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By Matthew Russell Lee, Full Exclusive, Video, report

UNITED NATIONS, April 24 – Forty eight days after the North Korea - Trump talks by the end of May were announced by South Korea on March 8, Japan's attempts to get off the margins continue, hampered by the Moritomo Gakuen cronyism land scandal surrounding Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie Abe. Pro (Shinzo) Abe media Sankei Shimbun took a swipe at Akie Abe as too visible (read, not conservative enough or not subservient enough). As translated - but not analyzed - by Reuters, "''Many people are fascinated by Mrs Akie’s free-style life that doesn’t fit the mould of previous first ladies,' reporter Makiko Takita, a woman, wrote in the conservative Sankei newspaper. 'But now the administration is in a tight spot and her inappropriate words and actions are … pulling the rug out from under it,' Takita added. 'This is overstepping the bounds towards the prime minister’s wife, but wouldn’t it be a good idea to restrain your activities?'" Some call it sexism. And then there's this: "The head of Komeito on Tuesday called remarks made by former education minister Hakubun Shimomura “utterly incomprehensible,” after the Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker criticized a journalist that made sexual harassment allegations against a top bureaucrat. Shimomura said during a weekend closed-door meeting that the reporter’s decision to record sexually suggestive remarks made by Junichi Fukuda and give the audio to a magazine was almost a criminal act." But Sankei, allowing a correspondent who writes few stories to destroy its UN coverage, is true to form. Now Sankei Shimbun has at the UN a babbling neophyte Kevin uselessly typing up Security Council quotes on peacebuilding that are not used, talking about his boss and then falling asleep in the bullpen, sidling up to state media using "Sonkei... the right wing smallest of the major Japanese papers" as a calling card, gushing a pedigree of Chinese media (great) and Swiss magazines - the state media had not heard of Sankei. On April 18 at a stakeout on Syria covered by Inner City Press, present were other Japanese media but not Sankei. Its Mayu Uetsuka now "covered" Stormy Daniels, with cookie cutter comparisons of the US and France and swipes at evangelicals, absurdly under the rubric "Reading the United States." The two were together, questionless, on April 18, apparently lobbying the UN censorship machine. Meanwhile they missed even the story of the US Committee on Human Rights in North Korea, see Inner City Press' coverage here. This reading will continue. Uutsuka, an embarrassment even to her predecessor Jun Kurosawa and, in Paris Mina Mitsui actually covering Syria, previously "reported" on MLK events in Memphis, while using UK-based corporate wire coverage of the issues impacting its own readership. We'll have more on thisAs initially with an Okinawa do-gooder story, until now no retraction. Instead, opting for now instead like Mayu Uetsuka of Sankei Shimbun, here, to jump on the U.S. gun control bandwagon, while having ignored the UN itself promoting and advertising automatic weapons, tanks and even rocket launchers in its 1-B basement. (Inner City Press exclusive series, here, video here.) Are these glaring omissions known to correspondents Hiroyuki Kano, Krose Etsuia, Norio Sakurai in Seoul, and even, in London, Okabe Shinbun? To say nothing of actually detained Tatsuya Kato who at least then defended press freedom, with Jun Kurosawa UNdeclared? While some say "it's all set," this could and should all be turned around. We'll have more, much more, on this. On March 21 after UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the UN had sent one official to provide legal advice, Inner City Press asked if it was from the UN Department of Political Affairs run for one more week by Jeffrey Feltman, who visited Pyongyang. Yes, Dujarric said, from DPA. Video here. Hours later without providing any correction to Inner City Press he mass-emailed this: "Note to Correspondents on the meeting on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in Helsinki, Finland: The Secretary-General is aware of the meeting in Helsinki and the UN has contributed to this academic exchange through a UN official from the Office of Legal Affairs providing legal expertise on maritime issues.  As previously mentioned, he is encouraged by the diplomatic advances made recently to further reduce military tensions and to discuss denuclearization in future talks with all relevant parties." We'll have more on this.  South Korea's MBC was reporting that the release of three Americans held by Pyongyang has essentially been agreed to, pending only the logistics. The three are Kim Dong Chul, Kim Sang-duk and Kim Hak Song. Others say this was one purpose of North Korea's foreign minister visiting Sweden. Meanwhile North Korea's Foreign Minister is still in Sweden - watch this site. The report says as to Japan, among other things, that "the Panel investigated a foreign-manufactured crane seen in the Korean Central Television (KCTV) broadcast of 14 May 2017 loading the Hwasong-12 missile, which
highlights the use of commercial cranes in ballistic missile related activities (figure XIX). The crane was likely produced by a Japanese company, which acknowledged to the Panel that two units had been exported" to DPRK. Also, "The Panel investigated the opening in April 2017 of a new brand chain outlet of
