Heather Nauert to replace Nikki Haley at UN?

The United Nations, Israel and Syria reached an agreement to reopen the Quneitra crossing in the Golan Heights on Monday, the United States announced Friday, urging the two Middle East countries to facilitate the work of peacekeepers in the zone.

"The United States welcomes the re-opening of this crossing, which will allow UN peacekeepers to step up their efforts to prevent hostilities in the Golan Heights region," US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said in a statement.

The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), with about 1,000 troops, was established in 1974 and monitors a ceasefire line separating Israeli-occupied parts of the Golan Heights from Syria.

UNDOF resumed its patrols in the area of the crossing point in August, after withdrawing in 2014 when Al-Qaeda-linked rebels overran the area, three years into Syria's civil war.

UNDOF's return was made possible after Syrian government troops retook the Syrian side of the crossing in July under a deal with rebel fighters brokered by Moscow.&nbsp;

It had been sealed completely since rebels overran it in April 2015, choking off one of the most important trade routes for the government.

"We look to both Israel and Syria to provide UN peacekeepers the access they need as well as assurances of their safety," Haley said.

"We also call on Syria to take the necessary steps so UNDOF can safely and effectively deploy and patrol without interference."

Haley added that all sides must stick to a 1974 agreement and keep any military forces other than UN peacekeepers out of the zone.

Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community.

The Quneitra crossing was used by Druze living on the Israeli side travelling to Syria for higher education or weddings. Druze farmers also exported apples to Syria through Quneitra.&nbsp;

The United Nations, Israel and Syria reached an agreement to reopen the Quneitra crossing in the Golan Heights on Monday, the United States announced Friday, urging the two Middle East countries to facilitate the work of peacekeepers in the zone.

The United Nations, Israel and Syria reached an agreement to reopen the Quneitra crossing in the Golan Heights on Monday, the United States announced Friday, urging the two Middle East countries to facilitate the work of peacekeepers in the zone. "The United States welcomes the re-opening of this crossing, which will allow UN peacekeepers to step up their efforts to prevent hostilities in the Golan Heights region," US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said in a statement. The UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), with about 1,000 troops, was established in 1974 and monitors a ceasefire line separating Israeli-occupied parts of the Golan Heights from Syria. UNDOF resumed its patrols in the area of the crossing point in August, after withdrawing in 2014 when Al-Qaeda-linked rebels overran the area, three years into Syria's civil war. UNDOF's return was made possible after Syrian government troops retook the Syrian side of the crossing in July under a deal with rebel fighters brokered by Moscow. It had been sealed completely since rebels overran it in April 2015, choking off one of the most important trade routes for the government. "We look to both Israel and Syria to provide UN peacekeepers the access they need as well as assurances of their safety," Haley said. "We also call on Syria to take the necessary steps so UNDOF can safely and effectively deploy and patrol without interference." Haley added that all sides must stick to a 1974 agreement and keep any military forces other than UN peacekeepers out of the zone. Israel seized much of the Golan Heights from Syria in the Six-Day War of 1967 and later annexed it in a move not recognized by the international community. The Quneitra crossing was used by Druze living on the Israeli side travelling to Syria for higher education or weddings. Druze farmers also exported apples to Syria through Quneitra.

Golan Heights crossing point to reopen Monday: US

The shock exit of Nikki Haley, who was serving as the American Ambassador to the United Nations,&nbsp;from the Trump administration has surprised everyone.

A high profile exit from team Trump,&nbsp;Haley was one of the few women in Trump's cabinet.

She was seen as one of the most effective and outspoken faces of the administration.&nbsp;

The daughter of&nbsp;immigrants from India, Haley was the first cabinet-level UN Ambassador for a Republican government since the end of cold war.&nbsp;

American media reports suggest that while some White House staffers were indeed caught by surprise, Haley had discussed her resignation with President Trump last week.&nbsp;

Nikki Haley's tenure as the UN ambassador has raised her political profile. In 2017, the Time magazine had put Haley on its cover -- as one of the women who is changing the world.&nbsp;

Haley is now being counted as one of the possible challengers to Trump in the 2020 general elections. She has however clarified that she has no intention of running for the post.

Many feel that she could be eyeing a role in the private sector for the short term.

Haley has spent eight years in government that includes a six-year tenure as the governor of the state of South Carolina. These are not well-paying jobs.

According to Haley's 2018 financial disclosures, she has a debt of more than one million dollars.&nbsp;

Experts also believe that Haley was being edged out by Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, who recently joined the Trump administration. Both Pompeo and Bolton are foreign policy hardliners, Haley wanted to toe a more moderate line.

As a result, she had frequent clashes with Trump in recent times, especially on policy decisions regarding Russia.&nbsp;

But there is little doubt that Haley is a strong candidate for the presidency of the United States. She has better approval ratings than Trump, and has found support among key Republican demographics.&nbsp;

If not 2020, we can certainly expect to hear more about haley in 2024.

Nikki Haley's decision to quit was indeed a surprise. And equally surprising was her appointment by Trump as the UN ambassador in 2016.

Haley was seen as a strong critic for Trump. For the 2016 elections, she threw her support behind Tump's rivals Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz.&nbsp;

She even confronted candidate Trump's call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering America.&nbsp;

Despite Trump's bold and disruptive moves, Haley managed to use her ambassadorship at the United Nations to raise her political profile. Unlike several other former members of the Trump administration, she is leaving the job unscathed and on a high.&nbsp;

Even after joining the Trump administration Haley did not shy away from voicing her opinion on controversial issues. Even if it was at divergence with trump's views.&nbsp;

Most recently, when judge Brett Kavanaugh faced charges of sexual harassment just before his confirmation Haley argued that accusers should be heard.

Even when Trump mocked Christine Blasey Ford who had accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault.&nbsp;

While Haley's departure may have been on amicable terms, her departure will pinch the Trump administration.&nbsp;

She stood out for her outspoken criticism of Russia at the UN. Haley even backed Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as well as the US Withdrawal from the UN human rights council.&nbsp;

She will leave the position by the end of the year. Trump is yet to name her successor.

The shock exit of Nikki Haley, who was serving as the American Ambassador to the United Nations, from the Trump administration has surprised everyone. A high profile exit from team Trump, Haley was one of the few women in Trump's cabinet.

The shock exit of Nikki Haley, who was serving as the American Ambassador to the United Nations, from the Trump administration has surprised everyone. A high profile exit from team Trump, Haley was one of the few women in Trump's cabinet. She was seen as one of the most effective and outspoken faces of the administration. The daughter of immigrants from India, Haley was the first cabinet-level UN Ambassador for a Republican government since the end of cold war. American media reports suggest that while some White House staffers were indeed caught by surprise, Haley had discussed her resignation with President Trump last week. Nikki Haley's tenure as the UN ambassador has raised her political profile. In 2017, the Time magazine had put Haley on its cover -- as one of the women who is changing the world. Haley is now being counted as one of the possible challengers to Trump in the 2020 general elections. She has however clarified that she has no intention of running for the post. Many feel that she could be eyeing a role in the private sector for the short term. Haley has spent eight years in government that includes a six-year tenure as the governor of the state of South Carolina. These are not well-paying jobs. According to Haley's 2018 financial disclosures, she has a debt of more than one million dollars. Experts also believe that Haley was being edged out by Mike Pompeo and John Bolton, who recently joined the Trump administration. Both Pompeo and Bolton are foreign policy hardliners, Haley wanted to toe a more moderate line. As a result, she had frequent clashes with Trump in recent times, especially on policy decisions regarding Russia. But there is little doubt that Haley is a strong candidate for the presidency of the United States. She has better approval ratings than Trump, and has found support among key Republican demographics. If not 2020, we can certainly expect to hear more about haley in 2024. Nikki Haley's decision to quit was indeed a surprise. And equally surprising was her appointment by Trump as the UN ambassador in 2016. Haley was seen as a strong critic for Trump. For the 2016 elections, she threw her support behind Tump's rivals Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz. She even confronted candidate Trump's call to temporarily ban Muslims from entering America. Despite Trump's bold and disruptive moves, Haley managed to use her ambassadorship at the United Nations to raise her political profile. Unlike several other former members of the Trump administration, she is leaving the job unscathed and on a high. Even after joining the Trump administration Haley did not shy away from voicing her opinion on controversial issues. Even if it was at divergence with trump's views. Most recently, when judge Brett Kavanaugh faced charges of sexual harassment just before his confirmation Haley argued that accusers should be heard. Even when Trump mocked Christine Blasey Ford who had accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault. While Haley's departure may have been on amicable terms, her departure will pinch the Trump administration. She stood out for her outspoken criticism of Russia at the UN. Haley even backed Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel as well as the US Withdrawal from the UN human rights council. She will leave the position by the end of the year. Trump is yet to name her successor.

Nikki Haley: Resignation and future plans

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley exits President Donald Trump's cabinet as the most high-profile female member, potentially putting her back into play as a candidate for a Republican Party struggling with women voters.

In her <a href="http://www.wionews.com/americas/us-ambassador-to-un-nikki-haley-resigns-from-trumps-cabinet-170504">out-of-the-blue announcement on Tuesday</a>, Haley, 46, pointedly tried to shut down talk that she would run for any office in 2020, including challenging Trump in his re-election bid.

But that hardly stopped Washington from playing a new round in its favourite parlour game: Who's running for what? President, vice president and U.S. senator were all on the table.

Those who know Haley from her days as a popular governor of South Carolina believe she is in an enviable position.

"What she's done as UN, ambassador has not only raised her own profile, which was already high, but she also raised the profile of the job and she's left some big shoes to fill," said Rob Godfrey, a former political aide in South Carolina.

Haley has received high marks for her U.N. job performance. An April poll by Quinnipiac University found that 63 percent of voters approved of Haley, including 55 percent of Democrats.

Haley was vague about her reasons for quitting, citing a desire to take some time off. In her resignation letter, Haley referred to returning to the private sector.

Few people who have watched her over the years see her leaving the public arena for long.

"The most likely explanation is she wants to put some daylight between herself and Trump in advance of running for president," said Jordan Ragusa, a political science professor at the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

'STRENGTHEN THE TICKET'

Haley, who had scant experience in diplomacy before taking the UN&nbsp;job, now emerges as a dream candidate, one who figured out how to work with the voluble Trump without upstaging him, but would also buck her boss on issues that mattered to her.

She applauded women who come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct by men and said they should be heard, even if they were accusing Trump. She took a tougher stance than her boss on Russia. And in the wake violent protest by white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, she called on her staff to oppose hate, a position viewed as a contrast to Trump's response.

Haley's departure also stoked speculation she could replace Lindsey Graham as the senator from South Carolina, a possibility that Trump played down. Talk in Washington is that should Trump replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions with Graham after the Nov. 6 congressional elections, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster would be responsible for selecting a replacement to serve until the 2020 election. McMaster was previously Haley's No. 2 in the state.

Despite the fine line Haley walked with Trump, speculation quickly swirled in Washington that Trump could drop Vice President Mike Pence as his 2020 running mate and choose Haley instead.

"Ambassador Haley has much political life ahead of her and perhaps as vice president and beyond," said Karen Floyd, a former Republican Party chairwoman in South Carolina.

Trump suffers from a massive gender gap in his approval - a large majority of women disapprove of his job in office and Haley could be added in an effort to win over more women voters.

"I could certainly see a myriad of ways in which she could strengthen the ticket," said Claire Wofford, a political science professor at College of Charleston in South Carolina.

But Republican strategist Rick Tyler called the idea of Haley replacing Pence "far fetched." Tyler said her future is wide open but doubted she would rejoin the administration.

Even Russian UN&nbsp;Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, with whom Haley often sparred, said she would resurface in politics.

"She's young, she's energetic, she's ambitious. I think that we will see her after she has this well-deserved respite that she was referring to," Nebenzia said.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley exits President Donald Trump's cabinet as the most high-profile female member, potentially putting her back into play as a candidate for a Republican Party struggling with women voters.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley exits President Donald Trump's cabinet as the most high-profile female member, potentially putting her back into play as a candidate for a Republican Party struggling with women voters. In her out-of-the-blue announcement on Tuesday, Haley, 46, pointedly tried to shut down talk that she would run for any office in 2020, including challenging Trump in his re-election bid. But that hardly stopped Washington from playing a new round in its favourite parlour game: Who's running for what? President, vice president and U.S. senator were all on the table. Those who know Haley from her days as a popular governor of South Carolina believe she is in an enviable position. "What she's done as UN, ambassador has not only raised her own profile, which was already high, but she also raised the profile of the job and she's left some big shoes to fill," said Rob Godfrey, a former political aide in South Carolina. Haley has received high marks for her U.N. job performance. An April poll by Quinnipiac University found that 63 percent of voters approved of Haley, including 55 percent of Democrats. Haley was vague about her reasons for quitting, citing a desire to take some time off. In her resignation letter, Haley referred to returning to the private sector. Few people who have watched her over the years see her leaving the public arena for long. "The most likely explanation is she wants to put some daylight between herself and Trump in advance of running for president," said Jordan Ragusa, a political science professor at the College of Charleston in South Carolina. 'STRENGTHEN THE TICKET' Haley, who had scant experience in diplomacy before taking the UN job, now emerges as a dream candidate, one who figured out how to work with the voluble Trump without upstaging him, but would also buck her boss on issues that mattered to her. She applauded women who come forward with accusations of sexual misconduct by men and said they should be heard, even if they were accusing Trump. She took a tougher stance than her boss on Russia. And in the wake violent protest by white nationalists in Charlottesville, Virginia, she called on her staff to oppose hate, a position viewed as a contrast to Trump's response. Haley's departure also stoked speculation she could replace Lindsey Graham as the senator from South Carolina, a possibility that Trump played down. Talk in Washington is that should Trump replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions with Graham after the Nov. 6 congressional elections, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster would be responsible for selecting a replacement to serve until the 2020 election. McMaster was previously Haley's No. 2 in the state. Despite the fine line Haley walked with Trump, speculation quickly swirled in Washington that Trump could drop Vice President Mike Pence as his 2020 running mate and choose Haley instead. "Ambassador Haley has much political life ahead of her and perhaps as vice president and beyond," said Karen Floyd, a former Republican Party chairwoman in South Carolina. Trump suffers from a massive gender gap in his approval - a large majority of women disapprove of his job in office and Haley could be added in an effort to win over more women voters. "I could certainly see a myriad of ways in which she could strengthen the ticket," said Claire Wofford, a political science professor at College of Charleston in South Carolina. But Republican strategist Rick Tyler called the idea of Haley replacing Pence "far fetched." Tyler said her future is wide open but doubted she would rejoin the administration. Even Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia, with whom Haley often sparred, said she would resurface in politics. "She's young, she's energetic, she's ambitious. I think that we will see her after she has this well-deserved respite that she was referring to," Nebenzia said.

