The UN Security Council is urging Myanmar's government to allow international investigators to help probe allegations of human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims, saying it remains "gravely concerned" at their plight. 
 
In a letter to Myanmar's leaders obtained today by The Associated Press, the council noted the government's commitment to investigate all allegations of violence. 
 
It said independent and transparent investigations "with the involvement of the international community ... Would turn this commitment into concrete action and ensure that all perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses are held to account." 
 
The council also urged Myanmar's government to grant U.N. Agencies and humanitarian organisations immediate access to Rakhine state.

Rohingya insurgent attacks last August were followed by a military crackdown that led some 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

In a letter to Myanmar's leaders obtained today by The Associated Press, the council noted the government's commitment to investigate all allegations of violence

The UN Security Council is urging Myanmar's government to allow international investigators to help probe allegations of human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims, saying it remains "gravely concerned" at their plight. In a letter to Myanmar's leaders obtained today by The Associated Press, the council noted the government's commitment to investigate all allegations of violence. It said independent and transparent investigations "with the involvement of the international community ... Would turn this commitment into concrete action and ensure that all perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses are held to account." The council also urged Myanmar's government to grant U.N. Agencies and humanitarian organisations immediate access to Rakhine state. Rohingya insurgent attacks last August were followed by a military crackdown that led some 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

UN: International experts should help probe Myanmar abuses

The European Union ambassador to Myanmar on Wednesday warned the Southeast Asian country that receiving aid from the bloc was conditional on the protection of human and social rights.

Kristian Schmidt was addressing the opening of the Myanmar-EU Economic Forum in the capital city Naypyidaw, which was also attended by Myanmar's vice president, U Myint Swe.

The two held a bilateral meet and were also due to participate in a series of panel discussions on trade and investment.

The pair discussed "friendly matters", Myanmar's Ministry of Information said, relating to aid from the European Union with regard to the Myanmar Police Force transition and "assisting in national peace".

Schmidt was more explicit in his keynote address, pointing out that receiving European assistance was conditional on "human rights and fundamental freedoms" being respected.

"We are monitoring developments in Myanmar, including the freedom of the media, the right to peaceful assembly, the peace process, respect for the rights of ethnic minorities and the situation in Rakhine State."

Schmidt concluded that trade and investments would "suffer" if the country "starts sliding backwards on democracy, human and social rights".

Over 700,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic minority have fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state, escaping sectarian violence between rebels and the security forces.

Last month, the United Nations reported that thousands of ethnic Kachin villagers had been displaced from villages near the northern Chinese border.

"What we are seeing in Kachin State over the past few weeks is wholly unacceptable, and must stop immediately. Innocent civilians are being killed and injured, and hundreds of families are now fleeing for their lives," United Nations Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee said.

She added that there were reports that the military had carried out aerial bombings and used heavy weapons and artillery fire in civilian areas close to the border with China.

Over 700,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic minority have fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state, escaping sectarian violence between rebels and the security forces.

The European Union ambassador to Myanmar on Wednesday warned the Southeast Asian country that receiving aid from the bloc was conditional on the protection of human and social rights. Kristian Schmidt was addressing the opening of the Myanmar-EU Economic Forum in the capital city Naypyidaw, which was also attended by Myanmar's vice president, U Myint Swe. The two held a bilateral meet and were also due to participate in a series of panel discussions on trade and investment. The pair discussed "friendly matters", Myanmar's Ministry of Information said, relating to aid from the European Union with regard to the Myanmar Police Force transition and "assisting in national peace". Schmidt was more explicit in his keynote address, pointing out that receiving European assistance was conditional on "human rights and fundamental freedoms" being respected. "We are monitoring developments in Myanmar, including the freedom of the media, the right to peaceful assembly, the peace process, respect for the rights of ethnic minorities and the situation in Rakhine State." Schmidt concluded that trade and investments would "suffer" if the country "starts sliding backwards on democracy, human and social rights". Over 700,000 members of the Rohingya ethnic minority have fled Myanmar's western Rakhine state, escaping sectarian violence between rebels and the security forces. Last month, the United Nations reported that thousands of ethnic Kachin villagers had been displaced from villages near the northern Chinese border. "What we are seeing in Kachin State over the past few weeks is wholly unacceptable, and must stop immediately. Innocent civilians are being killed and injured, and hundreds of families are now fleeing for their lives," United Nations Special Rapporteur Yanghee Lee said. She added that there were reports that the military had carried out aerial bombings and used heavy weapons and artillery fire in civilian areas close to the border with China.

EU trade, aid conditional on Myanmar respecting rights, ambassador says

Nepal&nbsp;has come up with two dates for the fourth summit of the&nbsp;Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation&nbsp;(Bimstec).

The Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul prasad Baskotasaid said, August 30 and 31 or September 6 and 7 have been proposed for the Kathmandu summit, Kathmandu Post reported.

The newly appointed&nbsp;Bimstec&nbsp;General Secretary&nbsp;Shahidul Islam&nbsp;recently visited&nbsp;Nepal&nbsp;to hold meetings with&nbsp;Nepali&nbsp;Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali and Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi.

Bimstec&nbsp;is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia including&nbsp;Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It houses 1.5 billion people.

It was founded in 1997 and has its permanent secretariat in&nbsp;Dhaka. It functions in 14 different areas of cooperation.

It was founded in 1997 and has its permanent secretariat in Dhaka. It functions in 14 different areas of cooperation

Nepal has come up with two dates for the fourth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec). The Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul prasad Baskotasaid said, August 30 and 31 or September 6 and 7 have been proposed for the Kathmandu summit, Kathmandu Post reported. The newly appointed Bimstec General Secretary Shahidul Islam recently visited Nepal to hold meetings with Nepali Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali and Foreign Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi. Bimstec is an international organisation of seven nations of South Asia and South East Asia including Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand. It houses 1.5 billion people. It was founded in 1997 and has its permanent secretariat in Dhaka. It functions in 14 different areas of cooperation.

Nepal proposes dates for Bimstec Summit

Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement U Win Myat Aye said frequent earthquakes in 2018 have become a challenge for Myanmar adding that it should be addressed seriously.

"Earthquakes have become a challenge that must be seriously addressed in Myanmar," The Myanmar Times quoted Aye as saying.

Myanmar was hit by 31 earthquakes in January, 13 in February, 11 in March and 20 in April. The magnitude of earthquakes ranged from three to six on the Richter scale.

Awareness talks and preparedness rehearsals are being conducted throughout the, he added.

The major earthquakes of Myanmar include the Tarlay quake in March 2011, the Thabeikyin quake in November 2012, the Thabeikyin quake in April 2016 and the Chauk quake in August 2016.

Awareness talks and preparedness rehearsals are being conducted throughout

Union Minister for Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement U Win Myat Aye said frequent earthquakes in 2018 have become a challenge for Myanmar adding that it should be addressed seriously. "Earthquakes have become a challenge that must be seriously addressed in Myanmar," The Myanmar Times quoted Aye as saying. Myanmar was hit by 31 earthquakes in January, 13 in February, 11 in March and 20 in April. The magnitude of earthquakes ranged from three to six on the Richter scale. Awareness talks and preparedness rehearsals are being conducted throughout the, he added. The major earthquakes of Myanmar include the Tarlay quake in March 2011, the Thabeikyin quake in November 2012, the Thabeikyin quake in April 2016 and the Chauk quake in August 2016.

Myanmar minister calls for earthquake readiness

The Union Home Ministry has asked the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure that all necessary measures were taken to restrict the entry of illegal migrants including Rohingyas in the state.

A letter was sent to the State Chief Secretary Bharat Bhushan Vyas, the Joint Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs Anuj Sharma has asked the state government to " kindly review this matter &nbsp;(of the entry of illegal migrants) and issue instructions to take necessary steps and share updated information in the prescribed form .. as soon as possible..".

The Home Ministry highlighted its serious concern over the Rohingyas and other foreign nationals who have already entered India illegally.

The letter further said, "Such illegal migrations poses serious challenges and has security implications since some of the migrants have been found to have indulged in illegal activities and are vulnerable to radicalisation."

It further states, "It has been brought to the notice of the Government that some of the Rohingyas/foreigners are involved in crimes, anti-national activities, money laundering, procuring fake/fabricated Indian documents and some of them have illegally and fraudulently obtained Indian identity documents e.g. Pan Card, Voter Card, etc."

"Most of these persons have entered India illegally, and many of them have taken (the) help of organised groups of touts and agents," the letter added.

The letter also said that all states have been issued with five instructions from time to time that they need to follow against the illegal immigrants including Rohingyas.

The instructions were as follows: &nbsp;

Restrict them to specified identified locations and their activities/movements be strictly watched by State Police/Intelligence Agencies.

Each one of them must be identified, personal particulars (name, date of birth, sex, place of birth, father/mother names, address in Myanmar/some other country, nationality, etc. may be captured and got signed by such illegal migrant/their guardian.

Biometrics of illegal migrants, including Rohingyas, be captured to ensure unique identification/de-duplication and to prevent impersonation in future. FRO must coordinate with UIDAI to ensure that no Aadhar Card other documents are issued to Rohingya immigrants, which may later help them in claiming to be Indian citizens.

The personal particular forms/identity documents of such Rohingyas/foreigners to be shared with the Government of Myanmar through MEA for their nationality verification, issue of travel documents and repatriation to Myanmar.

Keep a watch on their movement and activities and ensure action for their repatriation/deportation as per Law/Policy/Instructions.

The Union Ministry has issued the letter six months after the Home Minister Rajanath Singh asked all the states to keep hawk eye on the issues.

According to estimates, about 40,000 Rohingyas residing in India.

The government had told the Supreme Court in January that the country could not become the "Refugee Capital of the World".&nbsp;

(With inputs from ANI)

The Home Ministry highlighted its serious concern over the Rohingyas and other foreign nationals who have already entered India illegally

The Union Home Ministry has asked the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure that all necessary measures were taken to restrict the entry of illegal migrants including Rohingyas in the state. A letter was sent to the State Chief Secretary Bharat Bhushan Vyas, the Joint Secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs Anuj Sharma has asked the state government to " kindly review this matter (of the entry of illegal migrants) and issue instructions to take necessary steps and share updated information in the prescribed form .. as soon as possible..". The Home Ministry highlighted its serious concern over the Rohingyas and other foreign nationals who have already entered India illegally. The letter further said, "Such illegal migrations poses serious challenges and has security implications since some of the migrants have been found to have indulged in illegal activities and are vulnerable to radicalisation." It further states, "It has been brought to the notice of the Government that some of the Rohingyas/foreigners are involved in crimes, anti-national activities, money laundering, procuring fake/fabricated Indian documents and some of them have illegally and fraudulently obtained Indian identity documents e.g. Pan Card, Voter Card, etc." "Most of these persons have entered India illegally, and many of them have taken (the) help of organised groups of touts and agents," the letter added. The letter also said that all states have been issued with five instructions from time to time that they need to follow against the illegal immigrants including Rohingyas. The instructions were as follows: Restrict them to specified identified locations and their activities/movements be strictly watched by State Police/Intelligence Agencies. Each one of them must be identified, personal particulars (name, date of birth, sex, place of birth, father/mother names, address in Myanmar/some other country, nationality, etc. may be captured and got signed by such illegal migrant/their guardian. Biometrics of illegal migrants, including Rohingyas, be captured to ensure unique identification/de-duplication and to prevent impersonation in future. FRO must coordinate with UIDAI to ensure that no Aadhar Card other documents are issued to Rohingya immigrants, which may later help them in claiming to be Indian citizens. The personal particular forms/identity documents of such Rohingyas/foreigners to be shared with the Government of Myanmar through MEA for their nationality verification, issue of travel documents and repatriation to Myanmar. Keep a watch on their movement and activities and ensure action for their repatriation/deportation as per Law/Policy/Instructions. The Union Ministry has issued the letter six months after the Home Minister Rajanath Singh asked all the states to keep hawk eye on the issues. According to estimates, about 40,000 Rohingyas residing in India. The government had told the Supreme Court in January that the country could not become the "Refugee Capital of the World". (With inputs from ANI)

Ensure measures to restrict entry of Rohingyas, Centre tells Jammu & Kashmir govt

The United Nations said&nbsp;on Thursday&nbsp;it had struck an outline deal with Myanmar aimed at eventually allowing hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, U.N. and other aid organisations have said.

"Since the conditions are not conducive for voluntary return yet, the MoU (memorandum of understanding) is the first and necessary step to support the government`s efforts to change that situation," the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement.

Myanmar`s government said in a brief statement late&nbsp;on Thursday&nbsp;the MoU would be signed "soon" and U.N. agencies would "support access to livelihoods through the design and implementation of community-based interventions".

Myanmar civilian government spokesman Zaw Htay said he had nothing to add to the statement.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees&nbsp;within two years&nbsp;but differences between the two sides persist, impeding implementation of the plan.

In a separate statement&nbsp;on Thursday, Myanmar`s government said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts.

The commission will be assisted by international experts, the statement said without elaborating.

In the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, senior UNHCR official George William Okoth-Obbo told reporters after a five-day visit to Rohingya refugee camps along the border that conditions in Myanmar did not yet allow a "safe and sustainable return".

Okoth-Obbo said an immediate challenge for humanitarian agencies was to relocate 200,000 Rohingya refugees threatened by seasonal monsoon flooding and landslides to a safer place.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects.

The Security Council asked Myanmar in November to ensure no "further excessive use of military force" and to allow "freedom of movement, equal access to basic services, and equal access to full citizenship for all".