MINISO in Pyongyang, advertising itself as a 'Japan-based designer brand.' The MINISO website shows images of items in its stores, such as cosmetics and earphones, that could be considered luxury goods in accordance with resolution 1718 (2006) given that they are covered by Japan’s luxury goods ban. On 18 January 2017, prior to the opening of the Pyongyang branch, MINISO signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The attendees of the signing ceremony included Nan Chengyi, the chief delegate of the North Korea Economic Cooperation Council, China Dandong Office, and the
global cofounders of MINISO, Miyake Junya (chief designer) and Ye Guofu (Chief Executive Officer). MINISO claimed that its items retailed in Pyongyang were not produced in Japan and that the MINISO China office was handling the brand’s overseas franchise, including the Pyongyang branch. After being contacted by the Panel, the brand deleted its headquarters address in Japan on its website (see annex 42). Furthermore, the Pyongyang store has changed its retail brand name in its packaging (see figure XXV). The Panel also addressed its concern about possible violations of the prohibition on joint ventures in a letter to the company, to which it has not received a reply." But what about Bank of Tokyo - Mitsubishi? We'll have more on this. The report also says that "the Panel launched an investigation following media reporting that the website of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) hosted a patent application
by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea entitled 'Process for the production of sodium cyanide.' Sodium cyanide is a chemical weapons precursor (including of the nerve agent, tabun) that has been designated by the Security Council (see S/2006/853, p. 4, No. 143-33-9). Additionally, in its resolution 2270 (2016), the Council stated that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea shall abandon all chemical and biological weapons and weapons-related programmes and called upon
the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to accede to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical
Weapons and on their Destruction. The Panel requested from WIPO detailed information about the patent
application by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the listed inventors and the entities with which they are affiliated. While WIPO provided a description of the patent application process, it could not provide information on the inventors’ affiliations, given that that information is not required in the patent application form.
The Panel notes that this makes it impossible to determine whether the inventors from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were affiliated with any designated
entities. The Panel informed WIPO that, although the organization had acted in accordance with the Patent Cooperation Treaty in receiving and processing the
application, the Panel considered that pursuant to paragraph 11 of Security Council resolution 2087 (2013), WIPO should have contacted the Committee to ensure that processing a patent application by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea relating to the production of a substance banned by the Council was consistent with
the provisions of the resolutions. The Panel recommended that WIPO inform the Committee of future patent applications by the Democratic People ’s Republic of
Korea relating to any items, substances or technologies prohibited under the resolutions... WIPO informed the Panel that the Mansudae Art Studio, an entity designated in 2017, had applied for a patent..  the Panel recommends that Member States have their patent office check whether any of the listed applicants and inventors are designated to ensure that the fees received for the patent application process do not violate the relevant financial provisions of the resolutions." We'll have more on WIPO. The report just put online also says that "Malaysia - Korea Partners Group of Companies(MKP), a network of overseas branches of a major joint venture of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea linked to the Reconnaissance General Bureau and the Mansudae Overseas Group and having ties to financial institutions of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea... MKP’s homepage claimed it operated in Algeria, Angola, Australia, Burundi, Cambodia, China, Congo, DRC, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, China, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nigeria, Russia, Singapore, Tanzania, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe. The map at the bottom of the site further insinuates operations in Southeast Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mideast/North Africa, North America and Europe... MKP claims completed construction projects in Malaysia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Angola, Libya, Sudan, Yemen, Russia, Hong Kong..." We'll have more on this. Earlier, McMaster met with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres after 3 pm, without even a photo spray at the top. Inner City Press at noon asked Guterres' spokesman, UN transcript here: I wanted to ask about this meeting on the Secretary-General's schedule with H.R. McMaster.  It's not in the media alert.  Is there any… it seems like it's a pretty high-profile meeting.  Many people are interested in it.  Is there… can it be open for a photo op?  