After Nikki Haley resigns, speculation is she may run against Trump in 2020

WION CHAT: Jonathan Wachtel speaks on Haley's resignation

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/up-5-dead-several-injured-after-new-farakka-express-derails-in-harchandpur-170540">UP: 5 dead, several injured after New Farakka Express train derails in Harchandpur</a>

Five people are dead and several have been injured after the New Farakka Express train derailed near Harchandpur in Uttar Pradesh.&nbsp;

ANI reported that six coaches of the train ran off the tracks 50 metres from Harchandpur railway station.&nbsp;

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nikki-haley-resigns-from-trump-cabinet-speculation-is-she-may-run-against-him-in-2020-170533">Nikki Haley resigns from Trump cabinet, speculation is she might run against him in&nbsp;2020</a>

U.S Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley exits President Donald Trump's cabinet as the most high-profile female member, potentially putting her back into play as a candidate for a Republican Party struggling with women voters.

In her out-of-the-blue announcement on Tuesday, Haley, 46, pointedly tried to shut down talk that she would run for any office in 2020, including challenging Trump in his re-election bid.

But that hardly stopped Washington from playing a new round in its favourite parlour game: Who's running for what? President, vice president and U.S. senator were all on the table.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-he-has-not-read-un-global-warming-report-but-is-sceptical-170535">Trump says he has not read UN global warming report but is sceptical</a>

US President Donald Trump said he has yet to read a UN report warning of global warming-caused chaos unless drastic action is taken and added that he is sceptical.

The landmark report released Monday said that time is running out to avert climate-induced disaster. The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) declared it had "high confidence" in its predictions.

At the White House, Trump said he has not read it yet.

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-next-summit-with-north-koreas-kim-to-come-after-november-us-elections-170532">Trump says next summit with North Korea's Kim after US midterm elections</a>

US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be held after US congressional elections on Nov. 6.

Speaking to reporters as he flew to Iowa for a political rally, Trump said: "It’ll be after the midterms. I just can't leave now."

 
<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/ivanka-would-be-dynamite-un-envoy-trump-170548">Ivanka would be 'dynamite' UN envoy: Trump</a>

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley abruptly announced her resignation on Tuesday. Haley will step down at the end of the year.&nbsp;

There has been speculation that Haley might run against Donald Trump in the 2020 elections.&nbsp;

There has also been speculation as to who might replace Haley, with Trump saying might be his daughter Ivanka.&nbsp;

UP: 5 dead, several injured after New Farakka Express train derails in Harchandpur Five people are dead and several have been injured after the New Farakka Express train derailed near Harchandpur in Uttar Pradesh.

UP: 5 dead, several injured after New Farakka Express train derails in Harchandpur Five people are dead and several have been injured after the New Farakka Express train derailed near Harchandpur in Uttar Pradesh. ANI reported that six coaches of the train ran off the tracks 50 metres from Harchandpur railway station. Nikki Haley resigns from Trump cabinet, speculation is she might run against him in 2020 U.S Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley exits President Donald Trump's cabinet as the most high-profile female member, potentially putting her back into play as a candidate for a Republican Party struggling with women voters. In her out-of-the-blue announcement on Tuesday, Haley, 46, pointedly tried to shut down talk that she would run for any office in 2020, including challenging Trump in his re-election bid. But that hardly stopped Washington from playing a new round in its favourite parlour game: Who's running for what? President, vice president and U.S. senator were all on the table. Trump says he has not read UN global warming report but is sceptical US President Donald Trump said he has yet to read a UN report warning of global warming-caused chaos unless drastic action is taken and added that he is sceptical. The landmark report released Monday said that time is running out to avert climate-induced disaster. The Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) declared it had "high confidence" in its predictions. At the White House, Trump said he has not read it yet. Trump says next summit with North Korea's Kim after US midterm elections US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday his second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would be held after US congressional elections on Nov. 6. Speaking to reporters as he flew to Iowa for a political rally, Trump said: "It’ll be after the midterms. I just can't leave now." Ivanka would be 'dynamite' UN envoy: Trump US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley abruptly announced her resignation on Tuesday. Haley will step down at the end of the year. There has been speculation that Haley might run against Donald Trump in the 2020 elections. There has also been speculation as to who might replace Haley, with Trump saying might be his daughter Ivanka.

News brief: Big stories of the day

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley abruptly announced her resignation on Tuesday. Haley will step down at the end of the year.&nbsp;

There has been speculation that <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nikki-haley-resigns-from-trump-cabinet-speculation-is-she-may-run-against-him-in-2020-170533">Haley might run against Donald Trump</a> in the 2020 elections.&nbsp;

There has also been speculation as to who might replace Haley, with Trump saying it might be his daughter Ivanka.&nbsp;

"We are looking at numerous people," Trump told reporters at the White House.&nbsp;

But he also added that should he hire Ivanka, he would be accused of nepotism.&nbsp;

"Ivanka would be dynamite. It's nothing to do with nepotism. But I want to tell you, the people that know, know that Ivanka would be dynamite. But, you know, I would then be accused of nepotism."

Trump has raised eyebrows with his blurring of the lines between relatives, family businesses and official duties since he was elected in 2016.

Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner both work in the White House as high-level unpaid advisers. Among other duties, Kushner, an Orthodox Jew, is tasked with creating a Middle East peace plan.&nbsp;

Ivanka herself later said she would not be replacing Haley.&nbsp;

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It is an honor to serve in the White House alongside so many great colleagues and I know that the President will nominate a formidable replacement for Ambassador Haley. That replacement will not be me.
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/1049773378167590912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Ambassador Haley has served America with dignity + distinction. 
She is a bold reformer and has been an unwavering champion of truth, principled realism and integrity within the United Nations. 
Jared and I are grateful for her friendship — a true blessing in our lives! 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/sidkwXzPZB">pic.twitter.com/sidkwXzPZB</a>
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/1049684207923023873?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"It is an honor to serve in the White House alongside so many great colleagues and I know that the President will nominate a formidable replacement for Ambassador Haley. That replacement will not be me," she tweeted.&nbsp;

(With inputs from AFP)

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley abruptly announced her resignation on Tuesday. Haley will step down at the end of the year. There has been speculation that Haley might run against Donald Trump in the 2020 elections.

US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley abruptly announced her resignation on Tuesday. Haley will step down at the end of the year. There has been speculation that Haley might run against Donald Trump in the 2020 elections. There has also been speculation as to who might replace Haley, with Trump saying it might be his daughter Ivanka. "We are looking at numerous people," Trump told reporters at the White House. But he also added that should he hire Ivanka, he would be accused of nepotism. "Ivanka would be dynamite. It's nothing to do with nepotism. But I want to tell you, the people that know, know that Ivanka would be dynamite. But, you know, I would then be accused of nepotism." Trump has raised eyebrows with his blurring of the lines between relatives, family businesses and official duties since he was elected in 2016. Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner both work in the White House as high-level unpaid advisers. Among other duties, Kushner, an Orthodox Jew, is tasked with creating a Middle East peace plan. Ivanka herself later said she would not be replacing Haley. It is an honor to serve in the White House alongside so many great colleagues and I know that the President will nominate a formidable replacement for Ambassador Haley. That replacement will not be me. — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) October 9, 2018 × Ambassador Haley has served America with dignity + distinction. She is a bold reformer and has been an unwavering champion of truth, principled realism and integrity within the United Nations. Jared and I are grateful for her friendship — a true blessing in our lives! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/sidkwXzPZB — Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) October 9, 2018 × "It is an honor to serve in the White House alongside so many great colleagues and I know that the President will nominate a formidable replacement for Ambassador Haley. That replacement will not be me," she tweeted. (With inputs from AFP)

Ivanka would be 'dynamite' UN envoy, says Trump

US ambassador to United Nations Nikki Haley resigned from President Trump's cabinet on Tuesday.

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Big announcement with my friend Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Oval Office at 10:30am.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1049665483182694402?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Haley, 46, was appointed as the US ambassador to the world body in January last year.

President Trump confirmed that Haley will step down as UN ambassador.&nbsp;Haley said she had no plans to run for president in 2020.

Meeting Haley in the Oval Office, Trump said that she&nbsp;had done a "fantastic job" and would leave at the end of the year.

"She told me probably six months ago," Trump told reporters, adding that she told him that "I want to take a little time off."

"We're all happy for you in one way, but we hate to lose (you). ... Hopefully, you'll be coming back at some point. Maybe a different capacity. You can have your pick," Trump said.

"Nikki Haley, ambassador to the United Nations, has been very special to me. She has done an incredible job. She is a fantastic person, very importantly, but she also is somebody who gets it. She has been at the United Nations from the beginning with us, right from the beginning, and worked with us on the campaign," the US president said as he bid Haley goodbye.

Haley who is the daughter of an Indian immigrant and an ex-Governor of South Carolina said the&nbsp;United States under Trump's presidency is now respected around the world.

"Now the United States is respected. Countries may not like what we do, but they respect what we do. They know that if we say we're going to do something, we follow it through," she said.

Haley's departure&nbsp;is the latest in a series of high profile exits from Trump's cabinet including former secretary of state Rex Tillerson who was fired in March.&nbsp;However, the reason for Haley's&nbsp;sudden departure is still unclear.

US ambassador to United Nations Nikki Haley resigned from President Trump's cabinet on Tuesday. Big announcement with my friend Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Oval Office at 10:30am.

US ambassador to United Nations Nikki Haley resigned from President Trump's cabinet on Tuesday. Big announcement with my friend Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Oval Office at 10:30am. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2018 × Haley, 46, was appointed as the US ambassador to the world body in January last year. President Trump confirmed that Haley will step down as UN ambassador. Haley said she had no plans to run for president in 2020. Meeting Haley in the Oval Office, Trump said that she had done a "fantastic job" and would leave at the end of the year. "She told me probably six months ago," Trump told reporters, adding that she told him that "I want to take a little time off." "We're all happy for you in one way, but we hate to lose (you). ... Hopefully, you'll be coming back at some point. Maybe a different capacity. You can have your pick," Trump said. "Nikki Haley, ambassador to the United Nations, has been very special to me. She has done an incredible job. She is a fantastic person, very importantly, but she also is somebody who gets it. She has been at the United Nations from the beginning with us, right from the beginning, and worked with us on the campaign," the US president said as he bid Haley goodbye. Haley who is the daughter of an Indian immigrant and an ex-Governor of South Carolina said the United States under Trump's presidency is now respected around the world. "Now the United States is respected. Countries may not like what we do, but they respect what we do. They know that if we say we're going to do something, we follow it through," she said. Haley's departure is the latest in a series of high profile exits from Trump's cabinet including former secretary of state Rex Tillerson who was fired in March. However, the reason for Haley's sudden departure is still unclear.

US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley resigns from Trump's cabinet

United States Ambassador to United Nations, Nikki Haley, on Monday announced White House's decision to almost double&nbsp;its aid for displaced Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Haley said the United States would give an extra $185 million, of which $156 million would go to refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, taking its total humanitarian aid for the crisis to nearly $389 million in the past year.

Over 700,000 Rohingyas crossed the border to Bangladesh after a Myanmar military crackdown unleashed in the western state of Rakhine last year.

UN-mandated investigators have said the military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent." Myanmar rejected the findings as "one-sided" and said it was a legitimate counterinsurgency operation.

Meanwhile, a US government investigation has found that Myanmar’s military waged a "well-planned and coordinated" campaign of mass killings, gang rapes and other atrocities against the Southeast Asian nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority.

The US State Department report, reviewed by Reuters ahead of its expected public release on Monday, could be used to justify further US sanctions or other punitive measures against Myanmar authorities, said US officials.

The findings resulted from more than a thousand interviews of Rohingya men and women in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, where almost 700,000 Rohingya have fled after a military campaign last year in Myanmar's Rakhine State.

“The survey reveals that the recent violence in northern Rakhine State was extreme, large-scale, widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the population and driving out the Rohingya residents,” according to the 20-page report. “The scope and scale of the military’s operations indicate they were well-planned and coordinated.”

