The United Nations General Assembly has elected five new non-permanent members to the UN Security Council for a two-year term. The newly elected countries are: Bahrain Colombia Congo Latvia Liberia These nations will join the Security Council, the only UN body empowered to make legally binding decisions on matters such as sanctions and military action. The council’s five permanent members — the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Russia, and France — each hold veto power. In the vote count, Bahrain received 186 votes, Congo 183, Liberia 181, Colombia 180, and Latvia 178.