Is there a photo op?  And there will be a readout? Spokesman:  "There'll be a UN photo.  I don't expect there to be a readout.  It's a meeting being done at the request of Mr. McMaster, who asked to see the Secretary-General." While the UN provided no information, here's Inner City Press' fast transcription of what McMaster and then Haley said: McMaster: Good afternoon, everybody. It’s about a year since President Trump approved the strategy of maximum pressure aimed at North Korae with the objective of denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. It’s today I had the tremendous opportunity, thanks to Ambassador Haley, to come brief the UN security council permanent representatives about the progress of that campaign, and President Trump also asked me to thank the UN security council for their unity and resolve. It has us now to a point where we may be able to pursue a diplomatic solution to the complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. So we’re determined to pursue that course. And we had the opportunity to talk with the UN security council permanent representatives today, and to communicate our common intention to keep up the campaign of maximum pressure. We all agreed that we’re optimistic about this opportunity, but we’re determined. We’re determined to keep up the campaign of maximum pressure until we see words matched with deeds and real progress toward denuclearization." Haley: "Thank you, General, and thank you for coming. I will tell you that what was really important was for the Security Council members to reap the rewards from what they had done. There were a lot of questions about the resolutions when we passed them, they were saying it’s too hard, they were saying what else can we do. If you think about it, three resolutions were passed in the United Nations unanimously by the Security Council that cut off all exports. 90 percent of trade. 30 percent of trade. Deiband their labor force. All of those things led to the pressure that amounted to this. Then you had the courage of our president Trump to say, okay, let’s try and bring this together and so, what we really wanted the Security Council to know, that when so many times they say sanctions don’t work, this is an example of where they do work. We’re very thankful to every member of the Security Council that worked with us when we were trying to pass these resolution, in particular China was very helpful and really worked with us well, as well as South Korea and Japan were a big part of all of that. So I think today was certainly due to the Security Council because as much work as they have done they want to hear from the General, and obviously the way things play out in DC and play out going forward. I know that there are a lot of questions that you have and we can’t answer any of them. But wanted to make sure that you knew at least what we talked about upstairs, so that you were informed on that as well. Thank you very much." Amid the murk, one view of where (and when) a Trump meeting with Kim Jong Un should take place was voice March 9 by none other than John Bolton: by the end of March, in Geneva. Bolton said it should be in the same "former League of Nations" conference room where James Baker met Tariq Aziz in January 1991 before Operation Desert Storm, the so-called extra mile for peace. Others throw out locations like Pyongyang, New York, Seoul, Tokyo (if Trump wants to throw Abe a bone, see below) or even Mar-a-Lago.  The timing of Trump's meeting with Bolton shortly before the North Korea talks were announced bears more reporting. At the UN by mid-morning on March 9, this was not listed on the Security Council's online Program of Work. Photo here. In Japan, no longer on the Security Council, media like the Sankei Shimbun complained instead about the issue of abductees and about Trump's dissing of Japan on tariffs, while using wire or "joint" copy on the Florida gun bill, UN Women's Day and even on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' canned statement. From Seoul, Kato's successor Norio Sakurai warned of Japan being "peeled off." Similarly, in North Korea itself the ostensibly agreed to talks weren't even yet disclosed to the public. Working at the UN, Inner City Press asked the spokesman for Miroslav Lajcak, President of the UN General Assembly, for comment on the North Korea talks. By evening, this was sent to Inner City Press: "The President supports dialogue as well as efforts to denuclearize the Koran Peninsula." Earlier, Inner City Press asked the Dutch President of the Council for the month, Karel van Oosterom, who told Inner City Press he has been invited to a meeting with McMaster but for more to ask the US. In DC the questions were about McMaster leaving the Administration, with a less than rousing defense by the spokesperson. When the UN Spokesman called his end of day (and week) lid, there was mention of another Security Council meeting for Monday, but nothing on North Korea. Meanwhile, when UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres belatedly commented 17 hours after the announcement, his spokesman Stephane Dujarric went on to link to the slated talks the earlier visit to Pyongyang by outgoing UN Department of Political Affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman. But is the connection? And when Feltman leaves on March 31, who will the US put in, particularly given developments on and in North Korea? Watch this site. Back on