 
(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp;

United States Ambassador to United Nations, Nikki Haley, on Monday announced White House's decision to almost double its aid for displaced Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

United States Ambassador to United Nations, Nikki Haley, on Monday announced White House's decision to almost double its aid for displaced Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh and Myanmar. Haley said the United States would give an extra $185 million, of which $156 million would go to refugees and host communities in Bangladesh, taking its total humanitarian aid for the crisis to nearly $389 million in the past year. Over 700,000 Rohingyas crossed the border to Bangladesh after a Myanmar military crackdown unleashed in the western state of Rakhine last year. UN-mandated investigators have said the military carried out mass killings and gang rapes of Rohingya with "genocidal intent." Myanmar rejected the findings as "one-sided" and said it was a legitimate counterinsurgency operation. Meanwhile, a US government investigation has found that Myanmar’s military waged a "well-planned and coordinated" campaign of mass killings, gang rapes and other atrocities against the Southeast Asian nation’s Rohingya Muslim minority. The US State Department report, reviewed by Reuters ahead of its expected public release on Monday, could be used to justify further US sanctions or other punitive measures against Myanmar authorities, said US officials. The findings resulted from more than a thousand interviews of Rohingya men and women in refugee camps in neighbouring Bangladesh, where almost 700,000 Rohingya have fled after a military campaign last year in Myanmar's Rakhine State. “The survey reveals that the recent violence in northern Rakhine State was extreme, large-scale, widespread, and seemingly geared toward both terrorizing the population and driving out the Rohingya residents,” according to the 20-page report. “The scope and scale of the military’s operations indicate they were well-planned and coordinated.” (With inputs from Reuters)

Aid doubled for Rohingyas in Bangladesh, Myanmar: Nikki Haley 

He has chaired board meetings, cabinet meetings and starred in a reality television show, but on Wednesday US President Donald Trump will wield the gavel in the United Nations Security Council to denounce Iran for what it sees as its malign regional behaviour.

Trump is able to preside over the 15-member council as the United States holds the monthly rotating presidency, which coincides with the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in New York this week.

"I am sure that's going to be the most watched Security Council meeting ever," US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told reporters.

But despite the unpredictable nature of Trump, some diplomats aren't expecting a reality television performance in the Security Council, where nearly every member is likely to be represented by their prime minister or president except Russia and China, which are expected to send ministers.

"I don't think it will be that entertaining at all," said one senior UN diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Even those who don't like him, the attitude of all other heads of state and government in a public meeting when faced with any president of the United States of America is to be on their best behaviour," the diplomat said.

It is rare for the council - formed in 1945 to maintain international peace and security - to meet at the head-of-state and government level. This will be the third time the body is chaired by a US president. It has the ability to impose sanctions or authorize the use of military force.

Trump's predecessor Barack Obama presided over meetings in 2009 and 2014 on nuclear nonproliferation and foreign terrorist fighters. In both cases the council adopted resolutions on the topics under discussion.&nbsp;

US Ambassador Nikki Haley said there are no plans to adopt a resolution at Wednesday's meeting.

"We want to make sure (Iran) understands the world is watching. That's the biggest reason for this meeting," she said earlier this month.

'THRILLED'

The topic of the meeting will be nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, a broad issue that allows leaders around the horseshoe table to raise a variety of subjects from North Korea to chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain.

However, Trump signalled on Twitter he will zero in on Iran, when he posted: "I will chair a United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran." Tehran has accused the United States of abusing the power of the Security Council president.

The US concept note on the meeting circulated to Security Council members does not specifically mention any countries.

"The purpose of this meeting is to discuss ways the Security Council can better enforce the resolutions it has adopted ... to counter the spread and use of the world's most dangerous weapons," it reads.

The role of the Security Council president is typically administrative and neutral. The president is in charge of scheduling and presiding over council meetings and briefing other members states and the press on the council's work.

Trump will have a binder in front of him to read from in order to run Wednesday's meeting. He will make a statement first in his national capacity and then it is likely to take about two hours for all council members to speak.&nbsp;

Haley has twice taken council envoys to Washington, where they have met with Trump.

Russia has shielded Iran from US attempts to get the Security Council to call out Tehran over accusations it supplied weapons to Yemen's Houthi group, a charge that Iran denies.

When asked what he thought about Trump chairing a Security Council meeting, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said with a smile: "I felt thrilled." He added: "I don't think we will see any major intrigue in what he will say."

He has chaired board meetings, cabinet meetings and starred in a reality television show, but on Wednesday US President Donald Trump will wield the gavel in the United Nations Security Council to denounce Iran for what it sees as its malign regional behaviour.

He has chaired board meetings, cabinet meetings and starred in a reality television show, but on Wednesday US President Donald Trump will wield the gavel in the United Nations Security Council to denounce Iran for what it sees as its malign regional behaviour. Trump is able to preside over the 15-member council as the United States holds the monthly rotating presidency, which coincides with the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in New York this week. "I am sure that's going to be the most watched Security Council meeting ever," US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told reporters. But despite the unpredictable nature of Trump, some diplomats aren't expecting a reality television performance in the Security Council, where nearly every member is likely to be represented by their prime minister or president except Russia and China, which are expected to send ministers. "I don't think it will be that entertaining at all," said one senior UN diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity. "Even those who don't like him, the attitude of all other heads of state and government in a public meeting when faced with any president of the United States of America is to be on their best behaviour," the diplomat said. It is rare for the council - formed in 1945 to maintain international peace and security - to meet at the head-of-state and government level. This will be the third time the body is chaired by a US president. It has the ability to impose sanctions or authorize the use of military force. Trump's predecessor Barack Obama presided over meetings in 2009 and 2014 on nuclear nonproliferation and foreign terrorist fighters. In both cases the council adopted resolutions on the topics under discussion. US Ambassador Nikki Haley said there are no plans to adopt a resolution at Wednesday's meeting. "We want to make sure (Iran) understands the world is watching. That's the biggest reason for this meeting," she said earlier this month. 'THRILLED' The topic of the meeting will be nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, a broad issue that allows leaders around the horseshoe table to raise a variety of subjects from North Korea to chemical weapons attacks in Syria and Britain. However, Trump signalled on Twitter he will zero in on Iran, when he posted: "I will chair a United Nations Security Council meeting on Iran." Tehran has accused the United States of abusing the power of the Security Council president. The US concept note on the meeting circulated to Security Council members does not specifically mention any countries. "The purpose of this meeting is to discuss ways the Security Council can better enforce the resolutions it has adopted ... to counter the spread and use of the world's most dangerous weapons," it reads. The role of the Security Council president is typically administrative and neutral. The president is in charge of scheduling and presiding over council meetings and briefing other members states and the press on the council's work. Trump will have a binder in front of him to read from in order to run Wednesday's meeting. He will make a statement first in his national capacity and then it is likely to take about two hours for all council members to speak. Haley has twice taken council envoys to Washington, where they have met with Trump. Russia has shielded Iran from US attempts to get the Security Council to call out Tehran over accusations it supplied weapons to Yemen's Houthi group, a charge that Iran denies. When asked what he thought about Trump chairing a Security Council meeting, Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said with a smile: "I felt thrilled." He added: "I don't think we will see any major intrigue in what he will say."

From reality TV to UN, Trump to wield Security Council gavel

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted by a strong majority of 120 countries an Arab-backed resolution condemning Israel for Palestinian deaths in Gaza and rejected a US bid to blame Hamas for the violence.

The resolution deplores Israel's use of "excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force" against Palestinian civilians and calls for protection measures for Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

At least 129 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during protests near the border with Gaza that began at the end of March. No Israelis have died.

Presented by Algeria and Turkey on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries, the measure won a decisive 120 votes in the 193-member assembly, with 8 votes against and 45 abstentions.&nbsp

US Ambassador Nikki Haley dismissed the resolution as "one-sided" and accused Arab countries of trying to score political points at home by seeking to condemn Israel at the United Nations.

"For some, attacking Israel is their favorite political sport. &nbspThat's why we are here today," Haley told the assembly.

An amendment presented by the United States that condemned Hamas for "inciting violence" along the border with Gaza failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed for adoption.&nbsp

Arab countries backing the measure turned to the General Assembly after the United States used its veto in the Security Council to block the resolution on June 1.

Unlike the Security Council, resolutions adopted by the assembly are non-binding and there is no veto.

UN chief to propose protection

The resolution tasks UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with the drafting of proposals for an "international protection mechanism" for the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

These could range from setting up an observer mission to a full-blown peacekeeping force, but action on any option would require backing from the Security Council, where the United States has veto power.&nbsp

"We are asking for a simple thing," Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the assembly. "We want our civilian population to be protected."

Turkey's Ambassador Feridun Hadi Sinirlioglu defended the resolution, saying it was "about taking sides with international law" and showing the Palestinians that the world "does care about their suffering."

Taking the podium, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon assailed the measure as an "attempt to take away our basic right to self-defense." He warned ambassadors that by supporting the resolution "you are empowering Hamas."

France was among 12 EU countries that backed the resolution, but Britain abstained along with Italy, Poland and 13 other EU member-states. Russia and China voted in favor.

Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, the Solomon Islands and Togo joined the United States and Israel in voting against the resolution.

The US amendment condemning Hamas received 62 votes in favor, with 58 against and 42 abstentions. The United States sought to challenge the ruling requiring a two-thirds majority for approval but that was defeated in a separate vote.

"We had more countries on the right side than the wrong side," Haley said in a statement,

The General Assembly last held a similarly contentious vote on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in December, when it rejected President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy there.&nbsp

Haley had warned at the time that Washington was "taking names" of countries that supported the resolution. That vote was 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions.

Backed by Arab countries, the Palestinians had lobbied to win as many votes on the Gaza resolution as those cast in support of the measure condemning the US decision on Jerusalem.

Israel and Hamas have fought three wars in Gaza and the United Nations has warned that a fourth conflict could be easily ignited.&nbsp

At least 129 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during protests near the border with Gaza that began at the end of March. No Israelis have died

The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted by a strong majority of 120 countries an Arab-backed resolution condemning Israel for Palestinian deaths in Gaza and rejected a US bid to blame Hamas for the violence. The resolution deplores Israel's use of "excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate force" against Palestinian civilians and calls for protection measures for Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. At least 129 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire during protests near the border with Gaza that began at the end of March. No Israelis have died. Presented by Algeria and Turkey on behalf of Arab and Muslim countries, the measure won a decisive 120 votes in the 193-member assembly, with 8 votes against and 45 abstentions. US Ambassador Nikki Haley dismissed the resolution as "one-sided" and accused Arab countries of trying to score political points at home by seeking to condemn Israel at the United Nations. "For some, attacking Israel is their favorite political sport. &nbspThat's why we are here today," Haley told the assembly. An amendment presented by the United States that condemned Hamas for "inciting violence" along the border with Gaza failed to garner the two-thirds majority needed for adoption. Arab countries backing the measure turned to the General Assembly after the United States used its veto in the Security Council to block the resolution on June 1. Unlike the Security Council, resolutions adopted by the assembly are non-binding and there is no veto. UN chief to propose protection The resolution tasks UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres with the drafting of proposals for an "international protection mechanism" for the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank. These could range from setting up an observer mission to a full-blown peacekeeping force, but action on any option would require backing from the Security Council, where the United States has veto power. "We are asking for a simple thing," Palestinian Ambassador Riyad Mansour told the assembly. "We want our civilian population to be protected." Turkey's Ambassador Feridun Hadi Sinirlioglu defended the resolution, saying it was "about taking sides with international law" and showing the Palestinians that the world "does care about their suffering." Taking the podium, Israeli Ambassador Danny Danon assailed the measure as an "attempt to take away our basic right to self-defense." He warned ambassadors that by supporting the resolution "you are empowering Hamas." France was among 12 EU countries that backed the resolution, but Britain abstained along with Italy, Poland and 13 other EU member-states. Russia and China voted in favor. Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, the Solomon Islands and Togo joined the United States and Israel in voting against the resolution. The US amendment condemning Hamas received 62 votes in favor, with 58 against and 42 abstentions. The United States sought to challenge the ruling requiring a two-thirds majority for approval but that was defeated in a separate vote. "We had more countries on the right side than the wrong side," Haley said in a statement, The General Assembly last held a similarly contentious vote on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in December, when it rejected President Donald Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the US embassy there. Haley had warned at the time that Washington was "taking names" of countries that supported the resolution. That vote was 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions. Backed by Arab countries, the Palestinians had lobbied to win as many votes on the Gaza resolution as those cast in support of the measure condemning the US decision on Jerusalem. Israel and Hamas have fought three wars in Gaza and the United Nations has warned that a fourth conflict could be easily ignited.

120 countries at United Nations condemn Israel over Gaza violence

The UN Security Council will meet Wednesday to discuss Palestinian rocket strikes on Israel, at the request of the United States which wants the top UN body to strongly condemn the attacks.

The rocket and mortar firings from the Gaza Strip were claimed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, prompting Israel to respond with air strikes on bases of the militant Palestinian groups.

It was the worst flareup since the 2014 war between Israel in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

"Mortars fired by Palestinian militants hit civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a statement on Tuesday.

"The Security Council should be outraged and respond to this latest bout of violence directed at innocent Israeli civilians, and the Palestinian leadership needs to be held accountable for what they're allowing to happen in Gaza."

The United States circulated a draft statement calling on the council to condemn "in the strongest terms the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Palestinian militants in Gaza" toward Israel, according to a copy of the text seen by AFP.

The council will hear a report from UN envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov during the meeting scheduled for 3:00 pm (1900 GMT).

