US plans re-entry in UN rights panel
Finds authoritarian rulers leading UNHRC 8:
Washington, Feb. Announcing the new approach from Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the pullout in June 2018 “did nothing to encourage meaningful change, but instead created a vacuum of US leadership, which countries with authoritarian agendas have used to their advantage.”
“The Biden administration has recommitted the United States to a foreign policy centered on democracy, human rights, and equality,” he said in a statement. “Effective use of multilateral tools is an important element of that vision.”
The decision is likely to draw criticism from conservative lawmakers and many in the proIsrael community, who have derided the council and echoed Trump administration complaints that it was too quick to overlook abuses by autocratic regimes and governments and even accept them as members.
Blinken said President Joe Biden had instructed the State Department to “reengage immediately and robustly” with the council, but he acknowledged it still needs work.
“We recognise that the Human Rights Council is a flawed body, in need of reform to its agenda, membership, and focus, including its disproportionate focus on Israel,” he said.
Blinken said the council, when it works well, “shines a spotlight on countries with the worst human rights records and can serve as an important forum for those fighting injustice and tyranny.”
“To address the council's deficiencies and ensure it lives up to its mandate, the United States must be at the table using the full weight of our diplomatic leadership,” he added.
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The Delhi High Court on Monday stayed an earlier order by a single judge asking Future Group to maintain status quo with respect to its Rs 24,713crore deal with Reliance Retail till the pronouncement of its final order.
A bench of chief justice D. N. Patel and justice Jyoti Singh passed the interim direction on Future Retail's appeal challenging the February
2 order of the single judge. In the February 2 order, Future Retail and all the concerned authorities were directed to maintain status quo with respect to all matters in violation of the order dated October 25, 2020. The single-judge is hearing Amazon's plea seeking enforcement of the October 25, 2020 Emergency Award given by Singapore International Arbitration Centre, restraining Future Group from going ahead with the deal with Reliance Retail.
"Statutory authorities should not be restrained from proceeding in accordance with law on FutureReliance deal," said the division bench on Monday, referring to bodies like NCLT, CCI and Sebi. It also turned down Amazon's request to suspend Monday's order for a week.
However, the bench clarified that it will not come in the way of the final order to be pronounced by the single judge. While asking the respondents to maintain status quo, the single judge also wanted to file the status report within 10 days of the receipt of the order.
The court issued notice to Amazon and sought its stand on FRL's appeal by February 26 when it will commence day-to-day hearing of the matter.
In the interim order, the division bench said it was staying the single judge order as firstly, FRL was not a party to the share subscription agreement (SSA) between Amazon and Future Coupons Pvt Ltd (FCPL) and the US ecommerce giant was not a party to the deal between FRL and Reliance Retail.
The bench further said it was of the prima facie view that the share holding agreement (SHA) between FRL and FCPL, the SSA between FCPL and Amazon and the deal between FRL and Reliance Retail "are different" and "therefore, the group of companies doctrine cannot be invoked."