Myanmar has for years denied Rohingya citizenship, freedom of movement and access to basic services such as healthcare. Many in Myanmar regard the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from mostly Muslim Bangladesh.

The United Nations said it had struck an outline deal with Myanmar aimed at eventually allowing hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims sheltering in Bangladesh

The United Nations said on Thursday it had struck an outline deal with Myanmar aimed at eventually allowing hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice. Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, U.N. and other aid organisations have said. "Since the conditions are not conducive for voluntary return yet, the MoU (memorandum of understanding) is the first and necessary step to support the government`s efforts to change that situation," the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement. Myanmar`s government said in a brief statement late on Thursday the MoU would be signed "soon" and U.N. agencies would "support access to livelihoods through the design and implementation of community-based interventions". Myanmar civilian government spokesman Zaw Htay said he had nothing to add to the statement. Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years but differences between the two sides persist, impeding implementation of the plan. In a separate statement on Thursday, Myanmar`s government said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts. The commission will be assisted by international experts, the statement said without elaborating. In the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, senior UNHCR official George William Okoth-Obbo told reporters after a five-day visit to Rohingya refugee camps along the border that conditions in Myanmar did not yet allow a "safe and sustainable return". Okoth-Obbo said an immediate challenge for humanitarian agencies was to relocate 200,000 Rohingya refugees threatened by seasonal monsoon flooding and landslides to a safer place. The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects. The Security Council asked Myanmar in November to ensure no "further excessive use of military force" and to allow "freedom of movement, equal access to basic services, and equal access to full citizenship for all". Myanmar has for years denied Rohingya citizenship, freedom of movement and access to basic services such as healthcare. Many in Myanmar regard the Rohingya as illegal immigrants from mostly Muslim Bangladesh.

UN and Myanmar agree outline of Rohingya return deal, no details

Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday.

He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where most Rohingya live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations.

The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 U.N. World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment.

"If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them," Thaung Tun said. "Can this be called ethnic cleansing?

"There is no war going on, so it's not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly."

Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, U.N. and other aid organisations have said.

The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years.

Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts.

Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was "incomplete and misleading".

"Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis," he said. "There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less."

He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.

The claim was made by the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. Tun said Myanmar would take back the 700,000 Rohingya who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return

Myanmar is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya Muslim refugees who have fled to Bangladesh if they volunteer to return, the country's National Security Adviser Thaung Tun said on Saturday. He was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference in Singapore, where he was asked if the situation in Myanmar's Rakhine state, where most Rohingya live, could trigger use of the Responsibility to Protect framework of the United Nations. The so-called R2P framework was adopted at the 2005 U.N. World Summit in which nations agreed to protect their own populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and accepted a collective responsibility to encourage and help each other uphold this commitment. "If you can send back 700,000 on a voluntary basis, we are willing to receive them," Thaung Tun said. "Can this be called ethnic cleansing? "There is no war going on, so it's not war crimes. Crimes against humanity, that could be a consideration, but we need clear evidence. These serious charges should be proved and they should not be bandied about lightly." Since August 2017, about 700,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled a military crackdown in mainly Buddhist Myanmar, many reporting killings, rape and arson on a large scale, U.N. and other aid organisations have said. The United Nations and aid agencies have described the crackdown on the Rohingya as "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing", an accusation Myanmar rejects. Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years. Myanmar signed an agreement with the United Nations on Thursday aimed at eventually allowing the Rohingya sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice. It also said it would set up an independent commission to investigate "the violation of human rights and related issues" in Rakhine State following the army operation there in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents on security posts. Thaung Tun said that the narrative of what happened in Rakhine was "incomplete and misleading". "Myanmar does not deny that what is unfolding in northern Rakhine is a humanitarian crisis," he said. "There is no denying that the Muslim community in Rakhine has suffered. The Buddhist Rakhine, Hindu and other ethnic minorities have suffered no less." He said that while the military had the right to defend the country, if investigations showed they had acted illegally, action would be taken.

Myanmar says it is willing to take back all 700,000 Rohingya refugees

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/day-after-countrys-farmers-go-on-strike-fruit--vegetable-prices-shoot-up-141779">Day</a><a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/day-after-countrys-farmers-go-on-strike-fruit--vegetable-prices-shoot-up-141779"> after country's farmers go on strike, fruit & vegetable prices shoot up</a>

A day after farmers in the country went on&nbsp<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/farmers-begin-10-day-nationwide-strike-say-will-not-sell-produce-in-cities-141609">strike</a>, the prices of fruits and vegetables have reportedly shot up.&nbspANI reported vendors at Delhi's Okhla mandi as saying prices had risen.

<a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/rahul-gandhi-to-address-farmers-protest-on-june-6-in-mandsaur-mp-141801">Rahul Gandhi to address farmers' protest on June 6 in Mandsaur, MP</a>

A day after farmers across the country initiated a 10-day nationwide protest,&nbspCongress president Rahul Gandhi has decided to join the protest on June 6.

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/trump-says-summit-back-on-but-who-will-pay-for-kims-hotel-room-141802">Trump says summit back on but who will pay for Kim's hotel room?&nbsp</a>

Trump announced early Saturday morning that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was back on.&nbsp He made his announcement after meeting at the White House with Kim's right-hand man Kim Yong Chol.&nbsp

<a href="http://wionews.com/world/palestinian-tries-to-hit-israeli-soldiers-with-car-shot-dead-army-141790">Palestinian tries to hit Israeli soldiers with </a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/palestinian-tries-to-hit-israeli-soldiers-with-car-shot-dead-army-141790">car</a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/palestinian-tries-to-hit-israeli-soldiers-with-car-shot-dead-army-141790">,</a><a href="http://wionews.com/world/palestinian-tries-to-hit-israeli-soldiers-with-car-shot-dead-army-141790"> shot dead: Army</a>

A Palestinian man who tried today to hit Israeli soldiers with his car in the southern occupied West Bank city Hebron was shot dead, the army said.

<a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/un-and-myanmar-agree-outline-of-rohingya-return-deal-no-details-141556">UN and Myanmar agree outline of Rohingya return deal, no details</a>

The United Nations said&nbspon Thursday&nbspit had struck an outline deal with Myanmar aimed at eventually allowing hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

&nbsp

Day after country's farmers go on strike, fruit & vegetable prices shoot up A day after farmers in the country went on strike, the prices of fruits and vegetables have reportedly shot up.&nbspANI reported vendors at Delhi's Okhla mandi as saying prices had risen. Rahul Gandhi to address farmers' protest on June 6 in Mandsaur, MP A day after farmers across the country initiated a 10-day nationwide protest,&nbspCongress president Rahul Gandhi has decided to join the protest on June 6. Trump says summit back on but who will pay for Kim's hotel room? Trump announced early Saturday morning that his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un was back on. He made his announcement after meeting at the White House with Kim's right-hand man Kim Yong Chol. Palestinian tries to hit Israeli soldiers with car, shot dead: Army A Palestinian man who tried today to hit Israeli soldiers with his car in the southern occupied West Bank city Hebron was shot dead, the army said. UN and Myanmar agree outline of Rohingya return deal, no details The United Nations said&nbspon Thursday&nbspit had struck an outline deal with Myanmar aimed at eventually allowing hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims sheltering in Bangladesh to return safely and by choice.

News brief: Big stories of the day

The National Investigation Agency's(NIA) Special Court today&nbspsentenced all accused in the 2013 Bodhgaya serial blasts case.

The NIA court sentenced all five accused to life imprisonment. Special NIA judge Manoj Kumar Sinha had earlier held all five accused - Imtiyaz Ansari, Haider Ali, Mujib Ullah, Omair Siddiqui and Azharuddin Qureishi&nbsp- guilty in the case.

The serial blasts which had occurred on July 7th, 2013 around the historic Bodhgaya temple in Bihar had injured five people including Buddhist monks and spread panic in the complex.

At least ten bombs exploded that day with Indian authorities blaming it on Indian Mujahideen (IM).&nbsp

The blasts were widely condemned by nations with large Buddhist population with Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Thailand government expressing shock and dismay over the bombings.

The serial blasts which had occurred on July 7th, 2013 around the historic Bodhgaya temple in Bihar

The National Investigation Agency's(NIA) Special Court today&nbspsentenced all accused in the 2013 Bodhgaya serial blasts case. The NIA court sentenced all five accused to life imprisonment. Special NIA judge Manoj Kumar Sinha had earlier held all five accused - Imtiyaz Ansari, Haider Ali, Mujib Ullah, Omair Siddiqui and Azharuddin Qureishi - guilty in the case. The serial blasts which had occurred on July 7th, 2013 around the historic Bodhgaya temple in Bihar had injured five people including Buddhist monks and spread panic in the complex. At least ten bombs exploded that day with Indian authorities blaming it on Indian Mujahideen (IM). The blasts were widely condemned by nations with large Buddhist population with Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi, former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Thailand government expressing shock and dismay over the bombings.

Bodhgaya serial blasts case: Court sentences all 5 accused to life imprisonment

Anti-war protesters in Myanmar on Wednesday urged government leader Aung San Suu Kyi to take action against police who this month broke up a peace rally and arrested them and raised new concern about freedom of speech.

Riot police in the main city of Yangon used batons on May 12 to break up a rally called to show support for victims of fighting in northern Myanmar, arresting 17 organisers for disturbing the public and holding a protest without permission.

The scuffles between baton-wielding police and protesters have sparked an outcry among activists and lawmakers over what they see as risks to free expression under the government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi.

In a letter sent to top government officials including Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, eight of the rally organisers said action should be taken against the police, which comes under the control of Myanmar's powerful military.

"Police came, arrested us and beat us for no reason, and that's why we are demanding action to be taken against police who violently handled the peaceful protest," the eight organisers said in their letter.

"The lawless action by the authorities should be investigated for our loss of citizens' rights," they said.

Government spokesman Zaw Htay was not immediately available for comment. Police spokesman Myo Thu Soe said he was not aware of the letter and declined to comment.

A movement of mostly young anti-war activists has in recent months spread to various parts of the country, exposing frustration with Suu Kyi's struggle to fulfil a promise to end decades of war by autonomy-seeking ethnic minority guerrillas.

The military, which ruled the country for decades, oversees internal security even though a civilian-led government has been in power since 2016 after Suu Kyi's party swept an election.

More than 6,000 people have fled their homes in recent weeks since the army launched a new offensive against the Kachin Independence Army insurgent group in Myanmar's north.

Fighting has also intensified in other ethnic minority areas.

A freedom of speech monitoring group, Athan, has said more than 42 activists across the country have been charged in May for participating in rallies protesting against the conflict.

The 17 organisers of the May 12 rally, who were detained but later released, face a month in prison and fines.

The scuffles between baton-wielding police and protesters have sparked an outcry among activists and lawmakers

Anti-war protesters in Myanmar on Wednesday urged government leader Aung San Suu Kyi to take action against police who this month broke up a peace rally and arrested them and raised new concern about freedom of speech. Riot police in the main city of Yangon used batons on May 12 to break up a rally called to show support for victims of fighting in northern Myanmar, arresting 17 organisers for disturbing the public and holding a protest without permission. The scuffles between baton-wielding police and protesters have sparked an outcry among activists and lawmakers over what they see as risks to free expression under the government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi. In a letter sent to top government officials including Suu Kyi and President Win Myint, eight of the rally organisers said action should be taken against the police, which comes under the control of Myanmar's powerful military. "Police came, arrested us and beat us for no reason, and that's why we are demanding action to be taken against police who violently handled the peaceful protest," the eight organisers said in their letter. "The lawless action by the authorities should be investigated for our loss of citizens' rights," they said. Government spokesman Zaw Htay was not immediately available for comment. Police spokesman Myo Thu Soe said he was not aware of the letter and declined to comment. A movement of mostly young anti-war activists has in recent months spread to various parts of the country, exposing frustration with Suu Kyi's struggle to fulfil a promise to end decades of war by autonomy-seeking ethnic minority guerrillas. The military, which ruled the country for decades, oversees internal security even though a civilian-led government has been in power since 2016 after Suu Kyi's party swept an election. More than 6,000 people have fled their homes in recent weeks since the army launched a new offensive against the Kachin Independence Army insurgent group in Myanmar's north. Fighting has also intensified in other ethnic minority areas. A freedom of speech monitoring group, Athan, has said more than 42 activists across the country have been charged in May for participating in rallies protesting against the conflict. The 17 organisers of the May 12 rally, who were detained but later released, face a month in prison and fines.

Myanmar anti-war protesters call on Suu Kyi to act against 'violent' police

Regular incidents of violent attacks have been reported against Rohingya Muslims throughout Myanmar in 2017.

As reported by the Anadolu Agency, United States International Religious Freedom Report 2017 was released on Tuesday as per which ethnic Rohingyas residing in Myanmar have faced religious discrimination.

"Violence, discrimination, and harassment against ethnic Rohingya, who are nearly all Muslim, and other minority populations continued," said the annual US State Department report.

Ambassador Sam Brownback, who prepared the report, told a press briefing that "I don't think you've seen progress taking place there in the country (Myanmar)".

He further noted that the arrival of rainy season would invite multiple hardships for migrant Rohingyas who will be forced to move.