Israel's military has said it was not seeking an escalation but warned Hamas, with whom it has fought three wars since 2008, to rein in its fighters. Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in the exchange of fire.

Islamic Jihad announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with Israel.

The confrontation followed weeks of deadly demonstrations and clashes along the Gaza-Israel border.

Dozens of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the unrest.

The US-drafted council statement would demand that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups "cease all violent activity and provocative actions, including along the boundary fence, and cease putting civilians at risk through their actions."

The council has been divided over the violence in Gaza and it was unclear whether the US-proposed statement would win full backing. &nbsp

Security Council statements are adopted by consensus by all 15 members.

Separately, council diplomats are negotiating a draft resolution, put forward by Kuwait, that calls for an "international protection mission" to be deployed for the Palestinians.

Diplomats said the United States is likely to use its veto to block adoption of that measure, but Kuwait is hoping to win backing from the 14 other council members to highlight Washington's isolation on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

The rocket and mortar firings from the Gaza Strip were claimed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, prompting Israel to respond with air strikes on bases of the militant Palestinian groups

The UN Security Council will meet Wednesday to discuss Palestinian rocket strikes on Israel, at the request of the United States which wants the top UN body to strongly condemn the attacks. The rocket and mortar firings from the Gaza Strip were claimed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad, prompting Israel to respond with air strikes on bases of the militant Palestinian groups. It was the worst flareup since the 2014 war between Israel in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. "Mortars fired by Palestinian militants hit civilian infrastructure, including a kindergarten," US Ambassador Nikki Haley said in a statement on Tuesday. "The Security Council should be outraged and respond to this latest bout of violence directed at innocent Israeli civilians, and the Palestinian leadership needs to be held accountable for what they're allowing to happen in Gaza." The United States circulated a draft statement calling on the council to condemn "in the strongest terms the indiscriminate firing of rockets by Palestinian militants in Gaza" toward Israel, according to a copy of the text seen by AFP. The council will hear a report from UN envoy for the Middle East Nickolay Mladenov during the meeting scheduled for 3:00 pm (1900 GMT). Israel's military has said it was not seeking an escalation but warned Hamas, with whom it has fought three wars since 2008, to rein in its fighters. Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in the exchange of fire. Islamic Jihad announced an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire agreement with Israel. The confrontation followed weeks of deadly demonstrations and clashes along the Gaza-Israel border. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire in the unrest. The US-drafted council statement would demand that Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other militant groups "cease all violent activity and provocative actions, including along the boundary fence, and cease putting civilians at risk through their actions." The council has been divided over the violence in Gaza and it was unclear whether the US-proposed statement would win full backing. Security Council statements are adopted by consensus by all 15 members. Separately, council diplomats are negotiating a draft resolution, put forward by Kuwait, that calls for an "international protection mission" to be deployed for the Palestinians. Diplomats said the United States is likely to use its veto to block adoption of that measure, but Kuwait is hoping to win backing from the 14 other council members to highlight Washington's isolation on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

UN Security Council to meet on Gaza rocket firings on Israel

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

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Republicans close to the White House whisper about a possible joint campaign by Haley and Pence in 2020.

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&nbsp;

Rumours of a possible Haley-Pence ticket in the 2020 US Presidential polls also made the rounds after reports surfaced suggesting that Haley was not communicated about White House's change in course on Russia sanctions.

US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley recently shut down Trump administration over calling her "confused". US President Donald Trump was infuriated over Haley's remarks stating that Trump would call for fresh sanctions on Russia while he wasn't planning anything on those lines.

National Economics Adviser, Larry Kudlow called Haley's statement an outcome of her "confusion" to which she responded saying that, "With all due respect, I don't get confused".

While the incident made front-page headlines across the world, experts and political analysts got busy anticipating a possible rift between Trump and Haley.&nbsp;

Trump has already confirmed running for a second term in 2020. Haley's role at the United Nations, which initially raised eyebrows among diplomats, has been widely appreciated. She is often acknowledged for her political skills while her ambitions for a higher office is also speculated.

However, Haley on Wednesday smoothened-out speculations over her sour relationship with the US President calling it "perfect".&nbsp;

A senior administration official said that Haley had not been "freelancing" when she spoke about new Russian sanctions on Sunday. "The president just wanted to slow down the process after she spoke," the official said.

When asked on Wednesday if Trump should be worried about a Pence/Haley campaign, Haley smiled, shook her head and said: "No."

Pence's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Haley is often acknowledged for her political skills while her ambitions for a higher office is also speculated.

The New York Times reported on Tuesday that Republicans close to the White House whisper about a possible joint campaign by Haley and Pence in 2020. × Rumours of a possible Haley-Pence ticket in the 2020 US Presidential polls also made the rounds after reports surfaced suggesting that Haley was not communicated about White House's change in course on Russia sanctions. US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley recently shut down Trump administration over calling her "confused". US President Donald Trump was infuriated over Haley's remarks stating that Trump would call for fresh sanctions on Russia while he wasn't planning anything on those lines. National Economics Adviser, Larry Kudlow called Haley's statement an outcome of her "confusion" to which she responded saying that, "With all due respect, I don't get confused". While the incident made front-page headlines across the world, experts and political analysts got busy anticipating a possible rift between Trump and Haley. Trump has already confirmed running for a second term in 2020. Haley's role at the United Nations, which initially raised eyebrows among diplomats, has been widely appreciated. She is often acknowledged for her political skills while her ambitions for a higher office is also speculated. However, Haley on Wednesday smoothened-out speculations over her sour relationship with the US President calling it "perfect". A senior administration official said that Haley had not been "freelancing" when she spoke about new Russian sanctions on Sunday. "The president just wanted to slow down the process after she spoke," the official said. When asked on Wednesday if Trump should be worried about a Pence/Haley campaign, Haley smiled, shook her head and said: "No." Pence's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (With inputs from Reuters)

Haley for President in 2020? Trump, White House see red

US&nbsp;Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley fired back at White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Tuesday over his remarks that she may have been confused over Washington's plans to impose more sanctions on Russia.&nbsp;

"With all due respect, I don't get confused," Haley, a member of President Donald Trump's cabinet, told Fox News.

Haley said on Sunday that Washington was preparing new sanctions on Russia over its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. However, Trump delayed further action, according to a senior administration official.

Kudlow said of Haley on Tuesday: "She's doing a great job, she's a very effective ambassador. There might have been some momentary confusion about that."

"I think the issue here is we have a set of sanctions and additional sanctions are under consideration but have not been determined," Kudlow told a briefing at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump was meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for two days of talks.

He said there was no confusion in the White House approach toward Moscow.

A senior administration official said on Monday that Trump was unlikely to approve them unless Moscow carried out a new cyber attack or some other provocation.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Kudlow said of Haley on Tuesday: She's doing a great job, she's a very effective ambassador. There might have been some momentary confusion about that

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley fired back at White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow on Tuesday over his remarks that she may have been confused over Washington's plans to impose more sanctions on Russia. "With all due respect, I don't get confused," Haley, a member of President Donald Trump's cabinet, told Fox News. Haley said on Sunday that Washington was preparing new sanctions on Russia over its support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. However, Trump delayed further action, according to a senior administration official. Kudlow said of Haley on Tuesday: "She's doing a great job, she's a very effective ambassador. There might have been some momentary confusion about that." "I think the issue here is we have a set of sanctions and additional sanctions are under consideration but have not been determined," Kudlow told a briefing at Mar-a-Lago, where Trump was meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for two days of talks. He said there was no confusion in the White House approach toward Moscow. A senior administration official said on Monday that Trump was unlikely to approve them unless Moscow carried out a new cyber attack or some other provocation.

I don't get confused: Nikki Haley fires back at Kudlow over Russia

The United States is preparing new sanctions on Russia over its continued support of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Sunday.

In an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation," Haley said that the sanctions would be announced Monday by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. "They will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use," Haley said.

Haley said that the sanctions would be announced Monday by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin

The United States is preparing new sanctions on Russia over its continued support of Syrian President Bashar-al Assad, the US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Sunday. In an interview with CBS' "Face the Nation," Haley said that the sanctions would be announced Monday by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. "They will go directly to any sort of companies that were dealing with equipment related to Assad and chemical weapons use," Haley said.

US preparing new sanctions on Russia over Syria, says Nikki Haley

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Sunday that the United States will not pull its troops out of Syria until its goals were accomplished.

It is our goal "to see American troops come home, but we are not going to leave until we know we have accomplished those things," Haley said.

In an interview to an American news channel, Haley listed out three aims for the United States. Haley noted that the Trump administration aims to ensure that chemical weapons are not used in any way that poses a risk to the US, that Islamic State is defeated and that there is a good vantage point to watch what Iran is doing.

US joined France and Britain on Friday to carry out missile strikes against Syrian targets.

Trump had previously expressed his intention to withdraw nearly 2,000 US troops deployed in Syria involved in the anti-Islamic State campaign. However, Trump's recent statement on Saturday appeared to contradict that message when he said that Western allies were prepared to "sustain" the military response if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad does not stop using prohibited chemical weapons.

(With inputs from Reuters)&nbsp

US joined France and Britain on Friday and carried out missile strikes against Syrian targets

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said on Sunday that the United States will not pull its troops out of Syria until its goals were accomplished. It is our goal "to see American troops come home, but we are not going to leave until we know we have accomplished those things," Haley said. In an interview to an American news channel, Haley listed out three aims for the United States. Haley noted that the Trump administration aims to ensure that chemical weapons are not used in any way that poses a risk to the US, that Islamic State is defeated and that there is a good vantage point to watch what Iran is doing. US joined France and Britain on Friday to carry out missile strikes against Syrian targets. Trump had previously expressed his intention to withdraw nearly 2,000 US troops deployed in Syria involved in the anti-Islamic State campaign. However, Trump's recent statement on Saturday appeared to contradict that message when he said that Western allies were prepared to "sustain" the military response if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad does not stop using prohibited chemical weapons. (With inputs from Reuters)

US troops not leaving Syria until goals accomplished: Nikki Haley

The United States is "locked and loaded" to strike again if Syria's President Bashar al-Assad's government again uses chemical weapons, US&nbsp;Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the Security Council on Saturday.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/western-strikes-on-syria-unacceptable-and-lawless-sergei-lavrov-130464">Western strikes on Syria 'unacceptable and lawless', says Russian Foreign Minister</a>

"We are confident that we have crippled Syria's chemical weapons program. We are prepared to sustain this pressure, if the Syrian regime is foolish enough to test our will," she said.

Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syria-strikes-were-highly-successful-says-britain-130384">Strikes on Syria were 'highly successful', says Britain; France says </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syria-strikes-were-highly-successful-says-britain-130384">more possible</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/syria-strikes-were-highly-successful-says-britain-130384"> if red line crossed</a>

"If the Syrian regime uses this poison gas again, the United States is locked and loaded," Haley said. 
&nbsp;

'If the Syrian regime uses this poison gas again, the United States is locked and loaded,' the US Ambassador to the UN said

The United States is "locked and loaded" to strike again if Syria's President Bashar al-Assad's government again uses chemical weapons, US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the Security Council on Saturday. Also read: Western strikes on Syria 'unacceptable and lawless', says Russian Foreign Minister "We are confident that we have crippled Syria's chemical weapons program. We are prepared to sustain this pressure, if the Syrian regime is foolish enough to test our will," she said. Also read: Strikes on Syria were 'highly successful', says Britain; France says more possible if red line crossed "If the Syrian regime uses this poison gas again, the United States is locked and loaded," Haley said.

If Syria uses toxic gas again, America is 'locked and loaded': US envoy to UN Nikki Haley

Russia and the United States have reportedly agreed to disagree over a probe into the use of chemical weapons in Syria.

According to several media reports, representatives of both nations in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) blocked each other over a move to allow international investigations into chemical attacks in Syria, where a civil war has been on since 2011.

The media reports said that three draft resolutions on the chemical weapons attacks in Syria failed to get passed in a UNSC meeting.

Russia vetoed a US&nbsptext, while two Russian-drafted resolutions failed to get the minimum nine votes required for approval.

Moscow opposes any Western strike on Syria.

It vetoed UNSC action on Syria on twelve previous occasions.

United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the UNSC that adopting her country's resolution was the least member nations could do.

"History will record that, on this day, Russia chose protecting a monster over the lives of the Syrian people," Haley was quoted, as saying, while referring to Syrian President Assad.

Russia's UN&nbspAmbassador Vassily Nebenzia said Washington's decision to put forward its resolution could be a prelude to a Western strike on Syria.

Meanwhile, international chemical weapons experts are expected to go to Douma to investigate a suspected poison gas attack.

The Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Syria had been asked to make the necessary arrangements for the deployment of an investigation team.

"The team is preparing to deploy to Syria shortly," it said in a statement.

The mission will aim to determine whether banned munitions were used but will not assign blame.

