At the United Nations, the General Assembly has voted to approve a new Human Rights Council over the objection of the United States. The body’s previous incarnation, the UN’s Human Rights Commission, had been accused of maintaining lax standards on the human rights records of its members. The new council will be smaller in size and elected by a majority of the General Assembly. The resolution received 170 votes in its favor, with only the US, Israel, the Marshall Islands and Palau opposed.