The report documented incidents of mass gang rapes, killings of infants and young children, and abduction of citizens.&nbsp

As reported by the Anadolu Agency, United States International Religious Freedom Report 2017 was released on Tuesday as per which ethnic Rohingyas residing in Myanmar have faced religious discrimination

Regular incidents of violent attacks have been reported against Rohingya Muslims throughout Myanmar in 2017. As reported by the Anadolu Agency, United States International Religious Freedom Report 2017 was released on Tuesday as per which ethnic Rohingyas residing in Myanmar have faced religious discrimination. "Violence, discrimination, and harassment against ethnic Rohingya, who are nearly all Muslim, and other minority populations continued," said the annual US State Department report. Ambassador Sam Brownback, who prepared the report, told a press briefing that "I don't think you've seen progress taking place there in the country (Myanmar)". He further noted that the arrival of rainy season would invite multiple hardships for migrant Rohingyas who will be forced to move. The report documented incidents of mass gang rapes, killings of infants and young children, and abduction of citizens.

US reports several violent attacks against Rohingyas across Myanmar

The Myanmar government said today Rohingya refugees have begun&nbsp;arriving in Rakhine State after the signing of the&nbsp;Dhaka Nayi Paw Daw pact in November last year.&nbsp;

"In accordance with the agreement, arrangements have been made to receive the returnees at Nga Khu Ya and Taung Pyo Latwe reception centres," the Myanmar government said in a press release.

Myanmar witnessed mass exodus of Rohingyas due to alleged large-scale violence by the nation's Army with thousands turning up in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazaar. &nbsp;As the refugees began to arrive, Bangladesh requested Myanmar to take them resulting in an agreement between the two sides.

"This arrangement concerns only those who have not been in involved in terrorism," the government warned, adding that "effective action will be taken against those implicated in terrorist acts in accordance with the law."

The mass migration of Rohingyas from Myanmar was condemned both by the US and UN who called it a case of "ethnic cleansing" as reports circulated of villages being burnt and several Rohingyas being&nbsp;killed in the country.

The government said the several did not know the repatriation process, as a result, the "returnees were arrested under the existing laws and some were given prison sentences."

"As a result, the displaced persons who no longer find it tenable to continue their stay in the camps in Cox's bazaar began returning to Rakhine State of their own volition and under their own arrangements," it said.

"In accordance with the bilateral agreement, the returnees should be properly processed, verified and accepted without any action being taken against them. In order to implement his process, the president has pardoned 58 persons," the government said.

"These people were released from prison and sent to Nga Khu Ya reception camp on May 26th, after necessary verification, they will be transferred to the transit camp in Hla Phoe Khaung," the government added.

The government said the several did not know the repatriation process.

The Myanmar government said today Rohingya refugees have begun arriving in Rakhine State after the signing of the Dhaka Nayi Paw Daw pact in November last year. "In accordance with the agreement, arrangements have been made to receive the returnees at Nga Khu Ya and Taung Pyo Latwe reception centres," the Myanmar government said in a press release. Myanmar witnessed mass exodus of Rohingyas due to alleged large-scale violence by the nation's Army with thousands turning up in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazaar. As the refugees began to arrive, Bangladesh requested Myanmar to take them resulting in an agreement between the two sides. "This arrangement concerns only those who have not been in involved in terrorism," the government warned, adding that "effective action will be taken against those implicated in terrorist acts in accordance with the law." The mass migration of Rohingyas from Myanmar was condemned both by the US and UN who called it a case of "ethnic cleansing" as reports circulated of villages being burnt and several Rohingyas being killed in the country. The government said the several did not know the repatriation process, as a result, the "returnees were arrested under the existing laws and some were given prison sentences." "As a result, the displaced persons who no longer find it tenable to continue their stay in the camps in Cox's bazaar began returning to Rakhine State of their own volition and under their own arrangements," it said. "In accordance with the bilateral agreement, the returnees should be properly processed, verified and accepted without any action being taken against them. In order to implement his process, the president has pardoned 58 persons," the government said. "These people were released from prison and sent to Nga Khu Ya reception camp on May 26th, after necessary verification, they will be transferred to the transit camp in Hla Phoe Khaung," the government added.

After pact with Bangladesh, Rohingyas begin arriving in Myanmar

Myanmar has claimed that several Rohingya Muslims have voluntarily returned to the&nbspcountry and will be sent to a transit centre pending resettlement.

Quoting a statement published from the office of Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a report said that about 58 Rohingyas have already crossed back to Myanmar after the situation in Bangladesh became unbearable.

It further added that the Rohingyas were detained for failing to follow proper repatriation procedures and on their return to Myanmar they would be&nbsp"temporarily" housed in a transit camp.

It said that in the last four months, the Rohingyas have returned to Myanmar in different stages.

While a Bangladeshi refugee commissioner has refused of having any knowledge of Rohingya refugees returning to Rakhine on their own.&nbsp

Bangladesh refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam said, "We haven't heard of any such incidents of refugees returning to Rakhine through their own volition or under their own arrangement from the camps".

The UN has meanwhile stated that the condition in Myanmar was not yet favourable for the Rohingyas to return.

It said, "Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are of course impossible under current conditions."&nbsp

Myanmar has witnessed a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims due to alleged large-scale violence by the country's army. Consequently, over 700,000 people from the community fled from the country.

As the refugees began to arrive, Bangladesh requested Myanmar to take them resulting in an agreement between the two sides.

Myanmar said it was ready to take back the Rohingyas who had fled from the country last August.

The two countries are accusing each other of&nbspthe responsibility for the delay in implementing a repatriation deal.

The Rohingya Muslims who had fled Myanmar to avoid persecution have been unwilling to return to their land without assurance of basic rights and protections.

They also wanted the right to return to their old villages rather than to transit camps. 
 
&nbsp

(With inputs from AFP)

 
 
&nbsp

&nbsp

Quoting a statement published from the office of Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a report said that about 58 Rohingyas have already crossed back to Myanmar after the situation in Bangladesh became unbearable

Myanmar has claimed that several Rohingya Muslims have voluntarily returned to the&nbspcountry and will be sent to a transit centre pending resettlement. Quoting a statement published from the office of Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a report said that about 58 Rohingyas have already crossed back to Myanmar after the situation in Bangladesh became unbearable. It further added that the Rohingyas were detained for failing to follow proper repatriation procedures and on their return to Myanmar they would be "temporarily" housed in a transit camp. It said that in the last four months, the Rohingyas have returned to Myanmar in different stages. While a Bangladeshi refugee commissioner has refused of having any knowledge of Rohingya refugees returning to Rakhine on their own. Bangladesh refugee commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam said, "We haven't heard of any such incidents of refugees returning to Rakhine through their own volition or under their own arrangement from the camps". The UN has meanwhile stated that the condition in Myanmar was not yet favourable for the Rohingyas to return. It said, "Safe, dignified and sustainable returns are of course impossible under current conditions." Myanmar has witnessed a mass exodus of Rohingya Muslims due to alleged large-scale violence by the country's army. Consequently, over 700,000 people from the community fled from the country. As the refugees began to arrive, Bangladesh requested Myanmar to take them resulting in an agreement between the two sides. Myanmar said it was ready to take back the Rohingyas who had fled from the country last August. The two countries are accusing each other of&nbspthe responsibility for the delay in implementing a repatriation deal. The Rohingya Muslims who had fled Myanmar to avoid persecution have been unwilling to return to their land without assurance of basic rights and protections. They also wanted the right to return to their old villages rather than to transit camps. (With inputs from AFP)

Myanmar says some Rohingya refugees returned voluntarily

Malaysia&nbsp;has made its largest ever seizure of crystal methamphetamine, officials said on Monday, finding nearly 1.2 tonnes of the drug disguised as tea in a shipment from Myanmar, and arrested six suspected traffickers.

The bust comes as Southeast Asia reports a flood of the stimulant throughout the region.

Indonesia and Thailand have also made record seizures of the drug this year.

A total of 1,187 kg of the drug, worth 71 million ringgit ($18 million), was shipped in a container from Yangon, Myanmar, to Port Klang, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Customs Director-General Subromaniam Tholasy told reporters.

"This is the biggest seizure seen in our history in terms of value and weight," he said.

Crystal methamphetamine is a form of methamphetamine, a highly addictive synthetic drug also known as speed, shabu and yaba.

The shipment, seized on May 22, had been declared "foodstuff" and was bound for a&nbsp;Malaysian trading company based in a Kuala Lumpur suburb, Subromaniam said.

Customs officials displayed the shipment, packed in golden yellow tea packets, at its narcotics operations headquarters in Nilai, near Kuala Lumpur.

Three Myanmar nationals and three&nbsp;Malaysians were arrested during the operation.

"We are still investigating, but we believe the syndicate involved has links with syndicates in Myanmar," Subromaniam said, adding that officials also seized a small amount of heroin and about 1 million contraband cigarettes.

The methamphetamine market has expanded at an alarming rate in Asia, with experts in several countries in the region reporting an increase in its use in 2015.

Methamphetamine represents the greatest global health threat, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime&nbsp;said in a 2017 World Drug report said.

Myanmar has for decades been a producer of opium and its refined form, heroin, and has become the source of most of Southeast Asia's methamphetamine, which is mostly produced in lawless border regions outside the government's control.

A total of 1,187 kg of the drug, worth 71 million ringgit ($18 million), was shipped in a container from Yangon, Myanmar, to Port Klang

Malaysia has made its largest ever seizure of crystal methamphetamine, officials said on Monday, finding nearly 1.2 tonnes of the drug disguised as tea in a shipment from Myanmar, and arrested six suspected traffickers. The bust comes as Southeast Asia reports a flood of the stimulant throughout the region. Indonesia and Thailand have also made record seizures of the drug this year. A total of 1,187 kg of the drug, worth 71 million ringgit ($18 million), was shipped in a container from Yangon, Myanmar, to Port Klang, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Customs Director-General Subromaniam Tholasy told reporters. "This is the biggest seizure seen in our history in terms of value and weight," he said. Crystal methamphetamine is a form of methamphetamine, a highly addictive synthetic drug also known as speed, shabu and yaba. The shipment, seized on May 22, had been declared "foodstuff" and was bound for a Malaysian trading company based in a Kuala Lumpur suburb, Subromaniam said. Customs officials displayed the shipment, packed in golden yellow tea packets, at its narcotics operations headquarters in Nilai, near Kuala Lumpur. Three Myanmar nationals and three Malaysians were arrested during the operation. "We are still investigating, but we believe the syndicate involved has links with syndicates in Myanmar," Subromaniam said, adding that officials also seized a small amount of heroin and about 1 million contraband cigarettes. The methamphetamine market has expanded at an alarming rate in Asia, with experts in several countries in the region reporting an increase in its use in 2015. Methamphetamine represents the greatest global health threat, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime said in a 2017 World Drug report said. Myanmar has for decades been a producer of opium and its refined form, heroin, and has become the source of most of Southeast Asia's methamphetamine, which is mostly produced in lawless border regions outside the government's control.

Malaysians make record bust of crystal meth, shipped from Myanmar

It takes a few moments to sift through the years of chaos and dislocation before Rohingya refugee Robi Alam settles on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, August 2012, as the last time he saw his seven brothers together in Myanmar.

"We were still a family then under one roof, in one country," the 16-year-old says, from his current home -- a bamboo shack in a Bangladesh refugee camp.

By then Myanmar had already lurched into a dark new phase of an old conflict between their Muslim Rohingya minority and the Buddhist ethnic Rakhine.

Violence unravelled after the alleged rape and murder of a Buddhist woman by Rohingya men neighbour turned on the neighbour as villages across Rakhine state were set ablaze.

Still, where they could, Rohingya families celebrated Eid, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Robi recalls being carried on his older siblings' shoulders as they went door-to-door through the village of Yale Twin Kyun in Maungdaw district gorging on snacks.

Nearly six years on, the eight brothers are now split across four countries: Bangladesh, India, the United States and Myanmar.

One is in a Myanmar jail, another has vanished on the treacherous trafficking route south -- a painful family history that traces the key events in the dispossession of the Rohingya in Myanmar, and their dispersal overseas.&nbsp;

When the brothers were last united, in 2012, there were around 1.2 million Rohingya living in Rakhine state.

Now fewer than a third remain.

Myanmar, which denies the Rohingya citizenship, drove most of the minority out in October 2016 and August 2017 in army-led crackdowns that the United Nations has said may amount to "ethnic cleansing".

Separated from their four older brothers, the younger siblings - Robi, Jaber, 18, Hashim, 17, and Faiz, 12 -- are starting new lives as refugees.

For now, the home remains a 10-metre (30 foot) hut covered by a UN-branded tarpaulin in the Kutupalong camp, which the brothers share with 15 other relatives including their mother.

"We can't work here, it's a place we know nothing about," says Robi. "But how do we go back to Myanmar again?"

Mohammad Rashid

The first of the brothers to flee Rakhine was Mohammad Rashid.

It was early 2013, and by then conditions described as "apartheid-like" by Amnesty International were biting hard, with Rohingya locked out from hospitals, schools and their own farms.

Worn down by the asphyxiating security controls, Rashid crossed the Naf River into Bangladesh, paying a broker 30,000 Taka ($355) to take him to Malaysia, where menial jobs await Rohingya.

Robi shows a photo on his mobile phone of the 25-year-old on the day of his departure -- staring confidently back, an arm slung around a cousin.

"We haven't heard from him since."

Rashid disappeared as a transnational trafficking network was at its peak, spinning a fortune carrying a desperate human cargo of Rohingya and Bangladeshi economic migrants south by sea.

They docked in Thailand, where gangs -- including a powerful southern army general -- corralled the migrants overland to Malaysia.&nbsp;

That escape route collapsed in May 2015, when shallow graves of migrants were found pitting the hills along the Thai-Malaysia border.

Authorities closed in on the traffickers, who abandoned migrant boats in the Andaman Sea, leaving starving and dehydrated passengers to drift south, hoping for rescue by Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian authorities.

No one knows exactly how many died in the migrant camps or at sea.