European governments said they will wait for the results of the OPCW investigation and for more solid forensic evidence before taking the next step on the matter.&nbsp

Representatives of both nations in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) blocked each other over a move to allow international investigations into chemical attacks in Syria, where a civil war has been on since 2011

Russia and the United States have reportedly agreed to disagree over a probe into the use of chemical weapons in Syria. According to several media reports, representatives of both nations in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) blocked each other over a move to allow international investigations into chemical attacks in Syria, where a civil war has been on since 2011. The media reports said that three draft resolutions on the chemical weapons attacks in Syria failed to get passed in a UNSC meeting. Russia vetoed a US&nbsptext, while two Russian-drafted resolutions failed to get the minimum nine votes required for approval. Moscow opposes any Western strike on Syria. It vetoed UNSC action on Syria on twelve previous occasions. United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the UNSC that adopting her country's resolution was the least member nations could do. "History will record that, on this day, Russia chose protecting a monster over the lives of the Syrian people," Haley was quoted, as saying, while referring to Syrian President Assad. Russia's UN&nbspAmbassador Vassily Nebenzia said Washington's decision to put forward its resolution could be a prelude to a Western strike on Syria. Meanwhile, international chemical weapons experts are expected to go to Douma to investigate a suspected poison gas attack. The Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) said Syria had been asked to make the necessary arrangements for the deployment of an investigation team. "The team is preparing to deploy to Syria shortly," it said in a statement. The mission will aim to determine whether banned munitions were used but will not assign blame. European governments said they will wait for the results of the OPCW investigation and for more solid forensic evidence before taking the next step on the matter.

US, Russia clash at UNSC over probing chemical attacks in Syria

&nbsp;US President Donald Trump on Monday promised quick, forceful action in response to a deadly suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, appearing to suggest a potential military response.&nbsp;

Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night "or very shortly thereafter" on a response, adding that the United States had "a lot of options militarily" on Syria.

“But we can’t let atrocities like we all witnessed ... we can’t let that happen in our world ... especially when we’re able to because of the power of the United States, the power of our country, we’re able to stop it.”

The suspected chemical weapons attack late on Saturday killed at least 60 people, with more than 1,000 injured in several sites in Douma, a city near the capital, Damascus, according to a Syrian aid organization.

Initial US&nbsp;assessments have so far been unable to determine conclusively what materials were used in the attack and could not say with certainty that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s government forces were behind it.

Trump said, however, that Washington was "getting more clarity" on who was responsible for the attack.

US&nbsp;officials told Reuters that Washington was weighing a multinational military response. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone to coordinate their response, the White House said.

Asked at a Cabinet meeting earlier on Monday if Russian President Vladimir Putin bore any responsibility for the attack, Trump said: "He may, yeah, he may. And if he does, it’s going to be very tough, very tough."

On Sunday, the US&nbsp;president who had sought warmer relations with Russia criticized Putin by name on Twitter as he castigated Russia and Iran for backing "Animal Assad."

The US&nbsp;envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Washington "will respond" to the attack regardless of whether the UN&nbsp;Security Council acts or not.

Moscow said it warned the United States of "grave repercussions" if it carried out an attack against Syrian government forces.

The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in the attack.

International bodies led by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were trying to establish exactly what happened in Douma, a rebel-held town in the eastern Ghouta district.

Syrian government forces had launched an air and ground assault on Douma, the last town held by rebels in eastern Ghouta, on Friday.&nbsp;

Shocked the conscience

Britain and the United States agreed on Monday that the attack bore the hallmarks of previous chemical weapons attacks by Assad`s government, but neither country gave details of what kind of chemical might have been used or how the attack was staged.

"The images, especially of suffering children, have shocked the conscience of the entire civilized world," White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said. "Sadly, these actions are consistent with Assad`s established pattern of chemical weapons use."

The United States fired missiles on a Syrian air base a year ago in response to the killing of dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack in an opposition-held town. The missile strikes did little long-term damage to Syrian government forces and Assad`s position has only become stronger with Iranian and Russian support.

The stakes are higher for any new US&nbsp;military action, with Trump explicitly mentioning Iran and Russia in connection with the weekend attack.

US&nbsp;Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday accused Russia of falling short on its obligations to ensure that Syria abandoned its chemical weapons capabilities.

The Russian military said on Monday its medics had examined patients in a hospital in Douma and had found no traces of a chemical attack, Interfax news agency reported.

Russia and Syria both offered during the UN&nbsp;Security Council meeting on Monday to take OPCW investigators to Douma.

The OPCW did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But weapons inspectors are not expected to go to Syria after being attacked twice while tying to get to the sites of chemical weapons attacks since 2013.

Instead, they have in recent investigations gathered blood samples from victims and interviewed witnesses outside of Syria.

The United States plans to call for a UN&nbsp;Security Council vote on Tuesday on a proposal for a new inquiry into responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, diplomats said.

Monday air strikes

The Syria conflict was further complicated on Monday when unidentified war planes struck a Syrian air base near Homs, killing at least 14 people, including Iranian personnel. Syria and Russia accused Israel of carrying out the attack.

Israel, which has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of its neighbour`s 7-year-old civil war, has neither confirmed nor denied mounting the raid.

But Israeli officials said the Tiyas, or T-4, air base was being used by troops from Iran and that Israel would not accept such a presence in Syria by its arch foe.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the strike on the T-4 base was a dangerous development.

The incidents in Douma and Tiyas demonstrated the complex and volatile nature of the Syria war, which involves a number of countries and insurgent groups.

Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night 'or very shortly thereafter' on a response, adding that the United States had 'a lot of options militarily' on Syria

US President Donald Trump on Monday promised quick, forceful action in response to a deadly suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, appearing to suggest a potential military response. Speaking at a meeting with military leaders and national security advisers, Trump said he would make a decision by Monday night "or very shortly thereafter" on a response, adding that the United States had "a lot of options militarily" on Syria. “But we can’t let atrocities like we all witnessed ... we can’t let that happen in our world ... especially when we’re able to because of the power of the United States, the power of our country, we’re able to stop it.” The suspected chemical weapons attack late on Saturday killed at least 60 people, with more than 1,000 injured in several sites in Douma, a city near the capital, Damascus, according to a Syrian aid organization. Initial US assessments have so far been unable to determine conclusively what materials were used in the attack and could not say with certainty that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad`s government forces were behind it. Trump said, however, that Washington was "getting more clarity" on who was responsible for the attack. US officials told Reuters that Washington was weighing a multinational military response. For the second time in less than 24 hours, Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by phone to coordinate their response, the White House said. Asked at a Cabinet meeting earlier on Monday if Russian President Vladimir Putin bore any responsibility for the attack, Trump said: "He may, yeah, he may. And if he does, it’s going to be very tough, very tough." On Sunday, the US president who had sought warmer relations with Russia criticized Putin by name on Twitter as he castigated Russia and Iran for backing "Animal Assad." The US envoy to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Washington "will respond" to the attack regardless of whether the UN Security Council acts or not. Moscow said it warned the United States of "grave repercussions" if it carried out an attack against Syrian government forces. The Syrian government and its ally Russia have denied involvement in the attack. International bodies led by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) were trying to establish exactly what happened in Douma, a rebel-held town in the eastern Ghouta district. Syrian government forces had launched an air and ground assault on Douma, the last town held by rebels in eastern Ghouta, on Friday. Shocked the conscience Britain and the United States agreed on Monday that the attack bore the hallmarks of previous chemical weapons attacks by Assad`s government, but neither country gave details of what kind of chemical might have been used or how the attack was staged. "The images, especially of suffering children, have shocked the conscience of the entire civilized world," White House spokesman Sarah Sanders said. "Sadly, these actions are consistent with Assad`s established pattern of chemical weapons use." The United States fired missiles on a Syrian air base a year ago in response to the killing of dozens of civilians in a sarin gas attack in an opposition-held town. The missile strikes did little long-term damage to Syrian government forces and Assad`s position has only become stronger with Iranian and Russian support. The stakes are higher for any new US military action, with Trump explicitly mentioning Iran and Russia in connection with the weekend attack. US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Monday accused Russia of falling short on its obligations to ensure that Syria abandoned its chemical weapons capabilities. The Russian military said on Monday its medics had examined patients in a hospital in Douma and had found no traces of a chemical attack, Interfax news agency reported. Russia and Syria both offered during the UN Security Council meeting on Monday to take OPCW investigators to Douma. The OPCW did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But weapons inspectors are not expected to go to Syria after being attacked twice while tying to get to the sites of chemical weapons attacks since 2013. Instead, they have in recent investigations gathered blood samples from victims and interviewed witnesses outside of Syria. The United States plans to call for a UN Security Council vote on Tuesday on a proposal for a new inquiry into responsibility for the use of chemical weapons in Syria, diplomats said. Monday air strikes The Syria conflict was further complicated on Monday when unidentified war planes struck a Syrian air base near Homs, killing at least 14 people, including Iranian personnel. Syria and Russia accused Israel of carrying out the attack. Israel, which has struck Syrian army locations many times in the course of its neighbour`s 7-year-old civil war, has neither confirmed nor denied mounting the raid. But Israeli officials said the Tiyas, or T-4, air base was being used by troops from Iran and that Israel would not accept such a presence in Syria by its arch foe. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the strike on the T-4 base was a dangerous development. The incidents in Douma and Tiyas demonstrated the complex and volatile nature of the Syria war, which involves a number of countries and insurgent groups.

Trump vows quick action in response to suspected chemical attack in Syria

A two-pronged US push for action on Syria at the UN Security Council could prompt Russia to again use its veto, a move some diplomats see as a possible trigger for American strikes in Syria.

Russia has used its veto power 11 times to block action against its Syrian ally, shielding President Bashar al-Assad&#39;s government from sanctions, war crimes investigations and an inquiry into chemical weapons attacks.&nbsp;

Speculation about a 12th Russian veto on Syria is again rife after the United States on Monday put forward a draft resolution on a 30-day ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta and Damascus.

The move was in response to the failure of a UN-approved humanitarian ceasefire to take hold despite backing from Russia, which is helping Syria&#39;s offensive in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel enclave on the outskirts of the capital.

The operation has reportedly killed more than 1,100 civilians since it was launched in mid-February.

A separate US-drafted measure to set up an inquiry into chemical weapons attacks is under negotiation, but diplomats said talks with Russia had hit a wall.

With two measures on the table, US Ambassador Nikki Haley has warned that the United States is ready to act in Syria &quot;if we must&quot; to address the use of chemical weapons and &quot;inhuman suffering.&quot;

&quot;When the international community consistently fails to act, there are times when states are compelled to take their own action,&quot; Haley said on Monday.

&quot;We also warn any nation that is determined to impose its will through chemical attacks and inhuman suffering, most especially the outlaw Syrian regime: the United States remains prepared to act if we must.&quot;

It remains unclear when the United States will put its draft resolutions up for a vote at the council, which is increasingly frustrated by its inability to change the course of the war in Syria.

- Deja vu - 
Haley&#39;s threat was a repeat of the warning delivered to the council in April last year, just before President Donald Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base over the sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun.

UN diplomats are openly talking about &quot;deja vu&quot; as the United States again signals that it is considering military action in Syria.

The threats are ratcheting up pressure on Russia.

&quot;The Russians are feeling the heat. They are afraid that the Americans might re-engage in Syria in a more robust way,&quot; a council diplomat said on condition of anonymity.

Another council diplomat pointed to the anniversary of the Khan Sheikhun attack on April 4 as a possible timeframe for US action.

&quot;The Trump administration is resorting to a naming-and-shaming strategy on Russia at the Security Council,&quot; said Nicholas Heras, Syria expert at the Washington-based Center for a New American Security.

&quot;This is the beginning of a larger discussion with Russia about what will happen with other areas in the country,&quot; in particular the southwest where a de-escalation zone has been set up by the United States, Jordan and Russia, said Heras.

&quot;What the Trump team is doing now is initial posturing: It&#39;s saying: &#39;What you are doing in Ghouta, don&#39;t do it anywhere else. If you try to do it anywhere else, there will be consequences.&#39;&quot;

Haley&#39;s warning drew a strong response from Moscow on Tuesday.

After last year&#39;s US strike on the Shayrat air base, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that &quot;if a new strike of this kind takes place, the consequences will be very serious.&quot;

Russia&#39;s head of the general staff Valery Gerasimov warned of &quot;retaliatory measures&quot; if any Russian serviceman is hit in a US strike.

Russia has military staff on the ground helping the Syrian offensive in Eastern Ghouta, which lies near the capital of Damascus.

Russia has used its veto power 11 times to block action against its Syrian ally, shielding President Bashar al-Assad's government from sanctions

A two-pronged US push for action on Syria at the UN Security Council could prompt Russia to again use its veto, a move some diplomats see as a possible trigger for American strikes in Syria. Russia has used its veto power 11 times to block action against its Syrian ally, shielding President Bashar al-Assad's government from sanctions, war crimes investigations and an inquiry into chemical weapons attacks. Speculation about a 12th Russian veto on Syria is again rife after the United States on Monday put forward a draft resolution on a 30-day ceasefire in Eastern Ghouta and Damascus. The move was in response to the failure of a UN-approved humanitarian ceasefire to take hold despite backing from Russia, which is helping Syria's offensive in Eastern Ghouta, a rebel enclave on the outskirts of the capital. The operation has reportedly killed more than 1,100 civilians since it was launched in mid-February. A separate US-drafted measure to set up an inquiry into chemical weapons attacks is under negotiation, but diplomats said talks with Russia had hit a wall. With two measures on the table, US Ambassador Nikki Haley has warned that the United States is ready to act in Syria "if we must" to address the use of chemical weapons and "inhuman suffering." "When the international community consistently fails to act, there are times when states are compelled to take their own action," Haley said on Monday. "We also warn any nation that is determined to impose its will through chemical attacks and inhuman suffering, most especially the outlaw Syrian regime: the United States remains prepared to act if we must." It remains unclear when the United States will put its draft resolutions up for a vote at the council, which is increasingly frustrated by its inability to change the course of the war in Syria. - Deja vu - Haley's threat was a repeat of the warning delivered to the council in April last year, just before President Donald Trump ordered missile strikes on a Syrian air base over the sarin gas attack on the opposition-held village of Khan Sheikhun. UN diplomats are openly talking about "deja vu" as the United States again signals that it is considering military action in Syria. The threats are ratcheting up pressure on Russia. "The Russians are feeling the heat. They are afraid that the Americans might re-engage in Syria in a more robust way," a council diplomat said on condition of anonymity. Another council diplomat pointed to the anniversary of the Khan Sheikhun attack on April 4 as a possible timeframe for US action. "The Trump administration is resorting to a naming-and-shaming strategy on Russia at the Security Council," said Nicholas Heras, Syria expert at the Washington-based Center for a New American Security. "This is the beginning of a larger discussion with Russia about what will happen with other areas in the country," in particular the southwest where a de-escalation zone has been set up by the United States, Jordan and Russia, said Heras. "What the Trump team is doing now is initial posturing: It's saying: 'What you are doing in Ghouta, don't do it anywhere else. If you try to do it anywhere else, there will be consequences.'" Haley's warning drew a strong response from Moscow on Tuesday. After last year's US strike on the Shayrat air base, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned that "if a new strike of this kind takes place, the consequences will be very serious." Russia's head of the general staff Valery Gerasimov warned of "retaliatory measures" if any Russian serviceman is hit in a US strike. Russia has military staff on the ground helping the Syrian offensive in Eastern Ghouta, which lies near the capital of Damascus.

