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International

US warns Nicaragua is following

path of Syria and Venezuela

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States warned the Security Council on Wednesday that Nicaragua is heading down the path that led to conflict in Syria and a crisis in Venezuela that has spilled into the region — but Russia, China and Bolivia said Nicaragua doesn’t pose an international threat and the U.N. should butt out.

The sharp exchanges took place at the first Security Council meeting called by U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley, the current council president, to address what the U.N. says is the government’s violent repression of student and opposition protests that have killed over 300 people since mid-April and led thousands to flee the country.

“With each passing day Nicaragua travels further down a familiar path. It is a path that Syria has taken. It is a path that Venezuela has taken,” Haley said.

UN envoy: Libya lurching from

emergencies as extremists grow

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. envoy for Libya said the country has lurched from one emergency to another in recent weeks and warned that the Islamic State extremist group is expanding its operations and Libya could become a refuge for terrorist groups of all persuasions.

Ghassan Salame told the Security Council Wednesday that “the status quo in Libya is untenable.”

He urged council members to help address the “looming threat” from the spread of extremist groups, and support economic reforms and efforts to advance the political process and move toward national elections.

Libya slid into chaos after the 2011 uprising that overthrew long-ruling dictator Moammar Gadhafi and led to his death. The country is currently governed by rival authorities in the capital Tripoli and the country’s east, each of which are backed by an array of militias. Other armed groups have carved out fiefdoms across the country, with many profiting from smuggling and extortion.

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