Abdur Rashid

His older brother had disappeared, but Abdur Rashid chose the same escape route.

"I tried to stop him, I begged him," his mother Khadija Begum says.

"But he is stubborn. He said 'I will swim to Malaysia if I can't get a boat' and so he went."

His months-long odyssey, which began around early 2014, eventually led to resettlement in the United States, via detention in Thai immigration facilities.

"I wasn't scared. It was pre-destined," the 23-year-old told AFP from Colorado, where he is now learning English and working in a cake factory.

"After 10 days at sea we were near Thailand... we came to shore in smaller boats, 50-60 people on each, but when we landed Thai police, military and even journalists were there," he said.

Thailand does not accept refugees and so, after several months in immigration detention, the UNHCR secured the US move -- but resettlement is open to only a tiny number of Rohingya refugees.&nbsp;

He moved in 2017 and, when he can, sends money to his brothers 8,000 miles away in the world's biggest refugee camp.

Abul Kashim

Violence and repression have hit the Rohingya in waves since the late 1970s.

In 1982 Myanmar's ruling junta stripped the Muslim minority of citizenship, stirring up hatred towards the group and casting them as "Bengali" infiltrators to the Buddhist-majority country.

As such, life in Rakhine has always been hard, says Jaber, the oldest of the four brothers in the Kutupalong camp.

"But after the violence started in 2012, the "Moghs" (a pejorative word for ethnic Rakhine) gradually took everything."

Rohingya who strayed from their villages were frequently lynched or beaten, he says -- allegations backed up by rights monitors.&nbsp;

One of the brothers, Abul Kashim, now 19, suffered a beating while fishing with friends.

A teenager at the time, he was jolted into leaving by the brutality of the attack, first for Bangladesh, then overland to join an uncle in India.

For now, he has a made a decent life -- he is married and works as a mason in Haryana state.

But India has threatened to deport 40,000 of the minority.&nbsp;

"I miss my family," he told AFP, saying each phone call leaves a yearning to travel to Bangladesh.&nbsp;

"But I can't. I don't have any travel documents."

Hamid Hussein

On October 9, 2016, Rakhine again went up in flames as a nascent Rohingya militant group -- known now as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) -- raided border posts.

The army response was swift and unforgiving.

Tens of thousands of Rohingya were driven into Bangladesh, fleeing murders, rapes and mass arrests.

The crackdown visited more tragedy on Robi Alam's family.

Their 60-year-old father Nagu Miah was arrested and, the family alleges, beaten to death in police custody.

Confined to their homes with food running scarce, the oldest brother Hamid Hussein, 28, defied a strict curfew and went fishing after his children complained of eating rice every day.

He was arrested by soldiers and taken to Buthidaung jail.

Soon after, soldiers swarmed their village, ordering Rohingya residents to sit hands on their heads in a field as they ransacked homes.&nbsp;

"Then they started to burn our homes, they raped some women and pushed them inside burning homes," says 17-year-old Mohammad Hashim, from Kutupalong camp.

"We could not stay any longer."

Over the next six weeks, the extended family crept over to Bangladesh.&nbsp;

In August 2017, another 700,000 others began to join them after an even more ferocious army crackdown.

With their land taken and security still parlous, Robi and his family have little expectation of returning to Rakhine.

Instead, they are preparing for long-term life as refugees.

And in their freshly trimmed haircuts, football shirts and fixation with mobile phones, there are even flickers of teenage normality in the most abnormal of circumstances.

But the fragmentation of their family is never far away.

Through the smudged memories of life in Rakhine, the youngest brother Abul Faiz recalls flecks of freedom -- playing football or fishing -- as a child in Rakhine.

"My older brothers would hug me, give me money for the shop," the watchful youngster adds in a near-whisper.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

"I miss them."

It takes a few moments to sift through the years of chaos and dislocation before Rohingya refugee Robi Alam settles on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, August 2012, as the last time he saw his seven brothers together in Myanmar

It takes a few moments to sift through the years of chaos and dislocation before Rohingya refugee Robi Alam settles on the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr, August 2012, as the last time he saw his seven brothers together in Myanmar. "We were still a family then under one roof, in one country," the 16-year-old says, from his current home -- a bamboo shack in a Bangladesh refugee camp. By then Myanmar had already lurched into a dark new phase of an old conflict between their Muslim Rohingya minority and the Buddhist ethnic Rakhine. Violence unravelled after the alleged rape and murder of a Buddhist woman by Rohingya men neighbour turned on the neighbour as villages across Rakhine state were set ablaze. Still, where they could, Rohingya families celebrated Eid, the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Robi recalls being carried on his older siblings' shoulders as they went door-to-door through the village of Yale Twin Kyun in Maungdaw district gorging on snacks. Nearly six years on, the eight brothers are now split across four countries: Bangladesh, India, the United States and Myanmar. One is in a Myanmar jail, another has vanished on the treacherous trafficking route south -- a painful family history that traces the key events in the dispossession of the Rohingya in Myanmar, and their dispersal overseas. When the brothers were last united, in 2012, there were around 1.2 million Rohingya living in Rakhine state. Now fewer than a third remain. Myanmar, which denies the Rohingya citizenship, drove most of the minority out in October 2016 and August 2017 in army-led crackdowns that the United Nations has said may amount to "ethnic cleansing". Separated from their four older brothers, the younger siblings - Robi, Jaber, 18, Hashim, 17, and Faiz, 12 -- are starting new lives as refugees. For now, the home remains a 10-metre (30 foot) hut covered by a UN-branded tarpaulin in the Kutupalong camp, which the brothers share with 15 other relatives including their mother. "We can't work here, it's a place we know nothing about," says Robi. "But how do we go back to Myanmar again?" Mohammad Rashid The first of the brothers to flee Rakhine was Mohammad Rashid. It was early 2013, and by then conditions described as "apartheid-like" by Amnesty International were biting hard, with Rohingya locked out from hospitals, schools and their own farms. Worn down by the asphyxiating security controls, Rashid crossed the Naf River into Bangladesh, paying a broker 30,000 Taka ($355) to take him to Malaysia, where menial jobs await Rohingya. Robi shows a photo on his mobile phone of the 25-year-old on the day of his departure -- staring confidently back, an arm slung around a cousin. "We haven't heard from him since." Rashid disappeared as a transnational trafficking network was at its peak, spinning a fortune carrying a desperate human cargo of Rohingya and Bangladeshi economic migrants south by sea. They docked in Thailand, where gangs -- including a powerful southern army general -- corralled the migrants overland to Malaysia. That escape route collapsed in May 2015, when shallow graves of migrants were found pitting the hills along the Thai-Malaysia border. Authorities closed in on the traffickers, who abandoned migrant boats in the Andaman Sea, leaving starving and dehydrated passengers to drift south, hoping for rescue by Thai, Malaysian and Indonesian authorities. No one knows exactly how many died in the migrant camps or at sea. Abdur Rashid His older brother had disappeared, but Abdur Rashid chose the same escape route. "I tried to stop him, I begged him," his mother Khadija Begum says. "But he is stubborn. He said 'I will swim to Malaysia if I can't get a boat' and so he went." His months-long odyssey, which began around early 2014, eventually led to resettlement in the United States, via detention in Thai immigration facilities. "I wasn't scared. It was pre-destined," the 23-year-old told AFP from Colorado, where he is now learning English and working in a cake factory. "After 10 days at sea we were near Thailand... we came to shore in smaller boats, 50-60 people on each, but when we landed Thai police, military and even journalists were there," he said. Thailand does not accept refugees and so, after several months in immigration detention, the UNHCR secured the US move -- but resettlement is open to only a tiny number of Rohingya refugees. He moved in 2017 and, when he can, sends money to his brothers 8,000 miles away in the world's biggest refugee camp. Abul Kashim Violence and repression have hit the Rohingya in waves since the late 1970s. In 1982 Myanmar's ruling junta stripped the Muslim minority of citizenship, stirring up hatred towards the group and casting them as "Bengali" infiltrators to the Buddhist-majority country. As such, life in Rakhine has always been hard, says Jaber, the oldest of the four brothers in the Kutupalong camp. "But after the violence started in 2012, the "Moghs" (a pejorative word for ethnic Rakhine) gradually took everything." Rohingya who strayed from their villages were frequently lynched or beaten, he says -- allegations backed up by rights monitors. One of the brothers, Abul Kashim, now 19, suffered a beating while fishing with friends. A teenager at the time, he was jolted into leaving by the brutality of the attack, first for Bangladesh, then overland to join an uncle in India. For now, he has a made a decent life -- he is married and works as a mason in Haryana state. But India has threatened to deport 40,000 of the minority. "I miss my family," he told AFP, saying each phone call leaves a yearning to travel to Bangladesh. "But I can't. I don't have any travel documents." Hamid Hussein On October 9, 2016, Rakhine again went up in flames as a nascent Rohingya militant group -- known now as the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) -- raided border posts. The army response was swift and unforgiving. Tens of thousands of Rohingya were driven into Bangladesh, fleeing murders, rapes and mass arrests. The crackdown visited more tragedy on Robi Alam's family. Their 60-year-old father Nagu Miah was arrested and, the family alleges, beaten to death in police custody. Confined to their homes with food running scarce, the oldest brother Hamid Hussein, 28, defied a strict curfew and went fishing after his children complained of eating rice every day. He was arrested by soldiers and taken to Buthidaung jail. Soon after, soldiers swarmed their village, ordering Rohingya residents to sit hands on their heads in a field as they ransacked homes. "Then they started to burn our homes, they raped some women and pushed them inside burning homes," says 17-year-old Mohammad Hashim, from Kutupalong camp. "We could not stay any longer." Over the next six weeks, the extended family crept over to Bangladesh. In August 2017, another 700,000 others began to join them after an even more ferocious army crackdown. With their land taken and security still parlous, Robi and his family have little expectation of returning to Rakhine. Instead, they are preparing for long-term life as refugees. And in their freshly trimmed haircuts, football shirts and fixation with mobile phones, there are even flickers of teenage normality in the most abnormal of circumstances. But the fragmentation of their family is never far away. Through the smudged memories of life in Rakhine, the youngest brother Abul Faiz recalls flecks of freedom -- playing football or fishing -- as a child in Rakhine. "My older brothers would hug me, give me money for the shop," the watchful youngster adds in a near-whisper. "I miss them."

One family, four countries: The dispossession of the Rohingya

A Rohingya Muslim armed group denied on Friday a report by human rights group Amnesty International that its members had killed scores of Hindu civilians last August, amid a surge in violence in Myanmar`s troubled Rakhine State.

In its report, published this week, Amnesty documented in detail atrocities it said had been committed by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) near a remote village in Rakhine State.

The report, citing witnesses, including Hindu women who said they were abducted by ARSA insurgents, said fighters from the group killed as many as 99 Hindus near Kha Maung Seik after launching the raids on security posts on August 25.

"We categorically deny all of these unjustifiable and careless serious criminal accusations mentioned in the said report," ARSA said in a statement signed by its leader Ata Ullah and posted on social media network Twitter late on Friday.&nbsp

Myanmar`s military response to the Rohingya insurgent attacks has driven nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee from northern Rakhine to neighbouring Bangladesh, in what the United Nations and aid agencies have called "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing".

Myanmar has rejected the accusations of ethnic cleansing, as well as most of the accounts of killings and rape recounted by many of the refugees arriving in Bangladesh.&nbsp

Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International`s Crisis Response Director, said the group "absolutely stands by the findings" of its investigation and urged Myanmar authorities to allow unfettered access to northern Rakhine for U.N. and other independent investigators.&nbsp

A Rohingya Muslim armed group denied on Friday a report by human rights group Amnesty International that its members had killed scores of Hindu civilians last August, amid a surge in violence in Myanmar`s troubled Rakhine State

A Rohingya Muslim armed group denied on Friday a report by human rights group Amnesty International that its members had killed scores of Hindu civilians last August, amid a surge in violence in Myanmar`s troubled Rakhine State. In its report, published this week, Amnesty documented in detail atrocities it said had been committed by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) near a remote village in Rakhine State. The report, citing witnesses, including Hindu women who said they were abducted by ARSA insurgents, said fighters from the group killed as many as 99 Hindus near Kha Maung Seik after launching the raids on security posts on August 25. "We categorically deny all of these unjustifiable and careless serious criminal accusations mentioned in the said report," ARSA said in a statement signed by its leader Ata Ullah and posted on social media network Twitter late on Friday. Myanmar`s military response to the Rohingya insurgent attacks has driven nearly 700,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee from northern Rakhine to neighbouring Bangladesh, in what the United Nations and aid agencies have called "a textbook example of ethnic cleansing". Myanmar has rejected the accusations of ethnic cleansing, as well as most of the accounts of killings and rape recounted by many of the refugees arriving in Bangladesh. Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International`s Crisis Response Director, said the group "absolutely stands by the findings" of its investigation and urged Myanmar authorities to allow unfettered access to northern Rakhine for U.N. and other independent investigators.

Rohingya insurgents reject Amnesty report on Hindu villagers killed in Myanmar

Deeply concerned over the Amnesty International report on the alleged killing of Hindu villagers by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the US on Friday said there was an urgent need for a credible and independent investigation into the human rights violations in Myanmar's restive Rakhine province.

"We are deeply concerned by Amnesty's report on the killing of Hindu villagers by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. Accountability for all those responsible for human rights abuses and violations in northern Rakhine state remains critical," a US State Department spokesperson told PTI.

He said the report further highlights the urgent need for a credible and independent investigation in Rakhine state to further determine all facts on the ground to fix accountability and provide justice to victims. "The United States continues to support such an investigation," the spokesperson said.