March 8, half an hour after South Korean official Chung Eui-yong announced at the White House that US President Trump will meet North Korea's Kim Jong Un by May, Inner City Press after informing the UN's Department of Public Information sought reaction from Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Since, despite Inner City Press' request, all UN Department of Public Information minders had left for the day, Inner City Press retreated to the Conference Building where a Chinese opera, as it happens, was taking place. But when Guterres and his entourage came off the elevator, Inner City Press approached, at the same time as one of Guterres' female Assistant SGs he'd met with. Guterres, chatting with a youth, ignored even her. Video here. Did he know the news? Inner City Press followed up by Twitter: nothing. This is today's UN.  Two cars were at the ready, and two security officers faced Inner City Press. (One said that yet a third officer "wanted to file a complaint against your story," here). There was the sound of opera, and down the hall a painting of Ban Ki-moon, who accomplished nothing on the issue in ten years. It was the UN. The next morning, still nothing from Guterres. Finally after 17 hours, this canned statement from his spokesman: "The Secretary-General is encouraged by the announcement of an agreement between the United States and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to hold a summit meeting by May. He commends the leadership and vision of all concerned and reiterates his support for all efforts towards peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions." And now re-emerge reports about North Korea "state actors" hacking the UN's Panel of Experts and its members. But the reports fail to mention that UN Secretary General and his outgoing head of Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman allowed into the UN's own Department of Political Affairs a North Korean state actor, the son of a Workers Party official. (Inner City Press exclusively reported the name,  Kim Joo Song). If UN DPA, in charge of the sanctions committees' panels of experts, let a sanctioned countries state actor in as a staff member / junior professional officer, how surprising is it? The worst is that is wasn't idealistic multilateralism that led to the hire, DPA whistleblowers tell Inner City Press, but rather Guterres' vain desire to see himself in Pyongyang, a diplomatic victory at last as he ignores the suffering in places like western Cameroon. In the face of North Korea sanctions, the UN in December 2017 used the sanctioned Foreign Trade Bank and Russia's Sputnik Bank to release EUR 3,974,920.62 into the country, documents obtained by Inner City Press and exclusively published on February 21 show. On February 21, Inner City Press asked the Dutch chair of the UN Security Council's 1718 Sanctions committee about the exemption. He refused to comment, saying the issue did not come up in the meeting he had just exited. Video here, but see below. Now amid renewed focus in the lead up to the belated release of the UN Panel of Experts report, the Washington Post has done a deep dive into North Korea's laundering of coal: " The Togolese-flagged Yu Yuan and the Panamanian-flagged Sky Angel, both Chinese owned, were among two separate sets of cargo vessels that passed in and out of Kholmsk harbor in late summer and early fall of last year, carrying coal that at least partly originated in North Korean mines" - and ended up, the report goes on, in South Korea and Japan. This while Japanese media, particularly those ostensibly most hard line, go soft not only on the UN (see below) but also on Japan's own Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi, which turned a blind computer eye to business with North Korea, then fled the New York regulator while being investigated, see below. Also now amid renewed focus on Sisi's Egypt as purchaser and selling-place for North Korean weapons, US President Donald J. Trump on March 4 spoke with Sisi, and the US issued this, without even a mention with North Korea: "President Donald J. Trump spoke today with President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi of Egypt.  President Trump and President Al Sisi discussed opportunities to enhance the American-Egyptian partnership on a range of security and economic issues.  The leaders discussed Russia and Iran’s irresponsible support of the Assad regime’s brutal attacks against innocent civilians.  President Trump and President Al Sisi agreed to work together on ending the humanitarian crisis in Syria and achieving Arab unity and security in the region." And not the 30,000 RPGs? A new light is cast on UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' "very very warm regards" for Sisi this week, in a credentialing ceremony which Guterres' close protection ordered Inner City Press to stop recording, here.  