SECRETARY-GENERAL: ‘United Nations Chief Exposes Limits to his Authority by Citing Saudi Threat’, New York Times, 9 June 2016; and ‘U.N. chief blasts Saudi pressure after Yemen coalition blacklisting’, Reuters, 9 June 2016

In an unusually frank admission, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters he was coerced into removing a Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen from a list of armies that kill and maim children, a rare window into the limits of his moral and political authority. Ban said he was threatened with the loss of financing for humanitarian operations in Palestinian, South Sudan and Syria if he did not temporarily delete the Saudi-led coalition from the list. 'United Nations Chief Exposes Limits to his Authority by Citing Saudi Threat', New York Times, 9 June 2016; and 'U.N. chief blasts Saudi pressure after Yemen coalition blacklisting', Reuters, 9 June 2016