In its report early this week, the Amnesty International said a Rohingya armed group brandishing guns and swords was responsible for at least one, and potentially a second, massacre of up to 99 Hindu women, men and children as well as additional unlawful killings and abductions of Hindu villagers in August 2017.

"At around 8 am on 25 August 2017, ARSA attacked the Hindu community in the village of Ah Nauk Kha Maung Seik, in a cluster of villages known as Kha Maung Seik in northern Maungdaw Township. At the time of the attack, the Hindu villagers lived in close proximity to Rohingya villagers, who are predominantly Muslim. Rakhine villagers, who are predominantly Buddhist, also lived in the same area," Amnesty said in its latest report.

In a statement Burma Task Force, a coalition of 19 US and Canadian Muslim organisations, slammed the Amnesty International for "such a report".

"It is a major public relations bonanza for the genocidal Burmese regime. It puts 60,000 Rohingyas in India even at more risk than they already are," it said.

"The Amnesty International report presents, as fact, evidence and conclusions that are both seriously questionable, and by doing so it aids the propaganda efforts of a regime whose every action suggests it is bent on carrying out genocide," the task force said.

Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorisation Act 2019, which addresses the issue of alleged ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. &nbsp"This provision imposes new sanctions on Burmese military officials and bars their forces from US joint drills," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said. &nbsp

Over the past year, the Burmese military has escalated its decades-long campaign against the country's Rohingya Muslim minority. More than 7,00,000 Rohingya have been forced to flee and thousands have been slaughtered. Entire villages have been burned and bulldozed, he said.&nbsp

There was an urgent need for a credible and independent investigation into the human rights violations in Myanmar's restive Rakhine province, US said

Deeply concerned over the Amnesty International report on the alleged killing of Hindu villagers by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), the US on Friday said there was an urgent need for a credible and independent investigation into the human rights violations in Myanmar's restive Rakhine province. "We are deeply concerned by Amnesty's report on the killing of Hindu villagers by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army. Accountability for all those responsible for human rights abuses and violations in northern Rakhine state remains critical," a US State Department spokesperson told PTI. He said the report further highlights the urgent need for a credible and independent investigation in Rakhine state to further determine all facts on the ground to fix accountability and provide justice to victims. "The United States continues to support such an investigation," the spokesperson said. In its report early this week, the Amnesty International said a Rohingya armed group brandishing guns and swords was responsible for at least one, and potentially a second, massacre of up to 99 Hindu women, men and children as well as additional unlawful killings and abductions of Hindu villagers in August 2017. "At around 8 am on 25 August 2017, ARSA attacked the Hindu community in the village of Ah Nauk Kha Maung Seik, in a cluster of villages known as Kha Maung Seik in northern Maungdaw Township. At the time of the attack, the Hindu villagers lived in close proximity to Rohingya villagers, who are predominantly Muslim. Rakhine villagers, who are predominantly Buddhist, also lived in the same area," Amnesty said in its latest report. In a statement Burma Task Force, a coalition of 19 US and Canadian Muslim organisations, slammed the Amnesty International for "such a report". "It is a major public relations bonanza for the genocidal Burmese regime. It puts 60,000 Rohingyas in India even at more risk than they already are," it said. "The Amnesty International report presents, as fact, evidence and conclusions that are both seriously questionable, and by doing so it aids the propaganda efforts of a regime whose every action suggests it is bent on carrying out genocide," the task force said. Meanwhile, the US House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorisation Act 2019, which addresses the issue of alleged ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. "This provision imposes new sanctions on Burmese military officials and bars their forces from US joint drills," Congressman Ed Royce, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said. Over the past year, the Burmese military has escalated its decades-long campaign against the country's Rohingya Muslim minority. More than 7,00,000 Rohingya have been forced to flee and thousands have been slaughtered. Entire villages have been burned and bulldozed, he said.

US seeks credible investigation into killing of Hindus by ARSA in Myanmar

Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, currently detained in Myanmar, were honoured on Tuesday (May 22) with the PEN America 2018 Barbey Freedom to Write Award.

Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, have been detained in Myanmar since December 12 and are accused of violating the country's colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. At the time of their arrests, they had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10&nbspRohingya&nbspMuslim men and boys in a village in Myanmar's Rakhine state. The killings took place during an army crackdown that United Nations agencies say sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.

Wa Lone's and Kyaw Soe Oo's family accepted the award on their behalf.

"I believe that the truth will come out one day. I know that what the government is saying goes against the truth and what the truth really is," said Chit Suu Win, Kway Soe Oo's wife.

The reporters have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before, having been invited to meet the officers for dinner.

The PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award recognizes imprisoned writers targeted for exercising freedom of speech. Since 1987, 38 out of 42 jailed writers who received the award have been released due in part to the global awareness the award brings.

Wa Lone's and Kyaw Soe Oo's family accepted the award on their behalf.

Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, currently detained in Myanmar, were honoured on Tuesday (May 22) with the PEN America 2018 Barbey Freedom to Write Award. Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, have been detained in Myanmar since December 12 and are accused of violating the country's colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. At the time of their arrests, they had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10&nbspRohingya&nbspMuslim men and boys in a village in Myanmar's Rakhine state. The killings took place during an army crackdown that United Nations agencies say sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh. Wa Lone's and Kyaw Soe Oo's family accepted the award on their behalf. "I believe that the truth will come out one day. I know that what the government is saying goes against the truth and what the truth really is," said Chit Suu Win, Kway Soe Oo's wife. The reporters have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before, having been invited to meet the officers for dinner. The PEN/Barbey Freedom to Write Award recognizes imprisoned writers targeted for exercising freedom of speech. Since 1987, 38 out of 42 jailed writers who received the award have been released due in part to the global awareness the award brings.

PEN America honors Reuters journalists with Barbey Freedom to Write Award

Campaign group Amnesty International said on Tuesday it had gathered evidence that insurgents from a Rohingya Muslim armed group killed scores of Hindu civilians in August last year, amid a surge in violence in western Myanmar.

A military response to insurgent attacks on 30 police posts and an army base in northern Rakhine state the early hours of Aug. 25 pushed almost 700,000 Rohingya Muslims across the border to Bangladesh, many accusing security forces of killings, rape and arson.

Senior UN&nbsp;officials have said the response amounted to ethnic cleansing and that Myanmar's security forces may have committed genocide.

Amnesty International's research is the first published by an international human rights group to document in detail alleged atrocities by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA).

It said masked ARSA fighters killed as many as 99 Hindus near a remote village named Kha Maung Seik shortly after launching the coordinated attacks on security posts.

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Amnesty International cited witnesses including eight Hindu women who alleged they were abducted by ARSA fighters and forced to convert to Islam. Some of the women had earlier told media including Reuters that their loved ones were killed by Buddhists, but later recanted their stories, saying they had been coerced by their captors.

Myanmar is majority Buddhist, and the Rohingya are Muslim. The country also has a Christian minority and a smaller number of Hindus.

Myanmar authorities in September unearthed 45 bodies near Kha Maung Seik and accused the ARSA of carrying out the killings.

Reuters was unable to reach an ARSA representative for comment on Tuesday. ARSA said in a Sept. 27 statement it "categorically denies that any of its members or combatants perpetrated murder" and other abuses in villages including Kha Maung Seik.

Myanmar's main government spokesman Zaw Htay said he could not comment on Tuesday evening as he had not seen the report.

Amnesty International also said it had documented a separate killing of six Hindus by ARSA fighters on Aug. 26 near the town of Maungdaw.

“It’s hard to ignore the sheer brutality of ARSA’s actions, which have left an indelible impression on the survivors we’ve spoken to," Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International's crisis response director, said in a statement.

"Accountability for these atrocities is every bit as crucial as it is for the crimes against humanity carried out by Myanmar’s security forces in northern Rakhine State."

ARSA emerged as a group with earlier attacks on border posts in 2016. Its leader, Ata Ullah, has said it is fighting for the rights of the Rohingya, who have long complained of persecution as a stateless minority in Myanmar.

Reporters have been unable freely to visit parts of northern Rakhine for more than 18 months.

"After careful review of evidence obtained in Bangladesh and Rakhine State, Amnesty International has concluded that ARSA fighters are responsible for the massacre," Amnesty said, calling for Myanmar to grant U.N. investigators access to the conflict area to document atrocities by both ARSA and the military.

Amnesty said masked Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army fighters killed as many as 99 Hindus near a remote Myanmarese village named Kha Maung Seik

Campaign group Amnesty International said on Tuesday it had gathered evidence that insurgents from a Rohingya Muslim armed group killed scores of Hindu civilians in August last year, amid a surge in violence in western Myanmar. A military response to insurgent attacks on 30 police posts and an army base in northern Rakhine state the early hours of Aug. 25 pushed almost 700,000 Rohingya Muslims across the border to Bangladesh, many accusing security forces of killings, rape and arson. Senior UN officials have said the response amounted to ethnic cleansing and that Myanmar's security forces may have committed genocide. Amnesty International's research is the first published by an international human rights group to document in detail alleged atrocities by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA). It said masked ARSA fighters killed as many as 99 Hindus near a remote village named Kha Maung Seik shortly after launching the coordinated attacks on security posts. Amnesty International cited witnesses including eight Hindu women who alleged they were abducted by ARSA fighters and forced to convert to Islam. Some of the women had earlier told media their loved ones were killed by Buddhists, but later recanted their stories, saying they had been coerced by their captors × Amnesty International cited witnesses including eight Hindu women who alleged they were abducted by ARSA fighters and forced to convert to Islam. Some of the women had earlier told media including Reuters that their loved ones were killed by Buddhists, but later recanted their stories, saying they had been coerced by their captors. Myanmar is majority Buddhist, and the Rohingya are Muslim. The country also has a Christian minority and a smaller number of Hindus. Myanmar authorities in September unearthed 45 bodies near Kha Maung Seik and accused the ARSA of carrying out the killings. Reuters was unable to reach an ARSA representative for comment on Tuesday. ARSA said in a Sept. 27 statement it "categorically denies that any of its members or combatants perpetrated murder" and other abuses in villages including Kha Maung Seik. Myanmar's main government spokesman Zaw Htay said he could not comment on Tuesday evening as he had not seen the report. Amnesty International also said it had documented a separate killing of six Hindus by ARSA fighters on Aug. 26 near the town of Maungdaw. “It’s hard to ignore the sheer brutality of ARSA’s actions, which have left an indelible impression on the survivors we’ve spoken to," Tirana Hassan, Amnesty International's crisis response director, said in a statement. "Accountability for these atrocities is every bit as crucial as it is for the crimes against humanity carried out by Myanmar’s security forces in northern Rakhine State." ARSA emerged as a group with earlier attacks on border posts in 2016. Its leader, Ata Ullah, has said it is fighting for the rights of the Rohingya, who have long complained of persecution as a stateless minority in Myanmar. Reporters have been unable freely to visit parts of northern Rakhine for more than 18 months. "After careful review of evidence obtained in Bangladesh and Rakhine State, Amnesty International has concluded that ARSA fighters are responsible for the massacre," Amnesty said, calling for Myanmar to grant U.N. investigators access to the conflict area to document atrocities by both ARSA and the military.

Rohingya militants killed Hindu villagers in Myanmar: Amnesty International

A Myanmar judge will rule on Tuesday whether to allow the submission of evidence police say they obtained from the mobile phones of two Reuters reporters arrested in December for alleged possession of secret documents.

The court in Yangon has been holding hearings since January to decide whether Wa Lone 32, and his Reuters colleague Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will be charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

On Monday, Judge Ye Lwin ordered Major Aung Kyaw San, a police IT expert summoned by the prosecution, to demonstrate at Tuesday's hearing how he says he extracted data from phones taken from the reporters after their Dec. 12 arrest.

The order was made after Aung Kyaw San read out extracts from documents he said had been stored on the devices. Prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung then asked the judge to accept printed copies of the documents as evidence in what has become a landmark free speech case in Myanmar.

Defence lawyers objected, arguing the police major had not demonstrated the documents had indeed been extracted from the reporters' phones, prompting the judge to rule that Aung Kyaw San must give additional testimony before they could be admitted as evidence.

"Tomorrow, that expert witness will come and by looking at the phone handset and laptop that were seized from the defendants, he will explain how he extracted (the documents) ... whether it's technically correct," defence lawyer Khin Maung Zaw told Reuters after the hearing.

Aung Kyaw San did not say how the 21 documents he identified in court - some allegedly confidential government letters, others documents related to a tourism development plan on an island off Myanmar's western coast - were relevant to the case.

"I couldn't understand the situation because they are submitting unknown documents which we don't even know," said Wa Lone, standing on the steps of the court before being shoved to the back of a police pick-up truck.

Prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung declined to comment after Monday's hearing.

Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay was not immediately available for comment. Previously, he has said Myanmar courts were independent and the case would be conducted according to the law.

Army crackdown

At the time of their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in western Myanmar's Rakhine state. The killings took place during an army crackdown that United Nations agencies say sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh.

The reporters have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before, having been invited to meet the officers for dinner.

Last month, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing testified that a senior officer had ordered his subordinates to plant secret documents on Wa Lone to "trap" the reporter.

Senior police officials have dismissed the testimony as untruthful.

After his court appearance, Moe Yan Naing was sentenced to a year in jail for violating police discipline and his family was evicted from police housing. Police have said the eviction and his sentencing were not related to his testimony.

Global advocates for press freedom, human rights activists, as well the United Nations and several Western countries, have called for the release of the Reuters journalists.

On Monday, diplomats from Denmark, France and the European Union - as well as others - observed the proceedings.