Thirty thousand rocket propelled grenades could generally quite a bit of warmth - the last Panel of Experts report cited "the Jie Shun, a vessel commanded by a Democratic People’s Republic of Korea captain that was en route from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea towards the Suez Canal. A search revealed a cargo containing 30,000 PG-7 rocket propelled grenades and related subcomponents in wooden crates concealed under about 2,300 tonnes of limonite." In terms of Guterres' Lusophone world, the last PoE report said that "at the time of the Panel’s visit [to Angola], 12 nationals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea were providing martial arts and parade ground training. The Panel informed Angolan agencies that continuation of the training would constitute a violation of paragraph 9 of resolution 2270 (2016), which clarified the prohibition on the hosting of personnel from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea for security force training, established under resolution 1874... the Panel enquired with the Government of Angola as to whether they had departed the country. The Panel has yet to receive a reply." The new report has yet to go on the Committee's website. On March 2, before the silence procedure expired on the United States' request to add to the sanctions list 27 companies, one individual and 33 ships, silence was broken by China and the listing did not proceed. This as the UN has held off sanctioning Chinese banks like China Merchants Bank, and China Construction Bank Corporation, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, and Agricultural Bank of China for their business with Dandong Hongxiang Industrial Development. But how will it, and the UN more generally be covered going forward? Day to day those most interested in the UN's 1718 committee are Japanese media. While certainly predisposed to reporting on any moves by China, less scrutiny is given to the UN itself. Perhaps this is because of Japan's long and unrequited desire for a permanent seat on the Security Council, pursued without effect by playing nice with the UN. Consider a recent profile of Secretary General Antonio Guterres by the Sankei Shimbun, casting Guterres and more decisive than his predecessor Ban Ki-moon. One, that's not saying much. Two, along the same lines, Ban at least audited the Ng Lap Seng UN bribery case, something Guterres has yet to do with the larger China Energy Fund Committee / CEFC China Energy UN bribery scandal, with the company now taken over by the Shanghai government. Three, the combative or defensive approach to China is mirrored by one by South Korea, particularly as that country refuses to give up on the issue of comfort women used by Japan in World War II. Notably, the misogyny is replicated in the microcosm of the United Nations. The same publication has had its #MeToo moments, in and out of Manhattan (female correspondents it is said are not allowed to have children during their deployments); local hires regardless of years of effective service are threatened with termination for not immediately dropping their young children. As the law has evolved in the United States that could of course be turned around. We'll have more on this - and on this: on March 2 a spokesperson for the chair of the Committee told Inner City Press, "As chair of 1718 committee we cannot comment on internal committee issues." Inner City Press has asked why the delegation, president of the Security Council for March, doesn't have a public schedule and read-outs, like the President of the General Assembly does. We'll have more on this. Meanwhile a complaint to the Committee by Japan about a Maldives flagged ship Xin Yuan 18 has drawn return fire from the embattled government of President Yameen: "No such vessel is registered in the country," his Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday. 'Further we condemn, in the strongest possible terms, the use of our National Flag in a manner so as to tarnish the good standing and reputation of our nation and that of our people. The Maldivian authorities do not allow flag of convenience to foreign owned vessels to operate outside Maldivian waters,' the statement added. The Government of Maldives gives high priority to the implementation of all resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, including the Resolutions on Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea). The Administration is currently investigating the matter and wishes to make clear that the Maldives will pursue aggressive action against any such acts which affects the National Identity in such a detrimental manner." Inner City Press has asked the chairmanship if Maldives has formally responded to the Committee; separately, the Panel of Experts' report is due on March 14, photo here. Japan said that 'at midnight on February 24, 2018, a P-3C aircraft of Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (Fleet Air Wing 1 P-3C : Kanoya) found that Chon Ma San, North Korean-flagged tanker, was lying alongside Xin Yuan 18, Maldivian-flagged tanker, on the high sea (around 250 km eastern offshore of Shanghai ) in the East China Sea. Judging from the fact that the two vessels lay alongside each other with their lights turned on at night, both vessels could have been engaged in some type of activity. Following a comprehensive assessment, the Government of Japan strongly suspects that they conducted ship-to-ship transfers banned by UNSCR." Meanwhile in the matter Inner City Press is exclusively pursuing, a letter from Sputnik Bank stated that "unauthorized person (I.V. Tonkih) led  negotiations with Korean party on interbank correspondent relationship." Photos here, more documents in PDF now published on Patreon, here. On February 22, Inner City Press asked UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres' spokesman Stephane Dujarric about how Sputnik Bank, given its admission, was selected, and then additional questions in writing, below - which Dujarric would not answer or confirm. Video here.

