US denies Palestine leader Abbas a visa to UN summit for second year running

The Palestinian Authority on Thursday sharply criticised a decision by the United States to deny visas to its officials ahead of next week's UN General Assembly in New York, a measure that also affects its president Mahmoud Abbas. In a statement, the Palestinian foreign ministry called it "an unjustified measure that runs counter to efforts to rebuild trust, develop Palestinian–US relations, and create the necessary political climate for implementing the two-state solution and achieving peace and stability". The decision marks the second consecutive year in which Abbas has been prevented from traveling to New York for the General Assembly, after a similar visa denial last year forced him to address the meeting by video instead.