UN anti-racism event, rejected by some, recommits to goals

By JENNIFER PELTZ
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. General Assembly is pledging to redouble efforts to combat racism around the world as it commemorates a landmark but contentious 2001 anti-racism conference. On Wednesday, the assembly held an anniversary meeting that was fraught with divisions again. Without a roll-call vote, the Assembly adopted a resolution that acknowledged some progress but deplored what it called a rise in discrimination directed at people of African heritage and a list of other groups. But Israel, the United States and some other countries boycotted the meeting because of continued grievances about the 2001 meeting in Durban, South Africa.