Would a Russian veto at the UN trigger US strikes on Syria?

The United States on Tuesday described Myanmar denials of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims as &quot;preposterous&quot; as it called on the UN&nbsp;Security Council to hold the military accountable and pressure leader Aung San Suu Kyi &quot;to acknowledge these horrific acts that are taking place in her country.&quot;

&quot;Powerful forces in the Burmese government have denied the ethnic cleansing in Rakhine State,&quot; US&nbsp;Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the Security Council.

&quot;To make sure no one contradicts their preposterous denials, they are preventing access to Rakhine to anyone or any organization that might bear witness to their atrocities, including the UN&nbsp;Security Council,&quot; Haley said.

Haley also called for the release of Reuters news agency reporters arrested for reporting on the massacre of Rohingya Muslims.

&quot;We strongly call for their immediate and unconditional release,&quot; she said. In a reference to Myanmar`s reason for detaining the journalists, Haley added, &quot;On top of it all, they have the gall to blame the media.&quot;

The Reuters special report, published last week, lays out events leading up to the killing of 10 Rohingya men from Inn Din village in Rakhine state who were buried in a mass grave after being hacked to death or shot by Buddhist neighbours and soldiers.

French UN&nbsp;Ambassador Francois Delattre also told the Security Council that a massacre of Rohingya Muslims reported by Reuters could &quot;constitute crimes against humanity.&quot; 
Myanmar has denied that ethnic cleansing has taken place.

Any push for UN&nbsp;Security Council action is likely to face resistance from council veto powers Russia and China, who both said on Tuesday the situation in Rakhine state was stable and under control.

&quot;Using labels and attempts to use contradictory and subjective reports of the media ... to find out who`s guilty and condemn them only move us farther away from a solution,&quot; Russia`s Deputy UN&nbsp;Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy warned.&nbsp;

Nearly 690,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state and crossed into southern Bangladesh since last August when attacks on security posts by insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations has said may amount to genocide.

&quot;Conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees,&quot; UN&nbsp;refugee chief Filippo Grandi told the Security Council.

Calls for journalists release

While Myanmar UN&nbsp;Ambassador Hau Do Suan said that some diplomats had been able to travel to Rakhine state but also told the UN&nbsp;Security Council not to visit during February because it was &quot;not the right time,&quot; Kuwait`s UN&nbsp;Ambassador Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi said this month.&nbsp;

Myanmar`s Hau Do Suan said that an inquiry by the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, had found that 10 Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army militants had been arrested in Inn Din and executed and buried a day later.

&quot;Actions are being taken against 16 individuals, including army and police officers and some villagers who had acted in violation of standard operating procedures and the rules of engagement. This action of the Tatmadaw is positive step forward in taking responsibility and deserves encouragement,&quot; he said.

With reference to Reuters journalists arrested for reporting on the Rohingya, Hau Do Suan said Myanmar recognises freedom of the press and the journalists were not arrested in December for reporting a story, but were accused of &quot;illegally possessing confidential government documents.&quot;

&quot;Every citizen is bound by the existing law of the land. It is important that the actions of the journalists must also within the bound of the law,&quot; he said.&nbsp;

Britain, France, the United States, the Netherlands and Kazakhstan all called for the release of the Reuters journalists during the Security Council meeting on Tuesday.&nbsp;

'Powerful forces in the Burmese government have denied the ethnic cleansing in Rakhine State,' US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the Security Council

The United States on Tuesday described Myanmar denials of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims as "preposterous" as it called on the UN Security Council to hold the military accountable and pressure leader Aung San Suu Kyi "to acknowledge these horrific acts that are taking place in her country." "Powerful forces in the Burmese government have denied the ethnic cleansing in Rakhine State," US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley told the Security Council. "To make sure no one contradicts their preposterous denials, they are preventing access to Rakhine to anyone or any organization that might bear witness to their atrocities, including the UN Security Council," Haley said. Haley also called for the release of Reuters news agency reporters arrested for reporting on the massacre of Rohingya Muslims. "We strongly call for their immediate and unconditional release," she said. In a reference to Myanmar`s reason for detaining the journalists, Haley added, "On top of it all, they have the gall to blame the media." The Reuters special report, published last week, lays out events leading up to the killing of 10 Rohingya men from Inn Din village in Rakhine state who were buried in a mass grave after being hacked to death or shot by Buddhist neighbours and soldiers. French UN Ambassador Francois Delattre also told the Security Council that a massacre of Rohingya Muslims reported by Reuters could "constitute crimes against humanity." Myanmar has denied that ethnic cleansing has taken place. Any push for UN Security Council action is likely to face resistance from council veto powers Russia and China, who both said on Tuesday the situation in Rakhine state was stable and under control. "Using labels and attempts to use contradictory and subjective reports of the media ... to find out who`s guilty and condemn them only move us farther away from a solution," Russia`s Deputy UN Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy warned. Nearly 690,000 Rohingya have fled Rakhine state and crossed into southern Bangladesh since last August when attacks on security posts by insurgents triggered a military crackdown that the United Nations has said may amount to genocide. "Conditions are not yet conducive to the voluntary repatriation of Rohingya refugees," UN refugee chief Filippo Grandi told the Security Council. Calls for journalists release While Myanmar UN Ambassador Hau Do Suan said that some diplomats had been able to travel to Rakhine state but also told the UN Security Council not to visit during February because it was "not the right time," Kuwait`s UN Ambassador Mansour Ayyad Al-Otaibi said this month. Myanmar`s Hau Do Suan said that an inquiry by the Myanmar military, known as the Tatmadaw, had found that 10 Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army militants had been arrested in Inn Din and executed and buried a day later. "Actions are being taken against 16 individuals, including army and police officers and some villagers who had acted in violation of standard operating procedures and the rules of engagement. This action of the Tatmadaw is positive step forward in taking responsibility and deserves encouragement," he said. With reference to Reuters journalists arrested for reporting on the Rohingya, Hau Do Suan said Myanmar recognises freedom of the press and the journalists were not arrested in December for reporting a story, but were accused of "illegally possessing confidential government documents." "Every citizen is bound by the existing law of the land. It is important that the actions of the journalists must also within the bound of the law," he said. Britain, France, the United States, the Netherlands and Kazakhstan all called for the release of the Reuters journalists during the Security Council meeting on Tuesday.

US urges UN to hold Myanmar military accountable for 'ethnic cleansing'

US Ambassador Nikki Haley has slammed rumors that she was having an affair with President Donald Trump as &ldquo;highly offensive&rdquo; and &ldquo;disgusting.&rdquo;

The rumors stem from author Michael Wolff of the best-seller &ldquo;Fire and Fury,&rdquo; who suggested in an interview that Trump was having an affair and that the liaison was with someone detailed in his book.

Wolff wrote in his book that Haley, the most high-profile woman in Trump&rsquo;s administration, was positioning herself as the president&rsquo;s heir apparent.

In an interview with Politico&rsquo;s Women Rule podcast on Thursday, Haley shot down talk of being romantically involved with the US president.

&ldquo;It is absolutely not true,&rdquo; Haley said. &ldquo;It is highly offensive, and it&rsquo;s disgusting.&rdquo;

She hit back at Wolff&rsquo;s assertion in his book that she was spending a lot of private time with Trump on his presidential plane and in the Oval Office.

&ldquo;I have literally been on Air Force One once and there were several people in the room when I was there,&rdquo; Haley said.

&ldquo;He says that I&rsquo;ve been talking a lot with the president in the Oval about my political future. I&rsquo;ve never talked once to the president about my future and I am never alone with him.&rdquo;

Haley attributed the rumors to sexism from a &ldquo;small group of men&rdquo; uneasy with strong-willed women.

&ldquo;Most men respect women but there is a small group of men, that if you just do your job and you try and do it well and you are outspoken about it, they resent it. And they think the only option is to bring you down,&rdquo; she said.

The former South Carolina governor who backed Trump rival Marco Rubio for the Republican nomination said she and Trump are in agreement on almost all policy issues.

&ldquo;We get along great, and I agree with almost everything that he has done,&rdquo; she said.

The online speculation was instigated by 'Fire and Fury' author Michael Wolff, who dropped hints on HBO's 'Real Time with Bill Maher' last week

US Ambassador Nikki Haley has slammed rumors that she was having an affair with President Donald Trump as “highly offensive” and “disgusting.” The rumors stem from author Michael Wolff of the best-seller “Fire and Fury,” who suggested in an interview that Trump was having an affair and that the liaison was with someone detailed in his book. Wolff wrote in his book that Haley, the most high-profile woman in Trump’s administration, was positioning herself as the president’s heir apparent. In an interview with Politico’s Women Rule podcast on Thursday, Haley shot down talk of being romantically involved with the US president. “It is absolutely not true,” Haley said. “It is highly offensive, and it’s disgusting.” She hit back at Wolff’s assertion in his book that she was spending a lot of private time with Trump on his presidential plane and in the Oval Office. “I have literally been on Air Force One once and there were several people in the room when I was there,” Haley said. “He says that I’ve been talking a lot with the president in the Oval about my political future. I’ve never talked once to the president about my future and I am never alone with him.” Haley attributed the rumors to sexism from a “small group of men” uneasy with strong-willed women. “Most men respect women but there is a small group of men, that if you just do your job and you try and do it well and you are outspoken about it, they resent it. And they think the only option is to bring you down,” she said. The former South Carolina governor who backed Trump rival Marco Rubio for the Republican nomination said she and Trump are in agreement on almost all policy issues. “We get along great, and I agree with almost everything that he has done,” she said.

Nikki Haley slams rumours of affair with Trump as 'highly offensive', 'disgusting'

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington on Monday to inspect debris from missiles allegedly provided by Iran to Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels and hold meetings at the White House, diplomats said.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran, diplomats said.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley last month presented the fragments as &quot;undeniable&quot; evidence that a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-intercepts-yemen-rebel-missile-over-riyadh-state-media-27194" target="_blank">ballistic missile fired by Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels at Saudi Arabia</a> in November was Iranian-made.

That claim was bolstered when a UN panel of experts concluded in a recent report to the council that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen by failing to block supplies of missiles to the rebels.

Haley has invited her UN counterparts to see the missile debris stored in a warehouse at a Washington military base.&nbsp;

&quot;The evidence is undeniable. The weapons might as well have had &#39;Made in Iran&#39; stickers all over it,&quot; Haley told a press conference last month.

The &quot;evidence&quot; stored in Washington includes other pieces of military material allegedly provided by Iran including fragments of an anti-tank missile and drones.

Iran has strongly denied arming the Huthis and last month accused Haley of presenting &quot;fabricated&quot; evidence that the November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made.

Haley is seeking to persuade the Security Council to take action against Iran, possibly by imposing sanctions, but will likely face opposition from Russia, which has friendly ties with Tehran.

A separate report last month said UN officials had examined the missile fragments and found that they were of &quot;common origin&quot; but they were unable to reach any firm conclusions about whether Iran was the source.

The US mission did not immediately respond to a request for information about the council visit to Washington.

It will be the second time that the top UN envoys meet with Trump, who sat down for a lunch meeting with the ambassadors in April last year.

Relations between the United Nations and the US administration have been strained over Trump&#39;s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, his threats to scrap the Iran nuclear deal and funding cuts.

The council voted 14-1 to reject Trump&#39;s Jerusalem decision, prompting Haley to resort to the US veto to block the condemnation.

