Lebanon, Gabon and South Sudan regain UN vote, not Venezuela

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The president of the U.N. General Assembly has announced that Lebanon, Gabon and South Sudan made sufficient payments to restore their voting rights in the 193-member world body. That leaves Venezuela as the only country that is barred from voting. Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi told the assembly that the three countries reduced their arrears to the U.N. regular budget below the amount specified in the U.N. Charter to cut off voting rights. The assembly adopted a resolution last October giving Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe, and Somalia exemptions on paying arrears. That leaves only Venezuela in arrears and cut off from voting.