From the UN transcript: Inner City Press: I wanted to ask you quickly about a thing in North Korea.  I've learned yesterday and published the documents of a waiver sought by the UN system, he UN Resident Coordinator, Tapan Mishra. To use a, some say little-known, but, in any case, not a prominent Russian bank as a correspondent bank to send €4 million into North Korea in December.  And I wanted to know, first of all, how is the bank… there's a document that's… that's part of the request that shows that the Russian bank acknowledges that an unauthorized person even negotiated the correspondent bank relationship.  How does the UN system choose which correspondent bank to use?  And is this comment… is this… it seemed like they presented this as an emergency for third-quarter disbursements of 4 million euros into North Korea…Spokesman:  Listen, I don't know the details of the agreement.  What I do know is that the UN operates, has humanitarian presence and has a presence in Pyongyang.  We abide… the DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea], as you know, is under very strict sanctions from the Security Council, which include issues of the banking sector.  We do need to get money to pay staff and to run our programmes.  I think it's only normal that we go through the Sanctions Committee to get the waivers.  We don't want to be… obviously, the Secretariat doesn't want to be in violation of Security Council resolutions.  To say that dealing with the banking sector in terms of banks that are willing to do business legitimately in the DPRK is challenging would probably be an understatement.  But whatever rules there are, I have no doubt that they were followed. Inner City Press:  So, simple question, is this… is this put out… is there a procurement for this?  I'm asking you because there's some questions about how the bank was selected even from… their own documents acknowledge some irregularities.  So how… can you look? Spokesman:  As I said, I don't have further details.  I can look into it, but I know we're working in a very challenging environment in trying to follow the rules and regulations to the 'T.'"  To the T? Inner City Press has also aske in writing, "Please state the total of funds the UN system (including specifically the agencies named in the Resident Coordinator's request) transferred in 2017 to DPRK, including total for program use (development assistance) and total for UN use (maintenance, local salaries, etc). When was the last audit of UN activities in North Korea / DPRK done? There will be more." In 2017 then-chairman of the UN Security Council's 1718 / North Korea sanctions committee Sebastiano Cardi of Italy informed Sputnik Bank to release the nearly EUR 4 million to the Foreign Trade Bank - the very entity for dealing with Latvia's ABLV Bank has been sanctioned by the United States.

   Previously, Cardi by letter had, according to UN Resient Coordinator Tapan Mishra, neglected to "make clear reference to the need for cash withdrawal." The Treasurer of the UN Development Program Paul Gravanese then asked Cardi for wider authorization for FTB to withdraw funds. This only concerned the third quarter of 2017 - what has been done since? The new chairman declined to say.