The General Assembly later approved by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, the same resolution.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington on Monday to inspect debris from missiles allegedly provided by Iran to Yemen's Huthi rebels and hold meetings at the White House, diplomats said. The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran, diplomats said. US Ambassador Nikki Haley last month presented the fragments as "undeniable" evidence that a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Huthi rebels at Saudi Arabia in November was Iranian-made. That claim was bolstered when a UN panel of experts concluded in a recent report to the council that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen by failing to block supplies of missiles to the rebels. Haley has invited her UN counterparts to see the missile debris stored in a warehouse at a Washington military base. "The evidence is undeniable. The weapons might as well have had 'Made in Iran' stickers all over it," Haley told a press conference last month. The "evidence" stored in Washington includes other pieces of military material allegedly provided by Iran including fragments of an anti-tank missile and drones. Iran has strongly denied arming the Huthis and last month accused Haley of presenting "fabricated" evidence that the November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made. Haley is seeking to persuade the Security Council to take action against Iran, possibly by imposing sanctions, but will likely face opposition from Russia, which has friendly ties with Tehran. A separate report last month said UN officials had examined the missile fragments and found that they were of "common origin" but they were unable to reach any firm conclusions about whether Iran was the source. The US mission did not immediately respond to a request for information about the council visit to Washington. It will be the second time that the top UN envoys meet with Trump, who sat down for a lunch meeting with the ambassadors in April last year. Relations between the United Nations and the US administration have been strained over Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, his threats to scrap the Iran nuclear deal and funding cuts. The council voted 14-1 to reject Trump's Jerusalem decision, prompting Haley to resort to the US veto to block the condemnation. The General Assembly later approved by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, the same resolution.

UN Security Council to inspect 'Iranian-made' missile debris

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas visits Russia on Monday in a bid to secure Russian President Vladimir Putin&#39;s support following Washington&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital.

The Palestinian leader was set to visit Moscow two weeks after a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Abbas has refused any contact with US President Donald Trump&#39;s administration since Washington&#39;s recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the end of last year. Abbas is due to speak at the United Nations Security Council on February 20.

Palestinians see the US decision, which broke with years of international diplomacy, as a denial of their claim to East Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual Palestinian state.

Israel took control of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexed it and later declared it the indivisible capital of Israel.

The US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, has accused Abbas of lacking the courage needed to forge a peace deal with Israel.&nbsp;

Abbas in turn has rejected any mediation by Washington in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has promised his people to work towards full recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations.

Alexander Shumilin, a Middle East scholar at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies, called Abbas&#39;s visit &quot;an attempt to cosy up to Russia, a consistent ally, and to stop Netanyahu leading Moscow astray during an improvement in Russia-Israeli ties&quot;.

Netanyahu visited Russia on January 29 and along with Putin attended a memorial ceremony at the Jewish museum in Moscow for the victims of Nazi camps. He took the opportunity to accuse Iran of wanting to &quot;destroy&quot; the Jewish state.

In turn, the Russian president likened antisemitism to &quot;Russophobia&quot; and said Russia and Israel were &quot;cooperating closely&quot;, particularly against &quot;attempts to falsify history&quot;.

Chances &#39;close to zero

For Shumilin, Monday&#39;s visit &quot;is a necessary political gesture for Abbas but can do little in the practical sense&quot;.

&quot;It is also definitely not worth expecting a breakthrough from this visit,&quot; he added.

In 2016 Russia offered to host one-on-one talks without preconditions between Abbas and Netanyahu but these never materialised.

In January, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov estimated that chances of resuming direct talks between the two sides in the current situation were &quot;close to zero&quot;.

Lavrov also said &quot;we understand the emotions&quot; Palestinians feel towards Trump.

&quot;We keep hearing in recent months that the US is about to publish some &#39;major deal&#39; that... will satisfy everyone,&quot; he said. But he added that Russia &quot;has not seen or heard of such a document or even any statement&quot;.

With relations between Washington and Moscow at a record low for the post-Cold War era, Abbas may be expecting that &quot;Russia-US relations will get even worse and then Russia could do something to spite the US&quot;, Shumilin said.

On November 29, 2012, the United Nations designated Palestine as a non-member observer state after a vote by the General Assembly.

That enabled the Palestinians to join international organisations and the International Criminal Court, though they did not become a full UN member state.

Palestinian statehood is recognised by more than 130 countries.

Abbas has refused any contact with US President Donald Trump's administration since Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the end of last year

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas visits Russia on Monday in a bid to secure Russian President Vladimir Putin's support following Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The Palestinian leader was set to visit Moscow two weeks after a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Abbas has refused any contact with US President Donald Trump's administration since Washington's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital at the end of last year. Abbas is due to speak at the United Nations Security Council on February 20. Palestinians see the US decision, which broke with years of international diplomacy, as a denial of their claim to East Jerusalem as the capital of an eventual Palestinian state. Israel took control of East Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, annexed it and later declared it the indivisible capital of Israel. The US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, has accused Abbas of lacking the courage needed to forge a peace deal with Israel. Abbas in turn has rejected any mediation by Washington in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has promised his people to work towards full recognition of a Palestinian state by the United Nations. Alexander Shumilin, a Middle East scholar at the Institute for US and Canadian Studies, called Abbas's visit "an attempt to cosy up to Russia, a consistent ally, and to stop Netanyahu leading Moscow astray during an improvement in Russia-Israeli ties". Netanyahu visited Russia on January 29 and along with Putin attended a memorial ceremony at the Jewish museum in Moscow for the victims of Nazi camps. He took the opportunity to accuse Iran of wanting to "destroy" the Jewish state. In turn, the Russian president likened antisemitism to "Russophobia" and said Russia and Israel were "cooperating closely", particularly against "attempts to falsify history". Chances 'close to zero For Shumilin, Monday's visit "is a necessary political gesture for Abbas but can do little in the practical sense". "It is also definitely not worth expecting a breakthrough from this visit," he added. In 2016 Russia offered to host one-on-one talks without preconditions between Abbas and Netanyahu but these never materialised. In January, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov estimated that chances of resuming direct talks between the two sides in the current situation were "close to zero". Lavrov also said "we understand the emotions" Palestinians feel towards Trump. "We keep hearing in recent months that the US is about to publish some 'major deal' that... will satisfy everyone," he said. But he added that Russia "has not seen or heard of such a document or even any statement". With relations between Washington and Moscow at a record low for the post-Cold War era, Abbas may be expecting that "Russia-US relations will get even worse and then Russia could do something to spite the US", Shumilin said. On November 29, 2012, the United Nations designated Palestine as a non-member observer state after a vote by the General Assembly. That enabled the Palestinians to join international organisations and the International Criminal Court, though they did not become a full UN member state. Palestinian statehood is recognised by more than 130 countries.

Jerusalem row: After Netanyahu's meeting, Mahmud Abbas to also meet Putin seeking Russia's support

Nikki Haley has defended US President Donald Trump&#39;s recent &quot;nuclear button&quot; tweet warning Kim Jong Un of America&#39;s might, saying it was required to keep the North Korean leader &quot;on his toes&quot;.

Trump last week warned that his &quot;nuclear button&quot; is &quot;much bigger and more powerful&quot; than the one controlled by Kim, days after the North Korean leader said that Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear weapons can reach anywhere in the US and threatened that he has a nuclear button on his desk.

Haley, the Indian-American US Ambassador to the UN said that the North Korean regime needs to take a series of steps for talks, a day after Trump said that he is open to talks with the North Korean leader.

The steps include stop testing missiles and nuclear weapons and be willing to talk about banning their nuclear weapons, Haley was quoted as saying by ABC News yesterday.

Asked if the tweet was a good idea, she said: &quot;I think that he (Trump) always has to keep Kim on his toes. It&#39;s very important that we don&#39;t ever let him get so arrogant that he doesn&#39;t realise the reality of what would happen if he started a nuclear war&quot;.

Asked if Trump&#39;s statement at Camp David on Saturday meant any reversal of the stated US policy with regard to talks with North Korea, she said: &quot;There is no turnaround&quot;.

&quot;What he (Trump) has basically said is yes, there could be a time where we talk to North Korea but a lot of things have to happen before that actually takes place,&quot; Haley said.

They have to stop testing. They have to be willing to talk about banning their nuclear weapons. Those things have to happen, she said.

&quot;What we&#39;re trying to do is make sure we don&#39;t repeat what&#39;s happened in the last 25 years. Which is them start to act like they&#39;re coming to the table, they ask for a lot of money and then them cheat their way through.

&quot;We&#39;re going to be smart this time. We&#39;re going to make sure that whatever happens makes the United States safer and make sure that we denuclearise the (Korean) peninsula,&quot; Haley said.

'I think that he (Trump) always has to keep Kim on his toes. It's very important that we don't ever let him get so arrogant that he doesn't realise the reality of what would happen if he started a nuclear war,' Haley said

Nikki Haley has defended US President Donald Trump's recent "nuclear button" tweet warning Kim Jong Un of America's might, saying it was required to keep the North Korean leader "on his toes". Trump last week warned that his "nuclear button" is "much bigger and more powerful" than the one controlled by Kim, days after the North Korean leader said that Pyongyang's nuclear weapons can reach anywhere in the US and threatened that he has a nuclear button on his desk. Haley, the Indian-American US Ambassador to the UN said that the North Korean regime needs to take a series of steps for talks, a day after Trump said that he is open to talks with the North Korean leader. The steps include stop testing missiles and nuclear weapons and be willing to talk about banning their nuclear weapons, Haley was quoted as saying by ABC News yesterday. Asked if the tweet was a good idea, she said: "I think that he (Trump) always has to keep Kim on his toes. It's very important that we don't ever let him get so arrogant that he doesn't realise the reality of what would happen if he started a nuclear war". Asked if Trump's statement at Camp David on Saturday meant any reversal of the stated US policy with regard to talks with North Korea, she said: "There is no turnaround". "What he (Trump) has basically said is yes, there could be a time where we talk to North Korea but a lot of things have to happen before that actually takes place," Haley said. They have to stop testing. They have to be willing to talk about banning their nuclear weapons. Those things have to happen, she said. "What we're trying to do is make sure we don't repeat what's happened in the last 25 years. Which is them start to act like they're coming to the table, they ask for a lot of money and then them cheat their way through. "We're going to be smart this time. We're going to make sure that whatever happens makes the United States safer and make sure that we denuclearise the (Korean) peninsula," Haley said.

Trump has to keep Kim Jong-un 'on his toes': Nikki Haley on 'nuclear button' tweet

A day after US President Donald Trump said he is open to talks with the North Korean leader, his top Indian-American diplomat to the US said that Pyongyang needs to take a series of steps to make that happen.

Prominent among them being stop testing missiles and nuclear weapons and be willing to talk about banning their nuclear weapons, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley was quoted as saying by ABC News in an interview on Sunday.

&quot;There is no turnaround,&quot; Haley said when asked if Trump&#39;s statement at Camp David on Saturday meant any reversal of the stated US policy with regard to talks with North Korea.

&quot;What he (Trump) has basically said is yes, there could be a time where we talk to North Korea but a lot of things have to happen before that actually takes place,&quot; Haley said.

They have to stop testing. They have to be willing to talk about banning their nuclear weapons. Those things have to happen.

&quot;What we&#39;re trying to do is make sure we don&#39;t repeat what&#39;s happened the last 25 years,&quot; she said.

&quot;Which is them start to act like they&#39;re coming to the table, them ask for a lot of money and then them cheat their way through. We&#39;re going to be smart this time. We&#39;re going to make sure that whatever happens makes the United

States safer and make sure that we de-nuclearise the peninsula,&quot; Haley said.

Haley said stop testing is very important and has to be for a significant amount of time.

&quot;And then you go and you work toward the next step. This is going to be phases. This isn&#39;t going to happen overnight as we&#39;ve seen, but it&#39;s a dangerous situation,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

A day after US President Donald Trump said he is open to talks with the North Korean leader, his top Indian-American diplomat to the US said that Pyongyang needs to take steps to make that happen

A day after US President Donald Trump said he is open to talks with the North Korean leader, his top Indian-American diplomat to the US said that Pyongyang needs to take a series of steps to make that happen. Prominent among them being stop testing missiles and nuclear weapons and be willing to talk about banning their nuclear weapons, US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley was quoted as saying by ABC News in an interview on Sunday. "There is no turnaround," Haley said when asked if Trump's statement at Camp David on Saturday meant any reversal of the stated US policy with regard to talks with North Korea. "What he (Trump) has basically said is yes, there could be a time where we talk to North Korea but a lot of things have to happen before that actually takes place," Haley said. They have to stop testing. They have to be willing to talk about banning their nuclear weapons. Those things have to happen. "What we're trying to do is make sure we don't repeat what's happened the last 25 years," she said. "Which is them start to act like they're coming to the table, them ask for a lot of money and then them cheat their way through. We're going to be smart this time. We're going to make sure that whatever happens makes the United States safer and make sure that we de-nuclearise the peninsula," Haley said. Haley said stop testing is very important and has to be for a significant amount of time. "And then you go and you work toward the next step. This is going to be phases. This isn't going to happen overnight as we've seen, but it's a dangerous situation," she said.

North Korea needs to take series of steps to mend ties with US: Haley

No one inside the White House questions the mental stability of President Donald Trump, his top envoy to the UN Nikki Haley said today.

Haley, the first ever cabinet-ranking official in any presidential administration, was responding to an allegation made against Trump in a controversial book &#39;Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House&#39; by author Michael Wolff that hit the stores on Friday.

&quot;I know those people in the White House. These people love their country and respect our president... No one questions the (mental) stability of the president,&quot; Indian- American Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN.

Wolff said his book is based on interviews with some 200 people inside and outside the White House.

&quot;I can&#39;t vouch for anything like that. I don&#39;t know if it was 200 interviews with Steve Bannon, or if it was 200 interviews with himself, but I can tell you, I know these people. I work with these people,&quot; she said.

&quot;I work with the president and speak with him multiple times a week, this is a man, he didn&#39;t become the president by accident,&quot; she said.

&quot;We need to be realistic at the fact that every person, regardless of race, religion, or party, who loves the country, should support this president. It&#39;s that important,&quot; said the top American diplomat coming out in strong defence of the US President.