At the time of their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in western Myanmar's Rakhine state

A Myanmar judge will rule on Tuesday whether to allow the submission of evidence police say they obtained from the mobile phones of two Reuters reporters arrested in December for alleged possession of secret documents. The court in Yangon has been holding hearings since January to decide whether Wa Lone 32, and his Reuters colleague Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, will be charged under the colonial-era Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. On Monday, Judge Ye Lwin ordered Major Aung Kyaw San, a police IT expert summoned by the prosecution, to demonstrate at Tuesday's hearing how he says he extracted data from phones taken from the reporters after their Dec. 12 arrest. The order was made after Aung Kyaw San read out extracts from documents he said had been stored on the devices. Prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung then asked the judge to accept printed copies of the documents as evidence in what has become a landmark free speech case in Myanmar. Defence lawyers objected, arguing the police major had not demonstrated the documents had indeed been extracted from the reporters' phones, prompting the judge to rule that Aung Kyaw San must give additional testimony before they could be admitted as evidence. "Tomorrow, that expert witness will come and by looking at the phone handset and laptop that were seized from the defendants, he will explain how he extracted (the documents) ... whether it's technically correct," defence lawyer Khin Maung Zaw told Reuters after the hearing. Aung Kyaw San did not say how the 21 documents he identified in court - some allegedly confidential government letters, others documents related to a tourism development plan on an island off Myanmar's western coast - were relevant to the case. "I couldn't understand the situation because they are submitting unknown documents which we don't even know," said Wa Lone, standing on the steps of the court before being shoved to the back of a police pick-up truck. Prosecutor Kyaw Min Aung declined to comment after Monday's hearing. Myanmar government spokesman Zaw Htay was not immediately available for comment. Previously, he has said Myanmar courts were independent and the case would be conducted according to the law. Army crackdown At the time of their arrest, the reporters had been working on an investigation into the killing of 10 Rohingya Muslim men and boys in a village in western Myanmar's Rakhine state. The killings took place during an army crackdown that United Nations agencies say sent nearly 700,000 people fleeing to Bangladesh. The reporters have told relatives they were arrested almost immediately after being handed some rolled up papers at a restaurant in northern Yangon by two policemen they had not met before, having been invited to meet the officers for dinner. Last month, Police Captain Moe Yan Naing testified that a senior officer had ordered his subordinates to plant secret documents on Wa Lone to "trap" the reporter. Senior police officials have dismissed the testimony as untruthful. After his court appearance, Moe Yan Naing was sentenced to a year in jail for violating police discipline and his family was evicted from police housing. Police have said the eviction and his sentencing were not related to his testimony. Global advocates for press freedom, human rights activists, as well the United Nations and several Western countries, have called for the release of the Reuters journalists. On Monday, diplomats from Denmark, France and the European Union - as well as others - observed the proceedings.

Myanmar judge to rule on evidence allegedly taken from reporters' phones

A Rohingya refugee from Myanmar died&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;after jumping from a bus on a remote Papua New Guinea island, almost five years after he was sent there by Australia, officials said.

Canberra has sent asylum-seekers who try to enter the country by boat to camps on PNG's Manus Island or Nauru in the Pacific for processing, with those found to be refugees barred from resettling in Australia.

The harsh policy is meant to deter people embarking on treacherous sea journeys, but the United Nations and other rights groups have criticised the camps' conditions and long detention periods.

Australia's home affairs department confirmed the death but did not provide further details.

The Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul told&nbsp;the man, a 32-year-old called Salim, was believed to have jumped from a moving bus near a refugee transition centre and was struck by its wheels, dying at the scene.

Most asylum-seekers on Manus believed the man's death was a suicide, according to a statement from the coalition.

He was the seventh asylum-seeker to die on Manus since Canberra's offshore detention regime began in July 2013, in addition to three others who died on Nauru over the same period, Rintoul said.

"The Rohingyan refugee had suffered for a long time with a medical problem" and had previously been sent to Australia for treatment, he added in a statement.

Behrouz Boochani, an Iranian refugee on Manus, tweeted&nbsp;Tuesday&nbsp;that Salim had epilepsy and was "suffering for a long time".

Previous deaths on Manus include an Iranian refugee found hanging from a tree near a school in August last year, and a Sri Lankan Tamil asylum-seeker who reportedly committed suicide at a hospital&nbsp;two months later.

The Australian camp on Manus was shut late last year after a PNG court ruled it was unconstitutional, with the 600 detainees sent to three transition centres.

Canberra has sought to offload those recognised as refugees to third countries such as the US, and more than a hundred have been resettled there, according to reports.

But hundreds of others remain on Manus, saying they feared for their safety amid hostility from the local population, and that their basic needs such as healthcare were not being met.

The UN refugee agency said Salim's death showed the need for "proper care and immediate solutions".

"With the passage of too many years and the withdrawal or reduction of essential services, the already critical situation for refugees most in need continues to deteriorate," UNHCR's regional representative Nai Jit Lam said.

Canberra has sent asylum-seekers who try to enter the country by boat to camps on PNG's Manus Island or Nauru in the Pacific for processing

A Rohingya refugee from Myanmar died Tuesday after jumping from a bus on a remote Papua New Guinea island, almost five years after he was sent there by Australia, officials said. Canberra has sent asylum-seekers who try to enter the country by boat to camps on PNG's Manus Island or Nauru in the Pacific for processing, with those found to be refugees barred from resettling in Australia. The harsh policy is meant to deter people embarking on treacherous sea journeys, but the United Nations and other rights groups have criticised the camps' conditions and long detention periods. Australia's home affairs department confirmed the death but did not provide further details. The Refugee Action Coalition's Ian Rintoul told the man, a 32-year-old called Salim, was believed to have jumped from a moving bus near a refugee transition centre and was struck by its wheels, dying at the scene. Most asylum-seekers on Manus believed the man's death was a suicide, according to a statement from the coalition. He was the seventh asylum-seeker to die on Manus since Canberra's offshore detention regime began in July 2013, in addition to three others who died on Nauru over the same period, Rintoul said. "The Rohingyan refugee had suffered for a long time with a medical problem" and had previously been sent to Australia for treatment, he added in a statement. Behrouz Boochani, an Iranian refugee on Manus, tweeted Tuesday that Salim had epilepsy and was "suffering for a long time". Previous deaths on Manus include an Iranian refugee found hanging from a tree near a school in August last year, and a Sri Lankan Tamil asylum-seeker who reportedly committed suicide at a hospital two months later. The Australian camp on Manus was shut late last year after a PNG court ruled it was unconstitutional, with the 600 detainees sent to three transition centres. Canberra has sought to offload those recognised as refugees to third countries such as the US, and more than a hundred have been resettled there, according to reports. But hundreds of others remain on Manus, saying they feared for their safety amid hostility from the local population, and that their basic needs such as healthcare were not being met. The UN refugee agency said Salim's death showed the need for "proper care and immediate solutions". "With the passage of too many years and the withdrawal or reduction of essential services, the already critical situation for refugees most in need continues to deteriorate," UNHCR's regional representative Nai Jit Lam said.

Rohingya refugee sent to Papua New Guinea dies

Out of the 8000 names submitted for repatriation by Dhaka a few months ago, Myanmar has urged Bangladesh to repatriate 2223 Rohingya refugees as soon as possible.

U Ko Ko Naing, director general of the Myanmar ministry, said that on May 2, the number included 1001 refugees, most of who were Muslims. Both the countries also agreed to repatriate 778 Muslims and 444 Hindu refugees a few months back, The Myanmar Times reported.

During a meeting in Dhaka on May 17, Myanmar showed its readiness to Bangladesh to begin the repatriation, Naing said.

Although the date of the repatriation could not be fixed as it is a complex process, he added.

Both the sides held discussions about safety and security of the repatriation process. Providing a conducive environment to the refugees and involving the United Nations agencies in the resettlement were also the talking points of the meet.

In November last year, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement to repatriate an estimated 700,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled a brutal Myanmar military campaign launched in August 2017.

&nbsp

U Ko Ko Naing, director general of the Myanmar ministry, said that on May 2, the number included 1001 refugees, most of who were Muslims. Both the countries also agreed to repatriate 778 Muslims and 444 Hindu refugees a few months back

Out of the 8000 names submitted for repatriation by Dhaka a few months ago, Myanmar has urged Bangladesh to repatriate 2223 Rohingya refugees as soon as possible. U Ko Ko Naing, director general of the Myanmar ministry, said that on May 2, the number included 1001 refugees, most of who were Muslims. Both the countries also agreed to repatriate 778 Muslims and 444 Hindu refugees a few months back, The Myanmar Times reported. During a meeting in Dhaka on May 17, Myanmar showed its readiness to Bangladesh to begin the repatriation, Naing said. Although the date of the repatriation could not be fixed as it is a complex process, he added. Both the sides held discussions about safety and security of the repatriation process. Providing a conducive environment to the refugees and involving the United Nations agencies in the resettlement were also the talking points of the meet. In November last year, Myanmar and Bangladesh signed an agreement to repatriate an estimated 700,000 Rohingya Muslims who fled a brutal Myanmar military campaign launched in August 2017.

Myanmar urges Bangladesh to begin repatriation of Rohingyas

Bangladesh police have shot dead 13 drug traffickers and arrested thousands in an aggressive campaign against the surging trade in methamphetamines and other narcotics, officers said on Sunday.

Four drug dealers were killed early Sunday in separate raids, police said, while the elite Rapid Action Battalion said its forces had killed nine others since Tuesday.

Around 2,300 suspected drug traffickers and users had been arrested, the battalion said, in raids since early May. An estimated $2.5 million worth of drugs had been seized.

Authorities last week warned traffickers to surrender or face the full force of the law.

Police have vowed to stamp out drugs, most notably "yaba", a popular street pill made of caffeine and methamphetamine that is doing a roaring trade in Bangladesh.

The alleged dealers all died in what authorities described as shootouts, but parallels have been drawn to the Philippines where police have been accused of executing suspects.

"We have spoken to families of some victims. They said the victims were killed extrajudicially," said Nasiruddin Elan from local rights group Odhikar. Authorities have been struggling to control a huge surge in yaba crossing its southeastern border from Myanmar, where the cheap pills are manufactured by the hundreds of millions.

Officials say the bulk of the drugs entering Bangladesh last year were brought by Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar.

The drugs were being stashed on fishing boats bringing the persecuted civilians into Bangladesh. Some refugees were being used as mules, officials say. Authorities last year seized a record 40 million yaba pills but said an estimated 250-300 million others managed to enter the market.

This year nine million yaba tablets were seized in less than three months as the refugee influx reached its peak. Nearly two million pills were discovered in a single haul.

A director at the narcotics control department predicted that $ 600 million worth of yaba could be sold on Bangladesh's streets this year.

Officials say the bulk of the drugs entering Bangladesh last year were brought by Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar

Bangladesh police have shot dead 13 drug traffickers and arrested thousands in an aggressive campaign against the surging trade in methamphetamines and other narcotics, officers said on Sunday. Four drug dealers were killed early Sunday in separate raids, police said, while the elite Rapid Action Battalion said its forces had killed nine others since Tuesday. Around 2,300 suspected drug traffickers and users had been arrested, the battalion said, in raids since early May. An estimated $2.5 million worth of drugs had been seized. Authorities last week warned traffickers to surrender or face the full force of the law. Police have vowed to stamp out drugs, most notably "yaba", a popular street pill made of caffeine and methamphetamine that is doing a roaring trade in Bangladesh. The alleged dealers all died in what authorities described as shootouts, but parallels have been drawn to the Philippines where police have been accused of executing suspects. "We have spoken to families of some victims. They said the victims were killed extrajudicially," said Nasiruddin Elan from local rights group Odhikar. Authorities have been struggling to control a huge surge in yaba crossing its southeastern border from Myanmar, where the cheap pills are manufactured by the hundreds of millions. Officials say the bulk of the drugs entering Bangladesh last year were brought by Rohingya refugees fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar. The drugs were being stashed on fishing boats bringing the persecuted civilians into Bangladesh. Some refugees were being used as mules, officials say. Authorities last year seized a record 40 million yaba pills but said an estimated 250-300 million others managed to enter the market. This year nine million yaba tablets were seized in less than three months as the refugee influx reached its peak. Nearly two million pills were discovered in a single haul. A director at the narcotics control department predicted that $ 600 million worth of yaba could be sold on Bangladesh's streets this year.

Bangladesh kills 13 suspected drug dealers in major crackdown

Owing to the holy month of Ramzan, a Turkish aid group organised Iftar for Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh.

According to Turkey`s Anadolu news agency, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) said it had sent food aid to 25,000 Rohingyas and organised an Iftar for approximately 1,500 people.

TIKA`s head of the Balkans and South Europe department Mahmut Cevik, during the programme, recalled the hardships of Rohingya and assured them that Turkey is with them.

The aid agency serves food to 6,000 Rohingya Muslims at the refugee camps on a daily basis.

About 750,000 Rohingya had fled Myanmar after country`s forces began a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017.

According to an NGO, Doctors Without Borders, from August 25 to September 24 in 2017, at least 9,000 Rohingya were killed in Myanmar`s Rakhine state.

The aid agency serves food to 6,000 Rohingya Muslims at the refugee camps on a daily basis

Owing to the holy month of Ramzan, a Turkish aid group organised Iftar for Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh. According to Turkey`s Anadolu news agency, Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) said it had sent food aid to 25,000 Rohingyas and organised an Iftar for approximately 1,500 people. TIKA`s head of the Balkans and South Europe department Mahmut Cevik, during the programme, recalled the hardships of Rohingya and assured them that Turkey is with them. The aid agency serves food to 6,000 Rohingya Muslims at the refugee camps on a daily basis. About 750,000 Rohingya had fled Myanmar after country`s forces began a crackdown on the minority Muslim community in August 2017. According to an NGO, Doctors Without Borders, from August 25 to September 24 in 2017, at least 9,000 Rohingya were killed in Myanmar`s Rakhine state.

