on Friday, 15 May 2020, from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. The dialogue will be held via a virtual platform due to the continued limitations on holding large in-person meetings as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic."

Under Guterres' Melissa Fleming, it seems Inner City Press will be denied video of the "debate." Inner City Press, banned from the UN and now its Zoom rooms for 785 days, will have much more on this. Watch this site.

August 24, 2020

UN Guterres Breaks Quarantine With Pompeo In Mansion With Maskless Men After Vacation

By Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Video
BBC - Guardian UK - Honduras - CJR - PFT

UN GATE, Aug 20 – Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary General who rarely takes questions and even had the Press which asked him about the mass killings in Cameroon thrown out of the UN, rolled up in three large SUV vehicles to the publicly-funded mansion he usually lives alone in, just before the COVID-19 pandemic spread in March Video here, & YouTube and Facebook.

In August with most New Yorkers locked down or, if they leave the City and returned, harassed by contact tracers, Guterres went on an unannounced publicly funded vacation to Portugal.

Inner City Press, though also covering the indictment and arraignment of Steve Bannon in the SDNY courthouse it covers, rushed uptown to see if this blatant violation of quarantine by Guterres would take place. It did: streaming Periscope video here; now on YouTube here. There were many UN staff and security, a waste of public money occasioned only by Guterres' selfishness and arrogance.

For two Saturday in a row Inner City Press streamed video of the mansion, empty. August 1 here. July 25 empty here. Then on August 5 UN Deputy Spokesman Farhan Haq who refuses Inner City Press' written questions belatedly said Guterres in "away" and would quarantine according to the regulations, again at public expense, when he returned.

On August 11 Inner City Press between court cases it is covering biked by the Sutton Place mansion. Just during its 20 minutes there, two separate men went in and out of the mansion without any masks on, carrying with them whatever Guterres brought back. Video here.
Full Periscope stream here. This is not quarantine. From the UN to Inner City Press' written questions, no answer, on August 12.

But on August 12, from departing Dutch PR Karel van Oosterom, this: "Honoured to be received by SG @UN @antonioguterres for a farewell visit. Gave him my book," and a photo.

On August 18 Dujarric admitted, "he did travel to, he was on leave. He went home. He travelled to Portugal. He came back here. He's on a strict two‑week quarantine, and he followed whatever, the health regulations in Portugal, as well." Video here.

Guterres should be impeached.