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US 'illegitimate' attempt

Tehran condemns the US attempt to remove Iran from the UN commission on the status of the women, calling it illegitimate. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kan’ani says Washington is trying to block independent states’ right to a free vote in international bodies. Kan’ani says Iran earned membership in the commission after a recent voting session by the UN economic and social council. The spokesman says the US move questions the legality of such mechanisms in international bodies. The US is pushing a draft resolution at the council to remove Iran from the UN’s commission on the status of women. The country has just started a four year term on the body. Tehran has repeatedly warned that some western countries are exploiting human rights for their own political ends.

UK train strikes

Britain’s rail and maritime union rejects the four-percent pay rise, proposed by train operators to end the highly disruptive strike action by rail workers. The RMT union says the offer does not meet its criteria for securing long term job security for its members. Last week, the union said more than 40,000 workers would stage strikes in December and January, signaling major Christmas disruptions. The union also organized major industrial actions that caused massive disruptions in the summer. Britain has witnessed a series of walkouts across different sectors over the past months. The government is now considering using the military’s help to fill in for striking workers ahead of key walkouts by nurses and ambulance staff.

Russia oil price cap

A price cap on the Russian oil export announced by the European Union and the Group of Seven developed countries has come into effect. The western move is aimed at limiting Moscow’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine. The European Union has also banned all imports of seaborne crude from Russia apart from placing sixty-dollar price cap on Russian oil. The measure jointly taken by the EU and the G7 mean third-party countries cannot use western tankers, insurance firms and credit institutions IF the cargo is sold at a price higher than the designated ceiling. Kremlin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the price cap will roil global energy markets further but won’t affect Russia's ability to fund its military operation in Ukraine. Peskov says Moscow is preparing how it would respond to the move. Russia has said it won’t sell its oil to countries that apply the price cap.

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