  Others say, the UN has fixed nothing, sweeps everything uner the rug.  Earlier this month when Inner City Press asked if the Committee's rulings on request for exemptions, and the underlying requests themselves, are placed on the Committee's website or otherwise made public. The answer was and is no.  Inner City Press will have more in this exclusive series. Media paid to cover the UN too often let it off the hook, on issues from North Korea to UN corruption to most recently automatic weapons. The UN has been the venue for bribes paid from Macau based operative Ng Lap Seng and now Patrick Ho of the China Energy Fund Committee - but on February 13 in the same basement the North Korea sanctions committee meets in the UN allowed an Indonesia based weapons company to advertise not only machine guns and drones but even tanks inside the UN. Periscope video here. But when the Japanese media paid to cover the UN belatedly chime in on gun control, like Sankei Shimbun's Mayu Uetsuka here, they ignored the UN's total failure in even advertising guns after the Florida shooting. They could have covered it, and still could; their Mr Tatsuya Kato in South Korea, whom Inner City Press supported here and here, and also in Sankei, proves there is something to support on a free Press basis. But. As the North Korea UN sanctions "experts" report continues to be cherry picked further and further down the food chain, now that North Korea paid its 2017 UN dues by means of a swap is also ignored, like the recent report focused on coal, pointing the finger at Vietnam, Russia, China, Vietnam and South Korea. Omitted, apparently intentionally, are violations by Japanese companies, like Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi, as Inner City Press has reported. It is facts chucked or thrown, rather than fact checked. How far will today's UN go to placate some countries, while ignoring others and restricting the Press? On January 26 UN "global communications" chief Alison Smale flew to Charleston, South Carolina for a photo op and UNTV video with China's Xiamen Airlines for having painting the UN's "SDGs" logo on the side of an airplane. This without having answered Press questions about her Department of Public Information's malfeasance with resources allocated by the General Assembly for Kiswahili and about the lack under her "leadership" of any content neutral UN media access rules. Afterward, when Inner City Press asked for the mp4 video of her South Carolina junket - Inner City Press is informed that the plane she celebrated could not in fact fly - it was told to "Ask UN Webcast," which is under Smale. They were asked - and have not given the video. Nor has Smale offered any response to a detailed petition two weeks ago, while re-tweeting her former employer the NYT and current boss Antonio Guterres. But who is making who look bad? And how can a former NYT editor have no content neutral media access rules, and no answers? As she restricts Inner City Press from its UN reporting on Cameroon, Myanmar, Kenya, Yemen and elsewhere? We'll have more on this. While any country would try to get the UN to promote its airline, if the UN would do it, Smale is the UN official who responsible for Inner City Press being restricted and evicted as it reports on the UN bribery scandal of Patrick Ho and China Energy Fund Committee. Smale hasn't even deigned to answer petitions in this regard, in September (she said she recognized the need for the "courtesy" of a response, never given) and in January -- too busy flying to South Carolina to promote an airline:

 Today's UN of Antonio Guterres, who just met with ICC indictee Omar al Bashir, and his Deputy Amina J. Mohammed who has refused Press questions on her rosewood signatures and now the refoulement of 47 people to Cameroon from "her" Nigeria, has become a place of corruption and censorship. On January 30 as Inner City Press sought to complete its reporting for the day on Guterres' Bashir meeting and Mohammed's Cameroon no-answer, it had a problem. It was invited to the month's UN Security Council president's end of presidency reception, 6:30 to 8:30 - but with its accreditation reduced by censorship, it could not get back into the UN after 7 pm, to the already delayed UN video. It ran to at least enter the reception - but the elevator led to a jammed packed third floor, diplomats lined up to shake the outgoing UNSC president's hand. Inner City Press turn to turn tail back to the UN, passing on its way favored, pro-UN correspondents under no such restriction. Periscope here. Inner City Press has written about this to the head of the UN Department of Public Information Alison Smale, in Sepember 2017 - no answer but a new threat - and this month, when Smale's DPI it handing out full access passes to no-show state media. No answer at all: pure censorship, for corruption. Smale's DPI diverted funds allocated for Kiswahili, her staff say, now saying they are targeted for retaliation. This is today's UN. Amid UN bribery scandals, failures in countries from Cameroon to Yemen and declining transparency, today's UN does not even pretend to have content neutral rules about which media get full access and which are confined to minders or escorts to cover the General Assembly.

Inner City Press, which while it pursue the story of Macau-based businessman Ng Lap Seng's bribery of President of the General Assembly John Ashe was evicted by the UN Department of Public Information from its office, is STILL confined to minders as it pursues the new UN bribery scandal, of Patrick Ho and Cheikh Gadio allegedly bribing President of the General Assembly Sam Kutesa, and Chad's Idriss Deby, for CEFC China Energy.

Last week Inner City Press asked UN DPI where it is on the list to be restored to (its) office, and regain full office - and was told it is not even on the list, there is no public list, the UN can exclude, permanently, whomever it wants. This is censorship.

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