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WORLD NEWS Thursday 21 december 2023

U.N. Security Council again delays vote on Gaza aid resolution

amid talks on wording to avoid U.S. veto

By EDITH M. LEDERER cessation of hostilities.” It
Associated Press also calls for U.N. Secretary-
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — General Antonio Guterres
The U.N. Security Coun- to quickly establish a mech-
cil again on Wednesday anism for exclusive U.N.
delayed a vote on a new monitoring of aid deliveries
U.N. resolution on desper- to Gaza bypassing the cur-
ately needed aid to Gaza rent Israeli inspection of aid
until the following day as entering the territory.
the Biden administration U.S. National Security
struggles to change key Council spokesman John
wording in high-level nego- Kirby also raised two other
tiations seeking to avoid a issues Wednesday morn-
U.S. veto. ing that are not in the Ar-
The United States seeks to ab-sponsored resolution
change the text’s referenc- condemnation of Hamas’
es to a cessation of hostili- deadly Oct. 7 incursion into
ties in the Israel-Hamas war, southern Israel that sparked
and the part about put- the latest war.
ting the United Nations in “It’s important for us, if the
charge of inspecting trucks Security Council is going to
to ensure they are actu- speak on this, that there’s
ally carrying humanitarian a condemnation of Hamas
goods, which Israel oppos- Humanitarian aid trucks enter through the Kerem Shalom crossing from Israel into the Gaza Strip and what they did on the
es. on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023. 7th of October, there’s a
Ambassador Lana Nus- Associated Press recognition of the need for
seibeh of the United Arab and that is implementable going to be optimistic and then pushed back to Tues- Israel to be able to defend
Emirates, which sponsored on the ground,” she told try to reach an agreement, day and then Wednesday itself, and there’s of course,
the Arab-backed resolu- reporters after the 15 coun- but if the negotiations is now expected on Thurs- significant commitment
tion, said very high-level dis- cil members held closed yield no results by Thurs- day morning. by all members on getting
cussions are taking place consultations. “We believe day, “then we will assess in The initial text called “for humanitarian assistance
to try to reach agreement today, giving a little bit of the council to proceed at the urgent suspension of into the people of Gaza,”
on a text that can be ad- space for additional diplo- pace to a vote on the reso- hostilities to allow safe and Kirby told reporters aboard
opted. macy, could yield positive lution.” unhindered humanitar- Air Force One as President
“Everyone wants to see a results.” The vote initially post- ian access, and for urgent Joe Biden was enroute to
resolution that has impact Nusseibeh said the UAE is poned for Monday and steps towards a sustainable Wisconsin.q

Three of the biggest porn sites must verify ages to protect kids

under Europe’s new digital law

By KELVIN CHAN to be targeted by the Violations are punishable already been identified for porn sites to verify a user is
AP Business Writer sweeping Digital Services by fines of up to 6% of stricter scrutiny under the 18 or older. Methods could
LONDON (AP) — Three of Act, which imposes tough global revenue or even a DSA, including TikTok, Ama- include checking credit
the world’s biggest porn obligations to keep users ban on operating in the EU. zon, Facebook, Instagram, cards or government-is-
websites face new require- safe from illegal content Some 19 online platforms Google and more. sued ID or scanning faces
ments in the European and dodgy products. and search engines have Pornhub disputed its status to estimate ages, but all
Union that include verifying as a very large online plat- those systems have raised
the ages of users, the 27-na- form under the DSA, refer- concerns about privacy
tion bloc said Wednesday, ring to a statement on its and discrimination.
expanding the reach of website saying it has 33 mil- Europe’s digital law also
its digital law designed to lion average monthly users. calls for measures to curb
keep people safe on the XVideos and Stripchat did the risk of spreading illegal
internet. not respond to requests for content online, such as
Pornhub, XVideos and comment. child sexual abuse materi-
Stripchat have now been The law includes provisions al, or content that breach-
classed as “very large on- to protect children by pre- es “fundamental rights” like
line platforms” subject to venting them “from ac- privacy, such as “non-con-
more stringent controls un- cessing pornographic con- sensual” images or deep-
der the Digital Services Act tent online, including with fake porn.
because they each have age verification tools,” the “These measures can in-
45 million average monthly commission said in a press clude adapting their terms
users, according to the Eu- release. France, Germany and conditions, interfaces,
ropean Commission, the European Union flags wave in the wind as pedestrians walk by and Britain and U.S. states moderation processes or
EU’s executive branch. EU headquarters in Brussels, on Sept. 20, 2023. including Utah and Texas algorithms, among others,”
They are the first porn sites Associated Press have drafted laws requiring the commission said.q