Turkish agency organises Iftar for Rohingya refugees

Myanmar security forces have resumed loudspeaker broadcasts near its border with Bangladesh ordering Rohingya Muslims to immediately leave a strip of no-man's land between the two countries, refugees said Sunday.

Around 6,000 refugees from the persecuted minority have been camping on the narrow stretch of land since fleeing a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's west last August.

The majority of the nearly 700,000 Rohingya who escaped the violence settled in huge camps in Bangladesh but a smaller number insisted on staying put in the buffer zone between the borders.

Myanmar had agreed in February to stop using loudspeakers to order the stranded Muslims to leave the area immediately and cross into Bangladesh.

The army also withdrew some of its heavy forces from the edge of no-man's land, where refugees camped on the other side of a barbed wire fence had complained of intimidation.

But the loudspeaker messages resumed this weekend without warning, Rohingya community leaders said, exacerbating tension along the restive border zone.

"They played it several times yesterday, and have been repeating it this morning. It's very disturbing and creates panic," said Mohammad Arif, one of the leaders camped in no-man's land.

The messages -- broadcast in Burmese and Rohingya -- warned the refugees to "leave the area under Myanmar's jurisdiction or face prosecution". "We're citizens of Myanmar. It's our fatherland. We have every right to remain here. Why should we go elsewhere?" said another community leader, Dil Mohammad.

The broadcasts also refer to the refugees as "Bengalis", the term used by many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar to refer to the Rohingya, whom they consider interlopers from Bangladesh.

Lieutenant Colonel Manzurul Hasan Khan, a local Border Guard Bangladesh commander, said the situation was being closely monitored.

"We have noticed that they tied loudhailers to the trees along their border fences near the camp," Khan said.

The refugee crisis has strained ties between Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The neighbours had agreed in November to begin repatriating Rohingya refugees to Myanmar but the process has stalled, with both sides blaming each other for the delays.

Those living in no-man's land -- and many in the Bangladeshi refugee camps -- refuse to return to Myanmar until their safety and citizenship is assured and compensation granted for past injustices.&nbsp

Around 6,000 refugees from the persecuted minority have been camping on the narrow stretch of land since fleeing a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's west last August

Myanmar security forces have resumed loudspeaker broadcasts near its border with Bangladesh ordering Rohingya Muslims to immediately leave a strip of no-man's land between the two countries, refugees said Sunday. Around 6,000 refugees from the persecuted minority have been camping on the narrow stretch of land since fleeing a brutal military crackdown in Myanmar's west last August. The majority of the nearly 700,000 Rohingya who escaped the violence settled in huge camps in Bangladesh but a smaller number insisted on staying put in the buffer zone between the borders. Myanmar had agreed in February to stop using loudspeakers to order the stranded Muslims to leave the area immediately and cross into Bangladesh. The army also withdrew some of its heavy forces from the edge of no-man's land, where refugees camped on the other side of a barbed wire fence had complained of intimidation. But the loudspeaker messages resumed this weekend without warning, Rohingya community leaders said, exacerbating tension along the restive border zone. "They played it several times yesterday, and have been repeating it this morning. It's very disturbing and creates panic," said Mohammad Arif, one of the leaders camped in no-man's land. The messages -- broadcast in Burmese and Rohingya -- warned the refugees to "leave the area under Myanmar's jurisdiction or face prosecution". "We're citizens of Myanmar. It's our fatherland. We have every right to remain here. Why should we go elsewhere?" said another community leader, Dil Mohammad. The broadcasts also refer to the refugees as "Bengalis", the term used by many in Buddhist-majority Myanmar to refer to the Rohingya, whom they consider interlopers from Bangladesh. Lieutenant Colonel Manzurul Hasan Khan, a local Border Guard Bangladesh commander, said the situation was being closely monitored. "We have noticed that they tied loudhailers to the trees along their border fences near the camp," Khan said. The refugee crisis has strained ties between Bangladesh and Myanmar. The neighbours had agreed in November to begin repatriating Rohingya refugees to Myanmar but the process has stalled, with both sides blaming each other for the delays. Those living in no-man's land -- and many in the Bangladeshi refugee camps -- refuse to return to Myanmar until their safety and citizenship is assured and compensation granted for past injustices.

Myanmar orders Rohingya to leave tense border zone

The US&nbspgovernment's aid chief called on Thursday on Myanmar to end violence against members of the Rohingya Muslim minority and to provide humanitarian workers and media unhindered access to the country.

Mark Green, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), visited Rohingya refugee camps on a three-day visit to Bangladesh this week.

The United States would provide $44 million in additional aid to help meet the needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, he told reports in Dhaka, before travelling on to Myanmar, which is also known as Burma.

"Today, I will fly to Burma and will ask them to end the violence and will also ask them to allow media access,” Green said.

"This humanitarian crisis is a global challenge and our government along with the international community will work together to support Bangladesh," he said.

According to UN&nbspofficials, nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh from Buddhist-majority Myanmar's Rakhine State to escape a military crackdown since August, launched in response to Rohingya insurgent attacks.

Refugees have told of numerous incidents of murder, rape and arson by Myanmar troops and Buddhist vigilantes, which the United Nations has likened to "ethnic cleansing".

Myanmar has denied nearly all of the allegations, saying its security forces have been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation against Rohingya "terrorists".

Green, who is due to meet Myanmar government officials in the capital, Naypyitaw, said he would ask for "free and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the country" as well as access for media to travel freely.

US&nbspPresident Donald Trump this month assured Bangladesh of US&nbspsupport in dealing with the Myanmar Rohingya refugee crisis.

US President Donald Trump this month assured Bangladesh of US support in dealing with the Myanmar Rohingya refugee crisis

The US&nbspgovernment's aid chief called on Thursday on Myanmar to end violence against members of the Rohingya Muslim minority and to provide humanitarian workers and media unhindered access to the country. Mark Green, administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), visited Rohingya refugee camps on a three-day visit to Bangladesh this week. The United States would provide $44 million in additional aid to help meet the needs of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, he told reports in Dhaka, before travelling on to Myanmar, which is also known as Burma. "Today, I will fly to Burma and will ask them to end the violence and will also ask them to allow media access,” Green said. "This humanitarian crisis is a global challenge and our government along with the international community will work together to support Bangladesh," he said. According to UN&nbspofficials, nearly 700,000 Rohingya have fled into Bangladesh from Buddhist-majority Myanmar's Rakhine State to escape a military crackdown since August, launched in response to Rohingya insurgent attacks. Refugees have told of numerous incidents of murder, rape and arson by Myanmar troops and Buddhist vigilantes, which the United Nations has likened to "ethnic cleansing". Myanmar has denied nearly all of the allegations, saying its security forces have been waging a legitimate counter-insurgency operation against Rohingya "terrorists". Green, who is due to meet Myanmar government officials in the capital, Naypyitaw, said he would ask for "free and unhindered humanitarian access throughout the country" as well as access for media to travel freely. US&nbspPresident Donald Trump this month assured Bangladesh of US&nbspsupport in dealing with the Myanmar Rohingya refugee crisis.

US aid chief calls on Myanmar to end violence against Rohingya

Around 60 babies a day are being born in vast refugee camps in Bangladesh, sheltering hundreds of thousands of mainly Rohingya Muslims who have fled Myanmar, the United Nations children`s agency UNICEF said&nbsp;on Wednesday.

Nearly 700,000 Rohingya fled to Cox`s Bazar in Bangladesh in the past nine months after a Myanmar military crackdown that the United Nations, the United States and Britain have denounced as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar has denied that any ethnic cleansing occurred.

UNICEF said in a statement that since the crisis began more than 16,000 babies had been born in the camps, of which only about 3,000 were delivered in health facilities.

"Around 60 babies a day are taking their first breath in appalling conditions, away from home, to mothers who have survived displacement, violence, trauma and, at times, rape," said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF`s Representative in Bangladesh.

UN&nbsp;Security Council envoys visited the refugee camps in April.

"It is impossible to know the true number of babies who have been or will be born as a result of sexual violence," Beigbeder said. "It is vital that each and every new and expectant mother and every new-born receive all the help and support they need."

Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts in Myanmar`s Rakhine state last August sparked a military operation that Myanmar has said was legitimate. Last November, Myanmar`s military released a report in which it denied all accusations of rape by security forces.&nbsp;

A senior Bangladesh health ministry official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, said last week that so far 18,300 pregnant women had been identified in the camps and the rough total estimate was around 25,000.

In March the United Nations launched an appeal for $951 million to help the Rohingya refugees for the rest of the year, but it is less than 20 percent funded.

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UNICEF said in a statement that since the crisis began more than 16,000 babies had been born in the camps, of which only about 3,000 were delivered in health facilities

Around 60 babies a day are being born in vast refugee camps in Bangladesh, sheltering hundreds of thousands of mainly Rohingya Muslims who have fled Myanmar, the United Nations children`s agency UNICEF said on Wednesday. Nearly 700,000 Rohingya fled to Cox`s Bazar in Bangladesh in the past nine months after a Myanmar military crackdown that the United Nations, the United States and Britain have denounced as ethnic cleansing. Myanmar has denied that any ethnic cleansing occurred. UNICEF said in a statement that since the crisis began more than 16,000 babies had been born in the camps, of which only about 3,000 were delivered in health facilities. "Around 60 babies a day are taking their first breath in appalling conditions, away from home, to mothers who have survived displacement, violence, trauma and, at times, rape," said Edouard Beigbeder, UNICEF`s Representative in Bangladesh. UN Security Council envoys visited the refugee camps in April. "It is impossible to know the true number of babies who have been or will be born as a result of sexual violence," Beigbeder said. "It is vital that each and every new and expectant mother and every new-born receive all the help and support they need." Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts in Myanmar`s Rakhine state last August sparked a military operation that Myanmar has said was legitimate. Last November, Myanmar`s military released a report in which it denied all accusations of rape by security forces. A senior Bangladesh health ministry official, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, said last week that so far 18,300 pregnant women had been identified in the camps and the rough total estimate was around 25,000. In March the United Nations launched an appeal for $951 million to help the Rohingya refugees for the rest of the year, but it is less than 20 percent funded.

In Bangladesh, some 60 babies a day born in Rohingya camps: United Nations

Myanmar student activist Zayya Lwin said on Tuesday that police planned to press additional charges against him after he was detained on the weekend following a peace rally and criticised police at a poem-reading event in Yangon two days later.

Zayya Lwin, 27, is one of 17 organisers of the anti-war protest which on Saturday degenerated into scuffles and fistfights, raising fresh concerns about freedom of speech in the Southeast Asian nation.

The 17 organisers now face a month in prison and fines for "disturbing the public" and other offences.

Zayya Lwin and seven other detained activists were released from arrest on Sunday.

On Monday, he attended a poem-reading gathering at a park in downtown Yangon. After the event, Zayya Lwin said officers told him they would charge him under section 19 of Myanmar's peaceful assembly law - an offence that could see him sentenced to additional three months in jail.

"They stopped me while I was giving a talk. They came later, and told me they will charge me under section 19, but didn't give a reason why," said Zayya Lwin.

"They asked me to come along to the police station, but I refused and told them to send me an official letter laying out the charges," Zayya Lwin told Reuters by phone.

Myanmar police spokesmen Colonel Myo Thu Soe and Colonel Thet Naing were not immediately available for comment. Kyauktada police station personnel declined to comment, saying they were not allowed to speak to reporters.

A growing anti-war youth movement, which in recent months has spread to various parts of the country, has exposed frustration with Myanmar's defacto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle to fulfill a promise to end decades of war by autonomy-seeking ethnic minority guerrillas in lawless border lands.

More than 6,000 people have fled their homes since an army offensive against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and ethnic rebel group. Rescue workers say hundreds are still trapped in danger zones.

Athan, a free speech monitoring group, said that so far in May, 42 activists across the country have been charged for participating in rallies protesting the war in Kachin and other areas.

Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a group formed by opposition activists during the junta era to monitor the well-being of political prisoners, called on the government to drop the charges against the protesters.

"This is a clear and calculated attack on freedom of expression and right to assembly," said the organisation in a tweet.

Zayya Lwin was imprisoned for more than nine months in 2015 for protesting against the military's participation in the parliament - the army retains 25 percent of the seats under the junta-drafted constitution.