Haley said she is in constant communication with not only with the president but also with people around him.

&quot;I&#39;m around them all the time. I see these people put everything they have got into their jobs and into respecting and trusting the president. If they didn&#39;t, they wouldn&#39;t be there,&quot; she said.&nbsp;

Nikki Haley was responding to an allegation made against Trump in a controversial book 'Fire and Fury'

No one inside the White House questions the mental stability of President Donald Trump, his top envoy to the UN Nikki Haley said today. Haley, the first ever cabinet-ranking official in any presidential administration, was responding to an allegation made against Trump in a controversial book 'Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House' by author Michael Wolff that hit the stores on Friday. "I know those people in the White House. These people love their country and respect our president... No one questions the (mental) stability of the president," Indian- American Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN. Wolff said his book is based on interviews with some 200 people inside and outside the White House. "I can't vouch for anything like that. I don't know if it was 200 interviews with Steve Bannon, or if it was 200 interviews with himself, but I can tell you, I know these people. I work with these people," she said. "I work with the president and speak with him multiple times a week, this is a man, he didn't become the president by accident," she said. "We need to be realistic at the fact that every person, regardless of race, religion, or party, who loves the country, should support this president. It's that important," said the top American diplomat coming out in strong defence of the US President. Haley said she is in constant communication with not only with the president but also with people around him. "I'm around them all the time. I see these people put everything they have got into their jobs and into respecting and trusting the president. If they didn't, they wouldn't be there," she said.

No one inside White House questions Trump's mental stability: Nikki Haley

The United States and Russia clashed over Iran at the UN Security Council on Friday as a third straight day of pro-regime rallies were held following a wave of deadly protests.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley pushed for the meeting of the top UN body, arguing the unrest could escalate into full-blown conflict and drawing a comparison with Syria.

&quot;The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do,&quot; Haley warned.

Russia opposed the US push for Iran to be discussed at the Security Council, arguing the protests pose no threat to international peace and security.

But Moscow stopped short of seeking to block the meeting.

A total of 21 people have died and hundreds have been arrested since December 28 as protests over economic woes turned against the regime as a whole, with attacks on government buildings and police stations.

Pro-regime rallies were held around Tehran Friday for the third day running with authorities seeking to put a lid on the violence. There were some reports of small anti-government demonstrations in provincial towns, but these could not be verified.

&quot;We obviously regret the loss of life as the result of demonstrations that weren&#39;t so peaceful,&quot; Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council.

&quot;However, let Iran deal with its own problems,&quot; he said.

Iranian officials have blamed a plot by the CIA, Israel and Saudi Arabia for the unrest that convulsed much of the country for five days -- part of the increasing tensions playing out between Iran and its neighbors since President Donald Trump came to power.

The United States has meanwhile piled pressure on Iran, with Trump pledging to help Iranians &quot;take back&quot; their government.

A threat to peace?

Washington has imposed unilateral sanctions on five Iranian companies linked to Tehran&#39;s ballistic missile program.

&quot;The Iranian people are rising up in over 79 locations throughout the country,&quot; Haley told the council.

&quot;It is a powerful exhibition of brave people who have become so fed up with their oppressive government that they are willing to risk their lives in protest.&quot;

Russia&#39;s envoy shot back that if the US view holds, the council should have also discussed the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Missouri over the police shooting of a black teenager or the US crackdown on the Occupy Wall Street movement.

China also described the meeting as meddling in Iran&#39;s affairs, while Ethiopia, Kuwait and Sweden expressed reservations about the discussion.&nbsp;

Britain and France reiterated that Iran must respect the rights of protesters, but French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the &quot;events of the past days do not constitute a threat to peace and international security.&quot;

Iran&#39;s Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo slammed the meeting as a &quot;farce&quot; and a &quot;waste of time&quot; and said the council should instead focus on addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the war in Yemen.

CIA plot&nbsp;

It remains difficult to gauge who was involved in the anti-government unrest.

President Hassan Rouhani&#39;s supporters have blamed conservative rivals for stoking anger over economic issues, which quickly spiralled out of control.

The conservatives deny the accusations and say Rouhani must do more to help the poor.

Chief prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri blamed the unrest on a plot dating back four years by the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, while also claiming there were efforts to infiltrate the Islamic State group into the country.

Many officials have nonetheless recognized the genuine economic grievances of many Iranians, particularly a jobless rate at close to 30 percent for young people.

Iran&#39;s economic growth rebounded to more than 12 percent last year after sanctions were lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, but analysts say much of the windfall has come from renewed oil sales that generate few jobs.

Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said 42,000 people had taken part in the unrest nationwide.

It was higher than a previous figure of 15,000 given by the head of the Revolutionary Guards, but still far below the hundreds of thousands that took to the streets during the last major protest movement in 2009.

Nuclear waivers&nbsp;

Trump must decide next week whether to continue waiving nuclear-related sanctions suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Under the deal, Trump must actively lift certain sanctions every few months and the next deadline falls on January 12.

Trump&#39;s repeated tweets backing protesters during Iran&#39;s unrest was rebuffed by marchers on Friday.

&quot;Mr Trump passed laws against Iranians such as the immigration ban, and he called Iranians &#39;savages&#39;... and suddenly he is sympathizing and supporting Iranians and it is ridiculous,&quot; said Khalili, a government worker in Tehran.

The United States and Russia clashed over Iran at the UN Security Council on Friday

The United States and Russia clashed over Iran at the UN Security Council on Friday as a third straight day of pro-regime rallies were held following a wave of deadly protests. US Ambassador Nikki Haley pushed for the meeting of the top UN body, arguing the unrest could escalate into full-blown conflict and drawing a comparison with Syria. "The Iranian regime is now on notice: the world will be watching what you do," Haley warned. Russia opposed the US push for Iran to be discussed at the Security Council, arguing the protests pose no threat to international peace and security. But Moscow stopped short of seeking to block the meeting. A total of 21 people have died and hundreds have been arrested since December 28 as protests over economic woes turned against the regime as a whole, with attacks on government buildings and police stations. Pro-regime rallies were held around Tehran Friday for the third day running with authorities seeking to put a lid on the violence. There were some reports of small anti-government demonstrations in provincial towns, but these could not be verified. "We obviously regret the loss of life as the result of demonstrations that weren't so peaceful," Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia told the council. "However, let Iran deal with its own problems," he said. Iranian officials have blamed a plot by the CIA, Israel and Saudi Arabia for the unrest that convulsed much of the country for five days -- part of the increasing tensions playing out between Iran and its neighbors since President Donald Trump came to power. The United States has meanwhile piled pressure on Iran, with Trump pledging to help Iranians "take back" their government. A threat to peace? Washington has imposed unilateral sanctions on five Iranian companies linked to Tehran's ballistic missile program. "The Iranian people are rising up in over 79 locations throughout the country," Haley told the council. "It is a powerful exhibition of brave people who have become so fed up with their oppressive government that they are willing to risk their lives in protest." Russia's envoy shot back that if the US view holds, the council should have also discussed the 2014 unrest in Ferguson, Missouri over the police shooting of a black teenager or the US crackdown on the Occupy Wall Street movement. China also described the meeting as meddling in Iran's affairs, while Ethiopia, Kuwait and Sweden expressed reservations about the discussion. Britain and France reiterated that Iran must respect the rights of protesters, but French Ambassador Francois Delattre said the "events of the past days do not constitute a threat to peace and international security." Iran's Ambassador Gholamali Khoshroo slammed the meeting as a "farce" and a "waste of time" and said the council should instead focus on addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict or the war in Yemen. CIA plot It remains difficult to gauge who was involved in the anti-government unrest. President Hassan Rouhani's supporters have blamed conservative rivals for stoking anger over economic issues, which quickly spiralled out of control. The conservatives deny the accusations and say Rouhani must do more to help the poor. Chief prosecutor Mohammad Jafar Montazeri blamed the unrest on a plot dating back four years by the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, while also claiming there were efforts to infiltrate the Islamic State group into the country. Many officials have nonetheless recognized the genuine economic grievances of many Iranians, particularly a jobless rate at close to 30 percent for young people. Iran's economic growth rebounded to more than 12 percent last year after sanctions were lifted under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, but analysts say much of the windfall has come from renewed oil sales that generate few jobs. Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said 42,000 people had taken part in the unrest nationwide. It was higher than a previous figure of 15,000 given by the head of the Revolutionary Guards, but still far below the hundreds of thousands that took to the streets during the last major protest movement in 2009. Nuclear waivers Trump must decide next week whether to continue waiving nuclear-related sanctions suspended under the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. Under the deal, Trump must actively lift certain sanctions every few months and the next deadline falls on January 12. Trump's repeated tweets backing protesters during Iran's unrest was rebuffed by marchers on Friday. "Mr Trump passed laws against Iranians such as the immigration ban, and he called Iranians 'savages'... and suddenly he is sympathizing and supporting Iranians and it is ridiculous," said Khalili, a government worker in Tehran.

US, Russia clash over Iran at the UN Security Council meet

Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, called on the international community to speak out on the unfolding protests in Iran, saying the US would seek emergency UN talks on the situation.

&quot;The people of Iran are crying out for freedom,&quot; Haley said at a news conference. &quot;All freedom-loving people must stand with their cause.&quot;

She said the United States would be seeking emergency sessions of the UN Security Council and the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Commission in the coming days.

Haley rejected as &quot;complete nonsense&quot; charges by Iran&#39;s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the five-day-old protests were being fomented by the country&#39;s &quot;enemies.&quot;

&quot;The freedoms that are enshrined in the United Nations charter are under attack in Iran. Dozens have already been killed. Hundreds have been arrested,&quot; she said.

&quot;If the Iranian dictatorship&#39;s history is any guide, we can expect more outrageous abuses in the days to come,&quot; she said.

'The people of Iran are crying out for freedom, all freedom-loving people must stand with their cause,' Haley said at a news conference

Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, called on the international community to speak out on the unfolding protests in Iran, saying the US would seek emergency UN talks on the situation. "The people of Iran are crying out for freedom," Haley said at a news conference. "All freedom-loving people must stand with their cause." She said the United States would be seeking emergency sessions of the UN Security Council and the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Commission in the coming days. Haley rejected as "complete nonsense" charges by Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that the five-day-old protests were being fomented by the country's "enemies." "The freedoms that are enshrined in the United Nations charter are under attack in Iran. Dozens have already been killed. Hundreds have been arrested," she said. "If the Iranian dictatorship's history is any guide, we can expect more outrageous abuses in the days to come," she said.

US envoy calls for emergency UN session on Iran

A day after Pakistan foreign<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-needs-to-do-more-to-fight-terrorism-white-house-28379"> minister Khawaja Asif challenged</a> the US administration, Pakistan&#39;s ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi went a step further saying &quot;Islamabad could review its cooperation if it is not appreciated&quot;.

&nbsp;Asif in a tweet on Tuesday had said <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/pakistan-has-played-a-double-game-with-us-for-years-nikki-haley-28383">the US administration can hire a firm</a> at Pakistan&#39;s expense to audit the money spent on fighting America&#39;s war on terror.&nbsp;

President Trump in a tweet on New Years Day had said the US has &quot;foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars&quot; in aid over the last 15 years, and Pakistan had given the US &quot;nothing but lies &amp; deceit.&quot;&nbsp;

US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley upped the pressure on Pakistan declaring that Pakistan was playing a &quot;double game&quot;.&nbsp;

Maleeha Lodhi hit back at Haley saying the US was &quot;shifting the blame for own mistakes and failures onto others&quot;.

&quot;We have contributed and sacrificed the most in fighting international terrorism and carried out the largest counter-terrorism operation anywhere in the world,&quot; Lodhi said.&nbsp;

Trump&#39;s tweet against Pakistan created a firestorm in the country with several leaders including Prime Minister Abbasi condemning the statement by the US president.

Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan said: &quot;We lost 70,000 lives in America&#39;s war, Trump&#39;s recent statement should serve as an example for all of us. Regardless of whatever aid a country offers, we should not go to war for it.&quot;

Prime Minister Abassi chaired a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday and expressed &quot;deep disappointment&quot; at the allegations levelled against Pakistan by US President Donald Trump.

US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley upped the pressure on Pakistan declaring that Pakistan was playing a "double game".?

A day after Pakistan foreign minister Khawaja Asif challenged the US administration, Pakistan's ambassador to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi went a step further saying "Islamabad could review its cooperation if it is not appreciated". Asif in a tweet on Tuesday had said the US administration can hire a firm at Pakistan's expense to audit the money spent on fighting America's war on terror. President Trump in a tweet on New Years Day had said the US has "foolishly given Pakistan more than 33 billion dollars" in aid over the last 15 years, and Pakistan had given the US "nothing but lies & deceit." US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley upped the pressure on Pakistan declaring that Pakistan was playing a "double game". Maleeha Lodhi hit back at Haley saying the US was "shifting the blame for own mistakes and failures onto others". "We have contributed and sacrificed the most in fighting international terrorism and carried out the largest counter-terrorism operation anywhere in the world," Lodhi said. Trump's tweet against Pakistan created a firestorm in the country with several leaders including Prime Minister Abbasi condemning the statement by the US president. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan said: "We lost 70,000 lives in America's war, Trump's recent statement should serve as an example for all of us. Regardless of whatever aid a country offers, we should not go to war for it." Prime Minister Abassi chaired a meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday and expressed "deep disappointment" at the allegations levelled against Pakistan by US President Donald Trump.

US shifting blame for own mistakes: Maleeha Lodhi

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