Zayya Lwin, 27, is one of 17 organisers of the anti-war protest which on Saturday degenerated into scuffles and fistfights, raising fresh concerns about freedom of speech in the Southeast Asian nation

Myanmar student activist Zayya Lwin said on Tuesday that police planned to press additional charges against him after he was detained on the weekend following a peace rally and criticised police at a poem-reading event in Yangon two days later. Zayya Lwin, 27, is one of 17 organisers of the anti-war protest which on Saturday degenerated into scuffles and fistfights, raising fresh concerns about freedom of speech in the Southeast Asian nation. The 17 organisers now face a month in prison and fines for "disturbing the public" and other offences. Zayya Lwin and seven other detained activists were released from arrest on Sunday. On Monday, he attended a poem-reading gathering at a park in downtown Yangon. After the event, Zayya Lwin said officers told him they would charge him under section 19 of Myanmar's peaceful assembly law - an offence that could see him sentenced to additional three months in jail. "They stopped me while I was giving a talk. They came later, and told me they will charge me under section 19, but didn't give a reason why," said Zayya Lwin. "They asked me to come along to the police station, but I refused and told them to send me an official letter laying out the charges," Zayya Lwin told Reuters by phone. Myanmar police spokesmen Colonel Myo Thu Soe and Colonel Thet Naing were not immediately available for comment. Kyauktada police station personnel declined to comment, saying they were not allowed to speak to reporters. A growing anti-war youth movement, which in recent months has spread to various parts of the country, has exposed frustration with Myanmar's defacto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle to fulfill a promise to end decades of war by autonomy-seeking ethnic minority guerrillas in lawless border lands. More than 6,000 people have fled their homes since an army offensive against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), and ethnic rebel group. Rescue workers say hundreds are still trapped in danger zones. Athan, a free speech monitoring group, said that so far in May, 42 activists across the country have been charged for participating in rallies protesting the war in Kachin and other areas. Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a group formed by opposition activists during the junta era to monitor the well-being of political prisoners, called on the government to drop the charges against the protesters. "This is a clear and calculated attack on freedom of expression and right to assembly," said the organisation in a tweet. Zayya Lwin was imprisoned for more than nine months in 2015 for protesting against the military's participation in the parliament - the army retains 25 percent of the seats under the junta-drafted constitution.

Myanmar anti-war protester says police to lay more charges against him

The United States indirectly criticised China on Monday for shielding Myanmar from strong UN&nbspSecurity Council action over a military crackdown against mainly Rohingya Muslims that the US&nbspand other countries have denounced as ethnic cleansing.

US&nbspAmbassador Nikki Haley did not mention China by name, but China proposed substantial amendments to a British-drafted Security Council statement on Myanmar last week. The 15-member council eventually agreed a weaker statement.

The Security Council met on Monday to discuss a visit by envoys to Myanmar and Bangladesh two weeks ago.

Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state in August last year sparked a military operation that sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to camps in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh.

"Some members of the council have kept us from taking action for cynical and self-interested reasons," Haley said. "Some undermined the unity of the council demonstrated during the trip with unhelpful edits that only weakened the council's message."

Speaking before Haley, China's UN&nbspAmbassador Ma Zhaoxu told the Security Council that Myanmar and Bangladesh should be encouraged to solve the crisis bilaterally to make sure it doesn't "drag on or become more complicated."

"The council should continue to encourage Myanmar and Bangladesh to increase consultations and cooperation for the early implementation of the bilateral arrangement," he said.

Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years but differences between the two sides remain and implementation of the plan has been slow.

Diplomats said Russia has also backed China in council discussions on Myanmar.

Speaking after Haley, Russia's deputy UN&nbspAmbassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said the unity of the council on the issue was important and he hoped some members "will not fall prey to the temptation of using this situation to pursue their narrow, domestic political aims."

Fleeing refugees have reported killings, rapes and arson on a large scale. Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing and has said its operations in Rakhine were a legitimate response to attacks on security forces by Rohingya insurgents.

"The government of Myanmar has stated time and again that no violation of human rights will be condoned," Myanmar's UN&nbspAmbassador Hau Do Suan told council on Monday. "Allegations supported by evidence will be investigated and action taken in accordance with the law."

The United States and Canada have imposed unilateral sanctions against a general in Myanmar's military for his role in the crackdown and the European Union is preparing individual sanctions.

Haley, who did not travel to Myanmar and Bangladesh, said that the Security Council had "unique tools to encourage Burma to take real steps towards resolving this crisis," though she did not elaborate.

"We should move quickly to adopt a resolution that institutes real steps to resolve this enormous and growing humanitarian and human rights crisis," Haley said. 
&nbsp

The UN Security Council met on Monday to discuss a visit by envoys to Myanmar and Bangladesh two weeks ago

The United States indirectly criticised China on Monday for shielding Myanmar from strong UN&nbspSecurity Council action over a military crackdown against mainly Rohingya Muslims that the US&nbspand other countries have denounced as ethnic cleansing. US&nbspAmbassador Nikki Haley did not mention China by name, but China proposed substantial amendments to a British-drafted Security Council statement on Myanmar last week. The 15-member council eventually agreed a weaker statement. The Security Council met on Monday to discuss a visit by envoys to Myanmar and Bangladesh two weeks ago. Rohingya insurgent attacks on security posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state in August last year sparked a military operation that sent nearly 700,000 Rohingya fleeing to camps in Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. "Some members of the council have kept us from taking action for cynical and self-interested reasons," Haley said. "Some undermined the unity of the council demonstrated during the trip with unhelpful edits that only weakened the council's message." Speaking before Haley, China's UN&nbspAmbassador Ma Zhaoxu told the Security Council that Myanmar and Bangladesh should be encouraged to solve the crisis bilaterally to make sure it doesn't "drag on or become more complicated." "The council should continue to encourage Myanmar and Bangladesh to increase consultations and cooperation for the early implementation of the bilateral arrangement," he said. Myanmar and Bangladesh agreed in January to complete the voluntary repatriation of the refugees within two years but differences between the two sides remain and implementation of the plan has been slow. Diplomats said Russia has also backed China in council discussions on Myanmar. Speaking after Haley, Russia's deputy UN&nbspAmbassador Dmitry Polyanskiy said the unity of the council on the issue was important and he hoped some members "will not fall prey to the temptation of using this situation to pursue their narrow, domestic political aims." Fleeing refugees have reported killings, rapes and arson on a large scale. Myanmar denies ethnic cleansing and has said its operations in Rakhine were a legitimate response to attacks on security forces by Rohingya insurgents. "The government of Myanmar has stated time and again that no violation of human rights will be condoned," Myanmar's UN&nbspAmbassador Hau Do Suan told council on Monday. "Allegations supported by evidence will be investigated and action taken in accordance with the law." The United States and Canada have imposed unilateral sanctions against a general in Myanmar's military for his role in the crackdown and the European Union is preparing individual sanctions. Haley, who did not travel to Myanmar and Bangladesh, said that the Security Council had "unique tools to encourage Burma to take real steps towards resolving this crisis," though she did not elaborate. "We should move quickly to adopt a resolution that institutes real steps to resolve this enormous and growing humanitarian and human rights crisis," Haley said.

US criticises China for shielding Myanmar from UN action

China today condemned fighting on its border between Myanmar forces and ethnic rebels that has left 19 dead, mostly civilians, in some of the worst violence to rattle the restive frontier in recent years.

The fighting erupted yesterday when ethnic-minority insurgent groups, who are locked in a long-running battle with the Myanmar state, attacked security posts around Muse, a border town and trade hub in northeastern Shan state.

A local resident told AFP she heard gunfire through the night until early Sunday morning, with fear gripping a town that lives at the mercy of both government militias and ethnic armies fighting for more autonomy.

"We heard shooting the whole night until this morning around 6:00 am. We do not know what was going on and who was fighting," said Muse resident Aye Aye.

Yesterday's carnage, which also left at least 27 injured, was one of the bloodiest days in recent years in a long-running rebellion that is separate from the Rohingya crisis to the west.

Fighting in the remote region in early 2017 sent more 20,000 Myanmar refugees scrambling across the border into China's Yunnan province, raising tensions.

Today, the Chinese embassy in Yangon condemned the clashes and said it had urged "relevant parties" to reach an immediate ceasefire.

The violence "made people from the Myanmar side flee across the Chinese border, and stray bullets have entered into Chinese territory", the statement added.

Observers believe Beijing holds significant sway over the ethnic rebels near its border and is a key player in a faltering peace process steered by Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Suu Kyi placed the peace bid -- an effort to extinguish around two dozen complicated and long-running ethnic conflicts across the country -- at the top of her agenda after she was elected to office in landmark 2015 elections.

But the effort has been severely hampered by a surge in fighting between Myanmar security forces and an alliance of rebel groups in northeastern Shan and Kachin states.

Saturday's attacks were blamed on the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), which claimed responsibility for operation and apologised for the civilian deaths.

Suu Kyi, the first civilian leader of the former junta-run country in decades, lacks control over security policy and the still-powerful military, which has retained key government posts in a delicate power-sharing arrangement.

Today, the Chinese embassy in Yangon condemned the clashes and said it had urged "relevant parties" to reach an immediate ceasefire

China today condemned fighting on its border between Myanmar forces and ethnic rebels that has left 19 dead, mostly civilians, in some of the worst violence to rattle the restive frontier in recent years. The fighting erupted yesterday when ethnic-minority insurgent groups, who are locked in a long-running battle with the Myanmar state, attacked security posts around Muse, a border town and trade hub in northeastern Shan state. A local resident told AFP she heard gunfire through the night until early Sunday morning, with fear gripping a town that lives at the mercy of both government militias and ethnic armies fighting for more autonomy. "We heard shooting the whole night until this morning around 6:00 am. We do not know what was going on and who was fighting," said Muse resident Aye Aye. Yesterday's carnage, which also left at least 27 injured, was one of the bloodiest days in recent years in a long-running rebellion that is separate from the Rohingya crisis to the west. Fighting in the remote region in early 2017 sent more 20,000 Myanmar refugees scrambling across the border into China's Yunnan province, raising tensions. Today, the Chinese embassy in Yangon condemned the clashes and said it had urged "relevant parties" to reach an immediate ceasefire. The violence "made people from the Myanmar side flee across the Chinese border, and stray bullets have entered into Chinese territory", the statement added. Observers believe Beijing holds significant sway over the ethnic rebels near its border and is a key player in a faltering peace process steered by Myanmar's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Suu Kyi placed the peace bid -- an effort to extinguish around two dozen complicated and long-running ethnic conflicts across the country -- at the top of her agenda after she was elected to office in landmark 2015 elections. But the effort has been severely hampered by a surge in fighting between Myanmar security forces and an alliance of rebel groups in northeastern Shan and Kachin states. Saturday's attacks were blamed on the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) and the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), which claimed responsibility for operation and apologised for the civilian deaths. Suu Kyi, the first civilian leader of the former junta-run country in decades, lacks control over security policy and the still-powerful military, which has retained key government posts in a delicate power-sharing arrangement.

Beijing urges ceasefire after deadly Myanmar border clashes

Riot police in Yangon used batons on Saturday to break up a protest in support of victims of fighting in the northern Myanmar state of Kachin, arresting several of the organisers.

Authorities had refused permission for the protest in Myanmar's main city and when police prevented some 300 people from marching they staged a sit-in, chanting anti-war slogans and waving light blue flags to symbolise peace.

Scuffles and fistfights between several dozen riot police and protest organisers and journalists covering the event broke out shortly after the organisers ended the sit-in. Several protesters were detained and driven away in a police van.

More than 6,000 people have fled their homes since an army offensive against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), an ethnic rebel group and rescue workers say hundreds are still stuck in danger zones.

Leading the protest organized by Yangon's youth activists was Maung Saung Kha. The poet and former political prisoner was jailed for six months for writing a poem about tattooing an image of a former Myanmar president on his penis.

"We had just said that we would disperse and end the demonstration and then the police started beating us. They broke police ethics and the rule of law. Nine people from our group have been arrested," Maung Saung Kha told Reuters.

Police spokesman colonel Myo Thu Soe confirmed that the police arrested some of the protesters.

"They didn't follow the peaceful assembly law so we had to arrest some of them, he said, adding that the authorities had not decided what to do with those who had been arrested.

Government spokesman Zaw Htay was not immediately available for comment.

The burgeoning anti-war youth movement has exposed frustrations with de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle to fulfil her promise to end decades of ethnic wars in Myanmar's lawless borderlands.

The protest in Yangon blocked one of Yangon's busiest junctions for more than an hour, before the riot police left.

"I took photographs of the arrests in front of the police truck. They (the police) told me: 'Stop! Stop!' And one of them hit me with his hand," Aung Lay, a 22-year-old local journalist who was bleeding from his lip, told Reuters.

The protest in Yangon blocked one of Yangon's busiest junctions for more than an hour, before the riot police left

Riot police in Yangon used batons on Saturday to break up a protest in support of victims of fighting in the northern Myanmar state of Kachin, arresting several of the organisers. Authorities had refused permission for the protest in Myanmar's main city and when police prevented some 300 people from marching they staged a sit-in, chanting anti-war slogans and waving light blue flags to symbolise peace. Scuffles and fistfights between several dozen riot police and protest organisers and journalists covering the event broke out shortly after the organisers ended the sit-in. Several protesters were detained and driven away in a police van. More than 6,000 people have fled their homes since an army offensive against the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), an ethnic rebel group and rescue workers say hundreds are still stuck in danger zones. Leading the protest organized by Yangon's youth activists was Maung Saung Kha. The poet and former political prisoner was jailed for six months for writing a poem about tattooing an image of a former Myanmar president on his penis. "We had just said that we would disperse and end the demonstration and then the police started beating us. They broke police ethics and the rule of law. Nine people from our group have been arrested," Maung Saung Kha told Reuters. Police spokesman colonel Myo Thu Soe confirmed that the police arrested some of the protesters. "They didn't follow the peaceful assembly law so we had to arrest some of them, he said, adding that the authorities had not decided what to do with those who had been arrested. Government spokesman Zaw Htay was not immediately available for comment. The burgeoning anti-war youth movement has exposed frustrations with de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle to fulfil her promise to end decades of ethnic wars in Myanmar's lawless borderlands. The protest in Yangon blocked one of Yangon's busiest junctions for more than an hour, before the riot police left. "I took photographs of the arrests in front of the police truck. They (the police) told me: 'Stop! Stop!' And one of them hit me with his hand," Aung Lay, a 22-year-old local journalist who was bleeding from his lip, told Reuters.

Myanmar riot police break up anti-war protest in Yangon

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